Welcome to my Language Assistant Portfolio!
My name is Demi DiCarlo and I’m from the greater Boston area of Massachusetts in the United States of America.
I’ve lived in many parts of Massachusetts, but never further than a short drive into the capital city of Boston.
I recently graduated from Salem State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre performance with a minor in Spanish. My plans for the future have always included education, whether it be for theatre or another subject.
I’m loving the chance to put my Spanish minor to use while exploring teaching in such a unique experience!
My teaching experience prior to this program, though limited, has always been rewarding and fulfilling. I worked as a peer tutor in Spanish for three of my four years and Salem State, working one-on-one with fellow Spanish students to help them improve their skills in their classes.
In the summer of 2019, I also had the extreme pleasure of working as an Education intern for a summer theatre camp for children ages 9-12. I was able to experience designing and executing a two week workshop with my own lesson plans and learning objectives, all in my favorite subject of theatre!
My teaching philosophy
When working with students, I believe in positive reinforcement as much as possible. My favorite thing about being a language assistant is being able to work with the students in smaller groups, as this is my first experience in a classroom setting. I’m able to get to know their successes and struggles with the language much more easily than trying to ascertain it from working with all of them at once. To me, watching the moment a student finally understands the material they’ve been working with after struggling with it is what makes education so rewarding.
Positive reinforcement with language learning is very effective, in my philosophy, especially as I work with first and second graders. Speaking as someone who learned a foreign language much later in life, the fear of speaking incorrectly is a great hurdle to overcome. I encourage my students as much as I can every time they make the effort to speak in English first, correcting them in a way in which they don’t perceive it as negative, so they won’t be discouraged from trying again.
My hopes for the year are that with enough practice and positive reinforcement, more and more my young students will feel comfortable enough to try to speak in English first, without fear of being wrong. I feel this mindset will only serve them the further they continue their studies in the bilingual school system.
Demi DiCarlo 