Running head: FINAL MATL REFLECTION 1

Final MATL Reflection

Molly E. Young

University of Southern Mississippi

Author Note

Masters in the Art of Teaching Languages (MATL), University of Southern Mississippi.

This assignment was completed for the final portfolio project.

mollyyoung18@arkansasteachercorps.org
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Final MATL Reflection

Throughout my time in the MATL program, I have seen myself grow as an educator and

communicator in ways that I did not think were possible. For most of my time studying Spanish,

I guarded the misconception that as a non-native speaker I could never reach a level of fluency

that I would be proud of. Similarly, due to my past history as a language student I could not see

the possibilities that research-based teaching practices could open up beyond worksheets and

grammar drills. Thanks to the MATL program I have grown on both paths, not only in my

abilities but also in my conception of what is possible. Though I have grown in leaps and

bounds these last 4 years, I am most excited that I now have the tools and strategies needed to

continue this growth for years to come.

In 2017, my boyfriend and I decided it was time to move back to our home state. We had

lived in Alabama for 3 years, and we missed our Arkansas. I had been teaching lower and

middle school Spanish for all the 3 years and wanted to continue to do so in Arkansas, so I was

looking for ways to become certified to teach. Recommendations from colleagues on a language

teacher Facebook site led me to the University of Southern Mississippi, and once I looked into

the program it seemed perfect. Unfortunately 1 year into the program I learned that Arkansas

does not accept masters programs from out of state for first time certifications in teaching. At

that time though, I had already recognized the benefits of the program - with or without the end

result of certification. I decided to continue to get my masters, enrolled in an alternative

certification program, and moved to Arkansas to continue the journey.

My first classes in MATL were FL 561 (Teaching Second Languages: Theory into

Practice) and SPA 552 (a course on Latinamerican poetry). I definitely felt challenged right from
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the start. FL 561 helped me dive more deeply into the Second Language Acquisition (SLA)

theories which I had only just started to hear about from colleagues and conferences. This

course challenged me to take theories from the textbook and apply them to my classroom in a

variety of ways. It helped me explore the many aspects of language teaching, not just the

activities that best support student learning but the creation of an environment which lowers

affective filters and promotes student confidence and exploration. In SPA 552, I was a little

overwhelmed by the amount of authentic readings in Spanish, but ultimately it reminded me why

I loved studying Spanish in college. I was exhilarated by the challenge and by everything I could

learn about history and different cultures through their literature. I had never been challenged in

a Spanish class like I was challenged in this one, and I loved it. These courses showed me just

how much I had to learn and reminded me how much I love to do so.

The following semester I took FL 665 (Sociocultural and Sociolinguistic Perspectives in

Language) and SPA 641 (El Papel del Contexto Social en la Adquisición del Español). FL 665

remains even today one of my favorite MATL courses. I love teaching and studying languages

because of their power to connect people from different cultures and communities; learning how

culture and language influence one another fascinates me, and even today I find myself thinking

of topics we explored then. While this class interested me the most, I believe I did the most

classroom-relevant learning and work in SPA 641. Taking some of what I learned in FL 561 and

adding more direct research on the social context in Spanish classrooms, I learned specific

strategies for designing activities to best meet my students’ social learning needs.

I had to take a year off of grad school when we moved to Arkansas; with the extra

training from the alternative certification program, I knew I would need some time to transition.
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To get back into it, in the summer of 2019, I took another Spanish Seminar course, SPA 641

(Explorando 500 años de presencia hispana en la Costa del Golfo). This class was again

challenging, but I was amazed by how much I learned about the history of the Gulf of Mexico.

Additionally, my idea of language teaching expanded as I was challenged to apply my learning

about Latinamerican history and culture to lesson plans I could use in my classroom. Our

professor challenged us to explore all 5Cs of ACTFL’s world-readiness standards in these plans.

It was difficult, but I learned just how complex and deep a lesson can be and that I am capable of

designing such lesson plans on my own.

That fall, I went back to classes full time with SPA 637 (Young Adult Literature) and

SPA 692 (Special Problems). SPA 637 was definitely one of my favorite classes and was one of

the most influential classes on my teaching today. Not only did this class reignite my love of

reading, it really pushed me to grow in my Spanish communication and to learn strategies to

support the use of authentic resources in class. In fact, the work we did in this class inspired me

throughout the rest of my classes to continue to learn the best methods to use authentic reading

and reading comprehension skills in my classroom. I also did an independent study which I

decided to use to emphasize my learning from SPA 637 and to focus on literature for children. I

did a lot more reading and designed a unit plan for an entire novel using targeted reading

comprehension strategies for the novel Yo no Soy la Perfecta Hija Mexicana. This study

encouraged me to further apply my learning from all of the authentic resources and research I

was covering throughout both classes.

In the spring I completed my practicum while teaching middle school Spanish,

Introduction to Spanish and Spanish I. This was a difficult semester because it is also when we
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went into lockdown because of COVID-19. Despite this, it ended up being a great time to

challenge myself to apply what I was learning to the classroom and to get student feedback. I

focused on feedback cycles and planning phases in support of student output, specifically

writing. While I wish I had had more normal circumstances to research in, it really did prepare

me for hybrid teaching this year. Additionally, it challenged me to continue to provide

thoughtful, high-quality instruction even in the new virtual realm.

I had planned to study in Cadiz, Spain in the Summer of 2020, but because of the

pandemic I instead took SPA 637 (Social Change in Latin America) and WL 664 (Second

Language Acquisition). SPA 637 is another one of my favorite classes as it continued my

learning on authentic readings and strategies for supporting comprehension, but the readings also

challenged me as a language learner and helped me better understand the political histories of

Latinamerican countries. I appreciated learning these strategies by observing how my learning

was supported throughout. I have already used several of the strategies, specifically for

understanding the context of authentic texts, in my own classroom. As for WL 664, it was a

good review of SLA theories, especially since it had been several years since my first classes.

My last class with the MATL program was WL 663 (Applied Linguistics in Second

Language Acquisition). While I did not find this course the most interesting, it was extremely

informative. Throughout my MATL course, I had learned about many aspects of language, but I

had never seen the linguistic system broken down so methodically. This course really challenged

me to think of all the components that go into communication and how I am supporting my

students as they develop the mental frameworks for their second language.
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I had intended to graduate in the Fall of 2020, but with all the new obstacles of last year I

did become overwhelmed. In a way I am relieved though because that has meant that with this

last semester I have been able to really take my time working on my professional portfolio and

finding evidence of my growth. Reflecting on my years in this program, I cannot help but to be

proud of myself, the hard work I have put in and how much I have grown as a teacher. As a

teacher I am nothing like I was at the beginning of the program. I no longer rely on vocabulary

lists and grammar worksheets, the teaching style I learned from my own school days. Instead my

classes demonstrate the variety of skills I have picked up from my courses and the deeper

understanding I have of SLA. The biggest takeaway I have from the MATL program has been

the intentional use of reading comprehension strategies throughout lessons to amplify student

comprehension and to prepare them for output. I am using more and more authentic resources

now that I have strategies that make me confident that I can support my students’

comprehension. Additionally, I have developed systems and routines which empower my

students. These are based on what I have learned from SLA, the best methods for acquisition,

the lowering of the affective filter, the need for social, hypothesis testing, and many more aspects

which shape each day.

On a more personal level, I have grown incredibly in my ability to interpret and to

communicate in Spanish. While completing my proficiency self-assessment, I was able to really

reflect on my growth in this area. From my own self-assessment, I estimate that I have grown

multiple levels throughout the MATL program, from about Advanced Low to Advanced

High/Superior across all 4 modes of communication. I have especially grown in my reading and

writing abilities thanks to the MATL program, but I also have the confidence boost from this
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growth to thank for inspiring me to continue to hone my listening and speaking skills in my own

time.

Overall, the MATL program has been essential in my growth as an educator. Not only

has it given me the information and practice necessary to incorporate best practices, as supported

by research and SLA theory, but it has improved my Spanish skills so I am more capable as a

communicator. Furthermore, the empowerment of these gains and the skills I have learned

throughout the program have given me the confidence and know-how to continue learning and

growing. I now regularly read Spanish novels for fun. I consume Spanish media to continue

challenging myself. I know which journals and organizations to keep up with for best practices.

I know exactly what areas I need to continue to improve in my classroom to make my students’

learning efficiency and enjoyable. Though my time with the MATL program has now come to

an end, my learning will not and that is thanks to the challenges and inspiration the program has

provided me.