The KGIC Alumni Society Newsletter

Your Success is KGIC's Success!!!backtotopOctober/2010
In This Issue
English Refresher
Last Minute Halloween Costumes
Victoria Teacher Feature
Real Practice with Real English
Working Towards Success with ELEP
Quick Links

English Refresher
Keeping Learning Alive! 
_____________________
Quote

When black cats prowl and pumpkins gleam,
May luck be yours on Halloween.

~Author Unknown

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Joke
 

Q: Why don't skeletons ever go out on the town?

A: Because they don't have any body to go out with.
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Proverb

Moderation in all things
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Phrases/Idioms

Dead on one's feet- To feel extremely tired while doing something.
"By the end of the day the teacher was dead on her feet."
 
Dead set against something - to be totally opposed to something.
"Students were dead set against the idea of studying seven days a week."
 
A Devil may care attitude - to be very casual and/or even reckless in thinking and action.
"Janet had a Devil may care attitude about her grammar class and as a result performed rather poorly on the test."
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Vocabulary 

Motto (noun) - a sentence, phrase, or word expressing the spirit or purpose of a person, organization, city, etc.
"Kevin's motto is any day you can learn something new is a good day." 
 
Bangs (noun) -a fringe of hair combed or brushed forward over the forehead. 
"Yuna's bangs had grown so long that they covered her eyes."
 
To sink in (phrasal verb) - to become known or understood. 
"It took getting a red card before KGIC's English only policy really sunk in with Carlos."
 

Last Minute Halloween Costumes

Are you struggling to think of a good costume for Halloween this year?  To help you out teachers from our campuses across Canada have come together with an excellent list of last minute costume ideas just for you. 

In the spirit of Halloween 

KGIBC-CTC

 

Mess up your hair and clothes and go as your mug shot.

Cathy Collis

 

Wear a white piece of poster board with a hole cut out for your face and write "BOOK" on your face.  You are facebook and people can write on your wall (the white piece of poster board).

Sweeny Main

 

Wear a bathrobe, slippers and wrap a towel around your head and go as someone who just got out of the shower.

Dena

 

Get a basket of food and a red jacket with a hood and go as little red riding hood.

Gabriella

 

Wear a lot of purple balloons and go as a bunch of grapes.

Richard Vanden Bosch

 

KGIC Vancouver

 

If you are a woman, wear a man's suit, draw a beard on your face and go as a man.

Jami Jasper

 

Wrap yourself in tinfoil and go as the tin man.

Amy Bylhouwer

 

Wear all gold and carry a shovel.  You are a gold digger.

Sarah Dawn Etherington

 

KGIC Surrey

 

Wear a white sheet with holes in it and go as a ghost.

Corrie Klassen

 

Wear a red T-shirt, and on top of that wear a white shirt that has been cut up into strips, so that the strips are just hanging down loosely. Then tape two brown balls to your stomach, and go as Spaghetti and meat balls.

Joshua Kloke

 

Attach a light bulb to a hat, so that it hangs over your head, and go as a Good Idea.

Darryl Busink

Halloween in Victoria 

KGIC Victoria

 

David - a ghost (white bed sheet, black eye make-up)

Katie - a farmer (jeans, plaid shirt, straw hat, boots)

Sheila - surfer girl (sarong, tank top, flip-flops, bronzer)

Angie - cowgirl (jean skirt, paid shirt, cowboy hat, tall boots)

Laura - tourist (Hawaiian shirt, khakis, camera, map)

Lisa - fairy (wings and a cute dress)

Jacquelyn - baby (pajamas, pigtails, freckles, slippers)

 

KGIC Toronto

 

Tickled Pink-This expression means that you feel flattered or pleased with yourself.  Dress head to toe in pink clothes and wear a pink wig.

 

Feeling Blue-This expression means that you are sad or depressed.  Dress head to toe in blue and wear a blue wig. You must also add tear drops to your face to show how sad you are.

 

Babe or Chick Magnet - This is a guy who attracts women because he is so irresistible.  Wear all black and attach small dolls to your shirt. Safety pins usually work.

Jane Lockhart

 

Serial Killer- Wear all black, cereal box necklace and carry a knife

Mayumi Evangelista.

Greetings!

October is a month in which Canadians sit down and give thanks.  There is much to be thankful this year at KGIC, not the least of which is the ever growing success of our students.

As KGIC teachers in Canada find themselves full of turkey and enjoying leftovers until Halloween, our friends in Boston still have to wait another month before they can sit down and celebrate with their loved ones.

KGIC students in the spirit of HalloweenOn both sides of the border however preparations for Halloween are in full swing. For students who have been lucky enough to study at KGIC during the month of October know, Halloween is a big deal on campus.  There is no shortage of great activities the students will enjoy this month such as pumpkin carving, haunted houses, and ghost trains.  Friday, Ocotber 29th will be the KGIC Halloween costume contest.  Make sure you check out our Facebook page to see photos of this years Halloween or to look at costumes from last year.

Have a safe and happy Halloween!

We love to hear your stories and updates and would love to hear about the success you are experiencing.  If you would like to contribute to your Alumni newsletter or just say "Hello" send an e-mail to the Alumni Society any time to alumni@kgic.ca.  
 
Sincerely,
 
Your KGIC Alumni Society
KGIC Education Group

Victoria Teacher Feature: Penny Huang
 

Penny has developed quite a following over the past year at KGIC Victoria.  Students love her fun-loving attitude and commitment to teaching practical English skills. Penny was kind enough tao answer a few questions and tell us a bit about her life and experinces as a teacher.

Penny Huang, KGIC Victoria
Penny is at the centre of attention of all her students

Q: What part of teaching do you enjoy most?

A: When I see students making great improvements, especially when they go from zero to AMAZING!

 

Q: When did you start teaching English?

A: I started teaching English 12 years ago in Taiwan.

 

Q: What's your favorite class to teach?

A: I like teaching grammar because it the foundation of the English language. Without knowing proper grammar, students cannot improve their English.

 

Q: What is the best study tip?

A: Don't be afraid - take any chance you can get to speak English.

 

Q: If you were not a teacher, what would you be?

A:  I would be a human resources consultant.

 

Q: Which country would you like to visit?

A: I would love to go to Brazil in 2014 to watch the World Cup.

 

Q: What do you do on weekends?

A:  I usually do outdoor activities and go on weekend trips.  I like hiking and biking - any activity that is not at home!

 

Q: What food do you like?

A: I love chocolate.

 

Q: What is your motto?

A: Never say never!

 

Q: What are you going to be for Halloween?

A: I'll probably borrow some clothes from my husband and go as a soccer player.

 

Back To Top

Real Practice with Real English
 

It's great to learn English in the classroom.  It's a safe environment where everyone is understanding and your teacher can give you valuable feedback about your pronunciation, word stress, and grammar.  Of course on of the downsides of the classroom is that it is safe.  It's great to test and push yourself in class, but how will this work in the real world.  As students who have spent any time in Canada know, it's through real world experience that all that hard work in class can sink in.  Getting out and trying to use your English in real world situations is great exercise for you're your language skills.  Here are a few real world practice exercises courtesy of one of our star PMM teachers, Jillian Evin-Davis.

 

Be a Vegetarian for a Day

 

Go to a western style restaurant for a meal.  Explain to your server that you are a vegetarian and ask if they have any suggestions for you.  Listen carefully to your server and take note of any words or expressions he or she uses to look up later.

 

Buy a Book

 

Go to a used bookstore and read the back of at least five books and try to find one that interests you.  Then talk to the store clerk and ask him or her if they can recommend any books to you. Make sure to explain to the clerk about what your interests are.  If you aren't sure how to explain your interest choose a specific type of book first such as a book on cooking, travel, science fiction, romance, etc. and ask him or her to recommend a book in that specific genre.

 

Get a Hair Cut

 

Spend some time looking though some fashion magazines and thinking about what style of haircut you would like.  Think about how you can explain this to a hairstylist. Some common expression you might use are: "Just a trim."; "I'd like it short in the back, but long on top."; "I'd like it cleaned-up, but keep the length."; "Just remove the split-ends"; or "Please trim my bangs". You can also ask your hairstylist for any suggestions about your hair or how to care for it.  Hairstylists are often very sociable people so along with practicing haircut expressions you can often practice conversation with your hairstylist as well.


Working Towards Success with ELEP
KGIC Vancouver Student: Volkan

 

ELEP student, VolkanOver the years KGIC has seen several successful students pass through our hallways.  We are often impressed with the drive and ambition these students have when they arrive in Canada.  One of our more popular programs that allows students to make the most of their time in Canada is our English Language Experience Program (ELEP). 

 

This course allows students to study ESL or any other program KGIC offers for a period of time and for them to gain Canadian work experience where they can practice their language skills.  These jobs are often in the service industry that requires students to spend a lot of time working with other Canadians and chances to use English in the real world while dealing with the public.

 

This month the Alumni Society sat down and spoke with one of the ELEP students from KGIC's Vancouver campus as he begins the beginning of his work experience.  Turkish student Volkan arrived in Canada in March. After completing a Master's degree in Turkey and working as a Sales Planning Specialist for a major dairy company, Volkan decided that he would come to Canada to improve his language skills to help him find advance in his career.  One of his co-workers studied at KGIC in 2008 and recommended he study at KGIC and take the ELEP program.

 

Having just finished the ESL portion of his program Volkan has not had much time to look for work.  Still he managed to find himself a position working at a local pizza restaurant, though he is still actively looking for other work experience opportunities.  He said that one of the biggest challenges he has faced as he starts his work search is the realization that it is difficult to find a company that accepts his Turkish experience and education.  Still he has found working in the service industry to be quite rewarding and a good chance for him to practice his English skills.

 

Volkan told us that he has found his co-workers to be very helpful and supportive, especially when he talks with customers in English either on the phone or in person.  He said that it has been a good chance for him to learn natural language and expressions and has especially enjoyed learning some of the colourful language that is not taught in a school environment and can only be learned from experience in the real world.  He has also enjoyed working with Canadians while sharing culture and learning about each other.

 

Over the next six months Volkan plans to spend thinking about his future.  After completing his program he is considering either going to the USA to take a certificate in Project Management or to return to Turkey to work in a management or supervisor position. We wish Volkan a world of success as he experiences the Canadian work life.


 

 
Here at KGIC we appreciate all our Alumni Society members and hope that you enjoy the information and updates offered in our newsletter.  Please feel free to forward this e-mail to a friend and invite them to sign up for future updates.  If you are not on our mailing list and would like to receive our monthly newsletter click on "Join our Mailing List" at the bottom left of this page or visit www.kgic.ca and click on the "Sign Up For the Alumni Society Newsletter" button.
 
If you missed a past issue of the KGIC Mosaic visit the KGIC Newsletter Archives.  Here you can read past issues of our Alumni Society Newsletter. 
 
Sincerely,
 

Your Alumni Society
King George International College 
 
King George International College
201-1400 Robson Street
Vancouver, BC V5K6H6