Dear Ai

My interview with Really Learn English

2012-06-20T19:36:00.000-07:00

I hope you are all studying English as much as you can while enjoying the summer. With all the different outdoor activities during the summer, it's a great chance to improve your grammar or sit down to read a good book. I was interviewed by Really Learn English a few months ago. A great site for learning English - from Grammar to Reading! Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Delta faces student enrollment decline ahead

2011-10-11T10:05:00.001-07:00

Vancouver Sun October 7, 2011 article,
Delta faces student enrollment decline ahead.

For Canadian universities, India is a land of opportunity.

2010-07-03T21:10:00.003-07:00

Globe and Mail July 2, 2010 article,
For Canadian universities, India is a land of opportunity.

I want to improve my son’s English speaking skills.

2010-06-18T20:45:00.002-07:00

"Dear Ai, I want to improve my son’s English speaking skills. How is it possible? He is in grade 7. My husband and I don’t speak fluent English. Please help me."- Sydney

“Hi Sydney, thank you for asking me a wonderful question. All parents wish that their children do well in their lives. You mentioned that you and your husband do not speak English well. Does that mean both of you speak different languages to him at home? That’s great! He can be a multi-language speaker in the future.

I also understand your worry for your son’s English speaking skills.

One scenario might be that your son is shy and has low-self esteem. In that case, sign up for sport/music/reading club activities for your son. Set up a familiar and safe speaking environment for him. Even though he is shy and it is hard to speak to his friends at first, he can communicate with doing things that he is good at. Team sports is great because they will help him to meet different types of children, but if he is good at an individual sport like swimming, please encourage him to pursue his interest. Once he has confidence, he will be comfortable to try things he is not good at.

The second scenario would be that he might sense that his parents feel uncomfortable speaking English. Show him that learning another language is fun! Watch movies/TV shows with him. Listen to dialogues and practice with him. Invite your English speaking family friends to play together.

I heard from a piano teacher that many parents learn how to play piano together with their kids. You also can join a karate, yoga, or swimming class that caters to both parents and children. Get a new skill and improve speaking English!

At home, you can read English picture books (which have a lot of conversation) to him. Then he can read aloud and you can even role-play. One of my favorite books to read at this stage are The Hardy Boys.
You will be surprised to hear a lot of parents wish for their kids to be multi-lingual like your son!

Financial crisis hits ESL enrolment in B.C.

2009-02-28T08:31:00.006-08:00

Vancouver Sun Feb 23, 2009 article,
Financial crisis hits ESL enrolment in B.C.But schools with degrees, diplomas, trades training fare well

What's a good way to improve my child's Engish??

2007-09-09T11:03:00.000-07:00

"Dear Ai, my children came her in grade 5. The school ESL doesn't give any homeworks and rarely bring any worksheet they did during class. There is no contact from ESL teacher unless parents specially ask for meeting, and even though, we are just told such as "It takes time. Don't pressure the children. Give them fun and mingle with English speaking friends. Join sports club."

Well, my child cannot mingle with other English speaking children. Parents cannot set playdate at their age. They are no longer lower grade children. They have long time English speaking friends, so they never want to invite my child, and my child is too intimidate to ask.

Also, my child is not good at sports, so he cannot get friends through sports activities.His speaking has improved little after more than a year.

What a good way to improve his pronunciation, intonation, speaking besides joining team sports, music lessons, arts or play English speaking friends after school?

My child has plenty time after school. But he usually read books in his first language. Homeworks are usually peer selected type group projects. He cannot be in any group, so he does them alone and you know, in poor quality, so it also doesn't take much time, too.

I'm wondering what is a good way to improve him English, especially his speaking? Natural way the school recommends just doesn't work for him.

Also, though the teachers don't like that children spend their time to learn English after school, saying it gives them too much stress, But I also hear conflicting messsages from other parents or English tutors that it is better to improve English as soon as possible, so they won't lose regular curriculum and better to catch up as quick as possible.

What do you think of those conflicting advices? Which is likely to suit my child case? And if I change the way he spends after school, and put him in learning English much more intensely, is it a good way for him?" from ESL Mom

"Dear ESL Mom,thank you for your question and I hear your frustration of getting conflicted messages from school. I understand both you and your school's opinion about your child.

You've already discussed with your child's teacher about your concern. I would only suggest that some group project should be formed by the teacher. As you said, if all the projects are the peer-selected type, then students are working with the same people all the time. It is a teacher's job to make sure students can work with different students.

As your child's teacher suggested, your child can improve his English skills through activities like music, arts, or sport. These activities are not focused on learning the academic side of English, rather focusing on making friends. Right now, your child is afraid of speaking English because his/her pronunciation/intonation/speaking pattern is different from other children. This is because he/she doesn't have a safe place to practice.

If he likes reading, why not joining a reading club that is held in local libraries. For example, Vancouver Public Library offers Kids Reading Club that children can read either English or their native tongue and write essays. Does he like swimming/drumming/horse riding?? Try not to label that your child is not good at sports. He might like them, but he needs more practice. Important thing for him/her is that he/she enjoys what he/she does. Once your child feels safe to speak English, then he/she will make English-speaking friends.

You need to be patient with his/hers progress. As you have experienced, learning English takes time. The best thing you can do for your child is giving him/her the best environment.

Do you know any moms whose children are also ESL students? Form a group and ask them for advice. Maybe your child can play with their children. Are you friends with other moms? Even though their children speak English as a first language, their mothers have similar concerns.

Thank you again for your question. If anybody else has advice, please share your experiences!"

What we have here is a failure to communicate

2007-06-28T22:29:00.000-07:00

Vancouver Sun June 23, 2007 article, What we have here is a failure to communicate

What ESL books do you recommend?

2007-06-27T22:05:00.000-07:00

“Dear Ai,
I am a new ESL tutor, looking for adult ESL books for my students. Do you have any recommendations? Paul – Vancouver

“Hi Paul, thank you for your e-mail. Because we have many ESL students in town, you can find ESL sections in any bookstore! However, it is difficult to choose the best one. Before I go to a bookstore, I visit Kenneth’s website and esl-lounge to see what books they recommend. Kenneth’s “Top 5 Teaching Adults English Materials” (http://esl.about.com/od/esleflteachingtechnique/tp/teach_adults.htm) is an excellent place to start. Esl-lounge (http://www.esl-lounge.com/eslbooks.shtml) divides ESL books to different categories and I am sure you can find books you need for your students.

If you have time, visit unique local bookstores for ESL books.
Sofia Books (http://www.sophiabooks.com/) specializes in language. You can find books from Japanese to German. They also have an excellent collection of adult ESL materials. Vancouver Community College Bookstore (http://www.vcc.ca/bookstore/) has both new and used ESL textbooks.”

Should I open a dictionary for every word meaning that I don't know while I read?

2007-06-26T21:38:00.000-07:00

"Dear Ai,
Right now I'm going to a college in a beginner English class with local American people. I have learned how to read and find the main idea. It was good, I have learned a lot. I wonder, what is the best way to read and understand the text. Should I open a dictionary for every word meaning that I don't know while I read? Or should I use the meaning in English or in my own language? Do you have any good suggestions? Thank you, Roy"

"Hi Roy, thank you for your question. I am glad to hear that you have learned a lot and enjoy studying English. It is very important for beginners to have some fun in order to continuing what they do. Readings usually takes time to improve.

There are two different approaches for improving reading skills. For beginners, it is better to use a dictionary each time you come across unknown words. This is because beginner students do not have enough vocabulary to guess the context. If you do not understand what is written, then there is no reason for studying the language. Some students have an easier time understanding words if they approach them from their native language.

If students are an intermediate or advanced level, I would suggest them to use an English-English dictionary to check the words. They might check fewer words in order to guess the meanings from the sentences they read.

It also depends on what you read. Either you are reading for fun (probably you will be checking less words) or a textbook for college, you will be approaching this differently.

Never assume that you can absorb new words after looking them up for the first time. You need to write, read, and say it as many times as you can to make them into your own words. Good luck!"

Language to a new life

2007-06-25T22:13:00.000-07:00

Vancouver Sun June 21, 2007 article, Language to a new life

Kingston High School Closes

2007-06-23T22:35:00.000-07:00

Vancouver Sun June 20, 2007 article, Kingston High School Closes

How can I tell him that I’m not interested in a relationship without offending him?

2007-06-22T15:32:00.000-07:00

"Dear Ai,
I go to an ESL school in Vancouver. I arrived two months ago. One of my Korean classmates seems to like me. He was very kind and I appreciate his help since I didn't have any friends when I got here. Other classmates think we are boyfriend and girlfriend. Because of this, many people in my class do not invite me to their parties. How can I tell him that I’m not interested in a relationship without offending him?" Masako – Japan

"Hi, Masako. Thank you for your e-mail. Misunderstandings happen quite often in relationships, especially when you and your friend are from different cultures. Since he hasn’t told you what he thinks about you yet, you cannot really reject him. You cannot assume anything, but I know many women can detect romantic feelings instantly! At this point, it is a good idea to tell him by describing your relationship towards him. Make sure you thank him first for helping you when you didn’t know anybody in Vancouver. Then gently remind him that you are not interested in a relationship, but you do appreciate his friendship.

You also told me that other classmates hesitate in inviting you for parties. Why don't you ask them first?? You can check a very good website about current Vancouver events at http://www.canadafootprints.com/calendar/month.php. Summer has just started, enjoy the rest of the beautiful beach season."

I would like to read books written by Canadian authors...

2007-06-21T08:04:00.000-07:00

"Dear Ai, I'm studying for IELTS right now. My reading skill is quite bad and I want to improve the skills as quickly as possible. My teacher told me I should read more books. I read many books when I was in Korea, but I don't know which English books are worth reading. I also would like to read books written by Canadian authors. Do you have any recommendations?" Kenny – South Korea

"Hi Kenny, thank you for your e-mail. I am happy to hear that you are interested in reading Canadian books! You need to be patient with yourself because reading skills do not improve dramatically. As your teacher said, I recommend you to read as many books as possible. Also read a variety of books (Science Fiction, Novels, Mystery…etc) and different reading materials (Newspaper, Magazine, Cooking books). You will be surprised to see how much vocabulary you can build. Have fun reading!!"

Excellent Canadian Authors
Atwood, Margaret – “The Edible Woman”
Cohen, Leonard – “Beautiful Losers”, “Suzanne”
Coupland, Douglas – “Girlfriend in a Coma”, “Hey Nostradamus!”
Davies, Robertson
Findley, Timothy
Montgomery, Lucy Maude – “Anne of Green Gables”
Munro, AliceOndaatje, Michael – “The English Patient”

Canadian Magazines
Canadian Geographic
Macleans (http://www.macleans.ca/)
Geist (http://www.geist.com/)
Walrus (http://www.walrusmagazine.com/)

It is hard for me to read newspaper...

2007-06-20T15:00:00.000-07:00

"Dear Ai,
I'm talking a current events class at my school in downtown Vancouver. I wonder why I could get into the class because my classmates are advanced. Our homework is usually to read newspaper everyday. It is hard for me to read newspaper because my reading skill is not really good. I also study at a library till eight o'clock every night, so no time of watching news on TV. Please give me some advice. Thank you." Som - Thailand

"Hi Som. I go to the library quite often and I run into many ESL students studying very hard. I am proud of you. If you already known that your reading skill is not good, then try listening to radio and watching the news on TV. You can approach it in different ways to improve your English skills.

If you miss the news, you can still tune in to Internet news. Many broadcast websites have video clips and a Podcast. You can select the news you want to hear and most importantly, you can repeat the news until you understand it completely!

Global TV (http://www.canada.com/globaltv/bc/index.html)
CBC British Columbia (http://www.cbc.ca/bc/) both Video clips and Radio
CKNW News (http://www.cknw.com/)
News 1130 (http://www.news1130.com/)

What's the Internet situation in Vancouver like??

2007-06-19T20:38:00.000-07:00

"Dear Ai,
I'm thinking of going to Vancouver this summer. It is only a two-week study trip. I'm thinking if I should bring my laptop. What’s the Internet situation in Vancouver like? Is it possible to request Internet option to my Homestay Coordinator?" Takashi – Japan

"Hi, Takashi. The Internet situation in Vancouver is pretty good. Many Homestay families and ESL schools have computers and Internet services to attract more international students. Some ESL schools even have wireless! It is not too strange to ask a Homestay Coordinator to request a Homestay family who has Internet access at home, so I recommend you to tell your Homestay Coordinator.

If you're only staying in Vancouver for two weeks, then you might be okay using Internet at either your school or Homestay family. The Vancouver Public Library also has many computers for public use. Also if you don't mind paying little, you may visit a local Internet café."

Is there any company that you could buy coverage on a yearly basis??

2007-06-18T13:03:00.000-07:00

"Dear Ai, my wife and I like to travel and we travel a lot to Europe and Asia and we do a lot of cruises. Can you suggest or know of a good company that provides Health coverage while traveling out of the U.S ? Is there any company that you could buy coverage on a yearly basis? Thank you" James & Jenny

Hello, James and Jenny. Thank you for your e-mail. I am glad that this question is connected to my last Dear Ai post. Most government health insurance plans will pay only a small portion of expenses if you are sick or injured while outside their country. I see many students cry when they have to pay thousands of dollars a day because they didn’t buy insurance in their country. Some students don't know that they can still buy insurance after they arrive in Canada. It is not too late to consider buying insurance if you stay in Canada or travel inside or outside of Canada.

It seems like both of you have traveled a lot. I am not sure at this point if you are Canadian or American. I deal with students in Canada mostly, so I’m only familiar with Canadian medical systems and health/travel insurance.

If you are Canadian (both International students and Canadian Citizens), TIC Travel Insurance (http://www.travelinsurance.ca/) and Bridges International Insurance Services (http://www.iiacanada.com/) are good insurance companies to deal with. They both have insurance for international students, visitors and Canadians. You can buy insurance by dates up to a year and you can choose a plan according to your needs.

If you are not Canadian, I would recommend you to visit local travel agencies where you usually buy your flight tickets or cruise tickets. I sometimes use “Flight Centre” (http://www.flightcentre.ca/) when I fly to the US and they always ask me if I would like to buy travel insurance. (of course, my answer would be "YES!") You can also visit banks and insurance companies. Also, Bridges International Insurance Services (http://www.iiacanada.com/e/iti.html) have travel insurance for citizens around the world.

Have fun traveling!

Education Minister targets improved literacy rate

2007-06-17T16:53:00.000-07:00

the Globe and Mail article, Education Minister targets improved literacy rate Education Minister targets improved literacy rate

Do you have a good travel option for me??

2007-06-16T10:05:00.000-07:00

“Dear Ai,
I’d like to go to the Rocky Mountains with my friends this summer. Most of them have a driving license from their countries and they are talking about renting a car. But I’m worried about accidents. Also some of my friends don’t have any health insurance. Do you have good travel options for me?” Rose - Taiwan

“Hi, Rose. Thank you for your question. I’m not surprised to hear that some students do not have any health insurance at all. Most of the time, an accident happens when you are not prepared for it. Driving to the Rocky Mountains is do-able, but on your way to the Rockies, there are narrow highways and sometimes animals jump into the road. Drivers probably need to take turns. If you and your friends are driving, then make sure you do not go beyond your limits. If you are tired of driving, ask them to take turns or rest for a while. You might need to book a B & B for a night to recuperate.

If you would like to be free from worrying, then take a train. You can do bus trips this time of year, but I recommend you to take a “Rocky Mountaineer” train.
http://www.rockymountaineer.com/

Be sure to buy travel insurance. You can go to any bank or travel agency to get it. It is very wise to listen to your instinct.

Do you think my English is good enough...

2007-06-15T15:05:00.000-07:00

“Dear Ai,
I’ve lived in Canada for eight months and I just finished school. I’m thinking of going to England because I know a friend who lives there. But I am not sure if they understand my English there. Also, I’ve used up most of my savings during my stay in Canada, so I need to go back to my country to earn some money. Do you think my English is good enough to communicate with anybody in English? Thank you for your advice in advance.” Tomo – Japan

“Hi Tomo, what a wonderful question! There are many English-speaking countries in the world. You had studied English in Canada for a fairly long time, so you won’t have many difficulties expressing yourself in English. Occasionally, you might run into challenges, because not all English-speaking people speak Canadian English. For Example, "pants" as far as us Brits (British people) are concerned are "underpants", not "trousers" at all. I love reading this website to find out different word meanings between American English and British English. Visit http://english2american.com/

Now, it is time for you to explore different accents, people and culture!

If you are low on budget, you might not want to go to the UK because the living fee there is pretty expensive; however, they have beautiful accents and a different culture than Canada or USA. Canadian English is partially influence by British English and as you know, both of our countries have Queen Elizabeth as our queen! If you are not really sure about how they speak, listen to a BBC radio program on the net (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/), watch a film like “Bridget Jones’s Diary” or “Pride and Prejudice” and visit Chris’s website!

More than half of ESL students without specialist teachers

2007-06-14T10:39:00.000-07:00

the Globe and Mail article, More than half of ESL students without specialist teachers More than half of ESL students without specialist teachers

Free ESL Podcast

2007-06-06T07:31:00.000-07:00

Hi "Dear Ai" readers!!

I received an e-mail from Andrew and Addison who run an excellent free ESL podcast. They teach slangs and make studying English more fun! If you would like to listen to something relaxed and find out "the way English is really spoken", visit their website at http://www.china232.com.

TOEFL and English Grammar Books

2007-03-11T10:45:00.000-07:00

"Dear Ai, I'm studying TOEFL to get into a university in Vancouver. I brought some English grammar textbooks from Japan. I finished studying all of them. Do you recommend any English grammar books that I can study? " Michiru - Japan

"Hi Michiru, it is always good to hear of students trying harder. If you have been studying TOEFL for a long time, you probably need at least upper intermediate level books. I have listed both grammar books and TOEFL prep books, so you can study. Good luck!"

Grammar books
-Understanding and Using English Grammar: Workbook by Betty Schrampfer Azar
-Focus on Grammar by Jay Maurer
-Advanced Grammar in Use With answers by Martin Hewings
-Grammar Workbook for the Toefl Exam by Phyllis L. Lim, Mary Kurtin, Laurie Wellman

TOEFL preparation books
-Longman Preparation Course for the Toefl Test: Next Generation (Ibt) by Deborah Phillips
-Power TOEFL Deluxe 5.0 CDROM: For the Computer Based TOEFL by George M. Rooks

Cherry blossom festival in Vancouver

2007-03-08T22:43:00.000-08:00

"Dear Ai, I've heard there is a cherry blossom festival in Vancouver. If so, I would like to go. Do you know where and when it will be held??" Toshi - Japan

"Hi Toshi! The Cherry Blossom Festival is held on March 22nd at the Burrard Skytrain Station (from 12:00-13:30). You can check out more information at http://www.vancouvercherryblossomfestival.com/ Most of the events are free.
When you visit the website, please check Event>Neighborhood Map. Local cherry blossom blooming areas and types of cherry blossom are listed.

If you are looking for interesting events this month, please check EPIC. (Ethical, Progressive, Intelligent Consumer) It is a sustainable living expo - where style meets sustainability and vision meets practice. You can find information about how you can live an environmentally-friendly life. More information: http://www.epicvancouver.com/main.cfm

International students stir the economy

2007-03-05T22:57:00.000-08:00

Vancouver Sun November 14, 2006 article, International students stir the economy

Where can I find unique books??

2007-03-04T18:53:00.000-08:00

"Dear Ai, I would like to read books that local Canadians find interesting. I check Amazon.ca and Chapters quite often, but I would like to find unique books. Do you know where I can find these books?" Stephanie from Taiwan

"Hi Stephanie, thank you for an interesting question! Amazon.ca and Chapters have the bestseller categories you can check. If the book is a bestseller, which means many local Canadians find the book interesting. You can also visit my favourite local bookstores, like "Duthie Books" http://www.duthiebooks.com/ and "Banyen Books & Sound" http://www.banyen.com/ (spiritual books). Both stores are located on West 4th Avenue in Vancouver. They have excellent book choices and these bookstores have never disappointed me. When you go there make sure you check the "Staff Pick" shelf, where the store clerks pick their favourite or recommended books.

Another way to find good books that I use is just asking people. I ask customers who have books with them. Questions like, "Is the book you are reading interesting," or "what is your book about" evoke a conversation. People are happy to be asked because they invest their time to read the book and want to discuss what they have read. It will widen your range of book selections. One of my professors told me that sometimes in job interviews, the interviewer may ask about what books you've read recently to find out if you are willing to upgrade or learn new skills".