Competency 1

Understand and begin to address your and your students’ identities, biases, prejudices, and fears and the impact they have on learning and the classroom environment.

Part 1: Implementing Changes Related to Language Teaching

Background to the course

This course is regularly offered by the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, so, upon learning that I was assigned to teach it during the Fall 2023 semester, I was able to refer to the course’s synopsis on the departmental website.

In this synopsis, the Course Overview states that:

This course is designed to develop a student’s oral proficiency of the Spanish language to an advanced level as described by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). The course combines thematic content with practical exercises drawn from real-life situations in both formal and informal contexts. Students will practice their oral expression by way of diverse activities that will improve and refine the accuracy and fluidity of their spoken proficiency. The course also includes the advanced practice of auditory comprehension, reading skills, and writing ability. Fluidity of speech, correct pronunciation, grammatical precision and discursive cohesion will each be emphasized. Course content includes diverse reading assignments, specialized vocabulary, digital material, film, art, culture and current events that all offer students varied opportunities for in depth and detailed discussion of the course themes. Active participation in course discussions and activities, as well as earnest and diligent participation outside of course meetings, are crucial for success in this class.

Moreover, the Course Learning Goals were:

The global and detailed comprehension of distinct registers of spoken Spanish in both formal and informal contexts.
To speak Spanish, correctly pronounced, in an extended and sophisticated manner and with cohesion in the present, past and future in both formal and informal contexts. The linguistic flexibility to speak about and around certain subjects in a way that native speakers of Spanish will understand without difficulty.
To read and understand texts related to Hispanic culture and the world from varied genres originally written for a native reading public.
To write a variety of formal and informal texts about the world in general, personal life, and abstract topics.
To develop cultural and technological competency, as well as critical thinking skills, by way of digital presentations and the discussion of controversial and relevant topics.
To establish connections between a student’s own culture and the rest of the world.

Conceptual Changes / Changes to the Syllabus
Approaches to Language Teaching

While both the course overview and the learning goals provided a great foundation for developing the curriculum for this course, a few elements did not resonate with my pedagogical approach inspired by critical language awareness (CLA). CLA focuses on deconstructing ideas such as linguistic “correctness” and “appropriateness” as objective evaluations of an individual’s language practices by emphasizing the socially constructed nature of these qualifiers. Specifically, the notions of linguistic “correctness” and “appropriateness” offer a prescriptive* view of language practices that posits prestigious varieties as the linguistic norm to which speakers must aspire, ignoring that such perceptions may be socio-politically, ideologically, or racially charged. (For instance, linguistically, there isn't anything "wrong" with saying "we was". However, this non-standardized form is oftentimes considered "incorrect" as it is associated with a language variety that is not perceived as prestigious in mainstream society).

Therefore, one first change I made to the course description for my own curriculum, which I then included in the course syllabus, was omitting any references to the idea of “correct(ness)”.

This was an intentional choice that recognized that students entering the classroom may have different language backgrounds and that all of them are equally valid.

The Course Description that I included in my syllabus was the following:

This course is designed to develop students’ oral proficiency in the Spanish language to an advanced level as described by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) guidelines for speaking. The course employs thematic content (themes) related to contemporary issues and aims to familiarize students with linguistic concepts (e.g., vocabulary, grammar) necessary to engage in various communicative functions (e.g., expressing an opinion, agreeing, disagreeing, etc.).

Students will participate in diverse activities inspired by real-life situations in both formal and informal contexts that will improve the accuracy and fluency of their oral competence. Fluency and comprehensibility of speech, intelligible pronunciation, grammatical precision, and discursive cohesion will be emphasized. The course also targets auditory and reading comprehension, as well as writing ability in Spanish.

The criterion “correct pronunciation” mentioned in the course overview on the departmental website was substituted by “intelligible pronunciation”. This change was meant to reflect that there isn’t just one way of orally producing words or sentences in Spanish and that the goal for the students in the class should be to be understood by their interlocutor(s).

Similarly, I modified the course learning goals that appeared on the departmental website to exclude any occurrence of “correct(ness)”, as well as “native speaker”. While I have already discussed the implications of using linguistic “correctness” as an evaluation criterion for students, the term “native speaker” merits its own discussion.

“Native” speakers have often been considered idealized speakers of their first language, thus becoming linguistic models or linguistic authorities to be emulated. While this construct has been a common standard in language classes, it is important to note that the term “native speaker” includes multiple ideological assumptions. On the one hand, it further perpetuates the idea that there is one ultimate standard or ideal that students should aspire to (similar to the concept of linguistic “correctness”). On the other hand, the “native speaker” construct is oftentimes defined as a speaker of a privileged variety, which further excludes speakers of non-standardized varieties from being recognized as linguistically valid.

Therefore, knowing that my students will be speakers of different varieties of Spanish, both “native” (i.e., heritage speakers) and “non-native” (i.e., language learners), I decided to completely remove the term “native speaker” from my curriculum. Thus, the Course Goals that I included in my syllabus were the following:

Develop fluency and accuracy in oral and written Spanish.
Develop appropriate verbal and non-verbal skills and strategies, such as listening, turn-taking, interrupting, etc.
Use oral Spanish with an intelligible pronunciation and intonation that does not severely interfere with or impact communication.
Learn a wide range of vocabulary, lexical chunks, and grammatical expressions related to the themes discussed in the course.
Learn how to communicate effectively across social contexts, using formal and informal registers appropriately.

Practical Changes
Language Teaching Practices Manifested in the Classroom

I firmly believe that it is not sufficient to just make conceptual changes to the curriculum, but that they must be accompanied by relevant pedagogical practices that are manifested in the classroom. Thus, the conceptual changes I implemented were supported by several classroom practices.

From the first day, I let students know what my own positionality was*. I consider myself a multilingual speaker, thus embracing all the languages that I speak as vital components of my identity. However, others around me, prefer to label me as a “native” speaker of Romanian and a “non-native” speaker of English and Spanish, which, to me, seems to fabricate a sense of subordination among the languages that I speak. I choose to share this with my students so they know how I relate to different parts of my identity.
From the first day and consistently throughout the semester, I tell students that there are multiple varieties of Spanish and that they are all valid. I further support this point by providing linguistic variants when possible (e.g., "fresa" vs "frutilla"**) and by asking students if they know any other variants ("¿Se dice de otra manera en otros países o en otros lugares?" - Do people say this differently in other countries or places?)
I allow students to code-switch (i.e., use both Spanish and English to express an idea) in the classroom. While code-switching has traditionally been stigmatized, it is a valid linguistic practice in bilingual communities, so I do not reprimand or penalize students for employing it.

* I did this during our introduction class when introducing myself, but I also have this information included on the Canvas Course Page.

** Both words mean "strawberry", however, they are used in different regions.

In terms of designing instructional materials and assessments that embody these changes and my commitment to linguistic justice, I developed and implemented rubrics that align with this approach. Specifically, when assessing grammar and pronunciation, I moved away from evaluating them only in terms of “correctness”. Instead, I focused on language practices that are common in Spanish-speaking communities.

Thus, in my rubrics, the criterion “Grammar and Vocabulary” is defined as:

The student used grammatical and vocabulary structures that are common in Spanish-speaking communities or groups (regardless of the language variety or dialect).

The criterion “Oral Communication” is defined as:

The student´s oral production is intelligible to other speakers of Spanish. The student produces words with a pronunciation that reflects the Spanish spoken in a Spanish-speaking community or group (regardless of the language variety or dialect)

One important practice is also acknowledging my own limitations. Realistically, no one can be aware of all the ways in which a concept may be expressed across different language varieties. So, in that sense, all language instructors bring this linguistic limitation into their (language) teaching. However, we should not let this limitation turn into punitive behavior toward our students. Specifically, it is crucial not to dismiss students’ language practices and even grade them negatively (i.e., deduct points) just because they do not match the Spanish to which we are accustomed. For instance, in class, when a student used the word “nieve” to refer to “ice cream”, my first instinct was to think that I use the word “nieve” to refer to “snow”. Nonetheless, instead of correcting them, I paused for a bit and remembered that “nieve” can also mean “ice cream” in some varieties of Spanish.*

*If these interactions occur in the classroom, it can be tricky to deal with them in the moment because there might not be sufficient time to check the meaning of the word in other varieties, but my solution so far has been to ask the student what they meant and consider them the “linguistic expert” for teaching me and their peers a new word and/or a new meaning.

Reflection and Expected Outcome(s)
How do these changes connect with "students' identities, biases, prejudices,
and fears and the impact they have on learning and the classroom environment"?

Language & Identity

The changes I made to the syllabus (Course Description and Course Goals) dealt with students’ identity as language learners and speakers of Spanish. While these identities may not be as salient as others, language is a vital component of an individual’s identity as a whole, as well as their relation to themselves and others.

Moreover, the changes I made dealt directly with a common linguistic bias, that there is only one correct language variety to be aspired to and that it is usually achieved only by a “native” speaker. This bias has been unfortunately perpetuated by instructional materials (textbooks, syllabi, etc.), thus interfering with the effectiveness of instruction, as students who speak non-standardized varieties may be penalized for their language practices. So, I truly believe it is extremely important to not perpetuate such linguistic biases in order to promote a more inclusive, equitable, and just language education.

While it is difficult to assess the direct outcomes of these conceptual/language-oriented changes, over the course of the semester I noticed a few student behaviors that suggest a favorable response from students to the changes I implemented:

Students code-switch freely (i.e., they use both Spanish and English to communicate)
One student even talked to me after class and told me how this feels the most authentic
to her since she code-switches with her family too.
Students ask questions pertaining to linguistic variation, such as "¿Pero en este país, esto no se dice _____?" (Isn’t this said like _______ in this other country?)

Part 2: Aligning My Teaching Practices to My Commitment to Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Classroom

Throughout the semester, I implemented several other pedagogical choices that reflected my commitment to Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Classroom by acknowledging students’ (intersecting) identities and the impact these may have on their learning.

1. Anonymous Survey

I administered an anonymous survey at three points in the semester (the first day of class, the middle of the semester, and the last week of class) in order to better understand what my students needed and wanted from this course – and me, as the instructor – this semester. I opted to make it anonymous so students would feel comfortable sharing their thoughts without the possibility of being identified.

The questions included in each survey are provided below:

This survey is meant to provide the instructor with a better understanding of the class structure and needs, so she can adjust her teaching and lesson plans accordingly.
Please answer the following questions in English.

1. Why are you taking this course?

2. What is your experience with other university/college courses?

3. In your experience with university/college courses so far, what has seemed most difficult?

Academic writing
Time management
Coping with stress
Coping with other personal issues
feeling isolated from other
Different demands from different instructors
Other

4. Are you a transfer student?

5. Are you an international student?

6. Are you a first generation student?

7. Are you the primary caretaker for someone else?

8. Do you think there are/might be any obstacles to your success this semester at Rutgers?

9. If you feel comfortable, please share what the obstacles are and potential solutions you have thought of already.)

10. This semester, do you expect to have any issues with…

Access to technology?
Time and space to devote to class preparation?
Ability to fulfill and meet your basic needs?

11. Is there anything else you would like me to know?

Now that you have been taking this class for a few weeks, you have probably gotten more used to its structure, the instructor, and your peers. This survey is meant to provide the instructor with a better understanding of your needs and wants as we move forward so that future lessons can equip you with the skills you want to gain.

Please answer the following questions in English.

1. Think back on our first day and the introduction to the course. Have your expectations been met or have you been surprised by anything?

2. In your experience with this course so far, what has seemed the most difficult thing?

3. Have you encountered any challenges outside of this course that are making it hard for you to focus/devote time to the course?

4. So far, have you had any issues with:

Access to technology?
Time and space to devote to class preparation?
Ability to fulfill and meet your basic needs?

5. Do you have any suggestions, recommendations, or comments for things that could be changed in the course so that your experience can improve? (Feel free to comment on any aspect of the course!)

6. Please set three goals for yourself for the rest of the semester (These goals can extend beyond this course!)

7. Is there anything else you would like me to know?

1. Why are you taking this course?

2. What is your experience with other university/college courses?

3. In your experience with university/college courses so far, what has seemed most difficult?

Academic writing
Time management
Coping with stress
Coping with other personal issues
feeling isolated from other
Different demands from different instructors
Other

4. Are you a transfer student?

5. Are you an international student?

6. Are you a first generation student?

7. Are you the primary caretaker for someone else?

8. Do you think there are/might be any obstacles to your success this semester at Rutgers?

9. If you feel comfortable, please share what the obstacles are and potential solutions you have thought of already.)

10. This semester, do you expect to have any issues with…

Access to technology?
Time and space to devote to class preparation?
Ability to fulfill and meet your basic needs?

11. Is there anything else you would like me to know?

2. Policies Grounded in Flexibility

When (re)designing the course, I spent considerable time researching and thinking about how to make my policies more inclusive and equitable, since students bring very diverse backgrounds in the classroom. Ultimately, the word that resonated with me the most was flexibility. In other words, I wanted students to know that I was approachable and understanding and that I was willing to listen to them.

I incorporated the following policies that were meant to create a more inclusive learning environment:

I accepted late submissions with no penalty until December 6th, 2023 (the second to last week of classes). I implemented this policy because I recognize that students have multiple competing demands, not just from their academic courses, but also from their extracurricular, professional, and personal life (e.g., some of my students this semester were seniors applying for jobs, other students hold multiple jobs, etc.). Therefore, I wanted to implement a flexible deadline policy for this course, which meant that students were allowed to submit “late work” (even from the first week) until the second-to-last week of classes. The policy, which I included in the syllabus, states that:

Late work for individual assignments will be accepted with no penalty by the instructor at the instructor’s discretion* until Wednesday, December 6th, 2023 (to allow sufficient time for grading and feedback before final grades are due). Please communicate directly with your instructor if you anticipate needing an extension.

Individuals submitting late work for a group assignment may interfere with the group’s dynamics and sense of collaboration. Therefore, late work is not accepted for group assignments. If you anticipate any issues in participating effectively in your group and/or completing your portion of the assignment, please let the instructor know as soon as possible so that alternative solutions can be used.

* Keep in mind that, while late work is accepted by the instructor past its due date, submitting an assignment late means that you will not receive the appropriate feedback for that assignment in time. Assessment for this class is formative, meaning that, for each module, students should be able to refer to previously received feedback for an assignment and incorporate it in future submissions. If you submit an assignment late, you will not be able to refer to the instructor’s feedback.

For this course, I decided that class participation will be assessed collaboratively between the students and myself. On the last day of class, students had to complete a self-assessment survey/quiz in which they reflected on their participation throughout the semester. I decided to incorporate this task as a way to allow students to self-reflect on their contributions throughout the semester, as well as let me know the ways in which they might have participated that I did not notice. Additionally, there are many ways in which students may participate that may not be as salient (e.g., looking up resources or looking up the meaning of a word), so I wanted to provide students with the opportunity to share such moments.

The assignment’s description reads:

Assessing someone´s participation and/or engagement with an activity, a discussion, or throughout an entire course is oftentimes a very difficult task, because participation includes both visible behaviors, such as raising one´s hand and contributing an answer, as well as invisible behaviors, such as someone actively listening and connecting the information presented by a peer to their own interests.

Therefore, we will work collaboratively on assessing your participation in this class.

- YOU will complete a participation self-assessment quiz (in English).

- I will look over your answers and compare my notes regarding your participation throughout the semester to your answers. Then, I will consider both my evaluation of your participation, as well as your self-evaluation in determining your final Participation grade.

Reflection and Outcome(s)
How do these changes connect with "students' identities, biases, prejudices,
and fears and the impact they have on learning and the classroom environment"?

It was my first time implementing a flexible deadline policy (in the past, I had to report to a coordinator), but I was happy to see that it worked very effectively (i.e., students who used the flexible deadline policy submitted their assignments and there weren’t any issues). I think this policy benefitted many of the students in my class who, at different points in the semester, confessed to being overwhelmed by all the demands they were facing. Although this policy was included in the syllabus and was mentioned during class when discussing the assignments, many students still emailed me to confirm that they could submit their assignments late, which made me assume that they were not used to this type of policy. I am planning to include this policy in future courses.

In my opinion, one of the most successful implementations was the anonymous survey, since it allowed students to give me feedback and, thus, indirectly, they were able to self-direct their learning. Specifically, during the mid-semester survey, one student suggested I included guiding questions with the assigned homework materials (e.g., readings, videos) so that students could prepare beforehand and better engage during class. I followed this suggestion, and the results were great, as students were raising their hands more and engaging more with the course content.

Moreover, when I asked students about their expectations about this course being met, the responses were extremely positive, with students commenting:

“[My expectations] have been met. Honestly, they have been exceeded! The homework is manageable but interesting. I especially like the video watching assignments. In class, we get to practice and learn without judgment.”
“I was very afraid for this class but you create a very comfortable and enjoyable environment!”

Competency 1

Part 1: Implementing Changes Related to Language Teaching

Background to the course

Conceptual Changes / Changes to the Syllabus Approaches to Language Teaching

Practical Changes Language Teaching Practices Manifested in the Classroom

Reflection and Expected Outcome(s) How do these changes connect with "students' identities, biases, prejudices, and fears and the impact they have on learning and the classroom environment"?

Part 2: Aligning My Teaching Practices to My Commitment to Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Classroom

Reflection and Outcome(s) How do these changes connect with "students' identities, biases, prejudices, and fears and the impact they have on learning and the classroom environment"?

Conceptual Changes / Changes to the Syllabus
Approaches to Language Teaching

Practical Changes
Language Teaching Practices Manifested in the Classroom

Reflection and Expected Outcome(s)
How do these changes connect with "students' identities, biases, prejudices,
and fears and the impact they have on learning and the classroom environment"?

Reflection and Outcome(s)
How do these changes connect with "students' identities, biases, prejudices,
and fears and the impact they have on learning and the classroom environment"?