Tomás majored in Linguistics at Yale University, and plans to further his education at UC Berkeley with an eventual goal of teaching at the collegiate level as a professor.
Some Fun Facts About Tomás
- Theme Song: Come Along – Cosmo Sheldrake
- Other Languages Tomás Speaks or is Learning: Spanish, French, Italian, Mandarin, Ancient Greek, Latin
- Favorite Word in Another Language: In Pitjantjatjara, a language from central Australia, the word 'nguwanpa' means 'kind of', 'almost', 'a bit', 'like' or 'more'
What are you most excited about when you think of your future classroom?
I am most excited about helping students discover things they're passionate about, and to give them the opportunity to delve into those topics and take the lead in their own learning. I've grown so much as a scholar from mentors who gave me opportunities to make my own path in my studies, so I look forward to getting to pay this forward to future students.
What advice or message would you like to share with fellow future language educators?
Incorporate linguistics into your teaching! Research in language acquisition and applied linguistics can point you towards effective strategies to use in your classroom. By teaching students about linguistics (especially syntax and phonology), you can help them understand the why behind the systems and structures of the language they're learning, instead of simply memorizing the what.
You’re invited!
- Explore the Teacher Scholarship Program and refer aspiring teachers in your network.
- Hear reflections from fellow graduates in a short video!
- Share your #LanguageDream on social media @LangConnectsFdn.