InTASC STANDARD 4: The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and

structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches or creates learning experiences that make these
aspects of the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content.
Name of Artifact: Final Synthesis Activity
Course: Second Language Acquisition FL 664
Date: Spring 2016-2017
TESOL Standards Addressed: 1b, 1c, 2a, 2b, 2d
Rationale:
The second artifact that I chose to include to represent my mastering of the fourth
standard is the final synthesis activity that I created while enrolled in a second language
acquisition course. I displayed my knowledge of the structure and concepts of my discipline by
compiling a list of my top ten favorite theories, ideas, and concepts in the field of second
language acquisition and explained them in my own words. In the synthesis, one of the factors
that I discuss is a willingness to communicate (WTC) as a sign of a good language learner. In my
own classroom, I motivate students to cultivate WTC by creating engrossing activities. Because
of my understanding of the silent period that some language learners experience as part of their
second language acquisition process, I seek to draw out students in this way. A recent example in
my classroom where I encouraged a willingness to communicate by captivation included reading
a bilingual cumulative tale called The Cazuela that the Farm Maiden Stirred. The book
introduces in English a participant in the making of the arroz con leche one by one. The next
time that students see the participant or his contribution is at the forefront of a list in Spanish
which repeated all the previous participants and their contributions, as well. When I read the
book, all students eagerly participated in trying to find out facts like who the cabra and the
campesino were. They all spoke out and contributed information to help each other arrive at the
correct conclusion. This helped learners who had inhibitions to develop a willingness to
participate in a less formal setting so as to move toward the goal of language learning.
For the second half of the assignment, I speak at length about dispelling the myth that
motivation is not the only factor needed to learn a language. One factor that I explore in my
dispelling of this myth is socioeconomic status. All people do not have equal and equitable
access to language. In my own foreign language class, I exposed students to language attitudes
and prejudices which affect immigrants. We watched and analyzed Tom Brokaw’s comments
about Hispanics in the US on Meet the Press. He claimed that immigrants needed to work harder
at assimilation, specifically at learning English. During the analytical discussion of these
comments, students articulated what they thought was needed to effectively learn a
second/foreign language. At the top of the list, we concluded, should have been a means to
formally learn the linguistic background. In most cases, this involves another agent who is
willing to teach the immigrants. Further, immigrants are more at risk for poverty, which often
leads to drop-out, as many immigrant children have to work to support their families. Dearing et.
al (2016) points out:
Factors such as not being fluent in English, discrimination, and documentation problems
may exacerbate risks in poverty for immigrant children. Moreover, it is during the
elementary school years—a time during which they are first encountering the culture of
U.S. schools—when immigrant families may face the greatest obstacles to close
connections with their children's teachers and schools (Crosnoe, 2013). Nonetheless, an
optimistic outlook toward socioeconomic challenges in the United States and cultural
values that emphasize social support in the family and community may help offset some
of this risk for immigrant children (Crosnoe, 2013) (p.884).
Thus, creating a willingness to communicate in immigrant students is increasingly important
since so as to offset these risk factors. I can pinpoint which of the factors in the synthesis best
relates to those who are members of immigrant communities and determine how to make the
language more accessible to them.
References

Dearing, E., Walsh, M.E., Sibley, E., Lee-St. John, T., Foley, C., & Raczek, A. E. (2016).
Can Community and School-Based Supports Improve the Achievement of First-
Generation Immigrant Children Attending High-Poverty Schools? Child Development,
87(3), 883-897.