Now, more than a decade into the new millennium, the effects of globalization are widely felt. Today, more people around the world have direct and indirect contact with each other than ever before. The effects of today’s global age present new opportunities and new challenges. Although intercultural transactions are conducted in many languages, English is pervasive around the world. This situation raises new issues for ESOL educators, who are especially well positioned to prepare students for both the opportunities and the challenges. As a profession, what should our response to these issues be and are we as ESOL educators assuming a proper role? Read More

International students in EAP contexts not only face language issues, but they also face socio-cultural issues that can be more pressing than memorizing vocabulary from the Academic Word List. Adopting a new culture can cause more pressing issues than simply learning language, and sometimes life’s social needs will take precedence over academic language needs. Through the personal experiences of the author and some of her students, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs frames this paper’s discussion of socio-cultural transition issues that may be the cause of some students’ ineffective classroom behaviours. Read More

Perceptions of time are culturally dependent. In Western cultures like the United States and Canada, time is valuable and deadlines are crucial. But does the North American sense of time actually translate into punctual behaviour? Surveys show a range of acceptable punctuality behaviours, depending on the situation and attitudes/values. Using survey results for language activities helps students and instructors to practice critical thinking and cultural and self-awareness as well. Read More