CONTACT | Reflection
The linguistic competition and other sports
Fencing
The linguistic competition is what I like to refer to as fencing. The first round of fencing commences, and you are speared by the sword of your competitor. That sword is the primary language and the secondary language. In this case, English represents your sword that failed to draw in time. Your opponent…
Language without lessons: The promise of large language models
Many teachers I’ve been speaking with believe that large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT should complement rather than replace traditional language instruction. Happily for society, though perhaps not for us, the reverse is true.
Unlike practising guitar or shooting hoops, most people don’t learn languages for enjoyment; they endure the process for the language. You…
Beyond the classroom: Real-life impact of task-based language teaching for newcomers
As a LINC instructor at the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB), teaching Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) levels 3 and 4, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of task-based language teaching (TBLT) on my students. Working with newcomers to Canada, many of whom are adjusting to a new culture, language, and environment, I have found…
The benefits of having a little quiet time
Introduction
Class time and the interaction with other students is crucial to learning and developing in any second language. But more importantly, it is important to have the time to reflect and mentally digest information you are learning, your own personal thoughts, and feelings on any given topic, as well as being able to…
An ESL immigrant teacher’s insight into languages
As a recent immigrant to Canada, I involuntarily find myself in between-situations, driven by a set of choices that diverge me away while preserving bits and pieces of my natural habitus (Bourdieu & Passeron, 1977). As a native speaker of Arabic and an ESL teacher who mainly spoke English and French back home, I never realized how…
The emotional challenges of adult learners of English as a second language: A teacher’s reflection on a student’s temper tantrum
This essay will explore how negative emotions of adult ESL learners can lead to educational challenges, and ultimately decrease the quality of their autonomy in their personal lives. By reflecting on and contextualizing a personal experience with an emotional student, I will analyze examples of emotional barriers and discuss how teachers can strive to understand this specific…
