Professor; Program Chair, TESOL and Teaching Foreign Language
Jason Martel is professor of language education at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. Prior to joining the Institute in 2013, he earned his M.A. in French from the Middlebury College School of French, taught secondary-level French in Massachusetts, and earned his Ph.D. in second languages and cultures education from the University of Minnesota. In addition to teaching courses in language pedagogy, French language, and English language, he has held several administrative positions at the Institute, including associate director of the Summer Intensive Language Program, TESOL/TFL program chair, and most recently, online MA TESOL program director.
Jason maintains an active scholarly agenda in the domains of language curriculum design, language assessment, and language teacher learning. His book, titled Moving Beyond the Grammatical Syllabus: Practical Strategies for Content-Based Curriculum Design, was published by Routledge in 2022. His articles can be found in well regarded journals such as Modern Language Journal, Foreign Language Annals, TESOL Journal, French Review, and Journal of Applied Language Learning.
An active voice in the field of language pedagogy, Jason participates in a range of professional activities. Recent accomplishments include serving as chair of the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages’ Teacher Development Special Interest Group and consulting with organizations such as the College of the Muscogee Nation in Oklahoma, the Middlebury School in Jordan, and the College Board. Jason has received several awards for his work, including the Stephen A. Freeman Award for Best Published Article from the Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, the Excellence in Teacher Development Award from the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages’ Teacher Development Special Interest Group, and most recently, the Institute’s Faculty Excellence Award.
Above all, Jason is proud to be a “Triple Panther,” meaning he has studied and/or worked in three distinct Middlebury entities: the Middlebury School of French, the Middlebury School in Paris, and the Middlebury Institute of International Studies.
EAPP 8475
ProfessionalPresentationSkillsCourse Description
Professional Presentation Skills
This course is designed to equip you with the skills and confidence to deliver professional and articulate speeches in English. You will deliver informative, persuasive, panel, training, and commemorative presentations to prepare you for the wide range of speech styles you may encounter in your professions. Consistent practice, analysis of award-winning speeches, and detailed feedback on your performance will provide you with ample opportunity to improve your public speaking skills.
Terms Taught
EDUC 8502
Principls/Practcs Lang Tchng ICourse Description
Principles & Practices in Language Teaching 1
Along with Principles and Practices 2, this course provides students with a foundational pedagogical training in preparation for careers in foreign/second language teaching. Topics covered include an introduction to the field and its expectations, course/syllabus design, needs assessment, and unit design. Students will engage in a variety of real-world performance tasks, such as creating needs assessment instruments, summative language assessments, and unit plans. Students will also deepen their understanding of course concepts by conducting classroom observations.
Terms Taught
EDUC 8503
Principls/Practcs LangTchng IICourse Description
Principles & Practices in Language Teaching 2
Along with Principles and Practices 1, this course provides students with a foundational pedagogical training in preparation for careers in foreign/second language teaching. Topics covered include (but are not limited to) skills-based lesson planning, authentic texts use, summative and formative assessment, differentiation, classroom discussion strategies, and oral corrective feedback. Students will engage in a variety of real-world performance tasks, such as creating curricular documents (e.g., unit plans, lesson plans, assessments) and performing teaching events.
Terms Taught
EDUC 8598
Directed StudyCourse Description
Terms Taught
EDUC 8660
Intro to Language Prog AdminCourse Description
This two-unit J term course addresses key issues related to language program administration (LPA). The course is predominately asynchronous, with a few synchronous sessions to be determined in consultation with students. Course topics include (but are not limited to) innovation, customer service, decision making, governance, ethics, human resources, project management, quality assurance, and strategic planning. The course will help students to recognize macro- and micro-level issues involved with LPA work and evaluate strategies for handling future situations in LPA contexts.
Terms Taught
EDUC 8661
Language Teacher SupervisionCourse Description
This seminar provides language teachers with the skills and knowledge necessary to meet the challenges of becoming language teacher supervisors. It examines current models of, and research on, language teacher supervision. Students practice observing teachers and conducting post-observation conferences, developing their ability to provide professional feedback, differentiate between evaluative and developmental supervision, and examine the variables related to working with teachers in a variety of specific contexts.
Terms Taught
EDUC 8670 Current
Practicum CapstoneCourse Description
The Practicum Capstone combines reflective practice and professional development in preparing students for a career in language education. Participants integrate theory, research, and conceptual foundations into a coherent and well-informed approach to planning and executing lessons. They also incorporate these three components when developing and deploying instructional materials and assessment instruments. Activities and products prepare participants for entering the language teaching professional and performing admirably therein.
Practicum Capstone Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):
Articulate their approach to language learning and teaching with explicit reference to sound pedagogical principles
Demonstrate their expert knowledge of language, learning, and teaching
Select appropriate materials for effective language instruction
Plan productive instructional units and lessons to maximize second language learning in all skill areas
Assess student learning meaningfully using a range of formative and summative tools
Reflect critically on their teaching practice in order to build on their strengths and address areas for improvement
Terms Taught
FRLA 8223 Upcoming
Cult&Ling Groups in Franco WCourse Description
Did you know that there are over 300 million French speakers across all five continents, according to the Organization Internationale de la Francophonie? As such, proficiency in this language is vital for leading an impactful policy-driven career that’s international in scope. In this course, you will deepen your understanding of the wealth of varieties of the French language as well as French-speaking cultures across the globe by engaging in activities that reflect ACTFL’s Five Cs of communication, culture, comparisons, connections, and communities. By the end of the course, you will be able to explain the nature of la francophonie, identify the characteristics and socio-historical evolution of various forms of contemporary French, and explain connections among cultural products, practices, and perspectives in Francophone communities. You will demonstrate your learning by completing real-world performance tasks such as interpreting multimodal authentic texts and giving an informational presentation about the role French will play in your career.
Terms Taught
FRLA 8234
Food(In)SecurityFrancophoneCourse Description
Did you know that French is the fifth most spoken language in the world? As such, proficiency in French is a vital tool for helping to solve the global hunger crisis. In this blended synchronous course, you will deepen your understanding of la francophonie and food (in)security by engaging in activities that reflect ACTFL’s Five Cs of communication, culture, comparisons, connections, and communities. By the end of the course, you will be able to explain the nature of la francophonie, define food (in)security, characterize the state of food (in)security in various Francophone countries/regions, and explain ways that food (in)security intersects with your fields of study. You will demonstrate your learning by completing real-world performance tasks such as interpreting authentic policy-oriented texts and composing policy memos.
Terms Taught
LING 8670 Current
Applied Linguistics CapstoneCourse Description
The Applied Linguistics Capstone is designed to help TESOL/TFL students refine their skills as applied linguistics professionals. Course participants will develop either a curriculum project, a, empirical research report, or an assessment tool, using original data that they have collected and analyzed. The course also aims to induce students to reflect on their previous coursework, as well as explore and clarify their future plans for careers as language teaching professionals.
Applied Linguistics Capstone Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):
Understand processes of inquiry relevant to language education
Plan research activities for designing curriculum and language instruction, assessment, or empirical investigation
Execute data collection procedures
Analyze data using appropriate quantitative and qualitative methods
Synthesize and report findings clearly, convincingly, and creatively for a professional audience
Apply research skills in educational settings
Terms Taught
Jason’s scholarship spans the domains of content-based language curriculum design, language assessment, and language teacher learning. Recently, he has taken a deep interest in online curriculum design, with a focus on asynchronous language teacher professional development.
Professor Martel has been teaching at the Institute since 2013.
View Jason’s Google Scholar Profile for his complete list of publications
| by Sierra Abukins
We recently caught up with TESOL program chair Jason Martel, the 2024 Faculty Excellence Award winner, to talk about whether it’s still worth learning a language these days and how long-time language teaching paradigms need to shift.
| by Jason Warburg
Thirty-seven Middlebury Institute graduates from 12 homelands were feted by family, friends, faculty, staff, and alumni at winter Commencement 2024.
| by Mark C. Anderson
Educator Kara Mollano is taking what she’s learning in her TESOL courses at the Middlebury Institute and not only putting them to work in her classroom, but sharing them in a learning circle with her colleagues.
