Veronica Baig, Academic Coordinator, ELS
- Email: veronica@athabascau.ca
- B.A. (Honours, University of Wales)
B.Ed. (University of Saskachewan)
M.A.. (University of Calgary)
Hello. My name is Veronica Baig, and I am the academic coordinator for English Language and Writing Studies. Specifically, I am responsible for the Skills courses (English 140, 143, 146, and 149), the Integrated language courses (English 177 and 187), and for Developing Writing Skills (English 155). In addition, I supervise the Write Site (Athabasca University's online writing centre); the online English Language Assessment (ELA) is on this site; I encourage all students to take this test to assess their English level before registering for a course. My other responsibilities are the English Language Proficiency Program (ELPP) and the University Certificate in English Language Studies.
If you talk to me, you will soon notice that I have a British accent; I have been in Canada since 1969, but the accent remains. I have also lived for brief periods in both Austria and Kenya. It was while I was overseas that I first developed an interest in teaching English as a Second Language. Previously, I had been involved in helping undergraduate students improve their writing skills and in doing some writing myself. The ESL experience has been a very positive one for me; I enjoy helping newcomers to Canada achieve their potential and their goals by helping them improve their language and writing skills. Along the way, I have taught all levels of ESL and to students from nine to ninety years of age.
My degrees from the universities of Wales, Calgary, and Saskatchewan, are proofs that I have moved around in my career, but Edmonton has been my home since 1985. Currently, I am interested in developing materials that make regular university and college courses more accessible to non-native English speakers. Interestingly, an increasing number of native English speakers are also taking English Language and Writing Skills courses as a way to achieve their goals. These students are coming to these courses for a wide variety reasons, including to better learn other languages by having an improved understanding of English grammar. Life is strange, however, and if I had been asked in high school what my career would be, I would never have answered "Teaching Grammar."
When I'm not at my desk, I like to spend time reading, particularly historical novels, and hiking and camping (with a tent) in the Rocky Mountains with my husband. When I'm at my desk, but not working, I enjoy pitting my wits against the computer in a game of Scrabble®.
If you would like to contact me about any of the courses in English Language and Writing Studies, or if you are interested in the new English Language Proficiency Program or the University Certificate in English Language Studies, please e-mail me: veronica@athabascau.ca.
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