Tyson Seburn

Experience

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  Various

  Jan 1998 - Jan 2003

  ESL/EFL Instructor

  Languages International Toronto / Pagoda Foreign Language Institutes / Konkuk University / BCM Language Institutes

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  Cornerstone Academic College

  Jan 2004 - May 2009

  Program Director & Instructor (General ELT)

  From 2004-08, I taught ESL students courses using all skills and systems both in isolated and integrated approaches. From 2008 - 2009, as the primary decision maker regarding curricula and programs, I spent the majority of my time researching and creating new programs. I fully developed the Teaching English to Young Children (TEYC), Everyday English, English for Marketing, Business Presentations, and Real Speaking courses. Additionally, I facilitated the marketing and academic departments with regards to new teachers, strategies for student success, and professional development. Show less

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  English Central

  May 2009 - Feb 2010

  Manager

  In this role I managed day to day operations in the Toronto showroom, including liaising with program directors across North America regarding their textbook needs, creating promotional materials, and contributing to online webinars.

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  4C in ELT

  Jan 2010 - Jan 2025

  ELT consultant and materials writer

  4CinELT began as a blog and continued on to spur many of my freelance projects.During its time, I freely shared content for and commented on various sectors of ELT: General English, English for Academic Purposes, Teacher Training. I've managed several self-started projects for our community, including the ELT Event Calendar (a collated space for all world-wide ELT events that ran for 5 years), #tleap discussion group (a regular chat group for teachers of academic English which is still going without me now), and Design.ed (my occasional design work for education projects). Show less

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  Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology

  May 2010 - Jul 2010

  Instructor (General ELT)

  Taught one evening course, "Oral Fluency".

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  University of Toronto - New College

  Jul 2010 - now

  Most broadly I assist in the strategic and pedagogic decisions for programs aimed specifically at international students and housed at New College. More specifically, I collaborate on the cohesion of all curricula, assist with operational decisions, and support the teachers of the International Foundation Program. This two-term undergraduate program prepares conditionally accepted international students for the academic rigour and culturally-defined expectations of university study in Canada. During the summer months, I oversee and support teachers and students in more intensive versions of these courses as well as language learning programming for non-UofT students in youth, Pre-University, and adult divisions. Show less I was on transfer to this role within the International Programs department, while the AD was on leave. During this full academic year, our program underwent a Program Review commissioned by the Dean's Office of the Faculty of Arts & Science. This primarily involved two initial components: a self-study report regarding the history, successes, and challenges we have undergone during our EAP program's existence through data we provided, data provided by the Faculty, and feedback from the Dean's office; and a full-day virtual site visit by three external scholars and various stakeholders of our program.A second major change in our academic program during this year was being the first full-year after the unionisation of the instructional staff. This new context included a transition for everyone in context, expectations, and governing rules for managerial and instructional staff. Navigating this transition brought both clarity and challenges for us all in our growth.Third, our program headed into an era where equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) became foremost discussion point and plan for execution in formal policy and professional development. Show less I taught a half-year course within the social sciences: IFP080H1S Information in the Digital Era. It focuses on skill-building in critically evaluating how information is created and distributed to the public and its impact on belief systems in social spaces. This is a sheltered, non-credit course for international students in the International Foundation Program. Its main aim is to give EAP students a taste of the rigour and application of skills of a 1st-year university course within their field or interest of study. Show less I led the curriculum development and team management of IFP020Y1Y Critical Reading & Writing course, one which builds students' skills and language competencies towards comprehensive abilities to read required texts effectively and write for academic disciplines. During my time as Lead, this team varied between 3 and 10 instructors who all taught from the same curriculum I created and materials we co-created.Academic Reading Circles (http://bit.ly/arc-book), a collaborative approach to intensive reading, was developed in this course. Show less

  • Chair, New College Council

    Sept 2024 - now

  • Assistant Academic Director (All ELT)

    Jun 2013 - now

  • Academic Director [Acting]

    Aug 2022 - May 2023

  • Sessional Lecturer, Information in the Digital Era (EMI)

    Jan 2019 - Apr 2022

  • Lead Instructor, Critical Reading & Writing (EAP)

    Sept 2011 - Aug 2018

  • Instructor (EAP)

    Jul 2010 - Aug 2011
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  TESL Toronto

  Jan 2012 - Jan 2015

  President

  From organising monthly meetings to yearly budgets to annual TOSCON conference, I lead a committee of teachers in support for professional development opportunities that reached a broad cross-section of language teachers within and around the Greater Toronto Area. Before this role, I served as Communications Chair and after, Past President.During my time as President, I chaired three annual conferences (TOSCON13-15) and brought in plenary speakers from around the globe, which hadn't been done before. We broadened to a topically focussed Friday evening with chef-catered meal at Hart House or Victoria College, University of Toronto, to treat our community to an amazing, fine food and educational experience they deserve. We also introduced a technology-focussed mini-conference "T4T" or Technology 4 Teachers in winter to complement our main conference.Past President: 2015-2016President: 2012-2015Communications Co-chair: 2010-2012 Show less

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  IATEFL - the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language

  Jan 2017 - Jan 2022

  TDSIG Coordinator

  I chaired the Teacher Development Special Interest Group committee. In essence, I worked in a strong team of dedicated ELT professionals across timezones and teaching sectors on projects that encourage language teachers to increase their professional development autonomy and agency. During my time as Coordinator, I was specifically responsible for new projects including:- the Teacher Development Academic Journal (TDAJ), 3 published volumes- Web Carnival (conference) on Race & Queerness in ELT; Web Carnival on Critical Pedagogy in 2022We have continued to produce sustained projects including:- Developod, the TDSIG podcast- TDLinkUp, the curated ezine for TDSIG members- #SIGTweetMeet, a semi-weekly casual Twitter chat- partnerships involving Innovate ELT Conference, Brighton ELT, ELT Council Malta- annual IATEFL Pre-Conference EventsI began this role jointly with Sinéad Laffan for the first year.Coordinator: 2017-2022Online Team: 2015-2017 Show less

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  Oxford TEFL - Teacher Training

  Feb 2019 - now

  Trinity DipTESOL tutor

  I organise content for and tutor teacher candidates on this Trinity DipTESOL Teaching Reading & Writing module. This is a one-week module composed of key texts, video, activities that demonstrate reading and writing pedagogy, and a practice essay question that candidates will encounter on their Unit 1 exam.Previously, I did so for the EAP optional module as well.

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  Sheridan College

  Apr 2019 - now

  Professional Advisory Council Member, ESL/TESOL Plus Programs

  Volunteer service role. The ESL/ TESOL PAC meets twice a year, once in the Fall and once in the Spring. Some of the responsibilities of Sheridan’s Professional Advisory Councils include providing program related advice and assistance to Sheridan Faculties by:- Reviewing and making recommendations for new and existing programs of instruction and curriculum in relation to community requirements and the changing needs of the labour market.- Offering advice regarding program learning outcomes, curriculum, resources (facilities and capital), clinical/field experience, co-op and work experience, placement opportunities, internships and effectiveness of graduates.This PAC is comprised of Managers and Program Chairs of several Greater Toronto Area colleges, an ESL alumni, a Head of teacher training of a private language, an ESL/ELD expert from the Peel District School Board, and Sheridan’s ESL and TESOL faculty who volunteer their time to be on this council. Show less