Running Head: TECHNOLOGY PORTFOLIO

Technology Portfolio: A glimpse into a Spanish teacher’s classroom

Madeline Albrittain

FRLN 551

George Mason University

5 May 2018
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Introduction

I am a Spanish teacher at a Catholic school in Washington DC. Over the past four years, I

have taught Spanish levels one through four. My undergraduate degree was in Spanish,

Geography and Education. My capstone course included student teaching in a middle school and

high school. At my current school, my class sizes range from 21 to 25 students. I currently teach

Spanish II and Spanish III, majority sophomores and juniors. Though the size of my classroom

limits seating arrangements, students often move desks to work in pairs and groups. Our school

is Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and 1:1, meaning each student is required to have a laptop

or tablet. With the implementation of BYOD, the ways in which one can use technology to

enhance learning have multiplied. Our school also uses the Learning Management System

Canvas.

I have chosen to do a portfolio of the ways in which I use technology in my Spanish

language classroom. This portfolio will highlight a variety of ways to incorporate technology in

the classroom activities and assessments. This portfolio can be used for future job applications

and endeavors but, in addition, I can personally use the creation of this portfolio as a reflection

on my philosophy of education and my role in the classroom as a technology engaged and

proficient teacher. In my classroom I emphasize Google tools for two main reasons. My current

school uses Canvas LMS and Google tools are easily embedded into Canvas. Each student has a

Google account and, during their freshman year, participate in a “technology boot camp” that

familiarizes them with Google Tools and Canvas’ abilities. They are also free and do not require

students to log in or create new accounts for participation. Click on the links provided and use

the screenshots as reference as you examine my portfolio.

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My Philosophy of Education

In my classroom, building student:student and student:teacher relationships is fundamental.

Students cannot reach their full potential as learners unless trust and community is established. It

is a building block for student learning in which “teachers can learn the individual needs of their

students” (Fox, 2012, p. 73). Part of my job is to build that trust with each student, “It has to do

with how things are said, how questions are asked and answered, and how much teachers and

students listen to each other” (Kohl, 2002, p. 4). Listening and respect has to be mutual in order

to establish a learning community. I believe that each student should have the opportunity to be

successful. Learning a new language does not come easy to all students. As a Spanish teacher, it

is important that I scaffold my lessons to meet the needs to lower level language learners. One of

my goals for the upcoming school year is to introduce this in all my lessons. The writing process

is very difficult, particularly in a foreign language. With scaffolded lessons, over the course of a

week or two, the writing process is a little less daunting.

I believe students learn best when they are motivated and engaged in the learning

process. I incorporate technology into every lesson as means to engage all students in my

classroom. With my rigorous curriculum guidelines and preparing them for Spanish 3, it is easy

to get caught up in cookie-cutter vocabulary and grammar lessons. However, I have found that

students lose interest in the language and are neither motivated nor engaged with the happenings

in the classroom. In order to combat this, I incorporate authentic, formative assessment into my

weekly routine. Whether an exit slip, a think-on-your-feet speaking challenge, or a project-based

learning assignment, students are exposed to different aspects of foreign language acquisition. In

my classroom, formative assessment is a daily occurrence and I use it to improve instruction. For
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example, if I find a common error in an exit slip, that will be the next day’s warm up activity.

Project-based learning in my classroom always has a cultural component in which students are

exposed to different customs and traditions in Spanish-speaking countries. In my Spanish 2

classroom, students choose a Spanish-speaking country, research and present their findings to the

class. Each student is engaged in the process because they are using technology, they have a

choice in what they are learning and it is an authentic use of the target language. Often times

students use this project as an opportunity to share photos from the country they’ve visited or

talk to their relatives about their Hispanic heritage. This learning is student-based and allows

students to engage in the inquiry process. Fecho states, “The inquiry classroom is an active one

that seeks authentic learning that reflects the needs and understanding of all participants” (Fecho,

2004, p. 50). I also use formative assessment because it encourages conversational Spanish.

Students complete “speaking challenge” videos and oral assessments. These often require partner

work and peer evaluations, encouraging students to guide one another in the learning process. At

the end of the year, they are asked to compare their first and last videos. Students come to class

the next day proud of what they have accomplished over the years course. Students are able to

see the progress they’ve made and for many, it is a confidence-booster.

I believe that routine is essential in maintained an organized classroom environment.

Daily routine in my classroom involves daily prayer. The bell rings, students stand, and we offer

intentions and pray in the target language. After which, I go over today’s agenda, tomorrow’s

homework and students begin on their daily warm-up. Toward the end of the year, this routine is

student-led once again allowing students to use the target language. This daily routine allows me

to check in with each student individually as I check their homework. Part of my weekly routine
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also includes introducing new grammar structures to my students. If one of my goals as a

Spanish teacher is they use a variety of grammar structures to express present, past or future

tense, I need to model the correct way in which each is used. Imperfect subjunctive and

conditional tense are not easy conjugations to grasp. Throughout my mini-lectures (10-20 mins),

I use songs, acronyms and examples to guide students through this process. As Brookfield (1995)

states in ​What is means to be a critically reflective teacher​, “before students can engage critically

with ideas and actions, they may need a period of assimilation and ground in a subject area or

skill set” (p. 4). Lecturing should be used as a model or pathway toward critical thinking. If

students are properly guided, they will be able to use the new material in an engaging and

authentic way.

Lastly, I believe I have never perfected my practice as a teacher. I believe one of the

many marks of a great teacher is critical reflection. Farrell (2012) suggests, “Reflective

practice… is a ​compass that allows us to stop for a moment or two and consider how we can

create more learning opportunities for students.” Critical reflection is not simply reflection about

past lessons or student interactions. Rather, it requires educators to think and act of what has

been revealed in this process. For me, engaging in critical reflection is similar to the Jesuit model

of “contemplative in action” because it involves constant inquiry and growth. I collaborate with

my colleagues and students in order to find more opportunities for professional growth. I use

online statistical quiz and test reports to examine the quality and fairness of my summative

assessments. I use this data from assessments to drive reflection to improve student learning.

Data about our student population can also help me adapt curriculum and maximize student

growth. Through critical reflection, I have begun to use these statistics to my benefit. I also strive
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to provide a classroom environment in which students feel comfortable giving me feedback on a

daily basis. While students often take advantage of this, I have students complete two

assessments in regard to my teaching (at the end of each semester). Student review surveys allow

me to see common trends in my classroom and ways in which I can improve. My goal to be a

critically reflective teacher means that I am willing to improve and grow at every opportunity I

can.

Myself as a technology-engaged teacher

In today’s classroom, our students are technology focused and driven. As I mentioned in

my teacher belief statement, I have found technology to be an aspect of learning that engages and

motivates students but also adds another dimension to the classroom because students are able to

explore and critically engage in the learning process. For example, instead of teaching students

about the variety of dialects in the Spanish language, students can explore audio clips from

different countries and hear the difference. Students can record themselves speaking in the target

language or practice pronunciation with online applications such as Duolingo. Technology also

allow the teacher and students to be more organized with material and communicate easily with

regard to assignments. Below, you will be able to explore some of the ways in which I use

technology to enhance my foreign language classroom.

In-class activities

a. Warm- ups, Google Docs

Part of my daily classroom routine is our daily warm-up. Warm-ups are two fold: they

allow students to get back into “Spanish mode” and allow the teacher time to take attendance and

check in with struggling students and students that may have been absent. In Spanish 2,
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warm-ups always include some grammar component and then a question of the day. The

question of the day can be silly, existential or straightforward. One day, I might ask, “Will

technology destroy the world?” or maybe “What are you going to do this weekend?” In either

case, students are communicating in the target language using the grammar structure that we are

working on, in this case, the future tense. Advanced students have the opportunity to form

complex sentences and speak in the target language, which is especially important if they were to

take Spanish 3 Honors. Warm-ups are completed on Google Docs and shared with me. I use this

as a form of differentiation because I can check in with the struggling students because I can add

comments and address common mistakes. I also use Google Docs because I can see the revision

history. This is important for classwork, but also when students complete group work. I can see

if the effort and work has been evenly distributed. To view revision history on Google Docs,

click File > Version History > See version history.

b. Google Slides

Another advantageous Google application is Google Slides. Though similar to Microsoft

PowerPoint, Google Slides adds a collaborative component. Students or faculty can work

together to create a presentation. I can also easily share my presentations with entire classes and

teachers who teacher the same content. ​Here ​is a link to one of my favorite lessons, a

collaborative Google Slides Project reviewing Double Object Pronouns. Students are given a

sentence and, following the model, identify the different parts of the sentence. Students give very

“mini” presentations on each slide. It is one way in which I am able to informally assess their

understanding of the material. The​ final product​ is something that they’ve worked together on

and ultimately, can review for the formal assessment.

c. Nearpod
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Nearpod and Edpuzzle are similar technology tools in which students are assessed

throughout the lesson, not just at the end. Teachers can use two features: the live lesson or

student-paced models. Upload the PowerPoint or Google Slides and input assessment activities

such as draw, write or multiple choice answer. For the live lesson, students enter a code and the

slides appear on their screen. ​This example​ highlights a Spanish I lesson on past times and the

verb ​gustar​. What you see would be visible to students on each screen. Students are constantly

answering questions and I can review and expand answers. For example, students can describe a

photo on the Nearpod screen in the target language. Then, write or draw about what they’ve just

learned. With Nearpod’s technology, teachers have the potential to use circumlocution and circle

back to material with ease because they are receiving live input on every slide as to whether or

not students understand. The example included was used as an introduction to Nearpod with

level one students. Edpuzzle and Socrative have similar features; however, Nearpod has the draw

feature, which students seem to enjoy.

d. Kahoot

Many teachers love using Kahoot in the classroom. It is an engaging, interactive way to

review material, particularly during the last five minutes of a class. Kahoot’s quiz bank is useful

and teachers can duplicate, then revise quizzes as needed. Each question is timed and students

are given up to four answer choices. After each question, the teacher can see the quantitative

data, the number of students who chose each answer. Teachers can choose whether to briefly

explain, depending on the number of students who got the answer correct. At the end of every

quiz, teachers can download the results. Therefore, Kahoot is engaging for students and
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informative for teachers. As Wang, Zhu and Saetre afirm, “For Kahoot! almost four out of five

students had an internal motivation… There is a tendency that the students were more motivated

for a lecture using game-based quizzes” (2016, p. 734). Recently, my Spanish III students

completed a Conditional Tense Kahoot as review. As you can see in the image below, many

students demonstrated a complete understanding of the material and knew the irregulars. The

final four names on the document revealed that they are still struggling. Some of them met with

me after school to review and others knew the mistakes they made.

e. PiktoChart & Storyboards

These are two more ways in which students have used technology in my class. The

assignment needed to include formal commands and vocabulary about household chores. In this

assignment, students were given the choice to use PiktoChart or Storyboardthat.com. Here are
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two student examples: ​PiktoChart​ and ​Storyboard​. Each were uploaded via Canvas LMS and I

could give comments and revisions, if needed.

Homework and the Flipped Classroom

a. Google Forms

I use Google Forms to collect personal information and opinions to get to know my

students and receive their input. I also use Google Forms when I use the Flipped Classroom

Model. The Flipped Classroom is a pedagogical approach that has students learn the content at

home through a video provided by the instructor. Then, students arrive the classroom familiar

with the material and questions allowing a more interactive learning environment. It allows the

instructor to introduce more dynamic lesson plans because less class time is spent on direct

instruction. For example, students may watch an introduction on the future tense and fill out a

form to express what they’ve learned and/or questions they have before class begins. This is one

form of differentiation that I use in my classroom because struggling students can pause the

lesson and revisit later if necessary.

Spanish 2 Survey/Reflection
Flipped Classroom Example

b. Duolingo

In my Spanish 1 classroom, I have used Duolingo to bolster Spanish basics and to give

students opportunities to learn at their pace. Duolingo offers students completely free resources.

It covers all areas of language learning such as pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, listening

comprehension. With Duolingo, students have the capacity to start a skill, which covers several

lessons (Munday 86). Duolingo provides depth of understanding unlike any other app. Babbel’s
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resources do not provided adequate development for advanced learners. For example, according

to Munday (2016), Duolingo’s algorithm indicates whether vocabulary has been strongly

memorized (p. 86). If not the word will cycle through for review. With 66 skills and 329 lessons,

Duolingo provided ample lessons for beginner and intermediate levels. Munday’s study shows

that beginner students much prefer to practice with Duolingo than traditional homework. 84% of

beginner students preferred to use Duolingo instead of other homework (Munday, 2016, p. 93).

But most importantly, given our department conversation, 56% completed more lessons than

those required (Munday, 2016, p. 94). I believe this speaks volumes to the effectiveness of

encouraging self-directed learners. While I do not require Duolingo assignments, I offer extra

credit to those who take advantage of what the Duolingo app has to offer.

Forms of Assessment

a. Video Oral Assessments

One way in which I use video assessments to get to know my students and evaluate their

oral proficiency in the target language. Due to student privacy, I cannot embed an example.

Generally, the students are creative and enjoy completing such assessments.

- Assignment & Rubric

b. Canvas LMS/ Canvas Quizzes

Canvas has many functions; some of which I haven’t explored in depth. Canvas LMS is

similar to Blackboard; however, I find it more user friendly. Teachers can post assignments and

students can view and submits assignments at their leisure. I use Canvas Modules to post

assignment, divided by each unit we do. When reviewing for the midterm and final exams,

students can easily find review resources I have posted there. Embedded in my home page is
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Symbaloo, an application similar to Apple Home, in which students can click on tabs that bring

them to Word Reference, Quizlet, Kahoot, VHL and many others. In addition, I use Canvas

Quizzes occasionally to assess my students, as an exit ticket or practice quiz. Below, you will

find a student view and teacher view of the exit slip and assessment results, respectively. I can

see quantitative evidence of student understanding and learning. Lastly, you will see a screenshot

of a Spanish 3 writing assignment. I have graded the assignment, leaving feedback and edits

using the grading features. In my experience, I have found that students do not take full

advantage of Canvas features. It takes some time to model different strategies and best practices

with regard to Canvas. Still, students have trouble viewing the feedback that I leave. I have

learned that I need to guide and model step-by-step how students can access such comments.

Nonetheless, Learning Management Systems have transformed student and teacher

communication through technology. It is just a question of whether we are modeling and using

such LMS in the most effective way.

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Professional Development & Concluding Thoughts

This portfolio has been constructed thoughtfully in order to present a “highlight reel” of

the ways in which I use technology. As each student has a device, I am able to implement

activities that allows each student to demonstrate understanding and address the needs of

individual students. As I conclude my third year teaching, I continue to construct my digital

identity in the classroom. I listen to podcasts and follow fellow teachers’ blogs, such as the Cult

of Pedagogy. A teacher is often defined as a lifelong learner. One of my professional goals is to

seek constant ways in which I can improve my classroom. In January 2018, I attended a

conference on Rubrics and was able to share my findings with my department, found ​here​. In the

future, I hope to attend conferences specifically designed for 1:1 technology in classrooms.
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References

Brookfield, S. (1995). What it means to be a critically reflective teacher. Becoming a critically

reflective teacher (pp. 1-27). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Farrell, T. S. C. (2012). Reflecting on reflective practice: (Re)visiting Dewey and Schön.

TESOL Journal, 3​(1), 7-16.

Fecho, B. (2004). ​Is this English? Race, language, and culture in the classroom.​ New York, NY:

Teachers College Press.

Fox, R. (2012). The critical role of language in international classrooms. In B. D. Shaklee & S.

Baily (Eds.), Internationalizing teacher education in the United States (pp. 59-76).

Lanham, MA: Rowman and Littlefield.

Kohl, H. (2002). Topsy-turvies: Teacher talk and student talk. In L. Delpit & J. K. Dowdy

(Eds.), The skin that we speak (pp. 145-161). New York, NY: The New Press.

Munday, P. (2016). The case for using DUOLINGO as part of the language classroom

experience. RIED. ​Revista Iberoamericana de Educación a Distancia,​ ​19​ (1), 83-101.

doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5944/ried.19.1.14581

Wang, A. I., Zhu, M., & Saetre, R. (Eds). (2016). Proceedings from European Conference on

Game Based Learning ‘16: ​The effect of digitizing and gamifying quizzing in classrooms.​

Trondheim, Norway: Norwegian University of Science and Technology.