BC TEAL 2026 Annual Conference

Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC), as well as most provincially funded programs, are rooted in the CLB. As AI tools become more accessible and relevant, they are increasingly shaping teaching and learning practices in these programs, particularly at a time of sector restructuring. Educators are therefore faced with urgent questions of alignment and pedagogical appropriateness of these tools. This convergence raises critical questions about how AI use interacts with the CLB and what we are learning from early adoption of this technology.      
 
This fireside chat brings together knowledge experts and practitioners in CLB, second language acquisition, and generative AI to discuss AI applications for the CLB, including benefits and limitations. Participants will learn about the different ways AI is currently being used with the CLB as well as about potential future applications. 
 
The objectives of the sessions are to:
(1) examine how AI is being used in CLB-based instructional and assessment contexts;
(2) critically explore benefits, risks, and limitations of AI for language instruction and assessment;
(3) support educators in making informed, pedagogically sound choices about AI integration rooted in the CLB.
 
Rather than individual presentations, the moderator will engage the 3-person panel in a 35-minute focused discussion, eliciting responses, reactions, and thoughtful interactions in a natural, yet structured exchange. There will be 10 minutes for questions from the audience at the end. 
 
Among the topics discussed will be principled uses of AI in CLB-aligned content generation, such as creating realia for real-word tasks, classroom materials, and lesson plans; how it can be used for automated scoring and qualitative feedback in evaluation for different skills; how AI tools can ease teacher workload and help them navigate resources and documents; and how AI can develop both teacher and learner’s skills in using AI. 

In this panel discussion, various EAP assessments will be introduced and described in detail. 
Photovoice is a practice of image-making and storytelling inviting presence in EAP classrooms, where international students often navigate displacement, transition, and cultural dissonance. The photovoice illustrates how image-making opens space for self-connection, sense of place, and reflective meaning within cross-cultural journeys. The aesthetic assessment enables educators to see students more fully, attune to what matters to them, and respond with care while supporting both learning outcomes and students’ emerging identities.
The reading and vocabulary course engages students with readers for extensive reading and internet/book articles for analysing.  While reading projects allow students to choose a book and share meaningful moments, reading portfolios consist of differentiated articles offering both choice and level. Multimodal Assessments include video, drawing, ppt, reflection journal, concept map, and digital poster. 
The writing and grammar course uses a scaffolded assessment design to support multilingual students’ academic writing development. Assessments such as reflective journal writing promote language awareness, fluency, and metacognitive engagement. Genre-based writing portfolios require students to apply academic conventions across disciplines and contexts. Assessment criteria is positioned as both a learning tool and a bridge between students’ lived experiences and university-level academic discourse.
Students complete a cumulative capstone project in the form of a poster that brings together learning from all sections of the EAP course. Students choose one learning outcome from each of the sections of the EAP course and explain how each outcome connects to their future academic growth and personal lives. The capstone emphasizes reflection and synthesis with students often incorporating visuals, drawings, symbols, and personal narratives into their posters. Criteria covers major aspects of the EAP course.
Participants will leave with a toolkit of EAP assessments of language skills to use in their classrooms.