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The TESL Dialogue series is an open forum where participants are free to turn on their microphones and cameras to fully immerse in a discussion about a relevant topic in ELT. A subject-matter-expert joins participants in this session to help guide the conversation and offer helpful insight when needed.
Format: Throughout the session the moderator will provide the audience with a thought-provoking question to encourage conversation. After the subject matter expert responds to the question, participants are invited to answer the questions themselves, provide a comment or example, or ask a related question to the subject matter expert and their peers. The goal of this session is to develop a community of practice which allows for as many narratives to be heard and shared as possible. The session will conclude with a breakout room reflection activity where participants are encouraged to discuss what they have learned, any remaining questions they have, and their next steps in respect to the session topic.
Upcoming TESL Dialogue Sessions
June 22 |
Self-Regulation and Online Learning |
July 27 |
Finding and Using Free Educational Resources in Your ELT Classroom |
September 25 |
Motivating Learners Online |
October 19 |
The Digital Teacher Identity and Gamification |
Access to TESL Dialogue Sessions
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TESL Dialogue: Self-Regulation and Online Learning
When: Tuesday, June 22, 2021 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Subject-Matter Expert: Chadia Mansour
Session Description:
This TESL Dialogue Discussion will explore self-regulation and online learning. It will introduce self-regulation as a learning theory, discuss the online environment attributes, and the influence of self-regulation on the online learner as well as the online instructor. By the end of this TESL Dialogue session, participants will gain insights and strategies about how to foster self-regulated learners and instructors in the online environment.
The facilitator and participants will discuss self-regulation in relation to the online environment. Participants will be asked to join an activity to create a scenario of self-regulated learner and another of a non-self-regulated learner. We will discuss attributes for online learning success. We will tackle and converse about common self-regulated strategies for online learning. We will conclude by reflecting on our own selves and instruction, and how we can foster self-regulation for our learners. As always, attendees are invited to turn on their webcam and microphone to fully immerse themselves into this interactive session.
About the subject-matter expert:
Chadia Mansour holds a BA in English for Academic Purposes (Tunisia), an MA in Applied Linguistics (USA), and is currently an “All But Dissertation” (ABD): a doctoral student in Distance Education and Online Learning (Canada) working on her research on online second language acquisition. She also holds the Fulbright Foreign Languages Teaching Certificate, (USA), TESOL Certificate (USA), Certificate of College Teaching (USA), Cambridge Assessment English Certificate of Teaching English Online, and the Canadian College of Educators Portfolio Based Language Assessment Certificate. Chadia has twenty years of experience in language teaching, in higher education, including ESL, EFL, EAP, ESP and Discourse and Language Across Cultures, internationally (Tunisia, USA and Qatar). Chadia also has as an extensive experience in languages (English and Arabic) curriculum and instructional design for in-person and blended learning.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadia-mansour-44250b27
Please Note: Session is limited to 80 participants. This is not a presentation, it is a guided discussion and as such will not contain presentation materials such as PowerPoint visuals. Please come to the session ready and willing to participate. If you are not comfortable speaking with peers in breakout rooms, this may not be the session for you.
TESL Dialogue: Finding and Using Free Educational Resources in Your ELT Classroom
When: Tuesday, July 27, 2021 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Subject-Matter Experts: Sharon Tjaden-Glass & Chadia Mansour
Session Description:
As more economies become information-based and digital learning becomes more integrated into education, the need for current, relevant, and diverse materials for English learners increases. Open educational resources (OER) can empower teachers to meet these needs because they are free to the user, immediately accessible, downloadable, shareable, and editable. In this dialogue session, the presenters will briefly explain what open educational resources are, where to find them, and how teachers can create OER to share with others. The presenters will engage the participants in a discussion about their local needs regarding OER as well as the general needs of the ELT community at large. Finally, the presenters will identify some of the key challenges to increasing teachers’ and learners’ use of OER as well as some recommendations for addressing these challenges.
Our facilitators, Sharon & Chadia, will guide this discussion by inviting audience members to voice their opinion and experiences. As a community of practice, attendees and the subject-matter experts will discuss how to make best use of OERs. As always, attendees are invited to turn on their webcam and microphone to fully immerse themselves into this interactive session.
About the subject-matter experts:
Sharon Tjaden-Glass is an instructional media designer for Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio. She previously taught ESL in U.S. universities for 13 years. She serves as the Community Manager for TESOL International’s Intercultural Communication Interest Section and hosts monthly Zoom networking sessions between educators and instructional designers.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-tjaden-glass
Chadia Mansour holds a BA in English for Academic Purposes (Tunisia), an MA in Applied Linguistics (USA), and is currently an “All But Dissertation” (ABD): a doctoral student in Distance Education and Online Learning (Canada) working on her research on online second language acquisition. She also holds the Fulbright Foreign Languages Teaching Certificate, (USA), TESOL Certificate (USA), Certificate of College Teaching (USA), Cambridge Assessment English Certificate of Teaching English Online, and the Canadian College of Educators Portfolio Based Language Assessment Certificate. Chadia has twenty years of experience in language teaching, in higher education, including ESL, EFL, EAP, ESP and Discourse and Language Across Cultures, internationally (Tunisia, USA and Qatar). Chadia also has as an extensive experience in languages (English and Arabic) curriculum and instructional design for in-person and blended learning.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadia-mansour-44250b27
Please Note: Session is limited to 80 participants. This is not a presentation, it is a guided discussion and as such will not contain presentation materials such as PowerPoint visuals. Please come to the session ready and willing to participate. If you are not comfortable speaking with peers in breakout rooms, this may not be the session for you.
TESL Dialogue: Motivating Learners Online
When: Saturday, September 25, 2021 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Subject-Matter Experts: Livia Pataki & Mustafa Jam
Session Description:
This TESL Dialogue session will explore methods to keep learners engaged throughout an online lesson or course. With classes being exclusively taught online, motivating learners can become quite difficult, especially in asynchronous environments. How can ELT professionals continue to offer insightful lessons that motivate learners to learn English? What strategies can learners be taught to help hold themselves accountable? Are there specific activities that encourage learners to apply themselves more to a course? By the end of this TESL Dialogue session, we will examine how the needs of online learners differ from learners of traditional face-to-face learning & how course teachers can support students more effectively. We will also explore the importance of academic and technological support and identify the types of support teachers and institutions can provide to students to maximize their learning. Lastly, we will analyze practical strategies on how to provide timely, personalized, and constructive feedback to keep the learning atmosphere positive.
Our facilitators, Livia & Mustafa, will guide this discussion by inviting audience members to voice their opinion and experiences. As a community of practice, attendees and the subject-matter experts will discuss ways to inspire and support unmotivated learners. As always, attendees are invited to turn on their webcam and microphone to fully immerse themselves into this interactive session.
About the subject-matter experts:
Livia F. Pataki is a seasoned ESL& EAP instructor with 21 years of experience in the field. She's worked as a teacher, curriculum coordinator, teacher trainer and practicum supervisor in the UK as well as in Canada. Currently she's working as a full-time ESOL lecturer in London, UK. Formerly worked as a professional development consultant at YWCA, an EAP Instructor at York University, a Post Graduate Professor at Centennial College at the Center for Part-Time & Online Learning, EAP professor at Sheridan College. She has wealth of experience in the field. She is a certified Online Learning Course developer by TESOL International Association since 2018, an active online curriculum developer and course designer.
LinkedIn: https://www.linked.com/in/liviapataki
Mustafa Jam has been in the field of teaching English for over 25 years. He has worked as curriculum developer and teacher trainer. He received his CELTA and completed his TESL Canada as well as TESL Ontario. He is currently teaching at DLL department as a course director and York University Language Institute, where he designs materials and tests for online mode.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mustafa-jam-70559341/
Please Note: Session is limited to 80 participants. This is not a presentation, it is a guided discussion and as such will not contain presentation materials such as PowerPoint visuals. Please come to the session ready and willing to participate. If you are not comfortable speaking with peers in breakout rooms, this may not be the session for you.
TESL Dialogue: The Digital Teacher Identity and Gamification
When: Tuesday, October 19, 2021 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Subject-Matter Expert: Sara Alexandre
Session Description:
Who am I in the digital classroom? How do I translate as a teacher virtually? In this session, we will be discussing the digital teaching identity and how to contend with who you were face-to-face compared to who you are in the digital world. Many teachers are still struggling with the concept of turning an interactive and engaging face-to-face lesson into a virtual one that holds the same merit. Moreover, we will be exploring the merit of gamification in the pandemic classroom and its importance for our post-pandemic classrooms.
The facilitator and participants will discuss teacher identity in the digital world and gamification. Participants will be asked to participate in answering questions, discussing their experiences and realizations, and providing suggestions to fellow attendees. The theme of gamification and teacher identity will be emphasized and analysed throughout this session. As always, attendees are invited to turn on their webcam and microphone to fully immerse themselves into this interactive session.
About the subject-matter expert:
Sara Alexandre is a multi-level ESL professor and a graduate of the first TESOL Plus programme both at Sheridan College. She has recently graduated from Mary Immaculate College, Limerick with a Master’s in Applied Linguistics. One of her main interests is applying gamification to classroom pedagogy to create engaging and challenging lessons.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-alexandre-5b6873120
Please Note: Session is limited to 80 participants. This is not a presentation, it is a guided discussion and as such will not contain presentation materials such as PowerPoint visuals. Please come to the session ready and willing to participate. If you are not comfortable speaking with peers in breakout rooms, this may not be the session for you.
Want to Lead a Discussion?
TESL Ontario continuously accepts proposals for TESL Dialogue subject-matter experts throughout the year. Proposals will be reviewed by the Dialogue team, and if approved the subject-matter expert will be contacted to make arrangements for scheduling the TESL Dialogue session.
Visit our Become a Presenter webpage for more information.
TESL DIALOGUE VIDEO LIBRARY
| TESL Dialogue Session Title | Subject-Matter Expert | Air Date |
|---|---|---|
| Online Student Engagement | Grazzia Maria Mendoza Chirinos | 24-Oct-2020 |
| Best Practices for Teaching Intermediate/Advanced ELLs | Jacqueline Seijo, OCELT | 28-Nov-2020 |
| Professional Development in Unusual Times | James Papple, OCELT | 19-Jan-2021 |
| Best Practice for Teaching Literacy/Low Level ELLs | Sheila Nicholas, OCELT | 23-Feb-2021 |
| Cheating in Online Environments | Livia Pataki, OCELT & Mitra Rabiee, OCELT | 27-Apr-2021 |
| Teaching Language Through Literature | Alice Pivniceru | 29-May-2021 |