INTERNATIONAL STUDIES E-NEWS

July & August 2012

Hello students and graduates of ISSofBC!

Hallelujah!!!!! I can’t believe it; the bright shiny thing in the sky has finally arrived. What do you call it? Hmmm, the damn sun! Man, have I been grumpy. I know that might be hard to believe, but I have not been in the best of moods for the last little while due to lack of sun. I think many people in Vancouver have been feeling the same. However, now it is glorious summer when Vancouver is at its best. Turn off those computer games and TVs and get to the beach. Sit on one of those great balconies you find at many Vancouver pubs. This edition will be about beauty as summer is a beautiful thing.

I hope you enjoyed the last newsletter and don’t hesitate to send me feedback at: roxanne.heichert@issbc.org

Hopefully you visited ISSofBC Language College Group on facebook atwww.facebook.com/isslanguagecollege

If you have any specific questions about courses and fees, don’t hesitate to email us at: learnenglish@issbc.org

Featured Program at ISSofBC

New Courses in Richmond!

For highschool students

- afterschool tutorials one day a week, 3:45pm - 5:45pm

- English Study and Use (Drama) Summer School, Aug 13 - 31

For adults

- Phonics classes twice a week (mornings or afternoons, Level 1)

- Oral English Skills twice a week (afternoons, Level 2/3+)

- Citizenship test classes twice a week (afternoons)

Tell your friends!  Call 604-233-7077 for more information and to register.

New courses in Coquitlam!

For highschool students

- English Study and Use (Drama) Summer School Aug 13 - 31

Call us for more information about Coquitlam!  604-684-2561 (ext. 2180)

Academic English: Are you planning to attend college or university in Canada? This six-week intensive course will help improve your ability to do well at an English-speaking university. You will use a lot of high level material from resources such as LEAP, IELTS and Cambridge Tests. Hope to see you in class. If you’d like to try something challenging and something new, then sign up for the next cycle of the Academic English which begins July 30th and is Monday through Thursday from 1 to 3 pm.

Teaching English to Children Program (TEC): This four-week course will introduce the skills and knowledge you need to effectively teach English to children. Have hands on fun preparing lessons you can use in your own classroom setting. Learn how to make things that you can use, for example, a life size puppet or a cardboard car. See how to use drama and music as part of your teaching. Prepare lesson plans that are relevant to children. The next cycle starts August 27th.  Join us!

What’s in the News: Learn about popular culture and current events by reading newspapers and magazines. Build your vocabulary and work on your speaking skills by discussing topics covered in the articles, which is an excellent way to prepare yourself for studying at college or university. Be proud of yourself after you have successfully read articles from high level papers such as The National Post, The Globe and Mail and The Vancouver Sun. This is a six-week course Friday afternoons from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. The next cycle begins on August 10th, 2012. Hope to see you there.

Pronunciation:  This six-week course is on Friday afternoons from 1:00 to 4:00. Learn proper pronunciation of difficult vowels and consonants. Work on word and sentence stress, intonation and reductions, which are useful areas to focus on to help you be understood when speaking English. Study alongside other students and have fun. The next cycle begins August 17th.

TESOL Diploma Program:  Learn to teach English to Speakers of Other Languages. After you finish taking this course, you can go home to teach your family, friends and maybe earn money teaching English. The program consists of five different courses for example, Introduction to TESOL, all four skills and pronunciation each being taught by a different teacher who is an expert in their area. As part of your course work, you will have the opportunity to observe skilled English language teachers in a classroom. This program is designed to fit anyone’s busy schedule. This course is offered daytimes and evenings.

Daytime classes last eight weeks and run Monday through Friday mornings (and the some afternoons). You also have the opportunity to do a supervised TESOL practicum if you successfully complete this course. The next cycle begins August 27th.

Our TESOL Diploma is now recognized by TESL Canada; it is eligible for Professional Certificate Standard One. That means graduates are eligible to apply for TESL Canada membership and teach English in Canada if they meet the other TESL Canada requirements.  You can take this course for a meaningful qualification.

If you have already graduated from the ISSofBC TESOL program, and have successfully completed a practicum, you are now eligible to apply for a TESL Canada Professional Certificate!  Please contact us at lc.is@issbc.org for a letter that you can include with your application.

News around ISSofBC

On Thursday June 14th, Sandra and I had a small group of students for the ESL vocabulary games. Even though the group was small, the competition was fierce. We fought for and laughed about points during many games of Boggle (Sandra has different rules than me). Then we separated the groups again men against the women (how original is that) and challenged each other in a few games of Scattegories, one of my favorites.

We had a full house for our Canada Day Celebration with waffles and maple syrup on June 28th. A full house is an understatement as we had over 40 students squished in the room. After a bumpy, slow start as we blew some fuses and one batch of the waffles, everyone had a waffle on their plate and was smothering it with maple syrup, strawberries, bananas and lots of whipped cream. Fantastic!  When you have to wait for your food, it always seems to taste better, ha ha! Students competed a little over facts about Canada and by the end we were all laughing and our stomachs were filled. Thanks to all the students who helped and to all of you for being so patient.

On July 19th we had our annual Party in the Park for all the students in International Studies. It was a slamming success. Many people had been worried about the weather all week, but of course it was clear skies on the day. All the teachers and 144 students took to the streets and invaded the Sky train and were all smiles on their way to Trout Lake. We all devoured a great spread of fruit, veggies and dip and chips and our packed lunches. After filling our faces, the games began. We played volleyball, Frisbee, bocce ball and numbers (similar to capture the flag). Many of us had a great time running around the bases in a game of California kickball. We had to quickly learn the rules as they are similar to baseball, but everyone quickly got into the groove. I hope everyone had as good of a time as I did and are looking forward to next year.

The July & August edition:

As I have said already the summer has finally arrived much to everyone’s amazement. I hope you enjoy this month’s idioms and check out some of the events coming up in Vancouver. The next edition of the newsletter will come out in September, so have a great summer

Idioms

Dressed to kill: When someone (usually a woman) is dressed very nicely, fashionably and is wearing clothes that you would wear for a special occasion. People notice how this person is dressed. You say that she is dressed to kill.

Dressed to the nines: this idiom is very similar in meaning to dressed to kill. A person is dressed very well and looks great. 

Not a hair out of place: When a person’s appearance is perfect, there is nothing wrong or you would fix.  When she walked across the stage at her graduation there was not a hair out of place.

Look like a million bucks: When a person looks amazing. After buying some new clothes and getting a new haircut, he looked like a million bucks.

Skin and bones: to be incredibly thin, too thin. After his stay in the hospital, he was skin and bones.

To get your beauty sleep/rest: This expression refers to getting a good night’s sleep, so that when you wake up the next day you are refreshed and look good. For example, I have to go home now as it is late and I need to get my beauty sleep.

A thing of great beauty: We use this expression to describe something we are looking at or thinking of which we consider to be extremely beautiful. For example, that chocolate cake is a thing of great beauty.

Beauty is only skin deep: This means that someone can be beautiful to look at, but they are not beautiful, kind or good on the inside.

Discussion Questions:

1. If you had to choose, would you rather be intelligent or physically attractive?
2. In your opinion, who is the most beautiful person alive today?
3. Do you think it is easier to be successful if you are beautiful?
4. Would you ever have cosmetic surgery? Why or why not?
5. What are some disadvantages of being beautiful?
6. Where is the most beautiful place you have visited in the world?
7. What are some beautiful places in your country?
8. What animal do you consider to be beautiful?

 

Events in Vancouver

Some free things to do in July in Vancouver

1. Celebration of Light Fireworks Competition

Saturday, July 28, Wednesday, August 1, & Saturday, August 4
What: The Vancouver summer favourite is back for its 21st anniversary! For three nights the skies over English Bay light up in a musical pyrotechnic extravaganza. As an international fireworks competition, each country has one night to wow the judges and audience.
Where: Best Places to Watch the Celebration of Light Fireworks
Cost: Free

2. Gay Pride Parade and Festival  (parade from  12-3PM)
Sunday, August 5, 2012 
Western Canada's largest city and a longtime center of gay activism, Vancouver hosts a terrific Gay Pride Parade and Festival in early August, although it comprises a series of events held over the six weeks leading up to the final weekend. The official festivities take place Sunday, August 5, 2012, the day of the Annual Pride Parade and Festival. A vast array of concerts, parties, lectures, boat cruises, art exhibitions, and similarly enticing events take place during the days leading up to the parade and festival, so check the Vancouver Pride online event calendar for details. In recent years, Vancouver Gay Pride has drawn more than 520,000 participants.
Cost: Free

3. 35th Annual Powell Street Festival
Saturday, August 4th  and Sunday August 5th   11:30 am to 7 pm
What: The Powell Street Festival is an annual celebration of Japanese Canadian arts, culture and heritage that features dance, music, film and video, visual arts, martial arts demos, an amateur sumo tournament, craft vendors, traditional displays, and tons of Japanese food.
Where: Oppenheimer Park (400 block of Powell Street), Vancouver
Cost: Free

*If you have questions about courses or fees, please e-mail the International Studies office.

IN THIS ISSUE

BDP & TESOL Surveys

Featured Program at ISSofBC

News around ISSofBC

Student Activity Schedule

The July & Aug Edition: Beauty

Events in Vancouver

Join us on facebook!