Monday, May 30, 2011
Marshmallow Challenge
http://www.ted.com/talks/tom_wujec_build_a_tower.html
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
CTV News: Canucks Fans Celebrate Downtown
http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Listening Lesson with Melanie:What's So Special About May 24th
http://www.englishteachermelanie.com/2010/05/listening-episode-4-whats-so-special.html
Friday, May 20, 2011
ListenTuesday, May 17, 2011
May 17th is International Day Against Homophobia
Taken from : Homophobia dwindling, but still exists
by Jennifer Breakspear.
Homophobia - negative attitudes, bad treatment of, fear, and intolerance toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people an those perceived to be of these sexual orientations or gender identities. It includes a range of feelings and behaviours from discomfort and fear to disgust, hatred and violence.
Hate crimes -In crime and law, hate crimes (also known as bias-motivated crimes) occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her perceived membership in a certain social group, usually defined by racial group, religion, sexual orientation, disability, class, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, social status or political affiliation.[1]
Transgendered - a person who identifies with a gender other than the one that was ascribed to their biological sex at birth: or a person who views their gender as mor fluid than the strictly male of female gender categories allow. Trans people may be gay, lesbian, bisexual or heterosexual.
Taken from Wikipedia
Listening: Asher Brown bullied to death
Who is it about?
What happened?
Where did it happen?
When did it happen?
How did it happen?
Why did it happen?
http://youtu.be/Hk-ERYSi44A
Friday, May 13, 2011
Listening and Reading Homework: Resumes with English Names More Likely to Be Noticed
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20090522/resume_english_090523/
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Reading: Census
1.What does census information provide?
2.What kind of questions will you be asked?
3. Who needs to complete the census questionaire?
4. When was the last census?
5. Is NHS mandatory?
6. Does Kiska think the census is useful?
7. Why are the census and NHS important?
8. What are some problems to immigrant population?
9. How can you complete the census questionaire?
10. Is it safe to complete it online?
Count yourself in
The word “census” comes from the Latin word censere — to appraise. Beginning on May 2, 2011, all households in Canada will receive a yellow census package. Census information collected from every person in Canada provides a statistical population portrait of the country and its people. Policy and fiscal decisions are then influenced by this data, so it is important every immigrant is counted in the census, as they are an essential part of the Canadian population.Even if it may seem intrusive, every household in Canada is required to complete a census questionnaire. The questionnaire asks basic questions such as age, sex, marital status, relationship to others in the household and mother tongue. The census includes every person living in Canada, as well as Canadians who are abroad. Persons in Canada including those holding a temporary resident permit, study permit or work permit, and their dependants, are also involved.The last census was in 2006, and the 2011 Census will consist of the same eight questions from the 2006 Census short-form questionnaire, with the addition of two questions on language. A new voluntary National Household Survey (NHS) of approximately 4.5 million households will be conducted within four weeks of the May 2011 short-form census. Riska (named changed for privacy), who emigrated from Singapore to Canada, has previously filled out a Canadian census form, but still questions it. “Although it is not a tedious process,” she says, “I have yet to know the usefulness of the census. Has it been demonstrated how the information has helped the government build better policies, or is it a waste of public funds?”
Why it’s important
“The census and NHS, National Household Survey, are extremely important to the immigrant community,” says Marc Hamel, director general for the 2011 Census. “They are the main source of detailed, reliable data for immigrants and ethnic groups. The information collected provides crucial data to support government programs directed at immigrants such as language classes, skills training and employment programs. Statistics Canada is counting on all immigrants to complete the census and to respond to the NHS when they receive the survey.”When Canadians, whether born in or outside of Canada, complete the census, they are providing essential information that will be used in making decisions — for their neighbourhood, their community, their province and Canada as a whole. Communities depend on census information when planning for new schools, health care, housing, waterworks, public transit, police and fire services.
Response barriers
Statistics Canada is, therefore, trying to address any potential barriers to immigrant participation in the 2011 Census, including language. While the census questionnaire is in English and French, the questions have been translated into 30 different languages and will be available on the census website at census2011.gc.ca. Census employees will speak most major languages in Canada and will offer assistance to those with language barriers.Privacy is also a concern for many, but Statistics Canada says it places the highest importance on protecting the confidentiality of respondents’ information. No information is released from the census that would identify individuals.
Completing the census
Watch for the yellow census package that all households in Canada will start receiving on May 2. You can complete it in paper format or online. Canadians are also being encouraged to complete the questionnaire online, a method that officials call “fast, safe and good for the environment … A secure login process and strong encryption are key elements in helping to prevent anyone from eavesdropping or tampering with your census information when you complete and send it online.”
Taken from The Canadian Immigrant
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
Answer Key for Listening: Mother's Day
If you did the listening exercise on Mother's Day, here is your answer key. Chck your answers.
Mother's Day is an important day all around the world, even though it started in North America and Europe. Not all countries celebrate it on the same day, but the most popular day is the second Sunday in May. It is, of course, a day to honour our mothers and make them feel extra
special. A punctuation point about the day is that most countries choose the singular possessive “Mother’s Day”, with the apostrophe before the ‘s’ to show that each family honours their mother, rather than all of the world’s mothers. Young children get especially excited about Mother’s Day and put a lot of effort into making cards and presents for their Mums, or Moms in America. For mothers, it is like having a second birthday.
Mother’s Day in the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia, etc. means mothers usually get the day off from housework. It is common for children to cook for their mother so she can have breakfast in bed. She also receives presents, flowers and cards. In America, Mother's Day is the busiest day of the year for restaurants, as children take their Mums to lunch and/or dinner. Americans spend a lot on this day - over $2.5 billion on flowers and $70 million on Mother’s Day cards. In Sweden, people buy small plastic flowers and the money raised goes to help needy mothers and their children. Many people are against the idea of Mother’s Day as it is upsetting for children (and adults) who have lost their mother. Spare a thought for them this Mother’s Day.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Vocabulary: Idioms about Mothers
Idioms about Mothers
Mother's Day is a time to show our respect and gratitude to our mothers. Here a list of idioms about mothers.
A list of idioms about mothers
at your mother's knee
said about something that you learned when you were a child.
She learned to sing at her mother's knee.expectant mother
a pregnant woman.There are many good tips for expectant mothers in this little book.experience is the mother of wisdom
this idiom is used to mean that people learn from what happens to them.You will never understand the love parents have for their children until you get your own children. Experience is really the mother of wisdom.face (that) only a mother could love
a very ugly face.Look at that poor girl. That's a face that only a mother could love.he that would the daughter win, must with the mother first begin
This is a proverb which means that if you intend to marry a woman, first try to win her mother on your side.Listen Joe, if you want to marry Nancy, try to impress her mother first and be sure that she is on your side. He that would the daughter win, must with the mother first begin.like mother, like daughter
This is a proverb which means that daughters resemble their mothers.Like mother, like daughter. Liza's mother is mad about chocolate, too.necessity is the mother of invention
This proverb means that when people really need to do something, they will find a way to do it.When her pen had run out of ink, she used her lipstick to write a short note to her husband who was at work.the mother of all
an extreme example which is the biggest, most impressive, or most important of its kind.
Failure is the mother of all success.
LISTENING GAP FILL: Mother's Day
Click on MP3 Listening. While listening write the missing words on the paper.
MP3 Listening
Mother's Day is an important ________________ world, even though it started in North America and Europe. Not all countries celebrate it ________________, but the most popular day is the second Sunday in May. It is, of course, a day to honour our mothers and make them ________________. A punctuation point about the day is that most countries choose the singular possessive “Mother’s Day”, with the apostrophe before the ‘s’ __________________ family honours their mother, rather than all of the world’s mothers. Young children get especially excited about Mother’s Day and put ________________ making cards and presents for their Mums, or Moms in America. For mothers, ________________ a second birthday.
Mother’s Day in the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia, etc. means mothers ________________ day off from housework. It is common for children to cook for their mother ________________ breakfast in bed. She also receives presents, flowers and cards. In America, Mother's Day is ________________ the year for restaurants, as children take their Mums __________________. Americans spend a lot on this day - over $2.5 billion on flowers and $70 million on Mother’s Day cards. In Sweden, people buy small plastic flowers and the money raised ________________ mothers and their children. Many people are against the idea of Mother’s Day as it is upsetting for children (and adults) who have lost their mother. ________________ for them this Mother’s Day.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Take a survey to find out which political party you favourCanada Votes 2011
You can always talk about some issues that interest you with other immigrants and native speakers.
www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canadavotes2011/votecompass
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Election Results in Canada
1. How many seats did each party win?
2. How many seats does a party have to win in order to have the majority government?
3. Were all the party leaders elected in their ridings? If not, who wasn't re-elected?
4. Find out who won in your riding by entering your postal code?
http://www.ctv.ca/mini/election2011/results/index.html