Friday's Assignment

Reading Activity:

Click on this link for one reading activity on job interviews.

After reading, please complete the following tasks:

1. Pick from five to six new vocabulary words, idioms and phrasal verbs; then put them in sentences of your own.
2. Write a quick summary of the article using all the new vocabulary that you have picked, and then write your own point of view on that topic, but do not exceed 100 words max.
3. Make sure to ask two of your classmates to edit your work before saving, and then post your answer on your blog.

Thursday's Assignment

Good morning everyone,

1. We have few videos on phone interviews. Please click on the first link here and write down the steps the presenter has presented to start off any interview.
2. Next, click on this link for telephone interview etiquette and list down all the tips that the speaker has mentioned

Wednesday's Assignnment

Job Interviews

Job interviews are your chance to show what you have to offer to potential employers. It is important to prepare before each interview. Make a list of typical interview questions with sample responses.

Activity 1:

Listen to this mock job interview; list all the Dos and Don'ts which the interviewer has mentioned. Click here to listen to it.

Activity 2:

Search the internet to find the 10 most annoying gestures during a job interview.

Monday's Assignment

Today's is our culture show day!

Write a quick explanation to the item you have brought with you. Explain to your peers why you brought this item and what is the significance of it.

Our class pot luck/culture show

Small Business Forum pictures

Meeting at MCC

Followed by lunch at Jack Astor's

Friday's Assignment

Dealing with Culture Shock

Task 1:
Write a two-three paragraph essay describing your experience with culture shock, then list the ways you have personally done or will do or overcome it.

Task 2:
List some strategies/ways/activities you will use or advice a close friend or a family member to do or use in order to reverse any symptoms of culture shock.

Task 3:
Before publishing your experience on your blog, ask two of your peers to edit it for you, and then you can publish it on your blog then.

Wednesday's Assignment

Students Vote

Some people promote themselves to serve the city (or that's what they tell us), and others do so obviously to get rich. Today, we are checking out both kinds of people:

1. Watch the videos on the municipalities and school boards in Ontario. Find the list of candidates running in our Ward. 
2. Vote for the following:

• Mayor
• Councillor
• School Board Trustee

Then write down the reason(s) for your choice on your blog.

Thursday: Field Trip to Small Business Forum

This Thursday's field trip is to an entrepreneurship event at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre's SOUTH Building, located just behind CN Tower and Ripley's Aquarium.

Let's meet at noon in front of the Trade Show entrance for a class photo. You may attend the sessions before and after that, or check out the business and learning opportunities at the trade show throughout the day. Some of us might plan to have lunch together after the photo taking.

To get there by 9 a.m., you should get on the  8:05 a.m. train from Don Mills Station. Feel free to arrange to meet and travel together with a classmate!

Tuesday's Assignment

Task 1:

Identify three different uses for the phrasal verb fit in, and then write a sentence to clarify the meaning.

E.g. fit in: to live or work easily with a group of people.

Sentence: I hope I will fit in with my new colleagues at work.

Task 2:

The use of acronyms can be hard to understand sometimes at the workplace if a person is not familiar with the term.

Now complete the chart below; then add any additional acronyms that you have heard in the workplace, street or among your friends. Write example sentences using the acronyms.

Acronym	Meaning	Example Sentence
HR
CEO
ASAP
ROI
CPP
WHMIS
NASA
CSIS
RCMP
RRSP
RESP
TFSA
RBC
CIBC
TD
OAS
OPP

Monday's Assignment

Good morning, everyone,

How to Work Well in Canada is our theme this week. 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                                     equality                                       rituals  

Annoyed                                       minimize                                       task

Collaborative                                 oblivious                                     valuable

Customs                                         promptness                                values

Embarrassment

Task 2:

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

Friday's Assignment

Cover Letter Cont.

Search the Employment Ontario website to find services or courses in your community that can help you to write cover letters and résumés. Go to the Employment Ontario website at this link 
Click on I am new to Ontario.

Task 1:

List two or three new things you have learnt from this website.

Task 2:

Compare your findings to two or three from your peers and add what you can find relevant to your field.

Thursday's Assignment

Cover Letter

Your cover letter is the very first thing an employer will see. In today’s job market, your cover letter may actually be more important than your resume! Most companies receive dozens of resumes for each job opening. A “To Whom It May Concern” type of form letter just won’t cut it anymore.

Task 1:

Find a job posting you are interested in. Write a cover letter to apply to the position. Focus on the skills, attitudes and experience requested in the job posting. Use the cover letter checklist to write a clear and convincing letter.

Task 2:

Ask two of your peers to edit it for you and sign at the bottom.

Volunteer Opportunities

 Show your support and be part of the action!  Over 1000 ESL Professionals will gather in Toronto this October for the TESL Ontario 2014 Conference.

Lend your expertise and be a part of the Volunteer Team … sign up today!

When:     October 16-18, 2014

Where:   Metro Toronto Convention Centre (South Building)

                 222 Bremner Boulevard Toronto, ON  M5V 3L9

Volunteer as little or as much time as you like.  We require many conference volunteers who are willing to donate a small portion of their time to assist with the smooth running of our very large conference.  You will need to register and pay the conference fee if you would like to participate in the education sessions or networking events.  You do not have to miss any session time to volunteer!

Prepare Conference Registration Materials (before the conference) – October 13, 14, 15

Collate attendee name badges, registration kits and delegate bags.

Registration Desk Volunteer (at the conference) - October 16, 17, 18

Welcome attendees to the conference, distribute name badges and registration materials.

The Benefits?

·      Certificate of Appreciation

·      Volunteer ribbon on your name badge to recognize your contribution among all attendees

·      Working in a team environment, alongside other ESL Professionals

·      Networking, Networking, and more Networking!

·        6 daily draws for gift certificates

Please register online at http://www.formstack.com/forms/teslontario-teslvolunteers2014.

Wednesday's Assignment

Resume Writing Cont. 

Task 3:

Search the internet to find a list of action verbs, then choose the ones that relate to your occupation. Use the ones you have chosen to write your work experience entries on your resume.

Possible search terms: resume action verbs, action verbs...etc

Tuesday's Assignment

Resume Writing:

In order to be prepared for the work force, you need to have a well written resume. Here is one of the good websites that provides a lot of useful language that we can use.
Here are another two samples of a chronological resume sample and a functional resume sample. Use these just as guidance to help you frame your masterpiece.

Task 1: 
Start creating your resume in light of all what we have learned in class.

Task 2: 
Ask two or more of your peers of edit it for mistakes.

Monday's Assignment

Use this website and this one to locate two job postings for an occupation that interests you. Take notes on the information from both postings and compare the information. Use the following headings to record your information:

1. Job requirements (education, experience, hard skills, soft skills, experience); 
2. duties and responsibilities; 
3. employer information; 
4. how to apply.

Wednesday's Assignment

What are Power Statements?

When presenting your skills to others, use concise statements that briefly describe the value you can bring to the organization. Highlight a strength you have, and show how you have used that strength to achieve results. This kind of statement is referred to as a Power Statement.

Task 1:

List 10 or more of your achievements/ accomplishments in your personal life and on your professional level.

Task 2:

Pick out what is relevant from the above list, and write five to six sentences as your power statement that you will use on your job interviews or resume.