Featured Capstone Projects

Grace Anne Barber (MA, Asian Languages and Literature, June 2025)

Learning Japanese Through Japanese Literature

For my Second Foreign Language Teaching certificate capstone, I designed and taught a three-part pilot lesson series titled Learning Japanese Through Japanese Literature, aimed at 200-level Japanese language students. The lessons centered on The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter (Kaguyahime), using graded reading material from the Tadoku library’s reading series to ensure accessibility and engagement. Each lesson integrated language learning with cultural and literary exploration, focusing on vocabulary, grammar in context, and reading comprehension. The content was carefully designed to complement what students were learning in their Genki II textbook, reinforcing classroom material while introducing authentic language in an approachable format. This project demonstrated how literature can support language acquisition and cultural literacy, especially for learners considering further study in Japanese literature. It also highlighted the effectiveness of aligning supplementary instruction with core curricular goals to enhance student engagement and proficiency.

Andrea Hernández (MA, Spanish Studies, June 2025)

Affectiveness of Heritage Language Learners in Mixed Classrooms: A Case Study of Spanish Elementary Courses at the University of Washington

This study investigates strategies to enhance the learning experience of Spanish Heritage Language Learners (SHLLs) in mixed classrooms through inclusive classroom dynamics. U.S. Spanish, particularly Spanglish, is often stigmatized as a “bastard language,” leading to its marginalization in academic settings and negatively affecting SHLLs’ linguistic identity. The preference for a “standard” Spanish in instruction overlooks the natural diversity of dialects across Spanish-speaking regions. To address this, the study uses a qualitative approach, including classroom observations, student surveys, and interviews, to examine how customized activities can support SHLLs. Grounded in Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory and Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis, the research identifies and implements activities aimed at creating a more inclusive and comfortable environment for SHLLs. It evaluates the effectiveness of these practices from the learners’ perspective, focusing on engagement and motivation. The findings offer insights into improving classroom dynamics and supporting SHLLs' linguistic and academic development in diverse educational settings.

Biljana Konatar (PhD, Slavic Languages and Literatures, expected 2025)

Teaching Russian Cases to First-Year Heritage Language Learners Through Authentic Materials

For my SFLT capstone project, I developed authentic teaching materials for Heritage Language Learners (HLLs) in first-year Russian courses, focusing on the six Russian cases. Such materials are always in demand and never readily available. Inspired by Kagan's ideal curriculum model (2011:511), which emphasizes linguistic, communicative, and cultural lacunae as the main motivators for HLLs interest in studying Russian, the materials I designed are intended to be a supplement to the first-year Russian language textbook. They aim to help HLLs develop grammar, vocabulary, and cultural understanding through authentic texts they might have grown up with, such as prominent folktales, short stories, interviews, and blog posts from various regions where Russian is spoken. The materials include pre-reading tasks, contextual grammar activities, and communicative exercises tied to students' heritage and lived experiences. These tasks promote deeper engagement and help students connect with their cultural and linguistic roots. Drawing on research (Kisselev 2021; Carreira 2016; Kagan 2001), these materials emphasize macrobased instruction that targets either HLLs’ or their family/community members’ lived experiences. This also allows HLLs to connect both with the local community of speakers and with their heritage culture. In turn, this connection should help them sustain their heritage motivation and improve their Russian skills in meaningful, relevant ways.

Juan Felipe Arroyave (MA, Asian Languages and Literature, 2025 / PhD, Hispanic Studies, 2019)

El Poder de una Historia: Micro y Macro Narrativas en el Aula de ELE/ The Power of a Story: Micro and Macro Narratives in the Spanish Language Classroom

The purpose of this project is to explore the benefits and shortcomings that a narrative approach to language teaching can bring to the Spanish as a Second Language (ELE, in Spanish) classroom. Following a literature review and an analysis of materials that employ a narrative approach to L2 teaching, I propose a framework for incorporating micro-narratives (narratives embedded within pedagogical materials) into a preexisting ELE textbook. Finally, I also offer recommendations on how to integrate macro-narratives (students’ own lived experiences, as expressed and constructed through their journeys as language learners) into evaluative and assessment materials.

Nuo (Natalie) Xu (MEd, Curriculum and Instruction, expected 2025)

Exploring Reading Comprehension and Engagement in ELL: The Transformative Impact of Scratch Programming on Vietnamese Students

This study explores the connection between Scratch Programming Projects (SPP) and English Language Learning (ELL) as tools to bolster computational thinking skills, crucial for the 21st century, and to foster growth in language skills, particularly in reading comprehension. Moreover, this paper seeks to investigate how implementing Scratch in instructional methods affects engagement in learning English. The research was conducted in an online class setting, utilizing platforms such as Zoom and Google Classroom. Additionally, this study addresses a gap identified in previous research: the limited focus on the application of these methods among Asian language learners.

Ana María Ruiz Gómez (MEd, Curriculum and Instruction, 2023)

Engaging and Empowering Heritage Spanish Learners Through Meaningful and Student-Centered Classroom Activities

This capstone project focused on designing and collecting a set of instructional materials and classroom activities specifically tailored for heritage Spanish learners at the undergraduate level. The goal was to create engaging, student-centered resources that support linguistic development and foster a deeper connection to students' cultural identities and heritage. All materials were thoughtfully crafted to reflect the unique linguistic backgrounds and proficiency levels of the learners, promoting meaningful participation and encouraging them to take ownership of their language journey. By integrating culturally relevant content and interactive tasks, this project aimed to empower students to strengthen both their academic Spanish skills and their sense of pride in their cultural roots.

Melisa Miralles (MEd, Curriculum and Instruction, 2023)

A Curriculum Framework in the Socio-affective Domain for the Spanish Heritage Language (SHL) Classroom: Healing our Hearts and Empowering our Identities

This project introduces a socio-affective framework for Spanish Heritage Language (SHL) education that addresses the emotional and identity-based challenges many Latinx students face in the United States. Grounded in a decolonial perspective on trauma, it reframes students’ emotional struggles—such as language intimidation, shyness, and low self-esteem—not as mere linguistic insecurities, but as potential manifestations of deeper wounds from past experiences. In response, the framework proposes four core skills: the development of self-awareness, the cultivation of self-compassion, the practice of self-appreciation, and the advancement of social justice. These skills aim to help students recognize, validate, and work through these emotional wounds, understand their systemic roots, and embark on a journey of healing and social justice advocacy. While it was originally designed for a university-level SHL course (SPAN 216), the framework can also be adapted for use in high school classrooms.

Radha Goodala (MA, French Studies, 2023)

Multilingualism and Translanguaging at Play in a Modern FLE Classroom

Multilingual language learners have in-built toolboxes of skills that uniquely set them up for success in a foreign language classroom. Foreign language pedagogy must move away from rigidly adhering to the letter of immersive learning and embrace the spirit of a student-centric approach by actively drawing on that toolbox, creating a comfort zone for learners within the unequivocally uncomfortable space of a foreign language classroom. My SFLT capstone project tested this idea within a French as a Foreign Language classroom in an Indian context, where I taught for a decade. Using Cosmopolite 1, the current textbook of the Alliance Française network worldwide, I reimagined the first ten days of a beginner’s course by incorporating linguistic and cultural commonalities between French and Hindi in every lesson and allowing translanguaging to be used as a building block. This pilot was also tested in a real classroom in New Delhi. The capstone project started many conversations with colleagues in India and at UW, which I shared in my final Master’s project and continue to fuel my research into modern language education.

Sheehan Elizabeth Trippel (PhD, Hispanic Studies, 2023)

An Exploration of Television Series with Subtitles, Textual Enhancement, and Integrative Technology as Effective Tools for L2 Learning

Television series are an effective tool for second language (L2) learning due to their episodic nature, which naturally recycles vocabulary and fosters pattern recognition. Research shows that intralingual modes (L2 audio with L2 captions) are more effective than interlingual modes (L2 audio with L1 subtitles). The short length of episodes allows learners to focus on one storyline at a time, reducing cognitive load. Captions and subtitles support language scaffolding, help form mental imagery, and aid summarization. This study applies Dual-Coding Theory, Cognitive Load Theory, and Multimedia Learning Theory to examine how different subtitling modes impact learning. It highlights the role of Textual Enhancement (TE) and integrative tools, showing how the repetitive and authentic content in television series makes them a valuable medium for L2 acquisition.

Sandra Paola Bonequi Gonzalez (MA, French Studies, 2022)

Mobility, Translanguaging, and Multilingual Development in Language Learning

My capstone project incorporates the translingual and multilingual experiences of students in a French language learning course, conceptualizing the migrant linguistic journey as a navigational map. It examines the categorization of language communities, focusing on mobility, identity construction, and linguistic agency, while acknowledging barriers encountered during migration. The syllabus emphasizes connecting French, English, Spanish, and other languages relevant to the students’ backgrounds to use their complete linguistic and cultural repertoire, moving beyond traditional notions of linguistic purity. Guided by a teaching philosophy that fosters a language learning environment where students are the key stakeholders of their language learning journey, I employ a communicative, community-based language and task-based instruction that considers the students' linguistic resources, identities, as well as their community, socioeconomic systems, values and beliefs, goals, and interests to create a meaningful connection and learning experience in the target language.

Christopher Tutolo (MA, French Studies, 2021)

Adapt! A Digitization, Inclusivity, and Accessibility Project

For my capstone project, completed as part of the University of Washington’s Graduate Certificate in Second and Foreign Language Teaching, I developed a series of flexible, grammar-focused lessons that are independent of any textbook, using inclusive visuals, consistent formatting, and integrated audio for pronunciation support. The digital content was designed to serve both students and instructors, with an emphasis on accessibility, cultural representation, and pedagogical effectiveness. Four years later, I continue to make use of these materials in my Middle School classes.

Veronica Muskheli (PhD, Slavic Languages and Literatures, 2021)

Detailed Methodological Description of Seven Games with Pre-Game Activities for the First-Year Russian Language Students

My capstone project is a detailed teacher’s guide to social games that complement the first-year Russian students’ textbook and are meant to be played during enrichment after-hours conversational practice. Aside from introducing students to authentic Russian activities, the rationale for using games is to provide a chance for students to use their Russian as a tool and to create an environment in which repetition, characteristic of games, becomes an entertaining option. The main challenge for the teacher is explaining the rules of the games in Russian, of which the students have very limited knowledge at this point. It is, however, empowering for the students to use their interpretive listening skills successfully enough to understand the explanations. My capstone descriptions provide step-by-step instructions for introducing and conducting seven games in such a way that communicating the instructions in Russian becomes possible.

Céline Maillard (PhD, French Studies, 2019)

Arabic and School: The Identity Issues at Stake Between the State and the Arabic-Speaking Minority in France

Arabic is the second most spoken language in France, with 3 to 6% of the population using it. However, the teaching of Arabic in public schools has been declining sharply. Historically, French linguistic policies in schools aimed to prioritize and expand the use of French as the majority language. The centralized nature of the French school system has amplified the impact of the State's language policies, which have been viewed as a powerful way to promote integration by creating a more uniform French identity. While France has used language policies to erase minority languages in the past, current public discourse has politicized the subject and conflated Arabic, Islam, and even terrorism, which disproportionately affects Arabic speakers and their families. This raises questions about the significance and consequences of French political decisions regarding the linguistic and cultural representation of the Arabic-speaking minority within the school system.

Kent Kinzer (PhD, Hispanic Studies, 2019)

Using Literature in the Intermediate-Level Spanish Classroom

In accordance with the principles detailed in Klaus Brandl’s Communicative Language Teaching in Action (2008) and Dave and Jane Willis’ Doing Task-based Teaching (2007), this project maintains that works of literature are authentic texts of the target language and culture, rich in meaning and inherently interesting for students. Specifically, it adapts “Un día de estos” by Gabriel García Márquez for use in the intermediate-level Spanish classroom. This particular short story offers a great example of past narration whereby students can learn about the uses of the preterite and imperfect. In addition, it includes vocabulary words related to dentistry and anatomy, as well as some colloquial expressions from Colombia. The lesson plans in this project utilize a scaffolded approach to make the short text more accessible, as well as a student-centered pedagogy by which learners can relate to the text and talk about their own experiences.

Rocío Chueco Montilla (MA, Spanish Studies, 2019)

Materials Development for Heritage Language Learners

In this project, I designed and implemented materials for an advanced Spanish course taught during the third quarter of students’ third year at university. I developed not only grammar activities focused on the uses of the subjunctive—an area where heritage speakers may benefit from tailored instruction (Montrul, 2013)—but also tasks on how to cite academic sources and cultural activities based on Como agua para chocolate by Mexican author Laura Esquivel. The materials were designed specifically for heritage speakers, a group characterized by diverse linguistic proficiency and cultural backgrounds. This experience gave me the opportunity to explore how to adapt content in ways that are both meaningful and accessible to all students. It also led me to reflect on how critical pedagogy informs heritage language instruction—recognizing that the classroom is not neutral, and that materials should engage with students’ identities, histories, and lived experiences.

Lise Lalonde (PhD, French Studies, 2018)

A Critical Approach to the Teaching of French as a Second Language in the Multilingual Classroom

This capstone project presents a critical, research informed framework for teaching French as a second language in today’s multilingual classroom. Drawing on translingual and transcultural theory, it argues that languages are fluid resources rather than discrete systems, and shows how “critical language awareness” can empower learners to use their full linguistic repertoires to communicate. After reviewing foundational scholarship (MLA 2007; Canagarajah; Kramsch; Fairclough), the author demonstrates how a task based approach can integrate pronunciation as language—focusing on intelligibility over a native speaker ideal—and cultural analysis that disrupts stereotypes of “hexagonal France.” Detailed lesson plans guide instructors through activities like forum style pronunciation exercises, critical memes and media discussions (e.g. “Je suis Charlie,” Intouchables), and interactive theater techniques adapted from Boal’s Theater of the Oppressed. Throughout, assessment emphasizes strategic communication, critical reflection, and ethical engagement. This capstone offers both the theoretical rationale and practical materials to foster translingual competence, social awareness, and learner agency in French L2 classrooms.

Federico Fabbri (MA, French and Italian Studies, 2015)

Teaching Portfolio for Beginning Italian

For my SFLT Graduate Certificate capstone project in 2015, I created a Google Sites webpage to collect, organize, and showcase over 250 teaching materials I developed for a beginner-level Italian language course sequence. The webpage served as both a portfolio and a repository, featuring materials that complement a widely used Italian textbook, as well as full lesson plans for the first course in the sequence. Additionally, this project allowed me to craft my first teaching statement, and it marked a significant step in my journey as a language educator.