Monday's Assignment

Here are your tasks for this afternoon:

1. Role play: Singing Christmas Carols
2. Listening and Vocabulary: The Christmas Gift
3. Singing time! Congratulations those of you who learnt the carol--you can now practise with the video:

Santa Claus, Old Saint Nick, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, and Postal Code H0H 0H0 ... what have these to do with Christmas?

Actually, a lot, just not the historical one, like the name Quirinius. Check out the sixth line of the tablet below--do you see part of the name of the Roman governor named Publius Sulpicius Quirinius?

Unbeknownst to him, and perhaps you've just seen his name for the very first time, Quirinius played an important role in the historical Christmas! But in what way?

Here are your tasks:

1. Dictation from Chirbit: 1:50 - 2:56 (Answer: Video link)
1. Check your transcript with a partner.
2. Let your teacher know you have published.
3. Wait for the announcement to refresh your browser.
2. Compare the story with the original document. Take notes, and then discuss any similarities and differences.
1. Why do people wish each other a Merry Christmas?
2. How is the celebration different in other countries?
3. Share in a group of three or more.

Friday Nov 27: Field Trip to Chocolate Factory and Buffet Lunch

On the brink of the festive season, we're ending this week with a sweet holiday food theme. This Friday's field trip begins with car pooling from Don Mills at 10 a.m., and it aims to cover a chocolate factory in the neighbourhood before proceeding to Frankie Tomatto's, a popular buffet restaurant.


There may be employment opportunities available, too!



If you'd like to join the lunch, it's $14 per person (or about $18 after tax and tip, or more if you order drinks). Come hungry!
And don't forget to submit your review after the trip.

Thursday's Assignment

CHIRBIT FIX!

Some of us have had trouble this morning accessing and using chirbit.com. Me, too!

So I simply followed the link that said to Verify by Email, and then got the following email (below). Please follow the instructions in the email to verify your account, and see if it works now.

It works for me! :)



Welcome back! We have a busy day today before our field trip tomorrow.
Before our movie this afternoon and the informational talk later this morning, here are your tasks:

1. Grab a partner and create a chirbit with yesterday's Dictation Triptych:
1. Record without practising.
2. Practise jumping between columns 2 and 3 at least twice, and then record again.
3. Then record a third time with only A (the judge) looking at the Dictation Triptych. B (applicant) can choose to be creative in answering.
4. Publish all three recordings to your blogs.
5. Also, as follow-up on your blogs, state 
1. What you did well, 
2. What could be improved, and 
3. What you learnt in this activity.
6. 3. Then leave a comment on 2 classmates’ blogs on 

1. What they did well (Loud, clear voice; eye contact; very few pronunciation mistakes) and 
2. What might be done to improve it (more practice with a partner; practising w/v or v/b sounds).
2. Did your parents ever tell you to go do some physical exercise? Today, we have a community nurse coming in to talk about Physical Activity. So remove headphones, grab a partner, and role play before listening: Childhood fitness.

Wednesday's Assignment

What should fathers do in the home? Mothers? Kids? Do you believe in clear gender roles?

Discuss with a partner what might be a good caption here.

Here are your tasks:

1. Role play: Being a Stay-at-Home Dad
2. Using the vocabulary learned, write 6 sentences describing family roles and responsibilities in your country of origin.
3. Cross-check with a classmate before publishing.

Tuesday's Assignment

So, here's something to do before some of you move on to Workplace English ... Was it hard coming to Canada? Is it hard trying to become a citizen?

Is this cartoon funny? Why or why not? Discuss with a partner.

Here are your tasks:

1. Watch this video, and take dictation from 0:52 to 1:34. (For transcript see below.*) Then listen with a partner, and make corrections before publishing.
1. In the article, locate the six bullet points listing changes in immigration policy.
2. In a group of 3 or 4, discuss these points.
2. Create a short instructional on the appeal process for family sponsorship. Read and record a chirbit in your voice for your partner of their writing from Monday morning's assignment. Allow them to publish the audio link on their blog, and vice versa.

* Click below to see the transcript (Thanks to Zachary from York U's TESOL!):

Monday's Assignment

Editing today--with changes tracked

Here's this afternoon's tasks:

1. Role play: Roles within the Family
2. Google to identify the historical background of “the prodigal son,” “scapegoat,” and “lion’s den.”
3. Exchange notes with at least 2 classmates.

What's your family like? Immigrants often travel as families or try to reunify their families at a later time. What is the process for sponsoring family members to Canada? We start on the weekly theme of family relationships with the following flowchart:

What do the acronyms CIC, IAD, and IRB stand for?

Here are your tasks:

1. CLB 5 R Interpret a simple chart to explain a familiar government process (such as how a law is passed). Write 8 or more sentences about how the above process works.
1. Try to use passive verbs in the present tense, e.g. If your application is accepted, you do not need to reapply, or Next, the appeal is considered by the CIC.
2. Check your sentences with a partner before posting.
2. Compare this process with that in your country of origin. Add 2 - 3 sentences. What are some major differences?

Friday's Assignment

Do you expect your future employer to offer exactly the salary you imagine getting?

Here are your tasks:

1. Role play: Negotiating Salary
2. Write a trip report of yesterday’s Job Fair. 
1. Write down 5 experiences/facts about the job fair, e.g. who you talked to the longest, any pattern you noticed about employers/job hunters.
2. Update your list with 3 other classmates before drafting.
3. Check your drafts with 3 other classmates before publishing.
1. What are the best ways to use your editing checklist?
2. Did you learn anything while checking for your classmates?
4. Add pictures/videos to your trip report.
5. Write comments on at least 3 classmates' reports.

Thursday's Field Trip

Please meet before 10 a.m. at Don Mills Station so the car pools can leave at 10 a.m. sharp.

And let's try to take a group photo at 11 a.m.

Wednesday's Assignment

What are some important terms in a job interview?

   

Here are your tasks on the language of employment:

1. Role play: Practise aloud at least 3 sets of dialogue.
2. Practise one of them with a partner, and create a youtube wefie together.
3. Make sure you have registered for tomorrow’s job fair.

Tuesday's Assignment

What's better than a portfolio and a printed resume? How about a video resume?

Interesting? Interested? Here are more samples.

Here are your tasks:

1. Role Play: Preparing Your Video Resume 
2. Take dictation from 0:32 - 0:41 of this video, check with a partner, and then record your own Youtube introduction. Publish, and check the transcript below.

Monday's Assignment

You have your LINC/ESL e-portfolio here. But what does your career portfolio look like? Tell a partner what you would put in it and what you wouldn't.
Welcome to this week's theme on employment and job interviews in preparation for this Thursday's field trip!

Here are your tasks:

• We start with this quick survey to review what you've learnt last week--on the theme of A Child's Education. Please post your answers under Comments below:
1. This week I learned to _________________________
2. I can use this when I ________________________
3. I can do it well.  I can do it with help.  I can’t do it yet. 
4. The learning activity I liked best was ___________________
5. I want to do more __________________________

1. Role play: Your Professional Portfolio
1. Practise by yourself, 
2. with a partner, and then 
3. before your teacher, before 
4. recording your chirbit.
2. Follow these Resume Wizard instructions. Invite 2 or 3 classmates to provide mutual suggestions.

Thursday's Assignment

In your country of origin, when do people tell their kids about the birds and bees? How do they do that? Is it mainly done in school or at home?

Did you know the idiom?

Here are your tasks:

1. Role play: Describing Bodies
2. Read, think about, and discuss this report.
3. In which grades is homophobia discussed in this document? Use Ctrl-F to find keywords.
1. How is Canada's sex education compared to that in your country of origin?
2. Discuss this with a partner from a different country. Take notes.
3. Record on chirbit a group discussion about the similarities and differences as well as how you feel about what it should be like in Canada.
4. Listen to another group's chirbit and leave a comment.
4. Write a brief trip report about yesterday's Remembrance Day Service. When did you arrive, what did you see, who did you talk to, and how did you feel? Add pictures.
   
5. Sign up for next Thursday's job fair.

Remembrance Day Field Trip on November 11th, 2015

Lest We Forget

Our whole school will be going to the Remembrance Day Ceremony to celebrate those who gave their lives for our country.
Please arrive at 10.30 a.m. to find a good spot to sit.

Here is the address and the website:

North York Service
George Weston Recital Hall at the Toronto Centre for the Arts5040 Yonge Street
View program

Tuesday's Assignment

How do students classify themselves in their country of origin? Do they have a term for poor or rich students? Or smart or silly ones? Or fat or skinny ones? How do you feel about calling or being called a name? How's the situation here in North America? Have you talked to a schoolkid in Canada lately?

Nerds, goths, and Jocks? Take a look, in images and videos!

Here are your tasks:

1. Vocabulary: Getting Childcare
1. Listen, and work on pronunciation--speak out loud. (If you need text-to-speech, try these resources.)
2. Read aloud while a partner checks your pronunciation.
2. Role play: Types of Students
3. Take dictation from 2:23 through 3:05 of this video.
4. Using 10 of the words/expressions you learnt today, write an email to a friend overseas about school life in Canada.
1. Begin your email with "Hi __________, Long time no see!"
2. In the first paragraph, write 3 sentences describing the children and the culture in Canadian schools.
3. In the second paragraph, write 3 sentences describing your thoughts and feelings.
4. Don't forget to sign off.

Monday's Assignment

Welcome back to school! What do you think are some differences between an adult's and a child's education? Tell a partner your answers, and then tell another partner your first partner's answers.

Does this remind you of coming to the LINC program?

Here are your tasks:

1. Role play: Staying Home from School
2. Role play: Coming Home Late
3. Identify pages in this document on helping your child with bullying, ongoing support for learning, and parent-teacher interviews. Find one more area of help and make a list using the Numbered List button.

Friday's Assignment

Imagine that you had an unforgettable tenant named Jimmy. How much would you ask Jimmy to leave as a deposit for renting your apartment. What would you do if Jimmy left a big hole in the kitchen wall and damaged your stove, refrigerator, and living room carpet?

Will Jimmy get his deposit back?

Here are your tasks:

1. Reading and discussion with a partner: CLEO on Damage and FMTA's FAQ.
1. Share with your partner one surprising finding from each document.
2. Write a short email of about 50 words of your own advising a friend on what to do in a tough situation as a tenant.
2. Role play: Getting the Deposit Back
3. What does the term "tenant  from hell" mean? Skim this article, check out the pictures, and discuss with a partner.

Thursday's Assignment

Can a tenant get kicked out? What, if any, circumstances could make this happen? Discuss this with a partner.

Does this picture look familiar? What's the story behind it? Is the cartoon funny, and if so, why?

Here are your tasks:

1. Reading: Fighting an Eviction
1. Find 3 or more interesting/surprising facts and list them in your own words on your blog.
2. Comment on your classmates' discoveries on their blogs.
2. Role play: Eviction Notice
1. Identify phrases that are most useful and could be used in other situations, and practise them more, aloud.
2. With a partner create a chirbit on eviction or record another conversation based on your useful phrases.
3. Write an email to your telephone company about a late payment. If you have the time, try writing a warning letter from a telephone company to a delinquent subscriber.

Wednesday's Assignment

Who's responsible when there's a leak in your apartment? Or when the light bulb is blown? Or the fuse? Or the toilet stopped up? Who pays? Discuss these with a partner.

Ever needed something quick? How quick was the service you got from the landlord or super?

Here are your tasks:

1. Listening and vocabulary: Housing Complaints
1. Go through the lesson, and take the quiz.
2. Make sentences with the expressions you just learnt, and check them with a partner.
3. What does the term walking refrigerator mean? What can you do when you are stuck with a strange term?
1. Source 1
2. Source 2



Food for thought: Does the right to
freedom of expression include the
right to undermine itself?

3. Other sources
2. Role play: Calling the Landlord to Report a Leak
1. As usual, practise aloud by yourself and then with a partner.
2. Record your conversation with your partner, and do it again using the "jumping/pinball" exercise.
3. Publish your audio chirbits to your e-portfolios.
3. In preparation for Remembrance Day, listen to and practise singing this song.

Tuesday's Assignment

What are some synonyms of negotiation? Have you ever bargained about the price of something, e.g. your rent? How hard and how long have you ever haggled over any item? Are you a low-baller?

Is this funny? What idiom do you think is referred to? Have you heard of this one?

Here are your tasks:

1. Listening: Prices
2. For your role play: 
1. Compare the following:
1. Negotiating the Price
2. Negotiating the Price (2)
2. Practise them with Tutor Mike.
3. Find a partner, compose and record your shared conversation on price negotiations, and then post your recording on Chirbit.

Monday's Assignment

Do you rent your apartment? If so, what does your lease say about its condition? Do you remember talking to your landlord or tenant? Was the conversation difficult? Guess the theme for this week.

What new words did you see in the cartoon? Was the cartoon funny? Discuss it with your partner.

Here are your tasks:

Where's William, Fabio, Reed, Tina, etc.?

1. Write your field trip report. 
1. Consider your favourite speaker, piece of career advice, networking partner, university memory, and free souvenir.
2. Make sure to interview your classmates, get them to check your writing, and include some pictures before publishing.
2. Listening & Vocabulary: Apartments for Rent
3. Vocabulary: rental apartments
4. Role play: Scheduling an Appointment Viewing



CN Tower at night

1. Practise the conversations with Tutor Mike.
2. Practise with a partner, and then choose one to record on Chirbit with your partner.
3. Write your own conversation based on what you have learnt!