Writing Topic #6

Hello 400's,

This is your last writing topic! So make sure that its good :)

Focus: Descriptive Writing. Choose one of the following topics to describe. Be sure to consider your five senses, specifically sight, hear, taste, touch, and smell.

Describe a famous park or recreation area in your home country.
Describe an interesting neighbor you have had.
Describe something you could never give away.
Describe a place you will never forget.
Describe a sporting event you attended recently.
Describe a memorable birthday celebration.
Describe a place you go for recreation or exercise.
Describe your childhood home.
Describe someone you respect deeply.
Describe the nightlife in a city you are familiar with.

Writing Topic #5

This weekend I went to my friend's wedding on Saturday, April 14th, 2012. It was a very special event and I had so much fun. Her decorations were beautiful. She had many flowers and candles which made it feel very romantic. I am so happy for her and I wish her all the best with her new husband.

In Canada, it is common to have two parts to your wedding, specifically a ceremony and a reception.

A ceremony can take place anywhere, but it is common to have the ceremony in a church. Inside the church it is common to have two sides of chairs or pews (benches inside a church) The left side is for the bride's family and friends and the right side is for the groom's family and friends. Often a ceremony will start with the groom's friends (called groomsmen) walking down the church aisle ( a walkway between or along sections of seats)and then the groom walks down the aisle. Next, the bride's friends (called bridesmaids) will walk down the aisle and the bride is last. The bride can choose to walk alone, with her father, with her mother, with both parents, basically anything she wants! It is most common to have the bride's father walk her down the aisle. Once everyone is inside the church, the ceremony begins. Usually, the pastor/priest/ justice of the peace will speak about the meaning of the ceremony and marriage. Also, some people choose to have one of their friend's read a special poem or sing a song. And of course the bride and groom exchange vows. These are promises that the couple makes to each other. When the ceremony is finished, the bride and groom seal their promises with a kiss! It is very romantic and a special time.

After the ceremony, the guests of the wedding go to the reception. The reception can also be anywhere the couple likes. The most common location for a reception is a hotel. At the reception, people eat dinner, drink alcohol, dance and of course listen to many speeches! It is common for the parents of the bride and groom to make a speech. Also the bride's best friend (maid of honour) and the groom's best friend (best man) will make a speech. Of course, the bride and groom usually give their speech last thanking everyone for their help and for coming to their wedding. A new trend a wedding is to have a slide show presentation. This includes pictures of the bride and groom growing up and there is usually music to go along with the pictures. This is my favourite part of the wedding since I love pictures so much! Many weddings have free alcohol for their guests and a great dance party. Dancing is also a very fun and exciting part of any wedding.

I hope you have enjoyed reading about Canadian weddings but please remember, this is just my opinion. Many people will do different things and have different ideas for what they would like for their wedding. I have simply given you some information about what is most common based on the weddings I have been to.

I would be interested to know about wedding traditions in your own country.

Writing Topic #4

Hello 400 students!

Now that our friend in level 450 have returned to Japan, we are now only a level 400 class.

Here is your writing focus for this week: Process Analysis Writing.

This means, you will practice writing instructions to tell or inform someone how to do something.

Please choose one of the following topics for this week's writing practice.

1.How to lose weight without losing your mind
2.How to choose a major
3.How to find the perfect roommate
4.How to succeed in university
5.How to plan the perfect party
6.How to survive a night of babysitting
7.How to housebreak your dog
8.How to kick a bad habit
9.How to rent your first apartment
10.How to enjoy the weekend for under $20
11.How to keep peace with a spouse or a roommate
12.How to bathe a cat
13.How to develop self-confidence
14.How to use Facebook
15.How to build a great music collection--cheaply and legally
16.How to get along with an instructor without sucking up
17.How to give yourself a haircut
18.How to plan the perfect class schedule
19.How to end a relationship
20.How to save money while saving the environment

Philadelphia

Greetings from Philadelphia!


Here is a brief summary of my experiences from the trip I recently took to Philadelphia for the 2012 TESOL Conference.

Tuesday

Today I spent most of the day travelling! My first flight left Winnipeg at around 8:30am and was just over two hours long. Thankfully, I was able to watch a movie to help the time pass. I watched, “New Years Eve” which is a romantic comedy that has about 10 different stories that are all connected into one story about what people in New York City do for New Years. After a brief stop in the Toronto airport I was off to Philadelphia. This flight was a lot shorter so I just read a magazine and listened to some music. After arriving at my hotel and unpacking my things, I met my director and co-worker for an Italian dinner. The food was fabulous! And the company was great too :)

Wednesday

Today was my first day at the conference and I have learned so much already. The course I took today focused on how to teach pronunciation. There were three different presenters including the author of the textbook we often use an IEP titled, "Well Said". Most of the presentation focused on the theory behind pronunciation instead of practical activities within the classroom. As a teacher I always need to think about both the theory and practice so this was a great reminder.

Some fun activities I did today include going to Starbucks, walking the streets of Philadelphia, and some shopping as well! Included is a picture of my Philadelphia Starbucks mug. Whenever I travel I buy 1 Starbucks mug from the city and add it to my collection! This is my favourite souvenir. My hotel room is clean, comfortable, and is a very nice place to come home to at the end of the day to relax and prepare for my next session.

Thursday

Today I went to many different sessions about teaching English to international students. In the morning I went to a session about Grammar Games and Business English Communication skills. In the afternoon I learned about icebreaker games to use on the first day of class to help build community and make students feel more comfortable. I also attended a session about a program that allows students to write about an interesting or exciting experience and then the computer program will animate your story for you with sound, text and images. It looked very interesting! I hope that in the future I can teach a writing course where I could use some of these ideas.

In the evening, I went on a walk around the city to explore some of the beautiful architecture! I felt as though I was in a European city. Here is a picture of Philadelphia's city hall.





Friday

Today was the final day of the conference. There were so many interesting sessions that it was hard to choose which ones I wanted to attend. I decided to go to a workshop on different activities to use in the classroom to help students with academic writing and also an interactive workshop demonstrating how to use cell phones within the classroom! Texting your friends and speaking in your first language were NOT on the list! Instead, the presenter showed teachers different programs, applications and uses for a cell phone within an English classroom. I found this presentation very interesting especially because students often want to use their cell phone in the classroom. In the afternoon I chose to attend three sessions which were: understanding verb forms, helping students increase their listening comprehension using the website “TedTalks”, and how to use word cards to help increase vocabulary in the classroom. It was a very full day with lots of information!

After my sessions were done I decided to go on a bus tour to see all of the famous sights in Philadelphia. This bus had 21 different stops and it allowed passengers to hop off the bus at any of the stops, walk around, explore the location and then in 30 minutes a different bus would pick you up. Since it was later in the day and I was somewhat tired, I decided to just relax and stay on the bus for the entire tour. The city of Philadelphia has a great history and I was very lucky to experience everything this city had to offer.

Of course, I could not go to Philadelphia without trying the famous, “Cheese Steaks”. My boss was kind enough to let me borrow her travel guide so I picked one of the top restaurants that served Philly cheese steaks to try. I walked about 10-12 blocks from my hotel down a beautiful, historic street called, “Pine Street” and then came to “Jim’s Steaks”. I had to stand in line for about 45 minutes before I was served but it was well worth the wait! The cheese steak was amazing! It is definitely not something I could eat every day since it was very greasy, but I enjoyed the treat very much!




I spent the rest of the evening walking around the city and experiencing the rich culture that Philadelphia had to offer. I had also read that there was an excellent ice cream shop close to my hotel so I couldn’t resist! After a lot of walking I finally crashed in my hotel room and packed my luggage for my trip back to Winnipeg.

Thank you Philadelphia for a wonderful experience. The food, architecture, shopping and friendly people were incredible. I would highly recommend this city to anyone who is interested :)

Writing Topic #3: Compare and Contrast

Hello students!

This week I would like you to practice your compare and contrast writing skills.

Please choose one of the following topics below to write about:

1. Two places you have visited
2. Two fast-food restaurants
3. Two pets in the same household
4. The rules set for you as a child and the rules you plan to set for your own children.
5. Two professional athletes
6. Two ways to break a bad habit
7. A real vacation and a dream vacation
8. A good boss and a bad boss
9. Two video games
10. Two ways of studying for an exam
11. Two sports fans
12. Two memorable teachers or professors
13. Two workplaces
14. Two coffee shops
15. Infatuation versus love
16. Two close friends
17. Living on campus and living off campus

Spring 1: 2012 Writing Topic #2

Hello 400/450 students,

This week I would like you to practise your opinion writing skills.

Please be sure to carefully plan and outline what you want to say in your opinion writing piece before you start writing. This will help you sound professional and convincing.

Here are some topics to help you get started. Please choose one of the following:

What is your opinion about cellular phones?

What is your opinion about women in the military?

What is your opinion about violence on television?

What is your opinion about adults living with their parents?

What is your opinion about arranged marriages?

What is your opinion about the welfare system?

What is your opinion about Facebook?

What is your opinion about recycling?

Happy Writing :)

Ashley

Spring 1: Writing Topic #1

This week I would like you to practice narration writing. This means writing that tells a story from your point of view.

What should you include in your narration? It's always effective to begin by identifying the who, what, when, where, why and how. However, some writers get carried away and end up including too many details to suit their readers. Instead of overcrowding your narrative with details, decide which ones are vital to your story, which ones should you put major emphasis on, and which ones are minor but significant details.

Here are some topics to help get you started. Please choose only one to write about.

- Tell about a recent interview.
- Tell about a time when you lost something.
- Tell about one of your fondest childhood memories.
- Tell about a time when you lied to your parents, boss, or teacher.
- Tell about a time when you were treated unfairly.
- Briefly tell about a movie you saw recently.
- Tell about something you made
- Tell about something you wish had never happened.

Welcome to Spring 1 Session :D

Welcome new students!

Welcome back former students!

I hope that you are excited about creating your own blog. I believe that this will be an excellent opportunity for us to share our experiences and writing in a fun and dynamic setting. Also, reading and learning from others is very important too.

Just a reminder that each week you need to have two posts completed by Sunday evening at 11pm. One post can be any writing topic of your choice and I will choose the second writing topic.

I look forward to reading your writing.

Happy writing :)

Ashley

Writing Topic #5: Decriptive Writing

Hello ladies!

This week I would like you to continue to practice your descriptive writing skills. I would like you to focus on adding adjectives and adverbs to describe what you are writing about. Remember to include things such as what you would see, hear, taste, feel and smell.

Also, I will be checking your writing for ARTICLES! Be sure to edit your own writing and look for whether you used "a", "an", "some" and "the" correctly.

Please choose one of the following topics listed below for your post:

Describe a famous park or recreation area in your home country.

Describe something you could never give away.

Describe a place you will never forget.

Describe a sporting event you attended recently.

Describe a memorable birthday celebration.

Describe a place you go for recreation or exercise.

Describe your childhood home.

Describe someone you respect deeply.

Describe the nightlife in a city you are familiar with.

Happy writing :)

Ashley

Writing Topic #4

Hello 400 writers!

Your writing topic this week is a little different. The University of Manitoba newspaper would like to publish some of your writing. They would like you to describe your life in Winnipeg, such as your daily routine, your IEP classes, your residence or homestay, IEP activities and so on. Also, they would like you to write about things that you have noticed in Winnipeg and at the University of Manitoba that are different to you. Therefore, it would be a good idea to compare and contrast Winnipeg and your home city and University of Manitoba and your home university.

PLEASE CHECK YOUR GRAMMAR AND SPELLING BEFORE POSTING! You can check your spelling by clicking on the ABC button after you have finished typing. This will highlight any words that are not spelled correctly.

Next week, Colin will read your blog posts and choose which ones he will submit to the newspaper.

If you need help with anything, please let me know!

Happy Writing :)

Weddings in -------

Writing Topic #3

Please describe wedding customs and traditions in your home country. Consider the different parts of the wedding such as the ceremony and reception, the clothes, food, people and of course cultural traditions.

Weddings in Canada

Recently, I went to a special show in Winnipeg called, "The Wonderful Wedding Show". I went to this event because one of my best friend's in Winnipeg is getting married in August. At this show they have many different tables with people and services you can hire for your wedding such as photographers, invitations, cake, videographers, florists, and so on. The show was VERY big! There were two floors filled with different ideas for your wedding.

In Canada, it is common to have two parts to your wedding, specifically a ceremony and a reception.

A ceremony can take place anywhere, but it is common to have the ceremony in a church. Inside the church it is common to have two sides of chairs or pews (benches inside a church) The left side is for the bride's family and friends and the right side is for the groom's family and friends. Often a ceremony will start with the groom's friends (called groomsmen) walking down the church aisle ( a walkway between or along sections of seats)and then the groom walks down the aisle. Next, the bride's friends (called bridesmaids) will walk down the aisle and the bride is last. The bride can choose to walk alone, with her father, with her mother, with both parents, basically anything she wants! It is most common to have the bride's father walk her down the aisle. Once everyone is inside the church, the ceremony begins. Usually, the pastor/priest/ justice of the peace will speak about the meaning of the ceremony and marriage. Also, some people choose to have one of their friend's read a special poem or sing a song. And of course the bride and groom exchange vows. These are promises that the couple makes to each other. When the ceremony is finished, the bride and groom seal their promises with a kiss! It is very romantic and a special time.

After the ceremony, the guests of the wedding go to the reception. The reception can also be anywhere the couple likes. The most common location for a reception is a hotel. At the reception, people eat dinner, drink alcohol, dance and of course listen to many speeches! It is common for the parents of the bride and groom to make a speech. Also the bride's best friend (maid of honour) and the groom's best friend (best man) will make a speech. Of course, the bride and groom usually give their speech last thanking everyone for their help and for coming to their wedding. A new trend a wedding is to have a slide show presentation. This includes pictures of the bride and groom growing up and there is usually music to go along with the pictures. This is my favourite part of the wedding since I love pictures so much! Many weddings have free alcohol for their guests and a great dance party. Dancing is also a very fun and exciting part of any wedding.

I hope you have enjoyed reading about Canadian weddings but please remember, this is just my opinion. Many people will do different things and have different ideas for what they would like for their wedding. I have simply given you some information about what is most common based on the weddings I have been to.

I would be interested to know about wedding traditions in your own country.

Writing Topic 2

Dear students,

This week I would like you to write a letter to a friend in your home country who wants to study English in Winnipeg, Canada. You should include advice about living in Canada and learning English. Some possible subtopics could be weather, living accommodations, food, culture, what to pack and any skills or tips you have about learning English.

Happy Writing 😃

United 93

Choose some of the following questions for your own discussion of the movie, United 93.

When you post your discussion, please title your post, "United 93 Movie Discussion"

Questions for Discussion

1. This film was released 5 years after the tragedy. Do you believe that this film has been made too soon after the 9/11 attacks? Why/why not?

2. Why do you think United 93 was filmed in real time? What affect is achieved by this?

3. How was your viewing of United 93 affected by knowing that these were real people and that it is based on a real event? How true to life do you believe the film is?

4. Why do you think the director chose not to give us any of the passengers’ names, or tell us barely anything about any of them? What affect is achieved by doing this?

5. How are the terrorists represented? What motivates them to hijack the plane? Why do you think the director chooses not to explore this?

6. Why do you think that the possibility of a plane hijack is not taken seriously by the people on the ground at first?

7. Why do the passengers decide to fight back? What do you think you would have done in their situation? Why?

8. How does the passengers’ planning and bravery affect the terrorists? Why?

9. Why did the director show the terrorists mumbling Muslim scripture and prayers as they pilot the plane alongside some of the passengers praying? Why do people pray in times of crisis?

10. What do you think would have happened if the passengers had not decided to fight back?

11. How did seeing United 93 change your opinion of the 9/11 attacks? Why do you think the victims’ families believe it is important for people to see this film?

12. What do you think is the right response to terrorist acts such as these?

13. What do you think that the director hoped to achieve by making this film?

My Family

My family is very important to me.
They are always there for me, they support me, they encourage me and they love me unconditionally.

In my family, there are four people. My dad, my mom, myself and my younger brother, Jonathan. My parents first met at church in the early 1970's. My dad was teaching at a high school in my mom's hometown and my mom was going to university at the time. My parents dated for a couple years and then my dad proposed to my mom. She said yes! They got married on August 5, 1978. My parents moved to Winnipeg and lived in an apartment on Pembina Hwy. My dad continued teaching and my mom got a job with MTS. My parents decided to wait 8 years before they had me! I think this was a smart decision because they could have some time together as a couple with no children first. During this time, my parents travelled together. My mom really loves the sun and hot weather so they went to Hawaii at Christmas time. My dad really loves sports so one year they went to Montreal for the winter Olympics and they also went skiing near the Rocky Mountains. I think that when I get married, I will also want to have some time together with just my husband before I have children.

After getting married and waiting eight year my mom had me! My parents loved me very much and would always do special things for me. Some of my favourite memories are going to McDonald's every Saturday morning with my Dad for breakfast. Then, my Dad would read the newspaper and I would play on the play structure. My mom and I made special memories too. We would watch TV shows in her bed and she would make me hot chocolate with mini marshmallows.

When I was eight years old, my Mom had my brother, Jonathan. I was very excited when my Mom had a baby and I always wanted to help her take care of my brother. When I got older, I would babysit my brother and my parents would go out on a date. My parents were very generous and they would always pay me for babysitting my brother. I have many special memories of my brother. We would play games together and sometimes I could even convince him to have a tea party with me and play with my Barbie dolls.

Now, my family is still very close. I do not live in the same house as my family anymore. Last summer, I bought a house so now I live with a roommate but I usually go home a few times during the week to visit my family. Ususally, my family tries to eat dinner together on Sunday evening and this is a special time for my family to catch up and talk about what is happening in our lives. My Dad is still working as a teacher but my Mom recently retired so she doesn't work anymore. She is very happy to stay at home, so I am happy for her! My brother is studying at university now. He wants to be a businessman. He is studying Marketing in the Asper School of Business. My brother is very smart and friendly so I am sure that he will make a good businessman.

I love my family very much and they are very important to me.

Welcome

Welcome 400- 450 students,

Hello Park, Yoshiko, Eriko, Hikaru, Haruka, Catherina, Seho, Mei and Diana!!

Welcome to my example blog.

I hope that you will enjoy this opportunity to write and share ideas with each other.

I look forward to reading your blogs!

Ashley