Teaching Statement

I've never thought of teaching as just delivering information. For me, it's a human experience that depends on empathy, reflection, and genuine connection. My teaching journey began in Iran, where I worked with EFL learners of different ages and backgrounds, including adolescents and adults with cochlear implants. Later, at the University of Kansas, I continued to grow as both an instructor and a Graduate Teaching Assistant in the field of Speech-Language-Hearing (SPLH) Sciences. These experiences—shaped by working across different cultures and learning needs—have grounded my approach to teaching in inclusivity, responsiveness, and active student engagement. 

I believe that profound learning unfolds through a cycle of exposure, engagement, and expression. If any element of this cycle is missing, no learning will occur completely. In SPLH and Communication Sciences Disorders, this cycle builds knowledge and cultivates the habits of inquiry, empathy, and professionalism essential to clinical and academic success. 

The first step is exposing students to new concepts—whether it's lexical development in autistic children, cross-linguistic phonological variation, or the impact of language deprivation in early childhood. I would like to expose my students to such facts in many forms: textbook readings, research articles, video cases, or even a clinical demonstration. For example, in one undergraduate course, we introduced language development stages through both reading and recorded home sessions. Some students connected more deeply with the case study video, while others found their insights through close reading. I will strive to present material in varied, multimodal ways to reach as many learners as possible. 

But exposure is not enough per se. The second stage of my teaching focuses on facilitating understanding and engagement. I encourage students to ask questions, draw connections, and apply knowledge across contexts. This may involve comparing linguistic data, analyzing therapy videos, and participating in on-campus multicultural events and lectures in the SPLH area. I will incorporate a range of interactive strategies—including small-group discussions, guided worksheets, in-class writing, and structured peer feedback—to promote not just comprehension but active, collaborative learning. One particularly effective strategy I will use is the Jigsaw Method, which we applied in a course on multicultural considerations in SPLH. Students matched based on their cultural backgrounds and common interests were divided into home groups to explore different cultural and linguistic diversity facets. They were then reassembled into mixed groups to teach their peers what they had learned. Using this method helped students gain a firmer grasp of the material and gave quieter students a chance to participate in ways that felt more comfortable. Smaller, peer-led groups made it easier for everyone to contribute without the pressure of speaking in front of the class. In my experience, creating structured but low-stakes spaces like this allows students to try out their ideas, make mistakes, and build confidence—all of which leads to more meaningful engagement. 

The third stage is where students begin to express ideas critically and independently. In speech-language-hearing sciences, this means learning to synthesize evidence, challenge assumptions, and prepare to make ethical, client-centered decisions. I ask students to apply what they've learned in practical, real-world contexts—such as developing treatment plans, interpreting research findings, or critiquing public health messaging. Within a weekly assignment, for example, students were assigned to write reflection papers on multicultural issues they discussed with their peers in class. Assignments like this helped students move beyond memorization to construct meaningful, personal, and professionally relevant knowledge. 

My approach to assessment includes a balance of formative and summative evaluations, ensuring that students receive meaningful feedback that supports their growth. Providing detailed, individualized comments on their assignments is a key part of my teaching philosophy, as I believe that timely and specific feedback is essential for their academic development. Depending on the course and learning objectives, I incorporate tools such as multiple choice and open-eneded quizzes, in-class activities, reflection essays, observation-based projects, and article discussion forums to encourage ongoing engagement and critical thinking. I also include formal assessments like midterm and final exams, oral presentations, and papers to evaluate students’ ability to synthesize and apply knowledge. I use volunteer-based check-in questions during class sessions to gauge understanding in real-time and adjust my instruction when needed. This variety helps address different learning styles and strengths and reinforces my belief that assessment should guide—not just measure—learning. I aim to make evaluation a meaningful part of the learning process, where students feel supported and understand how to grow from the feedback they receive. 

In both Iran and the U.S., I've seen how traditional systems often prioritize performance over learning and fluency over voice. As a language teacher, I wanted something different. I strive to create spaces where students—whether verbal or nonverbal, multilingual or monolingual, outgoing or reserved—feel safe to take risks, ask questions, and engage authentically with the material and one another. My work with CI learners in Iran especially deepened this commitment. Many students were excluded from language institutes or hesitated to join classes due to accessibility and confidence concerns. Witnessing their enthusiasm when given inclusive, tailored instruction taught me that language access is not a privilege but a right. That conviction remains central to my teaching across all contexts. 

One challenge I've consistently noticed—both in the EFL classrooms I taught in Iran and undergraduate courses at KU is how many students struggle with academic writing. In most cases, the issue isn't grammar or vocabulary. More often, it's a lack of confidence in organizing ideas or engaging critically with texts. I've found that students need support in developing their analytical thinking and the tools to express complex ideas clearly and persuasively. This is why I will devote special attention to helping students articulate, structure, and revise their written work through scaffolded assignments, modeling, and personalized feedback.  

At KU, I've had the opportunity to instruct and facilitate teaching and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in courses like Research Methods in SPLH, Undergraduate Research, Language Development, and Multicultural Considerations in SPLH. These classes have allowed me to implement the best of what I've learned from my mentors and classroom experiences. They've taught me how to integrate content mastery with research mentorship, emphasizing manuscript writing, visual analysis, and student-led presentations—skills I now prioritize in my own teaching to help students build a strong research foundation. They also modeled balancing rigor and individualized support, encouraging reflective practice and inclusive pedagogy. I learned the value of student-driven feedback and mental wellness check-ins, practices I will incorporate into my classroom routines. And from other faculty members, I've learned that mentorship is not just academic—it's relational. Their informal conversations helped me feel valued as both an international student and a professional in training.  

Ultimately, I see teaching as a collaborative, evolving process. I don't believe in rigid adherence to a single method. I draw from communicative, inquiry-based, and culturally responsive pedagogies, adapting based on the learners in front of me. I teach because education can shift lives—it certainly shifted mine. I teach because every student deserves to be taken seriously as a thinker, a questioner, and a future professional. And I teach because each new class challenges me to reflect, revise, and keep growing. 

Mohammad Karbakhsh