Currently viewing the category: "EAP"

Google docs for academic writing process

By On January 26, 2015

Google docs works well to model the writing process with EAP students, who are navigating the expectations and mechanics of an undergrad research paper.

The assignment

Suppose you’ve given an assignment to your students with the steps something like these:

Basic exploratory research Narrow focus and create research question(s). Research, organise and outline Annotate bibliography Draft paper & […]

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Accommodating language learners in university lectures

By On August 13, 2013

A couple of years ago I listened to a keynote speech delivered by Dr. David Mendelsohn (York University, Toronto), which caused me to remark his name, not because the content was particularly thrilling, but because he was a local. A few years after that, during research for an MA paper, his name crossed […]

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a Google Translate experiment with language

By On August 9, 2013

<cue 90s beat>
Now this is a story all about how
We can use TV theme songs to bring students ’round
To seeing Google Translate for how it really makes
Their writing and their reading, quite substantially fake

OR

<Tip beat 90s>
Well, this is a story about […]

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Toronto in May (uncovering the teacher plan, post 2)

By On May 7, 2013

I apologise for forcing you to read the last post with little guidance, but could you figure out the aims, measurable objectives and possible instructions on an assignment handout? Did you consider how you might take elements of it for your own student projects?

Getting […]

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Toronto in May (a teacher training exercise, post 1)

By On May 7, 2013

Torontonians can almost always count on May to be where spring reliably emerges, bringing with it emotional renewal and visible transformations.

May is when vegetation in Toronto makes its swiftest change in appearance and visibility. On a chilly, rainy late April afternoon, tree buds just begin to appear. Within a week into May, full green […]

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Mixie me: demonstrating comprehension

By On April 17, 2013

Comprehension is often not what it appears to be. I think we’ve proven this (in a post here, for example). When students believe they are showing their comprehension, they often are just regurgitating words from the text. Equally troubling, this may include plagiarised segments […]

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A wiki activity to introduce insight into Wikipedia

By On January 30, 2013

The reasonable use of Wikipedia is an ongoing discussion in my EAP program, exemplifying the broader discussion happening throughout academia.  I say “reasonable use” because it is blatantly obvious that when one wants information quickly, Wikipedia provides it. For this reason, I’ve been giving some thought about how to work with instead of against […]

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The #EAPchat webspace

By On January 3, 2013

Have you heard of #EAPchat yet? It’s going into Year 2 on February 4th and I’ve made some changes.

Our chat began a year ago, and takes place the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month (mostly) from 1pm-2pm Eastern Standard Time. While we are still finding our online footing, I’m proud of the community […]

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Thinking about #EAPchat, Year 2

By On December 7, 2012

As we approach the #EAPchat finale for 2012 on December 17, we also approach our 1st birthday in February and what better time to reflect our infancy and consider how we want our toddler year to evolve in 2013. For those of you that actively participate each session, as you are the core of this […]

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EAP for credit

By On October 7, 2012

Should EAP courses be worth university credit?

I’d like to believe that the work my colleagues and I do with our students in their EAP year at the International Foundation Program (IFP) at University of Toronto greatly contributes to their eventual appearance in a convocation parade, but officially, it […]

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