ELS Blog

The Importance of Punctuation

As an ELS facilitator, one may assume that writing in English has always been a forte of mine; this belief would be completely untrue. During my time in Canadian elementary and secondary schools, I continued to struggle in my English classes with writing. I was commonly told, “Kathryn, you write the way you talk. This is incorrect”.

Since I wrote the way I spoke, I hardly every incorporated any punctuation into my writing, except for periods and the odd exclamation point. I never understood the way that punctuation could change the meaning of one’s writing until a patient teacher took the time to explain how essential it is in proper English writing, such as in the comical example given below in Figure 1. Once I realized how important it was to properly use punctuation in my English writing, I was left to my own devices to learn how to do this.

Figure 1

Over time, I improved my English and realized that the most efficient and sustainable way of improving my writing was through reading. I always hated reading; however, when I realized how many books were out there on topics which truly interested me, I found that reading could actually be a fun activity incorporated into my everyday life. Once I started reading, my writing, especially punctuation, gradually and dramatically improved.

Throughout this year working at ELS, many participants have asked me how to learn where to properly place punctuation. While certain rules can be somewhat subjective or regionally based (i.e. think American versus British), I have personally found that the best way to learn proper punctuation and make it become a habit is through incorporating reading into everyday life – whether for an hour a day or 5 minutes before bed.

Kathryn Oda
ELS Student Facilitator

Texting Habits Getting in Your Way?

TTYL, BRB, LOL, B4, ilu; these are examples of just some of the lingo that students these days have become accustomed to using. These ways of short forming our instant messaging and texting have become the norm for us. Is this a convenience or a step back from the English language? What is it about using this “texting language” that has changed students’ lives? What does this mean for students who are learning English and are coming across these short forms for the first time?

Texting language has become ingrained in written communications and even conversations. The Globe and Mail posted an article addressing the controversy around texting and the English language, titled Less is Not More. The article touched upon a Calgary study that explained how texting hinders literacy skills. Students were asked how often they read in relation to the frequency of their texting habits. They were then given a list of random real words and made up words and asked to identify the real words. The study concluded that students who texted often and read less, were able to identify less words than those who read more and texted less, displaying decreased literacy among frequent short form texters. Are we being “cool” at the expense of our literacy?

On the other hand, students learning English for the first time may not be familiar with texting language For example, “G2G” – “Got to go” or “Would u go 2 the movies with me?” would become “Would you go to the movies with me?” This can be extremely confusing for someone with little knowledge of English and who is not familiar with texting language. With the constant pressure to learn English, much confusion can be avoided if one has a strong foundation in English first before tackling text English..

I have some useful tips for newcomers who are getting accustomed to the texting lingo:

1. Do not overuse it. Use short forms where it’s appropriate such as quick text messages, but try as much as possible to refrain  from writing in code! As someone who strongly believes in texting in “normal English”, it becomes annoying to see words that don’t make sense to me. – “R U rdy 4 tn?” (Are you ready for tonight?)

2. Keep in mind who you are sending the message to. If you’re messaging your parents, it is likely they will have no idea of what you are trying to say. 

3. Read a book! If you text on a regular basis, set off the imbalance by expanding your vocabulary through reading. 

4. There are many websites with texting and short form glossaries, if you really get stuck! Try http://www.webopedia.com/quick_ref/textmessageabbreviations.asp

Happy Texting!

Safia Ho
ELS Student Facilitator

 Source: Globe and Mail, February 25, 2012

A word of thanks

With only a few weeks left in the winter term, I would like to share my gratitude with everyone who has made working at English Language Support such a pleasant and rewarding experience.

At ELS, through Paper Partner appointments, I have been given the rare opportunity to gain insight into most of the subjects and fields that I considered for my major when I was applying to university. Working with participants in Conversation Partner appointments has been a great learning experience for me, as we have discussed many interesting views, different perspectives and shared our experiences.

I’ve also learned so much about other programs at Ryerson, which I would never have had exposure to if it weren’t for the participants sharing their work and research. I’ve also come to understand much more about the culture, customs and languages of many areas of the world that I would never have been exposed to before.

While the insight into different academic fields and an increased cultural understanding have given me valuable insights, what I value the most is the more personal experiences, struggles, accomplishments, frustrations, stressors and misunderstandings that are shared by all participants.

So, to all ESL participants – thank you for not just sharing your academic journey with me, but also your personal struggles and accomplishments. I value all the relationships that have formed through ELS and I wish you all the best in your future endeavours.

Elizabeth Ollerhead
ELS Student Facilitator

Bringing Literacy to the World Wide Web

This semester, I have had the opportunity to conduct my ELS Paper Partners appointment hours via Skype. This has made it possible for students who find it difficult to attend the sessions physically to receive feedback on their written assignments online. These Skype sessions are more than just a one-on-one interaction. Skype makes it easy for both the tutor and student to share files, look up links, videos, research references and converse while in 2 different locations—all whilst at the convenience of never leaving their home.

I’ve also been working with a book called “Get With the Beat” which integrates technology and music and helps language learning to be fun, engaging, and interactive. In fact, I’ve been told by many participants that one of the reasons they enjoy our sessions is because the activities and the interactive element of the lesson plan make the material memorable for them.

Technology can be a tremendous tool for developing language skills, such as building vocabulary, writing, reading and pronunciation.  I have seen how technology, social media, and music create an enhanced and unified experience for the student whereby they can discover unexplored spaces, e.g. Interpret a song on their own, read up on the characters of a film, etc. Language learning students are able to explore the world/universe of a story, reinterpret it, and relate it to their life experience.  

As an ELS student staff member I’ve had very positive outcomes teaching in an interactive setting. ELS is committed to developing new and engaging programs – so, let us know how we are doing – your feedback is important.

Shabnam Shahin
ELS Student Facilitator

Fun Ways to Improve Your English

We all know how busy student life can be. It can be overwhelming trying to balance school, work, personal relationships, and maintain some sort of social life. For some students who speak English as an additional language, day-to-day student life is made even more difficult due to language barriers. So how is it possible to improve one’s English language skills if there’s very little time in the day to set aside for practice? What’s important here is to realize that there are ways to improve and practice English that are quite enjoyable and will not become just another chore to make fill an already busy day. It’s necessary to determine what works best for you, and figure out what you enjoy the most. Below are some suggestions for fun ways to improve your English language skills.

Reading
Reading is one of the best ways to improve English skills. Many students lose interest in reading if all that is read are tedious textbooks. Try to set aside at least 20 minutes daily for some kind of leisure reading that does not involve school. This can be done during the commute to school, in between class breaks, or before going to bed. Finding something interesting to read is what will make this fun. If an interesting topic is found, reading becomes a pleasurable activity. Try not to reach for the dictionary when you encounter unfamiliar words – just try to guess the meaning and move on – your first guess is probably correctly – trust your instincts – you probably know a lot more than you give yourself credit for. If a word gets in the way of your comprehension go to the dictionary – but reading for pleasure should not become a chore – it should be fun – continually looking up words isn’t fun.

If you can’t find any interesting English books or magazines, try to remember a former book that you read in your native language and find its English translation. In this way, not only will there be interest in the topic, but it will be a good way to improve your English, especially since there is already some past knowledge of the content of the book. 

Writing
Writing, like any skill, takes practise. Try to keep a daily journal or diary of your thoughts, ideas, and daily experiences. Again, this should not be seen as another daily chore, but as an enjoyable exercise – you go to the gym or play sports to improve your fitness, so write a daily journal to improve your writing ability. Just write, and don’t worry about spelling and grammar – the more you write, the more you’ll begin to enjoy the process.

Solving the crossword puzzles found in magazines and newspapers can also be a great way to increase English vocabulary while having fun. Reading the clues, trying to comprehend what is being asked, and determining what English word is the correct answer can be challenging, but it’s a great way to pass the time if you have a long commute.

When learning new vocabulary, try to use the words as much as possible over the following days – remember if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it!

Listening
Watching English movies or television shows are great ways to improve your listening skills. Don’t worry if you are not able to follow everything the actors say – look for visual clues, and if you watch a movie with friends, why not have a group discussion afterwards? This helps clear up any confusion – you can discuss your favourite parts or quotes from the movie.

Another way to improve English listening skills is to listen to English music and try to understand what the singers are saying. It’s a good idea to write out the lyrics of what is heard while the song is being played, and then compare it to the actual song lyrics. Test your listening accuracy.

Improving one’s English skills can be fun – what’s required is only to figure out what is most enjoyable, and practice English in that manner. ELS provides programs that help students improve all the language skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking. For example, the Conversation Partners program is a super fun and amazing way to improve overall English skills. By attending this program, not only is it possible to discuss topics of interest, but the ELS student facilitators will provide first-hand help to important English reading, writing, and listening skills.

 Rose Ghamari
ELS Student Facilitator

Good language skills open doors

For many people who immigrate to Canada, difficulties with the English language can be a barrier to financial, social and academic success. In an article from The New York Times entitled ”English, Once a barrier, Opens a door” (2011, December 16), the author, Margaret Ho, outlines the challenges faced by Hui Lin who emigrated from China to the United States when she was 12 years old. She arrived in the United States barely able to speak or comprehend English, and as a result she kept to herself and always sat at the back of her classes.

In order to overcome this barrier, she signed up for intensive one-on-one tutoring, and enrolled herself in afterschool programs in order to strengthen her public speaking skills. Her dedication and enthusiasm in learning English started to pay off and she began to notice a difference. The students who initially ignored her or made fun of her eventually became friends with her. Her motivation to better her English language skills led her to become interested in learning other languages. As her multi-language skills improved, doors began opening up to her and she was able to participate in an exchange program in Germany. Hui Lin decided to pursue a career as an interpreter. Hui Lin’s language skills have allowed her to communicate with people from all over the world and she has experienced many cultures.

Similar to the one-on-one tutoring that Hui Lin signed up for, English Language Support at Ryerson offers an English conversation program in which students spend time one-on-one with an ELS staff member in order to practice and improve English conversation and pronunciation. The Conversation Partners program’s structured activities allow students to build vocabulary and improve fluency in a safe, non-judgemental environment. Students can also use these appointments to practice an upcoming class presentation – we can work on your slides, your timing and pronunciation and give you valuable feedback. Practising a speech in front of someone is a great way to overcome nervousness and to build confidence.

Reference:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/17/nyregion/english-once-a-barrier-becomes-a-lifeline.html?_r=1&ref=languageandlanguages

Ron Heicy Vasquez
ELS Student Facilitator

Language Barriers Part 2 – Knowing the language vs living it

I am currently an exchange student in the U.K. After being here for several weeks I realised that I was having difficulty understanding some people, even though they were speaking English. Just last week, a colleague asked me, “Who’s that geezer?” after looking at a photograph of my friend. I didn’t understand what to make of it. I just nodded my head, befuddled. Geezer sounded slightly negative, and if you look up the slang meaning in North America, it is. But in the U.K., it simply means a “guy” as I found out after searching online. This is where I am very thankful for Google and urbandictionary.

I started learning English 22 years ago in kindergarten, and I’ve been facilitating English learning for almost two years now, so I never thought I would have any trouble comprehending the English language.

Initially, upon my arrival I didn’t have any problems, but this was because for the first three weeks I had minimal interaction with the “Authentic British”. And that made all the difference.  The change in the cultural context meant that I had to learn new meanings. I knew the words, but I wasn’t familiar with how they were being used. It is like learning a new language, but on a much smaller scale. I became very aware of the challenges that international students have with English.

Knowing the language is not enough, unless you learn how to use it in your new environment. I remember working with a participant at ELS who wanted to learn the “lingo” in Canada. As we went through a few resources that explained North American English usage (Yes, we do this at ELS too), I suggested that he interact with Canadian people more often, and look up the words he had difficulty understanding, or ask for clarification. It is interesting that when it was my turn to do so, I forgot my own advice.

So my two cents of advice for understanding English better in a new country are – use the language, daily. Not just with the people you already know, but as much as possible with people outside your comfort zone. Even if you know the language, knowing how to use it in a different context or place is extremely important… as important as learning the language in the first place!

Aditi Kapoor
ELS Student Facilitator

How to expand your vocabulary

Recently, I have noticed that many of the students coming in for Conversation Partners appointments want to work on expanding their vocabulary, or they have expressed that they are having a difficult time remembering words in English or how to say things correctly.

I started thinking about how I remember words or expressions in the languages I study.  I was reminded of a time when, at a social gathering at my boyfriend’s mom’s house, I was speaking with a man who had immigrated to Canada from Ecuador. He was impressed that I was learning Spanish and insisted that we speak only in Spanish, because in order to effectively learn a new language you must try to express yourself no matter how embarrassing or uncomfortable it is (based on his own experience of learning English). He told me that when he first came to Canada, he barely knew any English at all. One of his strategies for remembering vocabulary was to put post-its on all the objects in his home with their English names written on them. I distinctly remember this conversation – it really made me think of ways that I could retain new vocabulary and expressions. During our conversation I accidentally knocked my drink onto the ground. You can imagine how mortifying it is to spill juice on your boyfriend’s mother’s floor. Luckily it wasn’t carpet. The Ecuadorian man helped me wipe it up and said, “Tell me what just happened in Spanish.” I said “Yo caí mi vaso” – a literal translation into Spanish of “I dropped my glass” (an incorrect way of saying it). “Nope”, he said, “We say: se me cayó el vaso”. In English this translates literally into something like “the glass fell (to me or by me)”. Essentially it puts the blame on the glass. I learned that when things are dropped, broken, forgotten, lost, etc., in Spanish it is worded as if the object is blamed, and not the person who did it. I have never forgotten this grammar rule and probably never will, because I learned it in a moment that my heart was racing from embarrassment.

I realized from this experience that things are better remembered in non-mediocre moments. I am not suggesting to strive for embarrassing moments like the one I experienced, but perhaps we can remember how to express ourselves more easily in out-of-the-ordinary situations whether it be one of embarrassment, humour or an expression of an important political or philosophical idea. Occasionally I will think about these moments and try to translate what I would say into French or Spanish. If I do not know how to say it correctly in either of these languages, I will consult my French or Spanish professor and write it down. Doing this has definitely helped me with some key words and expressions and maybe this strategy will benefit students who use English as an Additional Language (EAL).

Students coming in for Conversation Partners should not worry about saying things incorrectly. First of all, because if you say something that sounds strange or funny in English this is the last place you will be judged for it. Secondly, if we do tell you that it is strange or funny, then you’re more likely to remember the correct way of saying it. I would also encourage EAL students to write down any new expressions that learned during Conversation Partners appointments and then try to practice saying them either on their own or with others.

Brittany Thompson,
ELS Student Facilitator

I can relate to that….

 I am a 4^th year Journalism student, and at my newspaper internship I write articles and file them to my editor. These past six weeks have given me a better understanding of the challenges and frustrations experienced by some of the students who come to English Language Support for help. My editor would open my article in Microsoft Word, highlight mistakes or problem areas in yellow and call me over to his desk. One time, I was happy to see only three little marks. In another instance, an entire chunk of what I had written was highlighted. My errors were not spelling or grammatical, but rather, content that needed to be changed in order to match the newspaper’s style.

 Of course, writing an article for a newspaper is different than the essays or reflection papers that we deal with at ELS.  However, as a result of my experience as an intern, i.e. collaborating with my editor, I feel that I can better relate to the students who come to ELS. My editor would identify an error and we’d discuss how to fix it. This is exactly what we do at English Language Support – students and facilitators work together to identify and correct problems within a piece of written work.  But don’t think of ELS as an editing service – although the ELS student staff members identify errors, participants need to think and be prepared to explain why certain decisions were made in their writing, such as word choice, verb tense, etc. The ELS student staff is there for guidance, but will not write participants’ essays for them.

 Whether a student needs help with English writing or conversation, ELS programs aim to improve overall communication skills. Just as I received guidance from my editor at my internship, it never hurts for a non-native English speaker to seek help from ELS staff.

 After all, nobody is perfect.

Nadia Hussein
ELS Student Facilitator

Android Apps for mobile English language learning

The Android operating system is the most used Operating System in the world. New and exciting innovations are constantly being made with smaller, sleeker and much faster devices. In this blog I will give a brief overview of some of the best applications for mobile English learning in the Android Marketplace.

NOTE: The use of the following apps is data-heavy as they use a cloud based system rather than device databases.

ESLAI: Feeling comfortable in everyday conversations is one of the biggest challenges for many English language learners. ESLAI uses an artificial intelligence engine to drive informal and formal conversations through texts or in-application interfaces. The conversation can take many different paths depending on how the user chooses to interact.

PowerVocab: A cloud-based app which utilizes artificial intelligence. This app focuses on improving vocabulary for difficult examinations such as the GRE, GMAT, and SATs. It is perfect for intermediate to advanced learners looking to enhance their vocabulary.

Busuu: The leading online English learning site Busuu.com has now evolved into a multi-platform app, making learning on-the-go much easier. This app offers extensive vocabulary, key-phrases, over 150 different conversation topics, and a mix of audio-visual material. Vocabulary, dialogue and written tests are also included.

Test Your English I: This application helps users evaluate their English skills. It contains more than 300 multiple-choice tests to evaluate, for example, one’s vocabulary, grammar, and sentence-structure. It contains a vast library of ESL, EFL exercises, Idioms, Synonyms, and lessons on Business English.

Cambridge English Online: The series of applications available allows for easy English learning while utilizing touch interfaces, the microphone, and even the accelerometer. It incorporates games and puzzles, uses phonetic study algorithms to help out with pronunciation, and has numerous multiple-choice self-assessments.

Umair Nasir
ELS Facilitator

Source:  https://market.android.com/?hl=en