Announcements

May 29, 2020

Dear TESL Canada Members,

Trust you are keeping well in these challenging times. We just wanted to reach out to share with you the latest issue of the TESL Canada Connects newsletter. In it you will find an article related to teaching online as well as some recent announcements. For example, due to the current situation, we have reconfigured our TCEF professional learning bursaries so that they can be used for short courses offered through online technologies or a webinar series that has costs attached. Please submit your applications for these $250 bursaries by the deadline indicated on the form. Through TCEF funds (charitable arm of TESL Canada), we are happy to be able to support the professional learning of our members at this time of working and learning at home. In coordination with this initiative, we will be sending out regular updates of online offerings to augment social media posts.

In the last 6 weeks, we have been working closely with Teacher Training Programs in the last few weeks to find viable solutions for the current lack of face-to-face practica. New guidelines were announced on April 14th regarding this matter including an increase in the percentage of online teaching hours (both synchronous and asynchronous modes). Please stay tuned for further important updates in the coming month related to standards for future practicum placements given our new reality. Additionally, candidates who were not able to complete their practicum can apply to TESL Canada to receive provisional certification valid for 1 year, which can be renewed as permanent status as soon as teaching hours have been completed. Also related to certification, the IELTS Indicator is now valid as proof of English proficiency until F2F testing centres reopen.

The Settlement Language National Network (SLNN) committee will be launching a story-writing initiative to document the experiences of students and teachers in settlement language programs who have been learning and working at home. Teachers, please consider entering a series of individual learner stories or a collaborative shared story that we will publish. Entries will be randomly selected for a small cash prize that can be used to support the learning of your students. More information will be forthcoming on this SLNN initiative.

Finally, our VP, Don Moen, has been able to negotiate group rate insurance for TESL Canada members. Information is now on our website regarding this member benefit.

I wish to take this opportunity to thank all of the extra work taken on by TESL Canada board members, “office” staff, and committee members at this trying time. In addition to the work related to the financial audit, which has now been completed, committees have been hard at work to address issues arising and create new relevant initiatives at this time. But, more especially, I wish to extend my gratitude to all TESL Canada members who have had to draw on their resourcefulness, creativity, resilience, and hope during this global pandemic. We will stay in touch and wish you all health and wellness.

Take good care,
Paula Kristmanson
TESL Canada President

March 23, 2020

Hello TESL Canada Members,

We realize that this is a very busy and unsettling time for everyone right now. TESL Canada certainly recognizes this reality and will strive to continue regular communications with our membership. Additionally, we will do our utmost to keep our services running smoothly. To this end, before sending any documentation via Canada Post, could you please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for instructions. 

At this time and as spring approaches, we are pleased to be able to offer you another issue of TESL Canada Connects newsletter. Sadly, many provincial partners have had to make the tough decision to postpone or cancel their spring professional learning events. We hope to be able to fill the gap in face-to-face meetings and conferences by offering additional webinars. We were very fortunate to have had two webinars already this winter- one by Scott Douglas on vocabulary and another by Amea Wilbur related to trauma-informed teaching. We are so grateful to both of them for these excellent sessions and for this amazing service to colleagues in TESL Canada. We are hoping to have another webinar for April which will be announced shortly— stay tuned! If you would like to share your expertise with your TESL Canada colleagues via webinar, please do not hesitate to contact us. 

Again, our thoughts are with all of our members as worries about health abound. It is not an easy time for teachers and students- we are being called to be both resilient in disposition and innovative in teaching and learning. We are hopeful that better health news is on the horizon. 

Wishing you all the very best. Please take care and stay well. 

Paula Kristmanson, TESL Canada President

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