My wish for Christmas

Nada, DL Teacher,
opening a Christmas present

One of the old Christmas traditions is for children to write a letter to Santa to make a wish and ask for presents, usually toys!  As adults we have our own wish lists.

A couple of weeks ago a number of columnists for the Sunday Herald were asked about their wish for Christmas.  Here is some of what they said:

"Dear Santa, could you please bring me world peace for Christmas?  If this is too tricky, I'll focus on what's possible .... My children skipping off to bed when I tell them it's bed time ... and staying in bed all night." Jessica Rowe

"I want to lose 10 kilos and grow five centimetres.  I want to have thicker hair, longer legs and fewer chins.... But as none of that is going to happen ... I want self-confidence to accept myself the way I am." Jane Caro

"I want what money can't buy: contentment, clarity, gratitude and - I dare ask? - happiness." Jacinta Tynan

"I am drowning in clutter.  Books I haven't read, CD's I no longer listen to, cupboards full of chaos.  So I don't want more stuff.  But if I could have anything for Christmas, I'd go for an extra hour in my days." Jo Stanely

What about you! What do YOU want for Christmas?  Share your wish under comments below.

As for us in Distance Learning, our wish for you is to continue to enjoy your lessons and improve your English so you could achieve your goals in Australia.  Needless to say, we also wish you a merry Christmas, a safe break and a fabulous new year.

Thank you for your participation in the DL program this year and for reading the blog.  This is our last issue for 2015 until we meet again from 4th January, 2016.  

Phuong's creative side

Phuong, DL student, Cabramatta

Hi, my name’s Phuong and I’m from Vietnam. I’ve been here for 7 months and I’ve been studying by Distance Learning with my teacher, Frank, for nearly 4 months.

When I came to Australia, I wasn’t really acquainted with life here. It’s very different to my country. It caused me to feel a little bit bored and stressed, so sometimes when I feel weary, I do my favourite activity - water colour painting.

I have liked painting since I was a little girl; however, I’ve only known about water colours for the past few years. In my opinion, water colours are very light and limpid and when I see them, I want to use them to colour in my drawings. I know I don’t have a good sense of colours. My first painting with water colours looked really terrible! I didn’t know how to control the water and the colours. But I persevered and tried to study tutorials from the internet. I practised a lot and learned from experience. After one year, my water colour paintings started to look better. My favourite type of water colour painting is portraits. Painting the outline is hard for me but I’m trying to learn and practise when I have time. Completing a painting makes me very happy and I always paint to relax after a hard working week.

These are some of my water colour portraits I’d like to share with you. Hope you like them!

    

Thanks Phuong for sharing these wonderful paintings with us and congratulations on mastering this creative new skill.

• What kind of art do you appreciate?
• Do you think being good at art is a natural gift or is it a taught skill?
• Puong found that paining is a good way to cope with boredom and stress in a new country. What helps you cope with stress?

We'd love  you to share your comments below.

Ima speaks a different language

Ima, DL Student and
Software Developer

Distance Learning student, Ima, arrived in Australia with her husband 4 years ago.  She's a Software Developer so she can speak computer languages.  She's currently working at Fairfax which is her second job in Australia.  ‘It is good to change jobs and move around in software development’, she says, ‘so you keep up to date with different technologies’.

Ima recently started writing web page articles: Instructions for Software Developers.  She says that to help those starting to learn software development, she is simplifying some of the processes she found difficult when she was learning software development in Iran. The editor of the website that has published her articles has given her very good feedback on the clarity and usefulness of her articles.

Ima has also commented on the lack of women in software development in Australia. ‘In Iran, around half the software developers were women, in Australia it is only about one tenth, and this is a shame.’ To help keep abreast with new innovations in software development, Ima belongs to a meet-up group for women software developers, where the group share new ideas and knowledge. Ima will be hosting a meet-up session at Fairfax in the next few weeks with a speaker from the successful Australian IT company, Atlassian, who will talk on the topic: assertiveness at work. Ima says that before coming to Australia she had heard that there was a lot of support for women here, but found this support concerns mainly health and medical issues and doesn’t extend to the workplace.

Ima started DL in Level 3 and has now almost finished her 510 AMEP hours with her teacher Heather from Navitas’s city college in Sydney.  She says DL has helped her a lot with her confidence and her technical and non-technical writing.  Her ambition is to set up her own company one day.

Check out Ima’s profile and web articles here but unless you too are a software developer don’t expect to understand them!

• Do you agree with Ima that women in Australia are under-represented or unsupported in certain jobs?
• Do you think there are jobs that are more suited to women than others and why?
• What is the longest time you stayed at a job?  How often should employees change jobs and why?

We like to hear your views - ADD YOUR COMMENTS BELOW!

White Ribbon Day - November 25th

In 1999, the United Nations General Assembly declared November 25th the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the White Ribbon has become the symbol for that day.

The White Ribbon campaign aims to raise awareness among Australian men and boys about the roles they can play to prevent violence against women.  The campaign asks men to stand up, speak out and act to say no to men's violence against women.  Men and women across Australia are called to wear a white ribbon as a visual symbol of their commitment to this cause.

If you're a man and know about or witness violence against a woman, what would you do?

If you're a woman affected by domestic violence, what would you do?

Find help here or speak to one of our Pathways Advisors who can refer you to a local organisation that can assist you.  All information is confidential.

For more information about what domestic violence means, refer to the fact sheets

A more confident communicator

Shirisha  and her new baby

I came from India to Australia in February 2014 with my husband.  We started our married life here in Canberra.  At the beginning I was anxious about the accent of Australian people.  I was afraid to go to the shops alone.  I joined AMEP Distance Learning in September 2014 with my teacher, Erika.  She has always been very friendly with lots of patience.  She has helped me correct my mistakes and suggested ways to improve my vocabulary.

Towards the end of last year, I got a job in a childcare centre as an educator.  My confidence level improved as I was communicating with colleagues and children.  A few months later I fell pregnant.  This was the happiest time of my life.  During my pregnancy my DL course helped me a lot.  During the lessons we talked about the stages of pregnancy, the delivery, the different services that mothers can have.  It helped me to communicate with many people like midwives and doctors for all my appointments.  Everything went fine and I felt confident talking to them.  I gave birth to a baby boy 6 weeks ago.

• How has your life changed since you came to Australia?

• Change can be exciting and challenging at the same time.  How do you feel about your change now and how do you think you will feel about it in 5 years time?

If you or your partner is pregnant and need assistance with the language of childbirth ask your teacher for our special programs.

Winners are grinners!

Julian, DL teacher
celebrating Melbourne Cup win

As is the tradition in Australia, last Tuesday we celebrated Melbourne Cup day in our DL office in Sydney.  They say it's the race that stops the nation.  Although we were not as lucky as people in Victoria who enjoyed the day off as a public holiday, we still managed during our work day to have an office sweep where staff were able to bet on one or two of the horses in the race.

We watched the race together in anticipation wondering which of us would win a prize. The very lucky winner was our DL teacher, Julian, who emerged after teaching his DL lessons just in time to be told he'd won not only one but two prizes: 1st and 2nd, for the two horses he placed a bet on.

When asked how he felt about the win Julian said, "I was thrilled because I'd never won anything in my life apart from a chocolate wheel raffle at Guildford Primary School fete when I was a young boy.  Since then I haven't been so lucky.  In the previous two years, the horses I selected for Melbourne Cup unfortunately died after the race, so this win is a highlight for me."

We asked Julian what would he do with the money and he said, "I could go on a trip to Majorca in Spain or buy a new Ford Mustang but given that it was only $30 I gave it to my wife instead to pay the bills."

• What is special about this year's Melbourne Cup results?
• Have you ever won anything?
• What would you do if you won a million dollars?
• They say "you've got to be in it to win it". What are your thoughts on gambling?

Don't forget to share your answers or comments below.

Always wanted to comment but don't know how?

There have been some very thoughtful stories and comments this year on our Navitas Distance Learning  blog. 

Writing a comment on the  blog is a great way to feel part of our Distance Learning community. Also it's a marvelous way to use English in real life. You can add your thoughts on a story, answer a blog discussion question or write your own question.

So here's a video for you this week on how to comment. Before you can add a comment you need to sign in with a gmail or a google account. Here's a link to another video: How to make a google account 2015.

So let's go! 

• Do you comment on Facebook or other blogs?
• What type of comment is interesting?
• Comments can sometimes be negative. Why is it important to always write positive comments? 

From an AMEP student to a worker with AMEP

Malaykham, DL Office

Malaykham works as part of the admin team in our Distance Learning office in Sydney.  She came to Australia from Laos as a migrant 4 years ago.  Although she had a bachelor degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from her country, she was unable to work in that field in Australia because she felt her English was not good enough so she started attending AMEP Level 2 English classes.

From there Malaykham learnt that as an AMEP student she was also entitled to do a SLPET course (Settlement Language Pathway to Employment Training) so she enrolled in a Business Administration course with a Navitas college.  As part of the course she had to do 2 weeks of work experience with an employer.  It was fate or good luck that brought Malaykham to Distance Learning where she did her work experience.  During this time Malaykham demonstrated ability to get the job done well.  She designed a complex Excel spreadsheet that impressed the manager so she asked her to stay on for paid part-time work.  Three years later Malaykham is still working with DL, now full-time with a whole lot of other skills up her sleeve.

Surrounded by Distance Learning teachers Malaykham's English had to improve!  She says "It's handy to be able to ask teachers to explain things in English and help me check my writing." Despite that Malaykham admits she's got more work to do on her English.

We're pleased to see Malaykham progress in English and work skills.  We not only value her admin skills but enjoy the lovely meals she cooks and brings to share with us in the office from time to time.

• Do you think it is a good idea to change career in Australia?
• What do you plan to do after the AMEP course?
• What do you think employers in Australia value the most in their employees?

A story of commitment - 510 hours with DL

Teacher Jo and her student, Sula

Last week something special happened to me.  I met one of my students.  In my opinion she is a very special student.  Sula started and finished her 510 hours of English with me in Distance Learning.  We have been studying together for about 2 1/2 years. She started as a level 2 student and has just finished with her Certificate 3.  I really admired her because although she was working 2 jobs, she rarely missed a lesson and even when she was sick we would have a chat about what was wrong.

Over this time we became quite close.  She advised me on Thai cooking and herbs.  As well as studying Your Call, I advised her about Australian life, her pregnancy and all sorts of things.

She had flown from South Australia to Queensland to visit relatives and on the way home stopped in Sydney and we arranged to meet.  When we saw each other in the lobby of her hotel she ran to me and we had a huge hug!  It was so lovely to finally come face to face after so much time meeting on Skype.  We went off to a café and talked non-stop for a couple of hours before I finally had to go.  When we said goodbye I thought what a committed student she had been and how proud I was of her. 

Well done Sula for your commitment and hard work and congratulations on finishing the marathon AMEP race with Certificate 3 and finally catching up with your teacher face to face!

• Do you know how many hours you have left in the AMEP?
• What do you hope to achieve by the end of your AMEP journey?
• How can we best help you and how can you help yourself achieve your goals?

A new turn for Natalia

Natalia - DL Student
Navitas College, Campsie

I moved to Australia from Russia in December 2014 and started my AMEP Distance Learning lessons in July 2015.  From the very beginning my teacher, Karin, suggested I focus on my specific needs.  Since I was actively looking for a job we put all our efforts into improving my skills and knowledge in this area.

Karin provided me with the necessary materials and we practised vocabulary related to employment and interview questions.  Karin was extremely supportive and spent an enormous amount of time helping me adjust my resume and cover letter to Australian standards, like no other employment agency did.  I started to send my new resume and cover letter in reply to job ads.  I got a number of calls back and one of them invited me for an interview with a telecommunications company.  It was my chance!  I managed to get through the first interview successfully.

Karin told me that I could have 2 hours of interview practice sessions with DL teacher, Craig.  Craig walked me through the job interview session package and gave me a lot of tips on understanding interview questions and how to answer them.  We discussed general etiquette questions, dress code, greeting standards and other details that are crucial for a successful interview.  Finally, Craig organised a mock interview session for me that was actually very helpful since I had a second interview with that employer later that day.  Within a couple of days I got a job offer as a Quality and Reporting Analyst.

I believe that my participation in the AMEP and the professionalism of my DL teachers were the key to my success in employment.  I am very lucky that I had the chance to meet my Navitas DL teachers.

                   
Although Natalia gives credit to her teachers, her teachers think that she thoroughly deserved the success.  They describe her as "extremely organised, focussed, with a strong professional background".  They also believe that students such as Natalia are proof of what can be achieved with hard work, dedication and a clear sense of purpose.  

Well done Natalia and we wish you very well in your future career!

Why not build your confidence with the additional 2 hourly sessions of interview practice with one of our trained teachers!  Ask your regular DL teacher who will be happy to organise the referral.

Graffiti Removal Day in NSW - 18 October

Have you ever seen graffiti on walls, signs or buildings in your area?

What do you think of graffiti?  
Why do people do it?
Is it art or vandalism? 

Did you know that the estimated cost of graffiti vandalism to the Australian community is a massive $2.7 billion a year, money which could be used to build new schools, hospitals and roads.

Last year the Graffiti Removal Day  in NSW saw 2000 volunteers remove 21,000m2 from about 275 sites, saving the government and private property owners an estimated $1.5 million.

To volunteer to help with the cleaning or to nominate a clean-up site in NSW, you may visit this website: Graffiti Removal Day

What do you think are the benefits of participating in community events such as these?
If you're not from NSW, what does your state do about vandalism?

To share your views about graffiti you can add your comments to this post.

A traditional Chinese remedy for coughs and colds

The weather in Sydney has been changeable lately, one minute it's freezing and the next minute gorgeous.The change in season can bring coughs and colds and natural remedies are often the best! Here is a traditional Chinese elixir from Ross's student named Ha, who lives in Lake Cargelligo, NSW.

Ingredients                            
3 kg of lemons                      
800 grams of raw sugar        
300 grams of honey
White vinegar as needed
a large glass jar with a screw top lid
                                               

Method
1. First wash and dry the lemons, then slice them into rounds 5 mm thick.
2. Next sterilise the jar and lid. Click here for how to sterilise jars
3. After that place the lemon slices and sugar into the jar in layers until the jar is full.
4. Next pour the honey into the jar on top of the lemons and sugar.
5. Pour white vinegar into the jar enough to cover the lemons.
6. Finally seal the jar tightly and keep for 6 months.

Use: Place 2-3 slices of lemon and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice in a mug then pour in boiled water. Stir and drink when warm, eat the lemon if you like!

Ha says "This can help you to avoid sore throats or coughs, reduce the fat in the blood and help the liver take the poison from your body. For this reason drink this everyday to help avoid illness."

Talk with your teacher or write a comment below.
What natural remedies do you use for illness? What is the remedy? Does it prevent or cure the illness? 

A rare visit by an ex-student

Karen and her ex-student, AJ

AJ joined the AMEP Distance Learning program in 2013.  He was living in Canberra at the time and working initially as a Security Guard for shopping centres then was promoted to Security Manager.  As part of his position he needed to write security reports to management and formal emails to the Police.  His teacher, Karen, tailored the lessons to his needs.  They were focussed on the skill of writing reports appropriate to his work and writing instructions to staff such as evacuation procedures.

AJ completed Certificate 3 successfully with Navitas DL in 2014 when he was still living in Canberra.   He has since moved to Sydney but has not forgotten his DL teacher whom he calls "his mentor".  Even though he finished his course last year he contacted Karen and came to visit our offices in Sydney.  It is a rare occasion when the DL team get to meet their students face-to-face, so AJ was very welcome.

When asked what was the best thing about learning with DL he said "My teacher Karen understood what I needed to learn.  She assisted me with the language skills that were useful for my work.  She was my first mentor in Australia and I will always remember that."

AJ's future plan is to join the Police force.  His aim is to complete an English for Academic Purposes course then do a degree in policing.  We wish AJ all the best for his future career in Australia.

If you're not from Sydney and happen to be here, why not drop in and visit our offices in Bankstown!  It is always a pleasure to meet our Distance Learning students in person. 

Is the Distance Learning program helping you achieve your goals?  Why not share your story or write your comments below or in the Feedback section?

Migrant and Multicultural Stars Recognised!

 

The 2015 Migrant and Settlement Awards were held on Tuesday 18th August in Canberra. 21 people and migrant groups from around Australia were nominated for their work in helping migrants and refugees. 

The ACT Women's Centre received an award for helping women from different cultural and language backgrounds. The Islamic Women's Association was awarded for helping women take control over their lives.  Also an Australian Football League (AFL) manager was recognised for teaching and advising youth.  Navitas English sponsors these awards.

Click on the link Migrant and Multicultural Stars Recognised. 
Watch the SBS news video or read the news article. Next answer the questions with your teacher.

1. How many people migrate to Australia each year?

2. Complete the sentence by Carla Wilshire from the Migration Council of Australia. 

    "It takes___________ __________ to migrate."

3. How does Ali Faraj from the GWS Giants AFL club bring different cultures together?

Discuss with your teacher or write comments below.

4. Why did you need to have courage to migrate to Australia?

5. In your opinion, how does sport bring different cultures together?

6. Do you know of any migrant and refugee groups in your state? 

Click on the link below to find a migrant and refugee organisation in your state. 

Migrant and Refugee Service Organisations

Adult Learners' Week 2015 - Learn Something New!

This week people are celebrating the fun in learning! All over Australia educational groups are holding events at local libraries, community colleges and at Navitas colleges. 

We are always learning something new, how to cook a new recipe, how to fix the car, how to say a new word in English. As the old saying goes "you are never too old to learn!" 

To find an event near you, click on this link Adult Learners' Week. Click on "Find an event near you" and click on your state.


Would you like to win an iPad Air 2? Adult Learning Australia also has a photo competition. Just take a photo of yourself  'learning something new'. It could be anything from your Navitas Distance Learning lesson to learning to milk a cow! Just upload the photo to this link Win an iPad Air 2 and write what you are learning. Too easy!

Ask your teacher. 

• What is something new you have learnt? 
• How did you learn it? How did you practise? 
• How did you feel when you learnt it?

Pathways to Employment & Training Courses - Sydney

Are you
- an AMEP student who lives in Sydney
- doing CSWE III or finishing CSWE II
- ready for work or study?

You may be eligible for the Settlement Language Pathways to Employment and Training (SLPET) programs funded by the Australian government at no cost to you.  See below for class locations.

What can I study?

SLPET courses for Term 2 - October-December 2015 and locations:

• Aged Care - Cabramatta
• Business Administration - Parramatta & Sydney City
• Childcare - Bondi
• Forklift - Fairfield
• Hospitality - Bankstown
• Housekeeping/Room Attending - Auburn
• Office Skills - Hurstville
• Retail Operations - Liverpool & Campsie
• Workplace Communication for Qualified Professionals - Blacktown & Burwood

For further information and to enrol:  Visit this website: Navitas SLPET courses

Silvy gets her first job in Australia

Silvy - DL Student

My name is Silvy and I live in South Australia. I started Distance Learning in February 2015.  I noticed that after a few months there was some significant improvement to my English and to my confidence in communicating with other people.

My teacher, Ziba, was very supportive of my plans to find a job.  She taught me how to write an impressive resume and covering letters and suggested some companies for me to apply for.  One of them was a big supermarket chain.  I wasn't sure at the time about applying to work for this company as I have had no experience in retail but she kept encouraging me.

I ended up applying to work for this supermarket.  Days gone by and finally I got an invitation for a group interview.  Ziba gave me some great advice about common questions, dress code and body language.  The preparation helped me boost my confidence and my knowledge.  To my surprise not only was I offered a job but a supervisory role although I had no supervisory experience.

This was an amazing experience for me. I am so grateful that I had a teacher who was able to help me throughout the job hunting process.  She motivated me and believed in me when I didn’t even believe in myself.  I'm looking forward to the new challenges ahead.

Congratulations Silvy and best wishes in your new role.  

Did you know Woolworths have 190,000 employees, 144 new starters every day and currently 750 job vacancies!  

If you'd like to work for a supermarket chain like Silvy you can check their job vacancies online.  
Woolworths Careers
Coles Careers

If you need assistance with job search skills talk to you teacher.  We offer 2 sessions of interview practice sessions with a specialised teacher.

Do you use "Your Call" on an Apple device?

It is convenient to use your iPad or iPhone for AMEP Distance Learning's 'Your Call' website. However when using 'Your Call' on your Apple device you can't watch the video or click and drag words. This is because Apple uses 'Safari' for the Internet, but 'Safari' doesn't allow some features.

The answer is to download the App Puffin Browser from the App Store. It is a free web browser so you can watch Your Call videos and do all the activities. Use the touchpad to click and drag words and go to Settings to turn off Pop-Up Blocker.

The instructions are on our Distance Learning Wiki page just click here.
Navitas Distance Learning Wiki-Puffin Browser instructions

Discuss with your teacher or enter your answers to these questions on the blog. **

1. What other free Apple or Android Apps do you use to learn English?

2. Why is it difficult to do your Distance Learning lesson on your smartphone?

3.Why are smart device apps a good way to practise English?


** Be the first student to post an answer or a comment on the blog and win a prize!
Click on No comments below, type your text in the box and post with a google account such as an outlook or gmail email.

Low Cost Computers

Do you need a computer or a laptop?

WorkVentures is a non-profit organisation that refurbishes computers and sells them at an affordable price.  To be eligible you have to be registered with Centrelink.

If you cannot afford to pay for your computer in one lump sum WorkVentures can offer a payment plan over a few months.

All laptops and computers are tested before resale and come with:

• Microsoft Office 2010 software
• Anti-virus protection
• Six month warranty
• Nationwide delivery

For more information or to order online visit www.workventures.com.au or call 1800 112 205.

DL teachers can download the brochure from the website for students who don't have a computer and are therefore unable to see this post.  They can also refer them to Pathways Advisors for information.

Interview Practice Sessions Pay Off

Shakeela - DL Student

I moved to Australia in July 2013 and started my Distance Learning lessons in May 2014.  My teacher Karen was extremely friendly and very helpful.  She assisted me with my initial settlement and was very aware of my job search and future career plans so she told me I could have 2 hours of Job Interview Practice Sessions with an experienced DL teacher.

I was keen to get these lessons and the very next day I got a call from Craig, an excellent teacher who not only gave me positive and constructive feedback but pointed out things in my resume which I never thought could be a problem. I made those changes in my resume and applied for a Human Resources role in July.  The next day I got a call from a recruitment company for an interview which went very well.   Right after that I got a job with the Salvation Army Employment Plus as a Consultant.  

This was the most amazing piece of news.  My husband and I were extremely excited. This is my first job in Australia and I am so grateful to Karen for helping me throughout the job hunting process and to Craig for helping me with job interview techniques which were very useful.  I enjoy my new role as it’s very interesting and challenging.  I am really looking forward to learning and growing.

Congratulations Shakeela and our best wishes for a bright career in Australia.

If you need help with interview techniques why not take advantage of the additional Interview Practice Sessions we offer! This can be organised through your DL teacher.

Tax Webinar - Wednesday 29/7 12:30-1:30 EST

If you have joined the webinar we hope you have found the information useful.

A) What are some different ways you can lodge your tax return?

B) When do you have to lodge your tax return?

C) What can you use the tax App for?

Watch the video to find the answers:

You can watch similar tax information videos in your language here.

STUDENT RUBS SHOULDERS WITH POLITICIANS

Parliament House, Canberra

My name is Raquel and I'm from Brazil. I arrived in Australia at the end of 2010 to do a Masters degree in Engineering.

After I arrived I realised that in order to do my studies and get a good job I still had a lot of work to do to improve my English.  I was uncertain about my priorities; should I study and work at the same time? Also there were cultural differences that I needed to adjust to before I felt confident for a job interview.

In August 2014 I started to study English with the AMEP by Distance Learning and I have had the opportunity to improve my writing, speaking and grammar with the help of my DL teacher, Ross.  One good thing about the course was that my communication skills improved and I was confident to go for a job interview.

In December last year I saw a position available on the Parliament House website for work with the Senate and I felt confident to apply.  I was invited for an interview.  Luckily a few weeks later I got a phone call informing me that I have been successful.

Wooww...My husband and I were very excited and I told my family back in Brazil straightaway.  They were very proud and happy and gave me their congratulations. I am very thankful that God has given me this opportunity.  Now I am working at Parliament and I have found the work very interesting. I get the chance to meet a lot of famous people.

Although I am considering going back to Uni and finishing my Masters, this is a decision that just the future can tell.

Congratulations Raquel on your wonderful achievement.  We wish you continued success in Australia.

Has the DL program helped you with your life or career goals? 

Have you got a story to share? Why not send it to us through your DL teacher and inspire others!

MEET JUDA - DL STUDENT

Juda - Level 3 Student

Juda from South Australia

I just want to share the story of how I met the challenges of my life in Australia…

I decided to go to a playgroup for my daughter and I attended an AMEP course as a Distance Learning Student because TAFE is a long drive from where I am.  Being a DL student makes me feel confident to talk. Later on I decided to get a job as a housekeeper in a hotel, and now I have a lot of friends and I am very happy.

Thanks Juda for sharing your Harmony Day story.

• What is helping you or can help you settle in Australia? (Why not add your comments here!)

• What is a playgroup? Is there one near your home? 

• For more information visit Playgroup Australia.

STUDENT FEEDBACK

We are very interested in any feedback you have.  Your feedback helps us understand what you need so that we can improve your experience with Distance Learning.

You can give us your feedback in one of these ways:

1. Client Satisfaction Surveys - Your teacher will send you the link from time to time
2. Talk to one of our Pathways Advisors 
3. The Feedback section of the DL Portal website: amepdl.net.au
4. The Feedback section of this blog

We will be happy to answer your questions or comments.  Here are 2 comments we received from the Client Satisfaction Survey:

Can you recommend some books about pronunciation for me?

This will depend on your level and what problem areas you need to work on.  One helpful way is to practise saying minimal pairs which are two words that sound the same except for one sound only and they are often confusing to the language learner.  Examples berry/very or bed/bad.  Try this website to help you listen and practise:  http://www.shiporsheep.com

I would prefer to include more grammar in the books.

Under Links on this blog we have saved useful English language websites on our Wiki.  There you can find lots of grammar exercises to practise.  Look for Grammar in the green section on the left of the website.

NAVITAS LENDS A HELPING HAND TO NEPAL

The devastating earthquake in Kathmandu, Nepal has moved the hearts of DL teachers and in fact all of Navitas colleges around the world.  Students, teachers and staff donated and raised a massive $53,700.00.  This amount will be matched by Navitas which means collectively we will have donated $107,400.00 to registered charities to support survivors of the earthquake.

Our hearts go out to students who come from Nepal specially those who have families affected by the earthquake.

Image: http://cdanews.com/2015/04/massive-7-5-magnitude-earthquake-hits-nepal/

ALICE IN OZ

BE INSPIRED BY ALICE

Alice is one of our DL students who has recently finished the AMEP course.   This video which tells her story was entered into the short film competition and made it to the finalists' list.

Congratulations Alice on the video and thank you for sharing your uplifting story of courage, determination and ability.

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