Writing, Technology, and Learner-Centred Innovation: Advancing Second Language Education

Prof. Tigchelaar received her M.A. in French Studies from the University of Guelph and her Ph.D. in Second Language Studies from Michigan State University. She specializes in second language writing, second language assessment, and second language teaching methods. In her French writing courses, she works with students to develop texts that can be published for diverse purposes, including applying for jobs and summarizing academic articles. Some of these student summaries have been published in the OASIS database (e.g., Alkhayara et al, 2025; Paes et al, 2025). Prof. Tigchelaar’s current research focuses on identifying relevant language tasks for writing and French as a second language programs and using GenAI for corrective feedback.

Could you describe your journey into language teaching, from your studies at the University of Guelph and Michigan State University to your current role at the University of Toronto, Mississauga?

My language teaching journey began in teaching assistant roles in France (Teaching Assistant Program in France) and in South Korea, where I had the chance to teach English (ESL) in public elementary schools. Wanting to learn more about how to better teach second languages, I pursued MA and PhD programs where I was able to work as a teaching assistant in French as a second language (FSL) and ESL classes.

How have your experiences teaching French writing and second language courses shaped your pedagogical philosophy and approach to assessment?

My experiences have solidified my views on the importance of learner interaction and engagement in meaningful, real-world tasks in second language learning and writing.  

What inspired your research focus on second language writing, second language assessment, and teaching methods?

My focus on teaching methods came from the recognition that my early French studies had resulted in some grammatical knowledge and very little ability to communicate. I had a genuine interest in learning how to develop more effective teaching methods when I started teaching. Similarly, focusing on second language writing and assessment were driven by recognizing my own challenges in these areas. For example, as a younger student I often felt paralyzed by writing assessments; as a teacher and researcher I seek to uncover strategies that will help other struggling writers.

In your French writing courses, students produce texts for diverse purposes, including professional applications and academic summaries. How do you design these tasks to be authentic, meaningful, and publishable?

For authenticity, I take inspiration from texts that exist outside of the classroom, like cover letters, film critiques, emails to express gratitude, etc. Meaningful communication has been the focus of much theorizing in second language pedagogy, and it is difficult to pin down. However, my experience has shown me that students do well with some choice in topic (e.g., reviewing a show or a game that they like) and should be invited to write about their own experiences and what they know. Finding publication venues is even more of a challenge, but the internet allows for lots of personal publication venues (e.g., restaurant reviews). I have also enjoyed working with students to publish research summaries on the Open-Access Summaries in Language Studies (OASIS) database.

How do you support students’ development of writing skills for real-world purposes, and how do these experiences enhance learner engagement and motivation?

Following a genre-based approach, I invite students to study real-world examples with analyses that guide their attention toward the content, vocabulary, grammar, and stylistic choices in different texts. We also study texts that are more and less successful and analyze what makes better productions. I find that providing contexts for meaningful communication (e.g., writing emails for different purposes to faculty members, reviewing films they like) motivates learner engagement and motivation. Students also enjoy identifying patterns across text types, which allows them to identify the choices and constraints of different genres to be able to express themselves accordingly.

How do you integrate GenAI tools or other technology to provide corrective feedback while maintaining pedagogical integrity and learner autonomy?

When I introduce these tools, I teach students about the principles of transparency and responsibility (e.g., Perkins & Roe, 2024) and ask students to use them specifically to refine and correct their work (as opposed to generating ideas or drafts). I highlight that students should always follow course and assignment instructions regarding when to use GenAI tools, and that when their use is permitted, we should declare how we use these tools transparently and take responsibility for the accuracy of our work. To maintain learner autonomy, I always allow my students to choose whether or not they would like to correct their work with GenAI. In researching the topic, I have found that many students are eager to learn how and when to use these tools, but some students prefer not to.  

Your current research explores identifying relevant language tasks for French as a second language programs. How does this work inform course design and curriculum development?

My research is inspired directly by the students and the courses that I teach. I have studied the writing needs of my students both for personal and academic writing in their various French programmes. Based on the text types identified, I have included different interpersonal and academic genres in the writing curriculum to respond to learners’ interests and academic needs, such as written correspondence and summary writing.

What insights have emerged from your research on using GenAI for corrective feedback, and what potential do you see for AI-supported language learning more broadly?

My research on using GenAI for corrective feedback has shown so far that students are generally motivated to learn how to use these tools because they are helpful for identifying errors, they allow students to identify patterns in the types of errors they make, and students receive explanations about how and why to correct specific structures. However, students also place a big emphasis on the need for a human component in using these tools, from discussing responsible and ethical use to evaluating the corrections proposed and exercising a critical eye when choosing which changes to make. I see lots of potential for learners to use these tools to continuously work on refining their linguistic accuracy, as they are excellent at identifying non-idiomatic uses, proposing suggestions, and explaining corrections.

How can findings from second language writing research be applied to improve assessment practices and learner outcomes in higher education language programs?

An important finding from second language writing research is that after a semester or even a full year of study, little gains in accuracy are typically observed. While grammatical accuracy is important, expanding our focus in assessment to include features that require less time to acquire like genre awareness, communicative ability, or incorporation of stylistic elements is one way to highlight student success, specifically in writing courses.

What emerging trends in second language writing, assessment, and teaching methods do you anticipate will shape the future of language education?

The integration of GenAI into teaching, learning, and assessment will continue to have huge impacts on language education. The functionalities of these tools for educators (e.g., assessing learners’ writing) and for learners (e.g., learning to write, writing to learn) have only begun to be explored and described in research.

What advice would you offer to early-career language educators seeking to integrate research, technology, and pedagogy effectively?

There is always a need for classroom-based studies testing out new pedagogical practices, so any time that there is a new method or tool that seems interesting, turn it into a research project or a tiny experiment (Le Cunf, 2025). Continued reading of research summaries (e.g., OASIS database) or language educator magazines and attending conferences to exchange ideas is also key to finding inspiration.   

What continues to inspire your work and commitment to teaching, research, and learner success in the field of language education?

My students continue to inspire me, from the challenges that they face (e.g., fossilized errors), to their interests and needs (e.g., the need for extended immersion experiences to prepare to teach French as a second language). These needs and challenges inspire the content of my courses and help students to engage with their learning.te motivation. Teaching and working and researching with like-minded colleagues is something I value greatly.