Implementing Sociocultural and Output-Oriented Pedagogical Practices in the Second Language Acquisition Classroom

This portfolio is a product of the courses, literature, compositions, class observations, and reflections included in the Masters of Second Language Teaching (MSLT) program. It contains three principal components: teaching philosophy statements, class observation analysis, and reflective work on second language acquisition pedagogical and assessment practices. The author’s educational and professional background and experience in conjunction with his intentions and plans for the future are also described.The reflection section demonstrates effective methodological approaches in a language-learning classroom in support of the relevant sociocultural theory and output hypothesis. It is comprised of pertinent and supportive literature reviews and research, along with the author’s own experiences as an instructor of a second language (Spanish) in a collegiate setting. The reflection also provides insight into the significance of language instructors’ consideration of society, culture, and relevant output in pedagogy, and their incorporation of dynamic assessment and emphasis on learners’ implicit and explicit learning strategies. Throughout this portfolio, contextual examples are used to illustrate the author’s personal experience, along with the reflection on what was learned about this portfolio’s topics.