Greetings!

The July 15th deadline for the ESL Week contest is fast approaching. With less than a month to go, we are pleased to note that we have already received a number of entries.

If you haven't already done so, we encourage you and your learners to submit your entries for your chance to win one of two $250 grand prizes.

Incorporate the ESL Week contest in your classroom

• Have your students create a group entry in the photo collage category by taking several photos of a 'day in the life' of an ESL learning centre or ESL classroom and creating a collage.
• Set up a classroom blog and encourage each of the students from your class to write an entry and submit the blog as a group entry for the contest.
• Encourage your students tell their personal language learning stories in poetry, short story or essay format.
• Have your students try their hand at photography, have them take a photo that they feel depicts learning a new language.
• Allow students to create a mock newscast in your classroom and submit the newscast as an group entry for the contest.

Instructor/administrator activity ideas

• Create a group blog with your colleagues about teaching ESL with shared lesson plan ideas or teaching strategies.
• Write an essay, short story, or poem about what you love about your profession.
• Create a photo collage that depicts language teaching / learning
• Create a 'how to' video with lesson plans, teaching strategies or classroom activities.

View the contest activities document for more ideas and complete list of contest categories.

Summer projects

Unable to provide classroom time for ESL Week projects? Supply your students with printouts of the contest activities and guidelines and encourage them to work on their projects during the first couple of weeks of the summer holidays for submission for the July 15th deadline.

The ESL Week contest is a great way to show your support of the language learning community. The contest provides TESL Ontario with an opportunity to bring the importance of English language instruction and learning into the spotlight, by showcasing the talents of everyone involved with ESL education in Ontario, and at the same time providing unique works of art and literature related to language learning in Ontario.

The final deadline for contest submissions is July 15, 2012. Please carefully review the contest entry guidelines prior to beginning work on your submission to ensure that your entry meets all of the contest requirements.

For complete details about the 2012 ESL Week Contest and entry guidelines please visit our website at: http://www.teslontario.net/esl-week

Show your support of ESL Week (November 4 - 10, 2012) download our poster!

Download you copy of the ESL Week poster today to display in your learning centres, schools, classrooms and staff rooms.

ESL Week Classroom Activities Ideas

How do you plan to celebrate ESL Week (November 4 - 10, 2012) this year?

A list of ESL Week activity ideas has been posted on the ESL Week webpage to give instructors, organizers and learners some ideas of how you can celebrate ESL Week this year. Choose from our list of suggestions or come up with your own ideas!

Best Regards,

Allison Keown

Member Services Manager

TESL Ontario