BC TEAL 2026 Annual Conference

This workshop focuses on Universal Design for Learning, neurodiversity, and metacognitive strategy training in adult LINC classrooms. While related approaches such as multisensory engagement, translanguaging, and guided technology are explored in depth in a companion session, this workshop centers on proactive instructional design and learner self regulation, highlighting how UDL and metacognitive practices can support learners who may experience reading, writing, attention, or processing challenges.
Participants are introduced to UDL as a design framework that anticipates learner variability from the outset. The session begins by examining observable indicators of possible learning differences and discussing how intentional planning can reduce barriers before they affect participation or progress. Translanguaging and multisensory strategies are briefly revisited as supporting methods within this broader framework.
The workshop then moves from theory to practice through clear classroom guidelines organized across two stages. Stage 1 focuses on building comprehension and confidence using multimodal input, guided translation, and structured word finding. Stage 2 emphasizes language expansion and production through reflective feedback, task based speaking and writing, and metacognitive self monitoring. Examples are aligned with receptive and productive skills and demonstrate how these strategies can be embedded into community based modules such as Health and Safety or Civic Engagement while maintaining alignment with PBLA competencies.
By integrating UDL with metacognitive practices across both stages, participants explore ways to enhance accessibility, learning efficiency, and effective use of teaching time. Attention is also given to supporting learner autonomy through goal setting, reflection, and strategy awareness.
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to apply UDL principles proactively, incorporate metacognitive strategies into LINC tasks, and use supportive techniques such as translanguaging to strengthen engagement. The final 15 minutes are dedicated to facilitated discussion, allowing participants to share experiences and co create practical adaptations for their own LINC contexts.

E-learning design is not just about technology. It is about the intersection of technology, content and pedagogy and based on deep practical insight from the classroom. Here we will share experiences with designing for lower Stage 1 learners. 

In this presentation we will outline key reasons why CLB 1 & 2 learners need digital skills for life in Canada. We will also discuss e-learning design considerations for low Stage 1 LINC learners including device use, literacy issues and tech familiarity and lead a discussion in the workshop. 

We will also showcase 1. H5P activities, including multimedia choice, 2. Wordwall, and 3. Simple YouTube videos and accompanying worksheets. We will also demonstrate how CLB 1 and 2 e-activities can be created from authentic materials and simulate real-world experiences and discuss the ways e-activities can be used in different modes (F2F, Zoom, asynchronously). Resource lists and cheat sheets on how to make the activities will be shared. 

Premise
 
Guided by an autonomy-oriented and learner-centered approach to teaching, the presenter aims to design activities that engage learners cognitively, emotionally, and physically to support meaningful learning outcomes. Implementing the PBLA requirement of self-reflection is no exception. Within PBLA, self-reflection is both a required component and a powerful learning tool supporting learners in taking ownership of their progress and learning needs (Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks [CCLB], 2014, 2019). However, implementing meaningful self-reflection can be particularly challenging in low-level LINC classes since adult learners may have had limited prior experience with in-class self-reflection practices (Abbott, 2019).
   
 Motivated by these challenges, the primary presenter designed a simple, structured, and engaging approach to self-reflection for lower Stage I CLB learners. Rather than treating reflection as a one-time task, the goal was to develop an ongoing process that helps learners understand both the concept of self-reflection and its importance in their learning. By breaking reflection into manageable steps and embedding it into regular classroom practice, this approach aims to make self-reflection meaningful, enjoyable, and achievable for learners at the earliest stages of language learning.
 
Outline
 
The session begins with brief interactive discussion questions to activate participants’ experiences with learner self-reflection. The primary presenter then introduces a step-by-step self-reflection model, using visuals, classroom samples, and documentation. She then shares how the model was implemented across different classes, presenting classroom evidence, learner outcomes, and adaptations from two participating LINC 2 instructors. The session continues with the second and third presenters, sharing findings with literacy/LINC 1 and LINC 1-2 classes. The final segment highlights practical digital tools and strategies for implementing the model in remote contexts.
 
Outcomes & Objectives
 
By the end of the session, participants will be able to identify practical self-reflection strategies for low-level learners, examine adaptable approaches across instructional contexts, and apply flexible tools to support learner autonomy and engagement.


 
References  
 
Abbott, M. L. (2019). Project report: Developing an interpretive argument to guide the use of portfolio-based language assessment in beginning adult English language literacy classes. P2P Canada. https://p2pcanada.ca/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2019/07/Portfolio-based-Language-Assessment-in-Beginning-Adult-English-Language-Literacy-Classes.pdf
Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks. (2014). Portfolio-
            based language assessment (PBLA): Guide for teachers and    
           programs. https://listn.tutela.ca/wp-content/uploads/PBLA_Guide_2014.pdf
Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks. (2019). PBLA practice guidelines 2019.  https://pblapg.language.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/PBLA-Practice-Guidelines-2019_978-1-897100-78-3-RA.pdf

With the closure of Stage II classes it is an important time to come together and share ideas and practical strategies to assist students, LINC staff including, admin, instructors and programs leaders with the challenges on the journey ahead. This presentation from MOSAIC's LINC Sector Coordination BC/Yukon offers ideas on supporting students, instructors, and program administrators through the transition after LINC 4.  Drawing from direct experience, this session will share ideas on key challenges and lessons learned on delivering program changes, and provide suggestions for guiding and coaching clients through their next steps. Grounded in adult education theory, this presentation shares insights on how clients can identify goals and engage in self- advocacy towards their employment, academic English, community and civic engagement goals after LINC 4. 

Since the shift to online learning during the pandemic, digital platforms have become a regular part of LINC programming. Literacy instructors continue to navigate how (and whether) the Moodle-based Avenue platform fits the needs of their learners. While some instructors find Avenue challenging and time-consuming, others have discovered practical ways to use it to support literacy development.This panel brings together instructors from different organizations across British Columbia who have used Avenue with literacy-level LINC learners. Panelists will draw on their classroom experience, focusing on the challenges they face, what they actually do in practice, and what has worked with their students. The session will showcase ready-to-use Avenue units and activities, as well as available supports, offering multiple perspectives shaped by different learner needs, program contexts, and levels of instructor comfort with technology.

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Relevance to the BC TEAL CommunityThis session reflects the conference theme by grounding digital instruction in the realities of literacy classrooms while responding to a changing instructional landscape. By centering instructor experience and learner needs, the panel supports relevant, adaptable EAL practices that acknowledge both opportunities and limitations of digital platforms in LINC literacy programs across BC.
Focus of Each Presenter’s Portion 

• Presenter 1: Moderator  Literacy Materials on Avenue and Instructor Support 
• Presenter 2: The use of Avenue in a Literacy/CLB 1 in-person course with 12-18 students as part of a weekly routine to enhance digital literacy and classroom material, as well as an exploration of constructive solutions to ease the login process, maintain a simple course design, and implement literacy-friendly activities through Avenue’s URL option.
• Presenter 3: Teaching LINC-Online for literacy learners in remote areas, focusing on accessibility to learning and practical strategies to engage with Avenue successfully. 
• Presenter 4: Administrative supports and systems that reduce barriers for literacy learners accessing online language training, and on building digital capacity in ways that are practical, sustainable, and learner-centered.
  
  Panelists are practicing LINC literacy instructors with hands-on experience using Avenue with literacy students. Their expertise is rooted in daily teaching practice and working directly with adult literacy learners in varied instructional contexts.

LINC classrooms are among the most linguistically and culturally diverse learning environments in Canada, with learners bringing multiple languages, learning preferences, and varied educational backgrounds. This workshop introduces a research-informed framework grounded in multisensory engagement, translanguaging, and guided technology. Drawing on neuroscience and TESOL literature, the session first clarifies what each of these approaches involves and how they work together to strengthen memory, inclusion, and learner engagement.
The workshop then moves from theory to practice by presenting clear classroom guidelines organized across two stages. Stage 1 focuses on building comprehension and confidence through guided translation, structured word finding, and multilingual meaning making. Stage 2 emphasizes language expansion and production through reflective feedback, vocabulary development, and task-based speaking and writing. Participants explore how the same principles can be applied across both stages to support listening, reading, speaking, and writing.
Using examples from receptive and productive skills, the session demonstrates how passive “snapshot” technology use can be replaced with guided practices that promote productive struggle, metalinguistic awareness, and learner autonomy. Attention is also given to how translanguaging validates learners’ identities while strengthening classroom community. By integrating multisensory engagement, translanguaging, and guided technology across Stage 1 and Stage 2, participants examine ways to enhance learning efficiency while also making more effective use of teaching time.
By the end of the session, participants will be able to connect research to classroom practice, apply adaptable guidelines across stages, and integrate the three clusters to support engagement, accuracy, and autonomy. The final 15 minutes of the workshop are dedicated to facilitated discussion, allowing participants to reflect on implementation challenges and share practical adaptations for their own LINC contexts.

If you have asked yourself one of the following questions, then this workshop will be of interest to you:

• How can volunteers help bridge the gap in settlement language and employment programs during times of funding cuts?
• What strategies make volunteers effective partners in supporting newcomers and instructors?
• What training do volunteers really need to succeed in second language classrooms, conversation circles, and community programs?

TESL Basics for Language Volunteers (TBLV), its French version AFIB, and the employment focussed TBLV Works, are free, online trainings that equip volunteers with essential tools to assist newcomers to learn a second language. TBLV courses were co-created with instructors and have been piloted with multiple cohorts of volunteer participants. The training includes topics such as cultural awareness, supporting language learning and integration into the workplace.
By the end of this session you will:

• Understand the role volunteers can play in settlement language and employment training programs for newcomers.
• Be able to identify effective strategies for integrating volunteers into classrooms and employment training programs to support both instructors and newcomers.
• Have gained practical ideas and tools for onboarding and training volunteers, addressing barriers, and maximizing their impact without increasing workload.
• Have explored the TESL Basics for Language Volunteers (TBLV), l’ABC du FLS pour instructeurs bénévoles (AFIB), and TBLV Works programs, including their purpose, content, and practical applications.

This session focuses on small ways LINC instructors can respond when students’ mental health challenges show up in class. Adult immigrant learners juggle work, parenting, settlement, health, and language stress, so mood, focus, or safety concerns often appear as absences, lateness, irritability, or disengagement. Using short LINC-based scenarios, we will explore how teachers can notice signs of distress, respond with empathy, and make appropriate referrals without becoming counsellors. The session highlights indirect regulation strategies (emotional check-ins, predictable routines, brain breaks) and clarifies boundaries, including when concerns feel heavy or unsafe and how to loop in settlement workers, counsellors, or admin.
By the end of the session, the audience will be able to more confidently notice and respond when mental health concerns show up in your LINC classroom. Firstly, they will be able to recognize common signs that a learner may be struggling with their mental health and understand the difference between noticing/responding and diagnosing. Secondly, they will be able to apply small, indirect strategies to support learner regulation and engagement. Finally, they will be able to use simple phrases to set boundaries and refer students to appropriate supports when concerns go beyond their role or raise safety issues.

This panel examines how classroom‑based volunteering can serve as a meaningful developmental pathway for language learners seeking future roles in education. In a TEAL landscape marked by rapid change, access barriers, and shifting learner demographics, volunteering creates space for learners to strengthen their language proficiency, workplace readiness, and emerging pedagogical identities through authentic participation in instructional environments. These practices align with the 2026 conference theme Rooted and Relevant: EAL Approaches in a Changing World, emphasizing flexible, learner‑centered approaches that respond to current sector challenges. 
Our focus is on learners who have limited access to full‑time language programming, including graduates of settlement‑language programs, temporary residents such as CUAET visa holders, and Stage 2 learners navigating fragmented or constrained educational pathways. Their experiences illustrate how volunteering can bridge structural gaps, foster confidence, and support career exploration within Canadian educational contexts. The session’s objectives are to: demonstrate how volunteering enhances language development, communication skills, and learner confidence through situated practice; illustrate how classroom volunteering supports workplace competencies and early pedagogical awareness for learners pursuing education‑related career pathways; and provide instructors with strategies for identifying, mentoring, and integrating learner‑volunteers in ways that benefit both volunteers and classroom communities. 
The panel includes multiple perspectives: one presenter examines language‑learning gains associated with classroom volunteering; another highlights how volunteering builds workplace readiness and community connections; a third discusses how volunteer engagement nurtures interest in education careers and supports foundational teaching skills. The chair synthesizes these insights, situates them within broader TEAL sector shifts, and facilitates discussion on practical implications for instructors and programs. Participants will leave with evidence‑informed strategies for leveraging learner‑volunteer strengths, fostering inclusive community‑rooted practices, and responding to sector challenges in ways that remain both rooted in learner needs and relevant to evolving TEAL contexts.

We live in interesting times in the national LINC program. In 2026, 29 years since CLB 5 programming was introduced, LINC will cease offering English instruction at CLB 5, 6, 7, and 8. Add to that funder-mandated cost-saving program cuts, and many teachers will be scrambling for a new job. If they stay in LINC, they will need to adapt their teaching approach to be successful with Stage I LINC learners. This means adapting the style of communication used in the classroom, the pacing of lessons and approach to instructions and activities, and importantly, the choice of teaching materials.


Changing to a new CLB level and making all these adaptations is stressful! From the combined 130+ years experience in the LINC and EAL fields of the presenters, feeling comfortable at a new CLB level can take several months of trial and error; more if the teacher is new or newer to teaching and classroom management. Over that time, teachers can become frustrated and exhausted, especially when learners don’t understand and don’t progress.


In this hands-on workshop, the ISSofBC LINC Instructional Coordinator team will provide guidance and direction to participants on how to adapt their teaching approach to a new LINC teaching assignment and much more quickly meet the needs of Stage I CLB level learners. Both new and experienced teachers will learn how to adjust their classroom and written communication to the CLB Profile of Ability of learners; how to choose appropriate materials based on the CLB Features of Communication; and what interactive, communicative lesson delivery needs to look like for Stage I CLB learners to succeed. Teachers will walk away feeling better prepared and more confident to thrive in a new teaching assignment in Stage I LINC.

This CCLB Professional Learning Session supports LINC instructors to use AI ethically, confidently, and effectively in PBLA‑aligned classrooms. Grounded in current Canadian guidance on the responsible use of generative AI, the session highlights key considerations such as privacy, transparency, and accountability when using AI tools with learners. Through discussion and problem‑solving activities, instructors will examine common challenges such as bias, over‑reliance on AI, and use of professional judgement to name a few, and leave with concrete strategies and questions to guide ethical decision‑making in their own LINC classrooms.


Learning outcomes:  
 
▪ Learn about the Canadian government standards for the use of AI  
▪ Explore appropriate uses of AI in a PBLA-aligned language learning class 
 ▪ Practice identifying problems and solutions with using AI in LINC