Magda Tigchelaar

Magda Tigchelaar is an Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream in French Studies at the University of Toronto Mississauga. She specializes in second language writing pedagogy, assessment, and task-based instruction. Her educational background includes a PhD in Second Language Studies from Michigan State University, an MA in French Studies from the University of Guelph, and a BA (Hons) in French Studies from the same institution.

Her research explores:

• Genre-based approaches to second language teaching
• Corpus-assisted writing instruction methodologies
• Integration of proficiency standards in curriculum design
• Self-assessment mechanisms for language learners
• Task-based needs analysis for French programs

Publications primarily focus on second language writing development, task design validation, and cross-contextual applications of language pedagogy. Recent work emphasizes K-12 language task development, undergraduate writing needs, and generative AI applications for feedback.

She directs multiple funded projects:

• French Writing Course Development (Writing Development Initiative, 2022-2026)
• French (FSL) Program Evaluation (Work Study Program, 2022-present)
• Liaisons Canada-Brésil (Global Classrooms Funding, 2022)

Her teaching includes intermediate/advanced French writing courses and Francophone cultural studies, with emphasis on producing publishable student work for platforms like the OASIS database.