Guide for Hosts

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Your students will expect internet access in the home, and all students are expected to bring their own computers. There is no extra fee charged to them or paid to the host family for internet service. Many students bring their own computers and some will be quite savvy computer users. CHI discourages students from using their hosts’ computers. If you decide to let your student use your home computer or provide them with access to the internet, please tell your student the guidelines that you have established for its use, including any restrictions that affect your children (to certain sites or times, for example), and the time available to the student, during the day or night and for how long. CHI advises hosts to monitor the kind of activity your student engages in online, and to discuss online habits together. Downloading movies, watching television online, chatting with friends, and playing video games can all be done safely, legally and may offer benefits in healthy moderation. However, each of these activities can also create headaches for students and hosts alike if approached carelessly. For more information on potential dangers and annoyances of computer usage, please consult your local Relationship Manager. Please be aware that most internet service providers in Canada bill user accounts according to how much bandwidth their home uses. Many of our students come from countries where bandwidth limits and over-usage fees do not exist. Your internet service provider can help you manage usage by notifying you when your account is at a particular threshold of your allotted monthly usage. Please contact your service provider for more information. Visitors & Travel CHI recommends that students not be permitted to have overnight visitors, with or without payment. Students under the age of 18 are not permitted overnight visitors or visits. If you have to go out of town suddenly and cannot take the student with you, please notify CHI and we will help you to make alternate arrangements. Also, if you are planning a family vacation and your student is not able or invited to go, please notify CHI as soon as you can, so alternate arrangements can be made for that student to have somewhere to stay while you are away. Do not travel with your Student across the Canadian border. Some students do not have the necessary documentation or visas and may be refused entry or re-entry. Students under the age of 18 are not allowed to travel on their own out of your town, except with the written permission of their parents. Please contact CHI if a student under the age of 18 wishes to travel outside your town, even it is with their school. Sharing Your Life The essence of the homestay experience is sharing your life with your student, from meal times to family outings. Meals Please prepare balanced and nutritious meals, daily. Serve your usual fare, but please take note of what they are eating. They may be too embarrassed to let you know if there is something that they don’t like! It may be hard to know what your student likes and dislikes, but by asking specific questions or taking them along on a shopping trip you will learn a lot. Be sure to ask your student if they have any food allergies or medical conditions that you need to be aware of. If you would like them to help themselves to food and drink, please make sure that they understand this and show them where they can find specific foods, such as snack food, cereal, and so on. If you © 2011 CHI/CANADA HOMESTAY INTERNATIONAL 4
leave them to find food themselves, they may wait to be offered something every time. “Comfort foods” can go a long way for world travelers! You might want to buy your student something familiar from home from time to time. If you’re feeling adventurous, you might consider asking your student to dinner at a restaurant serving cuisine from their country. This can be a fun evening of role-reversal: you can be the visitor and they can be the guide. Conversation Not surprisingly, students are often apprehensive and insecure about expressing themselves in English. Please be patient, and ready for misunderstandings! Our students have come to Canada precisely to become more confident and assertive in English, and they need (and expect) to be able to practice what they learn at school at home, with their hosts. Using English Day-to-Day You may find it helpful to include the student/s in as many simple daily activities as possible, such as: • conversation, especially at dinner; • setting the table, meal preparation, gathering, etc.; • accompanying you on errands (a trip to the grocery store is an interesting event for many students and helps you to discover their favourite foods); • inviting your student to join you when exercising; • watching TV programs that stimulate conversation or sharing of ideas. Keeping Language Practice Fresh It is also helpful to encourage situations that will include other members of the household, such as: • share your family photo albums/videos • play cards/board games (ask them to teach you one) • help students to plan their outings • have a picnic with your student, instead of staying in • plan activities together and mark them on the calendar: students like to know their family plans to do things with them, and this method helps ensure everyone is interested in the activity. Techniques for Mutual Understanding There are a few simple techniques to employ and traps to avoid in facilitating communication with your student: • Encourage your students to talk about themselves with open-ended questions like “What sports do you enjoy?” or “Tell me about your family.” Avoid yes/no questions. • Avoid negative questions such as, “You don’t like watching movies?” or “Didn’t you like the lasagna?” • Avoid asking, “Do you understand?” Students will ordinarily answer, “Yes” for the sake of harmony! Instead, ask the student to tell you what they think you are saying — as a test for you, not for them! Begin by asking for help, saying, “Help me please; tell me what you think I said.” • Separate your words. • Speak English at all times; • Use idioms and slang, but explain them. Your student will have their fill of grammar lessons at school. They will often look to their host family to learn how Canadians “really” speak. • Speak slower, not louder, if your student doesn’t understand. You can also try rephrasing the same ideas using different words; • Use charades, pointing and body language! • Write items down for the student—often their reading skills are better than their listening skills; • Use Google to translate a word or phrase. • Above all: smiles, laughter and genuine warmth are known and understood in all cultures. You may be surprised at how far these expressions will go in avoiding and easing misunderstandings. • If all else fails, please call CHI for assistance! We have interpreters available and can arrange to get our students extra help at school. © 2011 CHI/CANADA HOMESTAY INTERNATIONAL 5
Page 1 and 2: Host Guide: Welcome to the CHI host
Page 3: If your student is part of a short-
Page 7 and 8: • Are in unresolved personality c
Page 9 and 10: A Host’s Perspective Continued On

Guide for Hosts

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?