Many international students come to Canada to improve their English language proficiency and develop friendships with Canadians and other international students. However, gaining access to host nationals (i.e., Canadians) is not an easy task for most English as a second language (ESL) learners. Factors such as language proficiency may hamper…

Research and development in language teacher education and, more recently, teacher accreditation has had enormous impact on the professional lives of ESL teachers in Canada. There has been less interest, however, in examining the career development and employment experiences of accredited ESL teachers as they transition from TESL programs to ESL…

This study investigated the continuous influence of self-assessment on EFL (English as a foreign language) learners' self-efficacy. The participants, divided into an experimental and a control group, were 57 Iranian EFL learners in an English-language institute. The participants' self-efficacy was measured through a questionnaire that…

The aim of this article is to raise awareness in L2 education about the relationship between second-language learners' linguistic choices in the L2 and their identities. The author reviews empirical research and language-learning narratives that show that L2 learners may purposely use nonstandard L2 forms. Using a poststructuralist framework to…

Shows how story can assume a central role in building community in an adult English-as-a-Second-Language classroom. When story is the medium of learning rather than just the end, it is evident that learners' real needs are much greater than vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar. (Author/VWL)

Describes the development of a language assessment instrument to be used across Canada to place adult newcomers in instructional programs appropriate for their level of English proficiency. Describes field testing and rating of the instrument, and discusses work in progress on the ongoing validation of the instrument. (31 references) (Author/CK)

Surveys the professional characteristics of instructors teaching English as a Second Language to adults in non-credit programs in Ontario. Findings describe the teachers' age and gender, educational backgrounds and professional qualifications, teaching experience, employment conditions and opportunities for professional development. (eight…

Reflects on the implications of the multifaceted role of an English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) adult educator. Notes that adult ESL educators act as change agents, bridges to Canadian society, and student advocates, and that their pivotal role consists of developing their students' communicative competence. Emphasizes that the development of…

Reports on a case study of a technique designed to increase adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students' communicative competence by exposing students to real audiences in authentic settings. In the approach, students learn the subtle influence of cultural and social factors of speech in a manner difficult to duplicate in a classroom. (four…

Examines the relationship between individual variables and the progress in English as a Second Language (ESL) among Kurdish and Bosnian adult immigrants living in Canada. Findings reveal significant correlations between the dependent variables of oral and written progress and the independent variables of literacy level, years of schooling, and…

Describes an assessment model as applied in an English for academic purposes, pre-university English as a Second Language writing program that allows teachers to set standards while promoting learner self- and peer-assessment. Points out that this model encourages learner control while keeping performance-based standards at desirable levels. (13…

Examines problems with improving oral language skills of limited-English-speaking adults and describes a university English as a second language course that is organized around issues in the women's movement. Topics are selected by the students, and a variety of approaches are used. A lesson plan and evaluative remarks are included. (AMH)

Describes activities which allow students of English as a second language to practice conditional sentences. The activities are designed to (1) guide the students' use of language so that three types of conditional sentences are elicited and practiced to encourage a high level of student participation and (2) be fun. (SED)

A study comparing the speech used by English-as-a-second-language teachers (N=4) when instructing beginning- and advanced-level adult classes found that display questions and self-repetitions were used much less often with advanced students, suggesting that students are being prepared, as they advance in classes, for real communicative…

Seven prominent English-as-a-second-language (ESL) teachers present their lists of 10 instructional materials (textbooks, research studies, audiovisual materials, etc.) they would take abroad with them when teaching ESL to adults. (Author/CB)