
Tasmanian Association of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages
Professional development, networking opportunities and resources for TESOL professionals
TasTESOL supports Tasmania’s EAL/D teachers by providing professional development and networking opportunities throughout the year. TasTESOL is affiliated with the Australian Council of TESOL Associations (ACTA). Through ACTA and other state and territory associations, TasTESOL provides members with access to resources, current research, and the opportunity to have their say on local and national issues.
UPCOMING EVENTS
2023 Forums
Term 1
Emily Morgan– Joint Construction and Guided Instruction: Benefits for Tertiary English Language Learners
The Teaching/Learning Cycle and the Gradual Release of Responsibility teaching model have both been used regularly in primary classrooms with young learners, and their effects have been studied. While not all researchers support the use of these teaching models, the general consensus is that they provide a strong scaffold for teaching a wide variety of subjects, most particularly English. These teaching models have not yet been widely studied in the contexts of older learners or English as a foreign language. In my PhD research, I used the Gradual Release of Responsibility model to teach Japanese university students different English writing genres. In this talk, I will focus on my observations of the Joint Construction/Guided Instruction stage.
In this stage, students work as a whole class with the facilitation of the teacher to jointly construct texts or fragments of texts. This stage occurs after direct instruction and before pair or group work, as an intermediary opportunity to pool knowledge and consolidate understanding of the concepts before the teacher steps further away. One of the problems identified early on was students’ unwillingness to contribute, which at first seemed insurmountable. Ultimately, though, through persistence and adaptation, I found that the activities offered strong benefits to students and teacher, making it worth persevering with.
Events
Each year, TasTESOL holds a state-wide conference and several themed forums. These events allow teachers to hear from local and interstate peers working in a wide range of contexts, to share ideas and resources, and to network. Browse past events to access presentations and related resources.
Resources
Access TESOL In Context, the peer-reviewed journal produced by ACTA, and browse our directory of TESOL service providers in Tasmania. There are also various teaching resources submitted by members. Access our Resources
News from ACTA
The Australian Council of TESOL Associations (ACTA) is a key national coordinating body for associations of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Keep up to date on what is happening in the English Language teaching field at the national level. Read news from ACTA