Creating a Beloved Community Through Teaching Presence

• In Event: Roundtable Session 52
  In Roundtable Session: Building Holistic Communities With the Disadvantaged

Abstract

This narrative case study involves in-depth interviews and and surveys with language students. It was aimed at gaining a comprehensive understanding of holistic and communicative approaches to post-secondary language teaching. I will focus on exploring teachers’ and students’ understanding of the notion of teaching presence. Participants shared their reflections on: what they understand by teaching presence, how it can be cultivated and its impact or effect on student learning. Preliminary findings revealed that by being fully present instructors were able to: motivate students to become more engaged in their language learning; make connections and develop rapport with their students; help students foster a strong sense of connectedness to their inner selves, their professor, the wider community.

Author

• Merlin Charles, University of Toronto