星薬科大学・special posting for Hoshi ESS & Tuesday 1st & 2nd period Pharm Eng I students for 5/21

Hello to the Hoshi ESS and my Pharm Eng I students,

This is a special posting for the Hoshi ESS plus all my Pharm Eng I students on Tuesdays. Hope all of you are doing well in your studies.

I said at the beginning of the year that I would try to post videos, pictures and other things for all of you around the classes through the year. I think it might be easier for me, and maybe for all of you, if I post for the whole class and the Hoshi ESS. All of you are free to check these things out. Doing this as a separate post from the posts about the lesson plans might be easier for me too.

For the ESS, ERI MURAI (Tuesday 2nd period), YUTAKA AKI (Tuesday 1st period), and TOMOKO EHARA (Tuesday 1st period) - and also all of you in my Tuesday classes too!

First - Eri Murai - you said on her pre-teaching survey that you would like to learn daily conversation in English. Here's some advice for you - but this is good advice for all of you in the classes, and for all the ESS members too!      

THE KEY POINT IS - TALK ABOUT YOU AND YOUR INTERESTS!

Before any English class starts, and right after the class finishes, volunteer to come to the teacher and share what you did over the weekend, or what you are doing in classes. It does not have to be a difficult topic - easier is best! But the most important thing is to speak on something of your interest. Try it! Don't worry about grammar or vocabulary. The more you use your English - the more you will be relaxed with it. YOU CAN DO THIS WITH ME! 

Next - for Yutaka Aki - you said you wanted to read more books easily in English. Here's what you - and everyone in our classes and the ESS interested in reading more in English can do. (Yutaka - this is the same advice I gave your classmate Asuka - I'll give it to you too!)

THE KEY POINT FOR READING IN ENGLISH IS - RELAX!

If you want to read for relaxation in English, choose a Japanese book you already know with a good English translation. Read it for pleasure - don't translate any sentences or even vocabulary. Read it the same way you would read it in Japanese. If you can't find an English translation of a book you like - then find a story in English that is similar to a story you like in Japanese. The more you take English with relaxation and pleasure - the more comfortable you will be with it, and the better your reading skill will get. Try it!

Finally - for Tomoko Ehara - you said on your pre-teaching survey that you're in the music club, and that you like to play guitar. For you, all your classmates and friends in the Tuesday classes, and the ESS - here's a video of an incredible guitar player from the U.S. named Stanley Jordan.

Here's a little extra homework for you, Tomoko: Watch this - and tell me what you think of it. Post a comment to the blog or tell me in class. (Any of you who want to comment - post a comment on the blog!)

See you in class Tuesday!