Abstract Book of the 8th International Conference on Innovative Research in Education
Year: 2025
[PDF]
Learning by Doing: When theory becomes practice in a TESOL program in Canada
Douglas C. Severo
ABSTRACT:
My study is about a collaborative, experiential learning project designed to bridge the gap between theory and practice in a graduate-level TESOL program in Canada. Recognizing the limitations of coursework-only approaches to teacher education, the initiative paired TESOL students with in-service ESL instructors teaching adult newcomers in federally funded programs. Over seven structured phases—including contextual orientation, teacher-student meetings, activity design, and feedback exchange—TESOL students designed listening and speaking tasks tailored to the specific needs of real learners, using the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) and grounded in task-based and communicative approaches. Feedback from 18 participating ESL teachers revealed three key outcomes: increased pedagogical competence among TESOL students, a deeper awareness of adult learner contexts, and mutual professional benefit. Teachers praised the initiative for its authenticity, practical value, and collaborative ethos, noting that TESOL students demonstrated both instructional skill and reflective responsiveness. While logistical challenges such as timing and limited in-person engagement were noted, these were framed as opportunities for refinement in future iterations. The discussion situates the project within contemporary calls for practice-based, community-embedded teacher education models, highlighting how such initiatives can enhance teacher identity formation and promote justice-oriented pedagogy. Ultimately, the project illustrates that meaningful field engagement can be successfully embedded within coursework when grounded in intentional design, mutual respect, and real-world relevance. This model offers a scalable, sustainable framework for experiential learning that enriches TESOL teacher preparation while contributing meaningfully to the broader adult education community.
Keywords: TESOL teacher education, Experiential learning, Task-based learning, ESL, Adult education, Collaborative curriculum development