Canadian ESL Homestay advice for international students

2006-03-24T09:59:00.000-08:00

Canadian ESL Homestay advice for international students

How long does the TOEFL ibt actually take?

I took a student to the Victoria test center on Friday, March17th, 2006. We drove down from Nanaimo ( 1 1/2 hour drive to Victoria). We stopped just before the university to have a good healthy meal. Sign in was 3:15pm and start time was suppose to be 3:45pm. We arrived with plenty of time to spare, made sure he had his passport and then began to wait. The test got underway shortly after 4:00pm. I expected the test to take 3 -4 hours. the same length as the old one.

I got back to the test center at 7:30pm. There were several people waiting to pick up students. Only a couple of students finished by 8:00pm. Time went by. People that had brought students from Vancouver were beginning to panic, as the last ferry back to the Mainland left at 9:00pm. About 8:30, several were asking for hotel advice.

My student came out from the test at 9:00pm totally exhausted! (There were still several students finishing.) After driving home it was 11:00pm!

My advice to students taking the test in Victoria is;

Prepare to stay the night, if you are from out of town! This is very important for students from Vancouver or other places on the Island. You will not be able to find buses to take you back at this hour!
Make sure you have a good healthy meal before taking the test.
Bring Your Passport! ( you cannot take the test without it)
Get plenty of rest the night before.

What questions should I ask before going abroad?

2005-09-06T18:33:00.000-07:00

When faced with a decision of where to study abroad, students and their parents have many decisions to make. For many, the decision is made for them. They go where they can get a student permit. This section will help with your decision. I will attempt to give you some questions to lead you in the right direction.

The first question that comes to mind is, where will I get the best possible education? Ask about teacher qualifications. Is the school a public or a private institution. Are they Government registered? A licensed school of quality will be proud to give you the answers.
In the past, British Columbia Private Language schools needed to be registered by PPSEC (Private Post Secondary Education Council). That is no longer the situation. Schools may chose to belong to PPSEC's succesor PCTIA (Private Career Training Institute Association). If they are registered members of PCTIA, your tuition fees are insured. This protects you when you prepay your tuition fees. If the school experiences financial difficulties, your investment is protected. Many of us have heard of unfortunate situations in the news. Make sure you know if you are dealing with a registered private school!

How much will it cost? You have to take several things into consideration for the calculation. Most schools have a registration fee, tuition fee, and required books to purchase.
You have to decide whether to live homestay (room and board), peerstay ( room only) or in an apartment. Most apartments are not furnished. I went over most of this information in a prior story.
Then you have to decide on transportation costs. Will you be taking a bus or buying a car? If you do decide to drive it is best to bring an international driver's license with you. You can use it for the first year in Canada.
Keep in mind insurance costs too. Most people think about health insurance which is mandatory at most schools. Have you thought about property insurance and vehicle insurance? Most students do not think about property insurance. Do you realize if there is a fire, none of your possessions will be covered? A friend of mine was hosting a student who made the unfortunate mistake of leaving a candle burning on the deck of her condo. The entire condo burned in additon to causing damage to the businesses below. My friend lost most of her possessions. but her insurance policy covered most of the financial loss. Her student was not insured and lost her computer, books and personal possessions. The host mothers insurance did not cover the loss for her student. This was a costly mistake that could have been avoidable with property insurance.
Other costs include dental care, eyeglasses and prescription medicine in Canada. Most health insurance policies do not cover these items.

"Will the student be safe?", is a question of prime consideration in a parents mind.
In today's world, it is a fact of life our children have to be taught about possible dangers. Will my child have to be concerned with personal safety? Any student traveling abroad should be educated on possible situations in advance.
What do you do if approached by a stranger in an aggressive manner? What should I do if something I own is stolen? What steps should I take if I have been hurt or sexually assaulted? What if the student is in an accident? What should I do if there is a natural disaster? Make sure a plan is made before your child leaves home! When a student arrives in a foreign country, plans should be made with the host family or friends they are living with. Decide what they should do in each situation, in advance! If they need help with any of this, most schools have counselors to help them.

You have to consider the host country's climate, cost of living and how your child could adapt to the lifestyle in the country you choose. Does the country have sanitary living conditions? Do you need inoculations? Is there an atmosphere of tolerance or will the student need to worry about prejudice?

I may not have given you all the answers in this section, but I hope I have armed you with questions to ask in advance of making your decision. If you need advice, please email me - diannemains@themainsway.com. I will be happy to answer your questions!

TOEFL - The Next Generation

2005-03-20T18:31:00.000-08:00

What changes are happening with the Next Generation TOEFL?

Good question! Every ten years or so, ETS makes major changes to exams. This is the year for TOEFL changes. The biggest change is the addition of a speaking section! That’s right! You will now have to speak English well to pass the exam.

This new test will begin in the USA on September 25th, 2005. Canada, France, Italy and Germany will follow in November. Other countries will come later. The test will be interactive computer based (IbT). It will be about 4 hours long and will integrate four basic communication skills – listening, reading, speaking and writing. By integrating the skills in various tasks, universities feel students will be better prepared for academic life. Let’s take a look at how these changes will look.

Listening Section – will now consist of two short conversations between two different speakers and 3 or 4 longer lectures on academic subjects. You will need to take notes (Yes, you can and should take notes now!) on the lectures. This section is actually easier now, as you do not have to memorize everything as you did in the past. Idioms will not be used as much in this section.

Reading Section – will consist of 3 reading passages to test your comprehension skills. You may have to fill in a table about information you have read or to find the paraphrase of a line you have read. Memorization of vocabulary for this will be next to impossible as they use over 2.7 million different words for the test! Wow!

Speaking Section – will consist of 2 questions based on personal knowledge or experiences. You may be asked to give an opinion or explain a familiar topic. The next 2 questions will be based on a short reading and listening task. These will be short tasks about an academic topic or a campus related situation. The last questions will be based on a combination of listening and reading topics. It will be important to answer in a clear voice in language showing you comprehend the question. You will have to summarize ideas in a smooth, intelligent fashion. Testers will be checking for language use demonstrating knowledge of grammar and word choice. I advise you to practice speaking with someone who has an American or Canadian accent for this task. Remember this is an American based test! New On-line classes that permit conversation with your instructor are a great way to get that practice.

Writing Section – will consist of 2 essays. The first will be based on an academic reading and listening task. You will first have to read about an academic topic, then listen to a corresponding lecture. You need to take notes during this task. You will need to answer a question discussing the key points and how the lecture and reading passage relate to one another. The second essay will be about a familiar topic. This question will be similar to the old test.

Make sure you are studying TOEFl - The Next Generation with an instructor who has taken the new training from ETS. They are offering training world wide. If you are looking for a school in Canada, keep The Mains Way to Learn English, in mind. We have taken the training and have the latest in training manuals! We can be found at www.themainsway.com. You can email me at diannemains@themainsway.com. I would be delighted to help you with this test!

Homestay, Peerstay or renting an apartment?

2005-03-19T21:04:00.000-08:00

When a student has decided to come to Canada, that student needs to choose a type of accommodation to meet his/her needs. The choices can seem daunting. Here is an explanation of types of accommodation to make that choice easier.
Homestay - This accommodation is a great choice for a first trip to Canada. You will live in a family home and have your own bedroom. The host family will help you acclimatize to Canada. They will familiarize you with Canada's customs, show you the city's sights, and teach you how to use the bus system.
The family will provide food for three meals a day. Do not expect the family to daily cook all three meals for you. Most host families will show you how to prepare your breakfast and lunch and will prepare the evening meal for you. Remember, the host family is not your servant and expects you to behave as a family member. You should volunteer to help with either the meal preparation or the clean up.
You will be responsible for doing your personal laundry and keeping your bedroom clean and tidy. The host family will teach you how to use the washing machine, clothes dryer, and vacuum cleaner.
The host family should encourage you to join in family activities and events.
Canada is a multinational country and therefore not all families are fluent with English. You should request a family that is fluent, as this is your purpose in coming to Canada.

Peerstay - This accommodation is also in a family home but meals will not be provided for you. They will provide a place for you to store and cook your food. You will need to cook and clean up for yourself. If you know how to cook and prefer your own food, this is the choice for you!
You will be provided a room or suite in the family home. You will need to keep your own room clean, launder your clothes and buy your own groceries.
The family will be there to help you if you need information or assistance, but they will not include you as a member of their family.
This is a good choice if you want more independence. It is a good choice for a mature student.

Renting your own apartment - If you are coming to Canada with a friend and want to live together, this is the choice for you. I only recommend this for mature students or students that have lived here for a while. You will have to purchase furniture, kitchen supplies, cleaning items and linens. It will require a greater initial investment than the first two choices.You will also have to sell or give these things away when you return home.
Canadian landlords require you to pay a damage deposit and the first month's rent in advance. You will have to have transportation to visit the apartments to see if they are suitable. I do not recommend renting an apartment without seeing it first. It may be in poor condition or dirty. You need to see this for yourself!
You will benefit if your room-mate does not speak the same language. That way, you will both be forced to communicate in English.
If you have further questions about living choices.....email me! I would be happy to give you advice.

Getting Started

2005-03-18T23:04:00.000-08:00

Each student should do their homework before coming to Canada. Read through different school sites. Make sure the schools are registered with either a Provincial Government Agency ( eg: PCTIA in British Columbia) or a Canadian Agency (CAPLS). This will ensure that your money deposited with your chosen school is protected by laws and, if you change your mind and withdraw from the school or do not receive your visa, you will get most of your money back. CIC (Citizenship and Immigration Canada) also looks more favorably upon registered Canadian Schools when issuing study permits and Temporary Visitor Visas.

Check to see the school has a program you wish to take. You will have to pass your TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) before gaining admittance to an academic program. In Canada students are required to take the computer based test. A minimum score of 213 is needed to attend at a college level...higher marks are required for universities.
ESL programs vary from school to school. Make sure the instructors are qualified to teach in their province. Make sure they have ESL training. Ask to see credentials.

Make sure the school has a local license to conduct business and interview the school owner by email. Make sure they carefully answer all your questions in advance.

You have chosen your school - what should you do now?

1. Make an application to the school. You will find the forms to fill out and Email under a section called Admissions or Registrations.

2. When you receive a reply, you will have to pay your tuition fees and registration fees in advance.

3. The school will then send you an admission letter stating you have been accepted as a student and your fees have been paid in full.

4. You can begin the visa process, by making application to your nearest Canadian Consulate or Embassy. Here is the link - http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/permit-who.html . This process can take 3-6 months. You may need a Temporary Residents Visa as well. Please check out this site and see if your home country is on the list - http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.html . If you need a Temporary Resident visa You can go to this site - http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/applications/visa.html .

Now that you have completed all the parts of the process, you will have to decide if you wish to live with and eat all your meals with a Canadian family (homestay), or get a suite in someone's house where you can cook for yourself (peerstay). Schools will ask you to fill out a form and pay a fee for placing you in a home. Some schools will help you to find an apartment as a third alternative for living in Canada.

You have made all the major decisions.....Now book your flight!
Congratulations on your decision to come to Canada! I hope to meet you here! Our school is The Mains Way to Learn English. You can find us at www.themainsway.com . You can email me at info@themainsway.com .