Happy Canada Day, Happy Holidays, Come Back July 9th!

After a bit of the usual grammar, news reading, and crosswords, we proceeded downstairs for our Canada Day-cum-Graduation Ceremony. Enjoy the video and the pictures!

OK, all stand for our CANthem ...

O CANada ...



Write your Comments below!

Then, how Canadian are you--or, how Ontarian are you? Take this fun Canada Day quiz and tell us your identity!

CANCELLED: Field Trip Thursday June 28:HOMEWORK Assignment

DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES, THIS TRIP HAS BEEN CANCELLED TILL FURTHER NOTICE.


SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE.


THE SCHOOL WILL NOT BE OPEN ON THURSDAY--PLEASE WATCH THIS SPACE FOR YOUR HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT FOR THAT DAY.

PLEASE COME BACK ON FRIDAY.

Here's the Homework Assignment for today, June 28th:

1. If you haven't set up your blog, you should do so at blogger.com. Please email me your blog URL (e.g. myfirstblog123.blogspot.com) as soon as you're done. If you have a blog already, write five sentences about the skills you have that you hope to use in Canada.
2. Reading and research: Check out this page on Settlement.org and look at the links on the page.
3. Listening and writing: Listen to this CBC lesson and write your comment there.
4. Speaking: Do Unit One (voiceless th sounds)on this page.
5. BONUS: Mention on your blog any lesson you learn from this Federal program.

Our first field trip for the summer is combined with Level 6 - 7, and we're headed to the most popular, scenic, and well-stocked public library in town, the Toronto Reference Library. Among the attractions there are its unique ESL section, the OED, musical scores, rare artifacts, used books for sale, newspaper section, and newly renovated sections.

Please meet on the 4th floor at 10:20 a.m. as we will be starting the tour from the ESL section at 10:30 a.m. If you are coming from Don Mills Station, you should be on your way by 9:30, transferring via Sheppard Yonge and getting off at Bloor Station. From there it's a short walk back up north on Yonge St., and the library is on your right (see map below).


View Larger Map

A librarian is supposed to give us a tour and an introduction. After the time at the library, you may go on an extended walk through historic, upscale Yorkville to the University of Toronto. Or you may wish to join those going for lunch. Come, learn, and enjoy!

June 27 Assignment

So here we are, progressing in our study of Skills Assessment. I hope today's assignment will be helpful or at least entertaining to you.

1. Listen and Role Play with a Partner: Describing One’s Skill Level.
2. Take this MBTI test online and share the 4-letter result with your partner.
3. Watch three videos and "Like" this Facebook page, and write one comment there, e.g. "That's terrible!" or "That's pretty cool!."

June 25 Assignment

Welcome to our final week of school before the July/Canada Day break. We're doing the topic of Employment - Skills Assessment; so here are a couple of exercises to introduce us to the subject:

1. Listening: Talking about Jobs
2. Play the Job Centre Game
3. Listening and Vocabulary: Good Qualities  

If you haven't got your blog yet, or if you need to do corrections, please do it first.

June 22 Assignment

1. Edit your blog using the Editing Checklist!
2. Vocabulary Building: Learn expressions related to Car Rental.
3. Watch auto insurance videos, "Like" this Facebook page, and write your comments on the same Facebook (not Liveleak) page.
4. Listen and Role Play with a Partner: Picking up a Rental Car  

June 20 Assignment

Continuing on our theme for the week ...

 

1. Compare Online Quotes from: http://www.kanetix.ca/, thinkinsure.ca, and insurancehotline.com.
2. Then discuss this thread, and blog your thoughts on the matter.
3. Listening & Role Playing: Assigning Blame in a Car Accident
   

 Don't forget to blog about the field trip yesterday!

Beyond facing books and the usual LINC things ...

Building on our basic knowledge of e-networking, today's Social Marketing Summit provided the finer points, of how to target ergonomists in Alberta who are women on LinkedIn, create a corporate page full of content and buzz on Facebook, tap on the social marketing success stories of enterprises great and small, and loads more!

And we got exposed to careful and casual speech on a wide range of topics, a great test of listening skills!



Enjoy the clip above and Comment below!

Random pictures:

Tuesday's Field Trip: Social Marketing Summit

Wow, this place is full! Those who'd like to follow on Twitter can enjoy the conversation here!



On Tuesday morning, we'll go straight into the meeting at Scarborough Civic Centre before 10 a.m. with our registration numbers and meet at the doors at 12:30 for Lunch Break and Networking.

Those who are unable to attend should get their blogs set up and/or write a comparison of auto insurance policies in Ontario and in their country of origin.


By popular request, we're attending the Social Marketing Summit at Scarborough Civic Centre on Tuesday, July 19. Organized by Enterprise Toronto, this is an opportunity to exercise and enhance our new knowledge about e-networking. Who knows, but someone might be able to make some new connections there as well!

If you have not registered, you need to do it right away and forward to me your confirmation email when you get it.

Tuesday June 19, 2012 from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM EDT

Scarborough Civic Centre, Council Chambers
150 Borough Drive
Toronto, ON M1P 4N7

June 18 Assignment

To introduce our topic for the week, auto insurance, here are some exercises for your benefit:

  

1. Complete Peter’s homework/editing on your blog
2. Watch and compare, discussing with your partner: Video 1 vs Video 2
3. Listening Comprehension and Role Playing with Partner: Buying Car Insurance  

June 15 Assignment

Here we go--another day on 1812 with all war and no overture!

Loyalists linger on!

 Try the following exercises as we close out our week on the War:

1. Those of you who are preparing for your Citizenship Test will appreciate this exercise in reading: “A Growing Economy” in Discover Canada.
2. Speaking or Writing: Record your thoughts on this picture.
3. Reading, Listening, and Singing: First, read the words to this famous patriotic British song still sung at annual celebrations like the Last Night at the Proms, checking for pronunciation and vocabulary, and then listen to the Youtube video below. After watching a couple of times, try singing along the chorus.
    

June 13th Assignment

Welcome back from the field trip!

Rear of the Flatiron Building

First things first, please book your place at the Social Marketing Summit on June 19: REGISTER HERE. When you receive the email confirmation, please forward it to me.

1. Write and edit your blogs on the Field Trip to St. Lawrence and St. James. If you didn't come, blog about what you did the whole of yesterday.
2. Leave a comment on one or both of these videos on Youtube and Liveleak.
3. Reading Comprehension: American Invasion Repulsed 
4. Do dictation of the Canadian's comments and blog your transcript: Canada vs USA vs UK vs Australia. 
5. BONUS: Find all the VOA lessons on the War of 1812 from the American point of view.

Great Trip that calls for an encore (we got two of them!)

For all the threatening clouds overlooking our city this morning, the day turned out an unexpected success as participants from MicroSkills LINC and a guest toured the historic districts of St. Lawrence and St. James in Downtown Toronto.

A good part of it was in line with our theme for the week, Canada's celebration of the War of 1812, in particular, the Battle of York. All in all, there was a lecture, a show and tell, a gastronomic walkabout, lunch, a walk in the park, and an organ concert! What a boring place, our city!

Happy campers in Commerce Court: Amy, Alice, Lu, and Ming

Historic Flatiron Building in the St. Lawrence neighbourhood

Plenty of exhibits at St. Lawrence Market

First mayoral see of Toronto

Michael Dowbenka introduces old York, now the City of Toronto

In rapt rapture

Population explosion, and then some

City Hall architect Lennox, upper row centre, gets even with Councillors who voted to oust him (tortured, below).

Mike's encore: a tour on the War of 1812's Battle of York

Here come the Americans, to spend six days to burn down the settlement of York!

Great view of St. Lawrence Market from the Market Gallery

With Mike, centre, Amy, Huan Yun, Lu, Alice, Ming, Joan, Susan, and friend

What's the point (geddit?) of showing this bayonet?

Time flies! Lunch time!

Feeding time!

Somebirdy looks pretty coo!

Oprah Winfrey Show (or, OWS for Occupy Wall Street?) occupies St. James Park, site of last year's odious Occupy Toronto.

Music at Midday: We get Purcell's Trumpet Voluntary for an encore from organist Andrew Adair (click to hear)!

Storied stained glass in St. James--from Pentecost, via Augustine, Hilda, Knox, to Canada and missions to the Aboriginals.

Praise be to God!

Field Trip: June 12 to Historic St. L and St. J Districts

Quick Notice on our Next Field Trip, to the Social Marketing Summit on June 19: REGISTER HERE

Also, look what I found on the Globe and Mail!

In celebration of the bicentennial (200th anniversary) of the War of 1812, our next field trip will take us to St. Lawrence Market and St. James Cathedral in Downtown Toronto (Map Here).

 
The War of 1812 is important as it shows why Canada is different and separate from our neighbour to the south, and it also paved the way for the Confederation.

Planned highlights of the trip include:

• a lecture at the Market Gallery, 
• St. Lawrence Market, 
• Toronto's first City Hall, 
• the location of last year's Occupy Toronto, and 
• a pipe organ concert at St. James.

Please meet at 9:30 a.m. near the southern end of the Southbound Platform of Sheppard Yonge Subway Station. As outdoor walking will be required, please bring an umbrella and wear walking shoes. A camera would be a good idea as well! We should be back to Sheppard by 2:30 p.m.

For more information on the Market Gallery lecture, click the Read More link below:

June 11th Assignment

Tecumseh (according to one artist)

1. Reading and Listening: Causes of the War (On the video, click on both the European front and North American front. Then click on the Quiz in the right column.)
2. Map Reading: Click through the maps on the history of the War of 1812, and discuss with a partner what Tecumseh and the Native Alliance do. 
3. Do Peter's writing homework and publish it on your blog.
4. Research: Who was Laura Secord?
5. BONUS: Composition (when you have finished Peter's homework): Select one movie from this list to embed in your blog, and explain why you have chosen it.

Friday's Assignment

1. Watch a slideshow and answer questions on Staying Connected. 
   
2. Roleplay with a Partner: Viral Marketing.
   
   
3. Bonus: Enjoy this library resource on Using LinkedIn.
   
   

Tongue Twisters to Test Pronunciation

If you just wanted to look at more cartoons and forget about the exercise below, click here.

Here are some fun pairs from ABC Tongue Twisters (just google for more!):

Ricky Rabbit gives Ruthy Raccoon red roses.

Happy Henry happily hugged Hilda and Hank.

Willy the wild wolf went west for the winter.

Vera has violets, vegetables, a vacuum, and a van.

Boo Boo Bear has a brown bow and a blue balloon.

Pretty Peggy plants pumpkins in a path.

Silly Sally sings songs about her senses.

Thelma Thigpen thinks up things that thicken her throat.

Jolly Jimmy jumps for joy in January.

Yolanda yelled, "Yikes, get that yak out of my yard!"

Noisy Nora nibbles on nutritious nuts.

Little Lucy likes lots of lollipops to lick.

Wednesday's Assignment

Today we continue on the topic of business networking:

OOPS, this just came out in today's Toronto Star: (To check if your password has been leaked, click here.)

1. Listening with subtitles: Driving a successful social media campaign
2. Make connections and recommendations on your new LinkedIn.com business networking account (that was created on Monday). Feel free to invite your classmates!
3. Learn the Vocabulary, and Roleplay with a Partner: Making Business Contacts 
4. Bonus activity: Watch the following video with a partner and discuss how many people are talking. On your blog, transcribe the audio for 1:30 - 1:36 and 3:12 - 3:13.

Answers to Bonus Question: Please click the "Read More" link below.

Monday's Assignment

Welcome! It's time for business networking!

1. Listening and Video Quiz: Are you into social networking?
2. Register an account at LinkedIn.com, and add some contacts from your classmates!
3. Blog about the field trip on Friday, or about what you did over the weekend. Check using the editing checklist.
4. Celebrate our Queen's Diamond Jubilee with this crossword. Feel free to check out the rest of this BBC learning site. Do you think Queen Elizabeth II is on Facebook? Can you be Her Majesty's friend?
   

Want $250 in your bank account?

Check this RFD discussion out!

YMMV, but I'll be happy to join you for coffee to celebrate!

Field Trip Friday: "Light rain"--by the bucket

Despite the failed dire forecasts of the past, this time the meteorologists were right. Too right!

Down came the rain in torrents, but the brave souls of MicroSkills still made their way down to arguably Toronto's most picturesque beach park for a multimedia show of nature's wrath, followed by a visit to a cookie outlet and a thrift store. Welcome to Canada!



Just imagine, though, if we'd gone downtown today--this is what Union Station looked like!

For more pictures, click to "read more" (below):

Peter Vale's Writing Workshop Documents

Those who were at Peter's writing workshop yesterday will be glad to be able to access the documents as follow:

• Process_Writing_Samples-Small.docx
• Process_Writing_Samples-Suggestions-Small.pdf
• Process_Writing_Samples_after_Suggestions.pdf

Thank you, Peter, for all your awesome help!