Week 4 Supports and Activities!

  ONGOING SUPPORTS AVAILABLE TO YOU!

1.  Tutoring is available in the ESL Library, D313.  Drop by every Tues and Thurs at 12pm  for English practice. 

2.  Visit our Peer Leaders in D304A for support--don't wait until the last minute!  Come early to ensure your success.  Form a study group and STUDY SMARTER NOT HARDER!  The Peer Leaders can meet with and support your study group.

One of our popular activities are Games Clubs.  Drop by to have some fun and improve your language skills in the process.

3.  The Tutoring Learning Centre (TLC) will be available shortly for English Language Support.  The TLC is located in Building C, room C503.   Stay tuned for updates here or check their website.


4.  Volunteer Activities

Meet with Kurt in D304 on Mon and Tues to find out more or email Kurt at:  kaydiner@hotmail.ca

Recently, GBC students were involved in the Block Party and
Cabbagetown Festival.

 

See more photos on our facebook page:

www.facebook.com/GBC.ESL

Ongoing Weekly Workshops:

1.  Vocabulary Booster

Vocabulary games, phrasal verbs, collocations! Learn new expressions and boost your fluency!

When:  Tuesdays

Where: Tues D320, 11am-12pm, Sched B

             Tues D317, 12pm-1pm, Sched A

2.  Speak Up 

Practice conversation and improve your speaking confidence while meeting new friends.

When:  Wednesdays

Where:  D309 

Time: 3:00-4:30 pm




3.  Writing Strategies

When:  Thursdays

Where:  D301

Time: 3:00-4:30 pm

Practice Brainstorming, Outlining and effective writing skills.

  Book Club!

The TLC will be inviting Mariatu Kamara to GBC.  Read the book and take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to meet the author in person!

Bite of the Mango author, Mariatu Kamara, is coming to George Brown College  on September 29th.  Copies of the book are available in the GBC Bookstore, Library and Bookstores throughout Toronto.

We will be meeting to discuss the book on Mondays.  Our Book Club will be held on Monday after school in D301.  See you there!

Other Opportunities to Check Out!

1.  College Secrets Revealed!
Workshops on the following:

Study Tips, Motivation, Dealing with Stress.

First 30 students admitted.

Thurs, September 22nd, C317, Workshop Room
Click here for the Poster 

2.  TESL Ontario

Writing and Multi-Media ESL Contest:  http://www.teslontario.org/esl-week/

 Check out the above link now to see what it's about! 
Numerous prizes of $500 to be won.
Deadline is fast approaching--September 30th is the deadline for all entries, including essays, short stories, videos, photography.  If you don't enter, you can't win!!

Week 5: July 26th-30th. CHECK OUT WHAT'S ON!

1.  Summarizing and Paraphrasing Workshop with Alona (Levels 4-9)

Practice essential skills of Summary and Paraphrase in a small group setting.

Your Peer Leaders are there to faciliate!

When: Tues(sched A) and 
Thurs(sched B), Weeks 2-7

Where: D 301 (Tues); D302 (Thurs)

Time: 12:00-1:30pm

2. SPEAK UP!:  Speaking with Confidence (Levels 4-9)

A workshop facilitated by Stan Middlestat and your Peer Leaders.

Want to improve your speaking? Improve your confidence in conversation using games and role plays . This 6-week workshop will focus on conversation and public speaking skills in a FUN and active atmosphere!

When: Every WED AFTER SCHOOL, 
WEEKS 2-7
Where: D309

Time: 3:00 to 4:30pm

3.  ALL STUDENTS:   

Take advantage of our 'Stress Management' Series of Workshops with an experienced Psychologist and Counsellor.  Mehrangiz will facilitate these engaging and useful workshops --there is only one workshop left--don't miss out!! 

• Thurs, July 29th

Where:  D 325
Time:  3-4:30 PM

 

And for the Advanced Levels...

4. Writing Skills Study Group with Corina (levels 6-9)

A workshop to assist you with developing an outline for academic writing.  Brainstorm with your peers and learn how to organize your thoughts clearly and effectively.

When:  Tues/Thurs, weeks 2-7,

Where:  D 302 (Tues); D301 (Thurs)

Time:  10-11:30am

5.  TTA--Ted Talks Activity with Mehdi G.  (levels 7-9)
Practice listening and speaking in an academic atmosphere that aims to improve your listening and communication skills.  You will have the opportunity to discuss and learn from some fabulous speeches found on TED TALKS

When:  Tues/Thurs, weeks 2-7

Where:  Meet at Peer Leader office, room D304A
Time:  9-10am

Remember:  Your Peer Leaders are here to help you individually or in study groups--visit them in D304A
AND, the Peer Tutors are available in C503 for tutoring and English Conversation groups.  What are you waiting for??!!!  Check them out!!
                 

AND....

Buy your tickets now for the GBC ESL Boat Cruise before they sell out!

•  DATE: Thursday, August 19th (Week 8)
• TIME: 11.00 - 2:30
• COST:  $16.00.  Includes – 3-hour cruise, music, dancing, prizes and all the pop and water you want.
• BRING: Lunch, snacks and anything else you would like to eat.  No Alcoholic Drinks allowed.
  
• WHERE: On board “THE WAYWARD PRINCESS”.  We will sail from Spadina Pier (Lower Spadina-Marina Quay West Toronto Harbour)
  
• TICKET SALES:  Limited tickets!!!  Tickets are sold on first come first served basis. (Students first and we will then open it up to friends/family). 

SIGN UP AND PAY YOUR TEACHER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.  You will get your ticket on Aug. 16th with a map and location of the boat. Sorry, no children under 18.
BUY YOUR TICKETS TODAY to guarantee your spot and get ready to have a blast!!!

Week 4: July 19th to 23rd. CHECK OUT WHAT'S ON!

1.  SCHEDULE A STUDENTS:  Take advantage of our 'Stress Management' Series of Workshops with an experienced Psychologist and Counsellor.  Mehrangiz will facilitate these engaging and useful workshops --there are 2 more consecutive workshops left--don't miss out!!

• Thurs, July 22nd 
• Thurs, July 29th

Where:  D 325
Time:  10-11:30am


2.  Summarizing and Paraphrasing Workshop with Alona (Levels 4-9)

Practice essential skills of Summary and Paraphrase in a small group setting.

Your Peer Leaders are there to faciliate!

When: Tues(sched A) and 
Thurs(sched B), Weeks 2-7

Where: D 301 (Tues); D302 (Thurs)

Time: 12:00-1:30pm

3. SPEAK UP!:  Speaking with Confidence (Levels 4-9)

A workshop facilitated by Stan Middlestat and your Peer Leaders

Want to improve your speaking? Improve your confidence in conversation using games and role plays . This 6-week workshop will focus on conversation and public speaking skills in a FUN and active atmosphere!

When: Every WED AFTER SCHOOL, 
WEEKS 2-7
Where: D309

Time: 3:00 to 4:30pm

And for the Advanced Levels...

4. Writing Skills Study Group with Corina (levels 6-9)

A workshop to assist you with developing an outline for academic writing.  Brainstorm with your peers and learn how to organize your thoughts clearly and effectively.

When:  Tues/Thurs, weeks 2-7,

Where:  D 302 (Tues); D301 (Thurs)

Time:  10-11:30am

5.  TTA--Ted Talks Activity with Mehdi G.  (levels 7-9)
Practice listening and speaking in an academic atmosphere that aims to improve your listening and communication skills.  You will have the opportunity to discuss and learn from some fabulous speeches found on TED TALKS

When:  Tues/Thurs, weeks 2-7

Where:  Meet at Peer Leader office, room D304A
Time:  9-10am

Presentation Tips from Professors at the School of ESL!
 This week's Presentation Tip is courtesy of Andrea Rankin:

Engage and interact with your audience
- Ask Questions: "How many people want to improve their...[speaking skills]....[paraphrasing skills]...?"
- Ask for Confirmation: "Don't you agree that........[stress management is a key factor in success?...Yes?  Well, then you should check out...]
-Establish and Maintain Eye Contact--remember the 3 sec rule mentioned 2 weeks ago??  Use sincere eye contact to make your audience feel involved!


When Presenting, above all remember the 3 V's: VISUAL, VERBAL AND VOCAL! And...be confident!  :-)

Cool Site of the Week:

Harvard Business School’s site on how to build an elevator speech, also known as an elevator pitch.   

•  A WHAT???  An elevator pitch is a super-short explanation of an idea, a business, or a person designed to create further interest.  It's a great networking tool, and if you learn some effective 'catch phrases' and practice them, you can sound like a NATURAL!  Think of it like a mini job interview...

• This site created by Harvard takes you step by step through the who, what why and goal aspects of an effective elevator speech with tips along the way.  Once you have completed the five steps, you can e-mail yourself the final product and practice what you say in 30 seconds to one minute...have fun!

Week 3: July 12th to 16th. CHECK OUT WHAT'S ON!

NEW THIS WEEK!!

1.  SCHEDULE A STUDENTS:  Take advantage of our 'Stress Management' Series of Workshops with an experienced Psychologist and Counsellor who also happens to be a Peer Leader in our Program.
Mehrangiz will facilitate these engaging and useful workshops for 3 consecutive weeks:

• Thurs, July 15th
• Thurs, July 22nd 
• Thurs, July 29th

Where:  D 325
Time:  10-11:30am


2.  Summarizing and Paraphrasing Workshop with Alona (Levels 4-9)

Practice essential skills of Summary and Paraphrase in a small group setting.

Your Peer Leaders are there to faciliate!

When: Tues(sched A) and 
Thurs(sched B), Weeks 2-7

Where: D 301 (Tues); D302 (Thurs)

Time: 12:00-1:30pm

3.  SPEAK UP!:  Speaking with Confidence (Levels 4-9)

A workshop facilitated by Stan Middlestat and your Peer Leaders

Want to improve your speaking? Improve your confidence in conversation using games and role plays . This 6-week workshop will focus on conversation and public speaking skills in a FUN and active atmosphere!

When: Every WED AFTER SCHOOL, 
WEEKS 2-7
Where: D309

Time: 3:00 to 4:30pm

And for the Advanced Levels...

4.  Writing Skills Study Group with Corina (levels 6-9)

A workshop to assist you with developing an outline for academic writing.  Brainstorm with your peers and learn how to organize your thoughts clearly and effectively.

When:  Tues/Thurs, weeks 2-7,

Where:  D 302 (Tues); D301 (Thurs)

Time:  10-11:30am

5.  TTA--Ted Talks Activity with Mehdi G.  (levels 7-9)
Practice listening and speaking in an academic atmosphere that aims to improve your listening and communication skills.  You will have the opportunity to discuss and learn from some fabulous speeches found on TED TALKS

When:  Tues/Thurs, weeks 2-7

Where:  Meet at Peer Leader office, room D304A
Time:  9-10am

As always, our ESL Peer Leaders are here in D304A and GBC Peer Tutors are available in C503--check the Student Success Bulletin Board for details.

Remember:  Study Smarter, not Harder! Form a study group with 3-4 of your peers. 

This Week's Presentation Tips from professors in our program!:

1.  From Debbie Plested:  
Do a Voice Check--check if students can hear you:  "Can you hear me at the back of the room?"  Speak Clearly and Project your Voice to the back of the room.


From Anna Keating and Patricia Robinson
2.  Connect with your listeners:  learn how to read your audience-

• First off, do they understand what you are saying?  
• What's more,  are they interested in what you are saying?   

Learn to READ their faces and body language to measure understanding and interest.

• how can you gain their interest? (Grab their attention with a hook;  Ask a question to involve them...)
• how can you maintain their interest?  (show emotion and involvement in what you are saying; use your voice--enunciation, intonation, word stress, volume [low and high for variation]---above all, don't speak like this: 

3.  Use connectors and signals to make your talk flow more smoothly. (I'm going to start by mentioning....next, don't forget about...there is also...what's more...)

And, remember the 3 V's:  VISUAL, VERBAL AND VOCAL!

Week 7! What's on this week?

Websites of the Week
Don't have time now??? Busy prepping for finals??
Bookmark these and check them out when you have a chance!!
1.  ego4U:  English Grammar References and Exercises 
2.  ELLLO:  English Listening Lesson Library online 
3.  Spelling City:  A fun site with a great selection of vocabulary, activities and games

1. Opportunity: Stress Management Workshop
with Mehrangiz Pournaseh, a trained and experienced psychologist and Peer Leader at GBC!
WHEN:  TODAY!!Monday, June 14th
WHERE:  D309
TIME:  3:00-4:30
 
 2. Summarizing and Paraphrasing Workshop
 Practice essential skills of Summary and Paraphrase in a small group setting. Your Peer Leaders are there to faciliate!
WHEN:  Tues(sched A) and Thurs(sched B)
WHERE:  D333
TIME: 12:00-1:30




3. SPEAK UP!

Improve your speaking. Meet new people. Improve your confidence in conversation using games and role plays . Practice conversation and speaking skills in a FUN and active atmosphere!

WHEN: Every Wednesday AFTER SCHOOL
WHERE: D309
TIME: 3:00 to 4:30pm




INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS:  CHECK THIS OUT:
Awards for international students in the Intensive English Program

DETAILS:

• Twelve Scholarships for International ESL Students

Scholarships for eligible returning ESL students as follows:
Scholarships of $1000: 6 Awards (August Competition)
Scholarships of $1000: 6 Awards (March Competition)

To qualify an applicant must:

• be a registered full-time international Intensive English Program student
• have completed at least two consecutive Intensive English Program levels with a grade A average
• have participated in activities that have made a contribution to other students, their academic department and/or the College community in general

Required Supporting Documentation

• A cover letter briefly outlining the contributions you have made to other students, your department/School and/or the College community in general (include the start date/ end date of the activity; name of the organization; number of hours per week; and some specific details about the activity).
• Attach a letter in support of your application from a George Brown College staff member.

Application deadlines:
August Competition: September 1st (recipients will be notified by September 30th)
March Competition: March 15th (recipients will be notified by April 15th)

See the informations sheet and Scholarship form below. 

Information Sheet

Scholarship Form