Niagara ESL Program

Every summer Canadian International Services offers English as a Second Language (ESL) homestay programs out of Ridley College in St. Catharines, one of Canada’s oldest and most distinguished private schools. This summer will be the twenty-second year that international students have come to Canada to study English, see the beautiful sights of the Niagara Region, and experience Canadian culture by staying with a host family.

All programs are custom-designed and therefore vary according to the interests of the school sending its students to Canada.

Example Itinerary

Day 1

Arrive at Toronto International Airport. Met at airport and driven by charter bus to Ridley College in St. Catharines, about a ninety minute trip. Students meet their host families and are driven to their homestays by car.

Day 2

Morning

Tour of Ridley College
English conversation class

Afternoon

Countryside discovery tour – downtown St. Catharines, Port Dalhousie beach and carousel on the shores of Lake Ontario, ice cream store, White Meadows maple syrup farm

Canada is known for its delicious maple syrup! White Meadows crafts 100% Pure Maple Syrup and savoury maple specialties in Niagara, Ontario, on the family farm established in 1937.

Day 3

Morning

English conversation class

Afternoon

Go Kart Riding
Niagara Outlet mall

This fun afternoon includes speeding around one of North America’s fastest go kart tracks, and shopping at a large outlet mall with over 100 brand name stores.

Day 4

Morning

English conversation class

Afternoon

Hornblower Niagara Falls cruise
Free time in Niagara Falls

Students visit magnificent Niagara Falls and get as close as possible to the breathtaking flow of water, power and mist on a state-of-the-art catamaran. They also have free time to explore the fun tourist attractions of the Clifton Hill district, from haunted houses and a Ferris Wheel, to wax museums and arcades.

Day 4 & 5 (Weekend)

Free time with host family (host families will involve the student in their regular summer weekend activities, such as swimming and BBQs, and often take the student sightseeing)

Free time with host family (host families will involve the student in their regular summer weekend activities, such as swimming and BBQs, and often take the student sightseeing)

Day 6

Morning

English conversation class
High Ropes experience at Brock University

The High Ropes experience is fun and challenging. This adventurous but safe activity helps students learn more about themselves and instills a sense of team spirit among classes.

Afternoon

English conversation class

Day 7

Morning

English conversation class

Afternoon

Fallsview Indoor Waterpark

Students beat the heat this afternoon at a massive indoor wave pool with 16 thrilling waterslides.

Day 8

Morning

English conversation class

Afternoon

Picnic at Queenston Heights park
Tour of historic Fort George
Free time in Niagara-on-the-Lake

This afternoon explores some of the many historic sites in the Niagara region. Fort George is a military post that defended Upper Canada against American attacks in the War of 1812. Students take a tour of the barracks and watch a re-enactment of soldiers doing drills.

Day 9

Morning

Horseback riding at HorsePlay Niagara in Port Colborne
Visit to Marshville Chocolates

Students saddle up and go on a scenic trail ride with HorsePlay Niagara. The rides are guided and students receive safety and riding instructions before starting out. The rides consist of walking and trotting, a gait that is easy even for beginners. On the way back to school, the bus stops at Marshville Chocolates, where students can stock up on delicious treats.

Afternoon

English conversation class

Day 10

All Day

Visit to Toronto
Blue Jays baseball game

This day is always a highlight for students. They spend a day shopping and sightseeing in the exciting city of Toronto. They also attend a Major League Baseball game and enjoy all the sights and sounds of the ballpark.

Day 11 & 12 (Weekend)

Free time with host family (host families will involve the student in their regular summer weekend activities, such as swimming and BBQs, and often take the student sightseeing)

Day 13

Morning

English conversation class
End of program ceremony with cultural presentations, songs, and certificates

At the end of each program, students put on a show for their homestay families in the performing arts centre of the school. All students participate with a wide range of acts that they have prepared. Students are also given certificates of completion by their teachers, and a valedictorian delivers a short speech for each class.

Afternoon

Farewell lunch with host families and English teachers

Following the ceremony, students lead their homestays to the dining hall for a lunch to celebrate the end of the program.

Day 14

Students load luggage on bus and say goodbye to host family. Departure from Ridley for Toronto International Airport.

“I really enjoy the experiences gained in working within the CIS program. The students we teach expand our understandings of our own pedagogy, in working with a cultural background so distinct from our own."

Ron Kitcher
Teacher

“The program offers students an unforgettable opportunity to see a different part of the world, while developing their English language skills, as they experience Canadian culture through classroom activities, excursions, and interactions with their homestay families.”

Jeremy Thorpe
Teacher

"It is very rewarding for me, as an educator, to witness the growth in the students’ language skills over a short intensive period of time. The base of vocabulary they arrive to Canada with serves as a good testament to their English training in their own school system."

Ron Kitcher
Teacher

"I think the activities that are embedded within the program provide the students a solid means of showing much of the Canadian lifestyle, in terms of day-to-day recreation, but also other features that require the use of larger spaces, that are not as prevalent in their home country. These, in combination with the homestay experiences and dietary differences from home, provide the students with a truly well rounded experience."

Ron Kitcher
Teacher