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A Language Learning and Teaching Journey: Practicalities and Possibilities Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU All Graduate Plan B and other Reports Graduate Studies 5-2016 A Language Learning and Teaching Journey: Practicalities and Possibilities Elizabeth Irene Abell Utah State University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/gradreports Part of the Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons Recommended Citation Abell, Elizabeth Irene, "A Language Learning and Teaching Journey: Practicalities and Possibilities" (2016). All Graduate Plan B and other Reports. 818. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/gradreports/818 This Creative Project is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Graduate Plan B and other Reports by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. i A LANGUAGE LEARNING AND TEACHING JOURNEY: PRACTICALITIES AND POSSIBILITIES by Elizabeth Irene Abell A portfolio submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SECOND LANGUAGE TEACHING Approved: ________________________________ ______________________________ Dr. Sarah Gordon Dr. Karin de Jonge-Kannan Major Professor Committee Member ________________________________ ______________________________ Dr. Maria Luisa Spicer-Escalante Dr. Bradford J. Hall Committee Member Department Head UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY Logan, Utah 2016 ii Copyright © Elizabeth Irene Abell All rights reserved iii ABSTRACT A Language Learning and Teaching Journey: Practicalities and Possibilities by Elizabeth Irene Abell: Master of Second Language Teaching Utah State University, 2016 Major Professor: Dr. Sarah Gordon Department: Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Within this portfolio, the reader will find the work that the author has completed over the last two years in the Master of Second Language Teaching (MSLT) program at Utah State University and a demonstration of her professional growth as an instructor over this period of time. The first major part is the teaching philosophy, in which the author discusses: the experiences as a student that have shaped her as a teacher, the various teaching contexts in which she may work in the future, her personal philosophy of language teaching shaped by what she has learned in the MSLT program, and the lessons learned from observing her own and others’ classrooms. The second part is comprised of three artifacts written throughout the program which explore topics inspired by the everyday practicalities of language teaching. The first artifact explores student first language use in the immersion classroom and applying an understanding of this phenomenon to the foreign language classroom. The second artifact discusses vocabulary acquisition through writing tasks and concludes with a iv research study proposal to better understand how different language scripts may affect vocabulary acquisition. The third artifact delves into the topic of teaching second-person pronouns (tu and vous) in the French as a foreign language classroom; the author here offers a lesson plan for teaching this nuanced aspect of francophone interaction. The portfolio concludes with three annotated bibliographies which further support the teaching philosophy in addressing three other practical aspects of language teaching: the communicative language teaching approach, motivation and anxiety in the foreign language classroom, and culture teaching with technology. (161 pages) v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Let all readers of this portfolio be assured: it is impossible to contain within this section the depth of my gratitude to the individuals mentioned here. I must first thank most sincerely Dr. Karin de Jonge-Kannan for her invaluable feedback on everything from lesson ideas to literature reviews, for her warm smile and encouraging words, for her wonderful example as an instructor, and for serving as a member of my committee, among so many other things. Next, I would like to thank Dr. Sarah Gordon for serving as the chair of my committee and for being incredibly supportive, encouraging, and instructive as the French program coordinator and my professor. I also owe a great deal of gratitude to my third committee member, Dr. Maria Luisa Spicer-Escalante, for serving on my committee and constantly pushing me to reach higher and do more than I thought I could. Next, I would like to thank from the bottom of my heart my MSLT colleagues and friends Haitao Zhao, Fred Poole, and Yasmine Kataw. Thank you, Haitao, for being the best first presentation partner I could have hoped for, for always keeping my feet on the ground with your no-nonsense answers to my silliness, and for always inspiring me to work harder. Thank you, Fred, for always being willing to offer guidance on anything under the sun, for always reminding me to just relax every once in a while, and for (quite simply) being the big brother I never had. Thank you, Yasmine, for never letting me give up or lose hope about anything, for laughing with me when I needed it most, and for being my rock throughout my time in this program. I also want to thank Tempe Mabe, vi Aaron Salgado, Ariel Finlinson, Katie Reynolds, Ali Adair, and Chemaris Ethington for being such inspiring and wonderful colleagues. Je dois aussi un très grand merci à Matt Wheat, Tim Hixson, et Logan Thackery qui m’ont énormément aidé avec le Club de Français et ses événements. Ce sont trois jeunes hommes exceptionnels et de bons amis. Finally, I must also thank those who have supported, encouraged, and loved me from far away: my mother, Geraldine; my grandmother, Lea; and my friends Leighanne, Andrew, Simone, Jackie, and Eric. vii CONTENTS ABSTRACT.......................................................................................................................iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS..................................................................................................iv INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................1 TEACHING PHILOSOPHY...............................................................................................3 Apprenticeship of Observation................................................................................4 Professional Environment........................................................................................8 Teaching Philosophy Statement...............................................................................9 Professional Development through Teaching Observations..................................24 Self-Assessment of Teaching….............................................................................30 LANGUAGE ARTIFACT.................................................................................................34 Introduction & Reflection .....................................................................................35 Student First Language Use in the Immersion Classroom.....................................36 LITERACY ARTIFACT...................................................................................................50 Introduction & Reflection .....................................................................................51 Vocabulary Acquisition through Writing Tasks in the Foreign Language Classroom ..............................................................................................................52 CULTURE ARTIFACT.....................................................................................................72 Introduction & Reflection......................................................................................73 Teaching and Using “Tu and “Vous” in the French Foreign Language Classroom...............................................................................................................74 ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHIES.................................................................................88 Perspectives on Communicative Language Teaching............................................89 Motivation and Anxiety in the Foreign Language Classroom.............................102 Teaching Intercultural Competence with Technology…………………….........121 LOOKING FORWARD..................................................................................................135 REFERENCES................................................................................................................136 APPENDICES..........................................................................................................149 Appendix A – Lesson for Observation Feb. 16 …...………………………….………..150 Appendix B – Handout for Feb. 16 Lesson…...…………..…………..………………..152 viii Appendix C – Handout for TU/VOUS Lesson…...…………………..………….……..154 Appendix D - TU/VOUS Lesson: Scenarios and Canvas Questions………..……...…..156 ix LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Benefits of DLI Programs.………………………………………………….……41 2. Target words for study ……..…...……...…………………...…………………...69 x LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Utah DLI Programs 2015-2016…........................................................................40 1 INTRODUCTION This portfolio is both a culmination and starting point; herein one will find the principal work that I have completed during my two years in the Master of Second Language Teaching program, but as I move forward in my teaching career, it will serve as a foundation upon which I will continue to build my teaching knowledge and skills. As I illustrate in
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