Examining teacher dispositions and high-leverage practices in university Spanish courses.

Abstract

The quality of instruction in introduct­­ory language classes can be widely variable. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to uncover the teacher dispositions and high-leverage teaching practices (HLTPs) enacted by five highly rated university Spanish instructors at a doctoral-level university in the southwestern United States. A series of classroom observations and in-depth interviews were conducted to reveal detailed accounts of introductory language instruction in real time. The findings indicate that highly rated instructors establish meaningful connections with students personally and academically in the target language (TL) and employ a number of HLTPs in their introductory language courses. The findings have implications for language program development, as specific dispositions and HLTPs may contribute to positive language-learning experiences.