I have 17+ years of teaching experience in all modalities (face-to-face, hybrid, online). My approach to teaching is influenced by my experiences as a learner, teacher, instructional designer/technologist, researcher, and coordinator. Since each classroom consists of many different students who each bring different learning skills, knowledge, and diverse backgrounds to the class, therefore, drawing upon different theories and approaches would allow me to motivate and interest all students in my classes. I believe that the best learning and teaching occurs, when my students can take what they learned in my course and make connections to their own lives. I, therefore, try to include these experiences into my courses and provide the students with the opportunity to take the learned material and apply it to their lives. I am inclusive and make sure all my students (no matter their background, abilities, gender identity, etc.) know they belong and that their voice will be heard.
Bringing in new technologies allows me as a teacher to motivate and engage my students in the process of learning. I believe that my energy and passion for teaching will and usually do affect my students in a positive way engaging them actively in the learning process. Being a person who learned German at the age of nine when we moved to Germany from Lebanon, I enjoy helping students engage and explore other cultures. Teaching as well as learning is a development and progress that is continuously influenced by current research, student and peer feedback, observations, and my ongoing experiences as a learner and instructor. My teaching is learner-centered. This approach allows my students to grow and discover knowledge on their own. Hence, my role in their learning process is as a mediator and facilitator. I use this teaching philosophy in my own training of other faculty as well as in my consultations.
SLC (School-wide courses):
SLC 201 - Introduction to Linguistics (spring 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016; fall 2016 (designed new curriculum: 60 student class); fall 2017 online 7 1/2 week format for ASU Online)
SLC 394 - Beauties or Witches: Women in German Film (designed and developed; cross-listed with GER; fall 2017)
SLC 455 - Multi-Kulti: Multiculturalism through Film (designed and developed; cross-listed with GER; fall 2012, 2014, spring 2018)
SLC 465 - Intercultural Communicative Competence (designed and developed; cross-listed with GER; spring 2013, fall 2015, 2016)
German:
GER 101 - Beginning German I (spring 2011)
GER 111 - Fundamentals of German; Accelerated First-year German (fall 2011)
GER 201 - Intermediate German I (online; designed and developed; fall 2015)
GER 312 - Readings in German culture (spring 2018)
GER 313 - German Composition (fall 2010, 2011; spring 2011)
GER 319 - Business German (designed and developed; spring 2012, 2013)
GER 394 - Beauties or Witches: Women in German Film (designed and developed; cross-listed with SLC; fall 2017)
GER 455 - Multi-Kulti: Multiculturalism through Film (designed and developed; cross-listed with SLC; fall 2012,2014, spring 2018)
GER 465 - Intercultural Communicative Competence (designed and developed; cross-listed with SLC; spring 2013, fall 2015, 2016)
GER 494 - Outreach: Teaching German in the US (designed and developed; spring 2016, 2017)
GER 494 - German for Reading Knowledge (online designed and developed; summer 2011)
Before coming to Arizona State University, I taught German courses at The University of Texas at Austin: beginner to intermediate (508-312L), outreach courses, and a humanities course.
German:
GER 521 - History of the German Language (designed and developed; spring 2012, 2014)
GER 550 - German for Reading Knowledge (online designed and developed; summer 2011)
GER 580 - Practicum (designed and developed; fall 2012)
GER 591 - Teaching Methods for TAs (designed and developed; cross-listed with CHI, FRE, JPN, SLC, SPA; fall 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
GER 591 - Foreign Language Teaching and Pedagogy (designed and developed; cross-listed with FRE and SLC; fall 2014)
GER 598 - Multi-Kulti: Multiculturalism through Film (designed and developed; cross-listed with SLC; fall 2012, 2014)
GER 598 - Intercultural Communicative Competence (designed and developed; cross-listed with SLC; spring 2013, fall 2015, 2016)