My name is Julian and I'm from Canada

[Julian]

Hi, everyone;

My name is Julian, and I'm from a city about an hour's drive west of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I've been interested in languages for many years, and am currently taking a university TESL certification course. I'm looking forward to the contact with ESL students and teachers that this forum provides.

Julian

[Torsten]

Hi Julian,

Thank you for joining our community. We are glad to have someone from Ontario on board. I take it you speak both, French and English? Why did you decide to obtain a TESL certificate? Do you study at the university of Saskatchewan?

Speak to you soon,
Torsten
_________________
Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary

[Julian]

Hi, Torsten;

Thank you for your post.
While I have studied French through the public school system, I have not had a context in which to practice the language enough to attain any degree of fluency.
My decision to take the TESL certification was spurred by a desire for a change in occupation and some very enjoyable experiences at a local English language conversation circle. For some time now, I have wanted to enter an occupation that provides a more direct benefit to people than is the case in my current position, and TESL/TEFL would combine my long-standing interest in languages with some existing background in teaching.
Yes, you're right, this is the certificate offered by the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. I've been taking it part-time, one course per term, and should be finished in another couple of months.
What is your academic background, and what led you to this field?

Julian

[Torsten]

Hi Julian,

Thanks a lot for your immediate response. I've always been fascinated by the fact that although Canada is officially a bilingual country, most Canadians seems to speak English rather than French. Maybe, that's just my understanding of the situation based on what I know which isn't really that much. I mean, are there any Canadian citizens who speak French as their mother tongue and would not use English in their daily communications?

You right, working with people directly can be very rewarding because you get immediate response to what you are doing. As for me, I've been self-employed since April 1998 and when I was preparing for an English exam I noticed that there are not that many websites available that would offer free materials. So started to look for people who have the expertise and desire to create such a site together with me and so english-test.net came into being.

Julian, what is the ESL situation in Canada? How many people in Canada are learning English as a second language and who are those people?

Thanks,
Torsten
_________________
Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary

[prezbucky]

Julian, how far are you from Detroit?
_________________
Billie Jean is not my lover. Hee.

[Yankee]

Hi Julian

Welcome to the forum. Why don't you tell us a little more about your TESL courses. And where do you want to do your ESL teaching?

Amy

[Dark magician]

Hello Julian

I wish you got nice time here
good luck in your test,

Best wishes,
Mba
_________________
Right is always stronger than iniquity.

[Julian]

Hi, everyone!

To answer your language question, Torsten, there are many people in Canada who consider French to be their mother tongue, and who use it daily as a matter of course; according to the 2001 census, out of a population at that time of 29.6 million in Canada, 6.7 million considered French to be their first language (most, but not all, of those in the province of Quebec). All official documents and product packaging (foods, for example) are bilingual, but street and shop signs are usually unilingual, in the dominant language of the area. In Toronto and my city, Kitchener, for example, signs are usually in English only, despite the fact that the same census showed that 2700 people in this city of 190,000 spoke only French.

The most dramatic transition I have experienced has been on my trips to Ottawa, the national capital. The Ottawa River defines the border between the predominantly anglophone province of Ontario, and the francophone province of Quebec. The city of Ottawa is adjacent to the river, with the federal governments buildings almost at the side of the river. Just across the river is the city of Hull, in Quebec. On our last trip to Ottawa, my wife and daughter and I decided to spend a day to visit the Museum of Civilization in Hull. My daughter is in a French immersion program at her school, and was delighted by the sudden and obvious change in languages as soon as we crossed the river.

With regard to ESL, Canada has a large immigrant population, and my city has even more than is typical of other cities of its size. Over 45,000 of the residents of this city identify languages other than English or French as their mother tongue. I have been told by a teacher a local college that his ESL department hired 11 new staff members for last fall.

My own experiences here have included contact with English learners from Sudan, France, Columbia, Peru, Mongolia, China, South Korea, Iran, Brazil, Mexico, Spain, Ethiopia, and many others.

In addition, Canada has an aboriginal population with a large variety of languages of their own, and English language instruction also occurs in that context.

Amy, in answer to your questions, I am engaged in the last of six courses in this program, and it's focus is on practice teaching and self-assessment. Other courses have examined materials selection and development, various approaches to teaching ESL, methods of teaching grammar and vocabulary, and other topics. I hope to teach here in Kitchener-Waterloo when I am finished, although I would also like to get some experience abroad; I have interests in Brazil, Italy, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea (where a niece of mine has just finished a one-year contract).

Thank you, Mba, for your greeting; my course is going well, but is making my life very busy - I am also working at a full-time job, and trying to spend time with my family!

Julian

[Julian]

Hi, Tom;

Sorry I missed replying to your message with the others.

To answer your question, the drive from Kitchener to Detroit, Michigan, is about 300 km (around three hours).

Julian

[Englishuser]

Hi Julian,

Welcome to the forums. I would like to know how you (and other Canadians) feel about the Queen of Canada and other members of the Canadian Royal family.

Englishuser

[Julian]

Hi, Englishuser;

It isn't a topic that I've really explored with my fellow citizens. My personal impression is that, other than those who have made a hobby of following the Royal Family's lives and activities, most people don't feel the Queen and her family have much effect on our lives. Decisions and policies affecting how we live are made by politicians here in Canada, and I've not heard of any proposals for legislation or policy that the Queen or her Canadian representative, the Governor General, has halted by her opposition. Yes, it's nice that her picture is on postage stamps and money, and it's of some passing interest to hear about the family's travels and activities, but it doesn't generally have anything to do with our lives here. Some people aren't wild about the indirect costs of having the Royals (79 million dollars last year?!?), but there's been no movement to change things that I'm aware of.

Sorry I don't have anything more definitive for you. An Internet inquiry might yield more results if you wish to pursue this.

Julian

[Englishuser]

Hi Julian,

Thank you for the reply. I now feel I know a bit more about how Canadian people feel about the monarchy, and I think your reply more or less confirmed my expectations: The Queen of Canada is seen as a figurehead and does not have that much of an impact on your everyday lives.

The lack of a movement wanting to change things surprises me; The Queen of Canada is better known as The Queen of Britain, after all, and since Canada is an independent nation one could assume that you would want a 'Canadian' head of state as well. Of course, Canada's de facto head of state, The Governor General, is a native of Canada; I suppose that balances things out a little.

Englishuser

[Dark magician]

Hi,Julian

first, sunny day and it's all hope for you

do you know? this first time, which I Know the people of Canada speak another languages... not just English
because, I was think Canada like USA.

any way, I have job too and I use net just in night at my house.

best wishes
Mba
_________________
Right is always stronger than iniquity.

[prezbucky]

Mba

Parts of Canada are like parts of the USA.

For instance, states like Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan (especially the Upper Peninsula) are like Canada in some aspects. One of those is the weather -- it is dreadfully cold in the winter. I cannot speak for Canadian winters, but I know that those in northern Wisconsin last about half the year (Nov - April, and they often get snow in October and May).

Accent is another -- the basic Canadian accent is not that different from the general Wisconsin/Minnesota accent, with the exception of the pronunciation of "about" (aboot in Canada) and "again" (uh-gain in Canada).
_________________
Billie Jean is not my lover. Hee.

[Dark magician]

Hi,Tom

thanks a lot about these information

really you are real friend Here

Mba
_________________
Right is always stronger than iniquity.