What can EAP/ESL/EFL instructors do if they are laid off or have much reduced hours during COVID-19? This question concerns most of us. Like many others, I was laid off. I believe that with persistence and creativity we can stay positive. As examples to stimulate discussion, here are several things that I have found beneficial.
No matter how trivial it sounds, in an online class the organization of course content is absolutely essential. Let me share a few practical observations.
1. Materials and Assessments
The most basic organizational tenet of an online classroom stems from the platform itself: in my case it was Google Classroom which gives an opportunity to divide learning content into assignments, quiz assignments, questions, and materials within a section called Classwork. It is a slight deviation from the terminology usually employed in the LINC/ESL world, but one easy for learners to accept. Understanding the distinction between materials and the other options is primarily important for students.
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I have always believed that the best tax planning strategy is to keep in your wallet as much of your hard-earned money as possible. I have come across a number of tax deductions that are often overlooked or unknown to many. I’d like to share six of the most common with you.
Some of my primary concerns about this current online world of teaching are the creation of community and how to effectively engage learners.
As Eva Hoffman quipped, “We live forward, but we understand backwards.” Hence, I’ve done a recount of my experience as a LINC instructor of advanced online classes during the pandemic and a student myself of different online courses from Additional Basic Qualification courses at OISE, to my own French lessons, transformed during the pandemic into Zoom meetings. An issue that captured my special attention was the rationale for the hybrid mode of the remote ESL teaching.
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In my last blog post I discussed a number of issues related to arriving at retirement without the proper savings to support your lifestyle. In this second part I want to highlight some investment vehicles available to build wealth. Our focus here relates to investments in equity markets and fixed income securities, which is my area of expertise.
In the past couple of blog posts, I’ve discussed budgeting and debt management. If you read them and believe you have a good grasp of these topics, then it is time to move on to the third area of focus, which is savings.
Hi ESL Teachers,
My name is ED – English Dictionary – but most language learners call me “Oh, you again”. But I’m pretty sure that I’m one of your favorite things in life. For a while I’ve wanted to have a talk with you about something shocking I recently came across. It’s all about my casual talk with your students about my presence and role in their language learning. And believe me, that talk came out as a big surprise!
Nobody gets a credit card and says, “I am going to live in a never-ending loop of debt,” yet the Bank of Canada reports that the average debt held by residents of Ontario as of March 2020, excluding mortgages, is $24,406.
Ever feel like your paycheck disappears too quickly? Your pay or balance in your chequing account gets eaten up by bills and expenses, leaving no room for enjoyment. Maybe you decide to borrow money to purchase an item, or go on vacation, to only add to the debt you have. Sometimes we do this, and don’t even pay attention to the consequences.
The goal of this blog is to share some money tips which will help you, as an educator, to stay on track financially.
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