Esther Castro

Email: [email protected] | Office: AL 165 | Phone: (619) 594-5090

As Lecturer, and past Undergraduate Adviser and Spanish Program Coordinator at San Diego State University, Esther Castro has been recognized for showing dedication, leadership and excellence in Spanish education.

She is passionate about the field of education and has devoted her career to helping students and mentoring new teachers. Esther began her teaching career in 1967 as a business instructor at a private institution. She joined San Diego State University (SDSU) in a part-time position in 1991 before assuming a full-time teaching role in 1995. She has served as director of coordination on several occasions, and continue teaching while functioning as undergraduate adviser and Spanish Program coordinator.

Esther has taught all levels of Spanish: Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced. Upper division Spanish courses taught include: Advanced Conversation and Reading, Advanced Conversation and Writing, Spanish for Native Speakers, Advanced Grammar, Spanish Linguistics, Business Spanish Beginning and Advanced, Spanish Literature and Culture, and Academic Reading and Writing for Native Speakers at SDSU.

In addition to working in these capacities, she continues teaching part time at Southwestern Community College. Esther aims to impact her students and inspire the incoming teachers to create people that are skilled and love teaching as much as she does. She plans to continue doing so for many years to come, if given the opportunity.

Esther earned a master’s degree in Spanish literature and linguistics from SDSU in 1993. She is affiliated with the Modern Language Association and the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. In recognition of her efforts at SDSU, she has received the Outstanding Faculty Awards as Most Influential Professor in 2015, 2011, and 1996. She was also inducted into Worldwide Branding in 2014.

Esther constantly share best practices in teaching and pedagogy with Teaching Associates, Lecturers, and Faculty at workshops, departmental meetings. She also attends nation wide language conferences like ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages). Esther has also collaborated with the Assessment Committee to discuss and put together materials to develop and implement changes with respect to student learning outcomes for the Lower-Division Program and upper division courses. Careful planning and meticulous preparation are very important to reach her objectives and be in agreement with SLOs (Student Learning Outcomes) specifically printed on each one of her syllabi according to her course objectives.

Esther’s student-centered and communicative teaching approaches are aligned with the department philosophy.  All pedagogical materials that she has developed for the classes she teaches and coordinates are designed to comply with ACTFL guidelines.  Materials integrate Communication, Communities, Comparisons, Connections, and Cultures according to the National Standards for foreign language learning.  All three modes of communication are also emphasized in activities for every course: interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational. Her continuing goal is to strengthen the Language Programs and the department.