“Metacognition in the Language Classroom: Using Surveys and Polls as Tool for Reflections and Goal-Setting”

Discipline-specific workshop given as part of a my work as Lead Graduate Teacher. February 23, 2018.

Workshop description: In this workshop, we will discuss the utility of polls and surveys for language learners, focusing specifically on encouraging students to set goals and reflect on their progress and cognitive processes. Finally, we will demo specific outline platforms for creating these types of activities such as GoogleForms, Qualtrics, and PollEverywhere. You will leave the session having created a poll or survey to use in your class!

View a PDF version of the presentation here.

“Comics in the Second Language Classroom”

Anderson Language and Technology Center (ALTEC) Foreign Language Technology Program’s speaker series. October 4, 2017.

Workshop description: I will be talking about the benefits of including a graphic component in a language course, discussing possible challenges, explaining what a “comic syllabus” is and how to make one, as well as recommending online platforms and providing ideas for in-class activities that use comics.

“In Search of Lost Time: Small Teaching Tips for Making the Most of the First and Last Five Minutes of Class”

Given as part of the CU Boulder Graduate Teacher Program’s 2017 Fall Intensive workshop series. August 23, 2017.

Workshop description: The struggle of the first five minutes of class is a familiar one: as we try to get students to put away phones and engage with the day’s content or recall previous material, precious minutes are ticking away. Alternatively, as the end of the class period nears, students inevitably start packing their things and shift their attention away from the course they are in to think about the day’s next commitment, often causing instructors to cut their class periods a few minutes short. How can educators use this time more effectively? This past summer, I stumbled upon James Lang’s book Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning (Jossey-Bass, 2016), and this read inspired me to reevaluate how I use the first and last five minutes of class time. In this workshop, we will discuss specific activities you can implement to help make the first and last five minutes of class more engaging and productive. Additionally, we will collaborate and coauthor a few more ideas.

Workshop handout: possible in-class activities for the first and last five minutes of class

“Approaches to Using Graphic Novels and Comics for Formative Assessment in the Foreign Language Classroom”

A discipline-specific workshop for language instructors. April 19, 2017.

Workshop description: Has a student ever asked you, “How can I improve my language skills before going abroad?” or “What do I need to know about X language/culture to travel in Y country?” These are difficult questions to answer, especially given that students are often looking for a short list of practical tips. The aim of this workshop is to propose one possible approach—the inclusion of comics or graphic novels in class materials and discussions—that may help tackle this issue. We will discuss how reading comics and graphic novels in the target language can improve students’ ability to interpret various types of input (visual, linguistic, cultural) and increase their awareness of global perspectives. Additionally, we will talk about the challenges and benefits of using “multimodal texts” for formative assessment in the foreign language classroom. You will walk away from this session with concrete, feasible ideas of ways to include comics and/or graphic novels in your class regardless of language or level!

View the presentation (on the Prezi platform) here.