Beka Lloyd is a current student on the two-year track in LTS.

Hi Beka! Tell us a little about yourself! 

I have lived in Oregon for a few years now, having moved from Colorado previously. My husband and I decided to move because of all the green grass in Oregon. We raise sheep and decided Oregon would be the ideal place to raise our animals. In my spare time I love to collect coins, go on hikes, and nerd out on linguistics. Since moving to the Pacific Northwest I have become fascinated with the mushrooms and funguses which abound in the area. I love to go hiking to see if I can find edible species.

What inspired you to pursue a career in language education?

My language career started while I was still completing my undergraduate career. I had finished a TESOL certification course and had the opportunity to teach in China for a year. I ended up teaching at an international school in Xi’an, China and fell in love with the country, the people and the culture. I returned to the U.S. to complete my bachelors in Linguistics and have been hooked ever since. I have taught in a few different contexts here in the U.S., but wanted to be better equipped to teach in more contexts, so I decided to start the LTS program.

You have started the LTS program on the 2-year schedule while taking language courses. What has that been like for you to focus on both kinds of classes?

I decided to do the 2-year track because I wanted to be able to continue to work while I completed my graduate degree and I also needed to do my language courses. It felt like too much to put all into one year. I have actually really enjoyed taking language courses side by side with my LTS coursework, because I have been able to think about how to practically implement teaching strategies, while observing them from a student position. It has really helped me visualize how I can be a better teacher and implement the concepts I am learning.

What concepts from language education have you found most intriguing so far?

From my first experience teaching language, I have been fascinated by pronunciation and variations across languages. I am very excited about the pronunciation class this spring term! I have also really been challenged by the concepts taught by Joana Jansen in the Language Teaching in Context class last Summer, where we explored how languages affect each other in negative and positive ways and how we as teachers can best serve our student’s learning and language identity. Although I’m still a bit scared, I’m really looking forward to my final project, where I can dive into these topics a little more deeply!

Nadège Lejeune is a current LTS student enrolled in a concurrent degree program with her Comparative Literature doctoral degree.

Hello Nadège! Tell us a little about yourself – what was your background before coming to the UO for graduate school?

I grew up in France and did my undergraduate degree there, before moving on to a Master’s in English, also in France. I jumped a little all over the place, dabbling in English for Specific Purposes, British history and American literature… During the course of my Master’s degree, I had the opportunity to study abroad at the University of Notre Dame, which is where I discovered Comparative Literature, a discipline that is much less established in France. I decided to get my PhD in Comparative Literature, and my visit to Oregon convinced me Eugene was the place for me! I’ve been here since 2016 now.

You are doing a concurrent degree with LTS and the doctoral program in Comparative Literature. What motivated you to add the LTS MA? What intersections do you see across these fields or in the professions?

A few years ago I had the opportunity to teach French here at UO and that’s what got me interested in language teaching. I decided to start the Language Teaching Studies program last year… and here I am! As I move through the program I’ve discovered a lot of overlap between my own research and linguistics in general. Taking LT and LING classes has provided me with more specific, grounded ways of approaching my research in Comparative Literature: I focus on the uses of French in contemporary literature, and more specifically how the French language changes or is modified in contemporary texts. Recent research in SLA has given me new insights into some of the key concepts of my dissertation, such as translingualism or multilingualism.

You are fairly early in the LTS program still, so your ideas might be still forming, but what topics do you think you might explore for your capstone MA project? (we might follow up with you next year 🙂)

Yes, my ideas are still only just forming, but I am interested in the multilingual classroom and the concrete manifestations of that. More recently I have been thinking about the intersection between motivation and multilingualism and wondering if fostering a multilingual environment would boost learner motivation. I’m not quite sure how all of this will come together but I’m excited to move forward over the next few months!

What do you most look forward to doing when the pandemic is over? (cross our fingers!)

I’m really looking forward to being able to meet the people in the program in person! I’ve been interacting with everyone in class and it’s been great to gradually get to know everyone, but it would be even better to be able to go out for dinner or a drink with all of you 😀

Andrew is a current LTS student who plans to graduate this Summer 2021.

Hi Andrew! Tell us a little about yourself – what was your background before joining LTS?

Hello! Thanks so much for having me on the blog! Way before LTS I was an undergraduate at Western Oregon University where I first gained my passion for languages. After I graduated in 2014 I decided to volunteer as an English teacher in China after hearing about the program from one of my sisters’ friends. This spontaneous decision ended up shaping my entire life as I ended up staying in China for a little longer than my original four month plan (about five years longer). After spending some time feverishly learning Chinese on my own I decided I wanted to formally study Mandarin at the university that was close to my English school. I worked to pass the necessary HSK 5 test and got in to study during my third and fourth years in China. It was during this time that I met my wife who would later accompany on this adventure back to America. My time in China showed me I was passionate about learning and teaching languages as well as using those languages to meet new and wonderful people.

 What motivated you to start an MA program as your next career step?

After I returned to the United States I knew that I wanted to continue teaching but I wasn’t sure what my next step would be. While my wife was completing her masters in finance at the U of O, I got a job that was close to campus working at a Chinese restaurant. During this time I got to use Chinese everyday and interact with people from all different departments of the university. One day a faculty member from the linguistics department recommended the LTS program to me (I wish I could remember who….). After looking over the program and meeting with Keli Yerian I knew that this was the program I wanted to apply for. It was the perfect combination of my passion for languages and teaching that would allow me to further my understanding and set me on my desired career path for the future.

What do you most want to take advantage of during graduate school?

(aside from all those sweet, sweet student discounts….) Definitely learning and working together with people who are interested and passionate about the same things as I am. I have really enjoyed the wealth of knowledge and experience that I have been able to glean from my professors and fellow students. I can’t wait to see what more I get to learn in the future and I sincerely hope we can all meet up together once the pandemic allows for it.

Like the other brave souls of your cohort, you joined the program in the middle of the pandemic. What have been the advantages and disadvantages of such a strange way to start graduate school?

I like to think of the glass (of hand sanitizer) as half full in this situation. Even though I would have loved to have had in person classes for the entirety of the school year I think that online classes have worked out better than I could have imagined, mostly due to the scaffolding provided by our professors. I had a grand total of 1 online class during my undergraduate program and it is safe to say that it left a funky taste in my mouth, so when I heard that we had 1 term of online classes to start the year I figured “if I just make it through this I will be ok for the rest of the year.” Much to my surprise I really enjoyed the first term of online classes and found everything to be well organized and straight forward. I also found that I enjoyed the zoom format of classes and even though it was different from in person learning I could focus really well during class. A combination of staying organized, eating healthy and getting physical exercise has helped me a lot to overcome the difficulties of the pandemic along with helping to prepare me for my potential future of teaching online as a career.

What do you most look forward to doing when the pandemic is over? (cross our fingers)

Hmm…. I’ve been pretty lucky during the pandemic so I don’t have too much to complain about. I think the one thing I look forward to most is traveling again. I really look forward to going back to China with my wife and seeing my family and friends over there after over two years. I really hope that vaccines will roll out quickly enough that by the end of our program we can all go out for a celebratory drink this summer as LTS graduates. Can’t wait to properly meet everyone in person. (Shout out to Robert for giving us the hyflex classes that have at least allowed me to take a class on campus. I will make it back to Eugene for the last one for sure!)

Lorelei is an LTS alumna who pursued a concurrent degree with UO Teach in 2019-2021.

Hi Lorelei! Congratulations on your recent graduation from LTS! Could you tell us a little about your experiences in immersion language learning and teaching before you joined LTS?

Previous to LTS, I was a camper and then a counselor at Concordia Language Villages, a full immersion program in Minnesota that serves over fourteen different language programs. I attended as a child for the German program, and later worked in both the German and the Arabic programs. Not speaking English for months on end during the summer made me fascinated with immersion learning in a way that my previous schooling in Germany and Italy didn’t. When I didn’t know something when I lived in Europe, someone would tell me the English word for it, but at CLV, the point of speaking was language exploration.

What inspired you to pursue an MA in Language Teaching Studies?

I was inspired to pursue an MA in Language Teaching Studies because despite knowing several good techniques from working at CLV, I didn’t know why or how they worked. I also was interested in teaching year-round, and I needed to integrate some English into my teaching methodology in order to integrate students who were used to mostly English-based teaching. 

What was your MA project about?

My MA project was based on using music and song to teach language, drawing mostly from songs used at CLV from our program songbook. Singing is an integral part of the day, with around an hour of formal song instruction and songs being sung in different parts of the program. I wanted to see how I could integrate something like that into a high school setting.

You decided to pursue a concurrent MA degree in the UOTeach Program (which overlapped last Summer with LTS). What prompted you to do this, and how do the two degrees complement one another for your future goals?

I decided to do a concurrent degree with UOTeach in order to get my teaching certificate to teach in public schools. Being in UOTeach allows me to take the very specific themes of LTS (namely language teaching, as UOTeach is all subjects) and apply it just to the public high school setting, as I aim to teach in public high schools.

Do you have any advice for current or prospective students of LTS?

I really enjoyed doing LTS namely because of how small the program was and how we were able to get personalized help with our varied and specific projects. I think the program is great if you have a vision of who you want to be as a language teacher and the diversity in the program is great for making connections across the globe. For current students, having a basic idea of your masters project is a good idea, but it always evolves and changes with time. What I wanted to make in September was not what I ended up proposing in Winter Term and being able to bounce ideas off other students in the cohort was invaluable.

We are starting off the 2021 new year with an inspiring image and post from Elaine, a current 2nd year student in the LTS program.

Hello Elaine! Could you tell us a little about your language background?

My name’s Elaine. I’m a native Chinese speaker and I can speak English and Japanese as second languages. I started to learn English when I was 6 because of the requirements of our national education system. Later when I was around 8, my mom taught me 2 Japanese phrases and I realized Japanese was very interesting. I started to learn Japanese more seriously 3 years ago here at UO. I found learning languages has become a huge part of my interests and I really enjoy it. That is also the reason for me to choose LTS for my MA major.

You have been doing the longer, 2-year schedule of the program. What do you think have been the advantages of doing this? 

I consider myself to be a slow learner and I always need more time to complete readings than other students do, for example. So I chose the 2-year schedule of my MA program. I have experienced many advantages of doing this. First, it gives me time and “supports” for deciding on my MA project topic. I have changed my topic many times since being in the program because even though I had a general idea of what I wanted to focus on, I was still confused about how I should define it specifically. During the first-year of my study, I learned various teaching skills. By reading different articles, I learned about different needs of students with different backgrounds and goals. Sometimes I can feel a resonance with people in such studies. So, after the first year, I found the topic I wanted to focus on was becoming clearer and more “shaped”. Another advantage is that since the 2-year learning schedule is much more flexible than 15-month version, I could have more time to do extra readings, and I had more time to select and collect the articles I need. When I have more time to do these things, I feel less stressed and had more time to think while reading, which was also helpful for shaping my topic.

What is your MA Project topic about? What inspired you to tackle this topic? 

My MA project topic is “Integrating video games into curricula for EFL learners in China”. I decided on this topic in the end for few reasons. First, I’m a gamer and I love playing different games. I found that I have learned a lot from the games I played even though some of them were in Chinese. When I was playing games in English and Japanese, I learned a lot of vocabulary and saw how the characters use the languages in ways that are different from the examples in textbooks. I started to think of the possibility of integrating games into language teaching and learning. That way, learning could become a fun thing for students to do, and teachers would have more choices when they are designing their classes.

What else has been important to you during the LTS program? 

Overall, I love being a member of LTS program. I found what I need for my future. I found friends with similar goals and they are so encouraging to me. LTS is not only a program or a mission to me, but a second family. I feel glad to be here and I will always tell people who want to become a language teacher in the future: “Come join us! We’ll make a great episode for your life journey.”

 

Keegan is a current LTS student in his second year of the two year program track working on the Ichishkíin language.

Hello Keegan! Could you tell us a little about yourself and how you came to join the LTS program?

Ii (yes)! I’m a Portland-born descendant of the Yakama Nation, so I didn’t grow up with a substantial connection to our language and culture. After studying Comparative Literature during my undergrad and exploring the impact of translation and language, I decided three years ago to move to our reservation in what is currently Washington state and start learning our dialect of the Ichishkíin language along with reconnecting with family and the tribal community.

There, in the middle of language and intro to linguistics classes during my first master’s program in 2018, I was pointed to the Northwest Indian Language Institute’s (NILI) Summer Institute where I first heard about LTS. I was gently encouraged to apply by new friends and colleagues to explore more teaching and language opportunities, and did so to join after I finished my program in Washington.

What will be the focus of your MA project?

I’m still between two topics, but I don’t have to decide-decide until after December. The first focuses on developing a portfolio of activities and materials to help Ichishkíin language learners get used to using the language through texting and social media. The second is focused on transforming Ichishkíin text materials into a machine-readable revitalization corpus that can be analyzed through Python scripts for different language phenomena patterns.

Could you tell us more about your journey to deciding on this project? Was it always your goal or did you find it over time?

I originally was developing a language curriculum for an Ichishkíin youth summer camp program, but realized that there were some more specialized things I could use this time to work on. A little over two years ago, I created an Ichishkíin phone keyboard which has really helped me and many other learner-speakers make language usage an everyday activity. This keyboard is now available to anyone through the Keyman app, so I want to build some resources to give to teachers to plug into their existing classes to help them get more engagement in the language.

The corpus project idea comes out of the corpus linguistics class I’m taking right now. I’ve been working with these texts for a few years, but now I’m learning ways to use statistical methods on them to better understand the patterns of the morphemes and root words present. It would be really cool to explore how to store and analyze these linguistically-complex texts while also generating frequency lists and patterns that could be the foundation for language curricula moving forward.

You are following the 2-year version of the program. What have been the advantages of doing this in your case? 

I’ve had time to take a lot more classes, for one thing! During my first year last year, I was able to take the second year of Ichishkíin classes offered here at the UO to keep working on my own language skills as I took most of the core LTS courses alongside my cohort. Then, in the spring and this year, I have been able to take more linguistics courses like Historical Linguistics, Corpus Linguistics, Morphology and Syntax, and Semantics, so I can continue developing my skills as a linguist as I also think about teaching strategies. It’s given me a lot more time for projects and learning opportunities!

In what ways do you feel LTS, Linguistics, or other resources at the UO have been able to support your goals in language revitalization?

One of the biggest parts are all of the term papers and projects that I’ve had to do for my courses so far. I’ve been able to develop a deeper linguistic understanding of our language while also thinking about how to include those functions and skills in curricula for future learners. All of my professors have been super open to me exploring topics that I haven’t encountered yet in my own language learning with the mindset of doing sufficient descriptive work that can then be translated into materials for teaching units. Having access to knowledgeable linguists within the department as well as more Ichishkíin-specific resources and knowledge through NILI has really helped me explore parts of the language that hasn’t been operationalized yet for learners.

Another big piece that I could only find here at the UO that has supplemented my academic learning is the Ichishkíin learner-speaker community here. Ten years of Ichishkíin classes offered here means that there are a lot of students, native and non-native alike, who have helped create a community of language practice that helps all of us solidify our skills. There is also the added benefit of still having Tux̱ámshish, Dr. Virginia Beavert, here on campus, so she can get to visit class to help us practice speaking Ichishkíin with a first-language speaker as well as share stories and explanations at the heart of the interaction between language and culture. It is definitely hard being away from the reservation and language community home-base while doing this work, but I’m excited to bring things back there once I finish with my learning here at the UO.

Do you have any suggestions or advice for those who want to pursue work on an endangered language through an advanced degree?  

The best advice I can give is to connect with others who are doing work with a revitalization language in your program or at your institution. It can be really hard to be away from your home language community There are more and more of us who are going in with the same types of goals and obstacles in mind, and you can find community sharing methods and ideas. It’s a definitely easier once you identify your comrades that will help cheer you on!

Juan Carlos is current student in LTS who is graduating this Fall term.

Hello Juan Carlos! Could you introduce yourself and tell us a little about your interests?

Piyalli! Nehuatl notoca Juan Carlos González Zacarias. Nochan nican Eugene, Oregon. Hola mi nombre es Juan Carlos González Zacarias y vivo en Eugene, Oregon. Hello my name is Juan Carlos González Zacarias and I live in Eugene, Oregon. A little bit about me is that I am very passionate about languages and I like to learn new things every chance I get. I am fluent in three languages, Spanish, English and American Sign Language (ASL). Aside from education, I am a fan of sports (playing of course) and I like to play all of them, especially soccer and swimming. When I was little I also did gymnastics and wrestling, and I competed once. I did alright. I was shy for the most part, but I overcame that. In my sports adventures, I got selected to play soccer in a team from Mexico City. I loved it and I could have become a professional soccer player. Then, I played American Football for a short period of time.

You were a Linguistics undergraduate major, right? How did you become interested in Linguistics?

This is a good question. Yes, Linguistics was my undergraduate major. Many people misunderstand Linguistics and often think that by majoring in Linguistics, you will learn a lot of languages and focus on the learning portion, so I also thought that lol. But that is not what Linguistics is about. It focuses on the structures, rules, analysis, and evolution in languages. My advisor from the community college where I graduated also thought that and she recommended me to take American Sign Language (ASL), so that is where I started learning my third language. My first term was very hard because I took ASL, French and two Linguistics classes. I passed all those classes, and I realized that Linguistics was the major that I want to pursue because I like to challenge myself and the Linguistics major makes you think and analyze a lot of languages from many places around the world. So, that hooked my curiosity to learn more about this field.

What was your LTS MA Project focused on?

My MA project focused on the Huastecan Nahuatl Language. I developed materials for teaching the Nahuatl language and Nahuatl Culture to Adults in prisons in the U.S. These materials are for low-level learners that can be adapted for higher levels and for different institutions with the use of technology. That way students can use more resources for their language learning.

I got passionate about this project because the Nahuatl language is endangered, I would like to help increase language speakers and because it should be my first language instead of Spanish. At the same time, I would like to inspire people around me to think that Native languages are as important as any other language in the world. I am very enthusiastic to start teaching this portfolio in the prison and other institutions and keep learning how to best teach participants.

What was most important to you about this project?

The most important thing about this project for me was that I learned so much doing it. When I started this MA project I did know not anything besides that it was spoken in Mexico and other states. I have learned that there are many different Nahuatl variants in Mexico and other countries. Also, it is spoken in various countries and it was the Lingua Franca from Mexico for over 300 years. The Huastecan Nahuatl is a fascinating language that currently I am learning. I want to become fluent and learn the culture to be a better advocate and a good educator for future learners.

Do you have any advice for current or future LTS students?

My advice for current and future students is that no matter what topic or language your MA project is about, be enthusiastic and learn as much as you can from it. Also, think what you want to learn for yourself and what knowledge you want to share or inspire in your future students. In the end, your goal will be to teach your language curriculum or language portfolio to students. Keep positive throughout this experience! 🙂

Ken is a current student in the LTS MA Program with a strong interest in revising curricula to be more inclusive for heritage learners.

Hello Ken! How are you holding up in these strange times? How are you balancing your studies and hobbies?

I am doing well in these times, just some difficulties with having a consistent sleeping schedule. To balance the studies and hobbies, I try to make sure to do something fun or relaxing each day. For example, after doing an online synchronous meeting for a class, I would take a break watching a YouTube video or play a bit of my videogames. Checking the deadline for upcoming assignments is a good way to plan break times between the assignments that are going to be due soon.

You are following the 2-year version of the program. What have been the advantages of doing this in your case?

With the two-year program I have been able to explore classes from different departments. I took a couple of Spanish classes in the Romance languages department, which it was helpful to get a better idea of what I would like to do for my final project. It was also a good experience that I was able to do GE positions as a first-year Spanish teacher and a TA for a Japanese art history class. Even though I decided on the 2-year program from early on, I still took most of the required classes in the first year. I think this was helpful for preparing for the second year. This is because now I can focus on my final project and take elective classes. I am taking first-year Portuguese and it has been an illuminating experience going back to being a learner of a foreign language after taking classes and teaching first-year Spanish the previous year.

Could you tell us more about your specific interests, and what your MA project will likely be about?

I am interested in teaching Spanish in the University context and specifically to Spanish heritage students. In addition, I like Computer assisted language learning (CALL), flip learning, and content-based instruction. My master’s project is going to be a curriculum design for a first-year Spanish class for Spanish heritage students, who are receptive bilinguals. Meaning that their experiences with the Spanish language has been limited to mostly listening other members of their community speaking Spanish. This class will focus on developing their literacy and speaking skills. It will also implement critical pedagogy, so that the students learn about the power that dominates over language use and develop their critical thinking. The class design will be designed for in person with online elements. I will use CALL elements in the class as well, so that the students have another place to interact with each other and produce language. Some of these activities using CALL will be online photo diaries entries that the students share with each other on a blog forum. There will also be online blog that will use video to post a response to each other. While it will not be a synchronous interaction, the students can practice and choose the best version of the language that they produce in the videos.

What inspired you to do this kind of project? 

My background in language learning is that I am a heritage learner of Spanish and Japanese. While growing up the schools that I assisted did not have support for heritage students, so it was a difficult experience trying ton balance learning different languages. Since I have experiences as a receptive trilingual, I want to help other students who are facing the stress and challenges of understanding a language but not being able to produce the language. Before the pandemic I became involved with the Spanish heritage club at the University of Oregon. I attended their events and hosted a movie screening with other graduate students for the undergraduate SHL students.

Do you have any suggestions for students who are just starting the program in a remote environment?

By taking classes in a remote environment, it can be easy to mix your downtime/breaks with being productive in your classes. So, I recommend scheduling a time where you will not be in front of a computer and will be doing something else that is not school related. If you have to do readings for a class that are pdf files, you could print them out and do the reading in paper. This way there is less time spent looking at a screen. You can get a good perspective of what you think the online classes elements you like or don’t like as much. Because it can give you some insight of what you should do if you were to do an online class. I think it is important to learn how to online classes, now that the pandemic has accelerated the demand and need of more online education. Another thing is that even if you can’t meet fellow people from the cohort in person, you should try to meet them online. You could meet them for a study session, or hangout/talking to get to know each other better.