Research

Language acquisition and language education are two academic fields that have largely informed my time in the Language Teaching Studies program. Various theories, principles, and approaches are adapted and modified to best reflect current research. To best understand the importance of how research is beneficial to my role as a language educator, it is imperative that I spend time taking part in various steps of the research process. I am including three artifacts that each highlight a specific set of research skills that I have practiced during the LTS program: an article critique, a research proposal, and a written methods section that comprised a larger program evaluation project. Through engaging in various aspects of the research process with these artifacts, I was exposed to a variety of concepts in research such as critiquing research, proposing research questions, and documenting the methods taken to complete a project. While these concepts do not fully embody what I know about research, I believe they accurately represent my knowledge on a variety of foundational ideas.

Having an undergraduate degree in Linguistics, research and its potential benefits were not necessarily a foreign concept to me; however, by creating these artifacts through various LTS courses, my knowledge has been broadened. The first of these artifacts concerns my ability to critique current research and offer ways in which it can be improved upon. This skill is displayed in my second article critique that I created for the Second Language Acquisition course (LING 544). In this critique, I examined Lambert et al’s (2017) study of the relationship between L2 oral proficiency and the use of repetition tasks. I offer ways in which the findings of the study can best be applied to bolster second language education practices as well as detail some issues in the study design. This artifact provided me with an opportunity to engage with the initial stages of research, where old ideas are examined and new solutions are postulated.

The concept of finding gaps in literature and brainstorming new ways to approach research questions was also a skill that was largely expanded through the design and development of my research proposal that I created for the Research Methods in Applied Linguistics course (LING 530). In this artifact, I introduce a prominent Spanish phonological feature that is used in a range of native Spanish varieties, offer a brief literature review of the concept, and offer a hypothetical model for examining the potential acquisition of this phenomenon in study abroad students. This artifact further allowed me to consider ways in which experimental design must be carefully approached so as to not negatively affect findings, as well as think through ways this research could be further applied and/or elaborated upon. In sum, engaging with the research process from the aspect of improving upon existing ideas bolstered a sense of responsibility in me, as a language educator, to remain up-to-date on language teaching practices as well as consider ways in which research can inform my teaching.

Finally, the importance of academic writing and the presentation of data was further stressed throughout my writing of the Focus Groups Methods Section with Madi Collins for the Master’s Project course (LT 611). Throughout this artifact, I demonstrate my ability to succinctly detail and communicate the steps taken throughout my cohort’s completion of the Oregon International Internship Program evaluation. While a seemingly unrelated skill to language education, being able to effectively take part in the research process, present data, and write for a professional audience are widely applicable skills. For example, having taken part in the research process through the creation of this artifact, I would be better equipped to implement aspects of action research, or the simultaneous process of research and solving issues within the classroom. These skills not only allow for me to be a more effective educator, but also allow for me to feel comfortable working in more independent settings where I am largely responsible for student success.

As a concluding thought, the process of actively finding gaps in research, critiquing current methods, and demonstrating an ability to carry out aspects of the research process myself are all skills that benefit me as a language educator, as well as one who is academically curious. Having created and revised these artifacts, I feel more apt to approach questions that I do not have the answers for head on and to actively incorporate the findings of others into my instruction so that student success is ultimately supported. It is my eventual hope that the skills developed through this competency area are eventually used to investigate unique and interesting questions that seek to expand our knowledge of the field.

Lambert, C., Kormos, J., & Minn, D. (2017). Task Repetition and Second Language Speech Processing. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 39(1), 167-196. doi:10.1017/S0272263116000085