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BC TEAL Journal Volume 9 Number 1 (2024): i–iii 

https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v9i1.610 

Editorial 

 

Raising Awareness, Providing Professional Development, and Sharing Expertise:  

Nine Years of the BC TEAL Journal 

 

Scott Roy Douglas 

University of British Columbia (Okanagan School of Education) 

 

Abstract 

 

This editorial for the 2024 issue of the BC TEAL Journal reiterates BC TEAL’s mission to raise 

awareness, provide professional development, and share expertise related to English as an 

additional language teaching and learning in British Columbia and the wider world. With a 

reminder of the journal’s commitment to open access, the most read articles from all issues of the 

journal during the past year are shared with readers. An overview of the current issue is then 

provided to highlight topics related to general English for academic purposes, service learning, 

digital literacy, learners with refugee experiences, online learning, and materials development. 

This overview is followed by an invitation to contribute to the journal with citations, 

submissions, and peer reviews.  

 

From the Editor 

 

The end of this year marks the completion of the ninth issue of the BC TEAL Journal. Over the 

past nine years, the journal has promoted English as an additional language (EAL) teaching and 

learning research and scholarship as it relates to the various contexts and settings of members of 

the association of British Columbia teachers of English as an additional language (BC TEAL). 

These members can be found in K–12 classrooms, colleges, polytechnic institutes, universities, 

private language schools, adult education organizations, and more. What brings these members 

together is a mission to raise awareness, provide professional development, and share expertise 

related to EAL teaching and learning here in British Columbia and throughout the wider teaching 

English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) community (BC TEAL, 2024), something that 

is also reflected in the pages of this journal.  

 

 Key to BC TEAL’s mission is a dedication to free and open access. Neither authors nor 

readers pay any fees. In addition, the journal thrives as a volunteer hub bringing together peer 

reviewers, editors, and authors to strengthen and polish journal submissions as they work their 

way towards publication. The result has been a range of articles that are widely read and cited 

not just in British Columbia, but across Canada and around the world. Over the past year, some 

of the most read topics have included writing centres (Simpson & Waye, 2016), trauma-informed 

teaching (Tweedie et al., 2017), decentring whiteness (Gerald, 2020), IELTS scores and 

academic success (Stigger, 2019), self-regulated learning (Penner et al., 2022), belongingness 

pedagogy (Finley, 2018), and teaching presentation skills (Martin, 2023).  

 

 The current issue continues this tradition of outstanding scholarship. The issue starts with 

an essay that sets out the benefits of taking a general approach to teaching English for academic 

purposes (EAP) in post-secondary settings, with the conclusion that the holistic understanding of 

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BC TEAL Journal Volume 9 Number 1 (2024): i–iii 

https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v9i1.610 

EAL in these programs is a key strength (Marshall, 2024). Next, Crossman et al. (2024) have 

taken a look at the combination of service learning, language instruction, cultural humility, and 

intercultural communication for adult EAL learners who are newcomers to Canada. In their 

research study, they found service learning can be beneficial in a number of ways. That finding is 

followed by an article outlining six well-received digital literacy lessons to help secondary EAL 

students think critically about online information while developing their English language skills 

(McDonough et al., 2024). Returning to the context of adult education, the next article is an 

essay exploring how adult learners with refugee experiences can benefit from the combination of 

care ethics and digital literacy to support EAL learning, student identity, and overall well-being 

(Baslee, 2024). Fifth, Landry (2024) has presented his findings related to the use of online 

learning to support intercultural learning outcomes in an EAP program. In his article, Landry has 

identified the relationship between online platforms and intercultural outcomes, particularly as 

they relate to student reflections, module activities, interaction, intercultural skills, and task 

management. Finally, Scott (2024) has developed a set of ten principles for English language 

teaching materials development. In his research study, open educational resources developed 

according to a set of principles can result in improved listening skills, autonomy, interactions, 

speaking skills, motivation, video learning, cognitive skills, and relevance.  

 

 With articles connecting to general EAP, service learning, digital literacy, learners with 

refugee experiences, online learning, and materials development, the 2024 issue of the BC TEAL 

Journal helps to raise readers’ awareness of these varied and important topics. The publication of 

these articles has also been a valuable source of professional development for the readers, 

authors, peer reviewers, and editors of this issue. As work now begins on the next issue of the 

journal, readers are invited to make the journal part of their own ongoing professional 

development by reading the journal’s articles, citing them in their work, putting together a 

submission, and volunteering as a peer reviewer.  

 

References 

 

Baslee, S. (2024). A care ethics approach to digital literacies: Supporting language acquisition, 

identity, and overall well-being of adult EAL learners with refugee experiences in 

Canada. BC TEAL Journal, 9(1), 49–59. https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v9i1.598  

BC TEAL. (2024). Our mission and vision. BC TEAL. https://www.bcteal.org/mission-vision-

grid.php  

Crossman, K., Andrews, J., Hargaaya, I., & Abboud, R. (2024). Service learning, cultural 

humility, and language instruction: Being in community. BC TEAL Journal, 9(1), 14–32. 

https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v9i1.594 

Finley, A. M. (2018). Fostering success: Belongingness pedagogy for English language learners. 

BC TEAL Journal, 3(1), 37–48. https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v3i1.273  

Gerald, J. (2020). Worth the risk: Towards decentring whiteness in English language teaching. 

BC TEAL Journal, 5(1), 44–54. https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v5i1.345  

Landry, M. H. (2024). Leveraging asynchronous online learning to deliver intercultural learning 

outcomes in an EAP program: Lessons for future practice. BC TEAL Journal, 9(1), 60–

85. https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v9i1.599  

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BC TEAL Journal Volume 9 Number 1 (2024): i–iii 

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Marshall, P. A. (2024). An apology for EGAP: The benefits of a general approach to English for 

academic purposes in Canadian post-secondary contexts. BC TEAL Journal, 9(1), 1–13. 

https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v9i1.595 

Martin, J. L. (2023). The problem of presentations: An EAP lecturer’s approach to teaching 

presentation skills. BC TEAL Journal, 8(1), 29–42. https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v8i1.539  

McDonough, K., Neumann, H., Corrigan, J., Jimenez, M., & Barrios Guerrero, A. (2024). 

Supporting EAL secondary students in thinking critically about online information. BC 

TEAL Journal, 9(1), 33–48. https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v9i1.593 

Penner, T. L., Abbott, M. L., & Lee, K. K. (2022). Scaffolding self-regulated learning for 

English as an additional language literacy learners. BC TEAL Journal, 7(1), 85–97. 

https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v7i1.469  

Scott, R. (2024). Principled benefits: Student perceptions of teacher-developed English for 

academic purposes materials. BC TEAL Journal, 9(1), 86–102. 

https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v9i1.601 

Simpson, A. M., & Waye, L. (2016). “You actually learn something”: Gathering student 

feedback through focus group research to enhance needs-based programming. BC TEAL 

Journal, 1(1), 38–50. https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v1i1.230 

Stigger, E. (2019). The correlation between IELTS scores and international students’ academic 

success: A literature review. BC TEAL Journal, 4(1), 84–94. 

https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v4i1.339  

Tweedie, M. G., Belanger, C., Rezazadeh, K., & Vogel, K. (2017). Trauma-informed teaching 

practice and refugee children: A hopeful reflection on welcoming our new neighbours to 

Canadian schools. BC TEAL Journal, 2(1), 36–45. https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v2i1.268 

 

 

 
The BC TEAL Journal is licensed under a 

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Copyright rests with the author(s). 

 

 

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