Lesson Download: Terry Fox, Canadian Hero

The road at the bottom of our street has had the signs posted for days: SPECIAL EVENT.

The Terry Fox Run has been a part of my life since the early 80's, running in school runs and then, joining my sons in theirs. Stretching and warming up on the basketball courts at the front of the school—the principal shouting through a microphone that nobody could hear while the kids shook out their sillies and challenged each other to 100 laps. To me, hands down, Terry is the Great Canadian Hero, not least because he continues to inspire and motivate generation after generation of young Canadians.

I almost fell off my chair one spring when a class of Chinese students from the Maple Leaf school network in China out-fact-ed me on Terry Fox. Guess what: these kids have been running for Terry too. For years. For Terry. (For Cancer). In China.

Because the Maple Leaf schools use British Columbia's curriculum (a unique and special partnership), these middle and high school students not only knew about Terry, but deeply respected him. We had some fun that week! To you, Terry. Thank you.

An oldie-but-goodie blog post about Terry can be found here: Fiona's Other Blog and the ESL lesson I developed for that class can be downloaded here:



(Even if you aren't teaching ESL, it's a great blended-learning lesson that incorporates some very moving listenings from CBC and a YouTube video that will have you reaching for your tissue.)

Teaching Abroad: 4 things that can go wrong and what you can do - by William Lake

Things are crazy busy here in eslenglish.ca world (launching a new magazine - heremagazine.ca - in November!). We are pleased as punch to have fellow ESL teacher and blogger, William Lake, do a little moonlighting here at Fiona's ESL Blog to tell us all about the challenges and the wonders of teaching English in Cambodia and elsewhere. If you're thinking about teaching abroad or just want a glimpse of what it might be like far away from home, then read on...(oh, and send William some PG Tips and HP if you're so inclined!)

Teaching English in a foreign country can be a rewarding and great experience. Some people choose to do it for a few years to fund their travels, whilst others make a career out of it by working in exotic locations. But it isn't always that easy, sometimes things go wrong and when you’re living and working in a foreign country, you might not know how to fix these problems. Here, I outline 4 things that might go wrong with English teachers working in a foreign country and what you can do about it. 

1. Culture Shock 
Culture shock can happen to even the most accustomed of travellers and it can happen to anyone at any time. Basically, culture shock is a feeling of disorientation that comes with visiting, living or working in a new culture. You will probably encounter unfamiliar food, language, weather, and customs, etc. and it can leave you feeling depressed, scared and in some cases it can affect your health. To try and help, I would suggest easing yourself in gently. Try to familiarise with your new culture step by step. If you’re unsure about the food, eat food that you are familiar with. Try to meet other expats and make some new friends and ask them for advice (most countries have forums dedicated to expats). Just try to do it step by step. If you really don’t like the culture or country then leave for somewhere new (this should be your last resort!). I’ve personally never suffered from culture shock. I visited my first foreign country (Tunisia) at 5 years old and have pretty much been to a new country every year from then on and I’m 32 years old now! Hopefully, I won’t ever get it. I have seen other people with culture shock and it really doesn’t look like a pleasant experience. 

2. Missing Home 
Feeling homesick is another common problem for people teaching abroad. Often we’re 1000s of miles away from our friends and families and it can leave some people feeling vulnerable and lonely. Nowadays, however, this doesn’t need to be such a problem. With modern air travel, you’re never really more than 24 hours away from home and if you want to visit, it’s relatively easy to do so (providing you have the money!). Another thing that I do is to try to contact my family and friends as regularly as possible and in the modern world with SMS, smart phones, Skype, and other things; this is easier, quicker and cheaper than ever before! You might even be missing some of the home comforts, but I’ve found that you can buy a lot of the products that you know from home in most countries around the world. So stay in regular contact with people you love and buy the small things that you want, you’ll soon find that this feeling goes away and you’ll be enjoying your new life in no time at all. For some people, however, this feeling persists and gets steadily worse and you might need to acknowledge that living abroad might not be for you. I don’t really miss too much from home. Other than missing my friends and family, I’ve grown accustomed to living abroad. There isn’t really anything that I can’t live without, but a friend came to visit me recently in Cambodia and asked what I would like from home. I jumped at the opportunity to get a few things that I haven’t found here in Cambodia. They brought me some PG Tips tea, a potato masher and some HP sauce. Although I can do without these things, they did make me feel a little closer to home! 

"This is a picture of Kep, Cambodia. Kep is one of my favourite places in Cambodia. It’s a very small and sleepy seaside town with very little to do other than eat great food and lounge around doing nothing. Both of which are 2 of my favourite things to do!"

3. Employer Problems 
If you have a problem with your employer in your own country, you are usually either well versed on the law and what you can do or you know where to find appropriate advice about how to handle the situation. Unfortunately, in a foreign country we don’t have this same luxury. If you experience problems with your employer and you think it is unfair, there might not be a lot you can do about it. I’ve always gone down the route of trying to avoid these types of issues from the beginning and only generally work in schools where I’ve found good reviews online by other teachers or spoken to other expat teachers living in the country and asked for their opinions and experiences. Sometimes, however, you might have issues and don’t really know what to do about them. Your rights as a foreigner will differ in each country, so it’s difficult to give specific advice, but here is some general advice. Most countries have employment laws, so read up on them. You might find that you have no rights; therefore, I would cut my losses and find a new employer. Finally, ask the locals for advice, they should know what to do and be able to give you appropriate advice. Personally, I’ve been lucky with schools that I’ve worked in and never really had any serious problems. There’s been a few niggling problems like getting paid a few days late, having no books or repeatedly given the wrong books, but nothing big. 

"This the view from Phnom Srei (Girl Mountain) in Kampong Cham, Cambodia. There are 2 mountains side by side, the other being Phnom Bro (Boy Mountain). The story is that there was a competition between the men and women in the village who could build the highest mountain before the sun came up. The women knew that they had no chance of beating the men so instead they built a big light that looked like the sun and the men stopped working. They women then continued to build the mountain and built a taller mountain than the men. The locals say it shows that women are more intelligent than the men!"

4. Student Problems 
Finally, you might encounter problems with your students. They might be unruly, difficult to control or even rude to you. I haven’t often encountered these problems with students, but when I have, I first seek the advice of my colleagues, especially the native teachers. If this doesn't work, I then seek the advice of the principal or school director and explain my problems. I once had a situation where nothing worked, the students didn't want to learn and they didn't want to be there. I tried all sorts of things to help! I tried making the lessons more interactive, splitting the students into smaller groups, keeping them busy with different activities and everything else I could thing of. Finally I tried playing the disciplinarian (this is always my last resort). After none of these worked, I asked for a different class and explained why I didn’t want to teach them. The director was unsurprised and said that every teacher has this problem with that particular class and that’s why the class was given to the new teacher because nobody wanted to teach them! He said to stick it out for a few more weeks and consequently found me a new class. 


William Lake is an ESL Teacher, TEFL Lecturer and Cultural Studies Lecturer at Build Bright University in Siem Reap, Cambodia. He publishes ESL information for both teachers and students on his blog and can be found online on: 
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Lesson Download: to regret or not to regret?

The new year is well upon us but you may still be looking back on 2012 and wishing: if only... 

Or you might be casting back to just last week and eyeing the tattered shreds of your short-lived 2013 resolutions. No matter, regret isn't just for Lance Armstrong (?), it's a chance for all of us to alternately hang our heads and shrug our shoulders when things have gone a little pear-shaped. 

Here's a fun and serious exploration of the language we use to express regret or perhaps a lack thereof.  Which will it be for you today?

Feel free to download, print, share, or make paper airplanes with this great ESL lesson for intermediate-advanced young adult/adult students. The Teacher Guide with extra activities and tips is here too!

It's so Canadian, eh? though!

Oh, Daniel - you were such a great student: curious, gregarious, witty, and kind. Something always bugged me though. You would suddenly interrupt class with a shout: FIONA, YOU SAID IT AGAIN!

I didn't mind though because I knew your keen linguistic mind was at work, whittling away at grammar rules and English language patterns.

I was stymied, though, because however often I tried to explain and answer your questions, you stared back at me, mystified and suspicious that I hadn't quite told the whole story.

So, for you, my former, fabulous student. Here is the whole story. The Story of Though, Canadian-style:

Though began life as an "although", sometimes an "even though", burdened with awkward spelling and sharp competition. Though is tight with his cousins, "however", "but", "despite", "in spite of" and especially close with "that said", though the family resemblance is sometimes hard to spot on first sight. Though often prefers to be fashionably late and make a statement. I doubt he'd admit it, though. I must confess, I like Though quite a bit.

Is Though particularly Canadian?! Though I like the suggestion, I'm not so sure, and though I hear him all around me and often from me, I haven't yet seen research that substantiates such a claim. I would like that, though. I detest the tag question, eh?, which supposedly defines the "Canadian" dialect.

Though is more concession than contradiction. It's the word you can turn to when all your thoughts have been exhausted.  Though is a gentle reprimand or hopeful encouragement. If its ubiquity is courtesy of Canada, then that's just perfect.  Don't bring it up at the G20 though; they might not have a clue what you're talking about.

Though this might not clear it all up for you, Daniel, I hope you have enjoyed the story. I sincerely hope you "got it" though because I can still see your accusing bright eyes across the classroom tables.

quick reference guide for Daniel and other travellers to Canada:

though=although=even though

as in: Though/Although/Even though I like Canadians, they smell too much like maple syrup. FOCUS: Canadians are smelly

starring *though* as its wonderful self:

1. I had a great time in Tofino! We went surfing in the most incredible waves and stayed at an awesome hotel. It rained everyday though.

(hint= Though/Although/Even though Tofino was great and we surfed in the most incredible waves and stayed at an awesome hotel, it rained everyday) FOCUS: It rained. Boo.

2. Omigod! That Canadian guy was super-creepy. He talked to me all night and when his phone buzzed he didn't even check it. He's like some engineering student or something. Anyway, he blabbed on about Canada and pipelines and how important they were. He wanted to know who I voted for in the last election. As if! He was cute though.

(hint=....?) You tell me. Seriously. Write your answer below.

Is Though your friend too? Look forward to your comments.

Cheating: not just for students!

A few weeks ago in the Canadian media, there was much ado about the so-called disproportionate number of international students in Canadian universities caught cheating and plagiarising. The headlines were typically sensational and smacking of the Us vs. Them isolationist rhetoric that is being spewed in certain quarters in the U.S. and Canada.

However uncomfortable I am with the rhetoric, as an ESL teacher, I cannot deny that some of my students and yes, some cultures (how can I say this delicately?) seem more accepting of the concept of cheating than I ever was when an undergraduate student. Below is a summary of a U.K. survey by the Higher Education Academy detailing various reasons for cheating and plagiarism. The summary and larger report are both interesting and unsurprising. I recommend anyone in ELT read the report, if only to reflect on the issue and perhaps develop your own, informed approach to managing cheaters.

As for me? Well, the article was well-timed. Turns out I have my very own cheater in my midst. Trouble is, it's not a student, but a colleague. Worse, the colleague is plagiarising ME! Worst, the colleague is also a friend. I know, I know, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...blah blah blah. It doesn't feel like flattery though, it feels like betrayal.

In our tech-age, so much is available at our fingertips and even I admit that many of the faceless contributions online seem almost anonymous. Note to World: they are not! Someone has worked hard and spent time to research, source, write, and contribute whatever bit of information it is that you are cutting and pasting in a millisecond. Credit him. Tweet her. Remember this old-fashioned word: CITE! Second note to World: it is a small world.

Now, in my case, it wasn't a simple act of plagiarism but complete and exact copies of sections of a copyrighted and isbn'd textbook I authored stuffed into the template of "new" curriculum designed for a local college. It was by pure chance that it came across my desk. A last-minute contract. Imagine my surprise.

Perhaps cheating and plagiarising is less cultural than individual. Perhaps we all are guilty of some measure of intellectual theft. Perhaps sometimes the dance at the photocopier in the morning is less than legit.

Perhaps students and teachers are not so far apart.

Oh, and, ok,um, I'm a little bit flattered. BUY THE AMAZING ESL BOOK THAT IS WORTH PLAGIARISING right HERE (it's actually legally reproducible too - just don't say you wrote it!)

Stuff to read and share on cheating and plagiarising (extremely well-cited of course!) - your students will thank you for sharing it with them:

from "Overcoming the cultural issues associated with plagiarism for International students"

Authors: Dr. Charles Juwah, Centre for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching, The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen; Dr David Lal, Dept. of Business and Management, Aberdeen Business School, The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen; Ahmed Beloucif, Dept. of Marketing, Aberdeen Business School, The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen

What cultural factors impact how students understand the concept of plagiarism?

Respect for authority	25.6 %
Language problem	20.9 %
Previous educational experience on referencing conventions	27.9 %
Cultural misconception (Plagiarism does not matter)	20.9 %
Individual values (Personality trait)	4.7 %

Why do students plagiarise?

Lack of awareness of referencing conventions	19.61 %
Cheating	17.65 %
Lack of awareness of plagiarism	15.69 %
Time	9.8 %
Lack of confidence/self-worth	7.84 %
Language problem	7.84 %
Laziness	7.84 %
Lack of subject knowledge	5.88 %
Carelessness: forgetting to reference	5.88 %
Pressure to write to academic standard	1.96 %

from the Globe and Mail: Why many international students get a failing grade in academic integrity

The Fabulous Functionall Resource Review #2

One of the goals of this blog is to help you sort through the overwhelming number of language resources available to choose the materials that are right for your language learning or teaching journey. Not only is there a plethora of resources, they don't come cheap. Let this old hat do the research and save you time and money. Lord knows, we teachers need more of both! - Fiona

for more information about my reviewing approach click here

Book for Review: Jason's World

Author: Gerry Luton

Resource Review @ a Glance:

In Depth Resource Review:

Before I get down to the nitty-gritty, I have to confess that I ADORE Jason's World. Author Gerry Luton and I are kindred spirits when it comes to a real language approach, a teacher- and student-friendly format, and relevant, current contexts.

Now to business: Jason's World is first and foremost a listening course, an 8-episode audio soap opera for intermediate ESL students to be exact. The text is accompanied by a CD that includes tracks of each episode plus corresponding vocabulary review listening exercises.

The introduction includes notes on methodology, teaching tips, and activity guides. Each unit or Episode includes:

• Introduction to Vocabulary
• Finding Meaning From Context
• Vocabulary Practice
• Before You Listen
• Listening Comprehension Worksheet
• Class Discussion Topics
• Vocabulary Review Listening Exercise

Some units also include various activities such as, Find Someone Who..., Personal Opinion Survey, Crossword Puzzle, Word/Definition Matching Exercise, and Trivia Game to get the students up and moving while reviewing and reinforcing the vocabulary in a fun way. In addition, the book offers a glossary, transcripts, a "parts of speech" table AND a website with supplementary exercises: jasonsworldonline.shorturl.com

The assignments and activities are somewhat standard but the content is certainly not. The contexts and vocabulary are so authentic and natural that it is impossible for teachers and students not to relate to it on some level; this is a lively dialogue excerpt from Episode 2 - "Cheated":

Jason: What the hell is going on here?

Layla: Cool it, Jason. It's no big deal. We were only kissing.

Jason: Only kissing! What do you mean, only kissing? I thought you were my girlfriend.

Layla: Yeah, well, you don't own me, you know. I can kiss who I want to.

Go on and blush, Betty Azar.

The format is clean and well-organized with clear instructions, although the images are few and not-so-fabulous. The book itself is spiral-bound, so it is very easy to handle (read: flip through, search, and generally manhandle in a loving way).

There is really not much I don't like about this listening course. I have to confess that I didn't get access to the audio CD in time for this review but I have been told by colleagues that it is of very high-quality and that their students love it as much as they do. If I were pressed to find one flaw with Jason's World, it would probably be that there isn't more of it. It is worth being fleshed out as a fully integrated textbook including grammar, pronunciation, reading, and all the other bells and whistles. That I would like to see.

Teachers, even if you don't have a listening lab or other audio capabilities to use this as a listening book, it still has great value on its own as a vocabulary and discussion text. If you are an ESL or EFL student reading this review, go right now and ask your teacher or school administrator to order it for your class! Click for more information about Jason's World (or its high-intermediate sister book, Judy's World).

Please leave comments below and especially if you have used Luton's book, let us know what you or your students liked. Please also feel free to suggest another title for my next review. Thank you to Christy Sebelius for this great recommendation!

It's not right just because you googled it!

It is never good when your parents tell you you have done something wrong; it's worse when you're 30-something and it's a professional error they have so constructively drawn your attention to. You can imagine I was pretty embarrassed when my Mum emailed the other day to point out a typo on a recent newsletter I had sent out (yes, I send out my stuff to everyone!). Here I am, a supposed English teacher and writer, making minor boo-boos in my professional communications! As the Brits say, it's just not on.

The only thing that makes me feel better is that I'm not alone and not only am I not alone, but I have heaps of company: basically, everyone who has ever contributed to that wonderfully fluid and written history that is the Internet. Well, this makes me feel better on an I-was-too-much-in-a-hurry-to-edit-what-a-loser level, but as a teacher, it brings me darn near panic. Who is monitoring all these language errors? Who is perpetuating all these language errors? Why hasn't Google found a way to demerit these sloppy writers? Just who is in charge here?

I feel like a frustrated lexicographer in London, circa 1476. Too many spellings to choose from. Eenee, meenee, mainee, mo... While the advent of the printing press "froze" English spelling (for better or for worse), the Internet is spewing out old words with a vast array of new spellings. The Internet is melting the rules. The implications are mind-boggling.

As a language geek, the thought that anything goes both excites and terrifies me: vive la révolution! Even as I write this, though, I wonder how far we can go before easy comprehension is lost, before the natural flow is staunched; how many misspellings away are we from the tower of Babel?

As an ESL teacher, it is a daily battle. "But, teacher, I read it on the Internet". "I googled it!". In the old days, students would simply say, "My teacher in ______ told me that...". My stock response was always that perhaps he or she had misunderstood what the teacher had said. Not now, nooooooooooo. Now, the student has a print-out of the article, or blog, or random googled sentence. My only defence is this: It's not right just because you read it on the Internet.

As a businesswoman, it is vital to me that my clients take me seriously and particularly because my "stuff" is the stuff of language, I cannot afford mistakes. I have yet to find an error-free website for any business I've sought out online. The errors always make me pause, make me consider the professionalism of the organization. It seems website content editing is not a valued service. It should be. I just hired my Mum. Cheap for me. You? You'll have to buck up.

It goes without saying that it is so much easier to google what we need to know than walk down to the library or bookstore and hope we can find what we need in, say, less than ten hours. I'm certain I don't need to point out that the world of the Web and the popularity and ease of self-publishing allow all and sundry to put their thoughts in both concrete and cyber-black and white. Of course, no one is in charge; the sane and the insane are running the asylum.

My kingdom for an editor. Don't even get me started on texting.

In Context

If you have been in my classroom, hung out in the teacher's room, snooped around my desk, or used my materials, you would never wonder what my teaching philosophy is; I may as well tattoo it on my forehead: IN CONTEXT.

As a recurring motif in all things pedagogical in the TESL/TEFL world, contextualized language teaching seems such an obvious approach. Ask any teacher of ESL or EFL whether he incorporates context into his lessons plans and I'm certain the reply will be something along the lines of "Well, duh". However, I'll also bet that if you probe a little further, that same teacher may be unable to explain how he builds context into a lesson; even more likely is that you'll discover while he may have a "theme" (holidays, travelling, health...), there is very little actual context-building going on. Now, I'm not just saying all this because my texts are context-based (well, that's kind of why). I'm flogging this particular horse because, while there is an overwhelming consensus that context-based teaching is an effective method, few teachers seem to do it.

A theme can be, of course, a form of context. Teachers will often work within a theme and practice vocabulary and dialogues with relevant readings and listening activities. Many textbooks are already designed for thematic lessons. Grammar and functional gambits, however, are often left to their own devices. True, some worthy attempts have been made to create contextualized grammar lessons (Grammar Dimensions and Focus on Grammar are two series that come to mind) , but overall and with particular attention paid to the greatest selling grammar series of all time, the Azar series, grammar is rarely taught in context. Worse, functional gambits are still being filtered through the likes of Functional American English and the basic, Gambits 1, 2 & 3. I've been told that functional English has fallen from favour, but really only the labelling has changed. "Situational English", even "ESP" embody the functional
approach. It goes without saying that grammar has never fallen from favour, it just went underground for awhile. So why the lack of context-based grammar and gambits lessons? I have my theories.

One possibility is that the context-based grammar texts that do exist are boring as heck. They are often simply not relevant to the students' lives. Another is that, without a textbook, building context is just too much darn work. Teachers have big piles of work. As far as gambits go, aren't they contexts unto themselves? Uh, no, not really. Handing students a list of gambits is not building a meaningful context.

From my first textbook, Function-all 1: Intermediate Plus, teachers have used and built upon several successful contexts that their students have not only enjoyed immensely but have acquired some useful language in the process! Among these are: "Guessing: Stereotypes"; "Likes and Dislikes: Smells"; and a particular favorite: "Checking Understanding: Jargon". I'm not suggesting I have the key to all language success but I'm working on it!

If you need a process for context-building, email me: fiona@eslenglish.ca and I would be happy to send on some materials used in our English in Practice workshops.

If you have built some fun and successful contexts in your ESL/EFL classroom, I'd love to hear about them: fiona@eslenglish.ca . Join the mailing list at www. eslenglish.ca and I'll send you a free unit!