TESL Ontario’s Magazine for Language Teachers

Thank you for taking the time for this interview, Irene! You were nominated for the Spotlight by Farnaz Karimian for the impact you have on the TESL world – so tell us a little about your current work. 

Thank you so much, and thank you to Farnaz for the kind nomination. It means a great deal coming from a…

Storytelling has long been a powerful tool for teaching and learning. Across cultures and disciplines, it allows educators and students to connect personal experience with academic content. In language classrooms, storytelling can take many forms, like written narratives, digital stories, reflective journals, or oral accounts. Yet many teachers hesitate to incorporate storytelling into writing instruction. Time constraints, curriculum demands, assessment…

Introduction

Vocabulary learning can occur deliberately or incidentally, but these approaches may differ in purpose, process, and effectiveness. Deliberate learning of second language (L2) vocabulary refers to intentional learning of words, in which learners focus on memorizing or practicing words through activities like flashcards, dictionaries, or word exercises (e.g., Nakata, 2020). On the other hand, incidental learning pertains to…

In the context of second language (SL) acquisition, studies on the benefits of teaching vocabulary through reading have yielded significant outcomes, sparking debates over the most effective methods for vocabulary acquisition. Some studies argue that incidental learning helps SL learners acquire the form-meaning connection, as they are exposed to substantial input through reading and listening (Nation & Webb, 2017). Still,…

Abstract

In an increasingly globalized world, English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education cannot limit itself to the competent use of grammatical rules, phonology, and lexical accuracy, but it must offer students the opportunity for real encounters that aid their development of intercultural communicative competences, social awareness, and global citizenship—connecting the Global-North and the Global-South. This paper provides a…

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Tension is central to teaching. All the same, I somehow always feel surprised when my lesson plans come off the rails, failure haunting me as I try to understand what went wrong. As an adult literacy and language teacher, my curriculum development process has often felt similar to the halting, meandering progress of…

Abstract

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in education is transforming teaching and learning across global contexts. While existing literature highlights the potential of AI to support personalized learning, improve efficiency, and expand access, less attention has been given to practitioner-informed perspectives grounded in sustained classroom experience. This paper draws on 19 years of international teaching and curriculum development…

Farnaz, you have a ton of experience—from all sorts of teaching to curriculum development to management—and now host of your own podcast, Learning off the Syllabus. Tell us everything about this exciting venture.

I’m so excited that you asked about Learning Off the Syllabus! Thank you, Nicola! This is a project that I started during a difficult turning…

Introduction: Why inclusive language education matters

Language education increasingly takes place in classrooms characterized by linguistic, cultural, and cognitive diversity. Learners bring varied educational backgrounds, lived experiences, and ways of processing information. Neurodiverse and plurilingual learners are not exceptions within contemporary language programs. They are central participants whose needs challenge instructional models that rely heavily on fixed textbooks,…

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Introduction

Ahmed was a highly motivated upper literacy student with fewer than six years’ education in his first language. He had good attendance and a positive attitude about school and learning.  His speaking and listening skills were strong, and he communicated effectively. At the time, Ahmed was employed at a local pizza…

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Literacy instruction in the context of Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada has traditionally been conducted exclusively in physical classrooms, with paper and pencil, worksheets, binders, notebooks, and perhaps the weekly Computer-Assisted Language Learning lesson in an on-site computer lab. The thought of teaching English to students who may have little to no schooling, reading, or…

Abstract

This report summarizes key findings of TESL Ontario’s 2025 member survey. As in past surveys, a representative sample of TESL Ontario members shared data about their personal and professional situations as well as perspectives on services for members. Respondents reported employment in a broad spectrum of roles both in Canada and abroad, and they used TESL Ontario’s…