Who We Are

Welcome back, everyone! And welcome to the newest member of our seniors' class. I have a feeling this is going to be a great semester with lots of fun adventures and learning.

Today we filled out little templates to help us get better acquainted. Here are the intriguing results!

Excellent job, everyone! We rocked this!

Practice English this Summer

Here are some links to materials you can study over the summer:

Health - beginning. Scroll down to see the PDFs and the audio files.

Health - intermediate. Scroll down to see the PDFs and the audio files.

About Canada. This book is divided into levels and topics.

For listening practice, I suggest you watch English with Jennifer.

Don't forget to chat with Canadians wherever you go. Remember our gambits? You can talk about the weather, compliment someone on a beautiful dog or beautiful child, or ask the fishermen and women at the riverfront if they can share their catch.

Enjoy your summer!

Jackson Park in Lovely Weather

Hello, students!
Those who did not have appointments today came out to Jackson Park for a picnic and camaraderie. We saw flowers, Robins, dragonflies and park workers fixing everything up for the summer. Nahla was kind enough to bring enough kaleicha for everyone, while Manlin brought bananas. The statue of Rabbie Burns was hard to access due to construction, as were the washrooms. But we found some bleachers to sit on. Nahlah played badminton. She has a lot of energy.

Iris

Ostrich Fern and Colombine

Spiderwort

Peonies

Wild Geranium (?)

Reading the names of area pilots who perished

Movie Choices

Our picnic is Tuesday, June 11. Some students will go on the city bus with Kelly just after 9:00, meeting at the corner of Park and Ouellette. Other students will meet us in Jackson Park by the Tecumseh Road entrance. See you!

You've asked me for a movie. My NFB choices have not gone over that well. Nabil suggested Some Like It Hot with Marilyn Monroe. It is 2 hours and a minute. We would have to start it right at 9:00 and give up a few minutes of our break or run a few minutes over at the end of class.


Singing in the Rain is only 1 hour and 43 minutes.

I've emailed my mom for more ideas. She suggested Gigi, but it's too long.

What about The King's Speech? It's just under two hours, very tight but do-able.

Our Nutrition Label Presentations

Riming and Manlin: Milk Comparison, part 1

Riming: Milk Comparison, part 2

Xiumin and Caixia: Choosing Breakfast

Xiumin and Caixia: ending

Nabil and Raja: What's in Your Snack?

Saiying and Kelly: Three Surprises

Awatif and Marhamat: Five Kinds of Yogourt

Nahla and Saadallah: Ritz or Tabouli?

Read about white rice versus brown rice.

Between Presentations and Travel

Hello, students of the seniors' class!

We are finishing up our module on nutrition labels. We are learning how to give feedback that is kind, specific, and helpful. Next we will learn a bit about planning summer travel by train.

Here is a video about making a presentation that is not boring.



Here is the contact information for CAA in Windsor.

Visti the VIA Rail website to see where you can go on the train this summer.

Some students could use practice with vowel sounds. Is this interesting to you?

Reading Nutrition Labels

This is an excellent video to reinforce the concepts we are learning. This may be an American video. I notice her "rule of thumb" is just a bit different from the one we learn in Canada.

Turn on subtitles and maximize the window. You can also slow down her rate of speech, remember?



Here is another good video: https://youtu.be/fJsF9q2E9do

This video addresses whether cooking fruits and veggies kills the vitamins.

Calcium and Vitamin D

Hello, students!

We are starting our module on calcium and vitamin D. This will be followed by a module on reading nutrition labels.

This short video explains vitamin D and calcium absorption. https://youtu.be/FFhHXH5N7TY

Watch this video. What is the doctor's message? Can you remember how to turn on subtitles? He speaks clearly and slowly. https://youtu.be/gIwZOf_0Su0

Here are the 10 foods highest in vitamin D.
https://youtu.be/XWwv-KleBPQ

How can you get calcium without eating dairy products?
https://youtu.be/IrPWfI5m-sQ

We Visited Hospice

Hello, students!

This week we took a field trip. We rode the city bus to Rivard and Tecumseh. From there, we walked for 15 minutes to reach the Hospice. It was not raining, but it was chilly.

Everyone reported having learned something new and surprising. You told me you were very impressed by the team of dedicated, compassionate staff and volunteers who keep hospice running. I think a lot of minds were changed when it comes to thinking about death, talking about it, and considering hospice care as an option for ourselves or our friends and loved ones.

at the bus terminal

Around a Hospital

Take this tour of London Health Sciences Centre's North Tower. Can you turn on closed captions? Can you slow down the speed of the narrator's speech? Let me teach you how!


Practice medical vocabulary with British and American pronunciation.

This "doctors and hospitals" vocabulary list is in English and Arabic, I think.

Watch and listen as a boy gives other children a tour of a hospital in the U.S.

================= WEATHER FORECASTS ===========

For those wishing to improve your ability to understand the weather forecast, try some of these practice activities below.

Weather vocabulary with quiz

Or watch the weather and turn on closed captioning to see if you can catch some words. It gets easier the more you practice listening!

Preparing for an MRI, X-Ray, or CT Scan

Hello, students.

Strengthen your listening skills with relation to the diagnostic tests we have been studying by watching one or more of these videos.

English in Vancouver - X-ray

Getting an MRI

Getting an MRI (children's version)

Getting a CT Scan

Preparing for a CT Scan

Don't forget to turn on subtitles if you need them.

Also, if you would like to apply for travel medical insurance, click HERE.

Excellent Listening Resource - Diagnostic Tests and Imaging

Hello, class!

As we talked about last week, I have discovered a series of short shows on YouTube called "Mystery Diagnosis." These are fascinating cases in which doctors were not able to diagnose the patient's problem for many months or even years.

While you watch the episodes, you get to follow the patient through a series of tests such as MRI, CT Scan, blood work, allergy testing, ultrasound, and even genetic testing. Watching these videos could help you boost your listening skills when it comes to medical vocabulary.

I hope you find them useful and as interesting as I do.

Go to YouTube and search on the words "mystery diagnosis." For me the most fascinating story was that of Brooke Greenberg, the baby who did not age.

Diagnostic Tests and Imaging

Hello, students of the seniors' class!

Here is an excellent video to explain both computerized axial tomography (CT Scan or CAT Scan) and the concept of a contrast material to help the doctor see certain systems or organs better.

Get Your Family's KI Kit

You expressed an interest in getting your household's free Potassium Iodide (KI) kit from Windsor-Essex Health Unit.

Here is the link. Read the agreement carefully before you request the pills.

https://weki.wechu.org/default?sid=4

Pixabay.com

Tests and Screenings - Routine

Hello!

Before we get into special tests and screenings, let's spend some time on routine tests and screenings that every patient needs. We also want to learn about the tests and screenings recommended just for men or just for women, just for young people, or just for older people.

For example, a yearly physical exam may include giving a urine sample.

The nurse will check your blood pressure.

The doctor will order blood work, so you will have to go to a lab.

Here is a short news video about the annual physical exam or "check-up."

Health History

Hello, students!

We have reviewed parts of the body. Monday we will start a bit of in-depth study of the body systems. Meanwhile, we have learned to answer questions about our family medical history and our personal medical history.

Here is the video of a dialogue between a doctor and patient's mother.



Here are some short conversations between a doctor and a patient.

This is a link to the BODY SYSTEMS dictionary.

And Back to Health Again

Hello, seniors!

We have returned to your favourite topic: health and navigating the healthcare system. This week we are learning to describe symptoms.

Since I have taught health topics many times before, I would like you to learn how to find those old blog posts for yourself. There are many good links on each one. To do this, you will  need to find the Search This Blog box at the top of the sidebar of this website. Do you see it? If you put in the word "symptoms" and click the Search This Blog button, you will be taken to a blog post about that. Next try putting in the word "health."

Did it work?

Here is the audio for Lily.

Here is the audio for Jim.

Have fun exploring all those resources!

Kelly

Police, Witness, Victim

Hello, students of the seniors' class!

This week we continue with our topic of the police and crime.

Below is a very interesting story of a mugging that had an unexpected ending. Can you understand what he's saying? If you want to read the transcript, click this button.

https://storycorps.org/listen/julio-diaz/

Describing People for Police

Hello, students!

This week we are learning to describe people.

In this video, we hear two people discussing the physical descriptions of escaped prisoners.



This week we talked  about linking. Watch Rachel's lesson on linking.

You can also practice spelling and sentences with games.

Happy Holidays 2018

We wrapped up 2018 with a class potluck, speeches, games, song, and breaking bread together. I hope to see everyone again in the new year.