ATESL 2019:40 Years: A Declaration of Excellence has ended

Create Your Own Event

ATESL 2019:40 Years: A Declaration of Excellence

9:25am MDT

Don’t Phorget about Phonics!

Phonics is an essential part of learning to read English. This workshop will outline objectives, activities and resources that can be used to teach phonics to Literacy and low level LINC classes. You will be expected to participate in discussion and activities.

Speakers

Donna Clarke

The Immigrant Education Society (TIES)

Donna Clarke has a Bachelor of Education from McGill University and has been an ESL instructor for over 20 years. She has been working with Literacy students for 10 years and is currently a Literacy Lead at CIES in Calgary.

Friday October 18, 2019 9:25am - 10:10am MDT
Nakiska

9:25am MDT

Engaging Learners in the Assessment Process (PBLA)

This session explores a variety of strategies to engage learners in the assessment process and improving learner achievement within a Portfolio Based Language Assessment classroom. It is from the PD series developed by the Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks (CCLB).

Speakers

Carly Whitley

Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks

Carly Whitley is a PBLA Lead teacher from Cohort One and currently working with the YMCA Calgary.

Friday October 18, 2019 9:25am - 10:10am MDT
Bow Valley

10:25am MDT

Evaluating CLB 3 and 4 Writing Tasks and Student Samples

Back by popular demand! In this interactive workshop, participants will walk away with a better understanding of how to create benchmark-level appropriate writing tasks at CLB 3 and 4. We will discuss the hallmark characteristics of these levels before evaluating a few teacher-generated real-world assessment task samples and student writing.

Speakers

Sabine Ricioppo

University of Alberta

Sabine Ricioppo, completed her M.Ed. in TESL in 2009 and has since worked as a language assessor, ESL/LINC teacher, lead teacher, and ESL consultant. She has offered numerous PBLA-related workshops and is currently pursuing doctoral studies in Measurement, Evaluation and Data Science... Read More →

Friday October 18, 2019 10:25am - 11:55am MDT
Bow Valley

10:25am MDT

Pause for Presence: Fostering Well-Being and Connectedness in Academic Settings

Teaching is a WE (not ME) profession. Not only does collaboration reduce workload and promote a sense of connectedness, but working together also fosters well-being. This hands-on workshop will feature some wellness practices utilized regularly by several NorQuest College instructors via a group meditation activity called “Pause for Presence”.

Speakers

Joanne Abramyk

NorQuest College

Joanne Abramyk is a LINC instructor at NorQuest College in Edmonton, Alberta, where she models lifelong learning to her students. She has taught levels Pre-Benchmark to CLB 6. In the past she has worked on curriculum and was a team lead in the LINC program at her college.

Shay Ayers

NorQuest College

Shay Ayers has been teaching ESL for 21 years. She has embraced the practice of mindfulness both professionally and personally. Shay practices both Transcendental Meditation and Qigong, which she has implemented into the classroom to help alleviate test taking anxiety.

Krista Schwabl

NorQuest College

Krista Schwabl has been teaching for 28 years, and is an instructor at NorQuest College. Advocating for the well-being of her colleagues is a top priority at this stage in her teaching career, and she utilizes mindfulness-meditation practices, along with Reiki and Numa Breathwork... Read More →

Friday October 18, 2019 10:25am - 11:55am MDT
Eau Claire South

10:25am MDT

Teaching the ESL Classroom Using Web Resources

Teaching ESL in Canada involves extensive research and planning. Finding Canadian resources is a gruesome task, because the available materials are American or British. This hands-on workshop will give you tools to teach interesting and interactive lessons in the ESL classroom and easily adapt internet resources to the Canadian context.

Speakers

Maria Dumitrescu

Global Village Calgary

An experienced ESL/ELL teacher, Maria has worked in the settlement sector for the past 16 years in various capacities: ESL/LINC instructor, curriculum developer, program coordinator. Maria is a published author in the fields of ESL and literacy and a self-published author, running... Read More →

Friday October 18, 2019 10:25am - 11:55am MDT
Eau Claire North

10:25am MDT

Using Canadian Language Benchmarks to Assess and Create Speaking Tasks

This workshop is an opportunity to view various authentic speaking interviews and discuss the speaker’s strengths and abilities relative to the Canadian Language Benchmarks. Practical discussion will focus on classroom activities that correspond to the Benchmarks represented.

Speakers

Karen Marke

Catholic Social Services

Karen Marke is a Language Assessor with LARCC (Language Assessment, Referral and Counselling Centre) at Catholic Social Services in Edmonton. She is a certified assessor for CLBPT, CLBA, CLB-LPT and CELBAN.

Salwa Mohamud

Catholic Social Services

Salwa Mohamud is a LINC Instructor at Sacred Heart Foundations LINC Schools. She is also a certified CLBPT, CLBA, CLB-LPT and CELBAN assessor with LARCC. She acquired a Master of Education in Teaching English as Additional Language from the University of Calgary.

Alison Vickerson

Catholic Social Services

Alison is the CLB Consultant for the LINC Programs in Edmonton, AB. She is a certified PBLA Lead Instructor and has worked with PBLA in LINC since 2013.

Friday October 18, 2019 10:25am - 11:55am MDT
Bonavista

2:25pm MDT

ESL Building Bridge to Employment

All across Alberta ESL professionals are working hard to support their learners' transition to employment. Why are we all reinventing the curriculum wheel? Take advantage of existing training materials to assist in preparing your learners for the workforce. This session is designed to raise awareness of resources available to everyone to help support learners to enter or reenter the Albertan workplace.

The "ESL to Work" working group is a sub committee of the ATESL Advocacy committee. Our goal is to identify as many resources as possible for ESL instructors, in both metropolitan and surrounding areas, to reduce search time and start-from-scratch time, so instructors can concentrate on helping learners investigate and communicate within their chosen careers in Canada.

Speakers

ESL Advocacy Committee: ESL to Work group

Friday October 18, 2019 2:25pm - 3:10pm MDT
Rideau

2:25pm MDT

Designing and Facilitating High-Quality Online Courses – Hands On

If you are looking to start building or consolidating your online course design and facilitation skills, you've come to the right place. Our collaborative, hands-on workshop will offer you choice in exploring 4 out 6 important aspects of online teaching.

Since our set-up is a demonstration of active learning facilitated through a blended setting, you will need to bring a wifi-able device to this session. You can access our Workshop Resource with all original links and learning activities by clicking on this link here.

Note that the resource is still a work-in-progress, but will be ready for use on Friday, October 18th. 2019

Speakers

Adriana Lima

University of Lethbridge

As an English Language educator with an MA in TESL from the University of British Columbia (UBC) and 15+ years of teaching experience in top tertiary institutes, including McGill University, Adriana Lima has expertise in English for Academic Purposes and Pathway Programs, Online teaching... Read More →

Friday October 18, 2019 2:25pm - 3:55pm MDT
Nakiska

2:25pm MDT

Strengthening Paraphrasing Skills: The 7X7X7 Method

"Putting ideas into your own words" is a challenge for native and non-native users of English. This practical workshop introduces 4 class hours of materials that guide ELLs to become confident at paraphrasing: 7 steps, 7 paraphrase strategies and 7 other aspects.

Speakers

Janice GT Penner

Douglas College

Since 1984, Janice has taught EAP at MacEwan and the University of Alberta. She continued in the PRC, the ROC, Japan. Kazakhstan and is now faculty at Douglas College in metro-Vancouver. Shes focuses a lot of energy on developing interactive and meaningful materials for academic writing... Read More →

Friday October 18, 2019 2:25pm - 3:55pm MDT
Eau Claire South

2:25pm MDT

Tailoring Your Learning – One Stitch at a Time

Come and experience the one-of-a-kind sewing program for literacy learners offered at St. Francis. You will participate in an innovative 1L module that uses the internationally recognized cross stitch to help learners improve reading, writing, numeracy, and fine motor skills. PBLA friendly.

Speakers

Gabriela Jessome

Edmonton Catholic School District # 7

Gabriela Jessome is a CPA with master’s in international marketing and certified teacher. Currently she Coordinates two LINC Programs with ECSD, one Literacy stream (St. Francis Women's LINC Program and one CLB stream (One Worl One Centre Evening LINC Program). Her other interests... Read More →

Audrey Wong

Edmonton Catholic School District # 7

Audrey Wong is a registered Professional Home Economist / Human Ecologist and certified teacher. Her love of sewing started as a 10 year old 4-H member in rural Saskatchewan. She received some advanced training in pattern making and construction while at university. Audrey is the... Read More →

Friday October 18, 2019 2:25pm - 3:55pm MDT
Eau Claire North

2:25pm MDT

The Linguists

The Linguists is a hilarious and poignant chronicle of two scientists—David Harrison and Gregory Anderson—racing to document languages on the verge of extinction. In Siberia, India, and Bolivia, the linguists confront head-on the very forces silencing languages: racism, humiliation, and violent economic unrest. David and Greg's journey takes them deep into the heart of the cultures, knowledge, and communities at risk when a language dies.

Speakers

Dr. K. David Harrison

Anthropologist and linguist David Harrison has been a National Geographic Fellow and co-director of the Society’s Enduring Voices Project, documenting endangered languages and cultures around the world. He has done extensive fieldwork with indigenous communities from Siberia and... Read More →

Friday October 18, 2019 2:25pm - 3:55pm MDT
Grand Ballroom

3:30pm MDT

# That Feel When: Building Digital Skills and Intercultural Communicative Competence Using Memes

In this interactive workshop, participants will have opportunities to explore Internet memes and their potential for developing digital skills as well as linguistic and intercultural competence. Participants will learn to select appropriate memes and design tasks using memes for varied pedagogical purposes and different levels of proficiency.

Speakers

Hanh Nguyen

CCI-LEX

Hanh Nguyen is a recent graduate of the Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) Master's program at the University of Alberta. She has experience integrating technology in language teaching in both ESL and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts.

Friday October 18, 2019 3:30pm - 4:15pm MDT
Mount Royal

3:30pm MDT

Through the Looking Glass: A Collegial Approach to Teaching Triangles

Just what are our adult language learners doing while we are teaching or testing? Three colleagues will describe, demonstrate and engage you in a process of learning from our learners that you and your co-mentors can replicate to enhance your professional classroom practice.

Speakers

Jennifer Elliott

NorQuest College

Jennifer Elliott is currently an instructor at NorQuest College in the ESL Intensive program. She has over ten years of experience teaching adult learners English language skills in Canada and abroad.

Barbara Penner

NorQuest College

Barbara Penner - Among the 20 year-old fixtures in teaching English language learners, and in EAL and TEAL curriculum development at NorQuest College, Barbara aspires to be the PEX tubing of ESL Intensive: flexible, resistant to bursting, and well-connected especially when crimpe... Read More →

Maria Rombalskaya

NorQuest College

Maria Rombalskaya is an instructor and curriculum developer at NorQuest College in the ESL Intensive program. She has fourteen years of experience teaching adults English in Canada and Russia.

Friday October 18, 2019 3:30pm - 4:15pm MDT
Rideau

9:25am MDT

Can-Do Lists: Student vs Teacher Perceptions of Language Ability

Can-do lists can benefit both students, by giving a realistic understanding of their language abilities, and teachers, by providing a tool for designing a curriculum which addresses student shortcomings. Participants will discuss research on student language abilities in an employment context.

Speakers

Peter Connell

The Immigrant Education Society (TIES)

Peter Connell has taught English and carried out a wide variety of assessments for over 25 years. His experience is based in Canada, Japan, and Germany. His research interests include curriculum development and designing assessments based on real-life tasks.

Daniel Ling

The Immigrant Education Society (TIES)

Daniel Ling has taught ESL for more than 10 years in both Canada and Malaysia. He is a LINC Instructor, currently teaching CLB 3-4, and PBLA Lead at The Immigrant Education Society in Calgary, Alberta. His research interests include reading and vocabulary pedagogy as well as curriculum... Read More →

Saturday October 19, 2019 9:25am - 10:10am MDT
Eau Claire North

9:25am MDT

Numeracy in the EAL Classroom: Excellent Strategies

. I Notice, I Wonder…,Amazing Attributes, Would you Rather . . ., Predictable Patterns and six more numeracy strategies will be experienced. Then, using yours and your learners' experiences and 'Numeracy is the ability, confidence and willingness ... to make informed decisions in all aspects of daily living', we will develop EAL strategies.

Speakers

Helena Ahn

NorQuest College

Helena Ahn is a LINC instructor from NorQuest College. Her many years as an EAL instructor has allowed her to venture into different cultural experiences allowing her to experience vast worldly perspectives right in the classroom. Helena has a BSc, BEd and a TESL Diploma from the... Read More →

Roger Moore

NorQuest College

Roger Moore is a 3M National Teaching Fellow and educator, who has engaged learners of all abilities, using face-to-face, hybrid and fully online course delivery, as well as, collect and disseminate 310 weekly Tuesday’s Terrific Teaching Tips as a way to celebrate the excellence... Read More →

Saturday October 19, 2019 9:25am - 10:10am MDT
Bonavista

10:25am MDT

Colour-Coding as a Teaching Tool in the ESL Literacy Classroom

During this workshop, the participants will experiment with different ways of using colour in a literacy classroom focusing on the development of learning strategies and literacy skills.

Speakers

Nataliya Lykhosherstova

The Immigrant Education Society (TIES)

Nataliya Lykhosherstova is a LINC instructor at The Immigrant Education Society, currently working with Foundation Literacy students. She has over 25 years of ESL teaching experience (9 of them is in Canada). Prior to working with the Society, Nataliya was an assistant professor at... Read More →

Saturday October 19, 2019 10:25am - 11:55am MDT
Rideau

10:25am MDT

Learning Technology – Leadership Workshop

LINC teachers and managers are motivated to innovate with learning technology, but struggle to balance competing time and resource demands. How can teachers and managers move ahead? Case studies in successful innovation will be a chance to talk about leadership. Participants will be able to share, discuss and reflect on opportunities, challenges and strategies for their classes and programs.

Speakers

Rob McBride

New Language Solutions

Rob McBride is the LearnIT2teach Project Manager of Communication, Evaluation and Administration, and has been the Executive Director of New Language Solutions since its inception in 1983. Rob has worked as a teacher, researcher, writer and producer, principally in the settlement... Read More →

Vesna Radivojevic

New Language Solutions

Vesna Radivojevic has been teaching EAL in the Greater Vancouver area for 20 years, mostly in settlement programs. She has been teaching in the LINC program at Vancouver Community College for the last 13 years, and one of her interests is teaching blended classes.

Saturday October 19, 2019 10:25am - 11:55am MDT
Eau Claire North

10:25am MDT

Maximizing the Language-Learning Potential of Learning English with CBC

In this interactive workshop, we will navigate through the Learning English with CBC website and explore features of this resource. Participants will learn how the content can be expended into a variety of activities that provide practice in all language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) within a task-based curriculum.

Speakers

Barbara Edmondson

Barbara Edmondson is an EAP teacher at the University of Alberta. She has a Master's in TESOL and has taught English in both Canada and Korea. She has worked on Learning English with CBC since 2012.

Justine Light

Justine Light has been the project manager of Learning English with CBC since 2010. She is the Assistant Director (Academic) at the English Language School, University of Alberta. As a former President of ATESL and Board member of TESL Canada, she is firmly committed to supporting... Read More →

Brock Wojtalewicz

Brock Wojtalewicz is an educational researcher. He has taught in a variety of programs (ESL, EAP, LINC, and TESL) and provides professional development sessions to ESL instructors. His research interests include second language acquisition, vocabulary development, and L2 writing assessment... Read More →

Saturday October 19, 2019 10:25am - 11:55am MDT
Eau Claire South

10:25am MDT

Taking Our 21st Century Language Instruction to Task

We do everything in our power to help our learners acquire the language they need. Our learners’ ability, however, does not reside in our power, but in theirs. Task-based instruction (TBI) reinforces learners’ awareness of their self-efficacy and agency. This workshop provides tools that make TBI possible with any lesson.

Speakers

Jayme Adelson-Goldstein

Lighthearted Learning

Jayme Adelson-Goldstein, Lighthearted Learning, is a curriculum consultant and teacher educator. Jayme works with adult school and community college agencies to help English language teachers’ maximize their learners’ outcomes using rigorous and contextualized instruction, aligned... Read More →

Saturday October 19, 2019 10:25am - 11:55am MDT
Nakiska

10:25am MDT

Teaching Reading and Writing to Low-Literacy Adult ESL Learners

This interactive workshop will demonstrate the three sources of information that readers use to make sense of print. It will explore the skills our students must learn in order to use these three sources of information. An assessment tool that captures concrete evidence of reading behaviours will also be introduced.

Speakers

Linda Peteherych

Burnaby School District Community & Continuing Education

Linda Peteherych has 27 years of experience teaching LINC, and a TESOL Diploma from VCC. She recently completed a 2-year in-service training program with elementary school teachers in a reading and writing intervention program for grade 1 learners. Linda applies this to her adult... Read More →

Saturday October 19, 2019 10:25am - 11:55am MDT
Bonavista

1:30pm MDT

Fostering Allyship

This workshop is to begin developing allyship skills within the classroom and between coworkers. Allyship is informed support, empathy and proactive engagement to people experiencing any type of marginalization. We will explore some of our privileges as EAL instructors and how to leverage this privilege to create a positive impact.

Speakers

Rowan Furlotte

Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)

Rowan Furlotte has been passionately teaching EAL for more than 4 years and has also worked as a curriculum developer creating materials focusing on inclusion and diversity to help newcomers integrate into Canadian society. Most recently, Rowan and their colleague Kate presented at... Read More →

Kate Ross

Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)

With more than 6 years of teaching EAL and a background in sociology, teaching newcomers has become a great passion of Kate Ross's. Kate has had the privilege to contribute to the social and cultural awareness in ISANS classes and is dedicated to the support of Canada’s immigra... Read More →

Saturday October 19, 2019 1:30pm - 2:15pm MDT
Bow Valley

1:30pm MDT

Ten “More” Terrific Teaching Tips to Continue the 40 Years of Excellence

Hanging 3 sided terms, Visibly Random Groups, Idiom Inventors and only seven other Terrific Teaching Tips will be uncovered in this fast-paced colourful workshop. As well, your excellent tips will be explored in this “we had to do more than warm the seat" workshop.

Speakers

Roger Moore

NorQuest College

Roger Moore is a 3M National Teaching Fellow and educator, who has engaged learners of all abilities, using face-to-face, hybrid and fully online course delivery, as well as, collect and disseminate 310 weekly Tuesday’s Terrific Teaching Tips as a way to celebrate the excellence... Read More →

Saturday October 19, 2019 1:30pm - 2:15pm MDT
Lake Louise

1:30pm MDT

Art Can Change Your Students Lives

When you ask your students to do something, do they do it joyfully? Art has the power to transform your classroom into a creative space where students become fully engaged in their own learning process. Art can enhance your teaching and help your students in ways you never expected.

Speakers

Marie Fontaine

Sacred Heart LINC program, ECSD

Marie Fontaine has been an ESL instructor for 21 years. She has extensive experience teaching all levels in various educational institutions in Canada and Germany. She is an artist and musician and is currently working on her first novel.

Saturday October 19, 2019 1:30pm - 3:00pm MDT
Eau Claire North

1:30pm MDT

Getting Down to Brass Tacks of PBLA

What are the essentials in assessment tasks for PBLA? This workshop works backward from a productive and receptive example to explore what really needs to be in an assessment tool and why. Learn or review the basics of CLB-aligned assessment and how to keep it simple.

Speakers

Lisa Herrera

Lisa Herrera has an MA in Educational Administration from UBC and is a CLB Lead Trainer and PBLA Regional Coach, training Lead Teachers and classroom teachers online. She taught in LINC/ELSA for 15 years and has been Lead Instructional Coordinator for ISSofBC LINC for 11 years.

Saturday October 19, 2019 1:30pm - 3:00pm MDT
Eau Claire South

1:30pm MDT

Promoting Indigenous Awareness: The Elders Speak

This workshop is for ESL practitioners looking for true and practical information to share about Indigenous Albertans. Through video, five Elders share knowledge on eight topics. These videos can be used with newcomers or other learners as primary source material. Sample lesson plans at CLB 3, 4 and 5 demonstrate ways to use the videos.

Speakers

Dorte Weber

NorQuest College

Dorte Weber, M. Ed. (TESL) University of Alberta, is the team lead of the Rural Routes program at NorQuest College. She has been an ESL instructor and program manager for 24 years. Her current responsibilities include improving access to professional development for ESL practitioners... Read More →

Saturday October 19, 2019 1:30pm - 3:00pm MDT
Mount Royal

2:25pm MDT

PBLA Lead Roles and Responsibilities - A Discussion

This brainstorming session is geared towards PBLA Leads and LINC Program administrators. We will discuss the roles and responsibilities of PBLA Leads according to the new framework provided in "PBLA Practice Guidelines" 2019 and discuss practical ways in which to meet expectations.

Speakers

Donna Clarke

The Immigrant Education Society (TIES)

Donna Clarke has a Bachelor of Education from McGill University and has been an ESL instructor for over 20 years. She has been working with Literacy students for 10 years and is currently a Literacy Lead at CIES in Calgary.

Laura Cutler

The Immigrant Education Society (TIES)

Laura Cutler has been teaching in the LINC Department at the Immigrant Education Society for more than 3 years. The motivation and confidence in applying to be a PBLA Lead came from Laura's exceptional binder management, pertinent and localized real-world task creations, and eagerness... Read More →

Daniel Ling

The Immigrant Education Society (TIES)

Daniel Ling has taught ESL for more than 10 years in both Canada and Malaysia. He is a LINC Instructor, currently teaching CLB 3-4, and PBLA Lead at The Immigrant Education Society in Calgary, Alberta. His research interests include reading and vocabulary pedagogy as well as curriculum... Read More →

Alice Zhao

The Immigrant Education Society (TIES)

Alice has taught English since 1982 and has been a LINC instructor since 2008. She is currently a PBLA Lead and a CLB 3/4 LINC Instructor at the Immigration Education Society. Alice is passionate about PBLA and that's why she has been sharing her expertise for a few years in a row... Read More →

Saturday October 19, 2019 2:25pm - 3:55pm MDT
Bow Valley

2:25pm MDT

Running Records: Invaluable Reading Assessment Tools That Inform Teaching

A Running Record is an easy-to-use assessment tool that captures concrete evidence of how a learner is processing text, so that the teacher is then able to immediately do some effective and individualized teaching. Participants of this hands-on workshop will learn how to take and analyze Running Records.

Speakers

Linda Peteherych

Burnaby School District Community & Continuing Education

Linda Peteherych has 27 years of experience teaching LINC, and a TESOL Diploma from VCC. She recently completed a 2-year in-service training program with elementary school teachers in a reading and writing intervention program for grade 1 learners. Linda applies this to her adult... Read More →

Saturday October 19, 2019 2:25pm - 3:55pm MDT
Bonavista