Introduction

__**ABC's of Teaching ESL** (Toronto Star 2004)__ //Posted by Allyson// In the Toronto Star article, well-known ESL expert Elizabeth Coelho laments the lack of Ontario B.Ed. programs that offer any sort of course preparing teachers for linguistically diverse classrooms. This makes me really proud that UOIT Faculty of Education is on the cutting edge when it comes to recognizing that every teacher is an ESL teacher and thus ought to be prepared. Having said that, our ESL course - the one you've chosen to enrol in - is an __elective__ and is not __mandatory__ for all our teacher candidates. In fact only about 16% of our TCs have enrolled in this course. Premier Dalton McGuinty has promised that if he is re-elected next month, he will change the current one-year B.Ed program into a two-year program. If the B.Ed. program became a 2-year degree, do you think it would be an important consideration to make the ESL course manditory for everyone (instead of it being an elective)? Please respond in approximately 250 words, and where possible, provide a link to a relevant website, file or video which will help our readers more fully understand the issue of including ESL preparation in the B.Ed. program. For example you will find some links below that I have included for your benefit and for the benefit of anyone who reads our wiki. Please include your name (first name only is fine) at the top of your response.

Here is the link to the OISE ESL website which Coelho mentions in the Star article: @http://eslinfusion.oise.utoronto.ca/Home/index.html

Here is the link to a Star article on York University's Urban diversity program (which prepares teachers for diversity of all kinds). @http://www.thestar.com/article/428101

Here is a link to videos featuring interviews with experts on related equity topics (including one with Elizabeth Coelho) @http://resources.curriculum.org/secretariat/march8.shtml

Here is a link to buzz around McGuinty's campaign promise: @http://speakyourmind.thestar.com/thestar/get-talking/education/liberals-vow-to-increase-teachers-college-to-two-years/