Anne is a current student in the LTS program.

 

Hello Anne! Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background.

Hi! I’m originally from Eugene—I moved away for college and graduated from Linfield University last spring with a B.A. in journalism and Spanish. And now I’m back! I have realized how much I missed the local hiking trails, boba places, and the Trader Joe’s in Eugene.

You are really interested in the context of teaching in Spain. What experiences or interests have influenced you about this context?

I studied abroad in Seville, Spain, during my junior year of college, and felt like I just clicked with the people I met and way of life there. I had some informal English tutoring and teaching opportunities that first interested me in language teaching. Until that point, I was pretty much set on a career in public relations, but the more I considered it, the more I felt that language teaching better suited me. I also became friends with some teachers from Seville, so I got to hear about teaching in Spain from their perspectives and consider what that type of experience could look like for me.

What are you working on for your LTS MA project? How is it related to your possible goals in Spain?

My project is a set of materials for a third grade EFL course in a K-12 school in Spain. The course highlights the cultures and language features of five different English-speaking regions around the world. I chose to focus on this particular teaching context because it is one I can realistically see myself teaching in. Although I’m able to be more creative for my MA project, I hope to be able to adapt these materials for a real third grade class in Spain.

What is most interesting to you about being a language teacher?

I find language learning to be highly frustrating yet highly rewarding. It is always worth it to help students persist through difficult areas so that they can arrive at the breakthrough moments. I get secondhand excitement from students who excite themselves with their newfound understanding of a concept or increased confidence when using the language.

What do you think might be most challenging? How does your project possibly help you think about those challenges?

A challenge I have been exploring since beginning the LTS program is how English as a second or foreign language should be presented. A language spoken by so many different people in different areas of the world has both benefits and challenges. Since I believe language should be presented in a way that is most accurate and best prepares learners to use it in real life, figuring out which varieties, dialects, and regions to focus on is a huge challenge for a language used by so many. My project aims to offer an introduction to World Englishes beyond what is typically offered in Spanish EFL courses.

What is a fun fact about yourself that others may not know yet?

This winter and spring, I have been training for my first marathon. I’m somewhat new to running, so the training has been a lot to say the least. Luckily, I have found that Eugene has a very welcoming running community, so it’s been easy to meet fellow runners. Friends make everything—including long runs—much better!