An English as a Second Language Department Values Statement

Five primary values...

1 The measure of any civilization is the way it treats its weakest members. Douglas College ESL empowers new Canadians with language. Language is power.

2 Lasting peace is not simply the absence of war. It is rather the recognition that there is a global interdependence of peoples sharing a common planet and working together for the common good. A common language learned in the context of these values, is a powerful tool.

3 Justice is a level playing field. Equal access to the languages of power, is an essential element.

4 Language is best learned under the guidance of an able instructor, expert not only in the language itself but also in linguistics and the scholarship of teaching and learning.

5 Scholarship, to be reliable, must be rooted in evidence.

Jonathan - for the ESL Department