Month: February 2013

Why is Augusto smiling?

Category: EC Toronto / Tags: , , , , ,

Augusto is smiling because according to him, he’s in one of the best classes ever! Augusto began at EC Toronto on January 7th and has been taking TOEFL ever since, but unfortunately, his last day is Friday March 1st! He describes his experience in TOEFL as “exceeding his expectations”. “Even when I was confused about an answer to a question, my teacher, Andrew, knew exactly the way to get around that question and figure out the right answer. He always had a way and a strategy. I loved this class.” It doesn’t hurt that his teacher Andrew describes Augusto as the “ideal student”, because Augusto always had great energy and a positive attitude. I’m sure Augusto’s hard work will pay off once he takes that TOEFL test. From all of us at EC Toronto, we wish Augusto all the best in everything he does, and good luck on that TOEFL test, your travels, and your dreams. EC Toronto Staff

EC Toronto – An official TOEFL Test Centre

Category: EC Toronto, Tips for our Students / Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

‘Exam in Progress’ – You will see this sign every month at EC Toronto because our school is an official test centre for TOEFL exams. Last Friday we had our latest TOEFL test here at EC Toronto. Everything was well prepared for our test participants… But EC Toronto doesn’t just offer test dates for TOEFL exams. You can also take a TOEFL course at EC Toronto to reach your target score. Our amazing TOEFL teachers Andrew and Martin have been at EC Toronto for a long time – they are our TOEFL professionals. 🙂 So if you are not sure whether TOEFL is the right course for you then just take a trial class with Andrew and Martin. You will get to know their teaching methods and the content of the right TOEFL preparation for a successful exam result. EC Toronto was recently voted as the best English language school in Toronto in 2012 by one of our largest local agencies. Furthermore, our TOEFL programme was voted as the best TOEFL programme in the city in 2012 by TWO local agencies. We are proud to offer good educational quality to our students but we didn’t expect such success. Thank you for your confidence! Please keep this final phrase in your mind: A good TOEFL score open doors for universities and good jobs. Start your career by taking a TOEFL course at EC Toronto – your language school in Toronto! Our lovely student counsellors on the 4th floor and our Higher Score® Coordinator Sari are glad to help you with any issues related with TOEFL courses and exams. Register now! Your EC Toronto Team

Family Day – Time for Your Family and Yourself

Category: Discover Canada, EC Toronto / Tags: , , , , , , ,

The original idea of Family Day was to give people a day that they can spend time with their families and have a day off between New Year’s Day and Good Friday. Common activities on Family Day are skating, skiing/snowboarding, playing hockey and going to winter festivals and of course eating a lot of pancakes with too much maple syrup! Family Day is celebrated in only some provinces in Canada – Alberta, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan and of course here in Ontario. Our province started to have Family Day in 2007 when Dalton McGuinty promised to establish a provincial holiday in February if he was re-elected. So the whole EC Toronto family enjoyed its spare time on Family Day last Monday. Also our EC Toronto mascot, Günther, celebrated Family Day and took a day off! What did you do on last Monday when EC Toronto was closed due Family Day? Did you spend time with your homestay family and friends? Your EC Toronto Team

National Flag Day of Canada

Category: Discover Canada, EC Toronto, Tips for our Students / Tags: , , , ,

source: www.canadianheritage.gc.ca/flagday 1921: Red and white were named the official colours of Canada. 1965: The red and white Canadian flag was raised on Parliament Hill where our Federal parliament meets. Canada is not a very old country. Canada officially became a country in 1867 – that means we are only 146 years old! We celebrate Canada’s birthday on July 1st every year. How old is your country?? Your EC Toronto Team wishes you a happy ‘National Flag of Canada Day’!

Happy Valentine’s Day from EC Toronto

Category: EC Toronto, Special Events in Toronto & at EC Toronto / Tags: , , , ,

Today is Saint Valentine’s Day! Maybe you just know this day as Valentine’s Day (or the Feast of Saint Valentine). This special, romantic day is celebrated annually on February 14. Valentine’s Day is known in many countries around the world. If you study the history of Valentine’s Day you will learn that this day started with a liturgical celebration of one or more early Christian saints named ‘Valentinus’. This day has been always associated with romantic love. Lovers and couples express their love by presenting flowers and sending lovely handwritten greeting cards (known as “valentines“). Also our EC Toronto team was prepared for Valentine’s Day! We decorated our office with many hearts and other decorations and of course everybody is in a happy and cheerful mood. We also prepared a fun game for our EC Toronto students for this special day. We hid 50 hearts around the school. Our student had to find these hearts and come to the office. Candies and chocolate hearts were waiting for them and brought a smile to everybody’s face. Some of our students were really ambitious and came with 5 or more hearts to the office. Great job guys! And one student was so surprised that she replied ‘Happy Birthday!’ to us. Funny girl..! Check out our EC Toronto Facebook page to see more photos and a video of our Valentine’s Day activity! Happy Valentine’s Day everybody! Your EC Toronto Team

Welcome to CELTA at EC Toronto!

Category: EC Toronto, Tips for our Students / Tags: , , , , ,

We’re one of the best known CELTA centres in Canada, and we have a great team of tutors that will help you succeed! Our Toronto CELTA course: Is a full-time, 4 week programme Involves a minimum of 120 hours with additional time required for preparation and assignments Follows the Cambridge CELTA syllabus and provides practical and professional awareness of learners, language, methodology and materials Develops practical ability in classroom management, lesson planning, introduction and practice of new language, and the development of listening, speaking, reading and writing skills Is intended for native speakers of English and those whose English is of native-speaker level Provides pre-service training to those with no teaching experience Is also suited to those who are already in the profession, but who have no formal teaching qualification Contact us if you have any questions – we’d be glad to help you on your way to an exciting ESL career! One final sentence from a CELTA student explains everything: ‘I highly recommend EC Toronto. As a CELTA student, I find that EC is teaching me all the ropes of a quality English language teacher. I’m so glad I chose EC Toronto because the students are great to work with, and the trainers are dedicated to giving us the best preparation possible. Thanks EC Toronto, I’m ready to teach!’ Your EC Toronto Team    

EC Toronto said goodbye to Yuko Nishida

Category: EC Toronto / Tags: , , ,

EC Toronto said goodbye to one of our special students, Yuko Nishida. She has been an AY student with us since March 2012 and has taken High Intermediate, TOEFL, Upper Intermediate and finally …. ADVANCED! Amazing! Soon she will be entering the world of work through our co-op program. We enjoyed having Yuko and her bright smile in our school, and everyone at EC Toronto will miss her! Your EC Toronto Team

What is Groundhog Day?

Category: Activities in Toronto, General Activities, Tips for our Students / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Each year, on February 2, the groundhog peeks its head out of its burrow (the place under the ground where it lives all winter). If the groundhog sees its shadow, it becomes frightened and immediately runs back underground to sleep. That means winter will last 6 more weeks. 🙁 If the groundhog does not see its shadow, that means spring will come early. 🙂 Groundhogs (called woodchucks in England and similar to badgers in other parts of Europe) are a member of the squirrel family, although they are larger. Normally, the groundhog hibernates all winter; before going into hibernation, it has to eat a lot. Groundhogs have front paws that can hold food like hands when they eat. Groundhogs dig long tunnels underground where they live; each tunnel has different ‘rooms’, including a sleeping area, an area for babies, and a separate toilet – groundhogs like to be very clean! The most famous groundhog in Canada is ‘Wiarton Willie’. Willie has been predicting when winter will end for over 55 years. Each year on February 2nd, in the dark and early morning, towns’ folk and fans from all over come out to see Willie‘s prediction in the town of Wiarton, located on Georgian Bay which is part of Lake Huron (north and west of Toronto). So, all you EC Toronto students, don’t forget to check the news on February 2! Will it be an early spring or six more weeks of winter? Your EC Toronto Team