Introduction
This case study focuses on Magnolia Inmon, a teacher from Fairfax County (VA) and highlights how MAPAS’ innovative approach transformed her teaching, improved student engagement, and enhanced language learning outcomes.
Magnolia Inmon was born and raised in Madrid, Spain, where she completed her undergraduate studies before moving to the United States. She received her first Spanish teaching certification from the Atlanta Department of Education and taught all levels of Spanish in private and public schools. After moving to Virginia she obtained a MLA Certification in Spanish from George Mason University and a Spanish Teaching Certification from ACTFL. In addition she holds a Masters in Accounting and Finances by CEREM, Madrid. She is also a member of ACTFL, AATSP, AAUSC, and Instituto Cervantes.
Magnolia has been using MAPAS daily in her classroom for over a year.
Ideaventions Academy, located in Fairfax County, Virginia, is an independent school educating students from grades 1st through 12th. The academy fosters a vibrant community of students led by a team of dedicated and passionate teachers. Ideaventions Academy provides an engaging and active learning environment that encourages students to delve deep into their areas of interest. By combining rigorous academics with hands-on experiences, the academy nurtures the exceptional talents of its students while fostering a sense of community and friendship.
The Challenge
Magnolia faced several new challenges brought on by the rapid changes in society overall and in modern education spurred on post-COVID-19:
- Integrating technology into the content and delivery of lessons, in order to meet the diverse needs of her students and to equip them for real-world communication in the 21st century
- Incorporating more examples of authentic, multicultural resources, to provide her students with opportunities to enhance their cultural competence while simultaneously supporting their language proficiency journeys.
In addition, Magnolia sought a resource that would address these issues while also improving student engagement and performance in language proficiency assessments. After careful consideration, Magnolia decided to try MAPAS as a solution to overcome this multifaceted challenge.
"A challenge I faced while teaching our students was the need to incorporate technology and updated materials in our lessons."
The Solution
MAPAS opened doors to a wealth of relevant, recent resources, authentic videos, interactive exercises, online discussions, and multimedia materials. Magnolia’s teaching approach using MAPAS prioritized integrating grammar and vocabulary in context to promote effective communication from the beginning. Each chapter commenced with a review of learning objectives, followed by practice activities that introduced new vocabulary and grammar in relevant contexts.
“All students actively participated and spoke from day one,” Magnolia said.
She supplemented these activities with engaging grammar tutorials provided by MAPAS, which served to simplify complex concepts.
After a year of implementing MAPAS, Magnolia noted how the program positively impacted student learning outcomes.
“Students excelled in the AAPPL from ACTFL this school year with significantly higher scores. I successfully incorporated most of MAPAS themes into my AP Spanish curriculum, leading to improved language skills and better performance on the assessment.”
In addition to a notable improvement in learning outcomes, the primary authentic resources woven into the lessons also enhanced Magnolia’s students’ cultural competence. The chapters conclude with a project that consolidates and integrates everything learned throughout the chapter, providing students with a comprehensive understanding of the language and its cultural nuances. MAPAS improved student engagement and participation in Magnolia’s classroom.
“My students enjoyed using MAPAS in our classroom, significantly increasing their participation and engagement. They particularly loved the videos and the projects at the end of each unit, which allowed them to apply their creativity.”
Through the integration of MAPAS into her Spanish curriculum, Magnolia overcame the challenge of incorporating technology and updated materials while preparing her students for real-world communication in the 21st century.
"MAPAS opened doors to 21st-century resources, authentic videos, interactive exercises, online discussions, and multimedia materials that help with diverse learning styles and interests. Also allowed students to explore various accents, cultural differences, and authentic language use, preparing students for real-world communication."
