Dr. Adriana Fishta-Bejko

Dr. Adriana Fishta-Bejko presently teaches ESL at the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Education at the University of Calgary. She has 45 years of experience as an administrator, teacher trainer, author and international educator. Dr. Bejko has been involved in teacher training, textbook publishing and ESL/EFL teaching in Europe, United States, China/ Korea, Japan and Canada since 1975. Dr. Bejko has successfully lead language learning programs and trained teachers (pre-service and in-service) in 3 continents and numerous countries. She is a Fulbright Scholar, Lifetime Achievement Laurate and a recipient of “Who Is Who” in Education Leadership. Her research employs socio-cultural theoretical frames of reference, which consider knowing language learners’ identity as the initial step in empowering them to reach their potential in the acquisition of second/foreign language and achieving success in the globalized world. She believes that teachers and leaders in education should not perceive students’ cultural and linguistic ancestry as a barrier to learning but as an opportunity for creating a warm welcoming learning environment for them. Her expertise is in Brain-Based Learning and Second Language Acquisition. She has published a series of eight books called “Fun English” to teach and learn English based in an intentional and well-organized model. She has written instructional materials for ESL programs, which are based on thematic teaching methods, Structured English Immersion (SEI) and Universal Design for Learning. In her series of 8 textbooks called “Fun English” she caters to the needs of students at different levels of proficiency, different age groups and background education. These 8 “Fun English” textbooks teach English in context through themes from mainstream subjects (biology, social studies, language arts, math etc.) and encourage students to work with terminology related to literature and science. At the same time, these textbooks develop critical thinking skills, problem solving skills, good note-taking models, etc. Dr. Bejko believes that success is based in the Triangle of Caring: Parents -School – Students. She thinks that it is imperative that parents get involved in the education of their children and teachers should help parents learn the new culture, system of education of the country, and become an integral part of their children’s education. Dr. Bejko’s approach to teaching is interpretive and collaborative, with an underlying commitment to understanding how a better teacher training of teachers in teaching second language learners can develop the right skills in teachers and help them create an inclusive and respectful school culture that is supportive of students’ and parents’ cultural and language background, learning styles and emotional wellbeing. Her goal is for ALL her students to experience success and learn as much as possible. Every student can learn and will learn in her classes. She celebrates (not tolerates) everyone’s differences as an asset to learning.