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BC TEAL Journal Volume 7 Number 1 (2022): i–iii 

https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v7i1.513 

Editorial 

 

Carving Out an Epistemological Space:  

EAL Teaching and Learning as a Field of Inquiry 

 

Scott Roy Douglas 

University of British Columbia (Okanagan School of Education) 

 

Abstract 

 

The BC TEAL Journal continues to strengthen the field of English as an additional language 

(EAL) teaching and learning as a space for authors, reviewers, editors, and readers to come 

together in ways that underscore the knowledge creation, theory building, and educational 

innovation taking place in EAL teaching and learning in British Columbia and the wider world. 

Taking the time to define epistemology as it relates to EAL teaching and learning, this editorial 

outlines how the articles in the current issue of the journal support that space. There are five 

articles in this issue spanning post-secondary and adult contexts. With topics related to testing, 

teaching methods, lesson planning, comparative education, and literacy education, the value of 

the journal as a venue for the dissemination of new knowledge is much in evidence.  

 

From the Editor 

 

With the completion of the 2022 issue of the BC TEAL Journal, this publication continues to 

strengthen English as an additional language (EAL) teaching and learning as a distinct and robust 

field of scholarly inquiry and educational research. The strength of EAL teaching and learning as 

an academic field is evident from the thriving community of authors, reviewers, editors, and 

readers that have come together within these pages to grow and sustain a body of literature that 

underscores the knowledge creation, theory building, and educational innovation that is part and 

parcel of EAL teaching and learning in British Columbia and the wider world. Thus, the journal 

supports the endeavour of scholar-practitioners working in this field (Douglas, 2019) to carve out 

an epistemological space in the wider quest for human knowledge in which questions related to 

EAL teaching and learning can be asked and answers to those questions can be pursued and 

shared freely with the world.  

 

Epistemology refers to “the nature of knowledge and the process by which knowledge is 

acquired and validated” (Gall, Gall, & Borg, 2015, p. 574). It is the study of what knowledge is, 

how people know what they know, what different kinds of knowledge there are, and what 

methods facilitate the creation of new knowledge (Thomas, 2009). In the field of EAL teaching 

and learning, the theories that arise related to how people know something, whether that 

knowledge is reliable, how new knowledge should be created or found, what knowledge is worth 

knowing, and how that knowledge is best taught connect to, amongst other things, the subject 

matter in the classroom, the language skills students employ, the additional language learning 

process students undergo, the nature of language, the craft of teaching in general, and the 

professional knowledge of EAL teachers (Crookes, 2009).  

 

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BC TEAL Journal Volume 7 Number 1 (2022): i–iii 

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Supporting the epistemological space related to EAL teaching and learning described 

above, the five articles in the current issue of the BC TEAL Journal span both post-secondary 

and adult education contexts. In the post-secondary context, the journal articles in this issue 

increase what is known about testing, teaching methods, and comparative education. In terms of 

testing, Steiger (2022) identified the benefits in-house English placement tests have over other 

large scale standardized tests when it comes to student success in level-appropriate English for 

academic purposes (EAP) courses. Next, Shoecraft, Martin, and Perris (2022) found that students 

in the EAP classroom can use comparative discourse analysis to develop their academic literacy 

skills. Finally, Corcoran, Williams, and Johnston (2022) examined EAL teaching and learning in 

post-secondary settings from a broad perspective, surveying EAP programs and practitioners to 

uncover a wide range of EAP program provision and practitioner concerns across Canada. In the 

adult education context, understandings of curriculum and materials development along with 

teaching methods are expanded with student success at the forefront. Huang’s (2022) classroom 

practice article outlined an approach for teaching English for employment purposes for students 

with refugee experiences. Included in this article is a ready-to-use lesson plan based on the 

article’s key ideas. Rounding off the 2022 issue, Penner, Abbott, and Lee (2022) described how 

EAL literacy instruction informed by self-regulated learning supports can lead to successful 

school-based learning, such as in the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) 

classroom.  

 

Reflecting back on the past year, the value of the BC TEAL Journal is much in evidence. 

With an ever growing readership (over 60,400 abstract views since the journal started 

publication), a dedicated group of peer reviewers, and a devoted editorial team, the journal looks 

to continue welcoming readers, authors, and volunteers who care about research and scholarship 

related to EAL teaching and learning in British Columbia. 

 

References 

 

Corcoran, J. N., Williams, J., & Johnston, K. P. (2022). English for academic purposes in 

Canada: Results from an exploratory national survey. BC TEAL Journal, 7(1), 55–84. 

https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v7i1.498  

Crookes, G. (2009). Values, philosophies, and beliefs in TESOL: Making a statement. Cambridge 

University Press. 

Douglas, S. R. (2019). Scholar-practitioners contributing to the English as an additional language 

Teaching and learning community’s knowledge resources. BC TEAL Journal, 4(1), i–iii . 

https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v4i1.346 

Gall, M. D., Gall, J. P., & Borg, W. (2015). Applying educational research: How to read, do, 

and use research to solve problems of practice (7th ed.). Pearson. 

Huang, L.-S. (2022). The stories of my life: A task-based, oral narrative lesson for employment 

purposes for learners with refugee backgrounds. BC TEAL Journal, 7(1), 42–54. 

https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v7i1.459  

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  

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https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v7i1.498
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BC TEAL Journal Volume 7 Number 1 (2022): i–iii 

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Shoecraft, K., Martin, J. L., & Perris, G. (2022). EAP learners as discourse analysts: 

Empowering emergent multilingual students. BC TEAL Journal, 7(1), 23–41. 

https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v7i1.452  

Steiger, J. (2022). Placing students for success: A comparison of IELTS, local, and other 

placement methods for English for academic purposes courses. BC TEAL Journal, 7(1), 

1–22. https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v7i1.451  

Thomas, G. (2009). How to do your research project. Sage Publications. 

 

 

 
The BC TEAL Journal is licensed under a 

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. 

Copyright rests with the author(s). 

 

 

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