beliefs & Practices

Proficiency takes time and repetition, and repetition can be boring, so I create ways to present material in different ways across the modes. For example, in the interpretive mode, I often present new vocabulary in a different context than how it appears in a class text and ask them to read and guess the meaning. Then for interpersonal mode, I use the same vocab in personalized question and answer to have a conversation in a different context.

Language teachers should constantly assess (not only test) and collect data to know how well the students are acquiring the target language, and then make decisions about next steps based on that data. Therefore we need to be flexible with our lessons and curriculum because when students show they are not acquiring the structures, we need to spend more time with them, or create new ways to present the structures again. These are only a few ways I promote proficiency.

Personalization is key to engagement and my secret weapon is my sense of humor and my willingness to be silly in class. When I set the tone like that, it makes room for the students not to take themselves so seriously and helps to lower their affective filters so they are comfortable to make mistakes and be open. When students open up, I try to remember things about them and follow up with them about something they said in class and let them know I am listening.

Motivation is more difficult for me and it happens more on an individual basis. When I notice a student is not motivated, I check in with them more often and try to point out their improvements, successes or challenge them to push beyond what they see as their maximum potential. I find students are often motivated by their own success, so I give them opportunities to be successful and then make sure they know I noticed.

Grammar does not drive my decisions in class, I believe grammar, like vocabulary is always contextualized in daily language, so I don't expect students to learn grammar rules, then be able to construct language spontaneously based on those rules. However, I do draw the students' attention to it as it appears in texts and conversations and especially when students ask. I believe that when a student asks about grammar, that is a good time to bring up a rule and I am always clear in my expectations: I will not test their knowledge of grammar rules or verb charts, but I do expect them to recognize patterns.

Vocabulary overlaps with every mode and skill in language acquisition. I put the most time and energy into the highest frequency words in the texts I choose. I favor practices that lead to acquisition instead of memorization like rereading instead of flashcards. I also encourage students to look for and notice the many cognates that English and Spanish share. I foster a sense of independence with new vocabulary by providing opportunities for students to guess vocabulary from context and by encouraging them to dissect unknown words by drawing attention to common prefixes and suffixes and gauging how important the word is. Finally, I encourage them to use the language they have to explain the words they don't know and to accept the limitations of their current level, knowing that it will improve with time.

In the MAFLT program I reflected heavily on the intercultural experiences that led to developing relationships with people who spoke the target language and therefore my acquisition as well. This process had nothing to do with any cultural knowledge or expertise about Mexican or Guatemalan people or cultures that I possessed, rather it had to do with an openness that I had to engage in intercultural experiences and discovering that my new friends were mostly just like me; they loved, they hurt, they had successes and failures, dreams, questions and opinions like everyone else I knew. I can't say exactly how I teach culture now, because I am still figuring it out, but I want to foster a sense of openness in my students and I believe that using the complexities of the students' cultures is a valuable resource in the classroom. If they can see their own complexity then maybe they can see it in their classmates and beyond.