Teaching
When we have seen our practice through others’ eyes, we’re in a much better position to speak and behave in ways that ensure a consistency of understanding between us, our students, and our colleagues. This consistency increases the likelihood that our actions have the effects we want. (Brookfield, 1995, p. 22)Dr. Fox’s core beliefs about learner-centered instruction and her commitment to research and scholarship, critical reflective practice, social justice, and professional service are at the center of her work as an educational professional and teacher educator. She has a deep and sincere commitment as a teacher educator to prepare teachers who 1) have strong content knowledge in their field, 2) possess the positive personal and professional attitudes, skills, and dispositions that will prepare them to meet the needs of all the students in their classrooms, particularly in the current world context of a steadily increasing population of culturally and linguistically diverse students, 3) believe and engage regularly in critical inquiry to inform their teaching practice (Brookfield, 1995) and 4) can serve as advocates for their students.
Program Affiliations
Primary: Center for Language and Culture
Her teaching, research, and scholarship reflect the Core Values of the College of Education and Human Development: collaboration, ethical leadership, innovation, research-based practice, and social justice.
During the past seven years, she has taught courses in both the Advanced Studies in Teaching and Learning Program and the Center for Language and Culture. Course descriptions and recent syllabi are included below:
EDCI 516, Bilingualism and Language Acquisition Research
Examines research in first and second language acquisition, including the interaction of a bilingual’s two languages, with applications for the classroom. Community-based field experience in public schools is required. Students will examine research on the cognitive and linguistic achievements of bilingual learners and will acquire knowledge about the consequences of bilingualism for students’ cognitive development, school achievement, and linguistic processing. This is a required course for Virginia State PK - 12 ESL/FL licensure and for foreign language immersion teachers.
EDCI 560, Methods of Teaching Foreign/Second Languages in P-12 Settings
Examination of past and current approaches, strategies, and techniques for teaching foreign/second languages in the PK-12 classroom. Students demonstrate teaching strategies, develop lesson and unit planning skills, and evaluate materials, textbooks, and resources available in the field. The course includes a field experience component.
During this semester Technology was featured as a special component of the Methods course. To access the video that was made of instructors, Dr. Becky Fox and Laura Bachman, a Fairfax County Public School French teacher, click here.
To access WebQuests for Teachers and Students click here.
To access other related Technology Resources click here.
EDCI 684, Advanced Methods of Teaching Foreign/Second Languages inP-12 Settings
This course is designed to equip pre-service and in-service language teachers with tools needed to facilitate contextualized and content-based language learning. These tools include standards-based teaching, learning, and assessment; current topics in today’s schools; addressing the needs of diverse learners; integration of technology for enhanced language teaching and learning; and textbook analysis and evaluation. This course is designed to blend theoretical knowledge and practical application in an interactive format, which will give both pre-service and in-service teachers the background information and tools needed to enhance classroom teaching. Advanced study of second language pedagogy and teaching trends will be stressed. Field experience, self-monitoring, and critical reflection are key aspects of the course that will be used to assist the course participants in integrating and implementing content into their own teaching in order to improve instruction for language learners.
EDUC 790, Internship in Education
Supervision of student teaching internship semester.
EDUC 612, Inquiry Into Practice
This course provides experience using research skills in order to foster systematic and thoughtful inquiry into classroom practice. Practitioners explore relevant classroom practice issues through writing reflections, experimenting with action research strategies, and sharing their work in a collaborative setting. Through the critical reading of action research studies and experimentation with action research strategies, teachers come to recognize the value of action research as a way to make more informed decisions about practice. Practitioners give special attention to cultural diversity and gender issues in both the consideration of research questions and the conduct of research.
EDUC 613, How Students Learn
An advanced course in the study of learning that is based in research and theory from different disciplines. Practicing educators will learn how to use this research to help increase students’ learning through the study of the physical, emotional, social, cognitive, and reflective learning systems. The course focuses on knowing and understanding each learner in the context of a deep understanding of the learning process itself.
EDUC 606, Education and Culture
This course uses the Cultural Inquiry Process (CIP) and the CIP Web site to help educational practitioners acquire cultural, social, and language-related perspectives on educational processes, learn skills in analyzing educational settings, and expand their strategies to address puzzlements in their own practice.
Examines research in first and second language acquisition, including the interaction of a bilingual’s two languages, with applications for the classroom. Community-based field experience in public schools is required. Students will examine research on the cognitive and linguistic achievements of bilingual learners and will acquire knowledge about the consequences of bilingualism for students’ cognitive development, school achievement, and linguistic processing. This is a required course for Virginia State PK - 12 ESL/FL licensure and for foreign language immersion teachers.
EDCI 560, Methods of Teaching Foreign/Second Languages in P-12 Settings
Examination of past and current approaches, strategies, and techniques for teaching foreign/second languages in the PK-12 classroom. Students demonstrate teaching strategies, develop lesson and unit planning skills, and evaluate materials, textbooks, and resources available in the field. The course includes a field experience component.
During this semester Technology was featured as a special component of the Methods course. To access the video that was made of instructors, Dr. Becky Fox and Laura Bachman, a Fairfax County Public School French teacher, click here.
To access WebQuests for Teachers and Students click here.
To access other related Technology Resources click here.
EDCI 684, Advanced Methods of Teaching Foreign/Second Languages inP-12 Settings
This course is designed to equip pre-service and in-service language teachers with tools needed to facilitate contextualized and content-based language learning. These tools include standards-based teaching, learning, and assessment; current topics in today’s schools; addressing the needs of diverse learners; integration of technology for enhanced language teaching and learning; and textbook analysis and evaluation. This course is designed to blend theoretical knowledge and practical application in an interactive format, which will give both pre-service and in-service teachers the background information and tools needed to enhance classroom teaching. Advanced study of second language pedagogy and teaching trends will be stressed. Field experience, self-monitoring, and critical reflection are key aspects of the course that will be used to assist the course participants in integrating and implementing content into their own teaching in order to improve instruction for language learners.
EDUC 790, Internship in Education
Supervision of student teaching internship semester.
EDUC 612, Inquiry Into Practice
This course provides experience using research skills in order to foster systematic and thoughtful inquiry into classroom practice. Practitioners explore relevant classroom practice issues through writing reflections, experimenting with action research strategies, and sharing their work in a collaborative setting. Through the critical reading of action research studies and experimentation with action research strategies, teachers come to recognize the value of action research as a way to make more informed decisions about practice. Practitioners give special attention to cultural diversity and gender issues in both the consideration of research questions and the conduct of research.
EDUC 613, How Students Learn
An advanced course in the study of learning that is based in research and theory from different disciplines. Practicing educators will learn how to use this research to help increase students’ learning through the study of the physical, emotional, social, cognitive, and reflective learning systems. The course focuses on knowing and understanding each learner in the context of a deep understanding of the learning process itself.
EDUC 606, Education and Culture
This course uses the Cultural Inquiry Process (CIP) and the CIP Web site to help educational practitioners acquire cultural, social, and language-related perspectives on educational processes, learn skills in analyzing educational settings, and expand their strategies to address puzzlements in their own practice.
E-mail: rfox@gmu.edu
College of Education and Human Development, MSN 4B3
George Mason University
4400 University Drive | Fairfax, VA 22030-4444
Office: 451B Robinson Hall A
Phone: 703-993-4123 | Fax: 703-993-9380
| Copyright © 2006 Rebecca Fox. | Last Updated: December 6, 2006 |