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Travail présenté
à la professeure Tanja Vaillancourt
Département de didactique des langues

DLS1001-30
Becoming an ESL Teacher: An Introduction to the Profession

Par
Anthony De Francesco (DEFA30108304)
Baccalauréat en Enseignement de l’anglais langue seconde

Université du Québec à Montréal

17 septembre 2020

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How did you learn your second language?
Oddly enough my second language is French. I grew up fully an anglophone who studied in
French. I come from an Italian household where my mother was born in an English part of
Montreal and my father had more of a French upbringing. When they met in their late twenties, it
was easier for them to communicate in Italian. For my parents, it was imperative that I learn both
English and French fully. English was mainly spoken at home since we also lived with my maternal
grandmother, but elementary and high school were in French. Luckily, being exposed to French
language at a very early age helped in a way mould my mind into “thinking” in French. Although
my mother tongue is English, most of my internal dialogue is in French. I am proud to say to years
of professional and academic experience in French has made me fluently bilingual.
Why did you decide to become an ESL teacher?
I come from a family of teachers. Both my parents taught. My mother was a career elementary
school teacher for over thirty-five years and my father taught trade work in high school for almost
ten years. I have several uncles, aunts and cousins who have either taught, still currently teach or
were even long-time school administrators. The funny part is I fought the family business, as we
like to call it at home, for a very long time. I did not want to be a teacher as I would see my mom
spending hours correcting and complaining about the public-school system. I also quite simply
was a defiant kid who really wanted to be different and who didn’t see the hype around being an
educator. At the time, I did not really understand what passion was. When I was thirteen, I started
playing football and fell deeply in love with the game. I played throughout high school, CEGEP
and university where my area of study shifted towards psychology. I loved the game, but I knew I
wouldn’t make a career playing it. So, I started coaching, and I realized I was good at it. As a
young coach who wanted to spend hours building game plans and watching game film, I found
myself in the precarious predicament of needing to find a job that would suit my coaching hours.
A friend recommended I apply at Sun Youth, a community organization that had many programs,
including paid jobs for male student mentors in elementary schools. Within my first week on the
job working in a school in St-Leonard, the principal sat me down and told me I was a natural and
said “you were born to be a teacher, it would be a shame if you didn’t pursue a career in education”
- the rest is history. For the last ten years I’ve been splitting my time coaching football and working
in the field of education. Given the fact that I have always had day jobs it was difficult for me to
commit to a full-time education program, but I managed to get a history degree at night thinking I
would and could eventually be a history teacher. So why ESL and not history? Two reasons. The
first is convenience. The system is in dire need of good ESL teachers and I feel, with my life
experience and natural talent that I could fill at least part of that void. Secondly, I’ve spent the last
ten years as a part time English tutor to mainly French speaking football players at all levels. I am
already in the game. Sure, my initial plan was history, but I’ve realized over time that true passion
can only be conveyed through the power of linguistics, and that teaching a new language opens
the door to new cultures. I want to provide that.

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Which activities did you enjoy as a language learner that you would like to integrate in
your teaching?
One thing that always intrigued me about new languages was the culture and history tied to it.
Understanding the why behind the what is always something that piqued my interest. When I was
a child we sometimes had “cultural” days where children in class who spoke different languages
at home would present their broad cultural ideas and tie them in with language, imagery and food
(the food was the best part!). How is this applicable in an English class and why would that be
interesting? I think, especially in Quebec, that the historical divide between the English and the
French has essentially drawn a line in the sand culturally, and that innate avoidance has boiled
over in the education sector. As teachers, we are often victims of what society has dictated is right
and wrong. We must find a way to be objective and to cater to all types of learners, regardless of
mental limitations, creed or cultural beliefs. As an English teacher in an ESL context, we will often
be faced with students who are defiant learners of English because they do not feel at all connected
to language, and thus fail to see its value. Without deviating from curriculum, I think it would be
important to give context to what we teach through cultural activities like the ones I experienced
as a child. Humanizing the English language and by proximity the English community will not
only make better, more accepting learners, it will make for a better, more inclusive society.
What do you wish school had taught you?
I am in my thirties, so if I am being honest from a practical context, I wish school had taught me
how to do my taxes and how to invest my money, but I feel this isn’t the type of answer you may
be seeking with that question. When I look at the amount that is taught and the evaluation process,
I wish that school would have taught me not to so result driven. Innately, our education system
fails to teach us that learning is the ultimate goal. Given the fact that we are constantly evaluated,
we lose perspective and judge ourselves solely on a result that is often skewed by a system that is
at its core very limited. I wish school would have taught me enjoy the journey more than the actual
destination, as the destination is often underwhelming.
How many languages do you speak?
I am fluent in three languages. I speak English, French and Italian. Oddly enough, even though I
come from a fully Italian family, I never really learned the language well until I worked in Italy.
Despite the small family conversation and the classes I took in CEGEP and University, it was only
when I was alone in Italy that push came to shove and I learned the language at a fluent level. The
people of Italy are awesome, and I find they take as much pride in their language as the Quebecois
do. If you try to speak their language, they not only will teach you, they will love and respect you.
Suggest a song (school appropriate) that I could add to a class ESL list.
“Everlong” by the Foo Fighters. Both original and acoustic. It just is one of the greatest songs of
all time in my opinion.

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What would you like me to know about you and your personality?
I am a passionate individual. Yet, that does not mean I am always the best student. I am someone
with a lot of responsibility outside out school that has had to learn a lot about organization – most
of the time the hard way. I tend to procrastinate (I knew about this assignment a week ago, yet I
decided to complete it the morning it was due) and have found a weird satisfaction in completing
things at the last minute. It is something I am not proud of as I feel I have so much more to offer
academically. I also have a lot of issues staying engaged during longer classes. I have never been
tested or diagnosed with any learning disability, yet I feel my attention span may be limited.
What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about football and the lessons it provides the individuals that partake in it. Rare is
a game so rewarding as football. It is tough but fair, and although there are many people who make
up a team, every single individual is an invaluable link in the chain. A game can be lost because
one person decided to miss one practice, or even take a play off during a match. There is so much
value that goes beyond all the negative that is portrayed about the sport in the media. From a
visceral standpoint, there is something to be said about playing such a physical sport in front of
people. It brings out a body high like nothing else, even from the sidelines as a coach.
How do you handle stress?
For all intents and purposes, I am a fairly anxious person. Anxiety has played a role in my life for
as long as I can remember. Stress has a broad spectrum. When it comes to work stress, I am lucky
enough to have chosen my professional and academic path. Therefore, that type of stress can drive
me. Other types of stress are more difficult for me and I find myself in a pattern of avoidance – to
which I am working on growing from. Most of the time, I alleviate stress with cooking and
rejuvenating my environment. I own a house, so decluttering and even small renovations help me
clear my mind.
What are you proud of? What are your accomplishments?
I am proud of my still budding coaching career. In a little less than ten years, I have managed to
go from coaching pre-teens to being a paid University coach and being chosen to represent Quebec
and the Canada Cup. I have also had the opportunity coach at the International level in Italy. I am
also proud of my growth as a man. I lost both my parents five years ago and managed to stay afloat
both emotionally and financially as well as excel in the classroom.
Include a quote related to teaching that inspires you.
“A society can only grow great when men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in”
- Ancient Greek proverb.

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EVALUATION GRIDS
Getting to know you better – First assignment

Evaluation A B C D
criteria
Quality of language Language is clear Language is clear The language is Too many major
and concise with with some minor unclear in some and minor
80%
very few minor mistakes. places mistakes.
mistakes.

Good syntax. Weak syntax

Excellent syntax.

Requirements All requirements Missing Missing Missing

have been met. requirements : requirements : requirements :
20%
- All questions
are answered
in depth
- 3 pages
- Cover page
- Page number
- Evaluation grid
included
- 1.5 spacing, font
size: 12