The Bluewater District School Board’s first ever International English as a Second Language camp is underway at the Outdoor Education Centre in Oliphant.
Fourteen Korean students arrived at the centre early Monday morning to take part in the three week event, which will immerse them in various aspects of Canadian Culture.
Mary Ann Alton is the former Director of Education for the Board, and was one of the key organizers in getting these students along with four ESL teachers from Korea to experience Grey Bruce and Canada.
She says the Korean students will be paired up with student partners from the Bluewater School board where they will stay in the students homes for several weekends to see what Canadian life is really like.
The Bluewater students in turn will spend several days at the outdoor education centre with the Koreans.
Alton says this will be beneficial for the Bluewater students as well as they will be able to experience and appreciate a bit of Korean culture.
She says unlike the ESL instruction in Korea which focuses on grammar and punctuation, this experience will deal more with practical English and everyday use of the language.
Alton says one of the highlights of the ESL camp will be a Korean Barbecue which takes place tonight at the outdoor education centre which will feature traditional Korean food.
Alton is hopeful that this exchange will result in more Korean Students coming over to Grey Bruce over the next few years to try and improve their English language skills.
