Teaching & Learning Capstone Projects
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Capstone projects of the Peabody College Department of Teaching and Learning at Vanderbilt University.
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Item Navigating Productive Domains of Dialogic Work(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2023-05)Dialogic teaching has been recognized as a positive and productive approach to classroom instruction, but broader uptake of dialogic practices has proven to be a challenging goal. After establishing the grounds for a dialogic approach and the theoretical grounding for the work that follows, this thesis develops a teacher-facing guide intended to aid in self-reflection, information gathering, and next-step actions within five proposed domains on which dialogic work in the classroom rests. Each domain is presented as an area in which productive work and personal inquiry can be done: (1) Teachers and (2) students may examine their own stances, skills, and knowledge. Teachers can also examine the health of the (3) classroom community as a whole, the design of their (4) curricular goals and specific questions for discussion, and (5) the structural support or resistance to dialogic work within their school site. The guide includes numerous frameworks, questionnaires, surveys, and other tools from a variety of established sources in order to help guide teachers’ work.Item English Language Learners Capstone Portfolio(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2023-03-30) Zhang, YumengThis paper demonstrates how my two years of studying and teaching at Peabody College, Vanderbilt University have affected my perspective of a competent teacher. In this essay, I consider how my teaching philosophy is put into practice as well as my reflections on the thorough application of the theories and the challenges that I face as an ELL teacher in accordance with TESOL standards. My critical analysis is specifically conducted from four domains: the learner, the learning contexts, the curriculum, and the assessment. Steps that I'll take to keep broadening my professional knowledge and room for improvement are also clarified at the end of this paper.Item Capstone Portfolio(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2022-10-01)This paper includes my teaching philosophy and the understanding of TESOL domains to analyze artifacts that were completed in the ELL program. In this paper, I first state my background and the three main beliefs that guide me through the path of being an ideally qualified English teacher. Then, a comprehensive analysis of the artifacts which I wrote during the program is provided to demonstrate my understanding of TESOL in the context of learner, learning contexts, curriculum, and assessment considering their connections with my teaching philosophy of communicative language teaching (CLT), motivation, and zone of proximal development (ZPD). Moreover, a meaningful reflection is included at the end of the paper to promote and enhance my understanding of the teaching profession as well as my plan the future challenges and growth as a better English teacher. It has been a privilege to learn these theoretical and practical knowledge of ELL education at Vanderbilt University. They lead to me explore the field of ELL and EFL teaching and strengthen my mind to become a qualified English instructor.Item A Teacher’s Portfolio(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2022-11-28) Liu, HsintzuThis teacher’s portfolio reflects my professional knowledge developed and the works I have done during my time at Vanderbilt University. The paper begins with my philosophy of teaching, which addresses my vision of quality instruction and educational equity. Then, I critically examine my artifacts with the TESOL domains categorized by the four professional knowledge areas: learners, learning contexts, curriculum, and assessment. Last but not least, I will discuss my implications and future considerations tying back with my philosophy of teaching.Item CAPSTONE EFL PORTFOLIO(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2022) Zhdanova, AnastasiaThis Teaching Portfolio reflects my understanding of effective English language instruction based on my learning and practical experience at Peabody College of Education and Human Development. Firstly, I present my Teaching Philosophy that reflects my core values of language teaching. These values include active learning in a supportive environment; importance of prior knowledge and learning strategies for developing students’ autonomy; boosting motivation for learning, and purposeful instruction. In the following section, I analyze various Artifacts from my coursework in 4 domains: Learner, Learning Context, Curriculum, and Assessment. Specifically, I examine strengths and weaknesses of the Artifacts, and their alignment with my philosophy's pillars. Finally, I discuss Applications to Practice reflecting on my achievements and challenges as a language instructor, ways to tackle those challenges in the future alongside future considerations of the areas to explore and professional development opportunities.Item English Language Learners Teaching Portfolio(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2022-01-01) Nichols, HaleyThis Teaching Portfolio represents the cumulation of knowledge I have gained over the course of the English Language Learners M.Ed program as I prepare to teach English internationally. Over the course of the program, I have studied theories, witnessed teaching in action, designed lesson plans and assignments, and experienced teaching firsthand. My Philosophy of Teaching has grown from all these experiences as well as my own time as a secondary student and language learner. Ideally, I will teach using Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) through Task Based Instruction (TBI) with a focus on students’ Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). My Philosophy of Teaching is explored in depth in the first section. Following that are the Artifact Analysis – seven materials created over the course of the program that I think best represent an application of my Philosophy of Teaching. These artifacts are split up among four Professional Knowledge Areas (PKA), and within each PKA, there are one to two TESOL Domains, or the various aspects of teaching English one must understand in order to be an effective instructor. Each artifact lines up with a TESOL Domain. Finally, there is a section looking at implications and future considerations, where I analyze possible roadblocks that might inhibit the application of my Philosophy of Teaching.Item English as a Foreign Language Portfolio(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2022-03) Guo, ZijinThis paper reflects my application of my philosophy of teaching. In the first part, I articulate my philosophy of teaching which works as a theoretical framework. In the second part, I analyze a series of practices from four perspectives, learner, learning contexts, curriculum, and assessment. I identify how these artifacts qualify TESOL standards and align my philosophy of teaching. In the third part, based on my analysis of artifacts, I propose the strength and weakness of my application and potential solutions of my weakness. I also point out what topics I need to continue researching and learning as a teacher. In the end, I come up with several methods to help me to keep developing as a teacher and professional after my graduation.Item English Language Learners Capstone Portfolio(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2022-04-20) Khan, MarihaThis ELL Capstone Portfolio is the culmination of the teaching theories and practices I have come across and subscribed to during my time as a graduate student at the Peabody College of Education. It presents my teaching philosophy which contains three main tenets: 1) implementing a Funds of Knowledge pedagogy, 2) designing culturally and linguistically responsive content and language objectives, and 3) effectively managing various stakeholders. Following the teaching philosophy, I have included a detailed artifact analysis of the various artifacts I have created over the past two years. The analysis looks at how closely these artifacts exemplify the four Professional Knowledge Areas of Learner, the Learning Contexts, Curriculum and Assessment and the eight TESOL domains. I also look at the extent to which my teaching philosophy has been interwoven within these artifacts. Finally, I look to the future and discuss potential challenges as well as opportunities for continuous professional growth and development.Item EFL Capstone Portfolio(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2022-04-20) Gao, YuwenThis capstone paper demonstrates how my past learning and teaching experiences gained by completing the two-year English Language Learners program at Peabody College reshape my thinking about Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). In the first section, I illustrate three theories that are essential to frame my teaching philosophy: Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, Scaffolding, and Communicative Language Teaching. In the second section, I elaborate on how my past work connects to my teaching philosophy, the four professional knowledge areas, and the six TESOL domains. In the last section, I review where my past teaching and learning experiences conform to my teaching philosophy, and where there are weaknesses that need further improvement. Also, I pinpoint two lingering questions that I want to find answers to in my future teaching practice.Item English Language Leaners Capstone(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2022-04-20) Jia, WenyunThis paper reflects my view of education and English teaching shaped through the English Language Learners Master’s program at Vanderbilt University. I begin with my teaching philosophy, which demonstrates what is important to me in English education and provides a framework of my teaching practice from three aspects: teacher as a facilitator, warm demander, and bridge to the world. Then, based on four professional knowledge areas (i.e., learner, learning context, curriculum, and assessment), I analyze how my teaching philosophies and my professional knowledge of the six TESOL domains are shown in my artifacts from my work at Peabody. Finally, I reflect on where I need further improvement and how to continue my professional growth as an English teacher and a teacher-researcher.Item ELL Capstone Portfolio(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2022) Ye, AngelaItem English Language Learners Capstone Portfolio(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2022-03)Item ELLs Capstone Portfolio(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2022) Pan, HuichaoThis paper is a review of two years of graduate studies at Vanderbilt University, which includes three parts: Teaching Philosophy, Artifact Analysis, and Application to Practice. In the teaching philosophy, I describe my understanding of high-quality teaching and teaching goals I want to achieve in the future. Then, in the second part, I reflect on my learning regarding four domains of the TESOL standards: learners, learning contexts, curriculum, and assessment, and provide artifacts of supportive evidence. The last part summarizes my achievements and regrets, as well as my concerns about future teaching.Item A Literature Review of the Factors Causing and Influencing Language Transfer on Chinese K-12 and College Students(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2022-03-01) Li, JingeThis literature review included 33 studies published in the past ten years focusing on language transfer of Chinese K-12 and college students who studied English. It intended to determine the factors that influence transfer and to examine the instructional suggestions to facilitate positive transfer and inhibit negative transfer of students in the K-12 and college educational contexts. The findings showed that there were multiple factors playing a role in language transfer. These factors and their influences varied across students’ ages and learning stages. Therefore, instructional strategies are also different depending on students’ grades and proficiency. Generally speaking, for beginners, it is important to build up general cognitive and academic skills by implementing a paralleled instruction modes between the first language (L1) and the second language (L2) classes and making analogies between similar structures in these two languages to facilitate the development of language awareness. At this time, teachers should use both students’ L1 and L2 to support their understanding in class. For intermediate and advanced learners, it is important to abandon teaching the equivalents directly from L1 to L2 and immerse students in the context and culture of English. Teachers at this time should only use English in class to build up the context to increase students’ engagement in this language.Item ELL Capstone Portfolio(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2021-11-19) Upchurch, JodieThe following ELL Capstone Portfolio contains a synthesis and analysis of the works accumulated during my professional participation as a candidate in the Master’s degree of Education (M.Ed.) English Language Learners (ELL) program at Vanderbilt University Peabody College from January 2020 to December of 2021. I analyze my teaching and learning materials based on several important educational theories including but not limited to communicative language teaching, funds of knowledge, culturally responsive teaching, and translanguaging. I analyze my work against a philosophy of teaching grounded in communicative competence, effective and relevant content goals and objectives, and funds of knowledge pedagogy. What follows is a summary of the analyses with findings based on the above theories. To be an effective English language instructor to English language learners, I will incorporate students’ background knowledge, heritage, culture, and language. I will also cultivate an atmosphere of caring that leads students to actively participate in their learning as welcomed citizens in the classroom. Artifacts are arranged into the professional knowledge areas (PKAs) of Learner, Learning Contexts, Curriculum, and Assessment. Within these categories, artifacts are subcategorized by the TESOL domain they correspond to. Each artifact corresponds with its appendix and is connected to an aspect of my teaching philosophy and the significantly effective educational theories contained therein.Item The Function of Different Motivational Factors of Young Child Group in English Learning: The Effect of Parental Involvement(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2021) Li, GuozhenWith the effect of globalization, English as lingua franca has been treated significantly important all over the world. Since 1982, Chinese students need to study English as their compulsory subject in school. Moreover, Chinese parents also try their best to support their children in English learning for better English abilities in the future to increase their competitiveness in society, and the age of Chinese children start to learn English also tends to be younger. However, the results of these effort did not turn out well. Lack of motivation among Chinese students is one of the major issues to cause this result. It is necessary for Chinese educational departments and parents to find the way to motivate children in English learning. This literature review will talk about the motivational factors influencing child group before the age of 12 and introduce the importance of parental involvement in motivating this child group. As the results, even though interest is the biggest motivation for children before 12 years old, on the other side, they are motivated more by extrinsic motivations while older children who are older than 6 years old will start to turn the extrinsic motivations into more intrinsic motivation. Also, it is noticeable that parental involvementplays an important role in influencing motivation in English learning of this child group psychologically and financially. As the advices, teachers and parents should utilize the strategies that can cultivate children’s interest in English learning.Item Reasons to Let Multimodal Resources in: Multimodal Resources’ Contributions to Improving Adolescent English Language Learners’ In-Class Reading Comprehension(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2021) Wang, JiayiWith the development of modern technology and renewal of teaching approaches, although integrating multimodal resources into reading instruction has already occupied an important position, this present review is putting a specific eye on English Language Learners (ELL) in classroom settings, in particular the adolescent age group. This is a group of people worth noticing because adolescent ELLs not only have diverse cultural and family backgrounds, which require educators to take their cultural identity into consideration when creating classes, but also they have some unique characteristics different from monolingual adolescents when decoding and perceiving information. In this literature review, evidence from research is generated to support the main investigation of how multimodal resources assist adolescent ELL’s in-class reading comprehension. Various representations and functions of multiple modalities will be examined and connections will be built between the application of multimodalities and students’ progress in reading comprehension. Potential solutions will also be provided in order to guide future educators, policymakers and curriculum designers.Item An Examination of Multimodal Based Extensive Reading in College ESL Context(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2021) Na, ZhaoExtensive reading (ER), as an effective component in ESL curriculum, is moving towards a multimodal based direction. Based on the studies of ER from 1974 to 2019, this literature review aims to investigate how multimodal ER should be incorporated into the college ESL curriculum and thus provide pedagogical implications for ESL educators and instructors. Firstly, I reviewed the theories of ER and multimodal literacy. Secondly, the comparison of studies of monomodal ER and multimodal ER reveals that some new trends need to be explored in combination with ER. Finally, I discuss the advantage and challenge of multi-modal ER and made recommendations for future studies.Item A Systematic Review of Undergraduate English Language Learners’ Use of Hedging in English Academic Writing(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2021) Luo, ShenglanThis paper aims to explore current problems English language learners face in using hedging devices while conducting English academic writing. Through a systematic review of research works with a special focus on the use of hedging devices in English academic writing, I analyzed a series of potential causes that may result in English language learners’ relatively poor mastery of hedging. I found that: (a) generally speaking, English language learners use hedges much less frequently than native speakers of English; (b) English language learners may use certain types of hedging devices in wrong ways that will cause grammatical mistakes and result in misunderstandings and low scores; (c) English language learners would overuse some hedging devices, while they rarely use others, and they also tended to avoid using complex hedging devices to refine their argumentation in English academic writing. Potential causes of problems in English language learners’ application of hedging include: limited L2 proficiency, impacts from knowledge of the first language, the learners’ understanding of both his or her own culture and the western culture, and insufficient and inappropriate writing pedagogies without enough attention on hedging skills. This literature review ended with implications of urgent challenges existing about teaching hedging devices and suggestions that may help to teach college-level Chinese English language learners’ L2 hedging skills better.Item Write Like a _____: Apprenticing Content Area Teachers into Disciplinary Writing Instruction through Small Group Coaching(Vanderbilt University. Peabody College, 2021-03) Cogswell, William