Welcome

Teaching and learning a second language is a complex task which requires, among other things, a sense of humor, motivation, and the belief that one can effect change. I’m Pete Swanson, former Professor of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning at Georgia State University (GSU). I’m Associate Professor of Spanish and the Academics Division Chief. Additionally, I coordinate the curriculum for Spanish 131/132.

I began my teaching career as a Spanish teacher in Colorado and Wyoming (1989-2004) prior to completing my doctoral program in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in foreign language education. In November 2014, I was elected by the membership of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), an international organization with 14,000+ members in 39 countries, to serve as President in 2016. As President, I worked with the board on several important projects, two of which are (1) developing a national agenda for language teacher recruitment and (2) establishing the ACTFL Strategic Plan.

My research continues to focus on the World Language edTPA, language teachers’ sense of efficacy as it relates to teachers’ personality patterns, student proficiency in the target language, and people’s choices to remain/leave the profession. In January 2022, my friend Dr. Jean LeLoup and I completed an edited volume, The Handbook of Research on Effective Online Language Teaching in a Disruptive Environment. At present, Jean and I are working on a project examining cadet proficiency as determined by the OPI and how different personality characteristics may inform one’s proficiency in Spanish. On this site, many of my publications can be accessed as well as on GSU’s ScholarWorks.

On this site, you will find specific information about my work. I can be contacted via email (peter.swanson@afacademy.af.edu).