Levels 2

Sept 09 The Official Newsletter of LINC Home Study

NEWSLINC

Level 2 to 4 The LINC Home Study program is funded by:

Septem ber 2009 | LINC Home Study NEWSLINC Levels 2-4

2

LINC Home Study LINC Home Study is an English language program for new com ers to Canada w ho w ish to im prove their listening, speaking, reading and w riting skills. This program provides students w ith the opportunity to learn English in the com fort of their hom es and is open to landed im m igrants and convention refugees 18 years or older.

Classes are taught by certified TESL instructors, w ho contact students every w eek to review hom ew ork, practice speaking and answ er questions. Students have a choice of using their com puter to study English or having a traditional textbook. All the study m aterials are based on the Canadian Language Benchm arks standards.

Is there a fee for this program ? No. The program is funded by Citizenship and Im m igration Canada, and as such, all study m aterials are provided free of charge to participants. LINC Hom e Study students are encouraged to study independently for betw een 5 to 10 hours a w eek, and to finish hom ew ork on a re gular basis. To be successful students have to study hard, and com m it their tim e to im proving their English skills. The teacher is there to guide students along on their path to significant language im provem ent.

The LINC Hom e Study program offers m any ot her study options, including drop-in conversation classes, additional phone conversation classes, a senior‟s program , instruction for deaf and blind clients and a business w riting course. We encourage all LINC Hom e Study students to take advantage of the o ptions available to them , to participate in the online LINC Hom e Study forum , to contribute to our m onthly new sletters, and to their journey in learning English.


3

Index EDITOR’S NOTE

Feature Article Back to School………………………………………………..……….……...…..pg6

Welcom e to the Septem ber issue of the LINC Hom e Study new sletter. This m onth w e have introduced a “ Feature Article” section w hich w ill highlight the them e for the m onth as w ell provide you w ith m ore useful inform ation on how you m ay participate.

Staff Reflection Quotes that Sustain m y Daily Existence by Sham im M ……….……........pg8 The Wedding of the Decade by Jasm ine H………………………………....pg9

Student Reflections

As usual, w e have received som e great subm issions from students in the program as w ell as a couple of great recipes to tickle your taste buds.

Elephants by Nirosha G……...……………………………………….…….....pg10

Thank you to all those that subm itted feedback for our new redesigned issue. We w ant to encourage you to continue to send us your articles, feedback and com m ents every m onth.

The Bata Shoe M useum by Sayed-Akbar J.G.…….………………………pg13

Recipes

Enjoy!

Sw eet Apple Dum plings by Saadia K...……………………………...……..pg15

M y First Day at School by Bi H………………………….…………...………pg11 Learn English at Hom e by Hong Xin Z ……………….…………………....pg12

Chips Chili by Ninan S……………………………………………...………....pg14

Activity Central Word Search…..………………………………………………………....……...pg16 Alphabet Activity……………………………………………………………..…pg17 Answ er Key……………………………………………………………..…….....pg18 Student Corner…………………………………………………………..……...pg19


4

LINC

Home Study Program Updates Drop-in Conversation Sessions: Throughout the sum m er drop-in conversation classes are being offered to LINC Hom e Study students in levels 2, 3, & 4 w ho live w ithin the GTA. Classes are held on Saturdays betw een 10am and 12pm at 2 Robert Speck Parkw ay, M ississauga (near Square One).

Additional Conversation Classes (by phone): Students w ho w ould like extra conversation practice can join an additional conversation class. In addition to a regular teacher, students can have a conversation teacher w ho w ill speak w ith them for another 35 to 45 m inutes each w eek. Additional conversation classes are offered as 12 w eek sessions to all students in the LINC Hom e Study program.

LIN Cing Seniors: Weekly in-class English Conversation sessions for new com er seniors have begun for LINC Hom e Study students w ho are over 55 years of age. Sessions take place every Tuesday and Thursday betw een 10am and 12pm . at 2 Robert Speck Pkw y,

Business W riting Course: The LINC Home Study Business Writing course is available to LINC level 6 & 7 students. In this online course students learn about professional business com m unication, including topics such as resum e w riting, com posing proper letters and em ail, and how to w rite reports. For m ore inform ation on any of these program s, please em ail the LINC Hom e Study office at help@linchom estudy.ca

LIN C Hom e Study N ational Delivery: In August 2008, the Centre for Education and Training (TCET) received funding from Citizenship and Im m igration Canada (CIC) to expand the LINC Hom e Study program into Alberta (AB), Nova Scotia (NS) and New Brunsw ick (NB). LINC Hom e Study National Delivery (LHS ND) w as put into operation. As of July 2009, LHS ND had a total of 91 students. Due to the success of this pilot project, CIC approved the continuation in AB, NS and NB, as w ell as its expansion into Saskatchew an (SK), Prince Edw ard Island (PE) and New foundland/Labrador (NL). In the future, LHS ND w ill collaborate w ith the Ontario LINC Hom e Study in the publication of NEWSLINC.

Elizabeth Cormier (Project M anager, LHS National Delivery) and Doris Cheng (Adm inistrative Assistant, LHS National Delivery) Septem ber 2009 | LINC Home Study NEWSLINC Levels 2-4

5

Feature Article BACK TO SCHOOL Tips for Parents M ost parents know that being organized is the key to surviving the day-to-day joys and challenges of having kids. But no m atter how organized you are in this recession there is no question that shopping for back-to-school can break your budget. Here are som e tips w hich can help you save m oney w hen shopping for your child's back-to-school supplies:

Start from home Before you head to the store, take a w alk around your hom e and you m ay find som e item s there. Things like rulers, lunch boxes and backpacks do not need to be replaced each year.

Look for special deals You can save m oney on supplies by looking for bargains and sales. If you w ant to catch better deals then try shopping at m ultiple stores. Alw ays keep an eye on flyers as one store m ay have products on sale that other stores do not.

Avoid unnecessary purchase Only buy w hat you need and to avoid overspending , alw ays m ake a list of things you w ant to buy.

Save money by buying post season sale items It is very com m on that retail stores tend to cut the price even m ore after the "buying season" is over. By thinking ahead and taking advantage of discounts offered this year, you are sure to save m oney for next year.

If necessary, buy more than one The school supplies listed by teachers can last for the starting m onths only. In later m onths, kids w ill need refills on pencils, notebooks, paper, etc. To solve this problem the best thing is to buy in bulk. But don‟t be intimidated by too m any deals. Think about your budget lim it before buying in bulk.

Shop at dollar stores If you are not brand nam e conscious then the dollar store is the best place to buy supplies like pencils, rulers, highlighters, scissors, erasers, folders, and notebooks.


6

Garage sale If you have a teen going to college or university then you m ay find som ething good in garage sales, like couches, nightstands, lam ps, desks, other furniture and accessories.

Teach your children about money management Kids can be unw illing to reuse last year's backpack or lunchbox. If this attitude is hindering your attempts to save m oney on school supplies, give children a budget. It is very comm on that children spend less w hen it‟s their ow n m oney. Have your child pay the difference betw een w hat you are w illing to buy and w hat they w ant to buy, This w ill teach them a lesson in m oney m anagement.

Back-to-school Checklist: Backpack Binder Binder paper Clothing and shoes Lunch box Notebooks Pens, pencils, crayons, m arkers Pencil sharpener Ruler Safety scissors School books


7

Staff Reflections QUOTES THAT SUSTAIN M Y DAILY EXISTENCE

by Shamim M

“An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory.”-Friedrich Engels Inspirational Quotes

“Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself.”- Chinese Proverb

“Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail.”Confucius

“Do not wish to be anything but what you are, and try to be that perfectly.”- St. Frances de Sales

“Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny."- Patrick Overton

I try to apply this saying in m y daily life. I feel that w e have m illions of theories available to us but w e do not apply these in reality. Only by taking som e action or by beginning to apply the theory, w ill w e be able to know if the action m ade a change in our lives. It m ay be as sim ple as m aking a habit of having breakfast everyday!

“Formal education will make you a living; self education will make you a fortune.”-Jim Rohn We need a college/university degree in order to get good jobs how ever being “ street sm art” w e are able to accom plish lots m ore.

“Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.” – Chinese Proverb When things are at their w orst, and it feels like there is truly only darkness, it‟s hardest to be hopeful. But no m atter w hat, w e should never give up. We can be a sm all, constant light to others and w e can m ake a choice to not w ait for change, but m ake a change for ourselves.

“A bit of fragrance clings to the hand that gives flowers.” – Chinese Proverb When w e show kindness, a little of the goodness w e offer stays w ith us and helps us becom e a better person. Beauty is a generous heart and a hand that‟s open.

Sham im is the Payroll and Finance Adm inistrator for LINC Hom e Study program .


8

THE WEDDING OF THE DECADE

by Jasmine H.

A few years ago I attended a w edding in M ontreal. To say it w as the m ost m emorable experience I had so far, is in m y opinion, putting it m ildly. It w as and still is an experience I recall so m any tim es that I am sure m any of m y friends are tired of hearing now . This experience started w hen I got an invitation from the intended groom ‟s parents. We had only m et tw ice before, but I guess I m ust have m ade quite an im pression to be invited to their son‟s w edding. Once the invitation w as accepted, I w as told to only book the hotel and everything else would be taken care of. Well, I did not listen and instead, booked a w eekend, all inclusive package. On the m orning of the w edding, I got ready real early and had breakfast at the hotel. I called for a taxi and as I w aited, a lim ousine came for m e. I w as very surprised, but a bigger surprise aw aited w hen I got to the groom ‟s parents hom e. A breakfast fit for a king w as prepared. I had never seen so m uch food in one setting. All I could do w as just look at it in aw e. Later on a fancier lim ousine took m e and other guests to the church for the ceremony. It w as sim ply beautiful but m ost of all, it w as on time. At this point I felt like Alice in Wonderland. After the cerem ony, there w as a photo shoot, and again, I w as included as a „fam ily‟ m em ber. We w ere then driven to the bride‟s parent‟s house for lunch. The lavish spread w as surreal. I kept pinching m yself to m ake sure it w as real. There w as a break during w hich I returned to the hotel for a nap before the actual reception.

The reception w as held at a banquet hall in Sherbrook and it w as an extension of the earlier, w ell orchestrated, elaborate event. When I arrived at the hall, I w as greeted w ith a variety of beverages in the dow nstairs reception hall. Upstairs at the entrance to the banquet, guests w ere greeted by family m embers of the bride and groom and presented w ith gifts. We w ere then ushered into a foyer surrounded w ith a w ide variety of sandw iches, beverages and fruit trays. After m uch m ixing and m ingling, w e w ere allow ed into the actual designated banquet room . It w as beautiful, m agical! Wow ! ! The event organizers m ade sure everyone participated, thus no one felt „left out‟ or ignored. The program w as punctuated w ith dancing, acting, singing, foo d and m ore food. The reception ended w ith a m idnight buffet – set up like a display on an ocean liner. I have read of events like this, but to be an actual participant w as just am azing. The entire event w as m ost enchanting. To say the least, it w as the w edding of the decade and I w as blessed to be a part of it.

Jasm ine is an Adm inistrative Assistant for LINC Hom e Study program .


9

Student Reflections ELEPHANTS

by Nirosha G.

When I w as in Sri Lanka, one holiday m y fam ily, w ith m y parents, w ent to visit an elephant orphanage called Pinnaw ala Elephant Orphanage. It is about 80km from the capital city Colom bo and tow ards the ancient city Kandy. Our van took nearly tw o hours to reach there. This orphanage covers a large area. This w as started in 1972 to protect orphan elephants because elephants are an endangered m am mal in Sri Lanka. M ost Sri Lankans and lots of tourists from all over the w orld come to visit this rem arkable place. This is one of the m ost attractive tourist places in Sri Lanka, and this orphanage is one of the biggest elephant orphanages in the w orld. The tim e w e w ent there w as the elephants' feeding tim e. We can touch baby elephants also, and if you w ant, you can feed m ilk to them. It is very interesting to see baby elephants drink their m ilk. Everybody enjoyed it and next is their bathing tim e. For bathing, elephants w ere taken to the nearby river called "Ma-Oya". There is a special area for visitors to w atch them in their natural habitat. We took photographs and recorded to keep our m em ories alive w hen w e w ant to be reminded again. There are lots of shops to buy ornam ents m ade from Sri Lankan raw m aterials, blended w ith traditional art and culture. Som e of them w ere m ade from elephant dung. That day w as an unforgettable day for all of us. We all enjoyed it a lot and I am hoping to visit it again.

Peel region – Nirosha G. is a Level 4 student. Her teacher is Lisa M . Septem ber 2009 | LINC Home Study NEWSLINC Levels 2-4

10

M Y FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL

by Bi H.

Although it w as almost thirty years ago, it is still hard to forget m y first day at school. Being a six and half year‟s girl, school w as not totally strange to m e. M y elder brother often talked about his school proudly. "When can I becom e a student?" I asked m y brother. He said w ith a sm ile: "M aybe next year, sw eetheart." So it w as very exciting for m e that I really w ent to school as a prim ary student. In the m orning, I w oke up by alert ring, ate m y breakfast and took m y new bag. Then I w ent to school w ith m y brother. He sent m e to m y classroom . My first teacher, a beautiful w om an w ith bright, sm iling eyes w as w aiting for m e. "Welcom e to our class! " She show ed m e a seat and told m e her first nam e is Yin. I looked around m y class. There w ere alm ost tw enty kids; they w ere the same age as m e. Then M s.Yin let us introduce ourselves to others. I rem ember I made friends w ith tw o girls; their seats w ere close to m e. One of them invited m e to her hom e to have supper and I did. When I cam e back hom e, m y m other said "You are amazing! ” She thought I w as too sociable. Anyw ay, the day is a m ilestone to m e and it is unforgettable.

Ottawa region - Bi Hi. is a Level 3 student. Her teacher is M arjan B.

Comics


11

Student Reflections LEARN ENGLISH AT HOM E

by Hong Xin Z.

Since I started the LINC Home Study program , I like to learn English at hom e. I feel that this program is convenient, practical and integral. First, this program is convenient. Registration is easy. After I got the inform ation from m y counsellor, I w ent to an assessm ent centre to finish m y evaluation and called the LINC Hom e Study Office. All these took m e about tw o days. There are tw o options to study --- online or correspondence. I chose the latter because I like using the books and CDs. The available tim e (e.g. Weekdays/ Weekday evenings/Weekends) can be changed. I changed m y time from the w eekdays to w eekday in the evening. Secondly, this program is practical. The content of learning is practical. It includes leisure tim e, education, em ployment, and fam ily relationship etc. This study is interactive because you and your teacher connect w ith the home-phone. M y teacher calls m e one tim e every w eek. While I am reading the text, m y teacher corrects m y pronunciation and explains the m eaning of the difficult w ords. After I finish m y assignm ents, I send them to m y teacher, and she m arks m y w ork and sends it back to m e, so I feel I have m ade progress every tim e. Finally, this program is integral. Every part includes Audio lesson, Gram m ar, Reading, and language practice etc. The program offers LINC curricula for levels 2 to 7. I hope I could finish all curricula. The CDs alm ost cover the book; I can repeat the lessons as m any tim es as I w ant to listen to them . To sum up, I like the Hom e Study Program very m uch because of its convenience, its practicality and its integrality.

Hong Xin Z. is a Level 4 student. His teacher is Ian Z. (formerly Paramjit’s student)


12

THE BATA SHOE M USEUM

by Sayed-Akbar J.G.

The “ Bata Shoe M useum ” is an interesting place to visit. There are hundreds of shoes on exhibit in four im pressive galleries. You w ill be able to see a w ide variety of footw ear w hich are collected from all around the w orld w hich show s different styles and functions of them . Hum ans have alw ays protected their feet against outside harm s like cold and sharp things for thousands of years. Over 4,500 years of history is on display for you to see how m an could keep his feet. For exam ple, there are a few sandals from ancient Egypt.

For exam ple, Chinese people have custom shoes that are beautiful, but also strange. Fashion is considered in this m useum and you can see som e m odern fashion shoes besides old ones. There is a separate gallery about sport shoes w ith all kinds of special shoes useable for sports. Visit w w w .batashoem useum .ca for m ore details.

York region – Sayed-Akbar J.G. is a Level 4 student. His teacher is Natasha N.

Also, there is a lot of information and even sam ples of m aterial that people used to m ake shoes. Surely you w ill adm ire ancient people w hen you notice how they could adjust themselves w ith their environmental m aterials for m aking shoes. Another im portant thing in this m useum is “ culture” . It w as also very interesting for m e to find shoes from m y country! All nations have considered beauty by using different colours, styles and m aterials that show s their variety of cultures.

Watch a video tour of the museum at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhkAGCAXZwo


13

Recipes

CHIPS CHILI

by Ninan S.

Ingredients 5 m edium sized potatoes 2 large sized onions 1 tsp garlic paste 1 tsp ginger paste 2 large sized tom atoes 1 or 2 sm all sized green chilies 1 capsicum ½ tsp salt ½ tsp chili pow der ½ tsp cum in pow der 2 tsp soya sauce and ¼ cup w ater 5 tea spoons ketchup

Directions First, boil the potatoes and peel them . Then, cut them in large sizes. Chop the garlic and ginger into sm all pieces. Cut the green chili into large sizes and capsicum , onion, tom ato into m edium square shapes. Second, heat the pan and put som e oil into the pan, and put the garlic and ginger into the pan and stir until light brow n. Then, put tom atoes into the pan and pour in 1/4 cup of w ater and leave it for 2 m inutes. Next, add boiled potatoes, capsicum , and onion. After that, put in the salt, chili pow der and soya sauce. Stir and leave for 2-3 m inutes to cook. Finally, keep it on the plate and it‟s ready to eat. You can enjoy it w ith tortillas.

Halton Region – Ninan S is a Level 3 student. Her teacher is Carla M . Chips Chili is a popular Nepalese dish. Nepalese cuisine is a distinctive fusion of Chinese and Indian cuisines. Nepalese of all ethnicities eat a w ide variety of cuisine. What Nepalese tend to eat depends highly on w here they live, either in big cities or in the m ountains.


14

Ingredients 500g Apple 2 Eggs 2 tsp. M ilk A pinch of Salt 2 tsp. Sugar ¼ tsp. Cinnam on pow der 50g Butter 150g All purpose flour

Directions Wash and peel the apples and cut them in very sm all chunks of 5m m . Com bine apple, flour, eggs, m ilk and salt in a bow l and m ake hard dough. You can add m ore flour if the dough is not hard enough. Knead the dough into a sm ooth ball then divide it into sm all size balls. To cook, bring a large pot of w ater to a boil. Add the dum plings, giving them a gentle stir so they don't stick together. When the dum plings com e to a boil and float on surface, they are ready. Drain and rem ove. If desired, they can be panfried at this point. Heat the butter in a sm all pan, add sugar. Once butter becom es light brow n, add cinnamon pow der into it then spread the sauce over fresh dum pling. Enjoy! Tip: If you like Vanilla then instead of buttercinnam on sauce you can use Vanilla-Sauce.

Saadia K. – She is a member of the LINC Home Study Team

SWEET APPLE DUMPLINGS

Dumplings are an ancient food, know n to cooks in m any cuisines; Local ingredients and m ethod s are used across the w orld to m ake a variety of dum plings. In som e cultures dum plings are plain w hile in others flavoured w ith local herbs, vegetables, spices or honey and sugar.

by Saadia K.


15

Activity Central Games and Puzzles Word Search

Find the Back to School words from the list below


16

Labour Day Activity

See if you can think of and w rite dow n the name of an occupation for each letter of the alphabet. Find w ords for as m any letters as you can. An example has been provided for the letter “ A” . Som e suggested answ ers can be found on the next page.

Actor

N

B

O

C

P

D

Q

E

R

F

S

G

T

H

U

I

V

J

W

K

X

L

Y

M

Z


17

Activity Central Answers Word Search Solution

Labour Day Activity Solution


18

If you would like to participate in the Student Corner, please contact us at: [email protected]

Student Corner Yi Qin Z. M y name is Yi Qin Zhu. I am from Nanjing, China. I cam e to Canada almost 4 years ago. I w as a senior m echanical engineer in China. I did m echanical design for m ore than 20 years. I have a w onderful fam ily. M y son is 21years old. We decided to m ove to Canada for m y son. This w as his choice. He w anted to study here and get a Canadian education. He studies in the University of Toronto. His specialty is m anagem ent. When w e cam e to Toronto, I didn‟t feel bad. There are a lot of Chinese superm arkets here and buying Chinese food is easy and convenient. In the spring and sum m er, everything is green. There are lots of beautiful trees and flow ers. I like it very m uch. We took our tim e m aking new friends. Now w e can often com m unicate w ith our friends. Life in Canada is hard because m y English is very poor, especially listening and speaking. This is m y biggest trouble in Canada so I can't do a m echanical engineering job like in m y country. I w ant to study English hard and im prove m y listening and speaking skills. I hope to find a good job and have a nice life.

Yi Qin Z. is a Level 3 student. Peel Region. Her teacher is Rose D.

Zahra T. M y name is Zahra T. and I was born in Tehran. Tehran is not only the largest city, but it is also the capital of Iran. When I finished m y secondary schooling in Tehran, I entered and studied the nursing program at Tehran University. I w orked in m any general hospitals in Tehran for m any years. After retirem ent, I developed m any hobbies to pass m y time and to relax and forget about the war. M y hobbies now are gardening, w eaving, and sew ing, but I seldom sew m y ow n clothes. M y favourite food is Iranian food such as; m eatballs, rice, and roast beef. I am married w ith three children, one son and tw o daughters. M y son and m y older daughter are m arried, and m y younger daughter is single. I have one granddaughter, she is 2 years old. M y husband and I cam e to Canada in 2007. I cam e to Canada because m y children live here. In m y opinion, Canada is very beautiful and quiet. I am free to w ear the clothes that I like, I am free to express m y opinion, and I am not half a person. M y goals in m y country w ere to have a good profession to help others, and be a good m other. I believe I w as successful at both goals. M y new goals in Canada are, to learn English, and to volunteer in the helping profession.

Zahra Tabatabae is a Level 3 student. York Region. Her teacher is Natasha A.


19

,

Glossary Game Here is som e vocabulary from this m onth‟s new sletter. Do you know w hat the w ords m ean? M atch the definitions below w ith the correct w ord on the right.

Bargain (pg. 6)

Hinder (pg.7)

Scholarship (pg.8)

Lavish (pg.8)

An am ount of m oney that is given to som eone by an educational organization to help pay for their education.

a large house where children who are orphans live and are taken care of.

an animal or plant that may soon no longer exist.

a very important event in the development of something.

Orphanage (pg.12)

to make it difficult for something to develop or succeed.

Endangered (pg.12)

makes you admire it because it is very good, large, important etc.

Remarkable (pg.12)

to press a mixture of flour and water many times with your hands.

M ilestone (pg.13)

something you buy cheaply or for less than its usual price.

Impressive (pg.14)

unusual or surprising and therefore deserving attention or praise.

Knead (pg.17)

large, impressive, or expensive.

Use any four words from the list to create sentences of your own.


20

LINC

mailbag What are your thoughts or com m ents on the articles printed in this m onth‟s new sletter? Do you have suggestions for articles or sections you w ould like to see? Let‟s hear from you. e-m ail us: help@linchom estudy.ca

LINC Hom e Study Forum users! Rem em ber, you can interact w ith other students in the LINC Hom e Study program and discuss topics such as Fam ily, Fun, Health & Travel, Job Search & Netw orking and m ore! Please go to the follow ing w ebsite and log in from Quick Login. Have fun! http://w w w .linchom estudy.ca/online/forum /

submissions Please e-mail your submissions for the newsletter by Wednesday th September 30 . NOTE: Articles should not exceed 500 w ords. Articles that exceed 500 w ords m ay be subject to editing for inclusion in the new sletter. If you w ould like to subm it your biography for the “ Student Corner” , please do not include information on your birthday or age. For any questions regarding subm issions and guidelines p lease e-mail us: help@linchom estudy.ca

Brought to you by the LINC Home Study team. A special thank you to all the students and staff who submitted their stories, recipes and activities for this issue.


21


22