How can ESL learners benefit from a student-centred learning environment? How can ESL teachers utilize a student-centred learning environment? The value-expectancy theory can serve as a framework for guiding student-centred learning. Continue reading
My experience ranges from teaching students in a private school from grades 1 to 5 to tutoring adults at the public library. My current experience, and the most rewarding one, is tutoring English at the Hamilton Public Library. We cannot disregard the power of one-on-one instruction.
That one or two hours a week of attention can change a person’s outlook. Not only are we teaching them English, but we are also trying to boost their self-confidence in a world where they need to navigate, learn, and jump back up after rejection or criticism. Continue reading
Teaching and learning in the age of AI is fascinating for both teachers and students. Both can largely benefit from this phenomenon, making their journeys much more efficient. 
Of course, we all know when AI can backfire, and to be frank, as an ESL teacher, I think it backfires when irresponsibility creeps in on both ends. This blog post, however, isn’t focused on this issue. Instead, I’m going to focus on those who are responsible and committed to learning. I’d like to share my opinion and my experience in class when students eventually told me, “AI? No, thank you. I’d rather stick with you, human teacher.”
The recent buzzword in second language or foreign language teaching is critical thinking. Studies confirm that promoting critical thinking in the classroom yields long term rewards in terms of helping students to think for themselves, analyze the meaning of language and take ownership for their learning. Moreover, critical thinking enriches the language learning experience and makes it more meaningful.
Artificial intelligence is a quickly growing technological development that is rapidly transforming various sectors of society. Also referred to as “machine intelligence,” artificial intelligence (AI) is demonstrated by non-humanoid or humanoid robots that behave similarly to humans, and this technology can be applied to businesses in order to enhance and improve operational efficiency (Prentice et al., 2019).
We sometimes forget that learners are at different points along the learning continuum. Our students range from beginning to advanced, and all points in between. While we pitch our lessons to the middle, and expect our students to meet the objectives, the students at the lower end of the continuum tend to get left behind. Yet, these learners present us with the greatest opportunity for teaching and learning in the use of differentiated instruction.
Continue readingI’ve witnessed many programs permanently transition to facilitating education through an online platform ever since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.
Educational programs have either completely transitioned to online learning or have exploded with additional online offerings. However, have teacher education programs reformed their curricula to offer teaching strategies and theories related to the increased demand for online learning? In other words, are teachers being taught how to teach online? Perhaps not.
One of the main challenges that ESL students face both in language learning in general and in listening skills specifically, is how to improve! Often, not surprisingly, one of the teachers’ frustrating questions is how to help their students overcome their difficulties. In fact, they should both know that if they place their focus on the listening process, they can improve listening skills, and achieve successful comprehension. In this blog post, I’d like to highlight the problems that students deal with in this process, and how we can better assist them as teachers. Continue reading
Teaching is a rewarding profession, but it does come with its challenges. One important aspect of teaching is to establish a rapport with the learners. A teacher who is unable to communicate with her learners in the first few days is at risk of “losing” her class altogether. Research shows that learners learn better when they find the content interesting and like the teacher! In fact, a positive and favourable learning environment is necessary for effective communication in a classroom that learners find safe and supportive. This article will pose some challenges and offer solutions that will ensure student engagement.
Let’s face it, teaching in an online learning environment can be difficult when it comes to engaging and
motivating learners. This non-traditional learning environment poses an additional challenge to ensure learners are constructing meaning from the content and deepening their learning and understanding.
Educators often struggle to help learners make meaningful connections to the content while deepening their understanding within an online learning environment. For this reason, I want to emphasize the benefits of discussion boards in online learning.
Discussion boards can be defined as virtual platforms where learners can interact with their instructor and peers by posting and responding to discussion posts. This type of interaction and knowledge building foster a sense of community among students while promoting active learning within an online learning environment. Continue reading