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TRANSCRIPT
ESLA: LEARNING FUN
December, 2013
Volume 1, Number 1
FEATURE
WHAT EVENT IS
USEFUL?
PAGE 2
“Taste of Russia” Festival
September 29, 2013,Ottawa
Photo by E. Kaliberda
Farm Proulx, Orleans
19th
Annual Pumpkin Halloween Festival
October, 2013
Photo by E. Kaliberda
WHAT’S COMING UP!
Questions? Comments?
Suggestions? Ideas?
We would love to hear from you!
EDITOR’S CORNER
page 2
WHAT EVENT IS USEFUL ?
page 2
10 IDEAS FOR EVENTS
page 3-6
BOOK PRESENTATION
page 7-8
CALENDAR FOR DECEMBER
page 9
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EDITOR’S CORNER Welcome to the special edition of the ESLA: Learning fun newsletter! Let me introduce myself.
My name is Elena Kaliberda and I am an Editor of this special edition of the ESLA newsletter. I
am also the ESLA 1900 course student at the Carleton University.
Students like me are the prime readers of this newsletter. One of the
key objectives of the ESLA program is to improve the academic
knowledge of the English language and get some practical
communication skills. Surely, there are many opportunities
available at the Carleton University to get involved and practise
your communication skills, for example “English as a second
language” conversation groups, workshops, seminars, and many
others. There are always many various events happening at
Carleton, including international conferences, seminars, theatre
performances and much more. But it is also important to take
advantage of many other opportunities that are available outside the
University walls. It is important for so many different reasons. The
key here is to receive a real life experience and an opportunity to integrate into every day’s life
and learn to communicate in English with ease. It will help to make communication in English
fun and enjoyable. It also helps to improve the cultural adjustment in the new country and
broaden your life experiences. The combination of the academic studies and everyday
communication in English is the formula for a great success. This experience will help students
to be better prepared for the workplace professional communication and professional
environment. Professional networking activities provide great opportunities to establish good
contacts within the field of your professional interest and encourage the further professional and
financial growth. There are also many opportunities available in your local community,
professional circles where you can meet-up and communicate with native English speakers and
make new friends and business contacts. You might be surprised to find out how many people
would be supportive of your efforts to learn and speak English. Do not be afraid to communicate
your ideas and speak up. It is also important to seize any opportunity to practise your
communication skills for example, talk to your neighbours, fellow students, have a chat at your
favourite coffee shop, shopping mall, local grocery store. It helps students to feel more
comfortable and to be out of the studying pressure. It will help you to get some real Canadian
experience and enjoy discovering Ottawa and Canada! There are lots of things to see and to do
here.
We hope that this issue will help our readers to determine events that are useful for the
improvement of their academic English. There will be offered 10 ideas for events that we would
like to recommend for the English improvement.
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WHAT EVENT IS USEFUL? The main focus of this research was to determine events of an interest to a broader group of
students coming from various professional, cultural backgrounds and various age groups but
with the same learning objective of improving communication skills in reading, writing,
listening and speaking English.
While assessing various events from the point of view of usefulness to meet the learning
objectives, it is important to consider different learning outcomes, e.g. opportunity to speak
English, gain new cultural and professional experience, establish new business contacts, make
new friends and many others.
We would like to discuss here two different events that will help to illustrate the concept of
evaluation of various events and their practical application to the language learning process. One
can express some doubts if there might be any learning benefits in attending this kind of events
for the ESLA students. We agree that these are probably not typical events, considered for the
English language improvement program but these events help to encourage an idea of “thinking
outside a box” while evaluating events and look at any event as a great opportunity to improve
the language communication skills.
The Ottawa Russian Folk Festival is our first example. The Festival took place in Ottawa on
September 29th
, 2013. The Festival was organized by the Russian community of Ottawa and
hosted by the Russian Orthodox Church in Ottawa. The Festival was promoted in numerous
media outlets and publications, including community websites, the Ottawa Citizen and
newsletters. Although the event is organized and hosted by the Russian Community, there is
traditionally a very high percentage of Canadians attending the event. Canadians love and
support multicultural events and eager to learn about different cultures, traditions and history.
The Festival offers a lot of opportunities to practise English language communication skills
while learning about Russian culture and traditions. The casual set-up of the event invited
friendly conversations with Canadians while tasting traditional Russian food and touring the
beautiful church. More information about this festival is available on the Russian Festival
Facebook page at www.facebook.com/RussianFestivalOttawa.
There are many cultural events and festivals happening annually in Ottawa, e.g. Greek festival,
Indian festival, Lebanese festival and many others. All of them are great for improving English
communication skills in a friendly, relaxed and fun atmosphere.
Our next example is the visit to the Proulx farm in Orleans. Every weekend during the month of
October they offer an exciting program with great activities. It is a full month of celebrations of
the fall and the end of the harvesting season. It is a lot fun to pick your own pumpkins, fresh
apples from the apple orchard, enjoy the tractor wagon ride through the beautiful woods, filled
with most amazing colors and shades of yellow and orange. It is a beloved spot by many
Canadians and there are always many opportunities to practise English language skills. Get a
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slice of freshly baked pie and a cup of coffee and enjoy one of many shows offered to all visitors
for free of charge in English language. These shows are usually interactive, family orientated and
filled with humor. There are a lot of photo opportunities at the farm to take great pictures, create
fun memories and share them with your family and friends. Events like this help to understand
better the Canadian culture and traditions and encourage further great conversations in the class
between students.
We hope that these ideas will help students to look at different events from a new angle with a
fresh prospective. Students should think of the ways to make any event to work for them so it
could meet the main objective of improving communication skills in English. It is always a good
idea to research an event in advance to be more familiar with the subject matter, to refresh some
vocabulary on the subject, think of questions that you might want to ask. Some advance
preparation will help to boost your confidence and enjoy the event. There are always
opportunities to practise language skills at every event but it is important to identify these
opportunities and not let them pass by.
For example, there was the Butterfly Show that took place at Carleton from October 5th
to 14th
,
2013. By the look of it, there were probably no opportunities for the language practice through
this event. But in fact, it turned out to be a great opportunity to listen to the tour guide’s
commentary, ask questions and participate in the discussion. It was also a fun topic for some
advance research and to learn new words. There were many interesting exhibits and facts
presented at the show. What a great opportunity to share lots of interesting facts with friends and
other students by writing a short essay or staring a new online forum group discussion after the
event! This event has met all the learning goals and objectives for the ESLA students, including
oral communication, listing, reading and writing skills.
In support of this discussion, we would like to offer 10 great ideas of various opportunities to
benefit the foreign language learning process and make it fun and a rewarding experience.
IDEA # 1 Book clubs! Canadians like to read and discuss books. There are so many different book clubs in
Ottawa. It is free to join. Usually a book club event is an informal gathering of people with the
same interests and passion for reading. The book club events are usually hosted by the local
libraries, community centers and coffee shops. The club members usually meet once a month and
discuss a book that they selected at the previous meeting. There are many advantages in joining a
book club. It will help to improve reading and oral communication skills. It is also a good
opportunity for networking and meeting new people.
These are some websites for the existing Book Club groups to give you an idea.
The Canadian Book Club (www.canadianbookclubs.com) is a book club most suitable for a fun
group of women in their 20s and 30s who enjoy getting together once a month for coffee and of
course, to discuss books in a causal , relaxed atmosphere! The club was established in September
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2009. Their picks are recent bestsellers and at the end of each meeting they typically pick the
next book. They are currently seeking new members to join!
This is another book club for young people in Ottawa, make sure to visit their website for some
more details www.reddit.com/r/OttawaBookClub/
The Carleton University has its own book club - English Grads Book Club. Please check out
their website for some more information: http://events.carleton.ca/english-grads-book-club-10/
You can also email them at [email protected]
IDEA # 2 Sign up as a volunteer to help at different events, organized in Ottawa. They always look for
volunteers and help.
For example, the Ottawa Writes Festival offers amazing opportunities for volunteers to help at
their events. What a great opportunity to meet famous writers in person and even have a chance
to ask some questions or have a chat! If you are interested in this volunteer opportunity, please
contact Leslie Wilson at [email protected] and check if you can help. There are a lot of
events every month!
Charity village website (www.charityvillage.com) always provides information on available
volunteer opportunities.
IDEA # 3 The Ottawa Library hosts English conversation groups across Ottawa. They usually take place in
the local library branches and are led by native English speakers. They usually discuss articles,
international happenings and local news. Please visit their website to get some more detail on
this opportunity http://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en/content/contact-branch
IDEA # 4 The Public Speaking workshops offer great tips and opportunities to improve your oral
communication skills and speech writing skills.
For example, the Toast Master International company (www.toastmaster.org) offers interesting
seminars for professionals on public presentations and speeches. There are 77 different meeting
locations available in Ottawa, including government organizations such as Industry Canada,
Health Canada, CMHC Corporation, and also clubs such as Management Development Program
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for Women Club, or local communities. It is also another great opportunity to make great
contacts with potential employers and people within your professional area of expertise.
http://reports.toastmasters.org/findaclub/searchresults.cfm?Country=Canada&State=Ontario&Cit
y=Ottawa
IDEA # 5 Get involved and give back to the community! There are many fundraising opportunities
available in Ottawa. Food Bank of Ottawa is always looking for some extra helping hands,
especially during the holiday season. Soup Kitchen is another charitable organization that always
welcomes help and support.
There are many fundraising events, organized by local communities. It is not only a very
rewarding experience but it also helps to improve your language skills while helping others.
For example, “Help Lesotho” (www.helplesotho.ca) at 610, Bronson Avenue. They organize
many fundraising events.
IDEA # 6 Get involved with your professional Association. They always organize networking events and
workshops. Many of these events do not require a registration fee to attend. For example, Ottawa
Chamber of Commerce organizes many free events. Check their events’ calendar by visiting
their website at www.ottawachamber.ca.
IDEA # 7 Ottawa is a home to international trade missions and Embassies. Take advantage of it and attend
many cultural events organized by international missions and cultural consulates.
Many Embassies organize interesting cultural events during the Christmas and Easter seasons.
There are also many educational events organized and hosted by Embassies.
For example, on October 20th
, 2013 the Korean Community Association of Ottawa (KCAO) and
the Embassy of the Republic of Korea launched their Second film presentation of “The Terror
Live” (with English sub-titles) at the Canadian Museum of Civilization. There was a networking
reception before the presentation.
IDEA # 8 There are many sports and athletic clubs in Ottawa. Some of them offer a free membership or a
complimentary registration to participate in tournaments.
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For example, please visit the tennisorbit.com website to sign up for the community tennis
tournaments. It is not only a great opportunity to play sports and stay active, it is also an
opportunity to communicate with Canadians and practise your language skills.
IDEA # 9 There are many opportunities to join meet-up groups in Ottawa. You can even create your own
group and invite your friends to join it. Please visit the meetup.com website for some more
information.
There are also many professional groups created within the specific field of interest. For
example, there is an Ottawa Public Communications Professionals Group. They meet on every
third Tuesday every month. Their prime area of interest is public communications, including
social media, new media technologies and many other related topics. Please visit their page on
the meetup.com website for some additional information http://www.meetup.com/third-tuesday-
ottawa/
Another example is the Tech Tuesday group, organized by two Ottawa high tech companies
Terry Matthews and Wesley Clover: http://www.wesleyclover.com/wesley-clover-
foundation/tech-tuesday/ They meet on every first Tuesday of every month in Ottawa. The
Terry Matthews and Wesley Clover teams host networking events for the high tech community
that usually include a presentation of one of the start-up high tech companies in Ottawa with the
Q&A’s period to follow.
IDEA # 10 Ottawa is a city of festivals! Take advantage of many free educational and networking
opportunities available through attending festivals, for example the Winterlude festival, the tulips
Festival and many others. Every festival offers an extended program of exhibits, workshops and
seminars. What a great opportunity to communicate, network and practise your language skills!
Please visit the Ottawa Festivals website for some more information www.ottawafestivals.ca.
OUR READING – BOOK PRESENTATION By Elena Kaliberda
A book presentation is another great example where you can meet people, network and practise
your language skills. Book presentations usually take place in libraries, museums or book stores,
for example in Chapters. It is a wonderful opportunity to meet writers and find out more about
books.
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I would like to share with you one of my personal experiences. I was invited to the book’s
presentation by Grete Hale who launched her book Grete Hale: Baker's Daughter. It was an
amazing experience and a very well attended event. I had a chance to read the book before the
presentation and was familiar with the story and learnt many interesting facts in advance. When I
arrived to the presentation, there were many interesting discussions taking pace. I was happy that
I could participate in the conversations and share my ideas and opinions about the book. A book
she has written about her long, rich and very Canadian life and published by the Ottawa Citizen
appeared in local Ottawa bookstores. The net proceeds went towards building a dormitory for
young women in Uganda attending the Trade School she and small group of Ottawa volunteers
have built.
The book had a great success and sold out so fast that Grete released three additional editions
during the same year. Currently this book is available at the Carleton University book store.
The famous Canadian Grete Hale launched her book Grete Hale: Baker's Daughter on February 13
th, 2011 at the
Library and Archives of Canada. Photo by Gay Cook.
The story of Grete Hale is fascinating and I truly admire her and her outstanding achievements.
Grete Hale comes from a pioneer family who first arrived in the Ottawa area in 1818 and has
lived all her life in the oldest house in the capital, built in 1828 that was restored by her mother.
From her parents she learnt the importance of being a contributor to one’s community and has
truly given back in a myriad of ways. She has served thousands of hours in over 40 volunteer
organizations, chaired hundreds of board meetings, kept them on time and on agenda and offered
sound advice. Four years ago she was a recipient of the Order of Canada.
Not quite an autobiography, the book offers instead a broad array of narratives from Grete Hale’
life that has been extraordinary rich and blessed. The nine chapters include stories of personal
and community heritage; highlights from adventures pursued; accounts of tough decisions made
and work undertaken; and recollections of the wonderful people Grete have met over her 80-plus
years.
Grete told everyone that one of her New Year’s resolutions for 2010 was to write a story of her
life. And she did. “Thanks for God’s piloting hand”, - she wrote in her dedication (Hale, 2011, p.
5).
“I am sure that everyone has a lot to share, write your own stories… I have always believed that
our stories make the world go around. Everyone has a story. And every story, just like every
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person, is filled with moments of our lives: the moments of joy, sorrow, disappointments,
triumph, and excitement”, said Grete during her book presentation.
Gerry Nott, editor of the Ottawa Citizen, commented on the book: “These are stories of
accomplishments, philanthropy, enormous humanity, resiliency, history, and love… Everything
that came to Grete’s family, and her marvellous and accomplished sisters, Jean Pigott and Gay
Cook was earned. Every honour deserved, every appointment, award, and recognition bestowed
on them done so because of legacy of caring, and giving back to the community that is her
family’s legacy. From entertaining school children in her home, to the creation of the lasting
memorial at Beechwood Cemetery, to hosting the wives of the most powerful politicians in the
world for an informal lunch, to borrowing a hat of a complete stranger at Parliament Hill so she
could properly meet the Queen, the Baker’s Daughter tells her story with rich detail, warmth,
humility and grace. In a family with roots that predate the beginning of our country and now hold
place in local. National and international history, Grete’s story – just like her – is modesty
understated” (Hale, 2011, pp. 7-8).
These are some quotes from the Grete Hale: Baker's Daughter book that I would like to share
with you today.
“My father, Cecil Morrison – known to generation of Ottawans as “The Happy Baker” – had
started a bakery with partner Dick Lamothe in 1911. They were two fellows from the country
who had come to the young city of Ottawa, which at that time had a population of just 60,000…”
(Hale, 2011, p. 17).
“On the Morrison side, my folks came from up the Ottawa and up the Gatineau… Caleb Brooks
was my five-times great-grandfather… who brought the family line into Canada, arriving on the
shores of the Ottawa River in 1818. He had come to lend a hand to his uncle Philemon Wright,
the Yankee entrepreneur who developed the pioneer lumber community that became known as
Hull and is today the city of Gatineau” (Hale, 2011, p. 20).
“Caleb’s early days in the Ottawa River wilderness were marked by tragedy. Ten years after his
arrival, he lost his wife to a malaria epidemic that raged through the population on both sides of
the river. The disease had been inadvertently introduced to the area by the soldiers brought in by
Colonel John By to build the Rideau Canal. With the lack of medical help in the area five
hundred died, as did numerous civilians, including Caleb’s wife” (Hale, 2011, p. 20).
“So when I decided to go to Carleton, I balanced my studies with work as the early-morning chef
at Guardsman Restaurant, operated by my family’s company. For three years, I rode the 6 a.m.
streetcar to the restaurant on Rideau Street, got a turkey into the oven for the luncheon trade, and
then headed off to lectures. My graduation in 1954 felt like an accomplishment on so many
different fronts. And now, 55 years later, I was to be honoured by my own alma mater…” (Hale,
2011, p. 11).
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“The center of attraction for 40,000 Canadians on July 1, 1967, was our Morrison Lamothe
birthday cake” (Hale, 2011, p. 100).
The book also includes over forty photos, full colour and of course, black and white.
The book is available in these Ottawa stores:
Collected Works Bookstore & Coffee Bar at 1242 Wellington Street West, Ottawa
www.collected-works.com
Perfect Books at 258A Elgin Street, Ottawa
www.perfectbooks.ca
Nicholas Hoare Books at 419 Sussex Drive, Ottawa
www.nicholashoare.com
The Ottawa Citizen at 1101 Baxter Road, Ottawa
Reference
Hale, G. (2011). Baker’s Daughter: The story of a long, rich and very Canadian life. Ottawa,
Canada: The Ottawa Citizen.
CALENDAR – DECEMBER CCR in Ottawa
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 2 3
Tech Tuesday,
The Marshes
Golf Club, 320
Terry Fox Drive
5.00-7.00 p.m.
4
Canadian Public
Relations
Society-Ottawa
Holiday Social
Real Sports Bar
and Grill, 90
George St.
5.30-8.00 p.m.
5
Books and
reading,
Public library,
Alta Vista
2.00 -3.00p.m.
6 7
Mayor’s
Christmas
Celebration
City Hall
3.00-7.00p.m.
8 9
English
Conversation
Group, Ottawa
Public Library,
120, Metcalfe St.
6.00- 7.30 p.m.
10
11
Carleton
University
Toastmaster,
Room 5345, 5th
Floor Herzberg
Laboratories,
5300 Wing
Carleton
University
6.55- 8.15 p.m.
12
Rideau Tennis
Club Christmas
Networking
event
1, Donald St.
6.30-8.00 p.m.
13 14
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15 16
English
Conversation
Group,
Ottawa Public
library,
120, Metcalfe St.
6.00- 7.30 p.m.
17
18
19
Sleuth Hounds
Mystery Book
Club,
Ottawa Public
Library, Alta Vista
6.30- 8.00 p.m.
20 21
22
23
English
Conversation
Group
Ottawa Public
Library,
120, Metcalfe St.
6.00- 7.30 p.m.
24
25 26
27 28
29 30 31 Happy
New Year!