Times-Advocate, 1988-12-07, Page 12Page 12 Times -Advocate, December 7, 1988
Teacher makes lessons exciting, practical
LearningEnglish the fun way
11y Yvonne Reynolds
EXETER -The 10.. people .clus-
.tercd around the man with.,thc
blonde hair and mustache, listening
intently as he removed thc mystery
lrorn some unfamiliar -items in the,
produce department of thc north end
supermarket.
"This is a. Hubbard squash, and
this is a butternut. Here we have an -
acorn squash, and this is called a.
spaghetti squash because the insides
look and taste like pasta when
Cooked", -Tom . Seipl,was, saying,
speaking slowly and. clearly., and
carefully enunciating. each word.
• T'he.oncs with the hard tough skins
are winter vegetables, and the thin-
skinned ones are called summer
squash."
Seip held up the current issuc.of a
Canadian magazine, andopened it to
a- feature on numerous sways to
cook the versatile squash.
-The processionmoved-on to view:
-pomegranates, mangoes and papay-
as, then stopped again at. the meat
counter to hear about Canadian cuts
of meat: •
;The adult students - for such they
were - had just received one more
practical application of the -language
they are tryink to masf'cr.
Learning a second language can be
whore. Or it can t e fun. Some of
the immigrants from southeast Asia
and Europe who have settled in this
arca are discovering that learning the
language spoken in their chosen
new homeland can be a lively, ex-
citing experience. They are enrolled
in one of the "English' as a Second
Language" classes at South Huron
District High School taught by
Mary Ellison.
'The. Exeter ESL project had its or- -
igin two- years ago. An adult stu-
dent working towards his graduation
diploma through the .Alternate Edu-
cation program at -SHDHS told
guidance head Ric Graham that
many of his friends from Lao.s and
Viet Nam wcrc struggling to learn
English, and would benefit from
English lessons.
Graham -brought the suggestion to
SHUIIS principal Bruce Shaw.
"You know Brum", Graham, said.
"He told me to see if a classroom
Was available, then 'Go.for h'."
Space was. R)und in the SHDHS
library. The I luron. Board agreed to.
sponsor the classes. •Curriculum
material came from the Ontario
ministry of citizenship and Culturc's-
"Welcotnc to Canadian English" and
the niinistry of education' Indepen-
dent Learning Centre.. A list of .10
• prospective students was brought in
by the person who originally pro-
posed the classes.' Exeter United
and the Pentecostal church, which
have both stxmsorett new arrivals in
Canada, were contacted and asked to
bring any interested •families to the
school.
Classes -began in' September
1987. The majority of the students
taking the -day classes on Monday,
Wednesday and Friday mornings are
Orientals, and most of those en-.
rolled on Tuesday and Thursday:
nights.are from Europe. - • •
"But the key factor is the teacher.
• Mary Ellison is personable, she.
takes an interest -in each student's
progress, -and tries to cover all bases
pertaining to life in Huron County.
She takes her students to the town
office, the grocery store...teaching
language as part of life", Graham.
enthused.
Marie -Luise Eisen is equally en-
thusiastic. This is her second year
in the class, since moving with her
husband and family to a farm near
Crediton.
"I didn't know much English at
first: Mary is a goxxl teacher. •This
is living English,•not dry English. -
We had a farewell party in a restau-
ram, we celebrate birthday's, and we
arc bringing Christmas cards from
Germany to [he next class"; she
said in words that wcrc easily undcr-
suxxt despite the German accent.
The teacher is also happy with
the arrangement. 1t has been a
learning experience for her too. El
lison needed her own confidence
boosted thc first time -she walked
into the library classroom.. She hat -
Corrie In and let LAS Show yotA hOw We
fi. l l our Santa
Ghccdates•Truffles • Ntts • Candies
Got rrnet- Coffee arcd Hof -Chocolate • JamS • etc..
Wewould be happy to irdude your
wine or liqueur With our Sticks.
Knees rams from $ g artid up
'Chocolate letters lei I be ava i la b�
at The Factory outlet-.
Q�htQQ n• 2-1211 factory
Mon -Fri • 1-1
rturdAy • 1- 5:30
OUflet- • 2 - 1283
Mon- Sat • q:30
Friday • g -g
SUrnday • I I - 5
last taught seven years before;.at
Stephen Central, and had received
. very little in the way of guidelines
or curriculum for this new venture.
• Graham warned her she would
have to gain her students'. confi
dencc and trust, as they, expected
teacher to stay three qtr four days
•then go.
Ellison began by introducing her
self. "1 am Mary FIlison. I a
• your teacher, and 1 want to he you
friend: 1 will not leave you."
Ellison adapted her teaching mate
rials to her students' needs.. Besides
the tour of the grocery store, Eili-
son has invited the students to her
home tt, paint Easter eggs and again
to make Jack o' Lantern cookies.
They phone-bctweon classes to ask
for help with problems like income
tax, insurance and car repairs.-
Ellison uses a variety of teaching
methods. One class may centre on
the names of fruits and vegetables,
another May have the students inter-
viewing eachothcr.
Being an ESL teacher is like go-
ing back to the one -room school.
Ellison's .students range in age from
19 to 61, and the scope of their lan-
guage skills is almost as broad.
Some of the :'Asians had picked up
a smattering of English in. refugee
camps in -Thailand; and most of the
Europeans recognized a few words.
The faces change throughout the
school year, as older students leave,
and new ones.begin the class. •
Both groups -are quickly adapting
to Canadian ways. The: Laotian la-
dies can cook frenal fries or rice,
spaghetti 6r Chinese noodles. \\'hyo
asked to name their favourite foods,
Kentucky tried c ken, hamburgers
and subs are high on the list.
The Europeans asked to have one
of their lessens based on the Times
Advo tate. Ellison went through the
paper qui. kIr, then gave a short
written test asking where one would
look •if uanung to buy a dining
room tabic'. and the names of the
new Exeter council members.
Ellison returned -to scho )I herself
last 'summer to take the first seg-
ment of a two-part course at West=
ern 00 how to teach English as a
second language.. She was quite
nervous, as she had not been a stu-
dent for a long time. She passed
the mandatory grammar proficiency
course, given the third day:
Those taking the course heard a
guest speaker define refugee and Mi-
. migrant, spent. time at the London
' Cross-cultural Learning Centre. and
were told that German people have
trouble -with the English "1h" . he -
cause they te(insider the placement of
the tongue required to properly pro-
duce that sound to he rude.
FAIjspg=g_radyined near, the top of
her class.
"This has come at a good time in
my life. li has reaffirmed my self-
estccrn and my faith in myself: I
sound 1 did so many things right be-
fore 1 Look the course", Ellison
said. . -
"Teaching these classes is so re-
warding it's almost selfish. You
get so for i of them. The sttulents
invite mc. to•thcir homes, and seem
to appreciate what I do". Ellison
said. She recalled last Christmas,
her first alone as a single parent.
She received a phone call from otic
of her Asian pupils on •returning
home after visiting her parents: In
a few minutes eight of her Laotian
friends were at the door, each with a
present for thci- teacher.
Ellison was delighted her students
had learned .their most important
lesson - their instructor was also
their friend.
a
M
r.
". Huron County
-g . ,,...„Christmas Bureau,....7,,...,.
• 'DONATIO.NS
Gratefully received -at:
n Exeter United Church 42 James St. E.
Thursday to Saturday December 8 -- 1-0-------
_.
. Monday and Tuesday, December 12, 13 Z
.� 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
HELP US HELP FAMILIES
.vim Local Manager: Exeter United Church
Mrs. Alma Godbolt n Mrs. Audrey MacGregor
.. 4,
ft
Family and Children's Services of Huron County
4r
Sponsors and coordinates
Huron County Christmas Bureau as a special service to families in need wti
. 46 Gloucester Terr., Goderich, N7A 1W7
Reg.. No. 184192-01-05 524-7356
ft 1-800-265-5198
Recess - Students in the thrice -weekly daytime
pose with teacher Mary Ellison, back right.
English as a -Second Language class .at SHDF,JS take a break
to
Local textbook - Students in. the' two nights a week evening English classes use a copy of the Times Advocate �s
part of their lesson.
[A)
CHRISTMAS
SHOPPING
VISA
DATE
Wed.,
Dec. 7
TIME
6-9
p.m.
FUN FILLED
SURPRISES FOR
ALL IN THE
FAMILY
i
•
're mat
41111 •
0 1`
4
•
•
SAVE
Exeter
193 Main
Street,
GREAT
GIFT
IDEAS AT
SAVINGS
DISCOUNT
WILL BE GIVEN ON ALL
MERCHANDISE
PURCHASED
•
• Picture taken with Santa Claus - 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m
• Treats for the kids
• Draw for 4' 1/2" stocking
• Colouring Contest
• -Ginger Bread House Contest