EAL Teacher Training: Are We Doing Enough?

Natalie Ryan
Academic Coordinator
Toronto Film School / Yorkville University

Let’s gather and reflect on training for English as an Additional Language (EAL) teachers in Canada and how effectively it prepares instructors for intercultural and transformative practices in the classroom. The aim of this session is to collect ideas from EAL professionals as to how we can bolster a more empowering teaching and learning experience within the EAL industry.

The Eaquals Academic Management Competency Framework

Julian L'Enfant M.Ed., Dip.RSA
Educational Developer, Teacher Support
Saint Mary’s University

In recent years there have been an increasing number of conversations about what makes an effective Academic Manager in an English Language Teaching Organisation. While available training courses exist and are valuable, Academic Managers, both new and experienced, often require more targeted professional development that is more in line with their specific context. In 2021, Eaquals (Evaluation & Accreditation of Quality in Language Services) published the Academic Management Competency Framework. In this session, we’ll look at the qualities and values of management that underlie the framework, consider who benefits from using the framework, and evaluate its potential usefulness in your context.

Exploring the Responses of English for Academic Purposes Instructors to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action with Action Research

Simone Hengen
Instructor, English Language Program
University of Regina

Through the Calls to Action, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) (2015) invites Canadians to learn the history of Canada's Treaties and residential schools, and build a society where Indigenous languages and culture thrive, and Indigenous nations share in Canada's wealth. English language classrooms play an important role in implementing the Calls to Action since they are often the first point of contact new Canadians and international students have with the culture and values of their university and Canada.

This presentation explores how one instructor is taking up the Calls to Action in her pedagogy and classroom practices. It describes a response to the TRC Calls to Action within an English for Academic Purposes and explains how those teaching experiences inform an ongoing study.

From Language Proficiency to Post-secondary Studies: How to Ensure the Success of Pathway Students

Ali Noori
Director, ILSC Toronto and University Pathway and Higher Education Program
ILSC Education Group

Danielle Freitas
Associate Dean of the English Language Institute
Fanshawe College

This presentation explores the full journey of pathway students (in Canada), from before arrival to graduation from college/university. The focus is on best practices at different legs of this journey, including pre-arrival services offered by the language provider/post-secondary institution, and the support students receive while studying at each institution. While the presented data will be from ILSC and Fanshawe College, the data will be representative of most Pathway students regardless of the institution they study at.

How Online Orientations Can Facilitate F2F Learning

John Friel
Director of Studies
EC Toronto

Jon Chodarcewicz
Centre Director
EC Toronto

Despite pandemic restrictions being lifted, online new student orientations, rather than face-to-face (F2F), can create a more efficient, personalized and effective induction for incoming students. A comparison of pre- and post-pandemic orientation delivery methods will be detailed in this session, along with the numerous benefits that online orientations can provide to administrators, teachers and students.

Internationalization of the Instructional Delivery of EAP Programs

Ayesha Mushtaq
Associate Director of ESL Department
Dalhousie University

This presentation will explore ways of internationalizing the EAP programs through an examination of our current practices as language educators from an Intercultural Teaching Competence (ITC) framework lens. Participants will gain an understanding of the ITC framework and brainstorm how to apply the framework in their contexts.

Learn How to Teach FLS While Working: Competency-Based Approach

Hélène Rochon
Language Training Coordinator
Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB)

Nicole Poirier
Manager
Collège Communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB)

The Collège Communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB) has developed a Microcertificate in Teaching French as a Second Language, funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Join us for this session to learn about this training program that will be available to teachers across Canada in 2023. The 135-hour program will be offered in an asynchronous format. This format allows trainees to progress at their own pace, with guidance from experts in the field. The training highlights the challenges of teaching French as a second language in a minority francophone context. In addition, it focuses on skills development, with practice integrated into theoretical learning to allow the practical application of classroom learning. The training is designed in a modular fashion, so that each module is self-contained and complementary to the others. No prerequisites are required for this training. It will be possible to register per module on demand, in continuous enrolment, full time or part time. The 4 sections of the course are: Learning, Teaching, Language, and Assessment.

Microcredentials in Language Education

Jennifer MacDonald
Director, English Language Studies and University Access
Dalhousie University

Dianne Tyers
Dean, Faculty of Open Learning and Career Development
Dalhousie University

Microcredentials provide ""bite-sized"" recognition of learning which is competency-based and validated by industry. While they gain popularity in many educational sectors, they are an undertapped resource in language education. This talk will explore opportunities and challenges around microcredentials in the language sector, related to development, assessment and marketing.

Where Are We Headed? Integrity and Translation Software and Internet Tools

Elizabeth Matthews
Assistant Director, English Language Institute
Renison University College, University of Waterloo

There has been a growing awareness among English for Academic Purposes (EAP) instructors of the prominence that AI software and translators have assumed in the EAP classroom – both covertly and overtly. Participants will discuss questions such as whether translator use in an EAP classroom should be permitted or even encouraged, implications around academic integrity, as well as how such use impacts language acquisition, fluency and the overall literacy needed for study at an English medium university/college.

Canada’s International Education Strategy – Past, Present and Future

Jean-Philippe Tachdjian
Executive Director, International Education Division
Global Affairs Canada

In the year ahead, Global Affairs Canada will lead the development of Canada’s next five-year International Education Strategy. The first IES (2014-19) fixated on numeric inbound international student targets, which were exceeded far ahead of schedule. The second iteration of the IES (2019-24) shifted focus to diversification of international students and increasing outbound mobility of Canadian students. This presentation will reflect on the successes and shortcomings of the past two strategies, and outline the vision and process for the creation of the 2024-29 IES.

Future Skills: What Will Make Our Students Employable?

Mike Mayor
Senior Director, English Learning Research and Design
Pearson

In 2017, Pearson partnered with Nesta and Oxford Martin School to explore the skills that employers would be looking for in 2030. At that time, much was being made about the impact of technology and automation on jobs, and research indicated a disconnect between the opinion of chief academic officers, who felt they were preparing their students for the workplace, and employers who were struggling to find candidates with the right skill set. The global pandemic has, if anything, accelerated changes in the job market and the future seems more uncertain than ever. What is it that we as educators can do to prepare our learners for such uncertainties? What are the skills that will make them employable in 2030 and beyond? And is it the place of ELT teachers to be teaching these skills? This presentation explores the issues within the context of Pearson’s Employability Framework and introduces the Skill Development Frameworks that have been developed with experts from around the world to help identify increasing mastery of these future skills.

Language, Integration, and Work in Tourism and Hospitality – A Pilot Project

Jasmine Qi
Senior Manager, Program Development and Innovation
Tourism HR Canada

Rachel Lindsey
Director of Public Affairs and Operations
Languages Canada

Language students are a natural fit for Canada’s tourism and hospitality businesses, which are struggling to find employees with the right skills, to fill jobs from housekeeping to front-of-house managers. Languages Canada and Tourism HR Canada are working together on the design of a pilot project to support access to work for language students while addressing the labour deficit in Canada’s visitor economy. In this session, LC and THRC will present the concept and vision for the pilot, and scalability to other sectors.

NPS and Employee Engagement

Elisa Gazzola
Center Director and Customer Service Lead for North America
EC English

“Always treat your employees exactly as you want them to treat your best clients." What does this statement mean to you? We will look at the correlation between employee engagement and a high Net Promoter Score (NPS).

Regional Perspectives – Building Community, Diversity and Prosperity in Nova Scotia

The Honorable Jill Balser
Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration of Nova Scotia

Shawna Garrett (Moderator)
President and CEO, EduNova

Wendy Luther
President and CEO, Halifax Partnership

Allister Surette
Rector and Vice Chancellor, Université Sainte-Anne

Government, higher education institutions, and industry all have an important stake in shaping Atlantic Canada’s communities, and share common challenges with respect to labour, skills, demographics and cultural integration. This session will share regional perspectives on the issues impacting the growth and prosperity of Atlantic Canada, and the role that English and French language programs can play.

The Great Resignation: Maintaining Motivation and Productivity in Turbulent Times

Paul Denman
Brand Director
The Language Gallery Canada

Hannah Pyo
English for Academic Purposes Manager
Toronto School of Management

Recent shifts and turbulence in the economy, along with changes in attitude to the workplace, have naturally also affected the language learning industry. This interactive workshop looks at causes of these trends and what managers and leaders can do to maintain motivation, productivity, and quality of learning for students.

Why Government Should Prioritize Language Schools!

Harris Rosen
Harris Rosen Professional Corporation

Does government understand the vital role of language schools in meeting Canada's acute labour market demand and dire need for a tax base? Language is vitally important for most service careers, particularly for those jobs that rely almost entirely on human interaction. Newcomers seeking to fill positions in health professions — nursing or medical device operation for example — require solid knowledge of the vocabulary attached to that field. Language is often the first obstacle for new Canadians who hope to achieve a higher standard of living than they had in their country of origin. English-language training provides the necessary tool to achieve that. This session examines current limitations in "exporting" Canada's higher education product to international students, and how the language school sector, industry, and government can work together to elevate the importance of this sector to Canada's economy and meeting the needs of industry.

Becoming a Recognized Organization with International Experience Canada

Sean Lynch
Assistant Director
International Experience Canada
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

Advanced registration for this session is encouraged. Registered LC members will be invited to participate in an advanced briefing in order to maximize the use of the workshopping time in this session. Register here >

International Experience Canada (IEC) is a program managed by IRCC which provides reciprocal work and travel opportunities for Canadian and foreign national youth aged 18-35. IEC is built on Canada’s reciprocal youth mobility agreements with over 30 countries. Many youth who come to Canada under the IEC program also study English and/or French during their time here. While youth can apply to the IEC program directly, some may access the program by applying through a Recognized Organizations (RO). ROs are partners that provide support for two-way youth mobility.

In spring 2023, IEC will launch a call for applications for new ROs. Languages Canada and the IES team are exploring the possibility of Languages Canada and/or one or more LC members becoming an RO. This session will be part presentation, part workshop, in which interested LC members will discuss possibilities for an RO model that can increase access to work-while-study opportunities for international language students in Canada, while supporting outbound mobility opportunities for Canadian youth.

Global Affairs Canada and Trade Commissioner Service 101

Suehila Elkateb
Deputy Director, International Education Division
Global Affairs Canada

Audrée Vachon
Digital Marketing Manager, EduCanada
Global Affairs Canada

Fevronia Novac
Trade Commissioner – Academic Cooperation
Embassy of Canada in Paris

Join representatives from the International Education Division at Global Affairs Canada to discuss the work done by the Federal Government to help promote Canada as the destination of choice for international students. From targeted digital marketing campaigns promoting Canada’s wealth of education offerings to our bilateral relationships on education with key foreign governments to our broad range of scholarships for international students, Global Affairs Canada supports in a number of fascinating areas of the Education sector. A Trade Commissioner from the Embassy of Canada in Paris will also join the panel to highlight the work done by our diplomatic network abroad.

The Canadian LOA Verification System

Diego Sanchez (Moderator)
Director, International Affairs
Languages Canada

Ganesh Neelanjanmath
Founder and CTO
iCent

Hugo Silva Franco
Sales Account Manager – Corporate
Air Canada

With the Canadian LOA Verification System, education institutions can efficiently generate standardized Letters of Acceptance that are easily verifiable by government officials, reducing visa processing and port of entry wait times for international students, while protecting the reputation of Canadian education institutions and integrity of Canada’s immigration system. Learn more about the Canadian LOA Verification System in this session, and how LC members can benefit.

ICEF Agent Voice - Insights into Global Student Recruitment Agents

Chris Paredes
Business Development Manager for Western Canada and French Programs
ICEF

Monèle Schrot
Director of French Programs
ICEF

The ICEF Agent Voice is a bi-annual survey of ICEF-screened agents from over 100 countries. It compares agent perspectives and how they are adapting and responding to global challenges. Insights into where agents plan to send future students, key marketing strategies, and what they need from partner institutions will be highlighted.

Social Media Trends for Schools: 2023

Philippe Taza
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Higher Education Marketing

2022 was a big year for social… and 2023 will be no different. But what do schools need to know about marketing on social media in 2023? Join us for a briefing on the latest trends and developments in social media for school marketers and make 2023 the year where your social media efforts hit the mark. During the session, HEM Founder and CEO Philippe Taza will explore:

• The biggest trends of 2022
• Why are users on social media in 2023?
• 2023 trends on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube
• Tips for succeeding with paid social

At Your Service! Curating Community and Elevating the Student Experience with a Student Concierge

Gary Gervais
Founder and President
Heartland International English School

Jasmin Geling
Student Concierge
Heartland International English School

In January 2022, Heartland created a “Student Concierge” position as a response to industry changes caused by the pandemic — an innovative attempt to dedicate staff and space to support and empower students throughout their entire journey. Our efforts have centred around the ideas of curation, personalization, and one-to-one student support as a way to build and anchor students to a community. This panel presentation will outline the inspiration behind this project, and our takeaways over the course of 14 months. We hope to facilitate an important dialogue that addresses the future of the “student experience,” the importance of “place,” and the messiness of starting something new.

How to Leverage the Reach of Global Student Service Providers to Diversify

Carlos Cantu
Education Partnerships Director Canada
PeopleCert

Seorim Choe
International Marketing Officer
Coast Mountain College

According to IRCC data, currently, more than 50% of Canada's international students come from two countries – India and China. This session will discuss how global student service providers, such as LanguageCert, can help institutions diversify the countries from which international students come to Canada, as well as their fields, levels of study, and location of study within Canada. The session will also explore the benefits of integrating employer-aligned certifications into academic programs and share insights, case studies, experiences, and best practices. By aligning industry credentials and English proficiency certifications with student learning, programs can improve students' career readiness and demonstrate the relevance of their programs to the job market in Canada and other countries.

Student Support Evolved - Student Lifecycle CRM for Language Schools

Ganesh Neelanjanmath
Founder
iCent app

Many schools struggle to find a student support strategy that strikes the right balance between customer service that hits the mark for their students, and system automation to aid staff in offloading manual tasks. This presentation will cover case studies of a Student Support CRM at various language schools.

T.I.P the Balance for Authentic Connections. Building on Opportunity for Choice, Collaboration, and Re-Connection

Christina Furtado
Mental Health and Wellness Specialist
Guard.meCARES

Kendall Jahmal Doucette
Mental Health and Wellness Consultant
Guard.meCARES

There is no individual wellness without community wellness - it is a cyclical relationship. Committed to uniting people and ideas, this session will share and learn ways of building a culture for healing, learning key practices for increasing psychological safety and creating greater resilience for all parts of our diverse communities.

Cutting Edge Quality Assurance

J.R. Lockwood
Principal Assessment Scientist
Duolingo English Test

Join J.R. Lockwood and Sam Fleischmann for a presentation on the Duolingo English Test’s cutting edge approach to quality assurance. The presentation will showcase the AQuAA dashboard, an innovative and unique tool for monitoring and improving test quality, and will delve into the scoring process and test design, emphasizing how the Duolingo English Test stands out in the field. The speakers will also discuss the future of language testing and the importance of score concordance in ensuring fair and accurate results. Attendees will gain valuable insights into the commitment to quality that sets Duolingo English Test apart in the field of language assessment.

Identifying the Correct Comparator Between Language Tests

Kim Dienhoff
Commercial Director IELTS
IDP Education

In the world of high-stakes tests, benchmarking is key to measuring progress and performance against others in the field. This said, not all English Language tests are benchmarked in the same way. Some, like IELTS, are appropriately compared against the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) and the Common European Framework, while others are not, relying on test-to-test comparisons that do not accurately show a test taker’s language abilities in comparison with the language standard(s) and that may result in incorrect alignment, particularly at sub score levels. The potential consequences include (but are not limited to): difficulty transitioning into and completing university programs, inadequate English language knowledge requiring additional supports, and reputational impacts within the international education community. This session will provide an overview of the importance of adequate and consistent English language test benchmarking standards.

Supporting You to Support Them: Equipping ELTs with the Skills to Prepare Students for the TOEFL iBT® Test and Classroom Communication

Jazzme Anin Blackwell
Director of TOEFL® Learning and Support
ETS

Esther Park
Associate Director of TOEFL® Client Relations in Canada
ETS

Understanding the vital role that English-language teachers (ELTs) play in supporting the aspirations of English-language learners, the TOEFL program at ETS has expanded its portfolio to include new products and services to support and empower ELTs. In this presentation, attendees will be given a tour of the TOEFL® GoMentor!™ portfolio, which ranges from professional development courses and workshops to lessons and activities that can be used in the classroom.

What Makes a Good English Language Test and Its Eco-System

Philip Rylah
Regional Examinations Director Americas
The British Council

Dahlia Younan
Senior Account Manager, IELTS
The British Council

English language testing has undergone a rapid transformation because of the pandemic and technological innovation, shifting from a centre-based approach towards a more flexible online offering. The merits and weaknesses, measured against modern considerations of equity, access, reliability, and student experience, will be discussed in this session, alongside innovations for test takers and organizations.