CANADIAN ACADEMIC SUCCESS SCHOOL

How to Improve Your Listening Skills

2011-07-02T13:01:00.002-04:00

Listening is the most difficult language skill to learn. When we read something, we can go back and read it again, and use a dictionary for difficult vocabulary. When we speak, we control the speed, grammar and vocabulary of the message. But, when we listen, the speaker chooses the message and usually we only have one chance to understand the meaning.

Unfortunately, listening is also the most important language skill to learn. Without listening there is no communication. We receive much more information through listening than we do through reading.

So, what can you do to improve your listening? As with every other skill, it comes down practice, practice, practice!

Try to have English in the background all the time when you are at home. This can be a TV news channel or talk radio. You don’t have to listen to it, but it will help you get a feeling for the rhythm of the language.
The internet is a great source of listening material. You can download podcasts or watch Youtube videos. If you listen to things you really enjoy, you are more likely to understand them.
Find lyrics on the internet to English songs that you like. Then read them as you listen to the songs.
English movies are also an excellent way to improve your listening skills. First, watch them without subtitles and a second time with the subtitles on.
Borrow audio books from the library. You can listen while reading along. If you have time, you can even take notes while listening. Then, compare the passage in the book with your notes.

More Listening Tips

When listening to people, focus on what they are saying, and avoid distractions. Using body language to show that you are listening can help you to pay attention. Repeating words in your mind is a good way to stay focused too.
Try not to translate English speech into your language. This will distract you from the speaker and you will miss much of the message.
With longer speeches, listen for the main idea and don’t get stuck on the details. Listen for key words to help you understand the general idea.
“Listen” to people’s body language as well as their words. Over 80% of communication is nonverbal.
Occasionally, ask questions or summarize what the speaker says. You can ask “What do you mean by...?” or say “So you mean....”
Reading can also help you improve your listening. Pick up one of the free newspapers everyday and read articles that interest you. By increasing your knowledge of current events and your vocabulary, it will become easier to understand what people are talking about.

Public Speaking

2011-05-26T00:08:00.001-04:00

"There are two types of speakers: those that are nervous and those that are liars."—Mark Twain

According to the book of lists, the fear of speaking in public is #1—the fear of dying is only #7! Yet, in every English class, students are forced to stand up in front of their peers and make a presentation. What can you do to control those fears?

First, you need to know what you are talking about. If you don’t really understand what you are saying, you will be more nervous. Be prepared not only for your speech, but to answer questions about it. Also, use language that you normally use so that you won’t forget what to say.

If it’s available, use a projector with PowerPoint slides of your main ideas and visuals to support them. This can help you to get your message across, because the audience can see your points as you explain them. It also helps you to remember what your points are. Don’t write out your whole speech though; then nobody will need to listen to you. And don’t try to hide by speaking to your screen instead of your audience!

Practicing your speech is very important. Rehearse it out loud over and over again. If it’s a timed presentation, practice with a timer. If possible, try to practice in the actual location where you are going to speak and with any equipment you plan to use.

It’s a good idea not to rehearse on the day of your presentation, however. Try to do something else to help you relax instead. You can ease your stress by doing some stretching and some breathing exercises. Imagine yourself standing in front of your audience and speaking loudly, clearly and confidently.

When it’s time to speak, begin by addressing the audience and making eye contact with them. Remember that they are on your side—they want you to do well, too. They are hoping to hear something informative and interesting.

You will be nervous, but usually the audience can’t see that. They also don’t know what you are planning to say, so don’t apologize if your nervousness causes you to miss something—you’ll only be calling attention to it. Just go back and say what you had planned to say and move on. Nobody will know you made a mistake.

The more you speak in public, the more experienced you will become at controlling the butterflies in your stomach. Although the nervousness will never disappear completely, you will become a more confident speaker over time.

IELTS or TOEFL iBT?

2010-03-10T23:40:00.000-05:00

Students often ask me if they should take a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) English assessment test. The first question I ask is, “What do you need the test for?”

For immigration, the Canadian government will grant up to 8 points in language proficiency based on an IELTS score. Canadian universities now accept IELTS results, although many US universities will still only accept a TOEFL score. For professional accreditation, the TOEFL is still a little more accepted in North America.

There are two types of IELTS: an academic version and an easier general version. The TOEFL only has an academic test. If a general IELTS score is acceptable, do that test. This may even be possible when applying to a graduate school in Canada.

On the academic level, both tests are usually accepted today; so, deciding which one to take depends on individual strengths and preferences. Both the IELTS and TOEFL have 4 sections—reading, listening, speaking and writing—but the formats of these sections are different.

The TOEFL listening and reading sections use multiple choice questions, but the IELTS uses a variety of different question types. The TOEFL reading and listening passages are on academic topics, while the IELTS has a variety of topics. Also, the TOEFL listening passages use a standard American accent; however, on the IELTS test, many different English accents from around the world can be heard.

Both the IELTS and TOEFL writing sections have a short essay, but the IELTS essay is marked individually for word choice, grammar, logic, fluency and cohesion. The TOEFL essay, meanwhile, emphasizes overall clarity and does not penalize the odd grammar or spelling mistake. Both tests have a summary task, but the IELTS’ is based on a graph or chart while the TOEFL summary requires combining information from a short academic reading and lecture. One more difference is IELTS tasks can be written by hand, but TOEFL tasks must be typed on a keyboard.

It is on the speaking section that the two tests are most different. IELTS' speaking section is a face-to-face interview with an evaluator, but TOEFL test-takers speak into a microphone. Although the IELTS has a time limit, timing is flexible. On the TOEFL, speakers have a strict time limit and must finish exactly on time or be penalized. Also, two of the TOEFL speaking tasks are to summarize academic lectures; if a test-taker doesn’t understand the lecture, it is very difficult to speak for a minute about it.

One advantage of the TOEFL is that it is more structured than the IELTS and, therefore, practicing the test over and over will improve scores. The IELTS is harder to prepare for.

Top 10 (Almost) New English Words

2010-01-31T00:23:00.004-05:00

At the close of each year, we often see lists of new English words. Many of them reflect the events and mood of the year. For example, the word “funemployed”—people who welcome their new unemployed status as a vacation—became popular because of the economic crisis in 2009. Similarly, using “green-collar” to describe jobs which benefit the environment shows people’s increased concern for our mother earth.

Some of these new words will continue to be used and become standard English vocabulary; others will not. “Obamanation,” used by critics of the American president to describe those policies they disagree with (i.e. all of them), will become a side note of history once he is no longer in office. Likewise, “recessionistas,” who started looking for their fashionable clothes at chain stores in 2009, will begin shopping at pricey boutiques again as the economy improves.

Here are my picks for the top 10 of new words that I think will continue to be used over the new decade:

App: An abbreviation of application—software that performs a specific task—this word has been used by computer programmers since the 1980s. However, it wasn’t until Apple opened its App Store in 2008 that the word began to be used by everyone.

Bromance: A close relationship between two straight males, or “bros.”

Chillaxing: A blend of chilling and relaxing, it means really enjoying doing nothing.

Flash mob: A group of people organized through text messaging to gather at a specific location, perform a specific action and then leave—like the group that moonwalked at Dundas Square after Michael Jackson’s death.

Frankenfood: What critics call genetically modified food.

Freemium: A business model which offers free basic services, but value added services are sold for a premium. Skype uses this strategy.

Netbook: A small, cheap laptop.

Shovel-ready: An adjective to describe a construction project that can be started immediately. This word has become a favorite of politicians, especially those who are looking for money for a project.

Tweet: A noun or verb, tweet refers to an online posting by a Twitter user. In fact, I could write a whole column about all the new “twitter” words that appeared last year, but I won’t.

Unfriend: To remove someone from your friends list on a social networking site. It was named “word of the year” by the Oxford Dictionary.

Phrasal Verbs

2008-09-01T20:30:00.014-04:00

Last week, the Canadian Academic Success School's Sunday Seminar was on phrasal verbs.

Here's an activity using phrasal verbs for the classroom. Give each student a copy of the following:

Find someone who:

1. _______________ resembles his/her mother.

2. _______________ checked his/her homework carefully.

3. _______________ tolerates the cold weather in Toronto.

4. _______________ borrowed a book from a library.

5. _______________ put something in the garbage.

6. _______________ didn’t come to class last time.

7. _______________ exited a bus at school today.

8. _______________ has the same name as

......his/her grandmother/father.

9. _______________ has shown a classmate a mistake in

......his/her homework.

10._______________ has finished this exercise.

Now, restate your answers using the phrasal verbs below:

check out
get off
get through
go over
name after
point out
put up with
show up
take after
throw away

Math Memory Game

2008-08-21T00:51:00.001-04:00

Preparation: On 3x5 inch index cards, write out 12 or 16 equations appropriate to the level of study. Each equation should be different, but pairs should have the same solution (eg. 4+8 / 15–3).

To Play: Place the cards face down in rows of four. Take turns turning up two cards at time and reading the equations aloud. If the solutions to the equations on the two cards are equal, the player keeps them and takes a second turn. If they do not match, the cards are replaced face down in the same position and the next player takes a turn. Don’t tell the players if they have a match. It is important that the players recognize matches themselves. Play until all the cards are matched. The player with the most pairs wins.

How To Help Failing Students

2008-08-13T16:00:00.005-04:00

This advice is directed at teachers, but it is also useful to tutors and parents.

Identify problems as early as possible. In the first week of class, assess all students’ needs through testing, in class writing, and interviews.

Meet privately to discuss problems with students. Show the students the problems you have found in their work. Then, let students tell you what they think their problems are, why they have those problems, and what they think should be done to solve the problems. If they deny there is a problem, be firm and go through their work with them to provide specific evidence for your concern. Students must recognize their problems before they can be fixed.

Listen to what students tell you. You can learn a lot about students’ problems simply by listening attentively and paying close attention to body language. Your assessments may have only revealed the symptoms of their problems, but not source of the problems. Show the student that you are interested, and be open and honest with them.

Work with students to create a plan of action. Help students to determine the best starting point, and to set goals you both agree are realistic. Then, work together to plan reasonable steps to reach those goals. It’s important that students think of this as their goals and their plans. Later, you can use these plans to remind students of what they said they wanted to achieve and offer support and encouragement through each of the steps.

Become a resource for students. Make yourself available for additional instruction and provide extra material at an appropriate level for each student’s needs. Offer to locate other resources such as tutoring (www.CanadianAcademicSuccess.com) or community services which can help the students.

Vary your approach in class to accommodate all learning styles. This is something that all the students in your class will benefit from. Because each student takes in information differently, a varied teaching style will allow different groups of students to display their strengths at different times. However, don’t tailor your classes for those weaker students at the expense of the stronger learners.

Offer encouragement. Meet with students before major tests or assignments to listen to their concerns and help them develop a positive attitude. Even when students do poorly, stress the areas where they have improved and help them to learn from their mistakes. Try not to pass students for effort, though, as that will not give them a realistic understanding of their results.

Don’t take your students failures personally. Sometimes, despite all your best efforts, a student will still not improve. Don’t blame yourself; in the end, students are responsible for their own successes and failures. Console yourself by saying that you did everything that you could.

Tips for Writing Opinion Essays

2008-08-02T09:08:00.013-04:00

Like a hamburger, an essay has several layers. Divide the essay into sections and develop each section separately over time.

The Introductory Paragraph

The opening paragraph not only introduces the topic, but shows where you are going with it (the thesis). If you do a good job in the opening, you will draw your reader in. Just like in everything else, first impressions are key to winning someone over

Write in the active voice rather than passive voice because it will make your essay much more powerful. Also, unless you are writing a personal narrative, avoid using the pronoun "I."

Write more than one thesis. Even if you think your first idea is brilliant, try to come up with at least 2 more theses. You may surprise yourself with an even better idea.

Vary your sentence structure and vocabulary. Try to avoid the same sentence pattern--especially SVO--and review your writing to make sure you're not using the same expressions over and over. This is something that you will carry through the whole essay.

Plan your essay before you start. Make sure you are using the best supporting ideas and have a reason for putting them in the order you will use. An unplanned essay will always present an ineffective argument.

Supporting Paragraphs

Each paragraph is like a mini-essay in of itself. Make sure each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that is obviously connected to your thesis, supporting details that are clearly related to the topic sentence, and a poweful final statement that closes the argument.

Use transitions to show the relationship of each paragraph to the one that came before it. Each paragraph has to flow, one to the next. It's not enough to just have a plan, but you must tell the readers what your plan is throughout the essay. The transition can be included in the topic sentence.

Use specific support. The best arguments are the ones that the readers not only can understand, but can see. Answer Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How? for each supporting detail.

The Concluding Paragraph

Many essay writers torpedo a good argument with a weak concluding paragraph. This is the second most important paragraph after the introduction because it will create the impression the reader will take away from the essay. Write the conclusion carefully.

Restate the thesis with originality. Do not simply copy it.

Summarize your argument with authority. The reader should have no doubt about your position or conclusion of logic.

Leave the reader with a powerful thought-provoking last thought. You want the reader to finish the essay thinking, "That was good!"

Edit and Revise

Review individual sentences for spelling, grammar, and consistency. Use the spelling and grammar check in your word processing program. Avoid repetition of sentence structures and phrases.

Reanalyse your argument. Make sure the ideas flow logically and there are no gaps or repetitions.

Ask a knowledgeable friend to review and comment on your essay, and to repeat back what the essay says. You may be surprised.

BizLaunch Posting

2008-07-29T11:40:00.006-04:00

I should have posted this sooner, but better late than never. Please check out the article about the Canadian Academic Success School on the BizLaunch blog: http://bizlaunchcanada.blogspot.com/search/label/small%20business%20story

Pronunciation: /ur/

2008-07-28T00:54:00.004-04:00

For some people, the pronunciation of /ur/ can be murder.

Rhyming Words
Yearn Learn Burn Turn Earn Fern
Hurt Assert Desert Alert Skirt
Word Heard Bird Third Spurred
Search Besmirch Lurch Church Birch
Pearl Whirl Unfurl
Germ Worm Term Squirm
Were Fur Sir Cur
First Thirst Worst Burst
Worth Girth Mirth Berth

Minimal Pairs
Yarn Yearn
Part Pert
Carl Curl
Farm Firm
Far Fur
Garth Girth
Heart Hurt
Parch Perch
Par Per
Sparred Spurred
Cart Curt
Star Stir

Nouns Ending With “er”
Change the following verbs to nouns by adding /ur/
Swim
Drive
Speak
Teach
Sell
Work
Pay
Council
Search
Employ
Toast
Sit
Learn
Write
Camp
Watch
Rob
Buy
Time
Jump
Beg
Send
Buzz
Mow
Serve

Comparatives
Say the comparative form of the following adjectives
Big
Red
Small
Old
Long
Wet
Pretty
Soon
Lonely
Fast
Yellow
Thin
Dumb
New
Sad
Edgy

Listening
Circle the word that you hear
1. Bird Bard
2. Car Cur
3. Further Farther
4. Lurch Larch
5. Barn Burn
6. Curt Cart
7. Hard Heard
8. Fur Far

Listening Script
I saw a bard in the garden.
There is a cur in the driveway.
I went a little further.
My son is in a larch.
That’s a very big burn.
We talked to the cart salesman.
The answers to the test questions were heard.
The jacket is far.

English Circle

2008-07-15T12:38:00.023-04:00

The English Circle is an informal group of non-native English speakers who meet every Tuesday evening from 7 PM to 9 PM at the Canadian Academic Success School, 5308A Yonge Street. We discuss current events in the news with an ESL instructor who has 22 years of high-school & community college ESL teaching experience.

Every week, I browse the internet for articles that can be used as an introduction to a topic for conversation. The articles need to be short, because we want to spend most of our time discussing them and not reading them. They also need to be fairly easy because we get people with a wide range of English levels at each meeting.

Once I've chosen three or four articles, I go through them highlighting vocabulary I think might be unknown to some of our attendees. I also look for a grammatical item to explain, and underline all the examples of it.

During the meeting, each of the attendees takes turns reading sections of the articles while I correct pronunciation. We then explain all the highlighted vocabulary and any other words or phrases people ask about. After that, we discuss the topic of the article. Finally, before moving to the next article, I do a brief lesson on the grammatical item.

In tonight's meeting, we will be discussing articles dealing with where people's names came from, unusual fashion, friends with bad habits, and stupid criminals.

For example, here is the article on names, which I took from the City TV News website. Unfortunately, I can't highlight the vocabulary or underline the grammar here, so I've changed the text colour of the vocabulary to blue, and the grammar to purple:

Man Offers Naming Rights For His First Born Son For Free Gas
Monday July 14, 2008
CityNews.ca Staff

Many people are proud of the stories behind their names. Some have been named after an interesting relative, literary figure or a word with special significance in another language.

One Florida boy may not be so keen on sharing the tale behind his name when he grows up.

David Partin agreed to name his unborn son after two morning radio show hosts to get some free gas.

The radio hosts offered a gasoline gift card to a listener with the most interesting offer to trade. Partin called in and agreed to name his child after the radio personalities Richard Dixon and J. Willoughby. The child's full first name will be Dixon and Willoughby - yes, the "and" is included.

The baby is due this winter.

Dixon and Willoughby - the radio hosts - said they'll hand over the voucher for free gas when they see the birth certificate.

Perhaps Partin and his expectant girlfriend could try this stunt if they plan to have a second child. Pampers Partin has a nice ring to it.
http://www.citynews.ca/news/features_24744.aspx?&categoryurl=http://www.citynews.ca/news/features_690.aspx

Vocabulary:
Naming Rights = the ability to give a name to something (or somebody). We usually use this phrase when the rights are bought or traded. (eg. Rogers Centre)
behind = in this case, behind means the reason for (eg. Money is behind all my problems.)
named after = the source of a name (eg. I am named after my grandfather.)
literary figure = a character from a famous book or a famous writer (eg. Romeo, or Shakespeare)
significance = importance
be so keen on = to really like or enjoy something (eg. I'm keen on sports.)
gift card = a card which that lets the user buy things or services up to the set value of the card. For example, if I go to Future Shop and buy a $50 card which I give to my son, he can buy $50 worth of things at Future Shop.

personalities = people who are very good at something (eg. Tiger Woods is a famous golf personality.)
due = expected to arrive. We also use this to describe when the mother is expected to have the baby. (eg. She is due in July / When are you due?)
hand over = to give up possession of something (eg. The police officer told the drunk driver to hand over his keys.)
voucher = a written, official promise, often for cash or goods. In this case it means the gift card.
birth certificate = An official record of the date and place a person was born. In Canada, it is made by the province after the hospital where the baby was born sends them the information.
expectant = pregnant / going to have a baby
stunt = something that is done to attract attention
Pampers = a brand of diapers (underwear for babies)
has a nice ring to it = sounds interesting or attractive (like the sound of a bell)

Grammar
Infinitive: “To + Basic Verb”

The infinitive is often used like a noun, usually as the object of a verb. Eg. I decided to go. / I want to go.

However, some verbs use a gerund (verb + "ing") as an object (eg. I enjoy swimming.); so you have to memorize which verbs take infinitives and which take gerunds.

Infinitives can also be used as the subject of sentences, but that sounds old fashioned today, as in Shakespeare's "To be or not to be, that is the question." Nowadays, we usually use a gerund as a subject (eg. Studying is the most important thing.) Infinitives are more common as subject complements (eg. The most important thing is to study / It is important to study.)

Another use of infinitives is to explain the purpose of an action. (Notice the use of the infinitive as a subject complement in that sentence.) If I want to explain why I went to the bank, I can say, "I went to the bank to withdraw some money." This is really a shortened form of the more formal "in order to." (eg. I went to the bank in order to withdraw some money.)

You can get more information on infinitives here: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/627/03/

Another Scam

2008-07-11T11:55:00.007-04:00

As an update to my last post, there is another scam targeting ESL teachers. This one is an invitation to teach a foreign worker and/or his family in Nigeria. They usually offer a very generous compensation and offer to pay all your expenses. However, once you agree to accept the job, you'll have to send money to process your visa and other documents. And, of course, there is no job.

Here is an invitation I received through my Meetup page (http://teachers.meetup.com/146/) from a "German engineer" named Gary Braun (http://www.meetup.com/members/7622357/):

Meetup Message from garybraun: me is want you come and teach me family
Hello teacher me name is Engr.Gary Braun me is from Berlin Germany and me is work as Engineer at Bell Oil and Gas Ltd in Port-Harcourt, Nigeria,
me is currently seeking for a good qualified English teacher with Three to five year experience that will come and teach me son and me wife goodenglish here in Port-Harcourt,Nigeria.
me is Already go through you CV and me is like it so me is want to know if you is interested to come and teach me son and wife.
especially me wife she need to start work here and me son need to teach well so that he will be able to communicate with people around here.
me is like you to come september and teach me wife and son.
me is offer you $6,500 Six thousand five hundred united states dollars per month.
me is offer you $700 Seven hundred united states dollars per month for you vacation fee and $500 Five hundred united states dollars] for health fee.
me is rent you a good appartment where you is stay when you is come.
me is sponsor you visa fees and flight ticket so if you is interested you can send me you resume so that me is see and go through it ok.
Email me - garybraun71@yahoo.com Phone no - +2348053537074
Thanks and God bless.Engr.Braun

WARNING: TUTORING SCAM

2008-07-07T12:36:00.009-04:00

This has been written about on many sites before, but the fact that it’s still going on shows that some people haven’t heard about it yet. What made me decide to write about it today is that I received 3 of these bogus offers on Sunday alone. I’m hoping once people stop falling for it, the e-mails will stop, and I won’t have to keep deleting them.

If you advertise tutoring or some other kind of lesson on internet sites such as Craigslist (http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/cal/#classes) or Kijiji (http://toronto.kijiji.ca/f-community-classes-W0QQCatIdZ4), sooner or later you will get a poorly written e-mail from someone overseas asking for a large block of lessons. The person will claim their son or daughter is coming to visit your area and the parent wants lessons everyday or 2-4 times a week for the child for the length of the stay, usually a month.

If you reply—and you shouldn’t, especially after reading this—the parent will offer to send you the whole amount as a cashier’s cheque before the lessons are to begin.

This is where things go off. They will send you a cheque, but it will be for far too much, or you will receive more than one cheque for the same amount. The parent will then explain that this was a mistake and ask for the overpayment back. (Sometimes they will send you the correct amount, but they'll ask for a refund because the child's trip has to be cancelled due to a tragedy in the family.)

The problem is, even though the bank will deposit the money into your account, it can actually take as long as a month for a cashier’s cheque to clear—and of course the cashier’s cheque the parent has sent you will never clear, because it’s a fake. So, if you have sent any money back, that’s now coming out of your pocket, because the bank will withdraw the amount on the cheque from your account once they discover that the cheque is bogus. Not only that, but the bank is obliged to call the police to inform them that you have tried to cash a counterfeit cheque. Luckily, the police are well-aware of this scam—too bad you weren’t!

These e-mails are easy to recognize. Here are the three I received yesterday. Two of them are the same word for word as e-mails I’ve received within the past couple of weeks:

From "Kenny love" kennyoci@gmail.com yesterday, and "Frank Umar" umar.frank@yahoo.com on July 1 (although the reply e-mail address is the same for both):
Hello, i will like you to know that i am very much interested in your lesson for my son which he will be attending twice a week (Monday and Thursday) (9am-12pm)and i will like you to get back to with the total cost of the lesson for one month at your time schedule. please respond to kennyoci@gmail.com thanks and God bless you.
(Note: Before I had finished composing this blog entry, I received the e-mail above again—minus the reply e-mail address—from "Ramson Scott" scottramson@gmail.com)

From "Juliet Nunu" jjj.nunu@yahoo.com yesterday and "Monica Cynthia Chris" 1111111111manu@gmail.com on June 27 (although Monica/Chris claims to live in the United Kingdom and have a son named Eric,14):
Hello and How are you?. I am from Germany,my Daughter will be coming
for an holiday in the Canada,and i want her to be busy throughout..
Therefore, i just want to know maybe she can always come to you and teach
her great things to know i life all aspect on every afternoon. If this
is possible,i will want you to get back to me with the cost of your
teaching for the MONTH...She will be coming to your house for 1 hour each
afternoon, I have someone that will always drive her down to your
house.. her name is Lisa ,she is 23 years old. I will want you to calculate
1 hour per day for Monday,Wednesday,Friday for the whole 1 MONTH,and
get back to me so that we can arrange on payment. Kindly get back to me
with......
1.YOUR CHARGE FOR AN HOUR....
2.TOTAL CHARGES FOR 1 MONTH THAT HE
WILL BE TAUGHT 3 TIMES PER WEEK..
3.FULL NAME AND ADDRESS WITH ZIP CODE....
4.YOUR PHONE NUMBER...
don't hesitate to e-mail with your total charges.
Thanks and waiting to read from you.
Ms. Juliet Nunu

And finally, this one from "terry smith" terry7770@gmail.com (who has a different name from his e-mail--although his son's first name is the same as his e-mail last name--and is unaware that Canada is not part of the United States):
Hey, I am Mr Dalihu.An external Auditor,i will like you to start teaching 2 of my kids for 2 hours aday or 2 to 3 times a week.also my son Name is Smith,15 years and my daughter becky is 13 years.they both live in califonai.I really want to keep them busy cos i will be going for am external auditing outside the state.All about their accomodation in your state wil be provided by me.I will like to know the total cost for 2 months if you take them for 2 hours perday. Kindly get back to me with your full name,address and your phone # so that i can make the payment.My RegardsDalihu

Apparently, this same scam is also used on people selling things on the internet. You can read more about it here: http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/counterfeit_cashier's_check.htm

English Time Tenses

2008-07-04T18:37:00.017-04:00

Last night while I was teaching at Seneca College, one of my students did a presentation on how she met her husband. It was a very interesting story, but at times it was hard to follow because of problems with her English. One of the most common mistakes she made was using present tense to describe something that happened 10 years ago. For example, she said, "We meet or call each other everyday before we were married."

At the end of the class I suggested she attend the workshop on time tenses the Canadian Academic Success School is holding this Sunday evening. Here's a sample of what we'll be doing:

THE 12 TIME TENSES

EXPLANATION
Simple Past
1. Completed Action: We visted the museum yesterday.
2. Completed Condition: The weather was rainy last week.

Past Progressive
1. Past Action that took place over a period of time: They were climbing for twenty-seven days.
2. Past Action interrupted by another: I was sleeping when the telephone rang.
3. Past Background Action: We were eating dinner when she told me.

Future
1. Plans: I'm going to see a movie tomorrow.
2. Predictions: It’s going to rain. / It will rain.
3. Promises/Assurances: We’ll be fine.
4. Immediate Future: I’ll answer the phone.
Note: Modals are also used to express future situations: I can/may/should/must leave soon.

Future Progressive
1. Future Action over a period of time: I’ll be working on the report tomorrow night.
2. Future Action at a specific time: We’ll be camping on August 11.

Present Perfect
1. From the Past to the Present: He has lived here for many years.
2. Experiences: Have you ever been to Tokyo before?
3. To describe a Past Action leading to a Present State: I’ve finished all my homework.

Present Perfect Progressive
1. To express duration of an action that began in the Past, has continued into the Present, and may continue into the Future: David has been working for two hours, and he hasn't finished yet.

Past Perfect
1. A Past Action or Condition completed before another Past Time: When I arrived home, he had already called.

Past Perfect Progressive
1. To express a Past Action which continued until a specified time in the Past: By the time she arrived, I had been waiting for over 20 minutes.

Future Perfect
1. Action that will be completed by or before a specified time in the future: By next month we will have finished this job.

Future Perfect Progressive
1. To express duration of an action until a specified time in the Future: By the time I retire, I will have been working for over 50 years.

EXERCISE
Match the Main Clauses with the Times listed below:

MAIN CLAUSE
1. I was sleeping
2. I’ll be working on the report
3. We’ll have solved the problem
4. I’m working for a bank
5. I’ve been studying English
6. I’d been saving money for years
7. I went to Montreal
8. I’ll have been working for nearly 50 years
9. I will return your book
10.I’ve been to Niagara Falls twice
11.I’m going to run my own business
12.Everyone had already left
13.I go to work

TIME
A. everyday
B. at the moment
C. last weekend
D. when he called
E. one day
F. tomorrow
G. tonight
H. so far
I. since I came to Canada
J. by the time he finished
K. when I came to Canada
L. by the time he notices
M. when I retire

Of course, when we do this exercise in the workshop, I'll have each clause and each time printed on a separate slip of paper. These slips will be distributed among the participants, who will have to find the matching Clause/Time. Then, when we discuss each tense, the matched sentences will become another example for discussion.

Tutoring Lessons

2008-06-21T19:23:00.008-04:00

Yesterday at 3 o'clock I had an appointment with a parent about lessons for his daughter. At 4 o'clock he called to say he would be at my office at 4:30. He finally showed up at 5. We talked about the school and his daugter's problems with math for about 40 minutes, before he finally decided that he would have to think about it.

Now it was nearly 6 o'clock and I had to rush home, shave, shower, and change so that I could rush back to my office to set up for the ESL in North York meeting at 7. All because of a 3 o'clock appointment.... (Of course, the subway was shut down from Bloor to Eglinton, causing everyone to come late, but I didn't know that at the time.)

This reminded me of Dont Answer. He was a gentleman who contacted me last March, asking for help with his English. He made appointment after appointment to come to my office to see me, not showing up each time until he finally appeared 2 hours late on the 5th occasion. Despite the fact I was in class at the time, I spent over half an hour to make arrangements for him to come in on Monday evenings for private English lessons. (You can probably guess where this is heading.)

Sure enough, the next Monday night he didn't show up for his first scheduled class. I called him that night and the next morning, but there was no answer. I chalked it up to a lesson learned: When someone is in the office and books a class, get the payment right away. Then, if they miss the first class I'll still get paid for my preparation & time.

But I hadn't heard the last of Dont Answer. Around 11 o'clock the following Sunday night he called to say he was coming to the lesson the next day. I asked him why he had missed the first lesson, & he told me he'd had "something to do." Once again, I was very accomodating, and told him I expected full payment for the next month of classes before the start of the lesson and that if he couldn't make it, to please call me.

"Yes, yes, yes," he said, but the next day was an exact repeat of the previous Monday. So, it was with some surprise, that I received a call from him the next Sunday telling me he still wanted lessons. At this point, I'd had enough, and told him as politely as possible, that I wouldn't be able to give him lessons. He seemed unusually upset, but thought I finally got him to understand.

Until he called the next day and offered to pay for the next 2 months of classes. I told him no, and that's when the phone calls began. No matter what I told him, he called several times every day. He was like an obsessed jilted lover. After a few days, I saved his contact name as "Dont Answer." He continued to call for over 2 months.

And I learned that sometimes it's better to turn down a customer, than try to help them.

Welcome To Our Blog

2008-06-21T00:41:00.013-04:00

Hi, Everyone!

We're going to use this blog to keep you updated on events at the Canadian Academic Success School, and to supply you with some exercises and activities we've prepared for our various classes.

Tonight at 5308A Yonge Street, we're hosting our monthly ESL in North York Meeting (Get more information here: http://teachers.meetup.com/146/calendar/8010369/). The topic for tonight's meeting is Idioms.

These monthly meetings are free, but of course we're hoping that some of the attendees will eventually take classes with us, or refer us to someone they know who is looking for classes.

So, with that in mind, I thought I'd post an exercise I've used on sales & marketing idioms:

Look at the idioms in the following sentences:

Valerie tried to drum up business for the restaurant by mailing flyers and distributing menus.
The pizza restaurant generated a lot of buzz for its new teriyaki beef pizza by giving away free samples to people on the street.
He was giving us the hard sell. He almost forced us to sign the contract.
Many authors plug their latest books by making guest appearances on TV talk shows.
Because the children's toys were selling like hotcakes, the company was unable to keep up with orders.
We decided to strike while the iron was hot and began to market the sportswear in time for the Beijing Olympics.

Now try to match the idioms with their meaning from the list below:
A. cause people to start talking about a product in a way that increases sales
B. promote a product
C. take advantage of an opportunity
D. pressuring a customer to buy
E. find new customers
F. sell very quickly

Circle the idiom which works best in the following sentences:

Exclusive contests for your online community will ____________ and excitement.
a) strike while the iron is hot
b) generate buzz
c) give the hard sell

During the power outage, candles ____________.
a) drummed up business
b) sold like hot cakes
c) gave the hard sell

The big advertisement in today`s newspaper should ____________.
a) drum up business
b) sell like hotcakes
c) plug

As soon as he heard about the opening, he decided to ____________ and quickly applied for the job.
a) strike while the iron was hot
b) generate buzz
c) drum up business

American Express paid David Beckham a lot of money to ____________ their credit cards.
a) give the hard sell for
b) drum up business for
c) plug

All I did was ask for a price list and a salesman started ____________.
a) drumming up business
b) generating buzz
c) giving me the hard sell