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.

1:00pm PDT

Take Control of Your Day: Transformational Journaling to Conquer Everyday

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

TBA

ELT teachers often feel overwhelmed as they plan their lessons in a rapidly changing digital world. This presentation will offer teachers a concrete reflective exercise, combining transformational journaling with the 333 Anti-Anxiety Rule, to combat the psychological symptoms that cultivate feelings of nervousness, tension, and worry in the classroom or at a faculty meeting. Attendees will learn how to draft short teacher journal responses (on an app or in a journal) using the “ Rule of Three”: identify 3 things individuals can see, hear, and touch in moments of personal crisis. In addition to alleviating anxiety, this grounding technique as a written exercise helps strengthen the brain’s neuroplasticity by bolstering optimal brain processing, relaxing one’s physiological state, and calming the nervous system; therefore, it is a powerful addition to any teacher toolkit.

Speakers

Tremonisha LaVay Putros

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

Well-being, Well-being

3:30pm PDT

Empowering Educators and Learners through Neuroscience and Metacognition

Friday May 2, 2025 3:30pm - 4:15pm PDT

TBA

The evolving demands on educators and students underscore the importance of integrating wellbeing and resilience into educational frameworks. This presentation will equip teachers with critical insights and tools to transform their teaching practices. Participants will understand how external circumstances, such as trauma or systemic stress, affect the brain and impact the learning process. By leveraging neuroscience, educators will discover how to promote their own wellbeing while fostering greater learner engagement. Practical strategies will be introduced for incorporating neuroscience and metacognition into the classroom, empowering students to become autonomous and motivated learners. Teachers will also explore the features of a resilient brain and learn actionable techniques to build resilience in themselves and their learners.
First, we briefly highlight the many ways the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified mental health challenges, significantly impacting cognitive, social, and emotional development, especially among children and teenagers. Teachers, grappling with systemic stress and shifting learner needs, require innovative solutions to navigate these challenges effectively.
Then, we demonstrate how neuroscience offers a transformative approach to education by emphasizing the brain's malleability (neuroplasticity) and fostering metacognition—the ability to think about thinking. Research highlights that learners who understand brain functions and neuroplasticity become more efficient and confident, leading to improved academic performance. We will provide insights and opportunities for teachers to reflect on their current practices and explore ways to enhance the use of metacognition strategies in their classrooms.
Finally, we will talk about resilience. A cornerstone of wellbeing, it is characterized by the brain’s capacity to recover from adversity. We will introduce key strategies including mindfulness, fostering a growth mindset and promoting attentional focus to sustain motivation and engagement.
By merging neuroscience, metacognition, and professional coaching, this session inspires educators to break traditional paradigms and create dynamic, compassionate learning environments suited for the 21st century.

Speakers

Cathy Introligator

Licensed Trainer, Efficient Language Coaching

Cathy Introligator, graduate of the Institut d’Études Politiques Paris with international experience, trains educators to leverage the brain's potential for enhanced learning with Neurolanguage Coaching®.

Friday May 2, 2025 3:30pm - 4:15pm PDT
TBA

Well-being, Well-being

11:00am PDT

Social Emotional Learning : a game-changer for English language learners

Saturday May 3, 2025 11:00am - 11:45am PDT

TBA

Research highlights that the emotional and social aspects of a learner play a crucial role in language learning success or failure. But how can we, as teachers and educators, create a more inclusive and supportive learning environment, help learners build resilience and adaptability in today’s rapidly changing world, and prepare them with the skills increasingly valued in the global job market?

This session explores the transformative power of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in language acquisition—boosting confidence, emotional regulation, and social skills. Participants will:
•   Discover the Power of SEL: Understand why Social Emotional Learning is a game-changer for English language learners.

•   Integrate with Ease: Learn practical strategies to seamlessly incorporate SEL into their ESL curriculum.

•   Foster Holistic Growth: Explore how focusing on the whole person enhances both language skills and personal development.

•   Create Inclusive Classrooms: Gain insights on building a supportive, culturally sensitive environment that promotes student well-being.

•   Equip for the Future: Prepare your students with the emotional intelligence and skills crucial for success in today’s job market.

Through an interactive, hands-on approach, this session introduces simple yet effective strategies backed by real-world activities from Connections, a six-level General English series published by TC Media ELT.

While Connections provides a framework for examples, the strategies shared can be easily adapted to any teaching context. No matter what resources they use, educators will leave with fresh, practical techniques to enhance student motivation, engagement, and overall success in language learning.

Speakers

Shawna Cole

Learning and Organization Development Specialist, Cole Educational Designs

For 15 years, Shawna Cole has been strengthening human connections through learning, culture, and leadership—driving meaningful change and real impact as an L&OD strategist.

Saturday May 3, 2025 11:00am - 11:45am PDT
TBA

Well-being, Equity Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

1:00pm PDT

The Voice of Crises in ESL

Saturday May 3, 2025 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT

Poster Session

Learning Objectives- recognize the importance of sharing and caring for teacher empowerment during challenging times
- value the necessity of building growth mindset for the betterment of an educational environment
- analyze what a trauma- sensitive or trauma-informed environments in the ELT world are
- examine the conditions of the ESL teachers in Ukraine during and after the war and the ESL teachers in Türkiye in the southeast region affected by the devastating earthquake in February, 2023.
- discuss the role and power of photovoicing even in a mini case study

Content Takeaways"The power of photos and how one can voice them" is hoped to be a good example for further studies in ELT education and teacher empowerment.
The method used in this case study is photovoicing, which aims at raising awareness in communtiy development and building the feeling of belonging in a community through empathy.

Other InformationThere will be photos and the related recordings of the teachers on a Padlet wall within the ethical guidelines.I will add QR codes for the links as well. Thank you for your evaluation.

Speakers

Pinar Sekmen

Founder & Academic Coordinator, PS:Professional Support in Education

Pınar Sekmen has been in the ELT world for over two decades. She is thefounder and academic coordinator of PS:Professional Support in Education for teachers and learners. She has been working in the fields of EAL,teacher training, and education management programs. Her interests... Read More →

Saturday May 3, 2025 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT
Poster Session

Well-being, Well-being

2:00pm PDT

Educator Wellbeing in Times of Change

Saturday May 3, 2025 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT

TBA

The workshop will delve into three initiatives undertaken at a private business school to ensure the overall well-being of the faculty members under English Studies from the years 2020-2024. As a member of the management team, one of the challenges has been to find ways to support the team members and focus on wellbeing is not emphasized as the members are sessional who work on a contractual basis. The three wellbeing initiatives that will be discussed are

The ‘wellbeing afternoon’ was introduced as a short-term program during 2020-2022 that allowed all staff and faculty members to finish work early one day of the week (usually Fridays) and use the time to relax and focus on their wellbeing. However, this initiative was not available for sessional or part-time members including faculty.
ES Faculty social is an evening arranged on a term basis to allow faculty members to disconnect from work and relax. The invitation is extended to all English Studies faculty members only.
Healthy snacks are provided exclusively for English Studies faculty members who need a quick energy boost between classes.

Like all post-secondary institutes, financial constraints are a big hurdle to be crossed when trying to implement wellness initiatives, but in the private sector, most of the conversation does not proceed as everything boils down to contractual obligations.
The purpose of this workshop is to connect with individuals and initiate a conversation on finding ways to support the well-being of our educators.

Speakers

Garima Yadav

Manager, Student Learning Commons, Acsenda School of Management

A dedicated, passionate and optimist professional who seeks to create safe spaces for students, faculty, and staff to engage in meaningful dialogue on important issues.

Saturday May 3, 2025 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT
TBA

Well-being, Equity Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

BC TEAL 2025 Annual Conference

From CA$115.47