WELCOME!!!!!!!!!!

★THAILAND★~teacher training~

2006-04-18T18:03:00.000-07:00

I (and more 3 people) went to Thailand to teach English from February 12nd to 26th, 2006. Of course, as a teacher. I taught English and Japanese junior high and high school students, but almost English.

Durling English class, I found some differenses between Japan and Thailand about English class (in my experience).
1. Purpose of studying English
2. Opportunity to talk with foreigners
3. Students' attitude

In detail...
1. Purpose of studying English
Japan: For examinations. I think most Japanese students study English as a subject. That means students study English to enter a high school or an university, to pass the exam. So, students study English that put a stress on grammer. →weak point: communication
Thailand: For jobs. Thai student study English to find a job or use their jobs. So, students study English that put a stress on communication. →weak point: grammer

2. Opportunity to talk with foreigners
Japan: There are many foreigners come to Japan, recently. We can see them wherever possible. And students can meet a foreigner in their English classes, ALT!!!
Students have a lot of chances to talk with foreiners, but they don't try to talk with them except the class.
Thailand: Students really want to talk with foreigners, but they don't have an ALT who speaks English and teaches English with an HRT each English class (Team Teaching). Students don't have enough opportunity to talk with them.

3. Students' attitude
Japan: Shy. If a teacher call on a student, the student consult with his/her friends. Defensive.
Thailand: Cheerful. Students speak their opinion clearly. Positive. Students feel that studying English is fun.

I learned a lot of things in this experience. I want to visit there and meet students again.

Reading Activities -in my high school-

2006-01-31T06:25:00.000-08:00

1. What kind of reading activities did you do in high school?

There were 5 English classes, English 1&2, grammer, reading, writing and oral communication. Most of reading activities were dealt with reading classes.
Take reading classes for instance.
A main reading activity was repeat. Students always repeated after a teacher or a tape. But this activity was not good, I think, because some students did not repeat after them.
Another main activitity was just read. When a teacher called on students, they had to stand up and read aloud a textbook. In this activity, a teacher could confirm whether students pronounced English words right.
Other English activities were skimmimg and scanning. When students make a preparation of English lessons for next, most students did skimmimg and grasped the meaning roughly. And students did scanning when they tested.

2. How did these activities help your reading skills?

Through repeat after a teacher or a tape and read aloud, I can pronounce English words more than likely.
Skimming and scanning improve my rapid reading skills.

My Teacher Training

2005-10-07T15:30:00.000-07:00

Teacher training
I had a teacher training in junior high school this summer, from August to September. My class is 3-5, consists of 35 students. I tauhght English for 3rd grade, 5 classes.
We use "NEW HORIZON English Course 3" textbook.
I taught:
Reading Plus 1 A Mother's Lullaby (understanding of its content)

Writing Plus 2 詩―気持ちを自由に表現しよう (poem)
Multi Plus 3 留守番電話と伝言 (answer-phone & leave a message)
Unit 4 An American Rakugo-ka Starting Out (how to＋動詞の原形)
Unit 4 An American Rakugo-ka Dialog (It is～for 人 to＋動詞の原形)
My class is full of energy, but there are some shy students. This is natural. In class, some students raise their hand and present their opinions, but some others keep quiet. Every students like school events and work hard. While I do my teacher training, there are 2 big events. All the junior high school students of this city gather a studium, Track Meet. The another is school festival. My class work together and practice hard "Chorus".
Preparation of teacher training
Before I go to junior high school, I bought English textbooks. And I read again and again.
The important thing is making my mimd, because I heard a teacher training is hard.
Anyway I should peruse this textbook to teach English for students.
Beginning of teacher training
My teacher training started. First, I introduced myself to student. Students looked at me with their interests. First trouble was to remember student's names. But this problem gradually solved time went by. Because I communicated with students a lot.
The first one week, I watched English classes to study class situation, movememt of a teacher, response of students, and class mood. However the teacher teach same thing for students, the teacher should change class situation or mood several classes, I think, and the English teacher did so.
Platform

I taught English to 3rd grade of junior high school students using NEW HORIZON English Course 3 for 3 weeks. Each class has different faces. This is difficult to teach but interesting to watch objectively, because I can learn a lot of ways to teach English.
Usually a class consists of about 35 students, but in English class consists of 17-18 students, a half class. Because there are 2 English teachers for 3 grade. This has many good points, for example, students can present a lot, communicate together a lot with using English, a teacher can watch students' activities and find students' mistakes, and so on. However it has also bad points, for example, running of textbook will change.
Anyway the class consists 17-18 students is good, I think.
Important things in my English class, ...
Greetings:
The class begin with greetings and end with greetings.
"Good morning (afternoon), everyone!"
"How are you?"
"What day is it today?"
"What's the date today?"
"How's the weather?"
"Good-bye, everyone!"
English greetings make English mood and draw students to English world.
Goal:
Every class, every unit has goal. The goal should be interesting, because if students interested in it, they would be highly motivated.
Communication:
It is important for students to learn English through their communication. They can learn English by using English, I think. So, students can acquire English pronunciation, accent and stress through their activities.
Handout:
Handouts can help to confirm students' understanding. By using handout, a teacher also can see whether students' can understand or not.
Reading:
Reading textbook is important, because students can understand the contents with their own voice. And this is one of good practice to learn English, I think.
Team Teaching (TT)
I did a lot Team Teaching, and I could build up good relationship with ALT. Team Teaching has many good points, for example, we can see students each of them and take time to watch them. And students can learn native English pronunciation, cultures, customs, and so on. But Team Teaching has a big problem. ALT is not a tape recorder. Just repeat or read isn't make sense, is it? It is important for us to think how to exploit ALT teachers. And we should communicate with ALT a lot. Good relationship with ALT will make good class, I think.

Finally, I really learned a lot from this teacher training. At the beginning of this teacher training, I didn't know what should I do, and I confused. But I noticed that communication is a best way to solve problems, make good relationship, and build up trusts with students. Students taught me.
It is important for English teacher to have a lot of knowledge and skills, but most important thing is to communicate with students and understsand students. The teacher who can it is a good teacher, and this good relationship between a teacher and students can make good class, I think.
I really had a great experience. I appreciate this junior high school teachers and students.
Thank you.

Final Blogging Task

2005-08-04T04:27:00.000-07:00

"my ideal English teacher"
In my first blogging entry I wrote about my ideal English teacher and my own streagth and weekness as an English teacher. Since taking this class, my image of an ideal English teacher actually has not change so much. Because I believe that a teacher is lenient with his/her students notwithstanding an English teacher. But I've had an addition to the idea or imege about an ideal English teacher.
My ideal English teacher I think is who is of good heart, for example, if there are some students who feel stress about studying English, I'd like to put heart into the students and tell some interests of studying English. Concretely, using the Total Physical Responce Method. Teachers who use the TPR believe in the importance of having their students enjoy their experience in learning to communicate in a foreign language.
My understanding of my own strength and weekness as a teacher changed. In my first blogging entry, I wrote my strength is smile. In fact, smile makes people happy. And, my own strength is cheerful, I found it in this English teaching methodologies 3 through a mimic English class. This experience will help me in my practice teaching this summer.
And, my own weekness point was timid, but this have changed gradually in these days. This is great development for me.
In my teacher training, I'm going to try to be decisive in class and I'd like to endeavor to be considerate of students.
Thank you.

Comment on TeamA's Lesson

2005-06-20T22:32:00.000-07:00

1. What did I particularly like about TeamA's lesson?
First, TeamA member did a review of the last lesson, "Greeting." This was good point, because Mr. Abdoreim could remember what he learned last week. In a short-play, Atushi and Ayumi show greetings, and then a teacher and Mr. Abdoreim exchanged greetings. This warm-up was successful, I think. Second, teachers prepared some materials for this lesson, new title "This is ~." and "That is ~." It was easier for the guest to understand new words and the pictures helped students to understand easily. And, making handout was also good because students could confirm today's lesson by writing.
2. Suggestions for an even better lesson next time.
I think this is better thing that teachers more cheerful and loudly voice with confidence. This causes students to entertain. And class mood would be better and better. What's more, teacher should have checked every little thing. I mean, in a picture of "eraser", the article is "an", but it put an "a". Correctly, it should be "an", you know. So, be careful and I am too.

Thank you for your lesson!

My Reflection on DHC2 Lesson

2005-06-20T15:02:00.000-07:00

First of all, we didn't enough time to practice this lesson, because we didn't correspond schedules with our group members. I think, however, we could say "That's done it!"
In class, we tried to speak loudly, slowly and clearly. That was a good point, I think. I'd like to reflect my class according to priority.
♪Beginning♪
We started to greetings "Hello!How are you?" cheerfully. Students noticed that the class have begun and turned their attention to our class. In introduction, we said only our name and "Nice to meet you," briefly, because it did not introduction class. We said the title of today's lesson, "Do you have a pen?"
It is important to give the title. It becomes goal of their lesson and students can understand what they should do.
♪Short-play♪
We had good performers. Their short-play was really good, because students could understand easily the sentences "Do you~?". Guests also did. It seems that guests have understood thier performance. Performers devised their short-play, for example, using objects, putting expression into their playing, changing their voices, making good mood and so on. This part of our lesson was perfect, I think.
♪Repetition♪
In this part, we could devise how to repeat sentences more. This repetition was a little dreary work and dull for students. Practice is important but we had to devise this repetition for students' training.
♪Practice♪
We tried to students interest in this practice, we have students to draw two lots. But some students lot same cards. This is bad point, because we wanted students to practice sentences variously. However, students did good partner practice, I think.
♪Game♪
Karuta game looked like interedting, actually I think so, but students got confused about this game a little. We should have explained in detail, and what's more, we should have took in not only "Yes, I do." but also "No, I don't.", I think.
♪Closing♪
"Thank you very much."

My Reflection on Team T's Lesson

2005-06-06T23:35:00.000-07:00

1. What was the particularly like about Team T's lesson?
I'd like to describe some good points of Team T's lesson. First of all, beginning of this class was good points, because a teacher said "Hello! How are you?" cheerfully. So, students relaxed of this greeting and could ready to learn English lesson. Second, short plays were also good because acters spoke some phrases, for example, "Good mornig.", "Nice to meet you.", "Good evening.", clearly, slowly and loudly voice. As a result, students could understand these phrases easily. The Chinese guest also understood these phrases, I think. And then, teachers used Japanese after their spoke English sentences. This was more easier for the guest to understand English phrases. When we repeated after a teacher, he indicated students how to step repeating English words, everyone, lines and called on individuals. Students pronounced English rhythmically and smoothly.
2. Some suggestions for an even better lesson.
I think teachers that played short-play could speak more slowly and emotionally because a Chinese guest couldn't understand what teachers said in dialog, first. And, in a handout, Conclusion and Fill in the blanks were good for students to review, but I actually wanted to pronounce and practice English words with my partner or classmates. Because the more we use English, the more progress our English skills. That's all.

Thank you for your lesson!

Junior High School Grammar

2005-05-31T07:43:00.000-07:00

As a student,
1. Which of the grammatical elements was easiest for you to learn?
I think "verbs" was easiest for me to learn, for example, be動詞, 一般動詞, 三人称単数形, 過去形, 不規則動詞, 助動詞, and so on. Because "verbs" in junior high school were just memory and it was easy for me to memorize their.
2. What was most difficult for you to understand?
It was difficult for me to understand 関係代名詞（that, 接続詞, who, which,...）. First, I did not like reading long sentences. Second, I got confused by the meaning of 関係代名詞. What is "that" and what is "which"? I also could not understand "whom". I spent much time to understand 関係代名詞.
As a teacher,
3. Which of the grammar do you have confidence in teaching?
I think simple sentences are easy to teach students. So, students would be able to understand and memolize "verbs" easily as I did. I would be able to teach be動詞, 過去形, 助動詞.
4. Which grammar do you think will be difficult for you?
I think 関係代名詞 will be difficulet for me to teach students, because when I was a junior high school student, it was difficult for me to understand 関係代名詞. So, students will confuse to hear the word 関係代名詞 first. Then 不定詞 is also difficult for me to teach, because I'm worried about whether student could understand 名詞的用法, 形容詞的用法, 副詞的用法.

Reflection on Sniffle's Lesson

2005-05-24T02:29:00.000-07:00

SNIFFLE

1. What did you particularly like about Sniffle's lesson?
There are two points that I really liked in the Suniffle's lesson. First, teachers spoke English slowly, loudly and clearly. This way was good for students, because students could understand how to count numbers and pronounce them easily. Second, teachers used objects. This influence also helped students to understand numbers. Concretely, a teacher said numbers, "This is one (two, three, four, ...)." Then students repeated after the teacher, and what's more, sped up and asked a student what was the number that a teacher pointed out. These were a kind of game. I think when a teacher teach students something new, it is important for them to teach speedy and accurately. In addition, teachers were using paper coins and drinks when they explain text sentences like "540yen" or "Large or small". For example, when a teacher said "540yen", the teacher counted it "One, two, three, four, five hundred and ten, twenty, thirty, forty yen." That was also good point, because students were interested in them and listened to carefully. Finally, plural "s" were plain, because teachers were using objects similarly.
2. Write about a few things that they might try doing differently in the future.
I think Sniffle's lesson was very good and the class was amusing to me, but I wanted them to use text more. Students could learn numbers with their text sentences. For example, using menu, changing the numbers about hamburgers, or size. Then students could think their counts and be used to using numbers. That is, teachers could use text dialogue or menu and find many ways to use numbers, meaningfully.

"My first Spanish class"

2005-05-16T16:59:00.000-07:00

Spanish class

1. How much of the presentation in Spanish did you understand? What made the input comprehensible and what could have been done to make the language easier to understand?
I almost understood this Spanish presentation, 90%. I comprehended this lesson, because I could image and guess about the family tree. Of course, the Spanish teacher tried to teach, pronounced slowly, loudly and clearly, and repeat, so that students would be able to understand new language, Spanish, easily. Then I thought Spanish with English, not Japanese. This is the reason why I could understand Spanish well, because Spanish and English have same points, use alphabet, grammar and so on.
2. Did you learn any new words or new grammar in Spanish?
Yes, I did.
・new words
yo, mi, hijo, padre, madre, esposa, hermano, hermana, abuelo, abuela, padastro, madastra, quien, es, tu, persona, Japones
・new grammar
mi padre, la madre de mi madre, el padre demi padre, el hijo de mi padre y madastra,
Quien es tu padre?
3. How did you feel about being a beginning foreign language student?
It's a wonderful thing. I think, being a beginning foreign language student would have hope. And they also have anxiety, because learning new things would be interested but if students cannot understand what a teacher says, students would feel anxiety. If the teacher doesn't notice it, their thoughts or communications don't mesh with each other. In my case, I really enjoyed this Spanish lesson and comprehended. I'd like to take this Spanish lesson again. Being a beginning foreign language student gives me freshness.

"Questions to current teachers"

2005-05-16T16:45:00.000-07:00

I'd like to ask some questions...
1. What is your successful thing in your English class?
2. When do you feel happy?
3. If you have some troubles, what do you do?

"my ideal teacher"

2005-04-25T16:30:00.000-07:00

"my ideal teacher"

1. My favorite English teacher were Akihito Handa and Mamoru Kumagai. Mr. Handa was my junior high school teacher who was a man. Mr. Kumagai, he was also a man, was my high school English teacher who taught me English for a college exam.

2. These teacher were my favorite because Mr. Handa was interesting and cheerful. I studied English happily. Other students also happily and smiled. It was not pains to study English for us, because it was fun. We did games, read texts, talked with my partner in English, watched videos and laughed in his class. His jokes made us all laugh. He was a good teacher for us and we learned English properly. He was a good teacher for us. Mr. Kumagai was English Reading teacher for high school students and a Shinto priest. He had a popularity among students and respected them. I really got a lot of benefit from him, because he taught me how to pronunce English and a lot of vocabulary for my college exam. I'd like to express my sincerest thanks for them.
3. As a teacher, my greatest strength will be smile. Smile makes me happy and studens, too. Smile would supports me. If I am faced with a difficult problems, smile will help me internally.
4. As a teacher, my greatest weakness will be timidness. When I feel anxiety about my answers or opinion, I become timid. If a teacher is timidity, students also become timid. This is my weakness point.

WELCOME!!!!!!!!!!

2005-04-21T17:00:00.000-07:00

WELCOME TO MY BLOG !!!!!!!!!!

Hello! Nice to meet you. Welcome to my blog! Thanks for coming my blog. This is a diary, or sometimes a journal.

I'd like to introduce myself. I'm a Japanese.I'm a student of a college, and I'm studying English there, writing, reading, speaking, education, literature, history, grammer, culture and so on. So, my English would not perfect, because I'm a second language learner, English is my foreign language. I will try to write in English on my blog for myself, however.

I'm living in Iwate prefecture northan of Japan with my younger brother, because we're commuting same college. I'm 20 years old, and my brother is 18 years old. He passed the entrance examination of this college and entered this spring.

favorite things (hobbies) : My favorite things are listen to music, reading books, quiz, movies, playing tennis, eating, sleeping, writing and so on. I usually do these things, because I like them. I like music, rock music particularly. I also like pop music. I read books everyday, kinds of comics, magazines, stories, pocketbooks, etc. It appears that Japanese like quizes, so many quiz programs are broadcasted on TV in Japan, recently. I play tennis almost everyday. It's fun, because I like tennis and I am friendly with my partners.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMING!!!!!!!!!!