CC-BY-NC-SA 2025 New Language Solutions Avenue Program Standards for Technology-Enhanced Language Learning, version 1.2 Avenue Program Standards and Performance Indicators Here are some key ways in which the Thames Valley District School Board’s approach demonstrates how NLS’s Avenue Program Standards for technology-enhanced language learning can animate a TESOL program. Standard 1: Collaboration. Programs have both a central philosophy and appropriate administrative structures to support collaboration in all areas involving technology and language teaching and learning. • Program Coordinators Sheila Carson and Jennifer Jones and their staff regularly participate in Professional Development (PD) workshops offered through TESL Ontario and the local affiliate, TESL London. Additionally, staff frequently attend webinars or workshops provided through Tutela and other online communities. Staff are informed of upcoming events, and small numbers are sponsored to attend conferences and workshops. Efforts are made to share findings, sites, tools and resources discovered at PD events with the staff at large. • Within the TVDSB, staff PD has also featured speakers who demonstrate the use of a particular digital tool or resource such as the Oxford Digital textbook series and AI tools such as ChatGPT. In-house PD events and workshops are scheduled at various times throughout the year and are arranged during regular workday hours. • Jennifer Jones has been involved with the National LINC Online Curriculum Project Stakeholder Advisory Group for several years, and teaching staff have worked to pilot new Avenue units for the project. Jennifer also recently participated in the Achev Senior Care Advisory Committee; the staff member teaching the employment preparation Healthcare course is piloting those materials this year. • Learning Support Lead Jennifer Artan is an Avenue Mentor and a TESL Ontario and Tutela presenter on technology topics. In addition, Jennifer has worked with Ellii as a content producer and presenter. For example, at an instructor’s request, we purchased Presentation Plus textbook versions with interactive activities for Smart Boards, and document readers that let instructors display printed materials. Both have proven very useful in the classroom – an approach now shared by other instructors. Standard 2: Infrastructure. Programs acquire, maintain, and keep current the technology devices, systems, and applications necessary to fulfill their educational missions. • To ensure that its overall technology infrastructure is robust, supported, and regularly upgraded, TVDSB’s Adult ESL-LINC program has designated IT Support staff to provide continuous service at certain sites, or to travel when needed to support equipment updates or issues at the remaining sites. There is also a help desk feature in the staff employee portal through which requests can be made. Staff are informed in a timely manner about impending updates that will affect all sites. • The program has implemented an effective learning management system (LMS) that makes use of both Google Classroom and New Language Solution’s Avenue platform. At present, Google Classroom is the predominant repository for learning materials, but Avenue is being used more and more each term. Currently, all Portfolio Based Learning Assessment (PBLA) progression takes place through Google Drive, as learners have been collecting digital artifacts on that platform since spring 2020. 44
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