The TESL Ontario Sparks of Excellence Award is designed to recognize and acknowledge the excellence and commitment of TESL Ontario members who provide outstanding educational experiences to their students or who demonstrate exceptional leadership/mentoring expertise towards their colleagues and student teachers in a manner that goes above and beyond the day to day duties of their job.

Nominations for the Sparks of Excellence Award are accepted in the summer each year and winners will be presented with their awards at the TESL Ontario Annual Conference each fall.

2023 Sparks of Excellence Award Recipients

Michele Dean
Algonquin and Lakeshore
Catholic District School Board

As an English language teacher for almost 24 years, Michele Dean has taught both LINC and ESL blended programs throughout her career. She began her career in November 1999 after volunteering with her cousin who was teaching ESL. Michele had been taking courses in TESL and Adult Education and so the fit was perfect. Since then, she has taught all levels of the CLBs in Belleville.

Her passion for bringing Canadian culture and humour into her classroom has engaged her students and colleagues for many years. In fact, many of her students say she is an actress. She brings music and cooking into her classroom. She has had her student choir perform in various community events and they are often requested to sing. Through practice and performance, Michele helps her students gain confidence to reach out in their community.

Michele is committed to creating an exceptional learning environment so that students can achieve their goals. She creates engaging lesson plans, based on student needs’ assessments. She also takes the time to get to know every student really well and remembers their goals, their family members, the holidays that are important to them, and how to pronounce their names correctly.

Michele values lessons that engage students beyond the classroom and ensures that their education includes experiences, not just lessons. She has taken her students on nature hikes, taught them to start a campfire, taught them to cook over a campfire, and arranged field trips to expose her students to skating, curling and even tobogganing.

In addition to her role as an amazing educator, Michele previously served on the TESL Kingston board and has been part of the Quinte Local Immigration Partnership from its inception.

Michele Dean is described by one of her nominators as a “role model who brings excellence into the learning environment,” inspiring others to elevate their own teaching and infuse their classrooms with the same leadership, generosity and passion as Michele.

Marlaina Riggio
Ottawa, Ontario

Marlaina Riggio began her love affair with teaching over 15 years ago. After completing her Bachelors in French Studies in Toronto, Canada, she spent a year abroad teaching English as a Second Language to learners of all ages in Seoul, South Korea. She then went on to pursue her Master’s in Education to further her understanding of second language teaching and acquisition. Currently, Marlaina is both a full-time English professor at College La Cité and a TESL trainer in the Teachers of English as a Second/Foreign Language program at Algonquin College.

Since then, she has been an integral part of several curriculum development initiatives, including the creation and implementation of seven ESL courses, two online ESL courses, and one elective TES/FL course. Additionally, she has integrated and developed various features of Brightspace, including an online English community for faculty members in order to facilitate communication and sharing of resources. She has also had the pleasure of conducting several pedagogical workshops in Canada, Mexico, and China.

One of Marlaina’s nominators writes “In Ottawa, Marlaina is well known for her seemingly boundless energy, can-do attitude and sense of humour,” adding “Marlaina brings many authentic and creative activities to her classrooms to help her students connect to their future occupation and their community.” Marlaina not only wears many hats in our field but she is also unique because she supports an incredibly wide range of learners all across the province.

Marlaina has served on the TESL Ottawa Executive Board since 2018. She began as Webmaster and Social Media Coordinator, completed two terms as President, and is currently the Affiliate Representative.

Gonul Turkdogan
Niagara College

Gonul began her teaching career in 2009 and has been a strong advocate for English language education ever since. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a minor in Women’s Studies from Brock University, which demonstrates her interdisciplinary approach to education. Gonul’s dedication to excellence led her to earn both a TESL Certificate and a Master of Applied Linguistics (TESL), which further enhanced her expertise.

Early in her career, Gonul taught English as a second language (ESL) in Guangzhou, China from 2009 to 2011, where she laid the foundation for her international teaching experiences. She joined Niagara College in 2013 as an English Academic Preparation (EAP) instructor within the School of English Language Studies, where she played a pivotal role in helping students prepare for academic success.

Gonul continued to broaden her global teaching experience when she taught at TED Istanbul College in Turkey from 2016 to 2017. Here, she served as an EAP and IELTS/TOEFL instructor, enriching the lives of her students and further expanding her cultural and pedagogical horizons.

Since 2020, Gonul has been an active participant in the TESL Ontario Volunteer community. She has been an integral member of the TESL Exchange, TESL Dialogue, and TESL Webinar teams, which have developed crucial professional development opportunities for TESL educators. Gonul also shares her expertise through her insightful blog posts and informative webinar presentations. Gonul thrives on the collaborative spirit of her community involvement and feels privileged to work alongside inspirational individuals who share her passion for education.

One of Gonul’s nominators writes “Gonul works to foster and enhance diversity, equity and inclusion in her workplace through a number of on-campus initiatives. She is always thinking of the ways in which others experience their lives in and integration to Canadian culture.” Gonul is a dedicated member of the TESL community who goes above and beyond her regular duties with numerous volunteer and charitable activities that directly affect the lives of ESL learners in her local community and across the province. She participates in many charitable efforts to better the lives of new Canadians, both in and out of the classroom, particularly refugees.

Finally, through her unwavering dedication, diverse experiences, and commitment to lifelong learning, Gonul Turkdogan remains a stalwart advocate for effective language education and cross-cultural communication.

Previous Years’ Recipients