University Hill English: Resource Page

SUPPORTING STUDENTS

Caregivers often ask what they can do to support learners in their English classes. Here are the UHill English Teacher’s top tips:

1. Read often and with passion. Students should read books that challenge and interest them. Ideally they will make reading a daily practice. Where possible, students should annotate texts and look up new words. Students can also explore folk tales, myths and fairy tales that will help them understand literary references more readily.

2. Keep a journal. Students who write regularly about their thoughts, their studies and their readings have a greater level of fluency.

3. Discuss ideas and texts. While we get plenty of peer discussion in class, speaking with caregivers about the texts they encounter in class can enrich student understanding.

4. Focus on developing one or two skills at a time. Since English is an idiomatic language whose conventions originate in many linguistic traditions, the best way to master different parts of speech and writing elements is to focus on developing one skill at a time. Students who take teacher feedback and select one area to develop will see the most growth.

TEACHER BIOGRAPHIES

Ms. Au believes in the power of stories. Each story provides us with an opportunity to deepen our understanding of ourselves and of the world around us. When Ms. Au is not in the classroom, you may find her on a hiking trail, taking in the stories of the land.

Ms. Delville-Pratt teaches English, Social Studies and Skills and loves a great crime story! She loves to help students find texts that get them reading.

Ms. Jerome teaches English and Career and Life Education. Her superpower is helping kids hear the beauty and power in their own voices and stories. She is a published poet and non-fiction writer who teaches creative writing to teenagers and adults in various communities in and around Vancouver.

Ms. Kwan teaches Creative Writing and New Media, among other courses. If her students are lucky, they might get to try some of her famous baked goodies.

Ms. McGhee cannot decide if she would rather compete on Jeopardy or become a Stand Up comedian. Whatever she does in her spare time, she loves to help students discover their inner writer and passion for social issues.

Ms. Murphy loves a good story. She enjoys how the discussion of literature in-class can lead to deeper insight into the human condition. In her classroom, you will find her helping students develop their reading, writing, and speaking skills so that they can appreciate text and convey their understanding in meaningful ways.

Ms. Silvers sets the gold standard for teaching at U Hill. She helps students find their voice in English class and their path in life in Careers. Many students and staff would be lost without her guidance.

Ms. Tassioulas’ calm energy extends out of the English and Spanish classrooms and into the Yoga studio. She loves to help students make meaningful personal connections through their writing and reading.

Ms. Tsai helps English students refine their writing and look deep inside their minds’ inner chambers. In her free time, she can be found seeking the city’s most fantastic cuisines and her creative passions.

PLEASE FIND OUR EMAIL ADDRESSES ON OUR SCHOOL WEBSITE.