Originally published in TEACH Magazine, March/April 2023 Issue
By Sukhdeep Birdi, Harjit Chauhan, and Kawaldeep Ghuman
As ELL teachers for the Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows district in British Columbia, we’ve noticed that a fervour of excitement fills the air at our schools each time a major holiday approaches. Students happily share their family traditions and customs, whether that means enjoying a bountiful meal at Thanksgiving or leaving cookies and milk for Santa at Christmas.
The excitement is so contagious that even our ELL students, who may be new to these holidays, often want to join in the festivities too. Naturally, they also want to reciprocate and discuss their own cultural celebrations, such as Eid and Diwali, with their peers. But while they feel comfortable doing so during small-group literacy lessons, many don’t know how, or feel too shy, to share with other students in larger settings.
Sukhdeep Birdi’s teaching career began in Winnipeg, MB. She taught many different grades within the private and public-school sector for over 17 years, before transitioning to the English language learning field in 2013. Sukhdeep has always had a strong interest in teaching English and supporting newcomer students with their personal and academic areas. Presently, she works as an ELL specialist at an elementary school in Maple Ridge, BC.
Harjit Chauhan’s teaching career began over eighteen years ago. She discovered that teaching English was her passion when she moved overseas to South Korea to teach. Upon her return, she often spoke her first language—Punjabi—to work closely with families. This led her to pursue a TESL certificate and eventually make the leap to an English Language Learner specialist. Harjit currently works in the Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows School District in British Columbia (District #42).
Kawaldeep Ghuman started her teaching career at a private school before moving to the Maple Ridge School District in BC (SD42), where she began TTOCing in both elementary and secondary schools. During this time, she found herself drawn to ELL teaching, feeling a natural connection with the ELL students and families because she also speaks another language and has been in their shoes. For the past seven years, Kawaldeep has been working with English language learners and it remains her passion to this day.
