Friday, December 11, 2015

Articles
1. We use a/ an when we are talking about something for the first time.
   *He is wearing a suit and a tie.
   *They have a cat.
   *I saw a good movie last night.
   *She took a glass of water and started to drink.
   *I need to see a doctor.

2. We use the when we are talking about a specific person or thing, or if there is only one, or if it is         clear which one we are talking about.
   *She took the glass of water beside her.
   *Can you turn on the TV.
   *I have to see the doctor tomorrow.
   *How many people have walked on the moon?
   *The best film I've ever seen is Top Gun.
   *The carrots growing in my garden are almost ready y good for you.
   *English people drink a lot of tea.

3. We use no article when we are talking about people or things in general.
   *Carrots are good for you.
   *English people drink a lot of tea.

4. We use a/an to say what kind of person or thing someone or something is (often with an adjective),     or to say it belongs to a particular group.
5. With school, university, prison, hospital, church, bed, work and home we use the when we are             talking about a particular one, and no article when we are talking about the idea of school,                 university...
6. W use the with singular countable nouns to talk about a type of thing.
7. We use the + adjective to talk about a group of people(including nationalities)
8. We use a/an to talk about someone's job or nationality or religion.
9. We use no article with continents, countries, regions, cities, streets, mountains, lakes and parks.
    We use the if the country contains kingdom, republic, state, union.
10. We use the with plural names of people and places.
11. We use the with oceans, seas, rivers and canals.
12. We use the with north, south, east and west to talk about the location of a place inside another             place, but no article to compare the location of two places. We  use no article with northern,             southern, eastern and western.
13. We normally use the with buildings, except if the first word is the name of a place.
14. We use no article with names of sports or academic subjects.

Common First Names of Adults

Beef Stew Recipe

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Capitals
1. use a capital for the first word in every sentence.
2. Use capital letters for titles.
3. Use capital letters for the names of people and places. These are called Proper Nouns.
4. Use capital letters for the names of streets, cities, provinces, postal codes, countries and continents.
5. Use a capital letter for the word, I.

Period
1. Use a period at the end of a sentence.
2. Use a period after abbreviations.

Comma
1. Use a comma in a list of more than 2 things.
2. Use a comma after the name of a person you're writing to.
3. Use a comma after the yes or no in a sentence.
4. Use a comma when you use and to connect two sentences.

 Apostrophe
1. Use an apostrophe to write contractions.
2. use an apostrophe to show possession.

In at on Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Prepositions of time

in
a month(in July)
a season (in spring)
a year (in 2013)
part of a day (in the morning)
 on
a day (on Friday)
a date (on May 2nd)
a holiday with DAY (on Canada Day) / on my birthday
on the weekend
at
at a time (at 10 o'clock) / at rush hour
A holiday without DAY (at New Year's)
at noon / at midnight / at night
at lunch time / at coffee time

Nothing
 yesterday/last night/today/ this morning/ tonight/ tomorrow/  next week/ every day

Prepositions of place

in
a country (in Canada)
a province (in Ontario)
a city (in Toronto)
a room number (in apartment 5110 / in suite 406)
in church / in the house /in school / in class / in glade 5 /in the 3 row
in the picture/ in the photograph
in the mountain
in the armchair
in the car
in the grocery business
in accounting

on
a street (on Consumers Rd.)
a lake, river (on the shore of) on Lake Ontario, on the St. Lawrence River
a floor (on the 5th floor)
on the wall
on the front(back) of the bus
on the chair /on the table
on the bus/ subway/ streetcar
on the side of a house
on page 18
at
an address (at 200 Consumers Rd.)
at work
at home
at the retirement home
at 416-555-6729
at Fairview Mall/ at Pearson Airport
at school
at the lights
at the top (bottom) of the stairs
at the bus stop
at the corner
at the door
Nothing
He is going downtown/ inside/ outside/ upstairs/ downstairs

Monday, December 7, 2015

Friday, December 4, 2015

Friday 4th, Field Trip to CBC Sounds of the Season

Presentation

Hello, I'm Yucho . Today I'd like to share a little article I read before. As everyone knows, we need words, more words to express what is happening to us, our feelings and our thoughts. Although everything comes from our brain, we seem to separate our thoughts from our feelings. We place all our thoughts in the head and all our feelings in the heart. This can be seen in the expressions describing the brain and the heart. Our brain is complex and mysterious, too difficult to understand. But our heart is a simple muscle that pumps blood through our system. 
What more can be said after saying that a man has a good brain, a sharp one or a great one? But we have the large colorful of expressions for a poor brain, such as pinhead, fathead. thickheaded, knucklehead, bonehead, beetle-head, hammerhead, leather-head, mutton-head, blockhead, loggerhead, lunkhead, noddle-head, dimwit, nitwit--there are dozens of them. Our language is so negative when we forget that everything comes from our brain. 
Compare with the expressions that speak for the brain, we have created  a vast wealth of special phrases to express our feelings. They cover every kind of emotion, such as heartache, heartbreak, heart to heart talk, straight from the heart. A man of courage is stout-heart, brave-heart, great-heart. A gentle man is tender-heart, soft-heart. A good man has his heart in the right place. A fearful man has his heart in his mouth. A distrust man has his heart in his sleeves.  what is love, the poets told us that two hearts beat as one. Affection always comes from warm heart. 

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Thursday's Assignment

Good morning! Having seen the historical and popular Christmas, how about the commercial one?

Here are your tasks:

1. Role play: Boxing Day Sales
1. Do it aloud.
2. Practise with a partner aloud.
3. Record a chirbit.
2. Group writing of 3 sentences each: 1. Graph 1 2. Graph 2.
1. Make sure to discuss in a group of 3 or 4.
2. One person will write down a list of 6 points.
3. One will talk about Graph 1 while the others help.
4. Another will talk about Graph 2 while the others help.
5. If there's a fourth team member, that person will check the writing by sitting next to the writer.
3. Copy out the headline and subheads of this article.

1. http://chirb.it/sw25Pc

2.
According the Graph 1 we can find something.
Firstly, the sales on line increased continually year by year.
Secondly, the peak hour in the cyber Monday usually appeared around 9 am to 2 pm.
Lastly, more and more people prefer to buy on line after 7 pm.
According the Graph 2, there are 3 points.
Firstly, the sales were similar before 8:30 am between Monday and Friday.
Secondly, the sales on line decreased after 8;30 am on Black Friday.
Lastly, compare with the sales on line on Friday, people prefer to go out for shopping.

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Wednesday's Assignment

So, besides Christmas, which we've looked at over the last couple of days, what else do Canadians celebrate? Imagine being Santa Claus and arriving in a home that doesn't celebrate Christmas:

Why is this picture funny? Identify some of the objects you see in this picture.

1. Role play: Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa
1. Learn the vocabulary, using a good online text-to-speech resource. Can you recommend one? How about any of the following?
1. From Text to Speech: speed, voices
2. ReadSpeaker TTS + accents
3. Text2Speech: simple choices
2. Then do the usual, practising speaking aloud and getting a partner to practise with.

1. Do you think it's ok to mix up various traditions? With your partner, write a 10-line dialogue using the vocabulary you have learnt. Feel free to include a chirbit.
2. Listen and take notes: Hanukkah for Kids.
1. Discuss in groups of 4 or more how historical Hanukkah is.
2. Publish your findings.

Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa

diverse/ custom/ religious observance/ Advent wreathes/ Midnight Mass/ in-laws/ purely/ secular/ 

exchanging gifts, stockings, a Christmas tree/  carols/ Nat King Cole/ eggnog/ under the tree/ Santa Claus

Hanukkah/ festival of lights/ spins the dreidel/ Chrismukkah/  Kwanzaa/ African- American/ heritage

1-Hi, Ann. Long time no see. Is everything Okay?

--Hi, Yucho. I'm so glad you get here in one piece. Would you like to go shopping with me?

2-Of cause, Ann. What would you like to buy?

--You know it's December. I should prepare gifts for my families and my friends. By the way, I'd like to invite
  you to my home to celebrate Christmas. 

3-Great! It's my honor. Do you invite some other guys? I do like Christmas carols and the eggnog.

--Yes. Liza, she is Jewish. Stephanie, she is African-American.

4-So we will have a Chrismukkah instead of a religious observance. 

-- I decorate my home with a Christmas tree, poinsettia, mistletoe, holly and stockings. I already prepare a big

  Midnight Mass.

5-Sounds good. Diverse customs get together, let's do it. We can exchange our gifts under the Christmas tree.

--I hope all of you guys like that.

Thursday, December 1, 2015

Thursday's Assignment

Monday, November 30, 2015

Monday's Assignment

Santa Claus, Old Saint Nick, Rudoph 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 historicalChristmas! But in what way?

1. Dictation from Chirbit: 1:50 - 2:56 (Answer: Video link will come alive later)
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
3. Here are your tasks for this afternoon:
   
   1. Role play: Singing Christmas Carols
   2. Listening and Vocabulary: The Christmas Gift
   3. Singing time!

About 2000 years ago, a young girl named Mary was visited by an angelangle. The angelangle's name was GabrielGregorio. He told Mary that God wanted her to have a very special baby and that she was to call the baby Jesus. A little while later, Mary was married to a carpenter named Joseph. Even though she was going to have her baby very soon, they had to make a long journey to a little town called BethlehemBeferiham. When they arrived in BethlehemBefriham, there were many people there already, and Joseph could not find anywhere for them to stay. Finally, an inn-keeper told Joseph that they could stay his stable with the animals. 

Joseph and Mary settled down and there amongamount the animals Jesus was born. They wrapped the baby up in warm clothes and laid him in a manger filled the major field with straw. Meanwhile on the hills outside of BethlehemBeferiham, some shepherds who were watching over their sheep noticed a bright light in the sky. They had never seen anything like it before and they were afraid. An angel appeared and told them not to be frightened. Instead they should be happy since a very special baby had been born who was a son of God.      

Friday, November 27, 2015

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, November 26, 2015

Thursday's Assignment

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.

http://vocaroo.com/i/s0WAeEd1qT55]

http://vocaroo.com/i/s0yZFwcwfGHu

http://vocaroo.com/i/s1gmRdYzLfhh

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Wednesday's Assignment

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

In my opinion, the father should be an electrician, a plumber, a driver, a carpenter, a security, a mechanic and 
a coach in the home. The mother should be a baker, a barber, a caretaker, a cleaner, a cook, a tailor, a nurse, 
a teacher, a comforter and a friend in the home. I don't believe in clear gender roles. Most people say
they can't do something just because they don't want to do by themselves.   

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

SAY! WHERE IS MY MOTHER?

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 classmates before publishing.

1. http://chirb.it/q3bGND

2. to put it that way/ caretaker/ household chore/ modern sensibility/ change up gender role/ radical lifestyle
When I was a little girl, I saw my parent always quarreled with each other about who should do the household 

chores. They were so busy because they were all the breadwinners. After I married, the situation changed 
since my parents retired and could help us as caretakers. In China, most people can't support their families 

 only with one person's salary. Nowadays, many people like to live a radical lifestyle and choose no child in the 
home. I am not a feminist. But I think that financial independent for the women is very important. 

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

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 oftheir 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!):

1. http://bcove.me/obkn3ijw
Canada is a part of the North American (Free) Tread Agreement. NAFTA is very important to us. Our relationship
of this continent has been soured over 10 years Stephen Harper who does not get along with the American
president and who has strange relationship with Mexico too extremely high degree. We need to ensure that Canada
is a country that is accepting refugees who are fleeing persecution from all source of difference places around the
world for all difference reasons. We're committed (to) working to ensure that those applications process responsible
and speedy fashion. But we know there are other way(s) doing that. They are simply slapping Mexican citizen visa.
That hurt Canada tourism. That hurt relationship with our continent partner and quite frankly hurt our economical
growth with NAFTA. Canada needs to do right by our continental neighbors and a part of that is removing the visa
restriction on Mexican citizen.

 

Monday, November 23, 2015

Monday's Assignment

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:

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?

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.

Dear Ann,
The last email, you told me your application to sponsor your husband to Canada was refused by CIC. I'm sorry to hear that and hope you feel better soon.

I cheeked the website of IRB and found the Sponsorship Appeal Process. First at all, you should clarify the issues in  your application. Second, your appeal with the IRB should be filed within 30 days.  According to the IRB tribunal process, a hearing appeal will be holding involving the appellant and Minister's counsel. Your appeal is considered by IAD member. Or it may be sent to ADR.  If your appeal is allowed, CIC will resume processing your sponsorship application and grant a permanent resident visa. However, CIC may be denies on other grounds. You may apply to the Federal Court of Canada for review of the IRB's decision.
Please let me know If you have any question or concern.
Best Regards 
yucho

citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)

Immigration Appeal Division (IAD)

Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB).

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) In 1996, CIC published the Canadian Language Benchmarks: English as a Second .....Reading. Writing. CLB 5: Initial. CLB 6: Developing. CLB 7: Adequate. programo

ADVERBS OF FREQUENCY

Friday, November 20, 2015 (finish)

Friday's Assignment

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

Definitely, I do. I don't want my employer underestimates me. I will persuade him to
give me a chance proving his decide of hiring me is right. 

Here are your tasks:

1. Role play: Negotiating Salary
2. Write comments on at least 3 classmates' reports.

a salary range between/ given our budget constraints/ an attractive compensation package
will to up/ increase you rannual vacation time/ jump at/ close the gap in salary/ be doable
 the ceiling for that position

Thursday, November 19, 2015 (finish)

Thursday's Field Trip

1. 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.

This is my second time attending (to attend) the job fair. It was holden at Global Kingdom Ministries Centre in Scarborough. (Maybe it was so early,) There were not a lot of people there. After practicing lots how to make the interview (at) in the school, we  finally had a chance to communicate with the real companies' representatives ( representation) face to face. The first one (we were talking) I spoke was from JVS Toronto International Credential Assessment Service. He was very kind and explained their services patiently ( presently). Compared with WES, they charge much less and only need 8 weeks of the process. That was really good news. The second one was a lady from Seneca Workforce Skills Center. I told her that I failed the Seneca college's admission test three years ago. She suggested me a free program at Seneca if my ESL level was at 6. I appreciated it (with that) and shared the news with my classmates. The third one(men) was from Pharma-Medical Science College of Canada. He recommended the Ultrasound Technologist Program (ARDMS) to me. I filled the form out and hoped (get) to keep in touch. The fourth person was a lady who was from AGTA Home Health Care. She told me I could have a job right now if I want to fill the application form out. I asked whether (or nor) I need some training or license for the job. She answered me I don't need them(those) if I were a nurse before. I inquired (required) where I would be working (at). She told me at the private homes (house). I hesitated because I (have) never worked (been working at)as the private nurse (house) before. At last, I left, because I can't deal with a patient independently now. The first step is always the hardest. I should be prepared.    

 

Wednesday, November 18, 2015 (3*24)

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.

New Dialogue

--Hi, come on in. I'm Yucho, Take a sit, please.

--Hi, I'm Ann. Nice to meet you.

--I'm glad you to made it here in one piece. So, Ann, would you please talk something about yourself?

--Sure. I had more than 20 year's experience in the hospital as a nurse before I came here. Then, I 

  have 2 year's experience in the restaurant as a cook in Canada. I'm able to quickly adapt with the new

  work environment.I can make the clients feel comfortable for interact with me. And I always try to be

  ahead of the curve.

--That's great. Then tell me your greatest weaknesses.

--I have to say that I can be too much of trying to be ahead of the curve.

--Really?

--That's just me.