TESL Canada Journal
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To Homestay or to Stay Home: The Canadian-Japanese Experience
No full textThe experiences of 19 Japanese high school students in a homestay program are described. They were interviewed three times during their academic year in Canada; 13 of the students were interviewed again in Japan four months later. Although students made gains in English proficiency, several expressed dissatisfaction with the organization of the homestays. They were distressed by the lack of information provided prior to departure and the inaccurate representation of their homestay environments. Students complained about lack of access to counselling promised. Despite significant agency fees, no tuition was paid to schools, no stipend was paid to homestay families, and the students felt that little program money was spent monitoring their progress. Although the problems associated with this particular program may be isolated, there should be no tolerance for homestays that do not safeguard the students' interests. The authors make suggestions for stricter regulations regarding agencies offering homestay experiences
The Use of CLBA Scores in LINC Program Placement Practices in Western Canada
No full textResults of a survey of19 ESL/LINC programs in western Canada regarding the use of CLBA scores for in-class placement purposes are provided. The authors present and discuss factors that contribute to the need, where applicable, for additional placement testing by some programs, and how these factors are in part related to different functions of tests, to varying approaches to scoring (holistic and analytical), and to the format by which the assessment results are communicated. Issues of concern to LINC administrators and recommendations for addressing these concerns are also presented
Feedback on Feedback: Preservice ESL Teachers Respond to Evaluation Practices
No full textAlthough a number of studies have examined the role of teacher feedback in ESL students' learning, equal attention has not been paid to how ESL teachers make feedback decisions based on their preservice preparation. In this article, preservice ESL teachers respond to various forms of feedback that they received in their TESL Methodology course, and offer insights into how these individual responses will shape their own evolving feedback practices. Quoting from students' journal entries and audio taped group discussions, this action research project reveals that preservice ESL teachers were pleased with the wide variety offered back formats and sources used in this course and that they intended to replicate this variety in their own classrooms. In general, this small group of preservice ESL teachers liked feedback that was immediate, detailed, ungraded yet critical, and focused. They preferred feedback to come from credible and authoritative sources
Preparing a Questionnaire for a Business Report
No full textIn my business writing classes, I usually use imaginary situations for the writing assignments. When a real-life situation arose, I was glad to challenge my students with preparing a questionnaire to be used by the ESL program. Furthermore, the students used this questionnaire as an important part of their report assignment. The steps simulated the procedure followed in many business situations and hence helped students develop knowledge of business procedures and related language skills. The students worked through all the steps, experienced problems, solved the problems, and wrote a real business report in their writing course
Age and Second Language Acquisition in Adulthood: The Learning Experiences and Perceptions of Women Immigrants
No full textAlthough considerable evidence indicates that age of onset for second language acquisition is related to second-language proficiency outcomes among adult learners Jew studies have actually looked at how adult learners of different ages experience and perceive second language acquisition. This study presents 30 women immigrant learners' accounts of their experiences and perceptions of learning English as a second language in the Canadian context. Findings from this study reveal the complexity of adult L2 acquisition, which involves factors pertaining not only to the learners themselves, but also to the social context in which the second language is learned. Implications of these findings are discussed in relation to the second language curriculum development and classroom practice
Peer Response in ESL Writing
No full textThis article explores the value of peer response groups in English as a second language (ESL) writing classes. It reports on some of the findings of a study (Tithecott, 1997) conducted in a small university college in Western Canada with 12 international students from Asia to investigate: (a) what the perceptions of students were with regard to peer response and whether their perceptions changed over time; (b) what kind of activities students engaged in during peer response sessions; and (c) whether and how students changed their writing as a result of participating in response sessions. Research methodology included examining and analyzing student journal entries, audiotapes of peer response sessions, and the drafts and final versions of student writing. Results show that Asian ESL students tended to be positive about peer response and that they became somewhat more positive as the semester progressed. Although they appreciated the benefits of peer response, they had some concerns about peer feedback. Some students revised their writing using peer comments. During the peer response sessions students engaged in a variety of social, cognitive, and linguistic activities as they worked to accomplish the assigned task
Play: A Fundamental Equalizer for ESL Children
No full textThe findings in the following article were gathered from a qualitative study designed to elicit the impact of providing play opportunities for children in the upper elementary school grades. One of the major themes that the researcher discerned was that play had a significant influence on ESL children by facilitating communication and socialization at the same time as it nurtured independence and self-esteem. This report, then, (a) rationalizes the use of play in classes for children 9-11 years of age, (b) defines play, and (c) describes how play influences ESL children specifically
