Christmas Dinner

This year, my contribution to our family Christmas dinner is the roast turkey. It's been a while since I've cooked one, so I checked the Canadian Living website for the instructions. 

Follow this link to find out how to cook a turkey, then fill in the blanks below.

How to cook a turkey - Canadian Living

Happy Holidays!

Here are some links to keep practising English over the holidays.



ESL Lab Listening - The Christmas Gift

Song - Happy Christmas

Reading (easy) Lovely Winter

Vocabulary (easy) Christmas Vocabulary

Reading Christmas Shopping  and Christmas Shopping Gap Fill

Reading Christmas by the numbers

Podcast Christmas Decorating

Tricky adjectives

Some adjectives can be confusing. Would you rather be bored or boring? Here's some more practise: 
Adjectives with -ed / -ing

Would you like to come over?

Review the language we use for extending, accepting and declining invitations.

 Invitations
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Here are some useful expressions you can use for making, accepting and refusing invitations.

Inviting

- We're having a few people over. We'd like you to join us.
- I was wondering if you'd like to come over.
- We're having a small get-together. Would you like to come?
- Would you like to come over?
- I'd like to invite you to my house.
- I hope you can make it.
- I'd like to invite you over for coffee.

Accepting Invitations

- We'd love to come.
- That's really nice. I'm sure my husband would like that. We'd love to come.
- I appreciate the invitation. What can I bring?
- That sounds great! Thanks for inviting me.
- I'm looking forward to it.
- Can I bring anything?
- What time should I be there?
- Let me know if I can bring anything.

Declining Invitations

- Sorry, I'd love to come, but I'm busy.
- I'd love to come, but I can't make it.
- I'd like to, but I have a meeting that day.
- I wish I could come, but I have an appointment.
- Thanks for thinking of me, but I'm afraid I have other plans that day.

Hesitating

- Thanks, but I have to check my calendar. Can I get back to you?
- I'm not sure what my plans are. Can I let you know?

Newcomer Newsletter

This newsletter looks like interesting reading.

Wondering how you're going to deal with winter in Canada? Got a difficult neighbour you don't know how to handle? Need something delicious in your life?

Read on! Click here for the Newcomer Newsletter

Untold Stories Exhibit - Museum of Vancouver

Video 1

This is a video about an immigrant who came to Canada as a refugee. Listen to Fawad's story and answer the questions.

1. Where is Fawad from?
2. Why did he have to leave his country?
3. How long did he stay in the refugee camp in Pakistan?
4. How was life there?
5. What did he study when he was living there?
6. How many people applied to Canadian universities from Pakistan?
7. What city in Canada did he come to study in university at?
8. Did he finish his Bachelor's degree there?
9.Who did he re-connect with in Toronto?
10. Where does he work now?
11. What would he like to get involved in one day?
12. Why does he like to do community work?

Video 2

This is a video about an immigrant who came to Toronto as a worker. Listen to the video and answer the questions.

1. Is it easy or difficult to start a new life in a new country?
2. Where is Steven from?
3. Did he expect to find a good job?
4. How many resumes did he send out?
5. What did everyone keep telling him he didn't have?
6. What job did he apply for at the Steam Whistle Brewery?
7. What job did they give him?
8. How long has he worked there?
9. What does Steven think brings success?

It's raining, it's pouring...

 

It's pouring today... a perfect day to stay inside and study English on the ELSA 4 blog!

Listen to this podcast to learn expressions to talk about rainy weather. Getting Caught in the Rain

Time flies when you're having fun!

 

Time idioms 

Do you feel that time flies?

Or do you have too much time on your hands?

Follow this link to learn some Time idioms. Try the quiz at the bottom of the page.

Store Returns - Listening

"The first time I washed and dried it, the thing shrank at least 5 sizes!"

Is this is a good reason to return a sweater? Do you think this man should get a refund?

Listening Practise -  Click here to listen  Store Returns

Field Trip to Capilano River Hatchery

 Morning Students - Monday

Please arrive at school promptly at 9:00. We are leaving at 9:05. We will take the Skytrain, the seabus and then a bus to get to the hatchery.

If you wish to meet us at Waterfront Station, you can meet us at 9:15 in front of Starbucks.

If you are meeting us at the hatchery, please click the link below for directions:

Capilano River Hatchery website

Afternoon Students - Tuesday

We will leave the school at 1:05. Please arrive on time.

Opinions

Listen again to the conversation. If you ask me...

Cranberries - A North American Super Fruit

Click here for more listening practise:

Cranberries

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Collocations

Thanksgiving Podcast

How to Cook a Turkey

Click here for the How to Cook a Turkey video

Indirect Questions

1. Follow the link below. On this website, first click number 4
2. Then, click Unit 3  Friends and Family.

3. Choose the first activity: Raising Children

4. Choose the second activity: Indirect WH Questions

Raising Children Crossword and Indirect Wh- Questions

Sleepover Party

 

 Sleepover Party - idioms

 The Sleepover Party - Listening

Listening: I've got to get going

Listen to the conversation between Ling and Ramon. Write down their conversation.

I've got to get going

School Procedures - Listening

Listen to an interview with a school secretary about School Procedures

The Raven's Call

 

Watch this animation of The Raven's Call, a short story that Bill Reid wrote and left purposely unfinished.

The Raven's Call

How do you think the story ends?

Morning Field Trip to Bill Reid Gallery

We will be going to the Bill Reid Gallery on Thursday morning to look at Haida art by one of Canada's most . Come to class at 9:00 as usual. We will leave school at 10:30 in order to arrive at the Gallery at 11:00 when it opens. We'll visit the Gallery until 12:00. If you wish to meet the class at the Gallery, please be at the entrance at 639 Hornby St. at 11:00.

Who is Bill Reid? 

Explore the Bill Reid Gallery Website . What exhibitions are on?

Radio Interview about Gestures

Here is the radio interview from this morning. Listen and fill in the blanks.
Gestures - Radio Interview

Talking about Canada

1. Listen to Jamie talk about Canada. 
2. Listen to Mike compare three Canadian cities.

Make sure you do the Vocabulary and Comprehension quizzes on the right.

Body Language - Talking with your Hands

Watch this video about Body Language - Talking with your Hands. After you watch the video, click "Learn" to practise the vocabulary.

Cuture Shock - Listening

How did you feel when you first arrived in Canada?

How did you feel a few months later?

What advice would you give someone when they feel homesick?

Listen to a woman talking about her experience of culture shock:
Little Things Mean a Lot


Read Adapting to culture shock from the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website.

Hot Summer Weather

Cycling Day 2 - Learning to Ride

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Benefits of Cycling

Click here for a Cycling Video Quiz

Morning Class - Paragraph Writing

Write a paragraph about the benefits of riding a bicycle.
Please write about 100 - 125 words.

A paragraph has three parts
1) topic sentence
2) body
3) conclusion

Topic Sentence

Introduce your idea with a general sentence that tells the reader your point or opinion.
Ex: Riding a bicycle can help people improve the quality of their lives.

Body

Explain your idea with details and examples.

Use some of these expressions to begin your supporting sentences:

First of all... / One benefit is that... / For one thing...
Another benefit is... / Also... / Furthermore...
Not only... but also....
Finally...

Give at least three reasons why bicycle riding is beneficial.

Conclusion

Make your point again. Repeat the main idea of your first sentence using different words.

You can use these expressions in your conclusion:

In conclusion... / All in all... / Overall...

Canada Quiz

1. How much do you know about Canada? Take these 3 quizzes.
2. How much do you know about Canada? Take this quiz from CBC.
3. How much do you know about Canadian geography? Take this quiz.

Terry Fox



Statue of Terry outside Terry Fox Secondary School
in Port Coquitlam


Listening about the Greatest Canadian (in my opinion!)

Terry Fox: A Marathon of Hope

Bicycle Listening & Reading

Buying a Bicycle podcast - Podcast

Bicycle Shop Reading + Quiz

Played OR was playing? - Verb Tense Practise

Bicycle Event - Day 1

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Extra Homework - Blade Runner - Listen and Read

Oscar Pistorius is a South African sprinter who is called "the fastest man on no legs." He will compete in the Olympic 400 m race on carbon-fibre blades, competing with able-bodied athletes.

For the students who read the story of the Blade Runner (extra homework), you can listen as you read the story here: Unit 9: Blade Runner

You can read the CBC story about him here: Double amputee Oscar Pistorius will run in Olympic 400m. Some readers commented at the end of the article that he should not be allowed to race. They think it's not fair because he may have an advantage. What do you think? 

Morning Students on Bicycles

Morning students will be learning to ride bicycles this week.

The class will be divided into two groups - new riders and experienced riders.

We'll all meet in the classroom at 9 a.m. as usual.

Students learning to ride will go to a park on Monday, Wednesday and Friday to learn and practise.

Experienced riders will learn about their rights and responsibilities as cyclists on Monday in the classroom. On Wednesday and Friday, you'll be heading outside to practise riding on the road.

Dress appropriately. Wear comfortable clothing and closed-toe shoes (not sandals). Protect yourself from the sun by wearing sunglasses and sunscreen.

Homework

Your homework this weekend is the usual -- write 5 new words in your learning journals.

For instructions and an example, see this post: Vocabulary Homework

Afternoon students -- in addition to the vocabulary homework, please write 100-125 words about culture, based on the question you chose in class on Thursday.

A Professional and a Personal Message

Here's the link to the two voice mail messages we listened to in class. Listen again and write down the messages.

A Professional and a Personal Message

 Useful phrases for taking messages

Andrea called to ... say / let you know / ask / find out / remind you about / invite you ....

She wants to let you know...

He wants to know if....

Please let them know...

Please call her back.

Recreation

1. Vocabulary

Go, Do or Play Sports?

2. Listening

Northside Pool and Fitness Centre

Listen and choose the best answer. Then, do the fill in the blank exercise at the bottom of the page.

3. Listening

Answering Machine Messages podcast

How does he feel when he reaches an answering machine instead of the person he is calling?

He feels:

a) relieved

b) discouraged

c) annoyed

How do you feel when you reach an answering machine?

Happy Canada Day!

July 1st is Canada Day. There will be no classes on Monday July 2nd.


2. Here is a Languages and Nationalities Vocabulary Quiz for your enjoyment.

3. Please remember to write down 5 new words that you have learned this week in your learning journal.

4. Afternoon Class - please listen to and take messages for Messages #7 to 12 on the pink message paper. You may need to wait a few minutes for the messages to load. Be patient.

Have a great Canada Day weekend!

Yulie Volunteers

Yulie, one of our morning students, volunteered at the Scotiabank Half-Marathon on June 24th, providing thirsty runners with water and Gatorade. She wanted to share some of her pictures with you. Way to go, Yulie!

Would you like to volunteer? Special events like this one are a great way to get started.

Check on Go Volunteer for opportunities. Check off "Special Events". Use the Advanced Search feature to look for positions suitable for ESL.

Another good volunteering website is Vancouver Charity Events. Check it out!

Multicultural Fair

The afternoon class is going on a fieldtrip to the multicultural fair at the Vancouver Public Library downtown on Wednesday, June 27.

Meeting place:
Meet at school at 1:00 and we'll take the Skytrain together
OR
meet us at the entrance to the library (inside the atrium) at 1:40.

I encourage the morning students to attend this interesting and free event on their own.

Celebrate Canada's Culture and Diversity on June 27!

Come celebrate Canada's official Multiculturalism Day at Library Square!
One of the Library's most colourful events of the year, enjoy arts, culture and exhibits from around the world in the heart of the City.  In addition to many wonderful displays, performances and demonstrations, the Library is also featuring a special screening of two amazing films:

Russian Ark

Breaking boundaries with his dreamlike vision of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russian filmmaker Alexander Sokurov explores the museum and travels through Russian history in this.
Alice MacKay Room, Lower Level
12:15 p.m. (102 minutes)

Gypsy Caravan

Tracing the World Music Institute's Gypsy Caravan six-week concert tour across North America, this beautiful documentary captures the best in Gypsy music from flamenco and Indian folk to Romanian violin, Raga and jazz and highlights the diversity of the Romani people.
Alice MacKay Room, Lower Level
2:05 p.m. (111 minutes)

Community Centre - Field Trip to the Roundhouse

The Roundhouse Community Centre

On Tuesday, June 26th, we're going on a fieldtrip to the Roundhouse Community Centre. You can come to school at the usual time and we'll take the bus there together. Alternatively, you can go directly to the Roundhouse and meet the class there.

Meeting times
Morning class: 9:00 at school   OR   10:15 at the Roundhouse
Afternoon class: 1:00 at school   OR   2:20 at the Roundhouse

The Roundhouse is located in Yaletown, at the corner of Davie and Pacific.

We will be having a tour. I encourage you to ask questions and find out as much as you can about the fabulous facilities at the Roundhouse. Here is some language you can use:

Requesting Information

- Can/Could you tell me...?
- I'd like to find out about...
- Would you mind telling me...?
- I'd like some information about...
- I'd like to know....

Looking forward to a great day tomorrow!

Roundhouse Community Centre Website

Two Messages

Hi Students,

Sorry, I was not able to upload the 12 messages for you to listen to over the weekend. I'll have them on the blog on Monday. Here are two other messages you can listen to.

Instructions

1.   First, click on the link to listen.
2.   Answer the questions.
3.   Listen again, and take some notes this time. (Who, what, where, when, why...)
4.   Decide what the important information is. Don't include non-essential details in your final note.
5.  Finally, write a personal note to the person the message is for.

Listen to Message 1

Notes:




 

MESSAGE 1 __________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________

Listen to Message 2

Notes:



 

MESSAGE 2 __________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________

While You Were Out

Standard pink message form.

Writing a clear and accurate message takes practise.

We listened to and wrote down messages 1 to 6 in class. Listen to those again for extra practise.

Now, if you'd like some extra practise, you can listen to messages 7 to 12.

The first time you listen, decide:
- Is it personal or business?
- Does the caller know the person?
- Is the language formal or casual?

The second time you listen, do the multiple choice questions.

Listen a few more times. Takes notes if necessary. Decide which information is essential. Don't include extra details that are not important. Fill out the pink message form.

Here's the link: Taking Messages

Hint: It's easier to hear the messages if you wear headphones.

Summer Solstice

June 20th was officially the first day of summer, the Summer Solstice. It was also the longest day of the year with over 16 hours of daylight. 

 

Summer Solstice - Reading

How to Celebrate the Summer Solstice - Listening Quiz (difficult) Do this one if you have a lot of time on your hands...

What are you doing to celebrate the start of summer? Leave a comment below.

Listening to Phone Messages

1. Can I take a message? (easy) Practice Exercise

2. Answering Machine (easy)

Make sure you do the Listening Exercise

and the Vocabulary Exercises:

- Mixed-Up Sentence

- Multiple Choice and Short-Answer Questions

- Sentence and Vocabulary Matching

- Text Completion Quiz

3. What's the Message? Practice Exercises 1-4

Inspiring!

"The impossible is not so impossible if you set your mind to it," Wallenda said. "Reach for the skies and never give up."

Nik Wallenda walked over the Niagara Falls on Friday, June 15, 2012 on a tightrope.


Can you guess the meaning of these words and expressions?

1. to set your mind to something

2. a tightrope

3. to make history

Watch the Yahoo! news video by clicking this link: Tightrope Walker Makes History

 

Answer these questions:

1. What did Nik Wallenda do to make history?

 ______________________________________________________________

2. How old is he?

a) 30     b) 33     c) 43

3.  He walked a distance of _________ feet.

4. The wire was _________ high.

5. Nik Wallenda walked from

a) Canada to the United States

b) The United States to Canada

6. Why was it so challenging?

a) it was cold, dark and windy

b) it was late at night and he was tired

c)  it was hard to focus

7. How do you think Nik felt while he was crossing?
a) apprehensive     b) determined    c) regretful

8. Nik Wallenda comes from a family of high-wire performers. How long have The Flying Wallendas been doing high wire acts?
a) years     b) decades    c)  a long time

9. What does Nik plan to do in the future?

a) take a long vacation

b) spend time with his family

c) cross the Grand Canyon on a tightrope

10. What is the purpose of this video?

a) advertising

b) information

c)  warning

What do you think about Nik Wallenda's accomplishment? Please leave a comment.

Vocabulary Homework

In your new learning journal, write down 5 new vocabulary words that you learned this week and their definitions. Note whether the word is a noun, verb, adjective, adverb etc. Underline the stressed syllable. Copy an example sentence from the dictionary. Finally, write your own sentence using the new word.

Writing down and using new vocabulary words will help you retain them.

Please hand in your journals to me on Monday.

Look up definitions in this wonderful online learner's dictionary. Just type your word into this box:

Example:

to deserve

(verb) used to say that someone or something should or should not have or be given something

She deserves another chance.

I didn't deserve to fall off my bicycle.

ELSA Summer Newsletter

The summer edition of the ELSA Newsletter has just been published! You can read it here. 

Telephone Phrasal Verbs

More phrasal verb and listening practise -

Phrasal Verbs for Telephone Conversations

Here's the worksheet we're working on in class - You can print it out if you were absent. You can't do this one directly on the computer.

Grammar in Context: Telephone Phrasal Verbs

Gimme a Ring

Here's the listening activity we're working on in class this week, with lots of useful vocabulary for talking on the phone.

Gimme a Ring

Which expressions do you often use on the phone?

Cell Phone Etiquette

Have you ever been forced to listen to someone yakking on their cell phone about the intimate details of their personal life? 

Listen to this podcast about An Annoying Cell Phone User.

Life in the City

  

1. City vs. Country - Listening Practise
Michelle is from a small town. She talks about adjusting to life in a big city.

- Try to listen without the script. 

- Do the Vocabulary Focus and Comprehension Q's on the right side of the page.

- Only read the script once you've done the quizzes.

2.There Goes the Neighbourhood - Reading Practise
Vocabulary, Cloze, Crossword, Yes/No Questions, Wh-Questions, Ask Questions and Dictation at the bottom of the page.

Giving and Receiving Compliments

Have you given someone a compliment today?

Here's the listening activity we did in class this morning:Giving and Receiving Compliments

Potluck Party Listening



"Your tomato bushes always seem to
have so many beautiful tomatoes!"





1. Listen to the Potluck Party conversation on Andrea's Listening Page and fill in the blanks.

2. Gerunds and prepositions review:  Dreams