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Wednesday, July 01, 2009
- It’s Canada’s 142d birthday. How much do you know about this country? Read the facts below and challenge yourself to additional questions in the brackets.
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- Canada:
1 - borders only one country (which one?)
2 - has two official languages (which ones?)
3 - has three territories (can you name them?)
4 - borders four out of five Great Lakes (which ones?)
5 - has five officially recognized parties in the House of Commons (can you name them?)
6 - has six time zones (would you name them?)
7 - is home to seven Wonders of Canada (can you name some of them?)
8 - has eight main Inuit tribal groups (naming them is challenging, but just the mere number is amazing, isn’t it?)
9 - won silver medals in 2008 Beijing Olympic Games (can you name the winning athletes or the sports?)
10 - has ten provinces (can you name them all?)
Answer Key:
1 - USA is the only country that Canada borders.
2 - English and French are two official languages in Canada.
3 - Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut are three Canadian territories.
4 - Lake Huron, Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Superior are located on the Canada-USA border, the 5th lake - Lake Michigan is entirely contained within the United States.
5 - The Liberals, Canadian Alliance, Bloc Quebecois, Progressive Conservatives, NDP are officially recognized parties in the House of Commons (part of Canadian Parliament)
6 - Pacific Standard Time, Mountain Standard Time, Central Standard Time, Eastern Standard Time, Atlantic Standard Time and Newfoundland Standard Time are six time zone across Canada.
7 - Confederation Bridge linking Prince Edward Island to the mainland, transcontinental railway, Quebec Citadelle, Expo 67 in Montreal, Rideau Canal, CN Tower and St. Lawrence Seaway are the Seven Wonders of Canada. There are also some wonderful alternatives to that list).
8 - The Labrador, Ungava, Baffin Island, Iglulik, Caribou, Netsilik, Copper, Western Arctic Inuit are eight Inuit tribal groups in Canada.
9 - rowing (1) won by men’s pair: David Calder and Scott Frandsen, equestrian (1) won by a jumping team: Jill Henselwood, Ian Millar and Eric Lamaze, diving (2) won by Aexandre Despatie and Emilie Heymans, trampoline (2) won by Karen Cockburn and Jason Burnett, canoe/kayak (1) won by Adam van Koeverden, taekwondo (1) won by Karine Sergerie, triathlon (1) won by Simon Whitfield.
10 - There are 10 provinces in Canada: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick.
POSTED BY Olga Galperin AT 3:11 PM
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Tuesday, June 23, 2009
- Rarely do school social events attract the same turnout as regular classes throughout the year (well, maybe Christmas party excluded).
When my students ask me for advice on how best to proceed with learning English, I always tell them to try and make a friend/acquaintance with a native speaker. I encourage them to participate in social events and school outings and connect with the staff. Many are skeptical about being ever able to connect and yet they all agree that this sort of social interaction is the ultimate goal of learning the language.
So why a drop in attendance as soon as students and teachers get together in a less formal setting? Isn’t this what most students would like to experience: casual talk in an informal setting?
It’s true some people are shy by nature and avoid being the centre of attention, especially if conversing in a foreign language. Yet, the main reasons why social events are under-attended may also be the following:
-spontaneity: the conversation topics that come up may change unexpectedly and make students grasp for words
-fear of unknown: new games or activities may deter participation (what if I don’t understand the rules and look foolish?)
-being unfamiliar with cultural routines and peculiarities: uncertainty of what’s appropriate to say and when, how behave at a table, take pictures, etc.
Prep talk with the students before a party or other social event is important. Acknowledging student fears and lack of cultural knowledge will lower inhibitions. Telling a funny story about your own “cultural failure” (e.g.: I still can’t learn how to use chopsticks properly) will help put everyone at ease. Going over the planned activities ahead of time may be a good idea for lower levels. -
- Most importantly, show support throughout - teacher attitude is often to determine student willingness to come.
POSTED BY Olga Galperin AT 11:50 PM
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Vocabulary Learning Tips for ESL students
Words are the first priority in learning a second language. Make a grammar mistake – people may still understand you, choose a wrong word...
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Sound Natural 
Words, quite literally say it all.
They are the core elements of any language – the basic units of conversation, communication and connection with others.
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