My Beliefs & Practices

I give my learners as much exposure to comprehensible and compelling language as possible. By building listening and reading comprehension skills first, I then guide my students to speak and write for real-world purposes. I teach with communication goals based on the ACTFL proficiency guidelines, not a list of grammar structures. I create tasks for my students that encourage them to use, respond, and even think in the language.

Creativity and imagination are huge priorities in my teaching since they relax my learners and create common (and memorable) experiences in the target language. I incorporate each student and their story into regular instruction to build community and teach them how to discuss what is important to them. I teach my learners the ACTFL levels of proficiency, how to measure their own growth, set goals, and reflect on how their progress.

I teach using "sheltered vocabulary," which means that I slowly and intentionally introduce vocabulary in context and in a way that my learners understand. Vocabulary lists are not an effective way to acquire language long-term, but context is! Similarly, my grammar instruction is always embedded in a communicative context. I teach grammar implicitly, in context, student-led with questions and observations, and occasionally use explicit instruction to clarify or answer student questions.

Before completing the MAFLT program, I simply taught culture as knowledge of other countries and customs as it appeared in the textbook. I now consider intercultural competence an essential part of language instruction. I engage my learners with authentic materials and reflection tools to develop their skills to investigate, interact with, and make sense of cultures they encounter. See my Experiential Module for the resources I use to develop lessons that promote intercultural competence.