Standard 1: Learner Development:

The teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of
learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social,
emotional, and physical areas and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and
challenging learning experiences.
Artifact 1 Journal entry
Class: FL 664: Second Language Acquisition
National Standards for Foreign Language Learning: 3.1, 3.2, 4.2, 5:1, 5:2
For my first artifact for Standard 1 of Learner Development, I chose a journal entry that I
did for my FL 664 SLA class. As I explained in this journal entry, I am a product of learning my
L2 and L3 in two very different ways. I learned French first, in the classroom and then during a
semester studying abroad in Paris. I learned vocabulary, grammar exercises and I remember
reading the book En attendant Godot in one of my French literature classes. But it was not until
I took my last French undergraduate class where the instructor introduced us to the French
delicacy of crpes, that I was exposed to some real French culture. Most of my previous classes
were focused on learning the grammar. I dont remember at all trying to speak in French in my
classes. I remember memorizing a lot of vocabulary words and learning about the pass
compass. But I do not remember any communicative learning occurring. Of course, this
happened twenty years ago and much has changed in the pedagogy of L2s since then. That being
said, I thoroughly enjoyed learning French and my French classes. I admired my French
professors and wanted to speak French like them. When I returned from France after six months
abroad, I spoke French fairly well. The previous six years of classroom study gave me a
foundation to stand on those first two months of my semester abroad when I was quite lost and
confused. As for Spanish, although I had taken some beginner Spanish classes while studying
French, I actually acquired Spanish by spending time with a Colombian who would later become
my husband. I was around his family all the time and I heard Spanish non-stop, day after day for
many years. Before I even knew it I was fluent in Spanish.
I believe as an instructor, I have keen insight into how learners grow and develop and
especially into how I, as their instructor, can help them learn a foreign language. I learned these
languages in such different ways, acquiring Spanish naturally while learning French in the
classroom and this has given me some perspective into how to teach both of these languages
more efficiently. I believe that anyone can learn a foreign language at any age if he puts the
effort into it. According to Brown, in Chapter 3 of his Age and Acquisition, there is
absolutely no evidence that an adult cannot overcome all the (potential) disadvantages save one,
accent, After learning so much of the theory behind teaching and through assisting other
experienced instructors and teaching my own beginning Spanish classes I have come to
understand what students need to succeed in acquiring an L2. I agree with Krashen with regards
to what he states in his Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition. He states that
the best way, and perhaps the only way, to teach speaking, according to this view, is simply to
provide comprehensible input (22). 'Comprehensible Input' is defined as the target language that

the learner would not be able to produce but can still understand. Krashens comprehensible
input hypothesis proposes that exposing learners to extensive periods of comprehensible TL
input will ensure mastery of the TL. (as cited in Moeller & Roberts, 2013, p. 22) Though I did
not have much opportunity to speak in my undergraduate French classes that I took before going
to study abroad, maybe due to my own shyness, I was receiving comprehensible input from my
instructors.
According to Gass, learning refers to conscious knowledge of a second language,
knowing of rules, being aware of them, and being able to talk about them. There are many
situations where the rules do matter. When learning an L2, it is beneficial that the student also
learn to read and write in that language. When I was in school, I had to take English grammar
classes and so much focus was put on the students learning to read and write (as it should).
Students in foreign language classes also need to learn these skills. In the United States today,
with the growing number of Spanish speakers that live here, it is highly probable that some of
my students will encounter situations where they have to speak and write in Spanish or where it
would be to their advantage if they knew some Spanish. Whether it is for advertising to the
Hispanic population or being able to converse with a Spanish speaker in the hospital, there are
many situations where Spanish is needed. As an instructor, I can furnish my students with the
comprehensible input necessary to be able to maneuver a situation like that.

Brown, H.D. (2014). Principles of language learning and teaching. White Plains, New York:
Pearson Education.
Gass, S. (2013). Second language acquisition. New York, NY: Routledge.
Krashen, S. D. (1987). Principles and practice in second language acquisition. New York:
Prentice Hall.
Moeller, A. J. & Roberts, A. (2013). Keeping it in the target language. Faculty Publications:
Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education. Paper 178. Retrieved from
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/teachlearnfacpub/178