I believe the unassuming nature of language offers an opportunity to inspire an insatiable curiosity in students, and my goal as an instructor is to capitalize on this curiosity and provide them a space where they can explore their questions about language and the brain in more depth.
To achieve my goals as an instructor I employ a process approach to learning which emphasizes in-depth exploration of concepts, and which rests on accessibility and equity. Outside of class, I implement formative assessments (e.g., drafts, mini assignments) in addition to in-class group work and summative assessments (e.g., midterms, final exams), all of which offers students a low-stakes manner through which they can explore the concepts at hand. My use of formative assessment outside of class and group activities in class stems from the belief that students who are primarily focused on quantitative learning outcomes (e.g., grades) lose sight of the process of learning, and therein the joy in posing questions and making connections between past, concurrent, and future learning material.
Through all, I rely on the wonder and magic of language and the brain as a tool to help my students discover theories and methods in psycholinguistics and learn about the cognitive underpinnings of SLA and bilingualism. How the brain learns, processes, and represents language is in some capacity an endless mystery, ripe with opportunity to inspire, explore, and pose questions with students and for students.