Term 3, Weeks 5 to 10 - Interviews

Over the next few weeks, we will listen to interviews and think about how to answer some interview questions.

Here at VILC is a video interview with an Ambulance officer who describes how she copes with night shift work. You'll have to log in to VILC with Username: 500vilcst and our password for 2014 (see noticeboard in the computer room for that).

There are tasks to complete after listening to the video. You can also download the video to listen again.

Find more information about being an Ambulance paramedic here and here at ACE jobs.

What are some of the challenges of being an Ambo?

Think about the job duties (tasks) and the working conditions (the patients and the stresses).

Why do Ambos vehicles have writing all over the windows?!

Have you noticed that many ambulances have writing on their windows? Here is the story of the industrial dispute (fight) they are having with their employer (the Victorian government).

Prepare to be interviewed for a volunteer job

We are going to practice answering some common interview questions in relation to some volunteer jobs.

The position of 'Walk with me' has gone now but there are other positions available at the website 'Go Volunteer' where you can locate suitable volunteering jobs that meet your needs and requirements.

Prepare and practice some answers to the following questions

1. Can you tell us something about yourself?
2. Why are you applying for this position?
3. Which of the jobs are you most interested in? Why?
4. What special qualities or skills can you bring to this position?
5. What is your availability?

Thanks to Business English magazine for this image.

Time to Review our Progress with Learning

Last week we started the process of reviewing our Learning over Terms 1 and 2. We are using the Worksheet: Midyear Learning Review and Self-assessment 2013.

We had a good discussion about the types of activities that you find useful to your language learning - both in class and independently outside class.

Video: Best TV shows for English language learners

Here is the video that I mentioned about useful TV shows for language. Many TV shows are difficult to understand but with sit coms (situation comedies) you can often follow what is happening by seeing the action as well as listening to the people. What's your favourite sit com? (Personally I don't have a favourite!)

Other English Language Learning websites

We also talked about a number of useful language learning websites such as VOA and VILC. If you have forgotten what is available and where to find them, go to our CNLCTalks wiki Learning on the Web Page to view the list and click any of the links to try them out.

Which one is your favourite? Why?

Here are the two websites that students talked about on Friday. What do you think about these websites?

• VOA has real news stories spoken slower than usual and you can read the captions at the same time.
• VILC requires you to sign in with our User name: 500vilcst and this year's Password which is on the whiteboard in the Computer room at CNLC.

Community news: Omar wins National Order of Australia award

Are you looking for an interesting community story to read and write about in your Independent Learning Journal? Read the story here.

It's very exciting to actually know someone who has received this National Order of Australia for his work in the community. Omar is employed through CNLC to help Horn of Africa men get employment. But funding for the program that pays for his employment is threatened. Let's hope we are successful in getting the program funded beyond June 2013.

News Headlines at VILC: listen, order and type the list

Here is a great activity to access VILC for online learning and type a Word list using bullet points.

A. Do the VILC Task

Open VILC using our Username (500vilcst) and our latest Password (this changes every year and it is secure - see the whiteboard in the Computer room and write in your notebook).

Listen to the latest News Headlines for Elementary level and drag the items into the correct order (without checking your answers). When you have finished, show your answers to the teacher and then check your answers.

Then click the Book icon to view the transcript of the Headlines.

B. Type the News Headlines text 

Open Word and start a new document called VILC Easy News Headlines for .....[date]....

Type the text for the Easynews Headlines. To see the text, switch between your Internet browser and your Word document using the Taskbar at the bottom of the screen.

C. Format your Word document

1. Format the heading using Heading 1 Style.
2. Make all the body text Verdana font, size 12.
3. Change the body text to purple.
4. Change all the text spacing to 1.15 Spacing.
5. Select the dot points and format them using bullet points.
6. Type your name and the date at the bottom of the text.
7. Save your doc to your folder, with your name in the Title and Save As into the Teacher's Folder too.
8. Find a photo for one of the stories using 'Google Search' and then 'Images', and insert the photo in the document under the text.
9. Type 4 new words and find their meanings using the Cambridge online Learners' dictionary.