BC TEAL 2025 Annual Conference

BC TEAL is proud to present our 2025 Annual Conference: Disruptive Educational Practices: Strategies for Transformation.

Please note that the Friday evening event, the TEAL Charitable Foundation Awards & Fundraiser, requires an additional ticket purchase. Please register here to secure your spot and join us in celebrating the awardees while fundraising for a better cause in TEAL.

Educators shine in times of change to face unexpected challenges. This is when creativity flourishes by combining proven practices with fresh and innovative ideas. These times call for transformation which can be rooted in tradition or experience, or it can arise through unexplored approaches. The synthesis of old and new ideas drives meaningful progress. Join other insightful and creative educators as we flourish within the power of our community.

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8:30am PDT

Towards empathy and creativity: teacher development through book clubs

Friday May 2, 2025 8:30am - 9:15am PDT

TBA

In times where technological advances have been dominating the debate about when teachers will be replaced by AI, it is essential that teachers reconnect with what makes English language professionals unique and irreplaceable. This presentation focuses on the impact of respectful discussions in teacher book clubs to benefit their own classrooms with increased empathy and creativity. Reading classical and contemporary literature – mostly fiction – has proved effective in boosting core human skills that are powerful in education.
First, the presenter will define the scope of teacher development as the complex process that goes beyond training and techniques and helps teachers increase their understanding of situations they prepare to deal with. In an ever-changing world, the relevance of innovative approaches to teacher education also affects their classroom towards positive change. In this talk, the choice was to focus on accessing a range of fictional stories to make sense of the world teachers help their students navigate.
Secondly, the audience will be invited to reflect upon the power of stories and diverse voices in developing teachers’ repertoire. The variety of narratives – local and global – adds a variety of perspectives and has proven to contribute to the development of critical thinking and empathy as readers connect with characters.
Then, examples of conversations held in the book club meetings will be presented – from unconventional book choices to unpredictable discussion outcomes. The format of debates proposed in the book club meetings will exemplify how teachers involved participate in safe spaces and build understanding together.
Finally, the presenter will share examples of how the book club discussions impacted the teachers’ classrooms and their local needs. Testimonials from teachers will be shared to show they sustained creativity and courage to try new approaches (including their perspective towards embracing AI with no fear) and help their students more effectively.

Speakers

Marcela Cintra

Teacher educator, Freelancer

Marcela Cintra is a freelance teacher educator and frequently volunteers for teacher associations in the hope of contributing to a developing culture among language teachers.

Friday May 2, 2025 8:30am - 9:15am PDT
TBA

Teacher Education, Well-being

11:00am PDT

Challenges in integrating professional certification and graduate education in TESOL

Friday May 2, 2025 11:00am - 11:45am PDT

TBA

In the early 21^st-century, the proliferation of unregulated programs purporting to offer ESL teacher training led to the development of provincial and national standards in adult ESL teacher training, most notably through TESL Canada (Thomson, 2004; Sivell, 2005; Chafe & Wang, 2008). While this led to important quality assurance improvements, the prominence of TESL Canada certification has led to some organizations requiring “their instructors to have it…as a prerequisite for employment” (TESL Canada, 2015).

This, combined with the loose ways in which “TESL,” “certificate,” and related terms are used in both public and private educational institutions, can make ESL teaching credentials confusing to teachers, employers, and the general public, and the commodification of TESL certification (Bernstein, 2023) continues to be a problem.

One area in which we have seen this is in TESL-focused graduate programs. At the program we will discuss in this presentation, faculty frequently field questions about the program’s role in future employability, whether the program’s name confers legitimacy and/or eligibility for certification (see Murray & Chrichton, 2010), which outside accreditation bodies should be sought, and whether a practicum is available or necessary.

This presentation will offer perspectives from a faculty member, program assistant, and current students regarding the students’ pursuit of TESL Canada certification. There have been both internal and external challenges involving recognition of international credentials, funding for programs, availability of practicum supervisors, differences in TESL Canada standard levels, and a host of related issues.

In this presentation, we each narrate our experience of the place and importance of professional accreditation in relation to masters-level teacher education in ELT and suggest changes that can make the connection between professional accreditation and graduate-level academic programs clearer and smoother in the future, particularly for international graduate students beginning new careers in Canada.

Speakers

Carol M. Suhr

Douglas College

TBA

Joel Heng Hartse

Senior Lecturer, Simon Fraser University

see other bio

Maria Thereza Palhares

Simon Fraser University

tba

Dorsa Alami

Simon Fraser University

tba

Tahereh Jalali Chimeh

tba

Friday May 2, 2025 11:00am - 11:45am PDT
TBA

Teacher Education, Teacher Education

11:00am PDT

Empowering ESL Teachers with AI: A Transformative Course for GenAI Integration

Friday May 2, 2025 11:00am - 11:45am PDT

TBA

Generative AI (GenAI) is reshaping ESL education by offering innovative solutions for lesson planning, language instruction, and assessment. However, many educators struggle with structured AI integration, raising concerns about pedagogical effectiveness and ethical considerations. This session introduces AI for ESL Teachers, a project-based professional development course designed to equip instructors with practical strategies to incorporate AI into ESL teaching in a meaningful and responsible way.
This course explores how AI-driven lesson planning enhances curriculum design through adaptability and differentiation, ensuring lesson plans accommodate diverse learning needs. It also examines AI-assisted instruction for both productive and receptive skills, guiding educators in leveraging AI tools to support reading, listening, speaking, and writing instruction. Additionally, the course explores the role of AI in teaching essential language components, such as grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation, demonstrating how AI-powered tools can enrich traditional teaching methods while fostering student engagement.
A crucial component of the program focuses on AI-enhanced assessment, where educators learn to implement adaptive testing and automated feedback student progress tracking to streamline evaluation processes. Participants will also gain insight into the ethical dimensions of AI integration, including bias mitigation, responsible implementation, and academic integrity, ensuring AI serves as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, human-centered teaching.
Developed by three ESL educators at Score Guides Academy, this course draws on extensive teaching experience and AI research. Designed as a hands-on professional development opportunity, it will soon be officially launched, providing ESL instructors with practical AI integration skills.
Live demonstrations will showcase real-world applications of GenAI in ESL instruction, providing attendees with hands-on insights into AI-driven lesson planning and instructional strategies. Additionally, participants will have access to a free introductory training module, offering a preview of AI-powered ESL teaching methodologies. This session is ideal for ESL educators, administrators, and curriculum designers seeking practical, research-backed strategies to integrate GenAI into teaching and assessment, ensuring they remain at the forefront of AI-enhanced education.

Speakers

Mona Hoorvash

Faculty, Yorkville University

Mona is a faculty member at Yorkville University. She is also a Certified Teacher Trainer and Strategy Development Advisor at ScoreGuides Academy. Holding a PhD in English Language and Literature, she has over 20 years of experience teaching ESL/EFL.

Neda Ghandhari

Faculty, University Canada West

Neda Ghandhari, PhD in Applied Linguistics, M.Ed, TESL-certified, is a faculty member at University Canada West and a ScoreGuides Academy Coordinator with 10+ years in education.

Golsa Saadi

Faculty, Yorkville University

Golsa Saadi is a faculty member at Yorkville University and LaSalle College, specializing in developing inclusive and innovative learning environments. She teaches English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and University Studies.

Friday May 2, 2025 11:00am - 11:45am PDT
TBA

Teacher Education, Artificial Intelligence

1:00pm PDT

Bridging the Gap: Innovative Training for LINC Instructors

Friday May 2, 2025 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT

TBA

The LINC program requires teachers to have significant training to meet IRCC requirements. Instructors must deliver task-based lessons that are CLB-aligned, with content which enables learners to progress in their language skills and successfully participate Canadian society. Training needs include knowledge and application of: Canadian Language Benchmarks, PBLA, GBA+, Trauma Informed practice, and Indigenous Reconciliation. In addition, instructors must be able to teach in fully online and blended delivery models, often in multi-level classes. Current ESL teacher training does not address all these training needs. As a result, Service Providers must provide extensive additional training. Larger providers may have resources to provide this training, but smaller providers often do not have those resources. To address these gaps, a 6-week, online training program for LINC Instructors was developed. This pilot began in June 2024 and will continue until April 1, 2028. The training is free and open to all LINC instructors in BC, with a focus on inclusion of instructors from smaller SPOs. The goal of the training is to provide the foundation for successful delivery of LINC classes (with emphasis on blended and remote instruction, CLB-aligned lesson planning, feedback and creating safe and caring learning spaces) and to promote retention of LINC instructors (with an emphasis on setting healthy boundaries and reducing prep time).
The presentation covers:

The need for additional training for LINC instructors/gaps in current CCLB training. This includes audience participation on identifying training needs.
Development of curriculum. What exactly is covered in the training? How were those topics decided? What design principles were followed in the development? See attached Project Description for details on curriculum.
Delivery of the training. Who were the participants? What was the participant experience? Data from participant surveys.
Future training. When will future training take place? Who can participate?

Speakers