Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-14-2025
Abstract
This field experience capstone documents the application of sociocognitive, reflective, and equity-oriented pedagogy across multiple Spanish and Italian instructional contexts at the College of DuPage, a large and diverse community college. Grounded in applied linguistics frameworks including sociocognitive second language acquisition (Atkinson, 2011), learner motivation and identity through the L2 Motivational Self System (Dörnyei, 2009), the inseparability of cognition and emotion in second language learning (Swain, 2013), learner autonomy and postmethod pedagogy (Kumaravadivelu, 2002; 2003), learner investment (Darvin & Norton, 2015), willingness to communicate as a volitional process (MacIntyre, 2007), and transformative learning (Mezirow, 2000), the project examines language learning through three interrelated dimensions: cultivating linguistic competence through awareness and meaning, expanding human potential through autonomy and belonging, and nurturing critical thinking through reflection and intercultural experience. Drawing on classroom artifacts, instructional logs, student reflections, and pedagogical analysis, the capstone illustrates how linguistic competence, agency, and metalinguistic awareness develop through meaning-based instruction and reflective practice, particularly when instruction foregrounds identity, emotion, and social interaction. The project serves as a synthesis of the MA program, demonstrating how theory, pedagogy, and professional practice converge in real-world instructional settings to support both language development and human growth.
Recommended Citation
Kapustka, Brian, "From Spark to Agency: Metalinguistic Awareness, Investment, and Liberatory Autonomy in Introductory and Honors Intermediate Spanish and Intermediate Italian at COD" (2025). Faculty and Staff Scholarship. 11.
https://dc.cod.edu/languages_fac_staff/11