ESL in Canada

Languages Canada launched Joint Pathway Program

2026-02-24T09:53:00.000-05:00

Notice to Students

There have been several recent cancellations of joint venture pathway programs due to changes in Canada immigration laws, changes to visa limits, abuse by international students, abuse by international education agents and abuse by private language & vocational education training schools.

We are hopeful that this pilot program can be expanded into a national program.

We have to warn that there are still a few bad actors with a bad history of breaking the rules, breaking the law and cheating students.

ESL in Canada will publish good and bad results for this joint venture.

From Language Canada Website:

Languages Canada has officially launched the Ontario pilot phase of the Joint Pathway Program (JPP), marking an important milestone in the revival of compliant, sustainable language pathway programs in Canada.

The launch event brought together public colleges and accredited private language schools to formally initiate participation in the Joint Pathway Program.

The umbrella MoUs formalize each institution’s participation in the JPP framework with Languages Canada, establishing governance, oversight, and coordination mechanisms for the pilot phase.

A new model for language pathways

The Joint Pathway Program is a fully IRCC-compliant joint program model that allows accredited private language schools and public post-secondary institutions to collaborate within a single, integrated pathway. Students complete their language education across private and public partner institutions while remaining within one joint program framework and one study permit, leading to a single language credential and, subsequently, to a seamless transition into their chosen degree, diploma, or certificate program at the public partner.

The model responds to challenges in the language and international education sectors by improving compliance clarity, strengthening partnerships, and creating more predictable enrolment pipelines.

From pilot to national scale

The Ontario pilot is the first step in a broader national rollout. The JPP will be launched nationally at the Languages Canada Annual Conference, taking place March 11–14, 2026, in Calgary.

Canada's 2026 International Student Cap By Province

2025-12-05T14:33:00.001-05:00

During 2026 the IRCC expects to issue up to 408,000 study permits, including 155,000 to newly arriving international students, as outlined in the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, and 253,000 extensions for current and returning students.

As of January 1, 2026, master’s and doctoral level students enrolled at a public designated learning institution (DLI) will not need to submit a provincial or territorial attestation letter (PAL/TAL) with their study permit application.

This exemption is in recognition of their unique contributions to Canada’s economic growth and innovation, and will support our efforts to attract talent.

The following groups are exempt from the PAL/TAL requirement in 2026:master’s and doctoral degree students enrolled at public DLIs

primary and secondary (kindergarten to grade 12) students
certain Government of Canada priority groups and vulnerable cohorts
existing study permit holders applying for an extension at the same DLI and at the same level of study.

The number of study permits expected to be issued in 2026, broken down by student cohort, is as follows:

2026 national target (new arrivals and in-Canada extensions)
Master’s and doctoral students enrolling at public DLIs (PAL/TAL-exempt)	49,000
Primary and secondary school (kindergarten to grade 12) students (PAL/TAL-exempt)	115,000
Other PAL/TAL-exempt study permit applicants	64,000
PAL/TAL-required applicants	180,000
Total	408,000

In 2026, up to 180,000 study permits are expected to be issued to applicants who require a PAL/TAL. The target of 180,000 is distributed to provinces and territories based on their population.

Province or territory	2026 study permit target for PAL/TAL-required cohorts
Alberta	21,582
British Columbia	24,786
Manitoba	6,534
New Brunswick	3,726
Newfoundland and Labrador	2,358
Northwest Territories	198
Nova Scotia	4,680
Nunavut	180
Ontario	70,074
Prince Edward Island	774
Quebec	39,474
Saskatchewan	5,436
Yukon	198
Total	180,000

The following allocations have been assigned based on each jurisdiction’s average study permit application approval rate from 2024 and 2025:

Province or territory	2026 allocations for all PAL/TAL-required applications
Alberta	32,271
British Columbia	32,596
Manitoba	11,196
New Brunswick	8,004
Newfoundland and Labrador	5,507
Northwest Territories	785
Nova Scotia	8,480
NunavutFootnote1	0
Ontario	104,780
Prince Edward Island	1,376
Quebec	93,069
Saskatchewan	11,349
Yukon	257
Total	309,670

A total of 309,670 study permit application spaces will be available under the cap for 2026. This represents the maximum number of study permit applications IRCC will accept for processing from PAL/TAL-required students for the calendar year.

2025 Annual Report to Canada's Parliament on Immigration

2025-12-02T12:29:00.001-05:00

IRCC facilitates the entry of students who wish to study at a designated Canadian educational institution.

Students approved to study in Canada are issued a study permit.

In 2024, 516,275 individuals held study permits in Canada. This included new permits and extensions. Of these, 242,970 identified as women, 273,235 as men, 55 as another gender and the gender of 10 individuals was recorded as unspecified.

An intake cap on study permit applications was introduced in January 2024 to help manage unsustainable growth in the program, with an issuance target set at 485,000 for that year. Of the 516,275 study permit holders, only 293,835 were issued to new students entering Canada in 2024, with the balance being issued to students already in Canada.

This means that there were less than 360,000 new study permit holders who entered Canada in 2024.

In 2023, a total of 682,889 individuals held study permits, of which 496,175 were new. This indicates a decrease of 24% from 2023 to 2024.

Canada’s overall international student population declined by 4% at year end of 2024 compared to end of 2023.

Link to full report

Languages Canada Member Schools

2025-08-06T11:07:00.002-04:00

About Languages Canada:

In 2007, a joint task force was created. CAPLS and CLC voted to create a new association that would include all public, private, English and French accredited language education program members. A steering committee was formed with equal representation from both associations and a representative from AILIA. In 2008, a set of bylaws and a definitive agreement was approved resulting in the incorporation of the new association, Languages Canada.

Purpose

To be the voice of the Canadian language education sector.

Mission

To promote quality, accredited English and French language education in Canada, both nationally and internationally.

Vision Statement

To be internationally recognized as the symbol of excellence, representing Canada as the number one destination for quality English and French language education.

https://www.languagescanada.ca/en/languages-canada

Canadian Provinces Manage Education

2025-05-15T18:49:00.000-04:00

In BC the Private Training Institutions Regulatory Unit (PTIRU) within the System Integrity Branch (SIB) of the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills administers the Private Training Act and associated regulations.

Over 60,000 students enroll in private training institutions in B.C. each year. Students are trained for a broad range of occupations from sound and audio technicians to licensed practical nurses to commercial pilots.

The sector is regulated by the Private Training Institutions Regulatory Unit (PTIRU), which is responsible for:

Ensuring institutions meet the requirements and standards for certification
Maintaining a Private Training Institution (PTI) Directory of all certified institutions, along with formerly certified institutions
Providing student protection and overseeing the Student Tuition Protection Fund

Private Training Institutions Regulatory Unit
310-601 Cordova St W
Vancouver BC V6B 1G1
Canada

Local: 604-569-0033
Toll-free: 1-800-661-7441
Fax: 778-945-0606

Email: PTI@gov.bc.ca

Student support inquiries: PTI.StudentSupport@gov.bc.ca

Language Education Excerpts from the Policy Manual

https://www.privatetraininginstitutions.gov.bc.ca/sites/www.privatetraininginstitutions.gov.bc.ca/files/files/policy-manual.pdf#page=8

Examples of programs that do not require approval

• A career-related program at a registered institution for which tuition is less than $4,000

• A career-related program at a designated institution for which tuition is less than $1,000

• A language program at a designated institution that is no more than six months and less than $4,000

• Any language program at a registered institution

• A commercial driving instruction program

Programs that require approval

Programs requiring approval from the registrar fall into three categories:

Class A:

Career-related programs with 40 or more hours of instruction, for which tuition is at least $4,000.

A career-related program is defined as a program that has the purpose of enhancing students’ employability or ability to carry out a career occupation.

Class B:

Career-related programs at designated/interim designated institutions, other than Class A programs, for which tuition is at least $1,000.

Class C:

Language programs at designated/interim designated institutions that are longer than six months or for which tuition is at least $4,000. A language program is defined as a program that has as its learning objective that students gain or improve proficiency in a language.

Designated Learning Institutions in British Columbia Canada

The 2025 IRCC Student Allocations

2025-05-07T09:15:00.002-04:00

Link to the full list of allocations by province

2025 provincial and territorial allocations under the international student cap

CANADA Designated Learning Institutions "DLI" by Province

2025-04-20T20:25:00.006-04:00

How to Self-Practice English Language Learning

2024-08-15T11:17:00.003-04:00

How to Self-Practice English Language Learning

This is an excellent Nova Scotia Learning Resource.

https://isans.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/PracticeEnglishOnYourOwn2020.pdf

ESL in Canada Self Study Program Information

How to use the ENGLISH SIMPLE PAST Tense

2024-06-18T19:24:00.000-04:00

SIMPLE PAST

Simple past, form for regular verbs: base+ed

Example; walked, showed, watched, played, smiled, stopped

Simple past for irregular verbs.

Simple past, be, have, do:

Subject Verb

Be Have Do

I was had did

You were had did

He was had did

We were had did

They were had did

Affirmative

I was in Canada last year

She had a headache yesterday.

We did our homework last week.

Negative

We didn't do our homework last night.

They weren't in Canada last summer.

We hadn't any money.

We didn't have time to visit the Eiffel Tower.

We didn't do our exercises this morning.

Interrogative

Were they in Vancouver last January?

Did you have a bicycle when you were a boy?

Did you do much climbing in British Columbia?

Simple past with regular verbs: verb + ed

Affirmative

I washed

Negative

I did not wash.

Interrogative

Did she arrive?

Interrogative negative

Didn't you like?

Example: to walk, simple past.

Affirmative Negative Interrogative

I walked I didn't walk Did I walk?

You walked You didn't walk Did you walk?

They walked They didn't walk Did they walk?

For the negative and interrogative form of all verbs in the simple past,

always use the auxiliary 'did''.

Examples:

Simple past, irregular verbs 'to go'

He went to a gym last night.

interrogative form

Did he go to the club last night?

negative form

He didn't go to bed early last night.

Examples: Simple past, irregular verbs "to give"

We gave her a doll for her birthday.

They didn't give John their copy.

Did Barry give you my report?

Examples: Simple past, irregular verbs "to come"

My parents came to visit me last year.

We didn't come because it was snowing.

Did she come to your open house last week?

Simple past function is used to talk about a completed action in a time before now. Duration is not important. The time of the action can be in the recent past or the distant past.

Examples:

John Cabot sailed to Canada in 1498.

My father died last year.

He lived in Calgary in 1986.

We crossed Lake Superior yesterday.

You always use the simple past when you say when something happened, so it is associated with certain past time expressions.

Examples:

Yesterday, I arrived in Montreal.

She finished her work at five o'clock.

We saw a good play last week.

I went to the hockey game last night.

She played the piano when she was a child.

He sent me a report six months ago.

Peter left five minutes ago

English Language Vocabulary for Resumes

2024-06-03T19:35:00.009-04:00

Introductions to Resumes

A resume is a tool with one specific purpose

A resume is a sales document designed for a very precise audience.

A resume is a one or two page summary of your education, skills, accomplishments, and experience.

A very good resume is placed in the short list that survives the first cut.

An excellent resume convinces the employer that you have what it takes to be successful in the position or career.

A superb resume motivates the employer to pick up the phone and ask you to come in for an interview.

Types of Resumes

The chronological resume focuses on the experience section of the resume; each job is listed and described in some detail with sections of skills or accomplishments later in the resume.

The functional resume begins with highlights of major skills and accomplishments and focuses attention on what you can do for them.

A combined resume includes elements of both the chronological and functional formats.

Sections of Resumes

The Summary is sometimes labelled as a profile. - This should be four to six lines of text. This section should indicate the position you are looking for, experience and abilities that will be of interest to your next employer.

The Career Summary also called your job history starts with your most recent job and lists backwards in time. Basic career summaries only include the year you started, the year you finished, job title and employer's name.

Career overviews includes job history, brief overview of the companies and responsibilities for each position that you have held.

Achievement differentiates you from anyone else doing your job because what you actually achieved will be a indication of performance.

Education or Academic Qualifications should include recent relevant training.

Personal Details includes your driving licence, languages, volunteer and community groups and interests.

Services for Youth Resources

Your resume is one of the most important tools you have when looking for a job. This page will help you choose the right type of resume for your situation. It will also provide you with tips to help you tailor your resume to the job you are applying for, and to make sure it stands out in a crowd for all the right reasons.

Other helpful resources

Writing a cover letter
Choosing references
Preparing for a job interview
Create a Job Bank account and use Service Canada's Résumé Builder

CanadaJobs.com Resume Articles

Monster.com Resume Articles

How to Write an Effective Resume Title
Get employers' attention from the top by writing a memorable and professional headline for your resume. Check out these samples to see how it's done.
What's Your Resume Objective?
Learn the how, where, what, when and why of incorporating your professional goals into writing your resume.
How to Write a Career Summary
Follow these six steps to develop a hard-hitting introductory qualifications statement that's packed with your most sought-after skills, abilities, accomplishments and attributes.
Nine Tips to Writing a Winning Employment History
Check out nine ways you can jazz up your resume's work experience section to capture hiring managers' attention.
Put Your Education to Work on Your Resume
Unsure about the best way to present your education on your resume? Here are some common scenarios and strategies.
Showcase Marketable Skills in Your Resume Skills Section
Get as much mileage as you can from listing your skills on your resume. Learn about the three types of skills you can highlight and how you can incorporate them into your resume.
Round Out Your Resume with Additional Information
Take your resume to the next level by including additional information that supports and reinforces your qualifications. Here's how.

Original Publisher ESL in Canada Directory

Canada 2023 Language Population Education Statistics

2023-08-21T17:31:00.002-04:00

https://www.statista.com/statistics/271218/languages-in-canada/

https://www.statista.com/statistics/263742/total-population-in-canada/

https://www.statista.com/statistics/448960/postsecondary-graduates-in-canada/

Canada's Student Direct Stream Requires IELTS 6 Score

2023-08-18T10:40:00.001-04:00

Some international students can get their study permits faster by using the SDS. IRCC processes most SDS applications within 20 calendar days if the eligibility requirements are met.

Only applications submitted electronically are eligible for SDS processing. All paper applications are processed under the regular study permit application stream and are subject to the associated processing times.

Foreign nationals who are eligible for SDS processing are still subject to all other eligibility and admissibility requirements under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR).

Eligibility criteria

The applicant must include the following documents to be eligible for SDS processing:

proof of a valid language test result, completed within 2 years of the date the SDS application was received, showing either of the following:

an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 6.0 or higher in each language skill: listening, reading, writing and speaking
a test évaluation de français (TEF) score that is equivalent to a Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) score of at least 7 for each ability

read full requirements here:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/temporary-residents/study-permits/direct-stream.html

English as a Second Language Classes in Windsor Ontario

2023-08-07T16:58:00.002-04:00

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PRONUNCIATION CLASS

English language pronunciation includes all the mechanical functions and skills of language sound production and the specific word pronunciation patterns of the English language in context.

The mechanical functions and skills include placement of the lips, tongue, use of teeth, glottis, expanding or contracting the mouth cavity, use of nasal passages and soft palate, vocal folds, controlling the intake and outflow of air, devoicing, breathing and timing.

English language pronunciation class skills and exercises include initial consonant and vowel pronunciation, syllable pronunciation, individual syllable stress patterns, diphthongs and consonant clusters, initial word pronunciation, syllable stress patterns in words, intonation and timing for words, phrases, clauses, complete sentences, expressions and interjections.

English language pronunciation class can take the form of individual drills or group drills by listening and repeating the correct English language pronunciation exercises.

English language pronunciation class can take the form of reading and speaking. Students are expected to read and speak aloud correctly pronouncing each of the words or passages.

Advanced English language pronunciation classes can include accent reduction. Accent reduction can be un-learning in-correct pronunciation and re-learning correct English pronunciation. Accent reduction can also be the initial establishment or correction of pronunciation patterns, speed, timing, stress and intonation.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE GRAMMAR CLASS

English language grammar includes all the technical grammar functions, word placement rules and the "language-art skills" of written language production using English language vocabulary.

English grammar class can include the classification, rules and functions for the eight parts of speech: nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions and interjections.

English grammar class can include the classification, rules and functions for tenses, verbals, conditionals, abbreviations, contractions and punctuation.

English grammar class can include the classification, rules and functions for phrases, clauses and complete sentences.

English grammar class can include the classification, rules and functions for singular or plural, countable or uncountable, male or female or neutral, tangible or intangible, finite or infinite, real or unreal vocabulary words.

English grammar class can include the classification, rules and functions for writing formats, register, audience, level, purpose and style.

English grammar classes can be organized for general English , test-preparation, academic preparation or for working professionals.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE VOCABULARY CLASS

Excellent vocabulary classes will enable the learner brain to make a memory. When you see the word, your brain is making one type of memory. When you hear the word, your brain is making another memory of the target word. When you say the word, you are reforming and reinforcing the memory. Repetition will put the short-term memory of learned words into the longer-term memory. With more brain word networks, repetitions and longer term memories the learner will discover it is easier to always use the word in an expanded and accessible English language vocabulary.

English language vocabulary classes can be designed for the three different levels: beginner, intermediate and advanced students.

English language vocabulary classes can be designed for students studying math, science, music, art, computers and a wider variety of more specific subjects.

Advanced English language vocabulary classes can be designed for professionals such as medicine, engineering, law, diplomacy or international relations.

In excellent vocabulary classes students will hear, see, say and re-use the target words in context .

ENGLISH LANGUAGE WRITING CLASS

English Language writing is defined as: the activity of putting something in written form; the act of creating written works; letters or symbols written or imprinted on a surface to represent the ideas, sounds or words of a language; the work of a writer; anything expressed using the letters of the alphabet in words; and others.

English Language Writing Class can include the mechanical actions, functions and skills for handwriting or electronic data input.

English Language Writing Classes can include all of the English language grammar rules and procedures and specific writing formats, register, audience, level, purpose and style.

English Language Writing Classes can include formal, informal, slang, jargon, expressions, and texting vocabulary.

English Language Writing Classes can be organized for general English writing, writing for test-preparation such as TOEFL TOEIC IELTS or Cambridge tests, academic preparation for undergraduate or graduate programs or working professionals in medicine, law, engineering, science, academics and others.

English as a Second Language Classes in Windsor Ontario can be online or in-person or at your location. Email: eslincanada@gmail.com

Use context to understand meaning in the chaos of English

2023-07-26T14:25:00.006-04:00

Use context to understand meaning in the chaos of English

(context is king)

What is a paradox?

A paradox can be a rhetorical device or can mean a statement that is self-contradictory.

As a rhetorical device, paradox is “a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.”

For example: My friend is worried because the more she sleeps, the more tired she feels in the morning instead of waking up well rested. The idea that less is more seems contradictory, but the statement contains a truth.

What is a contradiction? [ kon-truh-dik-shuhn ] noun

The act of contradicting; gainsaying or opposition: assertion of the contrary or opposite.

A contradiction is a situation or ideas in opposition to one another. Declaring publicly that you are an environmentalist but never recycling anything is an example of a contradiction.

Synonyms for contradiction:

conflict, difference, disagreement, discrepancy, dispute, inconsistency, confutation, contravention, defiance, denial, dissension, incongruity, negation, opposite, opposition, bucking, gainsaying

What is an oxymoron?

An oxymoron is also a noun that’s defined as “a figure of speech by which a seemingly self-contradictory effect, as in ‘cruel kindness’ or ‘to make haste slowly.'” So when contradictory or opposing words are combined, that expression is an oxymoron.

Additional examples of this rhetorical device include living death, bittersweet, toughlove.

What is a contronym ? [con·tro·nym] noun plural noun: contronyms

A word with two opposite meanings,

e.g. sanction (which can mean both ‘a penalty for disobeying a law’ and ‘official permission or approval for an action’).

What is a synonym for contronym?

Frequently described as "words that are their own opposites," contronyms

(contranym is a variant spelling) are also known as Janus words, antagonyms, and autoantonyms.

These are words that have developed contradictory meanings.

Contronym Examples:

Finished - Finished can mean completed, or ended or destroyed

All the dishes are washed so I am finished.

After the third knee injury his basketball career was finished.

Bound - Bound can mean “going to a destination” or “being restrained from movement.”

He is bound for pro sports.

The prisoner was bound by his wrists and ankles.

Fast - fast can mean quick, or stuck or made stable

The hummingbird flew very fast between flowers.

The old chewing gum was stuck fast to the sidewalk.

Buckle - Buckle can mean “to fasten or secure” or “to break or collapse.”

I made sure to properly buckle my daughter in her car seat.

The balcony buckled from the weight of too many spectators.

Left - Left can mean “leave” or “remain.”

They had left by lunch time

Expedia claims - only two seats are left.

Off - Off can mean “activated” or “deactivated.”

The alarm went off.

The alarms are off.

Throw out - Throw out can mean “to discard something” or “to offer something.”

I’m going to throw out these old shoes.

I’m going to throw out some ideas for you.

Wind up - Wind up can mean “to bring something to a conclusion or finish” or “to start something.”

Let’s wind up this meeting because it’s getting late.

You need to wind up the toy so it can start.

hypocrite - [ hip-uh-krit ] noun

A person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that they do not actually possess, especially a person whose actions are opposite of stated beliefs.

A person who feigns some desirable or publicly approved attitude, especially one whose private life, opinions, or statements are opposite of their public statements.

How to Study English as a Second Language PLAN

2023-07-12T13:45:00.004-04:00

First step " Choose your Goal" for learning English as a Second Language

Goals are your motivation. Goals can remind you of purpose and direction. Why do you need English as a second or third language. What do you wish to accomplish with English as a second language? Studying ESL requires thousands of hours of real effort - you need motivation and endurance to be able to study or work using the English language with native speakers.

Top 15 Goals for studying English as a second language

Immigrate into an English speaking country
Get hired at a first job
Be hired at a better company
Be promoted in your company
Sell and market your products to English speaking countries
Be able to operate a business completely in English.
Publish an authoritative business, scientific journal article in English
Be admitted and study in a North American university.
Be admitted and study in a North American university graduate program.
Travel independently in English speaking countries.
As an Artist, perform for English speaking audiences
Enjoy entertainment produced by English speaking artists
Use English instructions for computer applications. Surf the net in English
Score 950 on the Toeic test or 280 on the new Toefl exam
Study English Literature in the original text

Second step: "Select the best Learning Methods" - how you learn most efficiently

Examples of questions to determine "how you learn best"

What English can you learn the most while studying alone?
What English can you learn the most by studying in a group?
Can you listen once and remember the pronunciation and vocabulary?
Does it help to see pictures of nouns or action verbs demonstrated?
Do you have to write and repeat words to memorize vocabulary?
How many times and ways must you use a word to "know" its proper context?
How often do you have to repeat lessons?
Can you create and use mnemonics to remember lists
Can you benefit using accelerated English language learning methods
Does music or games help you to relax, making learning easier?

Third step "Form a Plan" use the best learning stages to reach study Goals

An example of a two year study plan with four stages to learn English:

(First stage - 6 months)
Start with picture dictionaries to begin vocabulary, use the ESL in Canada or Sentencemaster 1000 most used words list as the initial core vocabulary, start to study pronunciation by watching English TV, listen to taped conversations, for 1 - 2 hours each day.
(Second stage - 6 months)
Add grammar, use the Blueprint for English Grammar Summary for the most important English Grammar points, start to study English punctuation, spelling, vocabulary studies, start to read newspapers/magazines, begin a vocabulary diary to add to your initial 1000 words the for 1 - 2 hours each day
(Third stage - 6 months)
Add one hour of English conversation classes everyday for 6 months, review grammar and vocabulary, add to vocabulary diary each day.
(Fourth stage - 6 months)
Travel to Canada for 400 hours of English conversation classes, perform some volunteer work, take a special interest course and travel using English.
(After the Two Year Plan)
Continuing ESL education program with one English conversation class per week or start your own English Conversation Club, watch English News on TV, read English newspapers do your favourite hobby using English.

Fourth step "create a Cost & Benefit Analysis for your Plan"

What FREE English learning resources are available on the internet?
What FREE English learning resources are at the library, community or cultural centers?
What FREE English Learning clubs offer conversation classes?
What FREE English Language exchange clubs offer conversation classes?
Compare the costs of books, texts, tapes, Cd's for self-study.
Analyze the cost of instruction by tutors in a small group of 3 or 4
Analyze the cost of instruction at local English schools
Analyze costs of foreign travel and accommodation to study English abroad.

Fifth step "Start your Plan"

Email for help to plan your trip to study "English as a Second Language" ESL in Canada

Accelerated English Language Learning Strategies

2023-07-09T15:09:00.001-04:00

While language is one of the most important products of human evolution, it uses only a few of the many skills and senses available to our minds.

Our brains evolved to interpret, code and store very complex stimuli such as images, colors, structures, sounds, smells, tastes, touch, positions, emotions and language. The "Theory of Multiple Intelligences" asserts that there are 8 types of intelligence: interpersonal, intrapersonal, logical-mathematical, verbal-linguistic, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical-rhythmic and naturalist.

In the traditional classroom environment most first and second language lessons always present in only one format - as words printed on a page with traditional instruction by grammar translation and rote memorization.

Accelerated English Learning language lessons attempts to correct this imbalance by including activities which allow for the activation of the other intelligences such as: sports which involve movement, use of colour on worksheets, creating songs and music, manipulation of objects with arts and crafts.

"Accelerated English Language Learning" is a very broad term in language education and encompasses many different strategies, procedures, techniques, methodologies and approaches.

Some "Accelerated English Language Learning" methods include: mind maps, reading to music, multiple intelligences theory, various memory techniques, mood music to influence the emotional and mental state of learners, learning environment setting, rhymes to aid learning, using patterns, neuro-linguistic programming and the use of activities, arts, crafts, sports and dramatic presentations.

One "Accelerated English Language Learning" strategy is the use of mnemonics as a memory tool. Mnemonics help students improve their memory. They help language students remember facts, order or the structure of information. The three fundamental building blocks of mnemonics are imagination, association and location.

Imagination is used to create and strengthen "word-image associations". The more vividly you imagine and visualize a situation, the more effectively the memory is stored for later access and use.

Association is the method by which you link items to be remembered to a way of remembering it. You can create associations by linking them using the same color, smell, shape, or feeling. You can create associations by placing them together, on top, merged, wrapped or interacting in a humorous fashion.

Location provides a context into which you can place information as a unit and a way of separating one mnemonic from another. For example, by setting one mnemonic in Toronto and another similar mnemonic with images of Vancouver, we can separate them with no danger of confusion. You can build the images and atmosphere of these cities into your mnemonics to strengthen the feeling of location.

Second language learning takes a lot of time and effort and motivation. Students who use the "Accelerated Learning" strategies and methods with the assistance of a professional tutor will learn more, save time, save money and enjoy English Language learning.

Learn English as a Second language with the ESL in Canada Study English Plan with Accelerated Language Learning Strategies, self-study, free English classes, professional tutors and accelerated learning English language methods. Email : eslincanada@gmail.com

The 3 most Important Factors that determine English Language Learning Success.

2023-06-29T12:00:00.002-04:00

The first Factor is knowing yourself as a student.

There are some key questions you should know as they are part of the first factor that determines your English Language Learning Success

How many times do you have to write and repeat English words to memorize them, put them into your vocabulary and "know" the word in proper context.

How often do you have to repeat lessons to keep your vocabulary intact?

What English can you learn best when studying alone, with a group or with a tutor?

Can you benefit using accelerated English language learning methods such as mnemonics to remember lists.

Does music or games help you to relax making learning easier?

Does realia or field trips stimulate and integrate your English language learning?

You need to know how you learn and retain information and be able to use English as a language.

The Second factor is What English do I study.

The best way to know what English to study is to form a goal.

Top Goals for studying English as a second language

Immigrate into an English speaking country
Get hired at a first job
Be hired at a better company
Be promoted in your company
Sell products to English speaking countries
Operate a business completely in English.
Publish articles in English
Study in a North American university.
Study in a North American university graduate program.
Travel independently in English speaking countries.
Perform for English speaking audiences
Enjoy entertainment produced by English speaking artists
Use English instructions for computer applications.
Surf the net in English
Score 950 on the Toeic test or 280 on the new Toefl exam
Study English Literature in the original text

When you have your goal - then you can plan what English you need or work with an educational consultant to set up a comprehensive plan of English language studies for you.

The Third factor is creating the time to properly study enough English to reach your Goal.

An example is the time to score high on the new TOEFL or TOEIC English tests

Students require a vocabulary of between 8,000 and 10,000 words to score high on the new TOEFL, TOEIC, AP, IELTS and Cambridge tests. Students must have studied and practiced English for 2500 to 5000 hours counting school classes and self study. To score high students require all four English skills (reading, writing, speaking, listening), technical language structure knowledge (grammar) and the application of the grammar knowledge in the active productions of speaking and writing.

When you have your goal - your plan of English studies and necessary time - you can be successful as a student learning English as a second language.

More information is available at:

https://eslincanada.blogspot.com/

http://study-english-in-toronto.blogspot.com/

eslincanada@gmail.com

Headlines are Important

2023-06-28T00:01:00.001-04:00

News Vocabulary

News is reported in printed newspapers, magazines and through television, radio, wire services, and web broadcasters.

There are many categories of NEWS.

Breaking News is featured "LIVE" as broadcast and cable news services use online satellite technology to bring current events to their audience live as it happens.

Extreme weather is always considered as news. The daily weather is typically presented by an experienced meteorologist or weather presenter and is packaged within the news.

Sports news is a never ending storey of predictions, observations, speculations, actual results, almost results, sidebars, personalities, money, and actual sports highlights.

Business news is typically presented by a specialist and covers a wide range of activities. The business news could cover local, regional, national or international companies, industries or entire economies.

Celebrities are now packaged as news makers when they promote themselves or their projects.

Most printed newspapers feature a very large headline on their front page.

The bold headline dramatically describes the biggest news of the day.

A headline is text at the top of most printed articles. The headline indicates or features the nature of the following article.

Most print formats keep headlines brief and this leads to unintentional double meanings, if not double entendres.

Many internet portals have used the word headlines to describe summary statements of the days most important or most popular stories.

Headlines are even packaged as a gadget to increase web traffic to affiliate websites. This from the CBC: Affiliates can receive up to three headlines per category, choosing from various news and information categories, such as: Regional, Canadian and International news, Health and Science, Sports and more.

Headline mistakes are used on Jay Leno's show for comedy.

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ESL in Canada Blog URL
http://eslincanada.blogspot.com/

Can your Agent honestly help you!

2023-06-26T10:58:00.002-04:00

Prospective ESL "English as a Second Language" students should investigate the agent and agency before giving them any money.

There are honest, hard working and professional agents who have visited the Canada schools, universities, colleges that they represent, have professional educators on staff, post actual student testimonials and continue to offer good advice based on years of experience.

Students who work with professional agents and consultants actually save the most money and time going to the right school the first time.

In Canada, USA, UK and many other countries anyone can use the title education agent, counselor or consultant without any prior training, education, certification or registration. This is a completely un-regulated industry with no standards and no policing associations. The internet is full of "agent complaints" from students, teachers, schools, homestay and service industries.

Many students and their parents will sit across the desk from a convicted criminal in a fancy suit, expensive looking office, who is using a false name, a new business agency name which sounds like an established agency, and is falsely representing his agency contracts and licenses from schools, universities and institutes.

Eliminating the obvious frauds is not that difficult. Prospective customers should ask to see personal ID, business registrations, business licenses and references from the schools they represent and references from previous students.

Prospective customers should ask to see what education or training or experience qualifications the agent has. Did they finish high school? college? university? Did they study abroad? Have they ever traveled overseas? to that school? been to that homestay? Why are they recommending that school?

Many times the local discount agents describe all schools as the same and then try to place students based on discounts. Any school advantages of professional programs, curricula, teachers, or systems are completely lost using price only discount agents. I have seen many agent whiteboards with the "price du jour" - just like the fish market. Some of these prices were falsely high then "discounted" to make the price appear better.

Students are also increasingly aware that most of the larger agencies are promoting their own schools located in Canada, USA, Australia, and New Zealand. Many Canadian ESL schools do not know that they are competing with "foreign agency owned" ESL schools. The foreign agencies have the market presence in the local markets and simply place the students into schools where they have an ownership interest. The MBA's call this vertical integration.

The mega agencies would rather make 40 to 50% than the regular commission of 10 to 25%. When the 50% is transferred internationally the "Canadian Schools" run at a loss and do not pay taxes. The "Mega Agencies" located internationally pay from 3.5% to 15% income taxes.

There are some "marketing organizations" taking advantage of the education agents and enabling fake agencies by offering an overhyped or overpriced accreditation. Some of these "organizations" offer their certificate to agents after they complete an open book 80 question test and of course pay them $350 and ongoing annual fees etc etc. Maybe the certificate looks pretty.

Using a bad agent can destroy years of hard work to complete language training and a complete college program.

Just ask the 700 international students facing deportation in Canada.

hundreds of Indian students in Canada could face deportation over bogus admission letters

https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/news/2023/fraud-prevention-month-2023-fraud-losses-canada-reach-historic-level

Original Article published in ESL in Canada Directory 2002

Using BING AI Chat to search for ESL Teaching Resources

2023-06-16T17:44:00.000-04:00

Using BING AI Chat to search for ESL Teaching Resources

Definition and Examples of Corpora in Linguistics

By Richard Nordquist Updated on February 12, 2020

In linguistics, a corpus is a collection of linguistic data (usually contained in a computer database) used for research, scholarship, and teaching. Also called a text corpus. Plural: corpora.

The first systematically organized computer corpus was the Brown University Standard Corpus of Present-Day American English (commonly known as the Brown Corpus), compiled in the 1960s by linguists Henry Kučera and W. Nelson Francis.

Notable English language corpora include the following:

The American National Corpus (ANC)

British National Corpus (BNC)

The Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA)

The International Corpus of English (ICE)

Advantages of Corpus Linguistics

"In 1992 [Jan Svartvik] presented the advantages of corpus linguistics in a preface to an influential collection of papers. His arguments are given here in abbreviated form:

- Corpus data are more objective than data based on introspection.

- Corpus data can easily be verified by other researchers and researchers can share the same data instead of always compiling their own.

- Corpus data are needed for studies of variation between dialects, registers and styles.

- Corpus data provide the frequency of occurrence of linguistic items.

- Corpus data do not only provide illustrative examples, but are a theoretical resource.

- Corpus data give essential information for a number of applied areas, like language teaching and language technology (machine translation, speech synthesis etc.).

- Corpora provide the possibility of total accountability of linguistic features--the analyst should account for everything in the data, not just selected features.

- Computerised corpora give researchers all over the world access to the data.

- Corpus data are ideal for non-native speakers of the language.

Additional Applications of Corpus-Based Research

The following practical applications may be mentioned.

Lexicography - Corpus-derived frequency lists and, more especially, concordances are establishing themselves as basic tools for the lexicographer. . . .

Language Teaching - The use of concordances as language-learning tools is currently a major interest

in computer-assisted language learning (CALL)

(Hans Lindquist, Corpus Linguistics and the Description of English. Edinburgh University Press, 2009)

Nordquist, Richard. "Definition and Examples of Corpora in Linguistics." ThoughtCo, Aug. 26, 2020, thoughtco.com/what-is-corpus-language-1689806.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES

2023-06-15T12:07:00.005-04:00

https://eslincanada.blogspot.com/2023/06/english-language-vocabulary-learning.html

The mathematicians that study language and have lots of computing power are forming English language databases. These databases can be used for machine language translation, formulas to rank collocation, most used priority word lists, word grouping tendencies and other linguistics research.

These frequency-based wordlists contain the words that are most used by English writers. Frequency-based wordlists can help you target specific English vocabulary by indicating which words you should try to learn first.

Vocabulary analysis and summaries from the "Brown Corpus".

Table 1

Words - Percent of words in average English language written text

86,741
43,831
15,851
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
10

99.99%
99.0%
97.8%
89.9%
88.6%
86.7%
84.0%
79.7%
72.0%
23.7%

Table 1 shows us that 10 words account for 23.7 % of all the words on almost all English language written pages and just 1000 word families account for more than 70% of all the words used.

The ESL in Canada English Immersion camps experimented with the 1000 word lists and used them for the core vocabulary for spelling, poetry writing and public speaking contests. The constant reinforcement and repetition with variable context was quickly absorbed by the beginner students and greatly increased their confidence when speaking or writing.

Information Requests

Sentencemaster most used English language word cards

Why international students score low on English tests

2023-06-14T10:45:00.003-04:00

https://eslincanada.blogspot.com/2023/06/why-international-students-score-low-on.html

Students score low because they do not understand the test requirements.
Students underestimate the large volume of work necessary to pass.
Students score low because they have limited English vocabulary.
Students score low because some English skills are not practiced.
Students score low because they rely on "secret tips" rather than real skill.
Students score low because they cram for tests and become confused.
Students score low because they become upset and cannot perform.

EXAMPLE PLAN TO PASS ENGLISH TESTS

20% vocabulary
15% grammar comprehension
15% reading comprehension
15% listening comprehension
15% writing skills, short answer and essay
15% speaking skills
5% practicing test formats

How international students can SCORE HIGH on NEW English tests

go to:

https://eslincanada.blogspot.com/p/how-to-study-english.html

Languages of work across Canada

2023-05-03T13:20:00.033-04:00

https://eslincanada.blogspot.com/2023/05/languages-of-work-across-canada.html

Census information on languages used at work displays the use of languages across Canada. The 2021 Census question on language of work had two parts. The first part asked about the language or languages used regularly at work. Then, if applicable, the second part asked to specify which of the languages indicated in the first part was used most often. For both parts, multiple responses were allowed.

New data on language of instruction from the 2021 Census, can be used to shed light on the links that exist between people’s educational pathways and the languages they use later in life, including at work.

For example, among the roughly 200,000 workers outside Quebec and New Brunswick who did not have French as a mother tongue but did use French regularly at work, more than half had either studied in Canada at a regular French-language school (22%) or had taken a French immersion program in an English-language school (31%).

Highlights

While the number and proportion of Canadians who spoke a language other than English or French at home reached their highest levels on record in 2021, English and French remained the languages of convergence at work across Canada, used most often by 98.7% of workers.

In 2021, the census questions on languages used at work were modified, which reduced respondents’ burden and improved the quality of the data. However, this change affects comparability with previous census cycles to a certain extent (see box titled “A better picture of languages used at work, but an impact on comparability with previous censuses”).

In 2021, 77.1% of employed persons in Canada mainly used English at work, 19.9% mainly used French, and 1.7% used English and French equally; 1.3% used neither English nor French most often at work.

In Quebec, 79.9% of workers mainly used French at work, 14.0% mainly used English, and 5.4% used English and French equally. The proportion of workers who mainly used French at work decreased slightly compared to 2016.

In the Montréal census metropolitan area, the industrial sectors where the main use of French at work decreased the most from 2001 to 2021 were the information and cultural industries; the finance and insurance sector; as well as the professional, scientific and technical services.

In New Brunswick, 20.1% of workers mainly used French at work, 75.9% of workers mainly used English, and 3.9% used English and French equally at work. The proportion of workers in the province who mainly use French at work has been trending downwards since 2001.

Outside Quebec and New Brunswick, 1 in 10 workers knew French, and one-third of them used it regularly at work. Across the country, it is in educational services that French was most widely used.

In Canada, 40,000 workers used an Indigenous language regularly at work. Around half of workers who knew an Indigenous language used an Indigenous language regularly at work.

For additional details:

https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/as-sa/98-200-X/2021010/98-200-X2021010-eng.cfm

New format for English vocabulary exercises.

2022-11-12T11:13:00.029-05:00

New format for English vocabulary exercises.

Fill in the blanks to complete the sentences.

Listen to the answers on the video.

Format helps ESL language learning with grammar, vocabulary, content context and comprehesion .

Format also helps with listening to native speaking pronunciation.

Go to:

https://english-language-exercises.blogspot.com/2022/11/english-language-article-1a-exercises.html

International students to help address Canada’s labour shortage

2022-10-07T12:57:00.030-04:00

Limit on off-campus work hours to be lifted temporarily

October 7, 2022—Ottawa—Employers are facing unprecedented challenges in finding and retaining the workers they need during this period of economic recovery and growth. The Government of Canada is continuing to take concrete actions to address current labour needs.

The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, today announced the temporary lifting of the 20-hour-per-week cap on the number of hours that eligible post-secondary students are allowed to work off-campus while class is in session.

From November 15, 2022, until December 31, 2023, international students who are in Canada and who have off-campus work authorization on their study permit will not be restricted by the 20-hour-per-week rule. Foreign nationals who have already submitted a study permit application, as of today, will also be able to benefit from this temporary change, provided their application is approved.

This measure will provide many international students with a greater opportunity to gain valuable work experience in Canada, and will increase the availability of workers to sustain Canada’s post-pandemic growth. With more than 500,000 international students already in Canada available to potentially work additional hours, this temporary change reflects the important role international students can play in addressing our labour shortage, while continuing to pursue their studies. Study permit holders are still expected to balance their study and work commitments, as those who stop studying or reduce course loads to only study part-time are not eligible to work off-campus.

This month, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is also launching a pilot project to automate the processing of study permit extensions. The types of applications being included in this pilot have a consistently high approval rate, as all applicants have previously been approved to study in Canada. The pilot will involve a small group of applicants who could see their extended study permit processed much faster, with the goal of improving client service. Should the pilot be successful, it will be expanded in order to help reduce processing times and allow officers to focus on more complex applications.

Today’s announcement is part of a series of initiatives that aim to benefit international students and graduates, while supporting Canada’s broader efforts to improve client service and application processing times.

Other measures recently launched to benefit international students and recent graduates include:

a transition period for those studying online from abroad
an opportunity for those with expired or expiring post-graduation work permits to get an additional 18-month open work permit.

With unprecedented interest in Canada from applicants around the world, IRCC continues to set the bar higher for immigration processing. Ongoing efforts and client service improvements by the department aim to strengthen Canada’s immigration system, shorten wait times, reduce application backlogs and improve the experience of clients overall.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2022/10/international-students-to-help-address-canadas-labour-shortage.html

ESL in Canada Contact Information

James McBride, Group program Coordinator
380 Pelissier St,
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
N9A 6V7

Telephone: 647 247 3897

Email: Group programs Office

Homestay

Ms Shirley Lue, Toronto Homestay Manager,
Toronto Office: 1 (647) 247 3897
Email:Homestay

ESL Cafe at St Paul's Bloor Street in Toronto

Outreach Coordinator
227 Bloor Street East
Toronto, Ontario
M4W 1C8

Telephone: (416) 961-8116

Our thanks to ESL in Canada Internship Students

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