PD workshops online
We bring the latest professional development workshops straight to your screen using innovative online technology we call webinars. Watch and listen to a "live" facilitator and follow the seminar's Powerpoint slides. Some presentations have teaching materials for download.

NEW TEACHERS workshops

This is the Adult Language Training Brach series for "newbies," given by Joanne Pettis, M.Ed (TESL), co-ordinator, Adult EAL Curriculum Development and Implementation.

• Overview of Adult EAL in Manitoba
  This session describes the types of government-funded Adult EAL programs and services throughout the province. It also includes information about immigration.
  DOWNLOAD: Activity 1 | Activity 2
  
  
• Introduction to the Canadian Language Benchmarks 2000
  The session explains the principles and key features of the CLB system and illustrates with personal examples how it can be used in the assessment of learners.
  DOWNLOAD: Activity | Activity Key | Writing Sample 1 | Sample 2 | Sample 3
  
  
• Task-based teaching
  This session introduces teachers to a process for determining thematically related, "real-world" language task goals.
  DOWNLOAD: Terms & Concepts | Sorting | Events | Language Items | Task & Text
  
  
• Lesson planning
  This covers topics such as characteristics of good lesson planning, planning the day and types of learning activities and how to approach awareness-raising activities.
  DOWNLOAD: Activity | Samples | Template
  
  
• Language assessment
  This session discusses issues of assessment and leads participants through the process of developing appropriate language assessment tasks and rubrics.
  DOWNLOAD: CLB 2 Writing Assessment Task | CLB 6 Speaking Assessment Task
  DOCUMENTS FOUND ELSEWHERE:
  • Reading & Writing Rubrics can be found at immigratemanitoba.com
  • Picture story using illustrations only from Unit 34 (Going to Bed), page 46-47, English for Everyday Activities: A Picture Process Dictionary, New Readers Press. Available in Canada through Grass Roots Press.
  
  
  

2008 ALT BRANCH conference

Here are webcasts of the presentations from the 2008 ALT Branch fall conference.

• Keynote address: Willingness to communicate
  Peter MacIntyre, Cape Breton University discusses second language communication and practical solutions in fostering a willingness to communicate among students in a social context.
  
  
• Accelerated learning techniques
  Grace Eidse, director of the ENTRY Program (Winnipeg's immigrant orientation class), discusses whole-brain learning techniques that stimulate all senses, learning styles and intelligences.
  
  
• Dynamic delivery
  Paul Vieira, program co-ordinator, English for Specific Purposes, University of Winnipeg, shows how to inspire and motivate students through high-level communication and interpersonal skills, igniting your teaching delivery and boosting learner confidence.
  
  
• Teaching grammar in context
  Gail Tiessen, professor emeritus of TESOL at Providence Seminary, provides a convincing rationale for the Adult EAL instructor's developing a greater understanding of the needs and goals of the EAL learner before developing lessons or curricula to ensure the essential aspects of grammar are included in instruction. Schick then provides a model of how the EAL professional can construct a module or curriculum based on these identified needs.
  
  
• Collaborative Language Portfolio Assessment
  Jo-Anne Schick of the Adult Language Training Branch discusses CLPA as an example of authentic, task-based assessment, as well as the implementation of the CLPA in the Adult EAL classroom, especially when providing EAL learners with progress reports based on the Canadian Language Benchmarks.
  
  
• Teaching multi-level classes
  Using her own experiences as an adult EAL instructor, Ann Tigchelaar and the audience talk about the challenges of working with multiple learning levels within a single class, how to overcome these challenges, and how to create a community within a classroom of multilevel learners.