Teaching

Active Learning Strategies

As a language teacher, I regularly incorporate cultural texts as a way to guide students toward achieving specific and measurable learning outcomes. Second language acquisition research shows that the use of authentic cultural texts in language learning stimulates interest in the learning process and contributes to an enjoyable atmosphere that reduces stress. However, since the linguistic content of authentic cultural texts often exceeds students’ linguistic developmental readiness, I take great care to structure these learning activities around specific and measurable learning outcomes that are developmentally appropriate. This allows for differentiated learning opportunities given the diverse developmental stages represented in any given classroom, whereby the advanced linguistic content of authentic cultural texts can function as a welcome challenge for those who are developmentally ready for it without overwhelming students who are less advanced. 

As an example, I might present students with a Mexican song whose theme aligns with newly learned chapter vocabulary. I can use this song as a thematic springboard from which to guide students from the input phase of language learning (listening, reading, recognizing) toward the output phase (speaking, writing, producing). As a warmup listening comprehension exercise meant to activate new chapter vocabulary, I might present students with a fill-in-the-blanks activity that must be solved by listening for and recognizing the new chapter vocabulary words in the song. This kind of activity is received with enthusiasm since students are able to practice targeted vocabulary and listening comprehension skills while at the same time being exposed to authentic cultural texts, which stimulates acquisition of cultural literacy. As a way of transitioning to the output phase of language learning, I can continue to use the themes of the song to present students with communicative tasks that require students to produce targeted vocabulary to solve communicative gaps. This type of curriculum design makes for an invigorating classroom environment where learners are constantly testing their language skills in a stimulating setting that yields specific and identifiable learning outcomes while allowing for differentiated learning. 

Safe and Collaborative Learning Environment

One of the greatest impediments to learning a second langauge is fear of making mistakes. As such, to create an environment where students feel safe to make mistakes, I promote the idea that the language classroom is a laboratory in which students will be testing their hypotheses about their ability to communicate ideas on a daily basis. This approach sets the expectation that the language classroom is a place where a) mistakes are accepted as integral to the learning process, and b) where mutual respect and collaboration are essential. This sets the stage for a collaborative classroom where students have a sense of responsibility to each other’s learning process as they are constantly challenged to use the language with each other to resolve communicative problems presented to them. My role in this laboratory is to emphasize meaningful communication, as opposed to perfection. My role is also to provide corrective feedback that is respectful and accepting of the types of mistakes students make based on issues of their developing interlanguage and diverse cognitive processes. I give a great deal of consideration to the timing and type of corrective feedback I provide, such as ‘prompts’ and ‘recasts,’ to guide students toward acquiring the targeted linguistic forms in a respectful way that encourages them to continue to test their knowledge of the language. As evidenced by student’s end-of-course evaluations, these strategies, together, foster a sense of ownership in the learning process that liberates them to constantly challenge themselves and strive for growth: 

I like that even when we mess up and make mistakes, she's created such a safe environment that is focused more on getting your message across that we don't feel ashamed or embarrassed and instead are eager to correct ourselves and try to do better each time.  [Spanish Fundamentals Fall 2017]