In this segment of Teacher Real Talk, Farnaz and Sharmaine discuss the misconceptions surrounding English language teaching, the importance of pedagogical qualifications when it comes to curriculum design, and the impact of institutional decisions on ESL and EAP programs today.
They also talk about what the future of language education might look like in light of AI and changing educational landscapes, emphasizing the need for qualified language educators and the relational aspect of teaching.
The discussion also highlights the challenges faced by language programs in Canada and the hope for a more integrated and valued approach to language instruction in the future.
Instagram: @learningoffthesyllabus
Email: learningoffthesyllabus@gmail.com
ESL= English as a Second Language
EAP= English for Academic Purposes
COMM= Communications (College-level communications courses)
Theme music
Periscope by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Artist: http://audionautix.com/
Welcome to Learning Off the Syllabus — where the real learning unfolds!
Learning Off the Syllabus started from the conversations we don’t usually get to have in ELT; the ones after class and sometimes after hard days, over coffee (or wine) or sitting quietly in our heads.
I’m Farnaz. I’ve spent years teaching, designing curriculum, training educators, and working alongside international students, newcomers, and refugees. I started this podcast during a moment of real precarity in my own career. Losing work in a field I care deeply about forced me to sit with hard questions about value, care, expertise, and what language education is becoming.
This podcast is a space for honest conversations about ESL and EAP; the emotional labour, the contradictions, the pressures, and the quiet ways people keep showing up (or pushing back) anyway.
You’ll hear from students, teachers, leaders, and thinkers grappling with what teaching and learning actually look like right now.
If you’ve ever felt the gap between policy and practice, care and control, or ideals and reality — you’re in the right place.
Instagram: @learningoffthesyllabus
Email: learningoffthesyllabus@gmail.com
ELT=English Language Teaching
ESL= English as a Second Language
EAP= English for Academic Purposes
Theme music
Periscope by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Artist: http://audionautix.com/