Unlike the observed trends in general teacher education, the use of videos as a reflective tool with preservice English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers remains underexplored in MATESOL (Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) programs. The present qualitative study examined how 5 nonnative- speaking preservice…

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…

For those immigrants to Canada who need some language training in order to access employment in their field, occupational ESL classes have been available in Ontario for several years. Recent additions to Occupation-Specific Language Training and Bridging programs, as well as a new emphasis on work-related content in LINC classes, have created a…

Should we correct our students' language errors? Most ESL teachers would answer this question with a resounding Yes while at the same time wondering how to meet the challenge. The collaborative project reported below was designed to provide ESL teacher trainees with an opportunity to experience the ups and downs of providing corrective feedback on…

Little empirical research has ever systematically documented the academic trajectories of Generation 1.5 in Canadian schools. Indeed, this label has not even been used to define the population of interest in the studies reviewed here. Nonetheless, some earlier work, along with more current studies made possible by recent availability of data, has…

How do ESL teacher-candidates grapple with beliefs about language during their professional training? In this article, we present the findings of a qualitative research study conducted in a large eastern Canadian university Bachelor of Education program. As Johnson (2010) has recently noted, despite extensive research and theoretical work that…

Robert Courchene's 1996 article entitled "Teaching Canadian Culture: Teacher Preparation" sparked a conversation in the pages of the "TESL Canada Journal" that continues today. From advocating the teaching of significant historical events and icons to encouraging second-language learners to embrace cultural ambiguity, there is a wide spectrum of…

This article looks at how the intricate issue of identity has been addressed and framed in composition and TESOL studies (C&T). It reviews five articles and a book as a sampler to explore identity research in various contexts ranging from the problematic rise of identity in second-language acquisition (SLA) research in 1997, which represented a…

In this article we are calling for an interlayered and cross-dimensional approach to understanding and working with anxiety, especially as manifested in English as an additional language (EAL) teaching and learning environments. We aim to understand the phenomenon of anxiety from the multidimensional perspectives of physiology, psychology, and…

Significant progress has been made toward greater professional recognition for adult ESL instructors in Canada over the past decade. At the same time, an ever-increasing demand for English-language teachers, particularly abroad, has resulted in a substantial growth in the number of private companies offering short-term ESL/EFL teacher training.…

To help students in an introductory Teaching English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) course learn about the backgrounds and experiences of ESL learners, one instructor has each TESL student interview a nonnative speaker of English in the community. Students ask a variety of questions about the learners' English language history. Students then write a…

Reviews the case method from an historical perspective and explores why and how "decision" cases might be used by teacher educators in the professional preparation of teachers as reflective English-as-a-Second-Language specialists. Argues that the case method can enhance the critical thinking, analytical, and communication skills of novice and…

Attempts to answer questions about reasonable expectations of certification programs in teaching English as a Second Language in Canada. Concludes that the goal of these programs is to develop the participants' professional expertise in a manner that reflects preferred practice. (CK)

Discusses pedagogical issues for second-language teaching within the framework of a changing Canadian culture. These issues include consciousness raising to heighten teachers' and students' perceptions of the role of culture, teacher preparation for teaching in a multicultural classroom, and balancing the dominant cultural paradigm with the new…

Examines the relationship between teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) and national and programmatic development issues. English language teaching (ELT) is discussed from the perspective of its effects on the host culture, and suggestions are made for ensuring that EFL/ELT becomes a productive force within a host country. (Author/CB)