TESOL Faculty

David Catterick

David started his teaching career over twenty years ago teaching English in a German school. Between 1989 and 1997 David taught English and ministered in four different colleges and universities in China, met his Canadian wife, and completed his M.Ed. in TESOL at the University of Manchester in the U.K. During his final two years in China, David taught and developed courses for a graduate-level, in-service TESOL training program at China's largest teachers' university. In 1998 he went to teach English for Academic Purposes at the University of Dundee in Scotland, developing courses and programs to help international students cope with the challenges of English-medium higher education. In his final years at the university, David was also involved in a number of European Union-funded language projects in central and eastern Europe.

David has been teaching here at Briercrest College since August 2006. He enjoys the opportunity to "multiply ministries" through the field of TESOL, encouraging students to be used by God in English language teaching contexts around the world.

David likes to spend his spare time with his wife, Sandra, and their three elementary school-age children, Sarah, Sophie, and Esther. David and his family often travel to other parts of Saskatchewan and neighbouring provinces so the girls can take part in Scottish Highland Dancing competitions.

Darla (Cupery) Gamache

Darla discovered her love for TESOL in Istanbul, Turkey, during her three years of living in Turkey and teaching at Istanbul Technical University. She returned to the U.S. and moved to southern California where she completed a Master's degree at Biola University and assumed a leadership role at Hope International University. After serving as associate director of International Programs at Hope, Darla moved on to California Baptist University and became director of a new ESL program, ACCESS, where she helped create, launch, and develop the program and taught the first learners when they arrived.

In August 2006, Darla came to Briercrest College to move into teacher training within the field of TESOL. While she misses daily contact with English language learners, she loves watching Briercrest students move through the Global Studies: TESOL program and seeing them start to understand and move within the call that God has placed on their lives.

Outside of the classroom, Darla and her husband, Danny, love to travel in North America and around the world to be a part of God's ministry.

Crista Cornelius

Crista has been with the English Language Institute/China since 1993. During her first two years of service, she taught scientific writing, oral English for professional presentations, and British literature to graduate students at the University of Science and Technology in Hefei, which is one of China’s top scientific research institutions.

From 1995 to 1997, she studied Mandarin Chinese at ELIC’s Chinese Language Program in Changchun, China. In 1998, she was appointed the Director of ELIC’s Chinese Language Program and served in this capacity until 2008. During that time, she taught Chinese, developed Chinese curriculum, trained and advised Chinese language learners and teachers, and provided administrative direction to the Chinese Language Program.

Crista’s Chinese oral proficiency has been rated superior according to the standards of the Amercan Council of Teachers of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). She has also completed 180 hours of training in the use of the Growing Participator Approach, which seeks to integrate the cognitive, socio-cultural, and redemptive dimensions of language learning. In her spare time, Crista enjoys hiking, biking, reading, and spending time with friends. She also enjoys travelling and is looking forward to seeing more of Canada and the American northwest.