For me, learning can be anxiety provoking– learning new concepts, being tested, and the pressure of needing to get a good mark. All this combined! Now imagine how our ESL learners might feel. It can be an overwhelming experience. I wanted to share with you what has helped me to ease those worries, and that is music. So how can we bring music into the classroom to relax our learners? Continue reading
Lesson planning has always played a crucial role in the professional lives of ESL teachers.
It’s not just a routine step—it’s part of what defines us as thoughtful, organized, and committed educators. In this post, I’ll address some common questions about lesson planning, including one that’s often debated: Is a lesson plan a genuine necessity or just a formality? Continue reading
Recently I attended the International Association of Teachers as a Foreign Language, IATEFL conference. I intentionally selected generative artificial intelligence, GenAI, sessions to attend over four-day event. I watched and participated in fourteen of these presentations and workshops. After the conference, I reviewed my notes and identified commonalities offered in these sessions. I found some of these predictable while others were more obvious.
All of the speakers agree that this is impossible. Learners and teachers have access to hundreds of GenAI tools and are using them to various degrees.
I have taught English language learners at postsecondary institutions for close to fifteen years. In that time, there has been a remarkable change in technology and pedagogical approaches, but the core teaching goal remains the same: to help students negotiate their lives confidently in English.
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A pleasant surprise of my teaching career has been seeing students of all levels liking, even preferring, to write by hand. In every class, no matter if it’s Literacy or CLB 6, I always have students writing, be it copying words, as in Literacy, or more complex texts, such as emails, as in Level 6. Not just that. I have students rewriting. Writing and rewriting. Writing and rewriting. It’s a rare instance when students complain. They just do it.
I’m sure my students are thinking to themselves: Really? Again! We’ve already written the same word 10 times!
Mark your calendars! The TESL Ontario Annual Conference returns from November 19–21, 2025, and this year’s theme, “Igniting the Future of Language Education,” promises to spark meaningful dialogue and innovation in our field.
We’re excited to announce that the Call for Presentation Proposals is officially open! This is your chance to showcase your knowledge, share your research, and contribute to the evolving landscape of language education.
Presenting at the TESL Ontario Conference offers more than just visibility—it’s a platform for professional growth. Engage with a dynamic audience, gain fresh perspectives, receive constructive feedback, and take part in conversations that inspire future collaborations and ideas.
By stepping into the role of presenter, you’ll enhance your communication skills, expand your professional network, and establish yourself as a leader in the TESL community. Whether you’re an experienced speaker or a first-time presenter, this opportunity can boost both your confidence and career.
Presentation formats include:
Why Present? Here are just a few of the benefits:
New to presenting? No worries! You’ll have access to a detailed, self-paced training package, plus the support of our experienced organizing team, moderators, and technical staff.
Returning presenters won’t need to repeat training unless they choose to, but a quick “What’s New in 2025” orientation video will be available to keep you up to date.
To learn more about this year’s theme, session requirements, and how to submit your proposal, visit our Call for Presentations page. Be sure to submit by 12:00 PM (ET) on June 13, 2025.
We look forward to your ideas—and to seeing you in November!
As schools increasingly embrace AI tools to enhance learning, some studies show that the inclusion of generative AI introduces both challenges and opportunities, particularly in EFL/ESL writing classes. Not only has AI changed the way students learn, but it has also affected how we teach. Although not all the changes are welcome, it is important to move with the times and welcome the new while retaining the old. Continue reading
Educators can face challenges when trying to predict student achievement, future decisions, continuity, and overall academic success. (Lee & Song, 2022). Understanding these factors can help language educators offer additional supports or interventions if they suspect students are struggling. According to Eccles & Wigfield (1995), Task value is about how important a student thinks a task is and how confident they feel about doing well on it (Eccles & Wigfield, 1995).
Task value contributes to educational development and offers insights into key motivating factors that enhance a student’s performance, choice, and persistence which helps explain both how well they accomplish a task, and the importance the assign to the task (Yue & Lu, 2022). As a result, a student’s value of a task can be considered as the driving factor behind their motivation (Kotla et al., 2023). Continue reading
As an adult, speaking Italian became very difficult for me. When I was young, my grandmother lived with us and the main language in the house was Italian.
She immigrated to Canada in the 1950s and was unable to speak English, so, in order to communicate with her, we needed to speak Italian. When she moved out of the house English became the main language of the household, and as a result, my ability to speak Italian nearly disappeared. This motivated me to learn how to speak it again and in 2014, I began my journey to re-learn the Italian language. Continue reading
In my CLB 2-3 language class, I’m often reminded of toddlers learning their first words. My students, much like young children, are navigating a world of new sounds, gestures, and social interactions—sometimes with adorably direct, and occasionally awkward, bluntness. Take how they ask for help, for example. “REPEAT!” they say when it’s the only word they can think of to get help as quickly as possible. It reminds me of a toddler demanding attention, lacking the nuanced communication skills we often take for granted. Continue reading