Marilyn Abbott, PhD

Professor, Faculty of Education - Educational Psychology Dept

Personal Website: https://sites.ualberta.ca/~mabbott/

Contact Overview Courses Publications

Contact

Professor, Faculty of Education - Educational Psychology Dept

Email: Marilyn.Abbott@ualberta.ca
Address: 6-107F Education Centre - North
8730 - 112 St NW

Edmonton AB

T6G 2G5

Overview

Area of Study / Keywords

English Language Learners Second Language and Self-regulated Learning Strategies Teacher Learning and Development Technology Enhanced Language Learning Second Language Reading and Assessment

About

Dr. Marilyn L. Abbott is a professor in the Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) Program in the Faculty of Education. In this role, she has developed and taught graduate-level TESL and research methods courses in addition to supervising and mentoring numerous graduate students. She has been a principal and co-investigator on several large research projects that have been funded federally in Canada and the United States (e.g., the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the National Science Foundation), provincially (e.g., the Alberta Advisory Committee for Educational Studies, Alberta Employment and Immigration), and locally (e.g., the University of Alberta). Marilyn’s career as a practitioner, teacher-educator, and researcher in the field of TESL spans over three decades. As a researcher, she is interested in finding ways to support teachers in improving the teaching, learning, and assessment of English language learners.

Research

Dr. Marilyn Abbott's research interests include

second language and self-regulated learning strategies
learners with interrupted formal education and their literacy development
teacher professional learning
technology enhanced language learning
second language reading and assessment

Teaching

Courses Taught

Educational Psychology 413 Principles and Practice in Teaching ESL Learners
Educational Psychology 416 Introduction to the Teaching of ESL
Educational Psychology 587 Teaching and Researching Language Learning Strategies
Educational Psychology 591 Teaching Literacy and Reading to ESL Learners
Educational Psychology 593 ESL Assessment and Evaluation
Educational Psychology 597 Teaching Listening to ESL Learners
Educational Psychology 597/697 Content and Language Integrated Learning for ESL Adults
Educational Psychology 903 TESL Capping Project

Courses

EDPY 413 - Principles and Practice in Teaching ESL Learners

Basic strategies for adapting instruction to accommodate ESL learners in their classes. Second language literacy, content-based instruction, and assessment will be covered. Not open to EDPY TESL Diploma or Master's students.

Winter Term 2026

EDPY 587 - Teaching and Researching Language Learning Strategies

Topics studied throughout the course will provide students with the knowledge and skills to increase second language learners' metacognitive awareness and their knowledge and use of language learning strategies. Students will acquire knowledge to help learners plan, monitor and evaluate their language learning; and use listening, speaking, reading, writing, vocabulary, grammar, retrieval, rehearsal, communication, translation, and test-taking strategies. Students will also develop an understanding of the issues related to researching and assessing second language learning and use strategies. Students will not receive credit for both EDPY 597: Teaching and Researching Language Learning Strategies and EDPY 587.

Winter Term 2026

EDPY 591 - Teaching Literacy and Reading to ESL Learners

Theory and practice in the instruction of literacy and reading to ESL students. Priority given to TESL Diploma, MEd, and PhD students. Students from other programs require consent of the TESL program.

Fall Term 2025