Teacher Research

Research in the MAFLT Program

Throughout my coursework in the MAFLT Program I had the opportunity to conduct research that I felt had applicable implications in the language classroom. I have come to believe that the opportunity for language teachers to have access to learning about research in language classrooms, engage with research, and even conduct their own research are all ways for language teachers to feel empowered and grow professionally. 

In FLT 860: Second Language Acquisition, I conducted a classroom research project where I sought to answer two research questions: Between interlingual, intralingual, and no subtitles, is one condition more beneficial for vocabulary acquisition? Does subtitle condition affect how students feel about their abilities in Spanish?

Conducting this study in my classroom confirmed conclusions from previous research and also allowed me to deepen my understanding of the effects of each subtitle condition on vocabulary acquisiton and student perception of their abilities.

In FLT 815: Teaching Culture in Foreign Language Classes, I completed an Intercultural Investigation Project titled The Effects of Studying and Living Abroad on the Development of Intercultural Competence.  I chose an informant whom I know personally who has had extensive intercultural experiences studying and living abroad teaching English in Europe. I conducted interviews with my informant to better understand the development of his intercultural competence through his experiences. The transcripts of our interview were analyzed and coded using Otter.ai which allowed me to organize the themes and ideas of my informant's thoughts.