Teaching Philosophy
a. My Communicative Approach
Like many of my students, I began learning German as an adult, and I understand that many of them have a clear idea of what they hope to accomplish through learning German. Some want to work as a mechanical engineer in Germany, while others learn German in order to sing opera. Many more are fascinated by the literature, philosophy, and history of the German speaking world. I am committed to the communicative approach to language teaching, but I also constantly remind myself that “communicative competence” means something different for each student. For my first-year German class, students engage in role- plays and group activities where they could freely express their interests, or show off skills they learned in other classes. While teaching an intermediate German class for the study abroad program, instead of focusing only on the same “general” skills, I spend a few minutes each session to tackle students’ everyday “living in Germany” problems, such as going to a doctor, getting a document from a German university, or calling Amazon customer service.
b. Thinking Critically about Foreign Language and Culture
Teaching language at a university level is more than helping students communicate their thoughts and interest in a different language. Enabling students to engage critically with the language and culture of a different part of the world is equally significant. Foreign language learning could prepare students with the necessary linguistic and cultural self- awareness for today’s multicultural, multiracial world. My dissertation research on post-war migrant literature allows me to lead meaningful discussions on topics such as multilingualism and Germany’s refugee crisis. For my upper-level German class, I offer the essential vocabulary and background reading in German to foster a fruitful discussion; whereas for introductory level classes, in order for the students to be equally intellectually stimulated without being limited by their language abilities, I set aside ten to fifteen minutes of discussion in English per chapter to reflect on cultural and political topics, and engage with interested students in further conversations after class.
c. Technology in the Classroom
As a millennial, I understand the attraction of the Internet, smart phones, and social media. I encourage student to engage with various forms of digital media and communication platforms, such as following YouTube and Twitter accounts dedicated to the German language and culture, writing replies or retweet in German, and engaging with the global German-speaking community. For the introduction to German course, my colleagues and I use McGaw-Hill’s web-based assignment and assessment platform for interactive homework practices, and the locally developed “DiLL” app to improve oral fluency. For my upper level seminars, I offer all my readings in both digital and physical form. The digital version includes searchable texts and links to optional multimedia materials, making it easier for students to organize their learning materials, look up a word in a text, and read or watch about something that interests them.
Like many of my students, I began learning German as an adult, and I understand that many of them have a clear idea of what they hope to accomplish through learning German. Some want to work as a mechanical engineer in Germany, while others learn German in order to sing opera. Many more are fascinated by the literature, philosophy, and history of the German speaking world. I am committed to the communicative approach to language teaching, but I also constantly remind myself that “communicative competence” means something different for each student. For my first-year German class, students engage in role- plays and group activities where they could freely express their interests, or show off skills they learned in other classes. While teaching an intermediate German class for the study abroad program, instead of focusing only on the same “general” skills, I spend a few minutes each session to tackle students’ everyday “living in Germany” problems, such as going to a doctor, getting a document from a German university, or calling Amazon customer service.
b. Thinking Critically about Foreign Language and Culture
Teaching language at a university level is more than helping students communicate their thoughts and interest in a different language. Enabling students to engage critically with the language and culture of a different part of the world is equally significant. Foreign language learning could prepare students with the necessary linguistic and cultural self- awareness for today’s multicultural, multiracial world. My dissertation research on post-war migrant literature allows me to lead meaningful discussions on topics such as multilingualism and Germany’s refugee crisis. For my upper-level German class, I offer the essential vocabulary and background reading in German to foster a fruitful discussion; whereas for introductory level classes, in order for the students to be equally intellectually stimulated without being limited by their language abilities, I set aside ten to fifteen minutes of discussion in English per chapter to reflect on cultural and political topics, and engage with interested students in further conversations after class.
c. Technology in the Classroom
As a millennial, I understand the attraction of the Internet, smart phones, and social media. I encourage student to engage with various forms of digital media and communication platforms, such as following YouTube and Twitter accounts dedicated to the German language and culture, writing replies or retweet in German, and engaging with the global German-speaking community. For the introduction to German course, my colleagues and I use McGaw-Hill’s web-based assignment and assessment platform for interactive homework practices, and the locally developed “DiLL” app to improve oral fluency. For my upper level seminars, I offer all my readings in both digital and physical form. The digital version includes searchable texts and links to optional multimedia materials, making it easier for students to organize their learning materials, look up a word in a text, and read or watch about something that interests them.
