Friday's assignment

Listen to that video and then answer the following activities:

Listen to the speakers describing their favourite things and do the exercises to practise and improve your listening skills.

1. Preparation: matching

Do this exercise before you listen. Match the verb with the correct noun and write a – g next to the numbers 1 – 7.

1…e….. take                                                                                       a. a designer

2…g….. listen to                                                                                b. your scooter

3…d….. watch                                                                                   c. a business

4…f….. stroke (= move your hand gently over something)         d. films

5…b….. park                                                                                      e. photos

6…a….. make it as (= be successful as)                                         f. the cat

7…b….. set up (= start)                                                                    g. music

2. Check your understanding: matching

Match the speakers with their favourite things. Write a – e next to the numbers 1 – 5.

1…a….. Speaker                   A a. a tablet

2…e….. Speaker                   B b. a sewing machine

3…c….. Speaker                   C c. a scooter

4…b….. Speaker                   D d. a set of knives

5…d….. Speaker                   E e. a cat

3. Check your understanding: gap fill

Do this exercise while you listen. Write the word to fill the gaps.

A. My favourite thing has to be my new tablet. It’s really light and quite __small__, so I take it with me everywhere. I’m always writing to friends and it’s big enough to do college work on it too. It takes really good __photos__, and I play games and listen to __music__ on it as well, of course. I often download __films__ onto it, and watch them in __bed__. My mum says I’m __addict__, because I’m always on it. I even read things on it at breakfast time. I’m not allowed to at __dinner__ time, though. I have to be __polite__ and talk to people then. “Welcome back to real life,” my mum says.

B. My favourite thing? Does my __cat__ count as a thing? She’s not really a thing, but anyway. She’s a really __beautiful__ little cat. I’ve had her since she was __four__ months old. You know how some cats are really __independent__ and hardly talk to you? I know cats don’t really talk, but you know what I mean. Well, she’s not like that at all. She’s really ___affectionate__ and comes up to me as soon as I get home, purring away like mad. She makes a lot of ___noise__ for a tiny thing. She loves being stroked and comes and curls up next to me when I’m on the __sofa__. She’s great __commpanion__.

C. My new scooter! It’s quite small, but __fun__, and just what I needed for getting around the __city__. I used to have quite a long walk to the __metro__, then a longish walk at the other end to get to __college__. But now I can just whiz there on my __scooter__. And there’s no problem parking, there’s always __space__ for it. You have to be __carful__ with the cars and __lorries__ – they don’t always see you – and when it rains the surface of the road is __terrible___, it gets really slippery. But in general it’s perfect for me, and I can fit a __friend__ on the back too – I’ve got an extra __helmet__ for a friend. It’s great. Riding along makes me feel so free.

D. This might sound a bit old-fashioned, but my sewing __machine__ is my favourite thing. I’m studying __fashion__ and love making things, as well as designing them. I also love __colthing__ myself and often buy second-hand clothes – everyone loves the “vintage” __look__ at the moment – and then I adapt them to my __size__. It’s much easier using a machine to do that than doing it by __hands__. I do alterations for my mum and my sister too. If I don’t make it as a __designer__, I suppose I can always set up my own alterations and customising __business__. Customising clothes, by taking things off and adding things on, is actually very __creative__, so I wouldn’t mind that.

E. My set of Japanese knives. That sounds a bit sinister, doesn’t it, but I’m not a __murdderer__ or anything. They’re chef’s knives and the best ones come from __Japan__. Cooking is my new hobby. I got into it when I started watching Masterchef on TV. Then I went to an evening __class__ for

beginners, and I haven’t looked back since. I try and have a __dinner__ for between four and eight__friends__ every two or three __weeks__. That gives me something to work towards and I

always do new __dishes__ so they can try them out and give me feedback. It’s quite an__expensive__ hobby if you use good __ingredients__, but now my friends help towards the__cost__. They still get a good __meal__ for a very low price.

4- What’s your favourite thing?

My favourite thing is my balcony. 

5- Why is it important to you?

I live in the 9th level of an apartment. My balcony faces to a park. It has a very good view. I like to sit on a chair wacthing sunset at dusk. It is aslo big enough, so I make a part of it into a small garden. I plant flowers and vegtabales there, which brings me a lot of fun.

6- Vocabulary Box: Write any new words you have learnt in this lesson.

affectionate

 ingredient

alteration

sinister

Wednesday's assignment

Good morning everyone,

We are still trying to assess our skills and part of that is to identify your soft and hard skills.

Task 1:

Sort the following skills into two categories as soft or hard skills. Write SS for soft skills and HS for hard skills:

1. Patience SS
2. Proficiency in a foreign language HS
3. Leadership Skills SS
4. Persuasion SS
5. A degree or certificate HS
6. Typing speed HS
7. Time Management SS
8. Machine operation HS
9. Teamwork SS
10. Computer programming HS
11. Communication SS
12. Flexibility SS
13. Motivation HS

Task 2:

Now click on this link and decide which of these skills are soft and which are hard skills. 

When searching for a job, it is useful to be able to describe your skills. Job skills are often described in two categories: hard skills and soft skills. 
Hard skills are those you learn through on-the-job or institutional training. These include skills specific to a particular occupation, such as those involved in planning and teaching for teachers, or the ability to use specialized tools for a dental technician. 
Soft skills are those that can be used in any occupation. These skills are often called transferable skills because you can transfer them from one job to another. Often, these are the skills that you use and develop in everyday situations, not necessarily in relation to work. Soft skills include organizational and team work skills, as well as qualities such as initiative and attention to detail.

A soft skill can be used in any job. A hard skill is learned for particular jobs. Being able to work well with others is a soft skill. A teacher who knows how to plan a lesson has a hard skill.
Indicate whether the following are hard or soft skills:

pay attention to detail - soft skill	able to use dental technician tools - hard skill
write a computer program - hard skill	problem-solving - soft skill
do research on the Internet - soft skill	repair a car - hard skill
communicate effectively - soft skill	install carpeting - hard skill
resolving conflict - soft skill	facilitate meetings - soft skill
build a fence - hard skill	make contributions in meetings - soft skill
operate a cash register - hard skill	make decisions - soft skill
design a bridge - hard skill	landscape a yard - hard skill
maintain small talk - soft skill	wait on tables in a restaurant - hard skill
write an email or business letter- soft skill	nurse patients in a hospital - hard skill

Task 3: 

Think of two or more of your hard skills and soft skills, then write them down, and provide one example for each skill as how you have demonstrated this skill on the job.

Hard skills:
1. Knowledge of plants: After I learnt knowledge of plants, I can make every design feasible and beautiful.
2. Using Drawing Softwares: I work on computer and use Drawing Softwares to turn my design ideas into drawings.

Soft skills 
1. Communication: I need to know my customer's and teammates' thoughts through communicate with them.
2. Flexibility: Sometimes I change another thinking way to solve a hard problem.

Monday's assignment

Good afternoon everyone,

Our theme for this week is ''Know Yourself.'' Based on that, we need to know our strengths and weaknesses in order to better evaluate ourselves and set our goals.

Task 1:

Essential Skills refer to the nine skills and abilities that are essential to success in Canadian occupations. The Government of Canada has compiled detailed lists, called Essential Skills Profiles (ESPs), of how workers in hundreds of jobs use these nine skills.

Write down next to each skill which one best describes you better:  expert - good - intermediate - beginner -  no knowledge

Nine Essential Skills:

• Reading Text   intermediate

• Document Use  intermediate

• Numeracy  expert

• Writing  intermediate

• Oral Communication  intermediate

• Work with Others  intermediate

• Thinking Skills  good

• Computer Use  good

• Continuous Learning  good

Task 2:

Complete an Essential Skills self-assessment:

Strengths: I am confident that I can ...

calculate well

use computer well

learn new things

work independently

Weaknesses: I feel I struggle with …

communication

documents

work with others

Areas for Improvement: I would like to improve my ability to/on …

language

team work

communication

Wednesday's assignment

Trying to observe and understand culture is like trying to observe and understand an iceberg. Anyone who is either looking for a job or starting out a new job will require some time to figure out the expectations, culture, and customs of any or prospective workplace.

Task 1:

Look up the meanings of the vocabulary words below.

Aggressive ready or likely to attack or confront                       

equality  the state of being equal, especially in status, rights, and opportunities.         

rituals  ceremony , a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order.

Annoyed   upset, slightly angry; irritated.                              

minimize    reduce (something, especially something unwanted or unpleasant) to the smallest possible amount or degree.
task  a piece of work to be done or undertaken.

Collaborative characterized or accomplished by collaboration

oblivious  not aware of or not concerned about what is happening around one.

valuable  worth a great deal of money.

Customs  habits or usages collectively; convention.

promptness done, performed, delivered, etc., at once or without delay: a prompt reply

values  worth, the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something.

Embarrassment  a feeling of self-consciousness, shame, or awkwardness.

Task 2:

Use at least five of these vocabulary words to write an email to a friend describing to him/her the Canadian culture.

Hi Linda,

I'm very glad to hear that you will come to study in Canada next month. You will feel excited about everything at the beginning. But, after you stay here for a while, maybe you'll be annoyed. That's because there are some differences in university from China. We usually have collaborative tasks, and we work in groups. At first, it's an embarrassment for you to join your classmates, because your English is not as good as them, and you don't know so many Canadian customs. My suggestion for you is don't be shy, do more asking when you don't know how. I'm pretty sure that you can minimize the gap from others very fast.

Wish you all the best!

Cheers,

Lucy

Monday's assignment

Happy Canada Day to everyone,

 Let’s start our class today by listening to this video.

Task one:

Try to list down at least three misconceptions about Canadians that were mentioned in the video and write them down.

Fur trader 

Igloo

Dog sled

Prime Minister

American

About /əˈbout/

Peace

Beaver

Z -- Zed

Task two:

Check with your partner what he/she has come up with, and come up with the common ones to be shared with the rest of the class.

Task three:

Classroom Needs Assessment

Personal Information

1.      Email address   :  __________________________________________

2.     What country are you from?  __________________________________

3.     What is your first language?  __________________________________

4.     What other languages do you speak?  _________________________________________

5.     How long have you been in Canada?  _____________________________________

6.     Are you working right now? 1Yes  1 No         If yes, what is your job? ________________

7.     What is your profession?  _______________________________________

8.     What was your job before you came to Canada?  ________________________________

9.     What is your highest level of education? 

1 university  1 technical college  1 secondary school   Degree? ________________

10.  Did you study English before you came to Canada? 1 Yes  1 No. If yes, so for how     long? ________________

11.  Have you studied in ESL classes before in Canada?  1 Yes  1 No

12.  What are your 4 CLBs?        L                        S               R               W 

13.  What language skill is the easiest for you? Please order from 1 (easy) to 4 (difficult).

1 reading         1  writing              1 listening           1 speaking

14.  List three goals or/and reasons for you taking this program.

……………………………………………….

………………………………………………..

………………………………………………..

15.   Which skill(s) do you want to work on in this class: speaking, listening, reading, or writing?

…………………………………………………………………………………………

16.  What do you need to learn in this class? Choose the most important 5 things and write them in order in the opposite column.

Skills/Topics
ü  Assessing your long and short term goals ü  Assessing your skills ü  Understanding the workplace culture ü  Resume and cover letter writing ü  Obtain a LinkedIn account ü  Pronouncing English clearly
ü  How Canadian society works
ü  How to understand speakers
ü  Starting small talks in English
ü  Improve writing skills
ü  Talking on the telephone
ü  Improve listening skills
ü  Practise job interviews
ü  Practise presentations
ü  Learn how to speak at work
ü  Learn idioms
ü  Learn grammar
ü  Canadian culture
ü  other (specify)