TMCnet News

New Director for Saint Mary's TESL Program
[January 25, 2014]

New Director for Saint Mary's TESL Program


(Targeted News Service Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, Jan. 24 -- Saint Mary's University issued the following news release: Dr. David Gauthier, Vice-President Academic and Research, is pleased to announce that Dr. Zechariah McLaren will take the lead at the TESL Centre in July after completing work commitments in the Middle East.



An experienced teacher and administrator with international experience, Dr. McLaren has worked with the Higher Colleges of Technology in Dubai since 2003, holding a number of senior positions, most recently as Dean of Education and Developmental Learning, Head of Services.

He started his teaching English as a foreign language career in South Korea. This experience led him to positions in the United Kingdom, Macedonia, and Canada, where he eventually was appointed to Director of a private vocational college in Vancouver.


During his tenure with the Higher Colleges of Technology, Dr. McLaren focused on the effective implementation of task-based, content driven curriculum into an ESL teaching and learning environment.

One example of his initiatives was the establishment of a student run college store that integrated the curriculum language, numeracy, technology, and general business skills - and generated revenues in excess of $500,000 annually.

Dr. McLaren is passionate about the use of technology in educational settings and has conducted an in depth survey of UAE student attitudes towards the mandatory use of laptops in an English as a Second Language environment.

Although a fan of what technology can do, he understands it cannot solve everything.

"Sometimes a pen and paper is best," he says.

Dr. McLaren replaces Michael Armour who left the University last summer to take a position in the UAE. Associate Vice-President and Registrar Dr. Paul Dixon will continue in the role of Acting Director until Dr. McLaren's arrival.

CC AutoTriage1pm-140125-30TagarumaMar-4613994 30TagarumaMar (c) 2014 Targeted News Service

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]