In Canada, the federally funded Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) program follows a task-based language teaching (TBLT) approach using the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB). Aligned with other communicative language approaches, TBLT de-emphasizes systematic instruction of the morpho-syntactic elements of language. Although TBLT…

This article explores the meaning, form, and pronunciation of narrative tenses for intermediate English language learners, addresses common learner issues, and proposes solutions through a combination of literature review and classroom-based activities. Challenges include differentiating between tenses, correct usage, and pronunciation of past…

Most EFL classrooms focus on building students' grammatical accuracy by learning rules and demonstrating mastery of form through exam-oriented assessments, rather than building fluency in the language by applying grammar in communication to make meaning. Moreover, grammar instruction is often rooted in materials that lack relevance to students'…

Starting from a justification of explicit approaches to grammar teaching, this article discusses grammar materials used within a hybrid learning context at the Open University in the United Kingdom and the cognitive principles reflected in their design. The authors argue that as part of a socio-cognitive theoretical approach, explicit…

This article describes how a class dedicated to supporting language needs in concurrent science courses developed complex grammatical literacy with an emphasis on a functional understanding of language for technicality, precision, and persuasion. The success of the curriculum was predicated on three factors: the grammatical content selection and…

Digital literacy skills are crucial twenty-first-century skills that are required for the successful use of technology and active engagement in today's world. However, there is a lack of effective resources and guidelines for developing English as a second language (ESL) learners' digital literacy skills. Due to their increasingly important and…

Canada's social and educational policies have always involved immigrant settlement and English/French bilingualism. Research on writing in second languages emerged in the 1980s from graduate programs of education and applied linguistics at major universities in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and Vancouver, particularly done by scholars investigating…

Since its implementation in 2004, the Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses (CELBAN) has been accepted as evidence of language ability for licensure of internationally educated nurses (IENs) in Canada. This article focuses on the complexities of sustaining an occupation-specific assessment over time. The authors reference the…

Literacy in a first language or in additional languages involves a set of complex cognitive, social, and linguistic skills that develop over time. However, pedagogical materials for low-proficiency English as an additional language (EAL) learners tend to target low-level literacy skills only, such as responding to fact-based questions. Materials…

Culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) which provides a general framework for working with culturally and linguistically diverse learners has become the reality in the contemporary elementary classroom in Canada and around the world. This theory-to-practice article presents five research-based teaching practices which make a tangible impact on…

This article provides an overview of a digital storytelling proyecto final (final project) completed by 18 young bilingual Latinxs as part of a Spanish for "heritage/native" speakers course at a university in the U.S. Midwest. Specifically, the article charts out the move from concepto (concept) to proyecto, zooming in on key aspects of…

A strong willingness to communicate (WTC) in a second language is associated with successful language learning. ESL learners with high levels of WTC will seek opportunities to interact in meaningful communication in English. Engagement in meaningful communication is necessary for language learning as it increases access to comprehensible input,…

For novice and expert English language teaching professionals alike, it is important to understand the dynamic complexity of the context in which we work to intentionally and strategically forge a relevant and personally meaningful, continuing professional development path. English language teaching has long outgrown a…

This Perspectives article proposes a renewed vision of teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) through a translanguaging (TL) stance, grounded in critical sociolinguistic inquiry and embodied practice. A TL theory of language asserts an activist agenda to dismantle mono/lingualism, inviting a more dynamic and expansive view of…

Professional development in the K-12 English language teaching (ELT) classroom is an evolving entity that focuses on meeting the needs of changing demographics and latest educational trends. As a result, many texts have been published with the intention of providing the necessary skills educators need for success in their classrooms and to…