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Carol M. Suhr is an educator and teacher educator whose work spans English language teaching for younger learners, English for Academic Purposes (EAP), adult education, curriculum design, and additional language teacher education. She has taught across various EAL teaching and training contexts in British Columbia, including English for general communication, academic purposes, specific purposes, and more. A multilingual immigrant to Canada, Carol brings almost three decades of experience supporting adult learners and emerging TESL professionals, with a focus on inclusive pedagogies, language development, and the transition into Canadian educational and professional contexts.

Carol is currently pursuing a PhD in the Faculty of Education (Language, Cultures and Literacies Program) at Simon Fraser University. Her doctoral research explores the professional identities and lived experiences of internationally trained, experienced multilingual English language teachers in Canada. Through a narrative inquiry lens, she examines how systemic barriers—including the “Canadian experience” conundrum, credential recognition challenges, and the precarious labour structures of English language teaching—shape newcomer educators’ integration, opportunities, and sense of belonging in the field. Her work aims to bring visibility to the often-unspoken realities of multilingual teachers and to contribute to more equitable and socially responsive teacher education practices.

In her teaching at UFV, Carol works across the TESL and Adult Education programs, where she prioritizes learner-centred, reflective, and socially conscious approaches to teaching. She integrates adult learning theory, applied linguistics, trauma-informed pedagogy, and culturally sustaining perspectives to prepare educators for diverse classroom and community contexts. Her scholarship and teaching are informed by her own journey through Canada’s immigration, education, and labour systems, shaping a commitment to mentorship, accessibility, and supporting students in finding meaningful pathways in and beyond traditional TESL roles.

Carol has presented both locally and internationally in BC TEAL, AAAL, AILA and professional workshops on topics including teacher identity, trauma-informed approaches in ESL, curriculum and assessment design, technology use in language teaching, and reflective practice in TESL teacher education. She collaborates on curriculum development, TESL program renewal, and practicum support, with a particular interest in aligning program design with the needs and realities of multilingual educators and the communities they serve.