Category: Different Cultures in Toronto

Study Tips and Study Habits

Category: Different Cultures in Toronto

  If you’re studying English at EC, you might benefit from a few of these study tips. Check out our list of  Study Habits to make the most of your time here at EC. Alternate Study Spaces Cognitive scientists suggest that alternating study spaces helps you retain information. Your memory is influenced by location, and changing your study locales increases the chance that you’ll remember what you’ve learned. Study in Groups When learning a new language, practice speaking and using the language is essential. Getting together with other students and working together in a group is a great way to improve your English. Make Flash Cards Flash Cards are great for studying grammar and vocabulary. Making and using flash cards will help you remember the information you’re studying. Take Tests Although you might hate taking tests, formal evaluations not only affirm knowledge but enhance it. Regular testing can help us retain and recall information. Sleep! A tired mind is a slow mind, so make sure you’re getting enough rest each night. Go to Class The best way to improve your English is to attend and participate in your classes. Show up on time and work hard! Check out EC Toronto for Toronto Homestay English Courses.

Irish Dancing at EC Toronto!!

Category: Activities in Toronto, Different Cultures in Toronto / Tags: , , , , , , ,

To celebrate St. Patrick’s day EC Toronto invited a professional Irish dance group to put on a show for us!! The dancing was amazing and all of our students were very impressed. After the show the dance group even taught us a few dance steps. Some of us were very talented and some of us just had fun trying! 🙂

Black History Month 2013 in Toronto

Category: Activities in Toronto, Different Cultures in Toronto, Festivals in Toronto, Tips for our Students / Tags: , , , , ,

Each February, everybody – Canadians and tourists in Canada – are invited to celebrate Black History Month. People honour ‘Canadians of African and Caribbean descent’ with many festivities and events. This year, Citizenship and Immigration Canada is focussing on the past and present achievements of black Canadians in law enforcement. Some Activities in Toronto: REGGAE OR NOT: The birth of Dancehall culture in Jamaica and Toronto (February 1 – 28; Gladstone Hotel: 1214 Queen Street West, Toronto) KUUMBA: Celebrating Black History Month through the arts (February 1 – 3; Harbourfront Centre: 235 Queens Quay West, Toronto) TOUNKANDE: A Black History Month performance by Ballet Creole (February 1 – 28); various locations) L.A. Rebellion: Creating a new black cinema (January 31 – February 19; TIFF Bell Lightbox: 350 King Street West, Toronto) IN CONVERSATION WITH JULIE DASH (January 31; TIFF Bell Lightbox: 350 King Street West, Toronto) DRUM BEATS: As part of the Mutadi International Drumming Festival in honour of Black History Month (January 30 – February 28; various locations) And here the link to explore the virtual Canadian Black History Museum: http://goo.gl/QFkcQ – You have to try it. It’s fantastic! Your EC Toronto Team

Do you know how different people from different cultures at EC Toronto celebrate Christmas?

Category: Different Cultures in Toronto, EC Toronto / Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

No? We will tell you in this blog! We asked our students from all over the world how they celebrate the holidays in their country. Yuko, one of our Japanese students, tells us that people from Japan very often spend Christmas Day with friends, go out to a nice restaurant where they of course celebrate this special time with Champagne and a cake. After that delicious meal they exchange Christmas gifts and play some amusing games together just to enjoy the company and this special event. Ali, a student from Saudi Arabia, tells us that Christmas is a new experience for him and the other Saudi students at EC Toronto because neither Christmas nor Hanukah is celebrated in their country. They are curious to see how the Canadians celebrate their Holiday season, and enjoy being able to celebrate with them! Hye-Rim, one of our student counsellors, enjoys her Christmas time with her family and/or her close friends and she prepares Christmas gifts for the children of friends and family. For her it is necessary to go to Church on Christmas Eve or on Christmas Morning to sing carols, to pray and to have a quiet time of reflection. Sara, another student counsellor at EC Toronto, doesn’t practice her religion. When Sara can spend Christmas time with her family, half of the family goes to church, while the non-religious ones stay at her grandmother’s house on Christmas Eve. After mass they enjoy a delicious dinner all together with lamb or suckling pig. When Sara isn’t in Italy like this year, she calls her family on Skype. Sara’s family shows her all the yummy food they are eating and make her regret that she decided not to go back home. Elizabeth, our Operations Manager, spends Christmas with her close family. Unlike most … Read more

Thai Culture

Category: Different Cultures in Toronto

Hi everybody, next week EC Toronto is hosting a group of Thai students and for that reason we want to share with you some information about their culture and their manners.  1.       Thai culture The main things you need to know about Thai people are: Thais do not necessarily smile about things the way we do in the west; they smile for different reasons. For example, to say hello or thank you, to make a request, to apologize, to smooth over bad feelings or to show embarrassment. So, if you see one of them smiling at you, please be friendly and give them a smile back. Never touch anyone on the head! Maybe for your culture this is not such a big deal, but for Thais, the head is the most honorable part of the body and it is a great insult for them to be touched on the head. If you accidentally forget and do so, politely beg his or her pardon and even more importantly, if it is necessary to reach for something above someone’s head, say “excuse me” first. Never point your foot at someone to refer to it or draw attention, especially the bottom of the foot. The foot is considered to be “dirty” by Thais due to the fact that it is the lowest part of the body.  2.       The Thai Wai Greeting Do you want to know how to say hello in a respectful way? Well, here we have some more information… “Sawat-dee” is the usual way to say hello or goodbye, but you should speak slowly and clearly. Thai people do not shake hands like people in the west. They place the palms and fingers of both their hands together as in a prayer position in the center of their bodies.  This Thai … Read more

Latin American culture in Toronto

Category: Activities in Toronto, Different Cultures in Toronto, Special Events in Toronto & at EC Toronto

Hi everybody, In this post, we are going to talk about the Latin American culture, but specifically, we want to invite you to the Mexican Independence Day celebration, which will take place this Saturday, September 15 at Nathan Phillips Square (City Hall, Toronto). Did you know that in 2006, Latin American people in Toronto made up 2.6 % of our population? Well, as you already know, Toronto is a city full of culture and it is really easy to find people from different Spanish-speaking countries, so LSC/EC Toronto is happy to give you more information on this topic.  3. Latin American people in Toronto The Latin American area of Toronto is located around Bloor and Bathurst Sts .  Most of this area is comprised of people from Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Venezuela, Ecuador and Nicaragua. The Latin American people arrived in Canada in the late 20th century trying to find better economic opportunities and avoid the political repression that they were living under in their native countries. This weekend, people from Mexico are celebrating their Independence Day.  We want to invite you to this amazing celebration which will take place this Saturday, September 15 in Nathan Phillips Square (City Hall, Toronto) from 12 noon til 8 PM.          Come and join the Mexicans in their traditional Mexican fiesta and have fun, while you listen to mariachis, eat some Mexican food and shout…. ¡VIVA MEXICO!