Junior Faculty Spotlight: Michiru Lowe
I have previously taught at Japanese schools in Japan and New Jersey from school age children to senior community members before I came to Vanderbilt. At any age, I believe students learn languages most effectively when they play an active role in the classroom. As an instructor, I try to create an environment where students have opportunities to initiate conversations and ask one another questions. I also believe that language education involves learning to see the world from a different perspective; it is not merely memorizing sets of rules, though this is surely important. To understand alternative viewpoints requires both reflection on differences and similarities between one’s native tongue and the target language and culture.
At Vanderbilt, I have taught Elementary Japanese, Basic Japanese, Intermediate Japanese, Advanced Japanese and Japanese though Manga. I also enjoy being a faculty adviser for Japanese Hall at McTyeire International House.
My scholarly interests are various forms of integration of technology in language education and heritage language learning. My current pedagogical interests include community involvement and the use of extensive reading materials in beginning-level language education.
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