Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Pharmacies

Web pharmacies are a strong presence on the web. Most buyers purchase their medication on the web despite the accessibility of nearby pharmacies. Controversy has also surrounded the employment of web pharmaceuticals. There have been objections of these institutions, with some people even calling for their ban.

Celebrating Refugee Week 19-25 June

With courage let us all combine is the theme for Refugee Week.  The theme is taken from our Australian national anthem.

It takes courage to be a refugee.
It takes courage to leave what is familiar and begin a new life.
It takes courage to speak out against injustices.

Refugee Week is an annual event to raise awareness of the issues affecting refugees and celebrate the positive contributions they make to Australian society.  

Did you know Australia was home to 35,582 refugees in 2015! 

Navitas is proudly a major sponsor of Refugee Week.  For more information on what's on and to join an event in your area visit Refugee Week website.

We have a lot of interesting English language activities on Refugee Week this week.  Please visit the Events tab on our blog.

Neesa starts her own business

Neesa, DL student

My name is Neesa and I come from Thailand.  I met my husband in Thailand and we started a relationship after he visited me many times there.  I came to Australia in 2010 and we got married in 2013.

I was very excited but also nervous at the same time because everything was new and I wasn't familiar with the language or the culture.  It took me a long time to understand the Australian accent so my husband always helped me with that and I now can understand English better than before and have become more confident and independent.

I improved English by studying English at Southbank TAFE for a year in 2011.  After school I went to work every day.  I enjoyed my studies and made lots of new friends and I also talked to many people at work.  Learning English is a never ending story for me.  I am now studying English by distance with the DL program at Navitas.

Before I came to Australia I worked as a massage therapist in Thailand for a year.  This helped me improve my English because I had a lot of English speaking customers that I had to talk to.

In Australia, I worked in a Thai Day Spa in Brisbane for 3 years before starting my own business.  As a result I gained enough experience and confidence to be able to work on my own.  I now work from my home doing Thai massage.  I am planning to grow my business in the future, recruit some staff and have my own shop.

My advice to my migrant friends is to relax and enjoy Australia and the new lifestyle.  They shouldn't worry if at first their English is not great as many new arrivals are in the same boat.

Congratulations to Neesa on improving her English and starting her own business.  We wish her all the best for the future.

• Do you find it hard to understand the Australian accent?  
• How long do you think it takes to gain confidence in English?
• What do you think about Neesa's advice to new migrants?
• If you were to start your own business, what kind of business and what steps would you need to take?

Sandra leads a balanced life

Sandra and her handiwork

My name is Sandra and I'm from Manizales, Colombia.  I have been in Australia for 2 years.  I live in Toowoomba in Queensland with my partner. He is Australian and I met him in Colombia in August 2012. We have a baby. He is 16 months old and his name is Ethan.

I'm very happy living in Australia.  I study English at TAFE and also by distance learning with my teacher Erika once a week. I have learned a lot and enjoy my DL lessons.   Distance Learning is convenient and flexible; it allows me to study from home and look after my baby as well.

In my free time I sew, knit and make useful things out of recycled cardboard boxes. I have made many things for my son. I love craft. I learnt how to knit from my grandmother who used to make amazing things.

When I lived in Colombia I didn�t have time to do these things. Now I can be a full time mother, study English and make the things I love.

• What would you like to do in your free time?
• Do you have any handy skills that you learned from other people, a family member or a friend?
• As we increasingly use technology, what is the value of handiwork for adults and children?

Why not share your thoughts below?

DL welcomes an AMEP volunteer in their offices

Ksenia, volunteer with DL

Ksenia comes from Russia.  After one month of arriving in Australia in April 2015 she started her AMEP English lessons with Navitas in Hurstville.  Gaining more confidence with her English, Ksenia enrolled in a SLPET (Settlement Language Pathway for Education and Training) course in Business Administration.

It was good luck that brought Ksenia to complete her work experience component of the course in Distance Learning as we always need extra help with administrative jobs.  After completing her 2 week work placement, Ksenia took initiative and asked if she could continue to work with us a on voluntary basis. Because we could see that Ksenia was very professional we were delighted to have her continue work with us.

We asked Ksenia about her 2 week work experience.  She said: "It was very useful because I had never worked in Australia before and I wanted to see what it would be like, how different it would be from working in Russia and how I can contribute.  Being in a new place with a new set of circumstances can be scary.  I didn't know what people do or the culture of the workplace in Australia.  I feel more confident now."

We also asked Ksenia why she offered to volunteer after her 2 week work experience was finished.  She said "I enjoy working as part of a team and being productive.  I find it hard to be home all the time.  Plus it helps me stay in touch with technology and work practices.  It is important not to lose my skills specially as I am looking for a job. I feel ready to work in Australia."

The management team in Distance Learning are so impressed by Ksenia's attitude to work and her administrative and computer skills.  The manager offered to be her referee and would highly recommend her for any job she applies for.  Although it would be sad to lose Ksenia, we wish her all the best for finding paid employment.

Do you have a good volunteering story to share!  Why not add your comments below!

Are you ready for the next job interview!

Anthony, DL Teacher

Anthony is one of our DL teachers who have been trained to help students seeking employment and wanting to practise for the next job interview.

Before the first lesson Anthony usually sends the student a Job Interview Package which includes sample interview questions and tips on how to create a positive impression. If students have a resume and a covering letter they will typically send them before the lesson to Anthony so he can give them feedback and suggest sections that can be adapted.  If students don�t have a resume or a covering letter, however, Anthony can send them samples and ask them to prepare these documents for his review.

So Anthony, what do you do in these lessons!
In Lesson 1 I usually discuss:

- Student work goals and what type of jobs they're looking for
- Topics in the Job Interview Package � tips and sample questions
- How to answer specific job interview questions
- Feedback or tips on writing a good resume and a covering letter
- Responding to criteria listed in an advertisement
- Information about employment websites

For homework I ask students to find a job ad that interests them from seek.com.au and email me the link before the second lesson.

In Lesson 2, I role play the job interview with the student, give feedback, then role play it again more carefully. Students usually perform better as a result of the practice.

What advice would you give students seeking employment?

Students are often concerned that they don�t get jobs because of their English.  This may not be true.  Although having good English is important, it may have to do more with the experience they�ve had and the skills they can offer the job.  I focus on special techniques for answering questions such as how to emphasise that their abilities would benefit the company.

Can these lessons help students with their CSWE learning outcomes?

Certainly, Level 3 students can achieve Learning Outcome D2 "Participate in an interview" plus we have employment modules for both Level 2 and 3 students.

• What concerns you the most about job interviews?
• What is the hardest question you can get asked?

If you need help, why not ask your regular DL teacher for 2 additional Job Interview Practice lessons with one of our experienced teachers!

Haroon prefers to learn by distance

Haroon and family

I come from Pakistan. I completed my Master's degree in Finance in 2000 in Pakistan and worked in different positions in accounting. I got married in 2008 and I now have two girls. When I arrived here, I did not have any communication skills because English is my second language. So I decided to enroll in the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) to improve my English and get Certificate III in Spoken and Written English.

I have been studying with DL for ten months. Now, I feel more confident when I speak English and I'm improving everyday.  I found that studying by distance is more convenient and flexible.  If I have an emergency I can reschedule my lesson so I don't miss any lessons.  In addition, it saves me time and money because I don't have to travel to classes.

My teacher Nada concentrates on my needs and weaknesses and teaches me the Australian culture. She tries to improve my employability skills and provides me with good tips for finding an appropriate job.  She also sends me a lot of video links after the lesson which help reinforce what I have learned and learn new things as well. There are a lot of e-books on the AMEP DL website which are very helpful.

I am very pleased with my DL experience as I think it is one of the best ways to help me improve my English language faster and it suits my circumstances. 

• How can you get the most out of your DL lessons?
• What are Employability Skills?  Check this link to see which ones you have and which ones you need.

Give Happy, Live happy - National Volunteer Week

This week we celebrate National Volunteer Week.  Volunteering means giving your time and working for no money, so why do we do it? Research shows that volunteers live happier and healthier lives.  We asked two of our teachers about the volunteer work they've done when they're not paid to teach.

Linda, far left

DL Teacher, Linda, volunteered to be a reading mentor and a role-model in public schools to help students develop their reading and comprehension skills. She works with one student on a weekly basis for one term through the ABCN Spark program.  She finds it rewarding to share her skills to help someone in her community and make a difference.  Linda says it is a lot of fun to see the students improve their reading levels, enjoy reading more and engage in conversations increasing their confidence and self-esteem.

Baby possums with Karen

DL Teacher, Karen, is a volunteer for rescuing and caring for injured or displaced native animals such as birds, lizards and possums through the wildlife rescue organisation, WIRES.  Her favourite are baby possums.  She enjoys bottle feeding them until they're ready to be released back into the wild.  Karen also plans to do further training to raise kangaroo joeys, koalas and wombats.  She does this volunteer work because she loves animals and finds it rewarding to save them, watch them grow and be safely free again in the wild.  She says this has also been a wonderful experience for her children.

• Have you ever volunteered?  What did you do?
• What are the benefits of volunteering for new migrants in Australia?
• What kind of volunteer work is available?
• How do you find volunteer work in your area?

Why not share your views or what you've done to volunteer here and inspire other students!

Your DL Virtual Restaurant Cookbook is here!

Feeling Hungry? Get ready to tempt your taste buds and try a new dish from the Distance Learning Virtual Restaurant Cookbook.
Over 34 students and staff from 18 countries have contributed their favourite recipes. Yum, well done!
To go to the cookbook just click on this link: DL Virtual Restaurant Cookbook These meals remind us of home, cooking in the kitchen with family and many recipes are handed down from parents and grandparents.

Take your time to browse through the delicious meals and read the recipes and reflections on why the meal is special. Here are a few students' thoughts on 'Why is this dish important to me and my culture?'

"It is the Vietnamese Mini Savoury Pancake (Banh Khot). It is important because the round shape looks like the moon and it's romantic, it also brings peace." Trinh from Vietnam.

"This dish (Asian BBQ prawns) is important to me because my mother usually cooks this dish during important Chinese festivals like Chinese New Year and the Moon Festival. I can recall many good memories when every time I eat this dish." Karen from Hong Kong, China.

 Fish Amok "is a dish my mum taught me how to cook when I was just a skinny kid-8 years old. I love to go to the markets in the early morning and buy the fresh fish and vegetables before it gets too late in the day. I like to cook this dish with my sisters and my mum when I visit my home. Lottie from Cambodia.

"I will never forget the smell of my Grandmother's house cooking beans. This is why beans are my favourite and I will eat them for the rest of my life!" Sandra from Colombia.

"Tabbouleh is important to me because it reminds me of my mother who loved it. Tabbouleh is served at all occasions in the Middle East and a meal is never complete without it." Maha D.L. teacher.

Would you like to review a recipe? How about writing a review just like on My Kitchen Rules?
Click on this link to open a worksheet with vocabulary and tips for writing a food review.

How to write a recipe review

Please write your review in the comments section below. Our home cooks would love to know what you think of their recipe. 

April 4 Peer Team Meeting

Notes from the 4/20 KCTCS Peer Team Meeting

Bb Authentic Assessment Webinar

"Join Corrie Bergeron from Lakeland Community College and Kevin Lowey from the University of Saskatchewan as they discuss assessment strategies which can help address your concerns and give you creative solutions to the authentic assessment problem."

Date: Thursday, April 21, 2016

Time: 2:00PM � 3:00PM ET

Details and Registration Information:

http://bbbb.blackboard.com/NAHEBITS?utm_campaign=NAHE_2016_BITS_April%20Webinar&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&utm_content=NAHE_2016_BITS_042116_Email3&elqTrackId=52C3D7BBFFDB02E2553FF00BCFDDD91A&elq=c37e7e36f6024a7889f559be3b956f57&elqaid=17178&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=9641

Words of Wisdom

Wisdom is the quality of having experience, knowledge and good judgment.  It is learnt as we journey through life.  As we experience the highs and the lows, the ups and the downs, we grow and become wise.  Wisdom is also learnt from people who inspire and support us.  For International Women's Day in March you did a project.  You wrote a quote from an inspirational woman in your life.  So now your project is finished and ready to view.  Here are the combined "Words of Wisdom" from the Navitas DL students.

Presentation 1 is easy to read, just click on this link to open Words Of Wisdom 1

Presentation 2 is harder to read, just click on this link to open Words of Wisdom 2

Our story this week is from Katty.  She shares her wisdom from her mother:

A woman who has inspired me is my mum who is a very nice and strong lady.  She does everything for her family and I.  She works very hard and is patient.  My mum told me people thought, 20 years ago, that a lady could not do anything without a man.  But now everything has changed for the better.  Now a woman can work outside and do everything that a man can do.  Thai women now are doing all sorts of important jobs including being the Prime Minister.  Now everyone agrees that a woman and a man are equal.

What are your thoughts on the Words of Wisdom presentations?

Welcome to Navitas settlement website

Settle-in website

We are pleased to introduce you to the new website that Navitas has developed to assist you as a new migrant with finding information about the different settlement services in Australia.

You can navigate easily through the website.  Simply hover your mouse over the town map and each building will take you to one of these settlement themes:

Learning English, Community, Health, Money, Housing, Transport, Education, Work, Law, Australian Society

You can click on any theme to access links to information about different topics.

You will find the website address by going to Links on the right hand side of the blog and clicking on the second link: English language websites.  This will take you to our Wiki page which has useful information and resources for all our DL students.

Did you know some services are offered by the Federal / Australian government in all the states but there are other services that are offered by your state government.  If you find a link to a NSW service for example you may like to look for a similar service in your state.

Test yourself - Where can you find the following information on the website!

• Social etiquette - what personal questions you should avoid asking or what it means to shout somebody in a pub
• Immigration and visas - what to do if your short-term visa expires
• Consumer rights - what to do if you have a problem with the fridge you recently bought
• Mental health - where to go if a family member is suffering from depression
• Beach safety - how to find out if the beach is safe for swimming and what lifeguards do

Why not share a fact you learnt from the website or leave your feedback about the website here!

Be Inspired on International Women's Day

Lisbeth, DL Teacher

International Women's Day is celebrated around the world on March 8th. It is a day to reflect on women's equality, to recognise women's rights and to encourage women to be strong and resilient in difficult times.There are many women in history who achieved great things in difficult times. They did this with strength and resilience. They achieved great things in literature, politics, sport science charity and much more.These women inspire us to be like them, to be smart, strong and work hard.

On the new EVENTS tab there is an International Women's Day slideshow and lesson activities. Write your own inspirational quote to contribute to our 'Words of Wisdom' slideshow.

This week's blog is an inspirational interview with one of our most experienced DL teachers, Lisbeth. 

Hi Lisbeth, tell us about your background.
I'm from Sweden.  I live with my husband in Sydney and I have 2 children and 4 grandchildren.
When did you decide to come to Australia?
When I was 19 I worked on a sailing ship that brought me to Australia where I first met my husband. After we got married we lived in Sweden and had 2 children.  I didn't come to live in Australia until I was 35.
How did you end up teaching in the AMEP?
In the late 70's there were thousands of people arriving from Vietnam so I got a job as an adult migrant English teacher.  This has been my career ever since.
What are the highlights of your career?
I was a Principal in the Adult Migrant English Service.  I have taught English in 5 countries: Sweden, England, Hong Kong, Belgium and Australia and I am still teaching in DL. Besides that, I'm currently the only Swedish Interpreter in Sydney.
What keeps you going?
I love my job because I feel I'm making a difference to my students' lives by helping them.
Do you have any interests other than work?
I love travelling.  I've been to 78 countries.  I also sing soprano in a choir. I'm part of the Swedish community in Sydney and join in many multicultural events.
What have been the main challenges in your life?
It wasn't easy to leave my homeland and it took a long time to feel settled in Australia.  My children spoke no English and I was disappointed that I couldn't do the same job as I did in Sweden as a Primary School Teacher. Of course, I missed my family. It took me 3 years to get the right qualifications.  Another big challenge was when I was diagnosed with breast cancer 9 years ago and had to go through years of treatment.
What would you say is your strength?
I always see the glass half full, which means I'm a positive person and try to look at the bright side.
What female figure inspired you and why?
My mother was a wonderful role model for me.  She loved me utterly and gave me confidence.
What advice would you give young women?
Follow your dream! Seize the day!  Never say I can't do it.... in Australia everyone can have a fair go!

Go to the 'Events' tab above for this week's activities.

My stolen dog

Vy, DL Student, Cabramatta

Hi everyone! I�m Vy and I am 22.  I come from Vietnam and have been in Australia for over two years. It was difficult at first for me to speak English with confidence so I started studying Distance Learning through Navitas College in Cabramatta. Thanks to my teacher, Frank, my English has improved over the past few months and I am starting to feel a bit more confident in English now. 

I�m now going to tell you a story about my dog!  I have a fluffy white dog and his name is Lucky. He�s nine years old and very intelligent. His responsibility in my family is catching mice in the house. After he catches a mouse, he runs around in circles and barks proudly.

He is the essence of my childhood. Every early morning, he would stand in the middle of the front door and wait for me to take him to the beach. He hates touching water but loves running around on the sand. He�s also my best friend. Whenever I feel sad, I talk with him and he looks me in the eyes. Probably he can understand my emotions. I love him so much.

One Sunday morning, I was washing my clothes in the backyard when I heard some loud shouting coming from my neighbours. Immediately, I went out to check what was wrong. I was shocked by what they said. They said my dog Lucky had just been stolen. There had been two men riding a motorbike. They had thrown a slip knot onto Lucky�s neck and by dragging him onto the street, had taken him away.

It was so terrible and cruel that I cried and shook with fright in the toilet. I was terrified and didn�t know what to do to get my dog Lucky back. In Viet Nam, there are a lot of bad people who steal dogs and cats for meat or for ransom. They steal someone�s pet and lock it up for a period of time. If the owner doesn�t pay a ransom for the pet they will sell the pet or kill it for meat. I was always worried about my dog Lucky.

All that morning, I cried. My Dad asked me to stop crying in the toilet. Then he went out. After the longest hour in my life, my Dad came home with Lucky. We had to pay 400 thousand VND to get him back. Lucky was badly injured. His eyes had changed to red. The skin of his bottom-paw was gone. His white hair was covered with dust and blood, but he wagged his tail happily and soon recovered!

Now I�m living far away from him and miss him so much!


Thanks Vy for sharing your beautifully moving story.  It is a great example of a narrative text.

• Have you ever had a pet that you had a special connection with?
• Why do people keep pets?
• What is the hardest thing about having a pet?

Share your comments below.

KCTCS Distance Learning Peer Team Minutes (February)

Minutes from the February KCTCS Distance Learning Meeting:

https://kctcs-my.sharepoint.com/personal/ben_worth_kctcs_edu/_layouts/15/guestaccess.aspx?guestaccesstoken=LurTIaOEdgHKqRLQkQNLMels3e2uvFc%2fBDHAYWer028%3d&docid=0230586bb37324f3a949cc3ebf3b429a6

Traffic in the eye of a DL artist

'Falling Down' by Nancy, DL student, Hurstville college

My name is Nancy.  I used to study Fine Arts when I was at university. In the first 2 years of my studies I did a series of art work about the traffic problem in China.  I always thought the main problem that caused traffic jams was bad traffic facilities and imperfect traffic laws.  Later, however, I realised that the main problem could be people themselves.

Then I did an oil painting named Falling Down.  The size of the artwork is 100cm x 80cm which took me 3 weeks to finish . The picture describes a traffic accident. The black background of this painting makes the traffic accident seem like it happened at night. In the middle of the picture, many people jump off one side of an overloaded old grey truck which makes the trunk fall down soon.  As it shows in the picture, some of them have already fallen down on the ground.  Although you can`t see their faces you can imagine from their clothes that they could be some blue-collar workers, farmers or builders.

The main reason that I did this art work was to try and remind people of the importance of observing traffic rules.  I brushed the colour of the background very quickly and made the background rough and uneven everywhere to create the feeling of people being in a rush when you see it. I deliberately left people`s faces blank to show that the people in the picture could be any of us. Obviously, it is illegal for such a huge number of people to be on one truck, but it sometimes happens in China. Even though everyone knows that it`s very dangerous to jump off the truck, some will still do it.  However, the lame excuse that people use to explain why they don�t obey the traffic laws is that they are in a hurry. 

In my opinion, people who do not obey the traffic rules present the biggest traffic problem.

Congratulations to Nancy on such a wonderful and meaningful piece of art and thanks to her teacher Marina for sharing it.

This week is Road Rules Awareness Week in NSW.  What are the top 10 misunderstood road rules?  
Click here to watch the videos and learn about these rules.  

For discussion:

• Which rule do you need to learn more about?
• Nancy thinks that people's bad habits of breaking traffic rules contribute to accidents.  Do you agree that people have a big part to play in causing traffic problems and accidents?  Why/why not?
• What solutions could you suggest to solving traffic problems?

We'd love to hear your comments below.

Kim never gave up!

Kim, Navitas, Sydney City

Kim started his Distance Learning course two years ago.  He chose DL because he works full-time and DL allows him flexibility with his time schedule.

To Kim, he has come a long way as far as his English is concerned.  Kim never did any English courses before starting with AMEP DL. He learned to speak English only through talking to his customers at work.  So when he started the course his speaking was fairly functional but his objective was clear: to learn to read and write in English.

Nearly 6 months ago, Kim completed his Certificate of Spoken and Written English (CSWE) 1 and moved up to level 2.  He is now able to read texts with around 300 words from Your Call level 2. �I am thrilled by what I have achieved with my reading and writing� Kim says.

Kim is dedicated to his learning even though the whole journey has not been easy.  �I could have given up a number of times� Kim comments.

Kim and his wife migrated to Australia in 2013 and they both are working long hours. Kim is working in a restaurant as a chef and, sometimes by the time he gets back home, he is exhausted to do anything.  Incredibly, he always overcomes barriers and gets himself ready 15 minutes before his lessons to do his spelling routine which has continued for the past two years throughout his DL course. Kim agrees that the individualised lessons and the extensive support definitely have pushed his boundary.

As Kim�s course is coming to an end, he acknowledges that where he completes the course is where he starts building his Australian dream with a strong sense of being confident and competent.  His DL teacher, Michelle, cannot be happier to see that this program has helped Kim achieve his goals.

Congratulations to Kim and well done for working hard and staying focussed on your goals.  

• What barriers are there to learning English and how can you overcome them?
• What routines can help you improve your reading and writing?
• What helps you keep going if you feel you want to give up?

Why not leave your comments below!

8 MOOCs for Better Technology-Enhanced Teaching

The URL below offers 8 free MOOCs for Better Technology-Enhanced Teaching Skills

https://campustechnology.com/Articles/2016/02/10/8-MOOCs-for-Better-Technology-Enhanced-Teaching.aspx?Page=1

Teacher Shaoming Celebrates Chinese New Year

Shaoming, DL Teacher

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I come from Guangdong, south of China. I was an English teacher in China before I came to Australia 28 years ago.  I have two children who were born in Australia and my older son is starting university this year.

When did you join Navitas?
I started in 2011 as a classroom teacher and I've been with Distance Learning (DL) since February 2015.

What do you enjoy about working with DL?
I teach mostly Chinese students.  As a bilingual teacher, I can help students with low level English to understand and improve more quickly.  It is very rewarding to see them gain more confidence in asking questions and using English in their daily lives.

How do you celebrate Chinese New Year in Australia?
We usually have a few families get together and have a special dinner - it is really more like a feast! We can never finish the food that we've cooked because we bring a lot!

What kind of food do you usually eat?
In China, I remember my mother used to cook traditional dishes that took a long time to prepare.  But unfortunately we cannot have the same food or follow the same traditions in Australia.  Instead we have seafood.

What message would you like to give to your students?
I wish them a Happy Chinese New Year of the monkey.  The monkey is a smart animal so I hope that this year brings everyone great success in their lives.

Did you know that students from a Chinese background were the largest ethnic group in our DL program last year!

• What is the most important festival in your culture?
• How do you celebrate it and do you celebrate it the same way as you did in your country?
• How important it is to keep your cultural traditions in a new country? 

Share your comments below.

We All Need a Vision

Muhammad, Auburn

Hello! My name is Muhammad and I'd like to tell you how important it is for all of us to have a vision. If we don't have a vision there will be no meaning in our lives. My vision is to integrate into Australian society the best way I can because I'm a migrant. However to do this I need good English. I migrated from Bangladesh four years ago and wanted to continue working in my field as a qualified engineer. However I realised that the key to success in the workplace is to improve my English.

I was lucky to find work as a technician in a medium-sized manufacturing company. I had to communicate with my colleagues on a daily basis, however to communicate effectively I needed clear pronunciation.

So when I became a permanent resident I went to Navitas English at Auburn and enrolled in Distance Learning (DL) as I was working. My DL teacher Annie set me in the right direction to improve my English and speak clearly. She taught me pronunciation and we practised conversations in different contexts. She also taught me formal and informal email writing and assisted me to update my resume and cover letter. I found the environment in Navitas DL to be so friendly and supportive.

Now I am able to communicate more easily with native speakers and they can understand me. My DL lessons have also given me confidence to converse with colleagues at work.

So moving to Australia was a very big change, but it has been a good change. I'm happy here and the future looks bright. Whatever position I end up choosing, improving my English has been the first and most important step to achieving my vision in my new home Australia!

Discussion
What is your vision for your life in Australia?
How is your DL teacher helping you achieve your vision?

Proctor Exam Information

2016 Proctor Exam Information.  Distributed by email on 1/25/2016.

What's great about Australia?

On Tuesday 26th of January we celebrate Australia Day. We celebrate everything that's great about Australia and being Australian.
 There are many events planned in every major town. An important part of each event is the Citizenship ceremony where new citizens pledge their loyalty to the country. You can see more information on this at the Citizenship tab on this blog. 

At Distance Learning we think it's great that Australia is a multicultural country and we value the contribution of migrants now and through Australia's history. Here are some thoughts from staff members on the question: What's great about Australia and being Australian?

"For me Australian citizenship allows me to participate in elections. So I have rights and I feel like a full member of the country. Also I like the people, climate and the multiculturalism here. It's hard to say..it means I have made the right choice for my family and I."

"I love Australia  because of the fresh air, beautiful sunshine and delicious international food. I also love the friendly Australian people and the fair environment where everyone is equal and well respected."

You can find out what's on in your area from your local newspaper or by going to the website Australia Day Events. For more information and videos on Australia Day go to the website ABC TV.

So the discussion question for this week is:

What do you think is great about Australia?

Peer2Peer Training

Just announced the Peer2Peer Training initiative that allows BCTC faculty to use Bb Collaborate receive on-on-one help with Blackboard and other education from an eMentor.

Courage to speak in public with Toastmasters

Katia, DL student

When I started my Distance Learning English course with Navitas I was feeling depressed. My English was not improving as I would have liked. So I did not believe in myself to look for a job. In my first lesson my DL teacher Barbara encouraged me to join a Toastmasters Club. Toastmasters is an educational organisation which helps members improve their public speaking and leadership skills. In the beginning I struggled to have the courage to go. After the next lesson with my teacher I decided to go and it was amazing.

On my first day as a visitor I lacked confidence and felt nervous. I couldn't say any sentence that made sense. However the members were very supportive and encouraged me to keep going. I trusted them because I felt they believed in me and welcomed me to their meetings.

After the third meeting I felt confident to do my first speech which is called an Ice Breaker. The goal of this speech is to introduce yourself to the members giving them information about your background, interests and ambitions.

I stood in front of an audience of 17 people. People who were just like me, who come to Toastmasters to improve themselves. Then I realized that other people also speak with different accents and make grammar mistakes, but they come to Toastmasters because there's an opportunity to speak to people and make friends.I feel proud of myself for starting something new which is helping me to be not just a positive, confident speaker but an assertive and self-assured person.

Congratulations Katia for starting something new to help yourself.You can find details of your local Toastmasters club at http://www.d70toastmasters.org.au/
Do you belong to a club or organisation? 
How has joining a club helped you to improve your English? 

My path to a better life

Kevin - DL student
Navitas - Auburn

I migrated by myself from South Korea in October 2014, leaving my family behind.  Fortunately there it was, Navitas Auburn, near my new house.

Initially I registered in the morning class then later changed to the evening class.  My teacher at that time, Genevieve, strongly recommended that I enrol in the Workplace Communication for Professionals (WCP) course after she heard that I am an experienced Software Developer with years of experience in South Korea.  She was helpful and provided me with extra support to aid my advancement to CSWE Level 3, which was an essential prerequisite for this course.

The WCP course was very beneficial; through it I learned all the necessary employment skills, obtained my dream job and reunited with my wife and daughter.

Few months later, I met my former classmate, Tatiana, on the train by chance.  She told me that she is studying by Distance Learning (DL) and she found it very interesting and helpful for her work.  After her recommendation, I enrolled in the course immediately.

My DL Teacher, Claudette, designed the lessons to match my work requirements so I was able to achieve better work results for the company and work well with my colleagues.

Finally, through the variety of courses provided by Navitas I developed various skills.  After finding a job, DL was an excellent choice for me.  I was able to study English at a convenient time.  I couldn't attend class due to work, but I felt that my language still needed improvement.  I am sure that Distance Learning is the best option for improving one's education, especially if you cannot attend class.

Congratulations Kevin on improving your English and gaining employment and we are pleased that you've been able to feel more settled in Australia with your family.

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Distance Learning Start of Semester Email

Click here for Spring 2016 announcements and updates.

HAPPY NEW YEAR FOR 2016

As we return back on 4th January 2016 we�d like to welcome all our continuing and new Distance Learning students to the program.  We hope you've had a wonderful break and you�re ready to start the new year with energy and enthusiasm.

A lot of people find that New Year Resolutions are the perfect opportunity to make lifestyle changes.  Some of the most popular resolutions include:

- Getting into shape
- Becoming more active
- Quitting smoking or drinking
- Becoming more organised
- Learning a new skill
- Becoming a better person
- Reducing stress
- Saving more money

While these are all terrific goals some people think there is no point in making promises we can�t keep.  They believe New Year Resolutions often don�t last and before we know it we�re back to our old habits.

Research has shown that although positive thinking can be helpful, people achieve their goals when they:

• set realistic expectations of themselves
• break down their goals into small steps 
• are patient and don�t expect quick fixes
• have a plan, stay focussed and keep trying hard
• don�t get discouraged by setbacks

Have you ever had success with making New Year Resolutions that lasted beyond January?

Have you made any resolutions for 2016?

If your goal this year is to improve your English or achieve a CSWE certificate, how can you achieve this goal?

We wish you every success in 2016 and our teachers look forward to working with you to achieve your English language goals.

Don't forget to add your comments below.