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If you have a TESL Ontario membership, click the button above to quickly and easily change your contact information.
Interested in Becoming a TESL Kingston Board Member?
It's a great opportunity to network with others in the field of ESL and to contribute your own expertise and ideas to the benefit of your colleagues. Download this Expression of Interest form and send it along to us at teslinfo@yahoo.ca.
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Keep Up-to-Date Here with ISKA's Activities
Immigrant Services Kingston and Area (ISKA) is dedicated to helping and supporting immigrants, refugees, and other newcomers in adjusting to their new home. Check out their monthly calendar and newsletter here to explore all the activities they offer.
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Looking for a job? Have You Tried tutela.ca?
They have positions for ESL teachers posted from all over Canada. Remember that you need to sign on as a member, if you haven’t already. Membership is free and the resources are plentiful. And don’t forget that any webinars you attend on tutela.ca count toward your TESL Ontario accreditation requirements.
Here’s the link:http://tutela.ca/JobSearch
Here’s the link:http://tutela.ca/JobSearch
AGM 2013 A Great Success!
Those of TESL Kingston’s members who attended our AGM in April, 2013 were given a thorough account of all that the committee had offered throughout the year including the two very successful workshops; Peter Bower’s “Developing Word Detectives through Structured Word Inquiry” and Judy Thompson’s “English is Stupid.” An overview of what TESL Ontario offers its members was presented in addition to reports pertaining to TESL Kingston’s membership, revenue, interest survey feedback and TESL Kingston’s connection to the Kingston Immigration Partnership (KIP). All reports emphasized the importance of TESL Kingston and its continuing outreach to the community for the support of ESL students and teachers.
An impressive slideshow portrayed a retrospective of TESL Kingston events from the past. It was wonderful to see old faces and new faces, but also sad to watch the smiling face of our colleague Bob Johnson who passed away in 2012.
An impressive slideshow portrayed a retrospective of TESL Kingston events from the past. It was wonderful to see old faces and new faces, but also sad to watch the smiling face of our colleague Bob Johnson who passed away in 2012.
Farewell to Long-time Members
Margaret Bidding Farewell to Peggy
Presentations were made to those who are departing the board to continue their lives in different ways. Farewell to Tiffany Myers who played such an important role in the successful arrangement of our workshops by contacting our presenters and overseeing the arrangements. Farewell to Peggy Deaton who was always on the look out for ESL materials and books to sell at our book sales and successfully added to the workshop revenues. Lastly, farewell to TESL Kingston’s long standing webmaster Susan Bain whose talents, skills and loyalty will be certainly missed. Sue was unable to be at the AGM but she was awarded the TESL Ontario Affiliate Service Award for her continued loyalty and support to TESL Kingston.
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The proposed Slate of Officers for 2013-2014 including the Core Executive Committee and Members-at Large was presented and the votes were unanimous. We are excited about the number of new people who have agreed to hold positions as members at large. Their wide array of talents, skills and experiences will greatly benefit TESL Kingston and we look forward to new ideas and collaboration in the upcoming year.
The break was a time for networking, mingling, enjoy the refreshments and appreciate the artisans who were present to sell their jewelry and creative cookies. |
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Finally, two presenters shared their experiences about teaching abroad. Tiffany Myers spoke about her experiences teaching in Korea while Carol Fox shared her teaching experiences in China. The pictures that accompanied their memories, gave all the participants an idea of what an adventure teaching overseas could be. This was a wonderful way to end the AGM and take advantage of the talent and experiences that our local ESL professionals possess.
Review of our recent workshop:
"Developing Word Detectives Through Structured Word Inquiry"
We knew our March workshop presented by Peter Bowers, had been enormously successful when the only two "negative" comments on the surveys filled out by the attendees were, "Wish the workshop had been longer", and "Would have liked more time to practice with the concepts and techniques Peter presented".
People found his ideas thought-provoking and extremely informative. One commented that it was "...fascinating how his topic complemented Judy Thompson's workshop. Judy says that English is "stupid" and he says just the opposite, and I think they're both right!" Many used the term "fascinating" to describe the concepts he presented and all were eager to start using what they learned. We even got compliments on the snacks! Clearly this was a winner.
If you missed the workshop, do check out his website at www.wordworkskingston.com, and see videos of this instruction in action at his YouTube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/WordWorksKingston?feature=guide
People found his ideas thought-provoking and extremely informative. One commented that it was "...fascinating how his topic complemented Judy Thompson's workshop. Judy says that English is "stupid" and he says just the opposite, and I think they're both right!" Many used the term "fascinating" to describe the concepts he presented and all were eager to start using what they learned. We even got compliments on the snacks! Clearly this was a winner.
If you missed the workshop, do check out his website at www.wordworkskingston.com, and see videos of this instruction in action at his YouTube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/WordWorksKingston?feature=guide
"Teachers Need Scaffolding Too" - Our Fall Workshop Presented by Judy Thompson, of "English is Stupid" Fame!
Great books donated by Readers Press for our book draws.
New and experienced teachers who attended benefited by
* Learning the Thompson Language Center (TLC) speaking methodology
* Exploring ways to incorporate the program into existing curricula
* Sharing ideas, experiences, and best practices.
Judy Thompson, founder of TLC, has revolutionized the way English is taught with her ground-breaking textbook, "English is Stupid" . Judy is an acclaimed international speaker and teacher trainer.
English is not a phonetic language. Spelling can be difficult even for native English speakers, so how is a student whose first language may well be phonetic (think French, German, Spanish, etc.) supposed to figure out how to pronounce the following words, all of which have exactly the same vowel sound: grey, day, rain, eight, ate, great and café? Yes, English is stupid, but Judy Thompson certainly is not. She had much to offer those at the workshop to help them simplify the process for their students.
Those who attended were full of praise, with comments such as these:
* Learning the Thompson Language Center (TLC) speaking methodology
* Exploring ways to incorporate the program into existing curricula
* Sharing ideas, experiences, and best practices.
Judy Thompson, founder of TLC, has revolutionized the way English is taught with her ground-breaking textbook, "English is Stupid" . Judy is an acclaimed international speaker and teacher trainer.
English is not a phonetic language. Spelling can be difficult even for native English speakers, so how is a student whose first language may well be phonetic (think French, German, Spanish, etc.) supposed to figure out how to pronounce the following words, all of which have exactly the same vowel sound: grey, day, rain, eight, ate, great and café? Yes, English is stupid, but Judy Thompson certainly is not. She had much to offer those at the workshop to help them simplify the process for their students.
Those who attended were full of praise, with comments such as these:
- The workshop was interesting and gave me a new perspective on teaching pronunciation.
- I learned that there are many approaches to teaching pronunciation and that it can be made simpler in ways that all learners can comprehend.
- I was surprised at the almost mathematical, logical approach of Judy's teaching theory.
- This workshop was awesome!
Many thanks, Judy, for an empowering and thought-provoking presentation!
In Memoriam: ROBERT JOHNSON, Sept. 11, 1966 - Nov. 3, 2012
It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden and untimely passing of Bob on Saturday, November 3, 2012. He was the beloved son of Robert E. and Beverly Johnson of Kingston. He was also an esteemed member of the TESL Kingston Board, and a much-loved and admired ESL teacher in the LINC program at Kingston Literacy and Skills.
The outpouring of grief from his students on the online Condolences page makes it very clear that his impact on the lives of his students was considerable. Clearly, Bob forged very strong connections with them through his interest in their lives, his respect for their culture and his dedication to their welfare.
Some examples of the breadth and depth of this impact:
** "What a nice teacher! What a good person! Bob, why did you leave us so suddenly? We did not have a chance to say goodbye to you. I remember you liked to learn Chinese, liked to talk about China,you used to ask me some Chinese words. You told me if you got a chance you would go to China to travel. We will miss you a lot."
**"Bob you're awesome, thanks for your patience and teaching."
**"Bob was a good friend and brother. He helped me a lot. Thank you very much. Dear Bob's parents, I can help you if you want. Bob, I hope you are happy in heaven. I miss you my brother!"
**"Bob was a good friend and teacher at our school. He helped me when I was sick and took me to the walk-in clinic to speak with the doctor. I always say thanks to Bob for his help. Now I am very, very sad."
His colleagues clearly valued his professionalism and enthusiasm as much as the students did. This was eloquently expressed in the condolence left by Robyn German, Director of LINC: "Bob was a breath of fresh air whenever he walked through our doors at LINC. His ready smile, enthusiasm and dedication to his students, and his willingness to cheerfully take on most anything we asked of him will be greatly missed. I can't believe I'm writing this - Bob was so young and still so full of dreams. I pray for his family at this heartbreaking time."
The President of TESL Kingston, Barbara Dick, has a seminal story that also speaks to Bob's professionalism and enthusiasm: "Bob was on the TESL Kingston Board for three years. In that brief time, he served as a member of the Publicity Committee, the chair of the Program Committee, the Treasurer and the Webmaster's Assistant. He was very enthusiastic and eager to help out with everything. Whereas some Board members felt that there were too many meetings, Bob was the opposite. It was after his first year on the Board that he set me straight. He wanted to know if that was all there was to it. He told me he had joined the board because he wanted to get involved in a professional organization and he wanted more meetings. Ha! Bob's positive attitude and enthusiasm were inspiring, to say the least. He will be sorely missed."
Other colleagues spoke of his compassion, his positive energy and his dedication:
**"What a shock to hear of Bob's passing. His friends and colleagues at KL&S will miss him greatly. He touched all of us with his huge smile and positive attitude. It was a pleasure to have had the opportunity to know him and experience his compassion for others. He will be sadly missed."
**"Bob also volunteered at the KL&S literacy program with the same devotion as he gave to his ESL students."
Apparently Bob also volunteered at Queen's School of English, working with the international students. He was not one to mention all his volunteer activities. Bob's enthusiasm, patience, love for teaching and dedication to his students have touched many in the Kingston community and contributed enormously to all the programs and organizations in which he participated. His death has left a large hole which will be very difficult to fill.
The Third Annual Kingston Multicultural Festival
September 22, 2012 @ 11:00 am - 5:00 pm at Confederation Park
With the new pavilion set-up, visitors had the opportunity to literally ‘travel the world’ from pavilion to pavilion in the conveniently located Confederation Park in Downtown Kingston.
The festival featured live music and dance groups on two stages representing cultures from around the world..., as well as local artists, vendors, art workshops, demonstrations and restaurants from Kingston’s diverse communities.
After a windy and rainy start it turned out to be a wonderful day with food, dance, and music from around the world. A special big THANK YOU to the volunteers that braved the weather and worked so hard and the festival committee extraordinaire. See you in 2013!
Comments from attendees:
**Today is the best day in Kingston...
**Had a great time despite the rain. Hope it continues yearly and becomes another Folklore.
**Pakistani Pavilion had loads of hand made stuff straight from the valley of Swat and simply elegant jewellery from all over Asia with hand-set gemstones. There was sizzling BBQ from Rahim Cuisine too! ( www.rahimscuisine.com/home.html ) Check out this video of the festival:
http://youtu.be/eWWOGTwjah8 .
Everyone's already looking forward to next year's festival!
The festival featured live music and dance groups on two stages representing cultures from around the world..., as well as local artists, vendors, art workshops, demonstrations and restaurants from Kingston’s diverse communities.
After a windy and rainy start it turned out to be a wonderful day with food, dance, and music from around the world. A special big THANK YOU to the volunteers that braved the weather and worked so hard and the festival committee extraordinaire. See you in 2013!
Comments from attendees:
**Today is the best day in Kingston...
**Had a great time despite the rain. Hope it continues yearly and becomes another Folklore.
**Pakistani Pavilion had loads of hand made stuff straight from the valley of Swat and simply elegant jewellery from all over Asia with hand-set gemstones. There was sizzling BBQ from Rahim Cuisine too! ( www.rahimscuisine.com/home.html ) Check out this video of the festival:
http://youtu.be/eWWOGTwjah8 .
Everyone's already looking forward to next year's festival!
Are You a Newcomer Looking for Work?
ISKA has developed a partnership with Kingston Employment and Youth Services (KEYS) to provide employment services to immigrants and newcomers.
Our Employment Liaison can help you get ready to look for a job, prepare a resumé and cover letter, offer you interview tips and direct you to other employment agencies and services to best fit your employment needs. ISKA's Employment Liaison will meet with you individually and can help you understand how to get recognition for your past education, training and work experience. KEYS has a large resource centre that includes computers, job search resources, postings of available jobs and staff to assist you.
Contact ISKA to meet with an Employment Liaison --
837 Princess Street, Suites 500 – 501 , Kingston, Ontario , K7L 1G8
Phone: 613.544.4661 Fax: 613.544.2916 E-mail: info@iska.kchc.ca
Our Employment Liaison can help you get ready to look for a job, prepare a resumé and cover letter, offer you interview tips and direct you to other employment agencies and services to best fit your employment needs. ISKA's Employment Liaison will meet with you individually and can help you understand how to get recognition for your past education, training and work experience. KEYS has a large resource centre that includes computers, job search resources, postings of available jobs and staff to assist you.
Contact ISKA to meet with an Employment Liaison --
837 Princess Street, Suites 500 – 501 , Kingston, Ontario , K7L 1G8
Phone: 613.544.4661 Fax: 613.544.2916 E-mail: info@iska.kchc.ca
