Master of Arts in Teaching Languages Program Final Reflection:

Research-based Language Instruction

by Brandon McLeod

Before initiation my studies in the Master of Arts in Teaching Languages (TESOL)

program at The University of Southern Mississippi, I had little to no education or training in
linguistics or pedagogy. Through my courses, however, I have developed an understanding of
how language works, language acquisition progresses, and how to better facilitate learning in my
students. Because of my studies, I have significantly improved in my teaching.
Through my courses, I have learned a great deal about linguistic and non-linguistic
influences on my students. In my linguistics courses (Applied Linguistics and Second Language
Acquisition), I learned about the components of language (syntax, morphology, phonology,
pragmatics, semantics, and lexicon) and how they function together. Moreover, I learned how to
examine the language of my students, giving me greater insight into not just their linguistic
errors, but also the types of communicative strategies they use to try and overcome their
shortcomings. Now, I can confidently perform error analysis on my students spoken and written
utterancesidentifying the specific difficulties they are having. Because of this, I can modify
and focus my instruction to target these issues and my students needs.
I have also become more aware of the non-linguistic influences on my students. Affective
factors can profoundly alter our students language acquisition. Sociocultural/Sociolinguist
Perspectives in Language greatly broadened my understanding of the affective factors that can
help or hinder learning. I have always known that it is better to have a positive rapport with, and

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camaraderie among, our students, but now I have the research basis to back up my intuition. In
addition, because of my more acutely developed understanding of these factors, I can better
address my students needs. In this way, we can promote a safe, healthy learning environment.
Often in the ESL classroom, our students are coming from dire situations. It is essential that we
recognize this and, through our classroom management practices and instruction, help them to
develop the skills they need in and out of the classroom. To that end, we must be keenly aware of
our students abilities and emotional readiness. By pushing too hard or not enough we can
severely impede learning.
Discourse Analysis, taught me things about the English language that I had never noticed
or considered. Through analyzing conversations, I gained an awareness of conversation
management techniques, conversational elements (including recasts, pre-pres, tokens, adjacency
pairs, and many others), and ways of examining authentic speech so that my instruction is more
natural. In this class, I learned how truly important it is to have real, meaningful, and contextual
examples of language in my classroom. Carefully monitored speech, isolated examples, and
context-deficient grammatical structures are not what my students will encounter outside the
classroom.
Teaching Vocabulary made me realize how important (and neglected) vocabulary
instruction is in the typical classroom. Indeed, this awareness has made me examine how
vocabulary is introduced and taught in the programs where I have been an instructor. The
conclusion is that absence of materials, non-researched based methods, and a lack of focus is not
the exception, but the standard. It is important for all language instructors, administrators, book

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publishers, and students work together to reform the curriculum. Vocabulary is an essential part
of the language learning process and one that needs greater attention.
Options in the Teaching of Grammar, taught me the focus on form methodology and
ways to incorporate it into my classroom. Instead of the conjugation charts and grammar drills
that many classrooms promote, students need to learn the manner in which language is used, not
just the forms. Additionally, I have come to understand the importance of noticing in second
language instruction. My students will learn grammatical concepts better if I present it in a way
that allows them to discover the rule. Through appropriate scaffolding and contextual activities
that engage my students, I am able to lead them to these discoveries.
Testing and Assessment taught my how to analyze assessments for content and construct
validity, while also considering test reliability (test-retest, inter-rater, and intra-rater). Like
vocabulary and grammar instruction, testing and assessment are frequently decades behind the
research. Assessment reform is something that is likely needed in most language programs. To
achieve this, instructors will have to work collaboratively with each other, with administrators,
and students to develop an assessment program (which includes level progression) that is
equitably enforced, content and construct valid, and has test-retest/inter-rater/intra-rater
reliability. If was cannot ensure these elements, then we are doing our students a disservice by
denying them the opportunity to show what they have learned and be graded fairly on it.
Technology in Education, one of my electives, gave me a better understanding of ways to
incorporate technology in the classroom (e.g. flipped classrooms). Additionally, I learned many
new digital resources that I can use to create rubrics, exams, and course content. These tools will
be invaluable as we move ever more into the digital classroom world.

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Teaching Languages gave me the opportunity to synthesize the knowledge I had gained
in my previous semesters. In this course I developed activities, reviewed textbooks, developed a
coherent teaching philosophy, create a classroom management and discipline plan, explored
research-based teaching methodologies, and complete classroom observations (which was
excellent preparation for the practicum). In this course, I was able to make use of all of the skills
I had learned.
My other non-TSL/FL elective, Social Foundations of Education, taught me not just
about the history of higher education, but also about the many factors that influence education
and educational institutions, issues that institutions of higher education are facing, and where and
how I fit into the higher education puzzle. In this course, also learned about the many biases
that affect teachers and students. It impressed upon me the important lesson that we must all be
vigilant in our efforts to recognize and diminish the effects of our own biases. Indeed, this is
something that needs to be tackled on both a personal and institutional level through
collaboration amongst the faculty, administration, and students. Overall, this course increased my
understanding of the institutes of higher education, how they developed, and how they are
developing.
The final course in my MATL program is the Practicum in Second or Foreign Languages.
This course contained my most ambitious observational project, having observed more than
twenty-five hours of classroom time. It was not for naught, however, since I learned a significant
amount about classroom management, instructor behavior, lesson planning, and all of the other
elements that go into administering a successful lesson. Through these observations, I have

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gained valuable insight into the ways language teaching professionals make the content and
curriculum accessible and interesting for their students.
The most impressing lesson that I have received in the program is that it is crucial that I
continue to study, research, and improve. If there is a research-based method that can improve
my students classroom experience, while developing their skills (and achieving curricular
outcomes), then it is something that I need to be incorporating into my classroom. Additionally,
more than just being receptive to the new research as it is developed, I need to be participating in
that process. The role of instructor-researcher is one that is critical for the testing and
development of new research. By participating in both roles, I have the opportunity to help shape
language education for the better.
When I began teaching in 2009, I had little to no understanding of the research and
methodologies that go into lesson planning, classroom instruction, assessment, and curriculum
development. While I received good reviews from my students, I know now how I could have
been doings so much better. I often reflect on my students that I taught prior starting in this
program (especially those in the very beginning) and wish that I had known then what I do now.
I can look back and easily recognize mistakes that I made, even in my more recent classes, upon
reflection, I can identify errors that I made. The difference is that now that I can recognize these
errors, I can take the steps to correct them (and prevent them from happening in the future). No
teacher is perfect. My own educational experiences and the classroom observations I have
performed have confirmed that. However, we must always strive to become better and better
instructors. This is achieved through research, reflection, collaboration with colleagues, and

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developing the kind of relationship with ones students so that you understand their needs (both
in terms of curriculum and socioculturally).
The MATL program has been a turning point in my teaching. Each new class I took
improved my teaching dramatically. Through my study of linguistics, sociolinguistics, discourse
analysis, pedagogy, technology, and higher education, I have developed into a competent and
capable instructor. I know now how to apply the research-based methodologies to my own
classroom. In addition, I have gained the introspective insight needed to recognize the strengths
and deficiencies within my instructional and assessment practices. This insight will prove
invaluable to my future as a language instructor. With it, I will be able to continuously improve
my practices. Additionally, the knowledge I have will benefit my colleagues and the programs in
which I will teach. One of the most important lessons, iterated throughout my program, was the
need for collaboration among researcher-practitioners. The more we work together, the better the
outcomes will be for our students. Moreover, through this program, I have solidified my
commitment to improving myself through consistent research, reevaluation, and application of
the latest research-based methodologies. The lessons I have learned throughout this masters
program will be carried with me into every classroom I enter. Moreover, my education does not
end here. I will continue to further my education and grow professionally so that I can better
serve my students and support my colleagues.