CC-BY-NC-SA 2025 New Language Solutions Avenue Program Standards for Technology-Enhanced Language Learning, version 1.2 VIGNETTE 3: JENNIFER JONES TECHNOLOGY-ENHANCED LEARNING: A PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR’S JOURNEY Avenue Program Standards for Technology-Enhanced Language Learning (TELL)1: Précis When Jennifer Jones showed up for duty in January 2019 as the Thames Valley District School Board’s new Adult ESL-LINC Learning Support Coordinator, little did she suspect that the next few years would be rocked, not once but twice, by events demanding transformational change. At the time, the TVDSB, based in London, Ontario, operated a medium-sized program offering primarily in-person courses for newcomers to Canada. These courses were funded by both the provincial and federal governments. As is still the case today, learners ranged from Foundation Literacy to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 7. Although Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) had been around for some time, its impact on ESL programs was limited due to restricted access to computers, unreliable internet connectivity, and a shortage of tech-savvy staff. Still, a few adventurous instructors and administrators at the TVDSB – Jennifer among them – had begun to explore the potential of technology to support learner success. Their knowledge and inventiveness would be tested in the extreme when the COVID-19 pandemic – a game-changing event for language-learning programs around the world – was declared in March 2020. With classrooms abruptly locked down, program administrators and instructors faced an urgent need to reinvent how they delivered language instruction. How they approached that formidable task is highlighted in the section of this vignette entitled Transitioning to TELL. Scarcely three years later, the public release of ChatGPT brought a second transformative disruption for ESL programs. The impressive capabilities of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) created both significant challenges and exciting opportunities. Protecting academic integrity became more complex, as learners now had easy access to GenAI tools that can compose essays and complete assignments. At the same time, GenAI and other types of AI tools offered powerful benefits, such as boosting administrative productivity, assisting instructors in quickly generating customized learning materials and assessments, and providing learners with innovative ways to practice and enhance their language skills independently. The TVDSB’s continuing efforts to understand and harness AI are explained in The Rise of AI later in this document. The TVDSB’s experience in dealing with COVID-19 and the emergence of GenAI makes it clear that responding proactively by adopting and adapting technology can open effective new pathways for enhancing the language-learning experience. 1New Language Solutions has developed three standards to guide the effective integration of technology in Canadian settlement language programs: the Avenue Instructor Standards (seven standards), the Avenue Program Standards (five standards), and the Avenue Learner Standards (four standards). These frameworks equip ESL instructors, learners, and program administrators with clear objectives, practical examples, and self-assessment tools to help implement TechnologyEnhanced Language Learning (TELL) in blended learning environments. By prioritizing TELL strategies, the standards empower educators to create dynamic, learner-centered experiences. Ultimately, the standards aim to elevate program quality while enriching outcomes for newcomers navigating linguistic and cultural integration. 39
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