Friday, June 28, 2013

Friday's Assignment

 Welcome back, and T.G.I.F.!



Here's our final assignment before the July one-week break:
  1. Reading: Compare the two English translations of this ancient poem about old age. Then choose to read it in another language.
  2. Listening Comprehension: Our Aging Society
  3. Role Play with Partner: Getting Older
  4. Record your Role Play at http://www.vocaroo.com and put the link on your blog.
  5. Writing: Research on Elder Abuse; then blog your thoughts about fraud and violence towards old people in Canada compared to another country.

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Thank you, and thank God for a wonderful semester!



What an awesome, touching surprise to have gotten your card and gift this morning! Katie, Nora, Lena, Rahim, Kate, Ying, Angela, Firouzeh, Judy, Farnaz, Rose, Farzaneh, Ming, Hamida (haha!), Tina, and Kim--you guys are the best, wackiest class I've had!

And what a marvellous graduation, potluck, and Canada Day celebration we had. I hope you'll all have an exciting summer. Don't forget to update your blogs, and tell your friends and family to keep in touch with your exciting posts and pictures. And to those moving up and moving on, best wishes, you all! Let's keep in touch via blog, Facebook, and LinkedIn! Yay!








FWIW, the AC technician said ours was the best class he's seen--bahaha!
Click below for the video!

Monday, June 24, 2013

R.I.P. Volunteer Tim


With his uncle John a couple of year ago, Tim would provide conversation practice with various LINC 4 - 5 participants in the afternoon in MicroSkills. Despite his double disability--blindness and deafness--Tim was always cheerful and patient with all he met, including his ESL-learning friends.

On June 5, 2013, Tim went home to his reward, and I was privileged to attend his memorial service today. We enjoyed singing Tim's favourite hymn, "This Is My Father's World" (below) and hearing tributes from his family in his memory. Thank God for his memory and His goodness.

Friday, June 21, 2013

Friday's Assignment

 T.G.I.F.! So, before heading out to the beautiful Canadian outdoors this weekend, here's what we're going to do:
 
  1. Writing/Editing: Update your blog with all the corrections indicated.
  2. Role Play: Dealing with Unhappy Employees
  3. Reading: Can you fire a worker who is pregnant? What about a worker who uses bad language, who is always cussin'? What about lazy workers? Check out some interesting legal cases here.
  4. Listening and Speaking: Watch this video, take the quiz, and then watch again following the transcript for pronunciation practice.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Upcoming Events

Summer is a time when thousands of Canadians come out of hiding and bask in the sun. If you're interested in any of these or others for a field trip this summer, please click on Comments below to share your thoughts.

 

July - August: Toronto Islands Get there and back by ferry for $7 for adults and less for others. Get ready to get hot, sandy, and wet!

Tuesday July 9: Caribana Official Launch Join the colourful party of the Caribbean at Nathan Phillips Square and dance to the sounds of soca and calypso music.

July 11 - August 29: Tasty Thursdays For $7 or less, sample an international lunch and music downtown at Nathan Phillips Square.

Tuesday July 16:
The People's Church Famers' Market sells stuff like honey, eggs, smoked meats, etc.

Thursday July 25: Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival Summertime Barbeque Reportedly at Eglinton Square, it should be an exciting event.

Friday August 2: Scarborough Ribfest This year's is special! Not only do you have the pleasure of paying for overpriced fried onions and racks of ribs, there's a special $2 admission charge for the first time!

 
Other venues: Honest Ed's, Ontario Science Centre, Art Gallery of Ontario, St. Lawrence Market, Kensington Market, Cherry Beach, Woodbine Beach, and Pacific Mall.

I'm looking forward to your ideas and feedback!

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Wednesday's Assignment

 
  1. Role Play: Working for an Impossible Boss
  2. Read, take notes, and write a conversation based on this Workplace Communication Lesson. Then post on your blog a record of a short sample you make on Vocaroo.com.
  3. Take the Birkman questionnaire and share your results with a trusted partner.

Monday, June 17, 2013

Monday's Assignment

 Welcome back to our computer-aided language learning! Our theme for this week is Employment Laws in Ontario.

 
  1. Role Play: Whistle-blowing at Work
  2. Check out the official website for Ontario labour laws: Can you be fired for not going to work because of a police cordon? Read and explore for 10 minutes: Ontario Ministry of Labour > About The Ministry > Frequently Asked Questions > Workplace FAQs: During Natural Disasters
  3. Listening & Vocabulary: Irritating Co-workers
  4. Complete Reports on our field trip to the ginseng farm.
  5. Write a summary on your blog of five points on what you learnt during any of the Skills for Life days last week. Topics include Meals and Manners, Telephone Conversation, and Assertiveness.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Coleman Warehouse Sale 2013 <-- today?

slide-1
 

Some of you were interested in Coleman Warehouse Sales after the Learn to Camp presentation; so here's what I googled up:




Other warehouse sales here


Friday, June 7, 2013

So You Know About the Forty-Ninth Parallel, Eh?

Remember reading and hearing this week about the forty-ninth parallel, latitude 49 degrees north, that neatly separates Canada from the U.S.?

Well, sort of.

Check out this video and see if you have any comments about the geographical boundary with our neighbour south of the border.

Too Many Places, Too Little Time in St Catharines



It started off a little bleary and foggy, but we never thought we'd chewed off more than we could have chewed. With Peter, Ming, Terry, Rahim, Yoo Lee, and Nora's husband driving, the whole lot of us rendezvoused at Great Mountain Ginseng Farm for a video extolling their achievements, a walking tour to their demo farm led by their guide Mandy, and checking out the latest and best in unearthed mandrakelike farm jewels.

Finally extracting ourselves from the place, we wound up in Pillitteri winery, where some of us met Mrs. Pillitteri herself, the Italian matriarch who owns the place, and sipped some of her sweet beverages. We also got to see her cellar and vineyards and grabbed a bottle or two before proceeding as far as Queen's Royal Park in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Unfortunately for Jane and who knows who else who's never seen the Falls, some of us never made it to that Canadian wonder of nature and had to hightail back to the big city in time for 2:30 p.m. But, alas, we do have much to be thankful for, to our Creator and Provider of all grace, who first said,
I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Friday's Field Trip and Wednesday's Assignment

In case of any last-minute changes due weather or nuclear hazards, which are fairly unlikely, please check this space early morning Friday.
This Friday's field trip is to Great Mountain Ginseng Farm, a leading producer of the herb in Ontario. After the visit and guided tour, we can go explore the neighbourhood for other agricultural and tourist attractions and perhaps go for lunch. Please be on time meeting at 200 Consumers Rd on Friday morning.

Bring your snacks, good walking shoes, credit cards, umbrellas (it might rain), and a camera for your blog posts.

View Map

Monday, June 3, 2013

Monday's Assignment

Welcome to a week on geography (can you say it?), the geography of Canada.
 
Read and watch video at this article on identifying continents.
  1. To save bandwidth, watch these Toronto Public Library videos with a partner.
  2. Watch this VIA-travel video and take dictation of 3:44 - 3:57. Publish your dictation and a link to the website on your blog.
  3. With a partner, try singing O Canada in its other stanzas.

Answer key to editing checklist appetizer

  Int excel