Southern Ontario Cooperative of ESL Ministries
By Inji Kim and Sangho Suh Technology is making it easier than ever for us to communicate with people all over the world. But is this enriching our lives or is this having a negative impact on our lives? We are Sangho and Inji, graduate students at the University of Waterloo in Canada and Seoul […]
On October 27, 2018, about 85 of us gathered at Trinity Church Streetsville, Mississauga for SOCEM’s 15th annual conference. Attendees came from all over Southern Ontario including Kitchener-Waterloo, Owen Sound, Guelph, Hamilton and Bowmanville. We were all interested in or involved in ESL ministries. Many were faithful participants year after year while others came for […]
By Mary Cummins What is Christmas? In many places in the world, Christmas is probably the most popular holiday in the year, especially for Christians. It is very nostalgic for many people—the sights, the sounds, the smells and time spent with family and friends. Since Canada is in the Northern Hemisphere, Christmas comes in the […]
Isaiah sets the context of the event. Matthew recalled Jesus’ words. “…the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” Isaiah 9:2;. Matt.4:16 NIV Hymnology alludes to it: ‘O holy night’; ‘Yet in thy dark streets shineth’. Jesus arrived […]
Someone asked: what is one book that one needs to read for personal development that has to do with reaching out with ESL ministry? Some suggestions include: David I. Smith and Barbara Carvill. The Gift of the Stranger: Faith, Hospitality, and Foreign Language Learning. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000. ISBN: 978-0-8028-4708-9 Kitty Purgason. Professional Guidelines for […]
by Roslyn Zehr One of the first skills I learned as a novice ESL instructor in preparing lesson plans was how to supplement the assigned textbook with “realia”—authentic materials and objects from everyday life that can be used as teaching aids. Realia can be blended into different types of English lessons at any level and […]
by Frances Gray and Roslyn Farmer On the SOCEM website you will find many resources for ESL teachers. Among them is our series of ESL Bible studies for small groups (see here). Our work started at a meeting with Pastor Nestor Abdon of Peoples Church. He asked us if we would write a series of Bible […]
by Herondina Gabriel I lost count of the times I caught myself thinking or commenting, “Wednesday evening ESL class is one of the highlights of my week.” Volunteering as a beginners’ teacher at Parkway Forest Community Church gives me such joy and fulfillment. It is something I feel, and it seems unexplainable. I go there […]
by Jennifer Tong “God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me.” (Job 23:16) “Let all their evildoing come before you, and deal with them as you have dealt with me because of all my transgressions; for my groans are many, and my heart is faint.” (Lamentations 1:22) Have you ever felt faint-hearted […]
Thanksgiving – skit, Powerpoint presentation of Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving games, special pumpkin tarts and whipped cream for refreshments, etc. Remembrance Day – interviews with war vets, attending police choir with seniors, history of the war presentation, observation of 2 minute silence with the playing of the trumpet, etc. Christmas – games, singing, Christmas lights tour in Simcoe with […]