Current Courses
Fall 2024
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GLOBL 1100-001
Utah and the World
Summer 2024
Spring 2024
Teaching Philosophy
There are several clichés articulating the human ability to adapt. Can’t beat ‘em? Join ‘em. In Rome? Act Roman. Lemons? Lemonade. In an ESL setting, instead of Romans and lemons, we are students and teachers and adaptation becomes three-fold—linguistic, academic, and cultural and I customize my own teaching practice in order to promote the skills students need to be successful in each of the aforementioned facets. My philosophy dictates a student-centered methodology and I advocate a content-based instruction method which fully incorporates content, language, and strategy instruction. My teaching approach has centered on authentic academic communication skills development; I find group speaking, projects that engage the higher education community, and kinesthetic learning activities to engage students linguistically, emphasize the rationale and transferable skills behind the assignment, and create a physical memory of the material. For example, to gather a required resource for a final research presentation, I ask student groups to coordinate an interview with an expert in their chosen field here on campus. Students must identify these human resources, use academic register and pragmatics in contacting the expert, coordinate a professional interview, and reflect on the experience and analyze the information gained from the interview for their larger research project.
In my professional development practice, I check this student-centered philosophy through diligent self-reflection. After each lesson, I make notes on what I thought worked, did not work, students’ reactions, perceived comprehension, and classroom managements issues. I believe that student perceptions are equally important to co-constructing the learning experience so I create additional opportunities each semester for confidential feedback for students to contribute their input and take ownership of the classroom via focus groups with campus teaching consultants. I also schedule regular observations and consultations with campus teaching consultants for feedback on my classroom work. These practices help me maintain awareness of student needs and offer objective input on my own teaching strengths and challenges; as a result, they have better enabled me to teach responsively.
I often tell people that teaching is my job but being a cultural liaison is my work. I try to convey to my students that their academic success depends on their well-being and feeling included and valued in their community. I highlight that community integration is their responsibility and that I work to facilitate this transition. In each unit, I include an outing or an activity for a community event to expose them to the opportunities and resources available to them. If a student requests additional resources, we work one-on-one identifying appropriate people and venues to contact, developing questions and approaches to take, discussing different scenarios to anticipate and then following-up to see if further resolution is needed. Regardless of an ESL or EFL setting, the student gains confidence doing all of the communication him/herself.
When I was teaching abroad, I became aware of how culture motivates language learning and I believe the two cannot be divorced; student success in one is integral to success in the other. I value the practical nature of ESL because I help students learn the linguistic, academic, and cultural skills needed to adapt to their present environment on their own terms.
Courses I Teach
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ESL 1060
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Expository Writing for ESL
This course is designed to help you develop some of the skills necessary to succeed with academic writing in the university environment. In this class you will: Develop skills of summarizing, analyzing, and synthesizing both academic and professional writing. Develop a greater awareness of your own attitudes and learn to think critically about the world that surrounds you. Learn to use proper citations (i.e., summarize or quote another author) and create bibliographies in the APA format. -
ESL 1100
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Integrating Language Skills in ESL
This course provides emphasis on improving language skills in four different areas: a) improving listening and note taking skills through listening to academic lectures and taking notes in class, b) developing effective strategies for improving reading skills, c) reviewing grammatical structures in English that often prove troublesome to second language learners, and d) improving oral skills by giving oral presentations in class, participating in role-plays, and exploring a variety of academic topics through text, audio and videotapes, and guest lectures -
ESL 1700
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Academic ESL History
This is a content-based ESL course that focuses on integrating language, content, and learning strategies in the acquisition of academic English. ESL 1700 will use content about American history and civilization as the basis for developing academic language skills. The course will provide opportunities for students to be exposed to topics in American history through texts and available videos, listening to guest speakers, participation in discussions on topics in history with class peers and an ESL instructor, and completing written and oral assignments in response to the materials. -
ESL 3060
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Advanced ESL Communications Skills
An integrated-skills course designed to improve reading, writing, speaking, and listening through note-taking, writing and revision of expository papers, and making class presentations. -
LING 3200
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Linguistics & Education
The purpose of this course is to introduce teachers to the basic concepts of linguistics and illustrate their relevance and application in varied educational contexts. Topics include a brief introduction to general/theoretical linguistics (phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics) as well as to selected topics of sociolinguistics and applied linguistics (language variation, cross-cultural communication, and language acquisition). Linguistic phenomena of English and other languages will be examined in order to sharpen students’ analytic skills and to improve students' abilities to teach to a linguistically diverse audience. -
LING 3600
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Cross-Cultural Communication
This course examines basic concepts, issues and theories in and approaches to cross-cultural communication. It explores how culture influences linguistic and non-linguistic behaviors of its members, and increases student awareness of diverse ways of communicating in different cultures. To do so, students will be encouraged to reflect upon and move beyond their current knowledge and understanding ways of communicating, apply analytical skills in examining intercultural interaction, and consider techniques for improving intercultural communication within various types of environments.