Amelia Moreno Lecturer, Spanish |
Education
Teaching Interests
I teach language acquisition courses. I strive to help students understand and communicate in Spanish and develop an interest and an appreciation of the Hispanic cultures. Learning another language opens our minds to new ideas, while understanding other cultures also makes us more tolerant. During class, I combine activities that explore different topics in the Spanish-speaking world with exercises that reduce ethno-centric views of culture, promote critical thinking and create connections to other disciplines. I want students to see things through a different lens, the lens that language and culture provide.
In my classes, students are immersed in the Spanish language. My goal is to create a positive, challenging, fun and energetic classroom environment that motivates and makes them feel comfortable using the language in real-world contexts. Effective communication requires so much more than just being able to translate vocabulary words—it requires knowledge of intonation, intent, expressions and cultural context. In order to accomplish this, I incorporate the best technology in every lesson and follow a communicative approach, where students are encouraged to participate actively in class in order to put the material into context.
Research, Scholarship or Creative/Artistic Interests
I continue to enhance my knowledge of the use of best practices in technology for the teaching of a foreign language. I consistently seek out workshops and seminars that address topics such as interactive software, audio, video, podcasting and cultural activities. I am an active member of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages and the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese and remain current in the research and scholarship provided by these organizations.
I am also interested in Latin American literature, art and music. Therefore, I look for opportunities to share these interests with my students so they can experience Hispanic culture inside and outside the classroom. Finally, I consider myself a learner as well as a language instructor. Being a foreign language student myself, I feel that I can easily relate to students’ expectations and frustrations when learning a language and it is my hope to prevent the latter. I want to make their language-learning experience a lifelong one.