Hello from the English Language Program! |
Letter from the Director
Greetings from the English Language Program! This winter has been an incredible term full of new and exciting developments. We welcomed a new staff member, Carolyn Smallwood to our area. She will be working closely with our English for Specific Purposes and ESL Teacher Certificate, International Languages, and Part-time English Language programs. We developed two new programs this term – English for IT Professionals and a part-time ESL Teacher Certificate program as well as made some improvements to our web site including an ELP slide show.
Winter term was also a time when our full-time ELP students took full advantage of Manitoba’s winter wonders with a ski trip to Asessippi and a visit to La Festival du Voyageur. The students are also looking forward to attending the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s Romeo and Juliet in March.
We hope you enjoy the newsletter and please check out our new webpage for updates on our programs for spring.
Tammy Sigurdur
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Your English Language Program Team
Tammy Sigurdur- Director
t.sigurdur@uwinnipeg.ca 204.982.1160
Jessica Burleson- Academic Coordinator
j.burleson@uwinnipeg.ca 204.982.1162
Karin Krueger- Academic Program Assistant
ke.krueger@uwinnipeg.ca 204.982.1163
Wendy Abendschoen- Business and Marketing Manager
w.abendschoen@uwinnipeg.ca 204.982.1171
Carey Roess- Business Program Assistant
c.roess@uwinnipeg.ca 204.982.1703
Adriana Glikman- Student Life Coordinator
a.glikman@uwinnipeg.ca 204.982.6631
Ingrid Willey- Assistant Host Family Coordinator
i.willey@uwinnipeg.ca 204.982.1702
Julie Sakuta- Socio-Cultural & Language Partner Coordinator
j.sakuta@uwinnipeg.ca 204.982.1151
Liz Choi- ESL TCP, International Languages & Part-Time EAL Coordinator
a.choi@uwinnipeg.ca 204.982.1141
Paul Vieira- English for Specific Purposes Coordinator
p.vieira@uwinnipeg.ca 204.982.6636
Carolynn Smallwood- Program Assistant for EAL, TCP, ILP, ESP & Part-time EAL programs
c.smallwood@uwinnipeg.ca 204.982.1816
The ELP department offers a variety of programs:
- Full-time English Language Program
- Part-time English Language classes
- International Languages
- English for Specific Purposes Program
- ESL Teacher Certificate Program
- Customized ESL programs for groups
Please visit http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/index/elp-information for more information or e-mail infoelp@uwinnipeg.ca |
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ESL Teacher Certificate Program (ESL TCP)
The full-time ESL Teacher Certificate program will begin May 19th, 2009. The full-time program fills up quickly. Please call or e-mail for more information. A part time TCP is scheduled start at the same time as the full-time program. There is five year limit for you to complete this program. You can take two terms or five years to complete the program. This is a flexible program to meet your needs.
For general enquiries contact Carolyn Smallwood at 204.982.1816 or c.smallwood@uwinnipeg.ca or Liz Choi, Program Coordinator, at a.choi@uwinnipeg.ca
Visit http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/index/elp-esltcp for more information. |
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Full-time English Language Program (ELP)
The General English Stream
The General English Stream is suitable if you wish to develop your English language skills for personal or professional reasons. Morning classes focus on developing oral fluency as well as grammar, reading, and writing.
In the afternoon, students participate in a variety of seminars such as Business English, TOEFL Preparation, Conversation, Writing, and Listening and Pronunciation. Seminars vary from term to term. Seminars also vary, depending on the student's level of proficiency in English. Classes range from mid-beginner to advanced.
The Academic English Stream
The Academic English Program is suitable if you wish to study at a Canadian or American university or college.
Morning classes emphasize the reading, writing, and discussion skills needed for academic success. Students also practice listening and conversation skills. In the afternoon, students participate in seminars such as TOEFL Preparation and Everyday Conversational English.
Study and basic research skills are also presented and practiced in the academic stream. Students who choose this stream and are in the upper levels of the program will use The University of Winnipeg library for research purposes. Classes range from low-intermediate to advanced.
For more information on the full-time ELP program please visit http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/index/elp-14week or email infoelp@uwinnipeg.ca
Eriko Isobe-Smith, an instructor in the full-time ELP, asked her afternoon students what their most memorable day in Canada was. Haruna Asano and Jinyuan Liu wrote about their experiences below:
“White Canada” by Haruna Asano
| I have never forgotten my first day in Canada and I am sure I will not forget it. April 24, 2008 is the day I landed in Canada for the first time. I was born in Japan. Therefore it was a big decision and challenge for me to stay in a place I didn’t know for exactly one year. Of course going to Canada was exciting and it was a pleasure for me but at the same time there was a different fear in my heart. The flight was on time and the first meeting with my host family at the airport was no problem. Fortunately, my trip was much smoother than I expected. After greeting and introducing each other, the host family led me to the parking lot. When I went out of the airport cold wind and white powder surrounded me. I was really shocked and could not move because I could not believe what I was seeing. It was snowing! In Japan snow in April is quite rare, even in the northern part, so it is very lucky for a Japanese person to see snow in April! |
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Snow in April is called a symbol of a miracle and happiness in a novel which I read a long time ago. Suddenly my anxiety was gone. I thought that my life in Canada would be great because I felt that Canada blessed me and cheered me up by snowing. I will have stayed in Canada for a year this coming April. During my stay in Winnipeg I have had a lot of good experiences and made a lot of good friends. I believe I will treasure this experience forever.
Now I know that snow in April is common in Canada but I believe my stay in Canada started out good because the snowfall that encouraged me when I arrived. April is coming soon; however, I am not afraid to move to another place anymore. I hope it will snow when I leave Canada as it did my first day!
My most memorable day in Canada written by Jinyuan Liu (Danielle)
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I came to Winnipeg in December 2008, the coldest day here. I arrived in a new city with much different weather from my hometown. At first I felt cold and lonely. One day I got rid of all those negative experiences because of a hearty dinner.
I ate dinner in my friend’s house. My friends are Canadians so it was a good chance to try authentic western-style food. We drank soup at first. My friends put some dumplings in it because they knew dumplings are a traditional food in China. They wanted me to feel at home when I ate them. Then we had antipasto, the main course and dessert. Different from Chinese food, western-style food is more ordered, and it also needs more plates! |
I was really touched that night. My friends made all of the food by themselves and it tasted wonderful, especially the dumplings. I knew I was deeply connected and had two very considerate friends. That night I not only enjoyed an abundant meal but we started our abundant friendship.
Below is an article written by Awad Alsheri. Awad is from Saudi Arabia and is a student in the full-time English Language Program. He began his English studies in May of 2008 and is now in Academic 5. When Awad completes Academic 5 his English will be at a high level so that he may apply at an English speaking university. Thank you for contributing this article to the newsletter Awad!
| It's April 2008 and the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Education announces Awad Alsheri as one of the candidates to participate in a scholarship to Canada. I start gathering information about Canada and ask everyone who has experience with Canadian people to describe them to me. Some words they used to describe Canadians were “friendly, polite, and peaceful.” My own experience with Canadian society began the moment when I arrived in Canada in May of 2008. I became very proud of being here and merging with Canadian society.
Canada seems to me is the land where my dreams will be realized. I want to obtain a master’s degree in engineering. In addition, I am also taking advantage of being in Canada to find business opportunities that are available here and are not available in my country and in turn transfer this “know how” knowledge. My government is also looking forward to my return as I will serve my country with the knowledge which I learned in Canada. |
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I have had the opportunity to visit several Canadian provinces and learn about the lives of Canadians and their different cultures. At first I was worried if I would be able to exercise my religion and if there would be any mosques in my new city before I came. I learned after my arrival that Canada is a multicultural country and that Canadian people respect all nationalities and races. Moreover, I am capable to exercise my religion in Islamic centres which are everywhere even within the school.
Finally, my advice to any student in the world has to study abroad to keep in this in mind: Canada is the best land to learn, and live.
For more information on the full-time ELP program please visit http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/index/elp-14week or email infoelp@uwinnipeg.ca
Full-time ELP Socio-Cultural News
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During the winter term the ELP students have been encouraged to experience and enjoy all that Winnipeg has to offer. A typical winter day in Winnipeg has beautiful blue sunny skies and crisp, clean air. This January we traveled to Fort Whyte Alive and had a beautiful sunny day to go snowshoeing, tobogganing, and learn different Inuit games. We also went to La Festival du Voyageur. This festival is among one of Manitoba’s most loved festivals and showcases French-Canadian culture. Students traveled through Fort Gibraltar and saw items the Northwest Trading Company would have traded in the early 1800’s such as furs, metals, tea, and wood materials. The snow sculptures at the festival are always impressive to see as well. Some students tried “snow taffy”. It is maple syrup poured over snow and then rolled into a frozen lollipop had some people wanting to go back for more and is a wonderfully sweet treat! |
For the first time full-time ELP students had the opportunity to go skiing over the mid-term break. Twenty-three students and two staff took a chartered coach bus to the beautiful Asessippi ski hills (www.asessippi.com). Leaving early on Tuesday we had plenty of time to enjoy skiing or snowboarding in the afternoon. On Wednesday students enjoyed a full day of skiing or snowboarding. There were a lot of laughs and good times had. It was the first time that many of the students have ever skied or snowboarded. Stay tuned to hear about a spring break trip!
On March 13th over 90 students will be attending the Royal Winnipeg Ballet (RWB). The ballet is Romeo and Juliet and should be absolutely phenomenal! www.rbw.org The ballet is an event not to be missed by local Winnipeggers or students studying or visiting the city. Read the article below “Did you know?” to find out more about the RWB.
Another event planned for this term is to watch a Manitoba Moose hockey game. www.moosehockey.com During summer months we watch a Goldeyes baseball game, in the fall we watch The Winnipeg Blue Bombers play, and in the winter we enjoy a hockey game. The hockey game we are attending is on March 26th and will be a special night as fans will enjoy multicultural performances and music from around the world.
Winter in and around Winnipeg has many different activities that students can enjoy including skiing, tobogganing, hockey, snowshoeing, and skating! |
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ELP on Facebook
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Adama Diop, a current ELP student, has created an ELP site on facebook called “ELP (University of Winnipeg)”. If you are not already a member of this group you should be! There are photos updated regularly and you can keep in touch with old friends.
Check it out! You might be surprised to see someone on there that you haven’t talked to you in a while. |
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Homestay Program
Home sweet home can also exist far from your home! At The University of Winnipeg homestay is more than a just place to stay; students become part of a family. A host family’s support is an important resource for international students.
The homestay program is a beneficial learning experience which gives you an opportunity to use the tools you learn in class to interact in a friendly and natural English environment. We believe that there is no better way to learn English than living with a Canadian family.
In addition to receiving a quality education, the key to a complete and successful immersion in the English culture and language also involves your home life. It will help you to adjust quickly and provide you with a better understanding of Canadian culture. Students and families often develop very close and long lasting friendships.
Being part of the homestay program means that you are a part of a family. You will have the chance to be involved in everyday routines and experience Canadian life in a natural and relaxed setting.
Below is a testimonial from Laurette, a host mother, that we would like to share with you:
“Students have been a source of great joy for me, and I have loved my role of “Nana” for 11 years. There are numerous fond memories of the many that have passed through my home. We have shared laughter and tears, and all have a place in my heart. No matter the politics and cultural backgrounds, my home is declared Switzerland where all are treated with respect.
Language issues are often a source of humour to both students and me. Late one night I was trying to discourage a young female student to take a bus…Only when she spelled it I realized she wanted to take a bath!!!
Even when they may move on to share an apartment with other students; they know that that Nana’s home [and kitchen] are always open. I remember the day my husband invited one former student for Sunday supper, stating he looked hungry and communal living was not all he expected…Sunday night, the door flew open with a loud cry of “Home Sweet Home”.
Students generally adapt quickly to a different lifestyle, even the young student who wanted to know where the maid was to make his bed…He never did find her!!!
My greatest compliment from the family is when they insist that the student’s siblings can study in Canada, but only if they stay at my home. As much as I try to provide a good experience for the students, I do not know if they realize how much they have given to me.”
For more information or if you have any questions please contact Adriana or Ingrid.
Visit www.uwinnipeg.ca/index/elp-homestay to read more! |
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Language Partner Program
It is so rewarding to read responses from Language Partners. Below are some recent emails received from Language Partner volunteers:
| “Things are going very well so far! We are connecting fine and have met a few times already. We have gone out for supper, got bubble tea, looked up airline flights for his trip home on his next break, and looked at pictures and information of his home city and province online. We are also planning to try and find some unique Canadian foods or dishes.” |
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“I am very happy that Jae Rim is my language partner! So far we've met at Starbucks. I had a great time chatting with her. I like to think we hit it off right away :) It's really easy and comfortable talking to her. And she seems so excited and eager to enjoy everything about her experience here in Winnipeg. We were laughing about the many things we had in common, like being 'tomboys', running, even wearing unisex, chunky watches, and of course, our love for food and eating.”
“I'm enjoying our discussions which have included history, culture, current affairs, the Internet, geography, travel and family. My language partner has a good sense of humour and he seems to have little trouble expressing himself in English. If time allows, we might soon branch out to other locations or additional activities.”
“Things are going great!! Hikaru is absolutely adorable and I couldn't have asked for a sweeter person to spend some time with! So far we have gone for coffee, shopped at the Forks, and went for sushi! Next Monday we are heading to St. Vital to do a little shopping and catch a movie so we are really looking forward to that!
I am really glad I took advantage of this opportunity!”
If YOU would like to be a language partner or know someone who would please contact j.sakuta@uwinnipeg.ca or 204.982.1151 or visit http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/index/elp-partner |
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The English for Specific Purposes (ESP) Program
The landscape of immigration to Canada is changing. Every year the number of skilled professionals immigrating to this country increases. Manitoba has identified immigration as a cornerstone of our economic and social development. Internationally trained workers are an important source of talent to fill our province's shortage of skilled labour.
To help facilitate the integration of internationally educated professionals (IEP’s) into Manitoba’s professional workforce, The University of Winnipeg, in partnership with Manitoba Labour and Immigration, has established The English for Specific Purposes (ESP) Program.
The ESP Program is an enhanced English language program designed to provide IEP’s with exposure to the Canadian professional context and field specific language communication training in order to best use their technical expertise in their new country. Currently, we offer programs for those with a background in:
- Accounting
- Agrology
- Education
- Engineering
- Information and Communication Technology
- Teaching
In addition to these professional language programs, we also offer English for Academic Purposes for newcomers who wish to attend The University of Winnipeg. The University of Winnipeg is committed to excellence in post-secondary education through undergraduate and selected graduate programs, rooted in the liberal arts and culminating in degrees such as those in Arts, Science, Education, and Theology.
The University views both accessibility and excellence as important goals, and will endeavour to make the University as accessible as possible while maintaining high standards of quality in its academic programs.
For general enquiries contact Carolynn Smallwood, Program Assistant, at 204.982.1816 or c.smallwood@uwinnipeg.ca or contact Paul Vieira, Program Coordinator, at p.vieira@uwinnipeg.ca or 204.982.6636. |
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Part-Time English Language Program (EAL)
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The next session starts the week of April 13th, 2009. If you are an EAL (ESL) student and are looking for extra help in English please check out part-time EAL courses. We now offer classes for EAL University students as well. Our classes include grammar, writing, public speaking, and much more. |
Visit http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/index/elp-pt-esl for more information.
Contact information: Carolynn Smallwood, Program Assistant, at 204.982.1816 or c.smallwood@uwinnipeg.ca or Liz Choi, Program Coordinator, at 204.982.1141 or a.choi@uwinnipeg.ca |
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International Languages Program (ILP)
| Next session starts the week of April 13th, 2009. We have recently added a new language to our program. Hindi levels 1 and 2 will be offered in Spring of 2009. ILP classes are not counted towards credit, and it is open to anyone. If you are interested in learning a different language and do not want to worry about your GPA, ILP is the right program for you to join! |
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Visit http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/index/dce-languages to read more.
Contact information: For general enquiries please contact Carolynn Smallwood, Program Assistant, at 204.982.1816 or c.smallwood@uwinnipeg.ca or Liz Choi, Program Coordinator, at 204.982.1141 or a.choi@uwinnipeg.ca |
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Did you know?
by Carey Roess
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The Royal Winnipeg Ballet (RWB)
The Royal Winnipeg Ballet is Canada’s oldest and premier ballet company, and is the longest continuously operating ballet company in North America. Founded in 1939, the Company did not receive its royal title until 1953, the first one bestowed under the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. The RWB is internationally renowned and has garnered critical acclaim, spending more than 20 weeks a year on the road and presenting more than 100 performances each year. The RWB is also known for a few famous ‘firsts’: they were the first western company to perform in Cuba after the revolution; and in 1968 they were the first Canadian company to tour Russia and Czechoslovakia. Fall in love again for the first time with Romeo and Juliet on March 13th and consider yourselves lucky to be given the “royal” treatment. |
IMAX
Ever wonder how you feel that you are right in the middle of the action when watching an IMAX movie? The trained professionals in the IMAX projection booth take great pains to do just that. They use the largest film stock commercially produced; a frame size that is ten times that of the standard film; and a lamp that is so bright that if you were to place it on the moon it could be seen from Earth without a telescope! All this together with a screen size that measures over a 1,000 square feet tricks you into thinking that you are moving along with the action when you are really sitting still in your seats. Full-time ELP students can get ready for an African adventure on March 6th. Sit back and enjoy the ride!
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Sudoku
Sudoku is easy to play and the rules are simple. Fill in the blanks so that each row, each column, and each of the nine 3x3 grids contain one instance of each of the numbers 1 through 9.
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Yakiudon Recipe (Japanese main dish)
Yakiudon is a fried udon noodle with sauce and various ingredients. It's similar to yakisoba, and boiled udon noodles are used. Yakiudon is a quick dish to make with something you have in the fridge. Dried udon noodles or packages of boiled udon noodles are available at Asian grocery stores.
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 14 oz. dried udon noodles, or 4 servings boiled udon noodles (7oz./serving)
- 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1/4 lb. boneless pork rib or boneless beef rib, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup peeled and thinly sliced carrots
- 2 green bell peppers
- 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup bean sprouts
- 4 leaves green head cabbage, chopped
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper
- Beni-shoga* (pickled red ginger) for garnish
- Katsuobushi* (dried bonito flakes) for garnish
- *These are available in packages at Asian grocery stores
Preparation
Boil dried udon noodles, following the package instructions. Drain boiled udon noodles in a colander and set aside. If you use packages of boiled udon noodles, lightly wash the udon and drain in a colander. Heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Stir-fry meat in the skillet until almost cooked. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper to season. Add green bell peppers, carrots, and onion in the skillet, and stir-fry for a couple of minutes. Add bean sprouts and cabbage, and stir-fry for a minute. Add udon noodles and stir-fry for a few minutes. Pour Worcestershire sauce over the ingredients. Stir well. Divide yakiudon among four plates. Sprinkle with some beni-shoga and katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) on top just before serving. |
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We hope you have enjoyed reading our e-newsletter.
If you have an article or story you would like to share with us please email j.sakuta@uwinnipeg.ca
Thank-you!
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