magiclanternmedia.ca

Grade levels: Adult

  • A Child’s Day: East Timor

    This program portrays a day in the life of Cecilia, an 11 year-old East Timorese girl. Cecilia lives with her uncle and aunties so she can attend school as her parents live three hours away. Her village is near Viqueque, in the south of the country. Cecilia’s day starts at dawn feeding her cousins, and progresses to school from 7am until midday. In the afternoon, Cecilia carries out more chores, including collecting water and firewood – carrying these home on her head. The younger students enjoy seeing the milk arrive, supplied by a local dairy, which was set up with help from Australian farmers. The day ends with the washing and feeding of the children in the family, concluding a busy and hardworking day in the life of an East Timorese child.

  • East Timor – Case Studies in International Aid

    This program examines the aims, objectives and examples of aid work being done by International Aid organizations such as: Oxfam Community Aid Abroad, IDSS, AusAID, the Salesian order, and the Kiwanis. An introduction to East Timor’s history is given – including the arrival of the Portuguese and the Indonesian invasion – and highlights how the country was left with no economy, little expertise among its people, and poor physical and social infrastructure. Important concepts such as local solutions for local problems and the involvement of communities in aid projects are explored alongside challenges that aid organizations face in East Timor.

  • Identity and Feelings: ESL Guide 1

    This program encourages students to discuss the meaning of Identity through exploring different feelings. Students will see how feelings can be expressed through words and body language.

  • Identity and Values: ESL Guide 2

    This program encourages students to further explore their identity through examining their values. Language skills are strengthened with a study of verbs and students are guided through the writing of a personal narrative.

  • Identity and Change: ESL Guide 3

    In this third part of the series about Identity, students are introduced to open and closed questions. The program also reviews the structure of a paragraph.

  • Annoyances and Complaints: ESL Guide 4

    This program aims to initiate conversations about complaints using appropriate lexis, sentence structure and grammar points. What is a pet peeve? Why are some behaviors or actions annoying? How have specific complaints been dealt with in the past and how could they be dealt with in the future? How might the language one uses to complain to different people (eg. friend vs. administrator) vary?

  • Hobbies and Interests: ESL Guide 5

    This program aims to initiate conversations about hobbies using appropriate lexis, sentence structure and grammar points. What’s the difference between a hobby and a habit? What’s the difference between a hobby and an interest? What are some common hobbies from around the world? Do people around the world share the same hobbies? Do men and women/boys and girls have different hobbies? What kind of language can we use to talk about our favorite hobbies with more confidence and fluency? Particular emphasis is placed on hobbies that Chinese young adults might find interesting. We’ll also take a look at the language used in a listings magazine.

  • Predictions: ESL Guide 6

    This program aims to initiate conversations about predictions using appropriate lexis, sentence structure and grammar points. What is a prediction? In which situations do we naturally make predictions in our every day lives? Can we be certain about a prediction coming into fruition? How certain can we be? What words and phrases can we use to express our predictions fluently? Particular emphasis will be placed on situations that are relevant to students. Students will also look at how to use topic sentences and supporting sentences as they look at a time capsule.

  • Email Etiquette

    There is little doubt that email is an extremely useful innovation that has changed, and continues to change, the way we communicate. However, the fact that email is different to both voice and paper based communications can be a source of frustration for many people. This up to date program gives viewers an understanding of the conventions that have been developed by email users over the years to facilitate effective communication. In addition, the program exposes many of the myths that exist regarding such issues as email privacy, and warns of possible dangers when using email. The words ‘Spamming’ and ‘Flaming’ may not make sense to many people, but chances are they’ve come across examples of this type of behavior in their email usage. The animated ‘cyber-postman’, who features throughout the program, has seen every example of bad email usage you could imagine. With his assistance we provide a comprehensive introduction to the etiquette of using email.

  • Knowledge – The New Capital

    Knowledge has become the new capital, the new currency for business in the new millennium. Organizations must move to become skilled at knowledge creation, gathering, and management. Those that do not understand or adapt to these new rules will likely disappear.