Teaching Philosophy

My perspective as an instructor guiding the learning and acquisition process in a second language classroom is two-fold: 1. language is inherently cultural (Everett, 2013) and an integral component of an individual’s identity and sense of self (De Costa & Norton, 2017), and 2. language is a communicative tool (Sirbu, 2015) that is learned through interaction and negotiation for meaning with others (Long, 1985). My approach to language instruction is thus largely communicative in nature and I believe that the classroom should reflect language in-use; in other words, lessons and activities should adopt and adapt from real-world use of the target language so instruction and acquisition mimic reality as closely as possible. It is my belief that students benefit from collaborative work and activities that encourage interaction with others, so my teaching emphasizes the sociocultural and pragmatic aspects of language use to help student succeed beyond the classroom.

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Teaching Experience

Graduate Teaching Assistantships:

• GA for Academic Preparation Level 4 for INTO at USF - Planned and executed a series of lesson plans instructing students on using linking adverbials to create cohesion in English academic writing under the mentorship of the course instructor.
• TA for Online Scientific and Medical Terminology Course at USF - Interacted with students online in multiple sections each semester, answering questions grading timeline projects using a rubric via the Canvas system. 
• Lab Supervisor for the World Languages Department at USF - Supervised the World Languages Lab for tutoring and language placement test proctoring, including USF placement tests and FLATS online examinations as a BYU-certified proctor.

Tutoring Positions:

• English Learning Consultant for INTO at USF - Consulted with students to assist them with reading, writing, listening and speaking English language skills.
• Spanish Tutor for the World Languages Department at USF - Provided tutoring for students enrolled in Spanish level one to four courses at USF, assisting them with reading, writing, listening and speaking Spanish language skills.