Douglas i 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 https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v9i1.610 Douglas ii 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 https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v9i1.610 https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v9i1.598 https://www.bcteal.org/mission-vision-grid.php https://www.bcteal.org/mission-vision-grid.php https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v9i1.594 https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v3i1.273 https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v5i1.345 https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v9i1.599 Douglas iii BC TEAL Journal Volume 9 Number 1 (2024): i–iii https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v9i1.610 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 Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Copyright rests with the author(s). https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v9i1.610 https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v9i1.595 https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v8i1.539 https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v9i1.593 https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v7i1.469 https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v9i1.601 https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v1i1.230 https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v4i1.339 https://doi.org/10.14288/bctj.v2i1.268 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/