Brock Brady, current President-Elect of TESOL, spoke at the plenary of Penn Tesol East, Abington, November 7, 2009.  Mr. Brady served as Coordinator, then Co-Director of the American University TESOL Program for twelve years, teaching courses in English language teaching methodology, assessment, teaching pronunciation, intercultural communication, online learning and curriculum and materials design. Dr. Brady is currently an educational sector consultant for the Peace Corps.

His speech was entitled, "Self-Assessing the Whole Teacher: the Triangle Model of Teaching Competence: Exploring the State of Your Teaching. "  The triangle of professional competence was conceived by Karen Taylor, and adapted and presented by Brock Brady.  Karen Taylor was working in Adult Education with volunteer teachers.  Few had training or teacher education. Despite that, some were very effective teachers, although some weren't.  The triangle came out of attempts to explain such variation, but quickly became a tool to explore individual professional competence.

Understanding the Triangle's Components

All three of the components, practice, commitment and relationship, are included in competence. If we consider the leg of "practice", we know it includes the "look for" items often seen on teacher evaluations, as well as qualities often observable in the classroom. It is the "site" of traditional teaching skill and knowledge. It includes lesson design/implementation, teacher talk vs. student talk, authenticity, meaningful objectives, task and materials, and differentiated instruction.

The second leg is commitment and we know nobody works harder than teachers. There is commitment to your students, meaning going that extra mile beyond class expectations to help students. There is commitment to your program/school, such as helping to devise and run extracurricular activities. There is commitment to your profession. We seek and attend professional development programs. We share and collaborate with colleagues. We give presentations and workshops. There is commitment to communication: with students, colleagues, administrators and with the larger community.

The third leg is relationship: with ourselves, with colleagues, with supervisors, and with students.

How Good is Good Enough? Here are some rules for rating yourself.  You rate yourself from 1 to 3.  Use only whole number ratings, no fractions.  Remember, this is only about you in your present teaching situation, not you in comparison to anyone else.  You determine your own score.  You are encouraged to discuss your analysis with others, but no one can give a score to anyone else.

Case Study #1 This teacher is loved by her students.  She is a Model Teacher at her school. She satisfies all obligations, but does not attend optional events or participate in faculty social events.  She is thought of as friendly despite not being around a lot.  She calls in sick more often than other teachers.

Case Study #2 This is an experienced ESL teacher, TESL certified, with an MA in English Lit. He is dedicated, comes on time and stays to help struggling students. He focuses mostly on grammar and accuracy.  He attends in-service training, but doesn't seem to apply ideas.  He resists teaching new courses, is known for complaining when asked to do something out of the ordinary.

Case Study #3 This person is a retired missionary with 30 years of living abroad.  He is new to teaching adult ESL and has no previous TESL training.  He has strong rapport with students and colleagues admire him.  He is reliable and dedicated, never late, and makes a point of attending workshops.  However, he talks too much in class.  Lessons lack opportunities for student practice.  Corrective feedback is minimal.

So, what's not good enough? 

Any leg of the triangle with a "1" is not sufficient. Remember, circumstances can change one's score, such as commitments to family, a new teaching situation requiring new or modified skills and knowledge, and changes in personnel, or in the student audience.  Scores should remain historically situated.

Dr. Brady talked about his own score. He gives himself a 3 for commitment, 2 for relationship and 2 for practice.  Around 1996 his score was different, and he gave himself 2 for practice, 2 for relationship and 2 for commitment. He was in West Africa at the time.  Note that changes in roles or other contexts raise the stakes for one's score.

Dr. Brady also reminded us of the dates for upcoming TESOL conventions:
 
Upcoming Conventions
2010  Boston  Reimagining TESOL  March 24 - 27
2011  New Orleans  Examining the "E" in TESOL  March 16 -19
2012  Philadelphia  March 28 - 31
2013  Dallas  March 20 - 23
2014  Portland, Oregon dates to be announced.

Looking for Great Web Resources on the Vancouver Olympics?

Try these, which I have taken from one section (devoted to useful websites) of a great educational blog written by Larry Ferlazzo, an excellent ELL educator who has won many awards and published many articles in respected journals. I highly recommend his blog, and encourage you to subscribe to it. Here's his website: http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/

His list is constantly being added to, so subscribing would be sure to keep you up to date, and it's free. He also has a tab on his blog that will take you to "Larry Ferlazzo's English Website", which has a huge compilation of articles, resources and activities--all very well organized under categories. He currently teaches in a high school in Sacramento, but you will find most of his suggestions very suitable for adults or teens, as are these Olympics websites. Here are his choices for...

This is a nice interactive from the International Olympic Committee — click on the name of the sport, and it will show you a lot of multimedia related to it.
http://www.olympic.org/en/content/Sports/

Olympic Torch Relay Heads to Vancouver is a series of spectacular photos from The Big Picture.
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/12/olympic_torch_relay_heads_to_v.html

Path of the Athlete has a very engaging online game, but it also has lots of downloadable PDF files about the history of the games, and some very interesting stories about certain Olympic competitors, including a section on Aboriginal Olympians. Lots of pictures too. http://www.olympicschool.ca/default.aspx?PageID=1061&LangID=en

This interactive map will show you the different locations in Vancouver of the competitions, as well as a history of medal winners from previous Winter Olympics, and many news articles. The map is topographical, by the way. http://wintergames.ap.org/interactive.aspx

Students can complete this short Internet Scavenger Hunt on the Vancouver Olympics, and in the process, will learn a fair bit of Canadian geography and history. http://www.gailhennessey.com/index.shtml?vancouver2010.html

Though the official website for the games is pretty “busy-looking,” it sure has a ton of useful multimedia.
You'll find up-to-the-minute news, photos, information about every sport, medal counts, cultural festivals and events--even live TV coverage online! http://www.vancouver2010.com/

Here’s another interactive on “medal counts” from different countries. http://www.ctvolympics.ca/medals/index.html#view=0&code=-1

Enchanted Learning has an accessible history of the Olympic games. You can read the history without subscribing, but all the worksheets on vocabulary, etc., are available only if you sign up for a paid subscription. However, just skimming some of what you can seee on the page will be enough to give you some ideas for writing topics, etc. http://www.enchantedlearning.com/olympics/

If you have found any great sites or learning activities you'd like to share, do send them along to me and I'll add them (with your byline, of course!) And if your students write about the Olympics, I'd love to publish their work or comments on the Students' Page. Send them in any format you like to me at info@teslkingston.org

Don't Give Up! is a European Union language project that has resulted in a book of 48 best practices for every level of language educators (schools, managers, teachers). The best practices will help improve the motivation and the results of language courses for adult learners. 

The project began out of concern about the number of adult students who dropped out of language classes. The members of the project spent 2 years researching and analyzing the problems of adult learners. Language educators were asked their opinions and ideas as well. The results of the research were combined with the project team's ideas and experience. 

The best practices cover all aspects of managing language schools and classes, enhancing lessons, engaging and motivating students and dealing with many of the problems adult learners face when learning a language. This book can contribute positively to the results of your language courses. 

These best practices are summarized on the project website http://dontgiveup.eu with some examples. The 138 page Don't Give Up! book is available through the website in English, Czech or Spanish.   The project members would be interested in receiving our feedback in the wiki on their website.

CLEO is pleased to announce that our English as a Second Language Resources are now available, free of charge, to be downloaded, printed and used in Adult ESL and LINC classes.

CLEO is a community legal clinic that specializes in providing clear language legal information to low-income and disadvantaged communities, including people with literacy barriers. These English as a Second Language Resources have been developed to help newcomers learn more about their legal rights and responsibilities in Canada, as well as to provide information about where and how to access legal help in their community, as they develop their language skills.

The English as a Second Language Resources were developed using Canadian Language Benchmarks and are intended for learners at levels ranging from CLB 1 to 6+. The activities cover topics based on CLEO publications in the tenant and workers’ rights series. These correspond to themes and topics in the Adult ESL and LINC curriculum guidelines.

Each English as a Second Language activity kit contains a full set of teaching materials, including:

• introductory notes for teachers with context and CLB outcomes, a list of the activities in the kit, information about the CLEO publication on which the activities are based, and important preparatory information

• activities for learners covering a range of skill areas

• teaching notes with connections to the LINC and Adult ESL curriculum guidelines, suggestions for using the activities, and answer keys.

You’ll find everything you need at www.cleo.on.ca/english/projects/eslindex.htm

(Webmaster's note: These are immensely valuable resources, and they're free! - I highly recommend them.)

Monday, October 12, 4-5pm - The Wildcard presents Dr. Seyyid Hossein Nasr’s 2007 Islamic History Month address on: The Interconnections of Islamic Art, Science and SpiritualityMonday, October 19, 4-5pm - Audible Insurrections: for a radio program dedicated to Arab and Muslim comic books and authors.Monday, October 26, 4-5pm - The Wildcard presents Dr. Adnan Husain’s 2008 Islamic History Month address on: The Muslims of Medieval Europe: Lost Histories and their Modern Consequences

Islamic History Month Kingston is also featuring a variety of events including a film screening, talks on Islamic Banking and Finance, as well as Muslims and Human Rights in Canada, a panel on Islamic Feminisms and more. For more information visit http://www.islamichistorymonthkingston.org/

One of our members has suggested that an online resource, updated annually, of field trips appropriate for our ESL classes would be a boon to busy teachers. It sure seemed like a good idea to us. It takes a lot of time to research locations, check costs, organize transportation, etc. But to do this, we need some input from you. Please send us a brief summary of any field trips you've taken in the last year that were successful, enjoyable and educational. A line or two about the highlights would be wonderful, as well as contact information and anything else that seems pertinent. They need not be trips that involve transportation other than feet--all types of field trips are welcome. We'd be really thrilled if you turned this into a class exercise, and had the students write about the trip they enjoyed the most, or the one that they would never do willingly again. Some may have chosen to visit the location later with their families, and that would be good to know too. We'd like to print some of their submissions, so if you send them, be sure to let us know if the student is happy to have their article posted on our website.Once we have the information in place on the site, we'll see that it gets updated every September, and new additions will always be welcome.

All submissions should contain the following information:

Teacher's Name --- Student's Name (if applicable) -- ESL Program -- Destination & Location-- Contact Information -- Purpose -- Cost -- Highlights (positive and/or negative)-- Rating (from 1star to 5 stars)

Should anyone care to attach a photo, that would truly make my day!

Send your experiences in any form you like to info@teslkingston.org . The first one to submit will win a door prize!

New Bridge Training Programs for Nursing, Information Technology, and Business, Finance and Administration

As of August, 2009, internationally trained newcomers to Ontario will have greater opportunities to work in their fields as a result of expanded bridge training programs at York University. The programs provide a variety of transitional supports such as international skills assessment, technical training, local work experience, occupation specific language training and mentorships.

Ontario is investing $5.2 million in three programs at York University so that highly skilled newcomers can get licensed and find jobs in their fields faster. This funding is part of the government's plan to strengthen the economy by investing in the skills and knowledge of Ontarians.

Ontario's bridge training programs have proven successful in helping newcomers bridge their international credentials to Ontario qualifications so they can work in their fields. Since 2003, over 180 bridge training projects have provided 30,000 newcomers with a range of support including skills assessment, technical training, local work experience, language training, and mentorships.

Investments have been made in the following projects:

Nursing
The project will increase success rates for internationally educated nurses on the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination by providing test taking, cognitive and anxiety reducing/confidence building strategies. This model may translate to other Canadian nursing and international healthcare programs that require exam success for licensure. Business, Finance and Administration
The project will help internationally educated professionals in business, finance and administration obtain certification and employment by providing training courses in Ontario business culture, ethics, law, taxation and math.  Occupation-specific language training, Canadian work experience and mentorship are also offered.  Information Technology
This project will provide training to address the gaps of internationally educated information technology (IT) professionals so they can obtain employment in their field or a related field quickly and integrate into the Canadian IT sector.  The course will focus on necessary technical upgrading, occupation-specific language training, cross-cultural competencies and mentorship.

QUICK FACTS  

• Since 2003, bridge training programs have helped more than 30,000 newcomers get jobs and get licensed in their field.
• About 70 per cent of Ontario's adult newcomers have post-secondary education or training.

The late Marion Dewar was Mayor of Ottawa from 1978 to 1985. She championed Project 4000 which brought more than 4000 Vietnamese, Cambodian and Laotian refugees to Ottawa. She was very active in refugee concerns and a staunch supporter of OCISO and Catholic Immigration Services. She advocated for refugees, new
immigrants, and all those who struggle for better lives.Initiated by the Board of Directors of OCISO, the scholarship aims to inspire leadership and academic excellence among refugee and immigrant high school students by offsetting some of the costs of the tuition and supplies required for their post-secondary education. Peter Block has said "Community exists for the sake of belonging and takes its identity from the gifts, generosity and accountability of its citizens." The launch of this scholarship is an excellent contribution to the identity of the Ottawa community. The citizen who has become the recipient of the first annual OCISO Youth Leadership Award is Hussein Abdu Ilahi,
from Somalia. He will be studying at Carleton in the fall.Master and Mistress of Ceremonies were Urooj Quereshi and Manjit Basi. The welcome to over 200 attendees was given by Tyler Meredith, president of the OCISO board. Opening speeches were given by Paul Dewar, MP, Ottawa and son of Marion Dewar, Hamdi Mohammed, executive director of OCISO, and Barb McInnis, President of the Community Foundation of Ottawa. The singing of Johanne Etienne, a secondary school student,was well received, and Bryan Cheng, an 11 year old cello virtuoso, accompanied by his sister, Sylvie on piano, treated us to two beautiful pieces of music.

Rev. Anthony Bailey of Parkdale United Church was the main speaker. Rev. Bailey and his church are currently sponsoring a family from Africa. Stories were offered by Diane Holmes, Councillor for Somerset Ward and a close
personal friend of Marion Dewar; Victoria Bromley of Carleton University; and Nhung Hoang, a Vietnamese Canadian lawyer. Last but not least was the acceptance speech by Hussein Abdu Ilahi, the 18 year old scholarship recipient.

Barack Obama has said , "We must make sure that people who have the grades, the desire and the will,
but not the money, can still get the best education possible." Clearly, this scholarship will help to further that goal in Ottawa.

Notes on China

by Our Overseas Reporter, Stephen Chappell

Stephen Chappell, who is currently teaching in Anqing, China, has become a regular contributor to this page over the last couple of years. His articles offer fascinating glimpses into Chinese culture and are a great way for those considering teaching overseas to get an idea of what it may be like. Enjoy the following collection.

The Governor's Banquet to Celebrate Foreigners' New Year

On December 28th the Government of Anqing held a banquet for all the foreigners working or living in the City to ring in the New Year. It was attended by over 60 invited guests including more than 30 foreigners from nine countries. In fact there are more than 60 so-called foreign experts working here, most in joint venture companies. In addition there were many high ranking officials in attendance including the deputy mayor and senior “Party” members. There were several wonderful performances ranging from traditional Chinese opera to the sensual salsa, some by the guests themselves. One of the most eclectic of the evening was the music duo featuring yours truly on snare drum and our beloved French teacher Alexis on didgeridoo as pictured below. I was also called upon to make a short speech (not so eclectic!) to thank the City for hosting the event. The speech was translated simultaneously into Chinese and Japanese. Following the speech, all the guests were awarded an honorary membership in the “Anqing Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries”. The banquet ended on a nostalgic note as we joined hands and sang “Auld Lang Syne”. This song is very popular in China (Youyi Di Jiu Tian Chang) and although the melody is the same the lyrics reflect the importance of everlasting friendship. It was a fitting dénouement for a special evening.

Most Chinese are only familiar with the American Thanksgiving. My students are always very surprised when I tell them that Canada celebrates in October. The National Holiday of China is an eight day holiday that occurs in early October, and was a remarkable one for me this year-definitely an experience to be thankful for!

Against conventional wisdom I decided to take a package tour (with my dear Chinese friend Yanyan) to a famous area in the south called GUILIN. Foreigners are advised not to travel during national holidays as most travel destinations are too crowded and transportation can be a nightmare. A couple years ago I spent a whole night on a train trying to sleep on a very hard bench. I could not go to the bathroom because the aisles were jam packed with students who had bought standing tickets. It has gotten to the point now that many Chinese prefer to just stay home and relax.

However I am happy to report that my trip to Guilin was, on the whole, quite pleasant although somewhat tiring. Chinese tours tend to pack a lot of activities into a day and include as many scenic spots as possible. This is because the Chinese love to take a lot of photos featuring family members in front of famous places. It seems that it is more important to show where you have been rather than to know something about where you have been. As well there are the inevitable shopping stops to such places as tea houses, jewelry factories, traditional Chinese medicine shops, etc. all designed to get you to spend. To give you an idea of the cost of Chinese domestic travel packages, the cost of my 3 night four day trip was 2,400 RMB(370 Canadian dollars). This included return airfare, hotel transfers, accommodation at a four star hotel, all meals and some entry fees to scenic spots and of course a travel guide.

My photos don't feature family members, but I think you'll agree that they demonstrate why the Guilin area is known for its magnificent “karsts”. It was truly a wonderful sight floating idly down the Li River on a bamboo raft surrounded by these majestic limestone formations. I then understood the famous Chinese saying about Guilin: "GUILIN SHAN SHUI JIA TIAN XIA" (Guilin is the most beautiful spot in the world).

Decoration is one of those culturally loaded words (words that are similar in primary meaning but different in connotation) in China. When I first came to China I was perplexed by the fact that many of my colleagues and friends seemed to be perpetually “decorating” their houses. In fact “house” itself is a culturally loaded word here since it usually refers to what we would call an apartment in the West. I soon came to realize that in fact they were actually building their apartment which explained why it took so long.

In China you buy a concrete shell with four walls and then proceed to “decorate” it. In other words you are starting from scratch. You must plumb it, wire it, tile it, etc. The average “decoration” period is four to six months. Some people just buy the shell and leave it for a year or so until they have enough money to complete the “decoration” much to the chagrin of those tenants who are already comfortably nestled in their new “homes”.

I recently had the opportunity to view first hand what this was all about. My colleague invited me to his “new home”. As you can see from the pictures below, this “decoration” was in the preliminary stages with completion due sometime in mid December and when it’s all done my colleague plans to marry.

“In China nowadays”, he said smiling, “you need the nest before you can catch the phoenix.”

China is still, for the most part, a cash society although the use of credit cards is becoming a little more common in the big cities. As an ESL teacher working in China you often get paid in cash so having a bank account is critical. I was very surprised the first time I was called into the accounting office to receive my month's salary, doled out in 100 RMB notes and counted with an abacus. This is not a joke, by the way!That said, it is probably a good idea to open a bank account rather than stuff your monthly paycheck into your mattress. In order to open a bank account in China you will need your passport. It is possible to open a bank account before you get your permanent resident status. In fact I opened an account even though I initially only had an L visa. It is a good idea to have someone with you from your school as well as your contract in hand. Once you have your bank account, be sure to get a bank card. This will make life a lot easier especially when traveling in China . You will need to pay for your travel in cash (including deposits on hotel rooms) so having access to your account is paramount. Note that the maximum daily ATM withdrawal is 2100 RMB. Credit cards are somewhat more acceptable but mainly restricted to the larger cities, such as Beijing and Shanghai . I have drawn money out on my MasterCard from an ATM machine; great if you run out of cash and your bank account is dry. On my first assignment in China I encountered some problems trying to close my account and convert my RMB to Canadian dollars. The bank wanted a variety of documents including my contract, pay stubs and a letter from the headmaster of my school. Luckily my Chinese friend, who had accompanied me, arranged to do the transaction with her ID card. Last year I simply carried the money back and exchanged it to Canadian dollars in Canada . I knew I would be returning to China in the fall so I kept my bank account open and simply had the balance transferred from Shijiazhuang , Hebei to Anqing , Anhui . I was able to retain my old bank card and was issued a new bank book for a mere 50 RMB. If you need to transfer money back to the West or have funds sent to you and don't want to deal with a bank you might consider Western Union . These are located in most major cities, sometimes in major hotels. The fees are quite reasonable and the transfer is almost instant. My former teaching colleague resorted to this method after the Bank of China lost his funds on two occasions.

However officials at the Bank of China recently indicated to me that telegraphic transfer is both safe and efficient with the transaction taking 3-5 days . The minimum fee is 50 RMB with the maximum set at 260RMB plus the local bank charges.

Travelling by train in China is always an interesting experience for a foreigner. On my way back to Canada this year I took an overnight train from Anqing to Beijing. I had booked a "soft sleeper" which has nothing to do with the quality of the bed. The "hard sleeper" has 6 beds to a compartment and the soft has four. On this occasion there were a couple of younger fellows as well as an older lady on her way to visit her son in Beijing. We all hit the hay quite early and were up in time to greet the morning sun. The lady had her breakfast and then pulled out a bag of peas and began to clean them on the bed.

"I am preparing dinner for my son tonight," she said.

"Wwhat else will you have?" I asked?

S she promptly reached under the bed and pulled out a large sealed bag. Inside the bag was a large pot filled with water containing four rather long snakes.

"M my son loves to eat snakes and i cook them a special way. Do you eat snakes in Canada?" she queried.

I was so glad that I did not know about the snakes until morning. Otherwise it would have been a "no sleeper"!

Whether one visits at day break, mid afternoon or early evening, countless traditional Chinese activities are being performed or enjoyed by average citizens. These include calligraphy, tai chi, opera; fan dancing, ping pong, badminton, mahjong, and traditional and ballroom dancing, just to name a few. In the early morning many (most tend to be seniors or retired people) are doing some sort of exercise on apparatus that seem rather foreign to a western eye. Many elderly men bring their birds in bamboo cages, hang them in the trees and let them serenade the passers-by. In the afternoon mahjong and card-playing are the most popular. The early evening brings out the dancing crowd complete with instructors featuring both Chinese and western music.

Public parks are also the place to see and enjoy a variety of flowers and ornamental shrubs. Chinese cities, including Anqing, seem to spare no expense these days beautifying public spaces and government properties. The parks are literally ablaze with colour during the growing season and many of these, both the annuals and perennials are common in the west. In my city, for example, there are endless beds of marigolds, pansies, petunias and salvia, as well azaleas, hibiscus and oleander bushes. However this colourful and lush sight generally ends abruptly when one exits the park.For the most part urban private gardens are non existent. As mentioned above most city dwellers live in apartments and are content with a few potted green plants on their balconies. (Mao Zedong, China’s leader for almost three decades, apparently hated potted plants as he thought they were too bourgeois.) For most of Chinese history, any available land was used to grow fruits and vegetables to feed the growing population.Like many foreigners teaching English here, I too live in an apartment, (supplied by the school), the entrance to which, to put it mildly, was a bit of a jungle. In Canada, I was an active gardener, as are many of my fellow Canadians. One day as I came home from teaching I stopped in front of my building and began to wonder whether the sea of weeds on either side of the walkway could in fact become a garden. The answer of course was, why not?I first consulted with the school to see if there was any objection. After a few days I got the green light. The next step was to come up with a plan or design. The design was somewhat decided by the availability of garden supplies. Since there are no private gardens, there are no garden centres. What! No Home Depot! I quickly realized that I would have to improvise a great deal. So the plan was to have a western bourgeois garden with “Chinese characteristics”. (This last phrase is now common in all major Communist Party Speeches.) With the help of a dear friend, I managed to get some basic garden tools, (shovel, pick, etc.), to prepare the soil in question. Next I decided to create a border with old bricks that had been left near my apartment and use decorative rock which the school kindly provided. I managed to get some flowering shrubs that were being discarded by a landscape contractor and a few annuals from a small street vendor. I also transplanted some plants from abandoned construction sites and acquired some seeds, (hollyhock), from a friend’s neighbour.

At first the people in my building and adjacent apartments showed a kind of reserved curiosity as I began the project.

"What on earth is this 'laowai' (foreigner) doing?" they whispered, as I began digging and hauling bricks to the site.

However, to my delight, as things began to take shape, people stopped and tried to engage me in conversation. The gist of their comments was all favourable and I began to frequently hear the word “piaoliang”(beautiful). Needless to say I was elated. Eventually some neighbours offered to help me water and others brought plants for the garden. Now I feel that it is more of a community garden than my own and it is this aspect that has been the most rewarding part of the whole experience. I continue to expand the garden area and incorporate ideas that I get from my visits to the public parks. In short, it is a work in progress that provides me with a lot of satisfaction.

So if you’re coming to China, check out the public parks and think about having your own little garden. You will be pleasantly surprised by what may blossom.

Traditions vary depending on what part of the country you’re in and whether you are in an urban or rural area. The rural weddings tend to be more traditional while urban ones are more modern with some western elements. However there seem to be three aspects of the wedding protocol common to all.The first is the marriage license or certificate. Most weddings in China do not take place in a church and the license is often obtained months in advance. Although the happy couple is legally married they are not really considered so (and do not live together) in the eyes of their family and friends until the wedding banquet is held.The second aspect is the wedding photos. Weddings are now big business here and photo wedding shops (hun sha yinglou) are everywhere. Unlike western weddings, where the photos are normally taken on the wedding day, the couple will arrange several photo shoots and have a DVD made in advance of the wedding banquet or ceremony. It is common to see brides and grooms strolling around public parks and other scenic areas in full wedding attire looking for the perfect location. The wedding photo shop not only does the shoots but provides the wedding dress, the jewels, and the groom’s outfit, both for the photo album and for the wedding banquet.

The third and most important part is the wedding banquet and signifies that the couple is truly married and can live together. The banquet may take place months after the marriage certificate has been obtained although choosing the date is a delicate matter and often left in the hands of a well trusted fortune teller. The date is selected according to the lunar calendar and the numbers of the months and the days must be lucky ones and the moon and the stars have to be properly aligned. Although weddings are held throughout the year they often occur during major Chinese holidays such as the spring festival (Chunjie).

In 2008, China's government revised the national holiday system in order to recognize more traditional Chinese festivals. One of the new statutory holidays created was for the QINGMINGJIE, commonly translated as "Tomb-Sweeping Day", which normally falls in early April. This festival, which has a very long history, provides an opportunity for the Chinese to remember and honour their ancestors at grave sites. Usually all the family members will travel together to the tomb site and clean the grave, then burn paper money and set off fireworks. The deceased, especially those in the countryside, are often buried on the sides of hills and mountains and often facing water.

Several members of our English corner took this long holiday weekend to enjoy a break and went to a hot springs resort nestled in the foothills of a famous mountain, (Lushan),located in an adjacent province, (Jiangxi). It was a most relaxing and enjoyable outing. We are all looking forward to the next festival holiday.

ONLINE TEACHING AND LEARNING 101
by Peg Deaton, M.Ed., Roving Reporter, TESL Kingston

In April, 2007, I attended a fascinating workshop on online teaching and learning at PennTESOLEast's spring conference, held at Pennsylvania State University , Abington. The following formed a panel of faculty and students, who discussed the current state of online teacher education:

Hang's Progress in Learning to Communicate in Mandarin

Editor's Note: Following is an excerpt from one of TESL Kingston member Hang Nhan's emails, describing her creative approach to mastering the art of communicating in China while exploring her surroundings. She has a particular handicap in this venture, as her appearance leads everyone to assume she's a Chinese citizen!

I've become very independent and somewhat of a risk-taker. For example, while my colleagues are taking taxis to places, I am on my cheap made-in-China bike, arm-wrestling and weaving my way through streets congested with cars, motorcycles carrying heavy loads of propane tanks, pigs and chickens sardined in tiny barbed wire cages, other bicycles with multiple passengers and anything you can imagine that can move.

My colleagues have the luxury of using their skin colour as an excuse for not knowing Mandarin. I, on the other hand, don't have that, especially with first contacts. But it's good for me. It forces me to speak Mandarin. This is a typical scene...

A local slurs a mouthful of words; Hang looks confused and says, (in Mandarin), "I don't understand. I don't speak Chinese." The local looks confused and can't accept that Chinese-looking Hang can't speak Chinese. Hang then initiates a gesturing conversation blended with Mandarin, Cantonese and English. The local either can't be bothered and waves Hang off or he/she and Hang both laugh and try again.

I thoroughly enjoy this part of life in China. I have become friendly with this bike fixer guy that sits at the corner of the street with his wagon of tools from dawn to dusk every day. We say hi to each other almost every day when I head to the gym. I also do a great job of keeping him in business because my new el cheapo bike likes to break down every week. Last week was the pedal shaft falling off and this week is a broken pedal pad. The bike is only 3 weeks old, by the way. There's also my usual noodle girl at the local market. I've gone there enough times to name all the ingredients in Mandarin that I want in my mix. Sometimes I can't remember the word so I just say, "that one" in Chinese as I point. Her similar friendliness also allows me to teach her a few English phrases.I often get emails from the Open Book ESL students, from the Chinese ones mostly, because they're worried about my being a mute in China. But if you include gesturing, I'm getting pretty darn good at conversing in Mandarin about the day-to-day stuff. I'm going to be a great mime by the time I leave this country!

Overview of the TOEFL iBT Presentation at the TESL Ontario Conference, 2006

Teaching to the New iBT TOEFL Presented by: Evelyn Pedersen and Steve Bahry – University of Toronto
The 34 th Annual TESL Ontario Conference
Saturday, November 18th, 2006

At 8:30 in the morning the room was filled with educators, some juggling coffee mugs and breakfast tidbits, anticipating how their Saturday morning efforts to attend another workshop would be met. We were not disappointed. Both presenters were exceedingly knowledgeable in the presentation topic. They distributed useful handouts and proceeded to present in a direct and well-organized manner. Whether participants were trained TOEFL preparation instructors or novices to proficiency testing, like myself, it seems we all gained useful information that made the 2- hour weekend workshop worth attending.

Evelyn first overviewed the recent changes to the TOEFL test such as:

• It is no longer computer adaptive The iBT focuses on integrating all skills and not testing in isolation Note taking is now allowed Grammar is not integrated throughout the entire test Spoken English is tested digitally and scored by certified ETS human raters Due to the computer format, some typing skills are necessary to complete writing assignments within the allotted t ime Each skill area is equally weighted by 30 points
• A new feature glosses scientific vocabulary to view the definition

READING and LISTENING Participants read a sample TOEFL passage on the topic of childhood amnesia followed by a listening passage on the cause. We took brief notes and were able to relate both passages. Instructors were reminded to teach students how to answer short questions; write introduction statements and identify details of both reading and listening passages. Students should be reminded that a conclusion statement is not necessary.

Test takers should be prepared with:
Endurance to write the 4 hour test
Comprehension and analytical skills to respond to 3-5 academic reading passages

SPEAKING and WRITING To assist students to be prepared for this section, educators should:

• Practice timed responses; 45 second answers will mimic the actual test questions. Emphasize economy of words; be concise and choose ideas carefully Google ‘learn to type' to find a typing program to include in the program Teach formulaic introductory sentence such as ‘This reading passage identifies. .” Include comparing and contrasting in the class curriculum, inference, organization skills, identifying main ideas Students must learn to relate listening and reading passages to answer either the written or the spoken sections correctly and concisely
• Speaking is integrated with other skills

Steve Bahry followed Evelyn's overview of the new test format with suggestions to incorporate TOEFL testing writing skills in EAP and TOEFL iBT preparation programs. Include in-class activities that develop sentence and paragraph order using contextual clues. Teachers should also promote interest in a wide range of topics and emphasize concentration skills by including long reading segments for homework. It was noted that students with an interest in a variety of topics tend to have better results on the test. Introduce sample TOEFL writing topics randomly to promote discussion and expect t ime d responses to develop concise responses. Students become aware of actual sample test questions and it promotes knowledge of various universal topics such as health care, education, the environment, technology, war and peace.

Teachers should remind students to allow enough time to write the test a minimum of 2-3 times. This eliminates the pressure and stress of the initial testing experience and students can consider this as an overview of the testing process. To assist in preparing students to write the test, instructors should:

• Encourage self confidence, include relaxation techniques Incorporate material from many texts with an emphasis on:
• Skimming and scanning techniques
• Note taking skills
• Use outside sources such as:
• CBC radio
• Obtain in-house permission to use sound files and archives for in reading, listening and academic writing lesson plans
• Daily Planet TV broadcast
• Newspapers; National Geographic articles, maps and charts
  

Steve reviewed a selection of diagnoses with the participants, analyzing how test writers results show which skills were lacking and what skills could be improved. The results included:

• Lack of stamina
• Promote reading longer reading articles. Encourage 30 minute intense listening chunks
• Include 30 minute writing activities
  
• Slow reading
• Teach skimming and scanning techniques
• Lack of knowledge in various topics
• Include practice reading in various areas
• First date is a trial; the second date can be more comfortable because it is now a review in the process
• Independent speaking is scored for flow and comprehensibility
• Include pronunciation skills such as fluency, linking, rhythm, stress

Whether TOEFL iBT is a good test to assess language proficiency was not discussed; however, the revisions promote a more holistic approach to English language testing. Since this proficiency test is accepted internationally, many students are determined to write this test to assess their own skills and gain admission into the college or university of their choice.

Evelyn and Steve provided a thorough overview of the TOEFL iBT test and showed how educators can support their goals by offering programs and teaching testing strategies that focus on specific skills. As we watch our students grow to expressively articulate their opinions and formulate structurally sound responses, we can feel satisfied to have had a small part in their academic success.

by Maritta Polowick
ESL Coordinator
Confederation College
Thunder Bay , Ontario

Teaching in China
by Stephen Chappell

I arrived in China in mid-November to teach conversational English at a private language school in Anqing City, Anhui Province. I have just finished the first term and can make the following observations and suggestions for anyone considering a teaching position here.China is a very dynamic and exciting place to teach and live.I love the food, the culture,the history, the music and friendliness of the people. They are most eager to learn English and western ways. It has been to date a most rewarding experience and if you have a zest foradventure and change then China will answer the call.

I strongly suggest the use of a reputable recruiting company. They will work for you and with you at every step and will continue to do so during your teaching assignment. The salaries offered in China are not large compared with such places as Korea or Japan but you can live very comfortably here on such a salary. If you have a teaching degree and experience you can command a much better wage. Food, transportation and entertainment are very affordable and you will be provided with accommmodation with another teacher. This can be somewhat of a challenge if you are not flexible and prepared to compromise. I am 57 and my roommate is 22. Need I say more?

Regarding the teaching, (and remember that's why you are here), you must conform to and respect the Chinese teaching methodology. I initially thought that discipline would not be a problem, but with the grades I teach (7 and 8) it can be. Some of this may be the result of China's one-child policy, which puts them at the centre of attention. Nevertheless the students work very hard and put in long days. At my school they have exercise every morning before class and also have cleaning duties. Chinese teachers also work very hard and have 51/2 day weeks. My workload is quite heavy as I have 22 classes a week, but it is very rewarding. I teach in a private school which means that the parents have an greater influnence on the decision-making. Sometimes this may be at odds with educational goals. Take a look at both private and public sectors before making a decision. In both sectors ample holidays are provided during the school year which allows you time to travel and explore.

Regarding living in China some points of concern are as follows:
* *air quality is rather poor and pollution control does seem to have a high priority
* *spitting in public is socially acceptable
* *smoking is prevalent and there are only a few areas where it is not allowed. Most Chinese men smoke
* *many areas of China, especially in the south where I am, do not have heat in the schools, public buildings or in homes. At my request my school installed a space heater in my bedroom but the apartment common areas are unheated. This can be a major adjustment.
* *begging and panhandling here is becoming more common and it can be disturbing when you see children as young as 3 and 4 on the street.

Leaving all the comforts of home to work in a foreign land without the proximity of family and friends can be a difficult and somewhat lonely experience. My suggestion is to try to get involved even in small ways in the Chinese culture. You can take Chinese language lessons or cooking lessons as an example. I am taking ballroom dancing lessons which has opened new avenues and friendships.

If you love to teach, have an open mind and an interest in and respect for other cultures, then China has much to offer. Stephen Chappell Anqinq Foreign Language School Anqing City,China stbradch_6@hotmail.com

Teaching Writing Skills with Weblogs
Peggy Deaton, Roving Reporter, TESL Kingston

At the recent TESL Ontario Conference, Patricia Glogowski, M.A. of York University English Language Institute gave a one-hour technology presentation on weblogging, the "new" journal writing. The York course on weblogging was established in September,2004. Sessions are of a two-month duration. Students have four essays to write, and re-write.A weekly journal is required. Apparently, "...once the students start, they can't stop," she said.

Ms. Glogowski's first example was a student at YUELI, Demi, who had visited Niagara Falls, then spoke about it on the blog by linking to the other students in his class; from this, students created a learning community. Students learn from each other and then explore on their own. Another example was a Korean student who wrote about and posted pictures of activities before and after class. This evolved into all the students in class writing about thier lives and their universities.

Book Review:
Adding English
by Elizabeth CoelhoPippin Publishing / 0-88751-095-7 / 2003 / 320 pp / paperback
Grade Level: K-12

This book is about teaching in classrooms where some—or all—of the students are learning English at varying levels of proficiency, at the same time as they are working to learn the mainstream curriculum.
Written in a clear and straightforward style, Adding English: A Guide to Teaching in Multilingual Classrooms addresses these issues, providing important background information and detailed practical advice to help instructors at all levels meet the challenge of teaching effectively in multilingual settings.

Several of our members highly recommend this book for ESL teachers working in elementary and secondary schools, and also suggest that those of us working in multi-level, multi-lingual adult classes may find it useful as well.

CBC Learning Tool for ESL

CBC Ottawa and community partners, including Carleton University and OCISO, have created an exciting new ESL learning tool based on TV and radio clips from the CBC Archives website. Take a look and share this resource with learners!

www.cbc.ca/ottawa/esl

     More than seven years ago, TESL Ontario saw the need for standards and recognition to be raised for the many instructors of adult ESL who had no certification, perhaps no formal training, but years of experience in various community ESL programs. With funding from the Ontario Ministry of Training and Colleges as well as that of Immigration & Citizenship, professionals were hired to design Standards and Certification protocol for instructors of adult non-credit ESL.     For the first two years, people who met criteria based mainly on experience were “grandparented”. Now, however, any new applicants must have formal training focused on adult, non-credit instruction of ESL, as distinct from OTC-AQ training available through Faculties of Education in TESL, which is aimed at teachers of ESL students in elementary or secondary public school programs. As you can see on the TESL Ontario website, there is quite a long list of institutions that have been approved by TESL Ontario to provide this teacher training. MANY more applied and were rejected. TESL Ontario’s standards are as high as or higher than any others across Canada, as we try to exercise some sort of quality control in the face of the ever-increasing numbers of private TESL and ESL schools.     The LINC program run by Immigration and Citizenship Canada for adult newcomers to Canada is the only one so far that has mandated this certification for its instructors. There is still great variance in the requirements for instructors in adult education centers across the province. I think that most people who have become TESL Ontario certified have recognized: a) a professional desire for high standards and b) another valuable certificate in their portfolio which will help pave their way to employment in the always-changing field of TESL.

    Recently a link was created between Algonquin College and St. Lawrence College, in order to have the TESL Ontario course available in Kingston. Algonquin provided the teachers and curriculum, while St. Lawrence provided the college facilities, including classroom space, library, parking and other resources.

     This worked very well, but unfortunately, the enrolment was insufficient to make it possible to continue the course after the current cohort completed their certification in December, 2005. Aspiring ESL teachers in the Kingston area wishing to obtain an Ontario recognized TESL certificate may do so through the CERTESL distance education program offered by the University of Saskatchewan. For more information about TESL Ontario certification, click this link: http://www.teslontario.ca/certification/

Acquiring Canadian Experience

     In June, 2004, executives from some of Canada's largest corporations and municipal governments offered to create 153 internship positions for foreign-trained professionals in the following year. This marked the official launch of Career Bridge, an initiative by the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council to give the country's newcomers a chance at the "Canadian work experience" all employers seem to require.     Although the pledges met the program's first-year target of 150 placements, there were already 830 pre-screened candidates ready for the paid training with an average of eight years of professional work experience outside of Canada.     Career Bridge is intended to become financially self-sustaining when the government aid ends in 2006. After that, it will be fully supported through a $9,970 delivery fee paid by each participating employer.

Immigrants who are qualified international professionals can register online to apply for the screening process. You will need an up-to-date resume and a general cover letter ready to upload as part of the application process.

For more information about eligibility and requirements, visit the Web site at http://www.careerbridge.ca.