Our Team

I love working with new teachers, and now that I am retired, I have found new victims to impart my wisdom on: TESL students. But I have a secret, I learn as much from them as they do from me. Learning is a lifelong process and SPEAQ provides me with many opportunities to pursue my passion for education.

I am passionate about teaching ESL by day and sharing pedagogical knowledge to pre-service teachers by night. I love learning and teaching about what I love - ESL, literature, pedagogy and cooking.

Learn a new language, acquire a new soul. Through SPEAQ, I hope to share my passion for language learning and to encourage others to do the same for the ESL community in Quebec. #ILoveDictionaries

As the majority of teachers, I didn’t join the profession for the money nor for the two months vacation. I became a teacher because I simply love teaching and learning.  Learning from my colleagues, students and all the SPEAQ members I have had the honour to encounter since my first convention back in 1977.

Everyone is good at something. Some people bake sinful brownies, and others decipher a wine note with just one sip. Me? I play with words. I like learning how to learn. SPEAQ is a great place to play and learn.

Coming from Newfoundland to Quebec, I quickly fell in love with the French language and Quebec culture. Learning a second language has opened so many doors along my path. As an  ESL teacher and a long-time member of the SPEAQ community,  it has been an absolute pleasure sharing this passion.

Gandhi once said "Be the change you wish to see in the world". When I read it for the first time as a student, it gave me shivers and positive vibes that only come to me when my soccer team (Montreal FC) scores a goal. That is what I try to achieve as a teacher. I try to be the agent of change for young people. But for that, I also need to be in motion, current and relevant to enable me to be the change my students need.

In 2016, I had the opportunity to help out at the annual convention and I was instantly hooked!  I have encountered so many passionate and dedicated educators, from Board of Directors to members and beyond. They make this work so meaningful and rewarding. SPEAQ brings true meaning to one of my favorite quotes: “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” 

Tanja Vaillancourt teaches at UQAM and supervises internships. In the past, she worked as a Pedagogical Consultant for English and Spanish and also taught English at the secondary level. She is also the author of Express Yourself and Express Yourself Plus and You Have Mail. She loves to share her passion for teaching and second languages.