It's BBQ season in Canada again!

Every year Canadians get ANXIOUS for summer.
The winter was long and cold and now it's time for a BBQ.
What does BBQ stand for?  What is the long form for B B Q?

What are some things that Canadians like to put on the BBQ?
Here are some pictures.  Try to identify and put names to the pictures.

Have fun and enjoy your BBQ.

Victoria Day and Canadian Culture

Did everyone have a great long weekend?
It was Victoria Day for all who didn't figure out the last post.
Who was Queen Victoria?
Why do kids often call it 'firecracker day'?
What does the slang 2 - 4 mean?  The May 2 - 4 weekend?

All are relevant to Canadian culture.

Here is a website to practice listening:
www.esl-lab.com

This link will send you to Randall's Cyber Listening Lab.
On that website, click 'culture videos'.  You will see a selection of videos and activities.
You can also read the script for the video.
These are really great videos to get practice with Canadian (and American) pronunciation.

Let us know how you like them!

Spring and gardening!

So, many newcomers are here and wanting to plant gardens.
The simple rule in Ontario is "don't plant until after the Victoria Day weekend".
Why?
There is a danger of frost.
What is frost?
Do you have frost in your home country?
What are the safest things to plant before Victoria Day?
Why do we celebrate Victoria Day?  Who was Victoria?
If you would like answers to these questions.... click on the comment button and we'll answer all your questions and comment on your thoughts.
In the meantime, classes continue at B.E.S.T. Mondays and Wednesdays from
1 - 4 and from 5 - 8.
All your teachers are avid gardeners!  Come to class and share your ideas.

For information call:  416-201-1653

Daily Practice

Often learners will ask a teacher, "How can I become fluent?"
Well, the simple answer is practice, practice, practice.
Learners need to keep in mind that learning a new language doesn't happen in a few months.
When you leave the classroom, it is up to you to continue to do more work.
Think about (consider) the four areas;
Speaking, listening, reading, writing.
Ask yourself where can you get practice in each area.
Speaking; talk to your neighbours, in shops, the bus driver... everywhere you go, try to say something.
Listening; there are so many websites on the internet to get listening practice.  One of them is esl-lab.com - there are 'culture videos' that give you North American listening practice.
Reading; go to the library and you'll find more resources than you can imagine!  You could also speak to the librarian at the same time.
Writing; at the bottom of this website is an email address... send us an email and we'll correct it and give you tips!

Keep working and practicing!

Hurray! Classes are back!

Hello all!
After a March break and an Easter break - here we are back at it!
If you need information, please call:
416-201-1653

Classes are:
1 - 4 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays
5 - 8 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays

Tell your friends, neighbours and most definitely your relatives.
The more the merrier!

Expressing Numbers in English

Recently a student asked me about how to express numbers..... think about this:
1,235  How would you say it?
One thousand, two hundred and thirty five
an interesting note:  in British English we put in 'and'
in American English the 'and' is eliminated

Here is an interesting website for ESL learners:
www.esl.about.com
There are many links and lots of activities!  Enjoy!

When expressing large numbers (more than one hundred) read in groups of hundreds. The order is as follows: billion, million, thousand, hundred. Notice that hundred, thousand, etc. is NOT followed by an ‘s’.

Two hundred NOT two hundreds

NOTE: British English takes 'and' between 'hundred and ...' American English omits 'and'. In the examples below, this is represented: (AND)

Hundreds

350 – three hundred (AND) fifty 425 – four hundred (AND) twenty five

Thousands

15,560 – fifteen thousand five hundred (AND) sixty 786,450 – seven hundred (AND) six thousand four hundred (AND) fifty

Millions

2,450,000 – two million four hundred (AND) fifty thousands 234,700,000 – two hundred (AND) thirty-four million seven hundred thousand

Daylight Savings Time

Many learners want to know why we change our clocks?

Here is the origin: (from National Geographic)

Ben Franklin—of "early to bed and early to rise" fame—was apparently the first person to suggest the concept of daylight savings, according to computer scientist David Prerau, author of the book Seize the Daylight: The Curious and Contentious Story of Daylight Saving Time.

While serving as U.S. ambassador to France in Paris, Franklin wrote of being awakened at 6 a.m. and realizing, to his surprise, that thesun would rise far earlier than he usually did. Imagine the resources that might be saved if he and others rose before noon and burned less midnight oil, Franklin, tongue half in cheek, wrote to a newspaper.

So we use it to get more daylight hours and in Canada it gets dark very quickly in the winter.  How do you feel about it?

Here are some words to check the meanings of:

circadian rhythm

energy

season

ahead

behind/back

nap

Don't forget to change your clocks AHEAD by one hour when you go to sleep on Saturday night.  

You will then 'lose' an hour.  

If you have any questions, email us!