TESL Practitioners’ Forum: Adult ESL Literacy

Wednesday, March 25, 2026 from 2:30 pm to 3:45 pm

In-person event
2017, Dunton Tower, Carleton University
1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6

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Please join the School of Linguistics and Language Studies on Wednesday, March 25 at 2:30 p.m. for our TESL Practitioners’ Forum on Adult ESL Literacy.

This session will present a practice-focused discussion with experienced adult ESL literacy instructors Donna Cowley (OCDSB) and Alizon Thuot (OCISO – Retired) whose decades of teaching have shaped adult literacy education in Ottawa. The forum is structured to emphasize the professional knowledge embedded in daily instructional practice and to foreground practitioner expertise.

The event will start with a 45-minute guided panel discussion examining key insights, challenges, and lessons from real-world classroom experiences in adult ESL literacy. Panelists will discuss instructional methodologies, strategies for learner engagement, and the changing needs of adult learners. This will be followed by a 30-minute open Q&A session, giving TESL students and faculty the opportunity to engage directly with practitioners, pose questions, and connect academic concepts to professional practice. The goal of this session is to foster a collegial practice-oriented dialogue that bridges academic learning with the rich realities of adult ESL literacy education in Ottawa.

ESL Literacy Instructors

Donna Cowley (OCDSB)

Donna’s interest in teaching ESL began while living overseas, helping friends and neighbours learn English. When she returned to Canada, she got her CTESL from Carleton University. Donna has taught all levels of ESL for the OCDSB for 27 years. At the beginning of her career, literacy learners were not identified separately and put in regular classes. It was then that she realized there was a big difference between literacy and literate students, and it became her passion to develop teaching strategies for this special cohort. Donna’s teaching practice has developed from sharing experiences with colleagues and trial and error in her classroom. Over the past 20 years, she has taught all levels of literacy from Foundations to Literacy 4.

Alizon Thuot (OCISO – Retired)

Alizon taught ESL for 23 years, and 19 were dedicated to Foundational Literacy. Along with her students and through her project-based teaching approach, they were able to create indoor and outdoor vegetable gardens, read books to children in the daycare, create a cooking in Canada menu and countless other projects. Alizon is a firm believer in creating a positive learning environment fostered by hands-on learning with tangible results.

Moderator

Don Myles (Associate Professor, Teaching Stream)

Don Myles is an Associate Professor (Teaching Stream) in Carleton University’s School of Linguistics and Language Studies, and specializes in two related areas: English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and Teaching English as a Second (or additional) Language (TESL). In the TESL program, he helps students to become effective English language teachers for adult learners. With a teaching career spanning over 18 years, including more than a decade at Carleton, Don has gained experience in diverse educational environments, including private language schools, colleges, and universities in Canada, Mexico, and China.