Michael Zuniga is a class of 2001 graduate of the Middlebury French School's M.A. program. Michael subsequently completed a second M.A.in didactiques des langues secondes at the Université du Québec à Montréal and is currently completing his PhD in applied linguistics at the same university. The author of publications on the cognitive processes involved in second language speech production and reading, Michael has over 10 years of experience teaching French as both a foreign and a second language and six years experience as a lecturer in second language didactics in teacher training programs at universities in Canada and the US. He has also served as a consultant in second language reading and vocabulary acquisition for Quebec's Minister of education.
Courses offered in the past four years.
▲ indicates offered in the current term
▹ indicates offered in the upcoming term[s]
DML6950 - Research Methodology Workshops
Summer 2014 Language Schools, Summer 2015 Language Schools
FREN6603 - Teaching FSL Writing Comp
Teaching Written Comprehension and Production in French as a Second Language (FSL)
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the principles and techniques of teaching written comprehension and production in the FSL classroom. Topics to be covered include models and characteristics of written comprehension and production, methods of teaching written comprehension and production, text types, preparing texts for use with FSL learners of different ages and abilities, editing student production, the evaluation of written comprehension and production, and the use of technological resources.
No Text Required Pedagogy
FREN6627 - Evaluation & Testing in FSL
Evaluation and Testing in French as a Second Language
"This course focuses on the theories and research underlying testing and evaluation in second language courses. Some of the topics that we will examine are the history of evaluation in the L2, the process of evaluation in the classroom, formative and summative assessment,
authentic assessment, the constructivist approach, skills assessment, criterion-referenced and standards-based assessment, assessment scales, self-assessment, concepts of validity and reliability, and computer-assisted assessment. The goals of the course are both theoretical and practical.
Required text : Lussier, D., & Turner, C. (1995). Le point sur… L’évaluation en didactique des langues. Montréal, Canada : CEC. Pedagogy
FREN6629 - Teaching Oral Comp in FSL
Teaching Oral Comprehension and Production in French as a second language
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the principles and techniques of teaching oral comprehension and production in the French second language classroom. Topics to be covered include models and characteristics of oral comprehension and production, methods of teaching oral comprehension and production, text types, preparing texts for use with learners of different ages and abilities, responding to student production, the evaluation of oral comprehension and production, and the use of technological resources.
No textbook required Pedagogy
Summer 2014 Language Schools
FREN6655 - Teaching FSL Grammar
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the principles and techniques of teaching grammar to FSL students. Topics covered include grammar terminology (i.e., metalanguage) and its role in teaching, identification of the various types of grammar, the place of grammar historically within various teaching approaches, explicit and implicit grammar instruction, inductive and deductive teaching, focus on form and the integration of grammar into a post-communicative language teaching framework, the identification of developmental stages of French grammar in second language learners, developing grammar fluency, and assessing and documenting the grammatical progress of learners.
Required Text: Chartrand, S., Aubin, D., Blain, R., Simard, C.; Grammaire pédagogique du français d’aujourd’hui (2-89242-560-3) Pedagogy
Summer 2015 Language Schools
FREN6694 - Second Language Acquisition
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the various factors that play a role in the processes of second language acquisition, particularly as it occurs in the classroom. Topics covered include theories and models of acquisition (behaviorism, universal grammar, interactionism and cognitive models), bilingualism, the nature and function of the input, developmental stages, characteristics of learner interlanguage, first language transfer, social, psychological and affective factors influencing second language acquisition, language learning strategies, and current research and its application to teaching French as a second language. Pedagogy
Summer 2012, Summer 2013, Summer 2014 Language Schools, Summer 2015 Language Schools