Toronto Attractions and Activities for International Students

Toronto Attractions and Activities:

Centreville Amusement Park is nestled in over 600 acres of parkland with over 30 rides and attractions.

Fort York: Reconstructed after the battle, today's Fort York is Canada's largest collection of original War of 1812 buildings and a designated National Historic Site.

Canada's Walk of Fame Presents the 6th Annual Tribute Gala Honoring Canada's Biggest Stars: Scotty Bowman, Toller Cranston, Jim Elder, Linda Evangelista, Lynn Johnston, Lorne Michaels, Mike Myers, Luc Plamondon, Robbie Robertson, David Steinberg, Shania Twain.

The Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition is underway for the summer. The event includes sculpture, painting, original prints, ceramics, glass, metal, wood, fibre, photography and mixed media. The annual Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition will take place at Nathan Phillips Square

Black Creek Pioneer Village: The restored 19th-century rural Victorian community is located in northwest Toronto. The Village re-creates the past with over 35 carefully restored 1860s shops and homes, interpreters in period dress who help guide you through Canadian history.

CN Tower: The World's Tallest Building and Wonder of the Modern World, offers spectacular views, spell-binding Glass Floor, motion simulator rides, interactive arcade and fantastic shopping. Horizons, located on the Lookout Level, offers casual fare great for kids.

The Toronto Zoo has won the award for "Best Family Outing" in Toronto.Com's first annual poll The Best of T.O.

Royal Ontario Museum Current Exhibits:

Naoko Matsubara donated 177 of her prints to the ROM in 1998.
Library Gallery offers multimedia, specimens and archives.
South Asian Gallery includes wall relief panels, religious sculpture,
illuminated manuscripts, textiles, arms and armour, jewelry and
richly ornamented decorative arts.
Art Deco from 1920s and 1930s France, where this pivotal design
movement of the 20th century was born and reached its height.
Gallery of Korean Art is the largest permanent gallery dedicated to
Korean art and culture spans 8,000 years of Korean history and
cultural achievements.
Gallery of Earth Sciencesis explored in this spectacular new gallery.
Organized into sections that demonstrate the Earth's complex
evolution, the gallery features touchable specimens, interactive
displays, and presentations exploring the phenomena of volcanoes,
earthquakes and meteorites.

Paramount Canada's Wonderland is Canada's premier theme park and features over 200 attractions, more than 60 thrilling rides, North America's greatest variety of roller coasters, and Splash Works, a 20-acre water park.

Toronto Aerospace Museum: The Museum's most ambitious project is the construction of a full-size replica of the magnificent Avro CF-105 Arrow supersonic interceptor that first flew at Toronto's Malton Airport in 1958.

Earth and Space Centre Planatarium: The newest show is entitled Mysteries of the Moon, and it explores the phenomenon of solar and lunar eclipses as well as the phases of the moon. A simulated space ride is included to help understand the relationship between the earth, the moon and the sun.

Allen Gardens Conservatory: Features six greenhouses comprising over 16,000 square feet of colourful seasonal plants which supplement the permanent plant collection. Of botanical importance since 1858 the conservatory boasts the "Palm House" (1910) modeled after similar structures in the United States and England.

Art Gallery of Ontario Gallery: Tours, Exhibits and Courses Family Programs: Off the Wall! For Kids Pop Photography: Objects in Everyday Life 1842-1969.

Tom Thomson: More than 140 of the artists oil sketches, paintings and works on paper, along with works by his contemporaries.

Ontario Place: Visitors will be introduced to several new state-of-the-art interactive attractions and play facilities for kids 3 to 13. Adventure Island is home to the New H20 Generation Station, The Atom Blaster, O.P. Driving School and Micro Kids. These attractions feature colourful, modern designs in totally interactive environments presenting children with unique opportunities to discover and learn while having plenty of fun.

Hockey Hall of Fame: The world's most comprehensive collection of hockey artifacts, displays and memorabilia with state-of-the-art exhibitory and interactive games. Try and stop the pucks of Messier and Gretzky or fire real pucks against a life sized computer-simulated goalie. Have your picture taken with the Stanley Cup.

Ontario Science Centre: Experience over 800 interactive exhibits, daily demonstrations and programs. Visit Ontario's only dome theatre and see a large-format films under the giant IMAX dome screen.

CBC - Tours and Museum: CBC has superb television programs for kids and this is your chance to visit the studios where is all begins.

Harbourfront Centre: An innovative, non-profit cultural organization which provides world-renowned programming in the arts and culture for the public. The Centre encompasses several venues on a 10 acre site in the heart of Toronto's waterfront, and programs family entertainment.

The SkyDome: The tour begins with a visit to the renovated museum area and a short film about the construction of the SkyDome. It continues with a 45 minute guided walking tour of areas not usually accessible to the general public.

Toronto Blue Jays Baseball: The special group programs include: play baseball softball on the same field; take to the mound, throw a pitch; on Thursday July 31st all summer camp groups of 20 or more are invited to watch the Blue Jays take on the Tampa Bay Devil Rays; a buffet picnic in the stands and catch all the behind-the-scenes action in the Blue Jays Bullpen

Riverdale Farm: Located within the historic Cabbagetown area, Riverdale Farm replicates a small, turn of the century Ontario farm. Cows, pigs, horses, goats and chicken provide lots of fun and learning opportunities for informal demonstrations including milking, cream separating, egg collecting, sheep shearing and wool spinning.

Toronto Argonauts Football Club: Formed as part of the Argonaut Rowing Club using the double blue colours of Oxford and Cambridge for club members who were rugby football enthusiasts. The Argos celebrate 130 years of history including 14 Grey Cup championships.

Day trips and Tours
Niagara Falls
Thousand Islands
Algonquin Park
Blue Mountain
Bruce Trail
Montreal, Ottawa Quebec City tours

Original Post: ESL in Canada Directory moved to:

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Work in English to improve Business English skills

Work in English to improve Business English skills

Volunteer working functions include:
Research - internet, library, phone, in person interviews
Analysis - organize, calculate, summarize, information
Presentations - prepare data in written, multi-media formats
Services - sales, administration, public relations, consulting.

Executive, management and entry level projects range from:
corporate finance, investment research, accounting, taxes,
retailing, consumer products and services, computer sales,
journalism, publishing, Internet commerce,
import - export, international trade,
market research, advertising, public relations,

Letters of recommendation issued for intermediate and advanced Business English skills. Our letters will authenticate your actual Business English working experience in a Canadian company.

Original Post: ESL in Canada Directory

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LINC Programs In Canada

LINC Programs In Canada

The Government of Canada, in cooperation with provincial governments, school boards, community colleges, and immigrant and community organizations, offers free language training across the country for adult permanent residents. The name of the program is LINC, which stands for Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada. 

The LINC assessment centres across Canada can assess your language training needs and refer you to the right LINC classes for your needs.

Canadian Language Benchmarks

To increase the coherence and effectiveness of language instruction for newcomers to Canada, so they can become full participants in all aspects of Canadian society. To develop and promote the Canadian Language Benchmarks, introduce the Benchmarks to second language practitioners and encourage alignment of curriculum and program structure with the Canadian Language Benchmarks categories. To establish and manage a comprehensive national Canadian Language Benchmarks assessment system. The benchmarks were developed for Citizenship and Immigration Canada.


IELTS

IELTS (International English Language Testing System) used by British universities to assess the English language proficiency of applicants whose first language is not English. It consists of four components: listening, speaking, reading and writing. It includes a test of the productive skills (speaking and writing). Some selectors feel that the IELTS gives a clearer picture of an applicant's proficiency than the TOEFL.

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Study English in High School in Ontario

High School in Ontario

Working within the framework of the Education Act and its regulations, district school boards adapt provincial education policy to local situations. They must also provide and maintain within their jurisdiction adequate teaching and support staff and appropriate facilities. Trustees, as elected members of the board, represent the
local community, providing a link between electors and the education system.

In Ontario, all permanent residents between the ages of 6 and 16 must attend school. Elementary schools provide Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten programs (for children aged 4 and 5) and programs for grades 1 through 8.

Secondary schools currently offer programs from Grade 9 through to Grade 12, as well as Ontario Academic Courses (OACs). To receive an Ontario Secondary School Diploma, students need to complete at least thirty credits in secondary school (one credit is normally one course).

Students planning to attend university can include the required six Ontario Academic Courses in these thirty credits. Beginning in 1999, new standards for education will be introduced in high schools across the province.

The credit system consists of:
Compulsory Credits (total of 18),
4 credits in English (1 credit per grade)
1 credit in French as a second language
3 credits in mathematics (at least 1 credit in Grade 11 or 12)
2 credits in science
1 credit in Canadian history
1 credit in Canadian geography
1 credit in the arts (music, art, drama, or dance)
1 credit in health and physical education
1/2 credit in civics and 1/2 credit in career studies
1 additional credit in English, or a third language, or a social science, or Canadian and world studies

1 additional credit in health and physical education, or business studies, or the arts (music, art, drama, or dance)

1 additional credit in science (Grade 11 or 12) or technological education (Grades 9-12)

In addition to the 18 compulsory credits, students have to earn 12 optional credits in courses of their choice, selected from the full list of courses available in the school. Optional credits allow students to build an educational program that suits their individual interests and meets university, college, apprenticeship, or work
requirements.

Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test

Students will take the Secondary School Literacy Test in Grade 10. Students must pass the test in order to graduate, and their result is recorded on their student transcript. Students who do not complete the test successfully will receive remedial help to prepare them for retesting. 

The literacy test requirement is additional to the 30 credits needed for a high school diploma. The literacy test evaluates students' reading and writing skills based on curriculum expectations in language and communications up to and including Grade 9. ESL students will take the test only when they have reached this level in their language studies. Accommodations will be made for students in special education programs.

Ministry of Education Ontario - Common Course Codes:
EBS Business English ELC Canadian Literature ELI Literature
ELM Modern Literature ELT English Literature EMD English-Media
ENG English ENH English II ENO English Oral ENC English - Single Category
ENI English - Independent Study ENP English - School Related Package
END English - Other Disciplines ENS English Language Studies
ENT Theme or Topic ESI ESD/ESL - Introduction
ESD English Skills Development ESL English Second Language
ESF English Skills Development/Second Language
EWC Writer's Craft EWR English Writing

For additonal information:

http://high-school-in-canada.blogspot.com/

Original Post ESL in Canada Directory

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Archives July 2002 Study ESL using Official Government Curriculums.

ESL in Canada Recommendations for ESL students interested in University Admission or Immigration into Canada or North America

Study ESL using Official Government Curriculums.

For ages 12 to 18 study curriculums that parallel the Provincial Ministry of Education levels 1 to 4 to enable easy placement when transferring to a high school in North America.

For ages 18 to 30 study qualified academic preparation programs to enter college or university. Some colleges allow direct access upon completion of approved programs without having to write toefl.

For immigrants ages 21 to 100 study curriculums that parallel the Canadian Immigration Commission LINC program. This will help qualify applications for full points in the language category when applying for residency or jobs in Canada. This will enable applicants to understand the benchmark levels used by the CIC to evaluate
candidates and the ESL skills necessary to qualify for Canada. The IELTS test is used by the CIC to evaluate immigration candidates.

The ESL in Canada programs are for serious students who plan to study, live, work or do business with companies in North America. Please do not confuse them with the many inexpensive private school ESL programs for general interest or as a hobby.

Original Post: ESL in Canada Directory


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Archives April 2002 Have you heard about the next planned Survivor show?

Have you heard about the next planned Survivor show?

Three businessmen and three businesswomen will be dropped in an elementary school classroom for 6 weeks. Each business person will be provided with a copy of their school district's curriculum, and a class of 28 students.

Each class will have five learning-disabled children, three with A.D.D., one gifted child, and two who speak limited English. Three will be labelled as severe behaviour problems.

Each business person must complete lesson plans at least 3 days in advance, with annotations for curriculum objectives, and modify, organize, or create materials accordingly. They will be required to teach students, handle misconduct, implement technology, document attendance, write referrals, correct homework, make bulletin boards, compute grades, complete report cards, document benchmarks, communicate with parents, and arrange parent conferences.

They must also supervise recess and monitor the hallways. In addition, they will complete drills for fire, tornadoes, or shooting attacks. They must attend workshops, (100 hours), faculty meetings, union meetings, and curriculum development meetings.

They must also tutor those students who are behind, and strive to get their 2 non-English speaking children proficient.

If they are sick or having a bad day they must not let it show. Each day they must incorporate reading, writing, math, science, and social studies into the program. They must maintain discipline and provide an educationally stimulating environment at all times.

The business people will only have access to the golf course on the weekends, but on their new salary they will not be able to afford it anyway. There will be no access to vendors who want to take them out to lunch, and lunch will be limited to 30 minutes, 10 of which must be spent walking your students to lunch, getting them through the cafeteria lines and seating them at the correct table.

On days when they do not have recess duty, the business people will be permitted to use the staff restroom - as long as another survival candidate is supervising their class.

They will be provided with two 40-minute planning periods per week while their students are at specials. If the copier is operable, they may make copies of necessary materials at this time.

The business people must continually advance their education on their own time, and pay for this advanced training themselves. This can be accomplished by moonlighting at a second job or marrying someone with money. The winner will be allowed to return to his or her job.

Reposted from Archives

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Who is responsible for the students' learning?

Kids do not take responsibility for their learning.

At a national Social Psychologists Conference a group of researchers presented a study they'd done on learning mathematics in four different countries. It had been inspired by the results that U.S. students scored much worse than students in other countries.

The students in the other countries were studying, because THEY wanted to. American students reported studying because it was expected of them and to please their parents. American students used externally motivating reasons not internal.

Some of the established student trends of low grades, vandalism and disrespect is partially due to the fact that parents give students too many things. Parents do not teach students the experience of wanting something, saving up for it and the pleasure of finally getting it. Life for some students is so easy that they just coast through it, absorbing as little as possible, throwing away possessions, friendships and opportunities because they think there'll always be another one waiting around the corner.

Bored teens are setting fires to cars, fighting and doing drugs. I think kids who have to work to get what they have will value it more because of the planning and effort it took them to get it. This teaches respect for other people's possessions and achievements.

Who is responsible for the students' learning?

The true answer lies with whomever has the power to exert the most control over the variables associated with learning. This depends on the age of the student. The 13-18 year olds have increasing control over whether or not they learn and teachers have decreasing control.

It has always been my education goal to empower students by teaching them to take advantage of the controls they have over learning. Students must realise that this control exists and they need to create independence. This independence is real because of variables over which teachers have little or no control with adolescents.

I hold students accountable for their learning. Students have to do the work, to the best of their ability at that time, location and pace of my instruction.

I hold myself accountable for providing the means by which this learning occurs by teaching how to learn, by providing accessible instruction, by providing appropriate feedback and fair performance measurements.

Learning is obviously a partnership, but it is not in the student's interest to over-emphasize dependence on a teacher to learn. Witness the high school honour students who go fail miserably as college Freshmen because they cannot learn independently.

Contributed by a hard working teacher
Edited for blog posting

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Archives December 2001 Just for Controversy

** Just for Controversy **

"Teaching ESL in North America"

Being a new ESL teacher is difficult. Career ESL teaching in North America is not easy and not available overnight with most professional organisations.

Most ESL schools are marketing organisations. They like to sell their school as the best (in everything) to the international students. The schools like to present themselves as established, well organised, professional, with highly qualified & experienced teachers, proven curriculums, lots of resources and a history of happy students.

If you want to teach ESL in the competitive private school industry then you have to realise that as an ESL teacher you are part of a packaged commodity. For most ESL teachers to get a job in North America you have to have a combination of personal qualities, education and teaching experience.

The ESL schools that try to cover 10 levels, 45 electives, activities; and self-directed programs are usually stretched because of budget restrictions. Many schools are on low-margin, high-volume programs and cannot afford to make hiring mistakes. The ESL schools are risk adverse and concentrate on revenue retention.

To be a successful career ESL teacher you can look at the stages most teachers go through. The start can be wonderful or ugly. It depends on your preparation.

Many successful career ESL teachers tutored while they finished their university and teacher education programs. As a tutor you can really learn how to help a student. You can see their struggles and provide the solutions.

The next step is the classroom. The leap from one student to 25 is major and requires all the theory and methodology necessary to operate as a classroom professional. You have to do this in person. Get the practicum supervision and corrections necessary to teach ESL professionally.

Experience can be gained in North America as a community volunteer, operating your own classes, coop classes, teacher observation, or travelling internationally where experience is not required.

After two years of mistakes and corrections, continuing education, workshops, professional exchanges, brainstorming, team teaching, collaboration, students calling you wonderful, others not so happy - then the higher paying professional organisations consider you job - ready.

Comments, questions or complaints should be Emailed to info@eslincanada.com

Original Post: December 2001 : eslincanada

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Archives December 2001 Stay in School

Hello Everyone - Seasons Greetings and Happy New Year

This is the time we reflect on the past and announce new programs. We started some interesting programs in 2001, conducted some studies to learn more and have made additional plans for the year 2002.

We have three articles for the newsletter:
Statistics say Stay in School
Homestay Tutor
ESL teacher in North America.
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Statistics say Stay in School

We are quoting statistics from the HRDC site for Occupations: College
and Other Vocational Instructors (4131)
-English as a second language teacher
-instructor - language school
-language instructor, language school
-teacher, English as a second language
-tutor, modern languages - language school

The statistics show:

78,000 people were employed in 1998, an increase of 30.6% from 1988 employment gains of 16.6% from 1988 to 1993 and 12.0% from 1993 to 1998. In comparison, employment in all occupations grew 12.3% over the same ten years, and 8.2% over the last five years.

Other statistics indicate 26% work part-time, compared to an average of 19% for all occupations 10% are self-employed, compared to an average of 17% for all occupations. Currently, chances of finding work in these occupations are rated "Fair", since employment opportunities and earnings are both at average levels. Technological change is making itself felt in the classroom through the increased use of computers and the use of more sophisticated multi-media for presentations and testing.

Teachers should consider taking an English Master's University (1 or 2 years) Program of Study. The program is offered at universities in every province except PEI. Some universities offer a co-op program, combining work and study. The program is offered in both official languages in Quebec and Ontario. Prerequisites: An honours undergraduate degree in English or a related discipline.

Earnings:
After two years in the labour force, they were the highest paid of all master's graduates in the humanities. They earned 29% more than similar graduates at the bachelor's level. Currently, chances of these graduates finding work in occupations in which they usually look for work are "Fair", since recent unemployment rates and earnings in the intended occupations were about the same as the economy-wide averages. Over the next five years, this outlook is not expected to change, although the number of job openings available to newcomers is expected to slightly exceed the number of new job seekers.

These graduates are expected to have more success when searching for jobs as community college teachers, writers, journalists and professionals in public relations and communications. Employment opportunities are expected to be more plentiful in the education, business services and provincial government sectors of the economy.

The conclusion is to finish your BA and plan to complete an MA so that you are qualified for the best jobs.

Original Post: December 2001 ESL in Canada Directory

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Archives ESL in Canada November 2001 News

Archives - ESL in Canada November 2001 News

1. New Advisor & Mentor programs
2. New Career Training Programs
3. Changes in the Canada and USA Student Visa procedures

2002 will bring a time of change for the ESL in Canada operations.

The internet operations will be changed to provide for a larger,
faster and more professional site. We are in the process of
switching our webhost and will be complete by the end of November
2001.

The ESL Coop School will be providing opportunities for ESL students
to complete projects to practice and perfect their Business English.
The projects will include the new homestay, tutor and schools data
bases and webpages. The ESL in Canada information pages to assist
international students with facts and procedures to ease their
travels to Canada. ESL coop student will practice their English,
internet, and HTML skills. The other ESL Coop School projects will
include engineering, law, accounting, corporate finance, investments,
marketing, research and administration.

The new Mentor program will be for individuals located in Canada.
This program will be for tutors, teachers, homestay hosts and service
providers to assist international students while in Canada. The
assistance can be teaching ESL to program selection to career
analysis to finding an apartment to selecting which tour to take
visiting Canadian attractions.

The Advisor program will remain for individuals located outside of
Canada. The program will continue to assist students into Canada and
the initial schools and residences.

Both Mentor and Advisor programs will be expanded from the basic ESL
and academic streams to include new career schools, trades, and
computers and other services available to international students.

ESL in Canada is exited about the opportunity to enable and empower
ESL teachers and tutors into their own businesses. ESL in Canada
will assist with administration, programs and marketing. Small
Business Tax Laws in Canada allow owners significant advantages. Ask
us for information.

Working with Advisors and Mentors will enable ESL and international
students to excel and maximize their learning opportunities while in
Canada. Going to the best school and best program and best teachers
will provide the best education value for the students. The Advisors
and Mentors will be able to participate in the overall success of
their students and be financially rewarded for their contributions.
ESL in Canada believes the Advisors, Mentors and Teachers are the
driving force of education and they should be rewarded for their
contributions.

We want dedicated educators and service providers to join our team -
lets start the evolution of international education.

Original Post, November 2001 ESL in Canada Directory

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Archives August 2001 Introduction to Accreditation

Introduction to Accreditation

Accreditation is a validation—a statement by a group of persons who are, theoretically, impartial experts in higher education, that a given school, or department within a school, has been thoroughly investigated and found worthy of approval. To offer recognized accreditation, an accrediting agency must meet at least one of the following three criteria: Recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation in Washington, DC, Recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, Recognized by (or more commonly, a part of) their relevant national education agency. Schools they accredit are routinely listed in one or more of the following publications: the International Handbook of Universities (a UNESCO publication), the Commonwealth Universities Yearbook, the World Education Series, published by PIER, or the Countries Series, published by NOOSR in Australia.

Under guidelines, accrediting agencies are required to evaluate these twelve matters, but the way they do it can be individuallydetermined: Curricula, Faculty, Facilities, equipment, and supplies, Fiscal and administrative capacity, Student support services, Program length, tuition, and fees in relation to academic objectives, Program length, tuition, and fees in relation to credit received, Student achievement (job placement, state licensing exams, etc), Student loan repayments, Student complaints received by or available to the accreditor, Compliance with student aid rules and regulations, Everything else, including recruiting, admissions practices, calendars, catalogues and other publications, grading practices, advertising and publicity.

There have been quite an extraordinary number of new accrediting associations started in the last few years, and they are getting harder and harder to check out, either because they seem to exist only on the Internet, or because they exist in so many places: an address in Hawaii, another in Switzerland, a third in Germany, a fourth in Hong Kong, and so on. Some new ones have adopted the clever idea of bestowing their accreditation on some major universities, quite possibly unbeknownst to those schools. Then they can say truthfully, but misleadingly, that they accredit such well-known schools. This is the accreditation equivalent of those degree mills that send their diplomas to some famous people, and then list those people as graduates.

It seems extraordinary that any school would lie about something so easily checked as accreditation, but it is done. Degree mills have unabashedly claimed accreditation by a recognized agency. Such claims are totally untrue. They are counting on the fact that many people won't check up on these claims. Salespeople trying to recruit students sometimes make accreditation claims that are patently false. Quite a few schools ballyhoo their "fully accredited" status but never mention that the accrediting agency is unrecognized, and so the accreditation is of little or (in most cases) no value. One accrediting agency (the unrecognized International Accrediting Commission for Schools, Colleges and Theological Seminaries) boasted that two copies of every accreditation report they issue are "deposited in the Library of Congress." That sounds impressive, until you learn that for $20, anyone can copyright anything and be able to make the identical claim.

Words That Do Not Mean "Accredited" Some unaccredited schools use terminology in their catalogs or advertising that might have the effect of misleading unknowledgeable readers. Here are six common
phrases:

Pursuing accreditation.- A school may state that it is "pursuing accreditation," or that it "intends to pursue accreditation." But that says nothing whatever about its chances for achieving same. It's like saying that you are practicing your tennis game, with the intention of playing in the finals at Wimbledon. Don't hold your breath.

Chartered.- In some places, a charter is the necessary document that a school needs to grant degrees. A common ploy by diploma mill operators is to form a corporation, and state in the articles of incorporation that one of the purposes of the corporation is to grant degrees. This is like forming a corporation whose charter says that it has the right to appoint the Pope. You can say it, but that doesn't make it so.

Licensed or registered. - This usually refers to nothing more than a business license, granted by the city or county in which the school is located, but which has nothing to do with the legality of the school, or the usefulness of its degrees.

Recognized.- This can have many possible meanings, ranging from some level of genuine official recognition at the state level, to having been listed in some directory often unrelated to education, perhaps published by the school itself. Two ambitious degree mills (Columbia State University and American International University) have published entire books that look at first glance like this one, solely for the purpose of being able to devote lengthy sections in them to describing their phony schools as "the best in America."

Authorized.- In California, this has had a specific meaning . Elsewhere, the term can be used to mean almost anything the school wants it to—sometimes legitimate, sometimes not. A Canadian degree mill once claimed to be "authorized to grant degrees." It turned out that the owner had authorized his wife to go ahead and print the diplomas.

Approved.- In California, this has a specific meaning . In other locations, it is important to know who is doing the approving. Some not-for-profit schools call themselves "approved by the U.S.
Government," which means only that the Internal Revenue Service has approved their nonprofit status for income taxes—and nothing more. At one time, some British schools called themselves "Government Approved," when the approval related only to the school-lunch program.

Our Thanks to: Bears' Guide to Earning Degrees by John Bear, Ph.D.,
and Mariah Bear, M.A.

Original Post ESL in Canada Directory

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Archives ESL in Canada August 2001 NEWS

ESL in Canada August NEWS

Hello Everybody Hot times in Canada this summer. The temperatures
rose to over 100 degrees in Ontario this year, the first time in many
places where temperatures have been recorded. We had been joking
about no summer this year with several cool days in July. The old
statement "Be careful what you wish for" sounds like good advice.

We have lots of changes in the ESL in Canada website this last month.
We are trying to organize all of the functions and formats we wish to
offer on the website. We will be putting some formats on the website
only and some formats in the newsletter only. The website will be
primarily organized to provide information and explain services for
ESL students and ESL teachers. The newsletter will provide additional
information promoting specials or new programs available at schools.

We will be organizing the school information into program and
facilities information summaries. The priority will be to illustrate
what the students can expect when they choose a school. We will take
the content approach rather than the image approach. We will be
promoting good curriculum, excellent teachers, efficient
administration, organized education resources and interesting student
activities.

The schools will be organized into lists of Universities, Colleges,
ESL schools, Vocational schools, IT computer schools, LINC schools,
Public Education, Private High School Education, and Summer programs.

The student information will be organized into: FAQs, Questions to
Ask, Visa information, News, Testimonials, Consumer Alerts, Overview,
How to learn English, Free English Lessons, English Tests, Books,
Videos, CDs. A new section will be Accreditation, what it is and what
to be aware of.

The services for students will be organized into : Free agency
services, consulting services, mail services, Coop & volunteer
programs, language exchange, homestay placements, private classes and
ESL activities, a new program "ESL in Canada Student Card" for
shopping discounts.

The information and services for teachers will be: Tesl training
courses information, overseas job postings, overseas resume postings,
free listings for private tutors in Canada and teacher stories.

We have many projects to work on. The ESL students in the advisor
training program and the coop/volunteer program will be touring
schools to be familiar with the facilities and also to update the
excel charts for the new program facilities formats. We will be
placing extra priorities for volunteers to assist with translations.

We have a request from a few schools, tutors and community groups to
organize some regular evening social events. An event to allow
students to mix in a non-bar scene, practice their English, and talk
with Canadians and fellow students. We are thinking of some contests,
with prizes, some tourism videos of Canada, board games like
scrabble. We are open to suggestions.

This is the information (chart format on website) to be used for the
ESL language schools. We will add comments outlining the strengths of
the schools, and the programs that offer the best value to the
students.


Registration fee Homestay fee Airport Pickup fee
#students winter #students summer %
students under 20 % age 20 - 30 % aged 30 - 40 % over 40
Teach with:
MEd TESL
MEd.
BA+ BEd + TESL
BA, BEd
BA + CELTA
BA + TESL
Academic Director
Curriculum for each level, number of levels, initial tests,level tests
Who tests and promotes students
Listening Class
Reading Class
Pronunciation
Vocabulary/idioms
Conversation
Grammar
Writing
Business/work
Toefl Toeic Cambridge
Cooperative

Free Workbooks
Lending Policy
Library books
Listening tapes Videos CALL Programs
Cafeteria, Kitchen, TV Movie Room, Handicap Facilities, Activities, Travel trips
Published Refund Policy,
Ratio Student/teach and PC/students
Modern Building
Public transportation Location
Homestay coordinator
Homestay inspections
Homestay refund policy
Notice period
Meal plans

Original Post
August 2001 ESL in Canada News

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ESL in Canada Blog URL
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Archives July 2001 ESL in Canada News

Schools interested in having their name listed can sponsor or
advertise with our new rates. The newsletter is being expanded,
schools interested in advertising can purchase exclusive space in
this excellent format.

Please help keep us current with your facilities and program
information.

School Information
Full time hours ______ Full time price ______
Part time hours ______ Part time price ______
Registration Fee ______ Homestay reg. Fee ______
Airport pick-up fee ______
Refund policy ______ Books inc in price ______
Total students ______ % age<20>40 ______
Total teachers ______ % MEd. BEd. TESL, 0 ______
# of classrooms ______ Ratio:students/class ______
Internet PCs ______ Ratio: Students/PC ______
Academic Director ______ Program or curriculum ______
Levels taught ______
Pronunciation Class ______ Conversation ______
Debate/Discussion ______ Idioms/vocabulary ______
Business english ______ TOEFL/TOEIC/CAE/CFC ______
Grammar ______ Writing ______
Reading ______ Listening ______ Volunteer/coop
______
Activities coordinater ______ Activities/month ______
Field trips/week ______
Kitchen/lunch room ______ TV/movie room ______ Student
lounge ______ Handicap facilities ______
# Movies ______ #Call programs ______ # books in
library ______ Lending Policy ______
Initial tests for level ______ English only policy ______
Behaviour policy ______
Type of Building ______ Location ______ City Size
______

School A1
Located in a modern downtown office building, the class rooms are
bright and offer some of the best views in Toronto. The best feature
is the calm professional environment, warm caring teachers and staff.
Cambridge pass results are the best in Toronto, excellent Toefl test
preparation program. Teachers are dedicated, many have taught in the
same location for several years, all are experienced and qualified.
Good programs for homestay, activities and educational resources.
Discounts for long stay students. Excellent programs for executives
aged 35 and up. Part of a large international chain with 30 years of
operational experience.

School A2
This school is 3 years old, started by a teacher. The prices are
reasonable for the programs offered. They have some excellent
teachers, those classes offer excellent value. The school tries to
provide good value for their students. This is an aveage school with
some programs better than average. This is a single location school.
Their summer program for teens is excellent.
 
Original Post July 22, 2001 ESL in Canada Directory

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ESL in Canada Blog URL
http://eslincanada.blogspot.com/

Archives July 2001 Education Advisor Updates

HELLO ESL SCHOOLS
We hope all of you are enjoying the summer.

ESL in Canada has been busy developing the advisor program and
international marketing programs. We are developing a network of
coordinators in the larger Canadian cities along with consultants who
can provide real help to international students. We believe the
combination of internationaly located advisors combined with local
coordinators and consultants will provide an excellent support
network for the students.

Our website has smashed well through the 1,000,000 hits level and
continues to expand. We offer a variety of information from the self-
help, and consumer point of view. We are going to start publishing
facilities information using our charts for all the schools. This
will allow students to understand the schools better and reduce
anxiety. Schools will appeal to students because of their size,
location, programs, teachers, quality, specialised nitches or
experience. No single school will be attractive to all students. We
think this will help students make choices and be happier with their
selections.

Our website will be expanded in stages as the networks grow. We will
be featuring the internationaly located advisors. Students will be
able to use the website to perform all of the registration process or
meet advisors in person to complete the selection and registration.

We have to request that agency contracts be updated and certificates
of representation be issued so that we can prepare our manuals for
the international advisors. We will be changing our listing formats
so that the schools are not listed by name. The facilities, program
information and comments will be the new format. (examples at bottom)

Schools interested in having their name listed can sponsor or
advertise with our new rates. The newsletter is being expanded,
schools interested in advertising can purchase exclusive space in
this excellent format.

Please help keep us current with your facilities and program
information.

Original Post ESL in Canada directory

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ESL in Canada Blog URL
http://eslincanada.blogspot.com/

Archives December 2005 Need a Tutor Organization

There appears to be a real need for certification of Canadian tutors who train ESL students.

It is time to organize a national "Tutor Organization" with representatives from the provincial Ministries of education, the various teachers unions, the various faculties of education and the Federal CIC LINK program.

This "ORG" would require a team that approves existing education programs, materials and tutors and assemble tutor training program standards.

Having a website that promotes standards, professional development opportunities and lists contact information would provide real assistance to the individual members. There is a need for a professional and honest organization that helps Canadians become tutors and existing tutors to become better professionals.

There has to be a concerted effort to promote tutors as the first option for language learners and the various options of one to one tutors and homestay tutors and small boarding school tutoring formats across the entire country of Canada.

Canada offers a rich immersion environment from coast to coast and should be promoted as the best format for ESL, FSL and cultural learning.

Properly organized a new network could create 20,000 new jobs for Canadian tutors and double the learning curve speed for the international students.


Canada Tutor December 2005 Information on the Net
Using any of the big four search engines with the words "Canada tutor" will obtain a wild variety of results.

MSN provided 10 of 10 Canada tutor search results.
DMOZ produced 5 of 6 sites about tutors in Canada
Yahoo showed 4 USA "ad" links then 7 of 10 Canada sites.
Google displayed 2 UK, 10 USA then 4 Canadian sites.

Some Canada Search Engines were even less useful
Amray had zero tutors in their first 10 sites.
Canadaone had zero search results and two resources
Categories had no search results

When we looked for sites that tutors could use to promote their services - we got some stranger results.

This UK site promised Canadian rates of pay.
BAND 1 CAN$22 - CAN$26
BAND 2 CAN$24 - CAN$31
BAND 3 CAN$36 - CAN$43
BAND 4 CAN$36 - CAN$43
Then they told you - Registration fee $50. with no promise of students.

Listen to this hype from a USA site promoting to Canadians: Want to place yourself "a cut above" your tutoring competition? Want to improve your confidence - "buy" their certificate for $75. No promise of students and no national recognition by any educational organization. This guy should go back to selling used cars.

Professional tutors require an efficient method of promoting their services and membership in a professional organization.

It is time to organize a national "Tutor Organization" with representatives from the provincial Ministries of Education, the various teacher's unions, the various Faculties of Education and the Federal CIC LINK program.

This "ORG" would require a team that approves existing education programs, materials and tutors and assemble tutor training program standards. Having a website that promotes standards, professional development opportunities and lists contact information would be a real boost for tutors.

Suggestions for solutions, ideas, meetings, contacts can be posted to a newsletter we just set up at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Canada_Tutor_Organization_Newsletter

Remember to write
http://eslincanada.blogspot.com

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ESL in Canada Blog URL
http://eslincanada.blogspot.com/

Archives September 2005 ESL in Canada Camps

Planning for 2006-7 Asia and Canada English Camps

ESL in Canada has taught English, Business English, exam preparation for TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS, Cambridge, English for airline pilots, doctors, dentists and other professional special purposes, beginning pronunciation for kindergarten children, levels 1 to 6 for elementary students, levels 7 to 12 for middle and high school students, and a variety of activity and event-related programs. Our corporation has operated a variety of educational projects since its inception in September, 1988.

The Managing Director has been a teacher in elementary, middle, high school and college in the Canadian public system and has current OSSTF and OTC status for 2005. The managing director has taught in Canada, Korea, China, Mexico and the USA and has held positions of Teacher, Head teacher, Academic Director, Dean, Principal and Managing Director with a variety of private colleges or Camps since 1973.

ESL in Canada has interviewed and recommended ESL teachers, developed programs and supervised day-to-day operations of English immersion camps. ESL in Canada has created curriculum, teaching materials and camp programs. We have experienced both good and bad events.

ESL in Canada has formed a new marketing company and directly markets the ESL Summer camps in Canada and the wintercamps in Asia. ESL in Canada now has some excellent Asian partners and sponsors and an excellent group of ESL and activity camp teachers. We believe that our ongoing presence will eliminate a lot of the nonsense that has plagued the camp operations over the last two years.

ESL teachers must have a "real" BA to obtain a Korea C4 visa. The Asian camps will include locations in the Philippines, Thailand and India. The teachers at the tour leader camp locations will be required to qualify for work permits within the local jurisdictions. The tour leaders will need a BA and TESL Canada certificate or BEd.

ESL teachers with experience and specialties in music, theater arts, art, sports and recreational activities and camp experience as a counselor are preferred.

In general ESL camp classes will operate from 9:00 AM to noon then an afternoon class from 1:30 to 3:00 PM. Performance practices are from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. Morning exercises, sports activities, movies and tours are before and after the main class times and the supervision is alternated between the teachers. Camp teaching requires long days.

Teachers will fly before the camp for orientation and training. Teachers will be on three or four week contracts. The flights, accommodation and meals are paid for the camp teachers. We will be posting preliminary camp info for the students and prospective students so "teacher" pictures are required.

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ESL in Canada Blog URL
http://eslincanada.blogspot.com/

Archives June 2005 Politics of Korean Education

Entering the Politics of Korean Education

The Ministry of Education always seems to be the target of both critical comments and promises to change. When educational consultants really look at the Korean education system it seems like a long ( 6 years of elementary, 3 years of middleschool, 3 years of high school and 4 years of university) process of lectures and memory work designed to cost less, fill time, control students and make life bearable for the teachers who have to cope with 60 students in a class rather than 20.

The Korean Ministry of Education needs more money, the students need more interactive instruction and the teachers need more realistic workloads.

The most reluctant taxpayers in the world seem to be the Koreans. Most Koreans do not understand that cheating on taxes reduces the governments ability to produce quality services such as education. The excuse that government wastes money is not a justification.

There has to be another system in place to raise money and eliminate criminal activities.

The Ministry of Education could raise money through education licenses to improve the public schools, buy more books, computers, hire more teachers, install more modern instruction programs and offer additional teacher training programs for upgrading skills and knowledge.

All private schools should have to pay an annual license fee to the Ministry of Education. Every private teacher should have to pay an annual license fee to the Ministry of education. All licensed private teachers should be able to teach in schools or at businesses or at private residences and be able to be self-employed. Teachers should be able to issue a tax-deductible receipt for the instruction. When all the Korean students demand their teachers be licensed and demand their tax-deductible receipt then many of the illegal practices will be eliminated.

The teaching fees should also be graded based on education, qualifications and experience. For example teachers with a BA get 30,000, an MA get 40,000 and PHD get 50,000 won per hour.

Using this system of licenses and fees would lower the cost of private education for parents and students. This system would inject much needed revenue into the Ministry of Education to improve the public education system. This system would eliminate many illegal teachers and criminal hogwans. Korea would be a much better place for parents, students and teachers.

My consulting fee for this system would be very reasonable and I would issue a receipt.

Original Post
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Blog Disclaimer
This blog uses original and reprintable articles in whole or part. Posts can be edited for spelling, grammar, accuracy, fairness or to meet ever changing legal publishing standards. We post one link to indicate the original post or source. We rely on the accuracy of the sources. This blog is not responsible for errors or omissions or any liability for any posts or any real, imagined, fabricated, current, past or subsequent damages. For additional info: eslincanada (at) gmail (dot) -com-

Archives January 2005 - Economy having an effect on English Teachers in Korea

Korea is still suffering through an economic downturn. The rich can still afford to send their kids to the better schools and camps. The recently un-employed, still not employed and the under-employed are living on credit cards and eliminating all excessive luxuries.

This means that all hogwans have less than usual enrollments so are firing Foreign teachers, cutting back foreign teachers hours, using NNS Korean teachers at less salary or using unqualified or even illegal teachers for the few students that they have. Many hogwans are not buying books, supplementary teaching materials, tapes, CD's, work books and other items expected by students and yet not supplied by the cost cutting businesses.

Parents should talk to the teachers to determine if they are going to get the English education that they are paying for. The real qualified teachers will usually answer directly and honestly about any shortcomings.

Potential teachers should get an opinion from the existing teachers at a hogwan to make sure they are not undercutting an existing teachers contract and the school is actually paying the agreed to contract terms.

The only good thing about a down turn is that more bad schools than good schools usually fail so that the selection improves overall. Korean parents deserve far better than they receive from the current selection of businesses offering English lessons.

I think the best way to eliminate a lot of the fraud in English Education is to make every English teacher NNS or native a self-employed professional that issues a tax deductible receipt to Korean students and parents and is able to teach anyone at school or in an office.

Original Post
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Archives January 2004 ESL in Canada Welcome

ESL in Canada Blog Archives January 2004
Welcome to the new ESL in Canada Blog

For ESL English Teachers and Students: ESL in Canada news, information, reports, opinions, observations, warnings, alerts, specials, events, gossip, explanations, memos, statements, lessons, lesson plans, diaries, announcements, recommendations, advice, stories and just plain talk.

We will use this blog to distribute the rapidly changing news that affects students. The world has become an increasingly complex environment with wars, terrorist activities, SARS, bird flu and changing economics. We can use this blog to report accurate and timely news to the students, parents, teachers, agents and schools that can be positively or negatively affected by changes.

Because this is a service to be used by all ages and a variety of geographic and social backgrounds, we ask that all participants to use grace and consideration when posting.

Thank you and welcome.
ESL in Canada
http://eslincanada.blogspot.com

***********

ESL in Canada Blog URL
http://eslincanada.blogspot.com/

Blog Feed
http://eslincanada.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Blog Disclaimer
This blog uses original and reprintable articles in whole or part. Posts can be edited for spelling, grammar, accuracy, fairness or to meet ever changing legal publishing standards. We post one link to indicate the original post or source. We rely on the accuracy of the sources. This blog is not responsible for errors or omissions or any liability for any posts or any real, imagined, fabricated, current, past or subsequent damages. For additional info: eslincanada (at) gmail (dot) -com-