週11・特別ポスト - review notes about writing

Hello to all my students,

Image "Notes" courtesy of healingdream/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How are you? Thank you for your hard work in class this semester. 

Notes
These notes are things you should do in your writing, especially now that we are in the last part of the semester. These are things you have to remember. Read the following:

First, remember that you are not writing sentences! You are writing paragraphs. For example:

My life at Shibaura            My life at this university is good.
My life at Shibaura            I have made many friends. 
My life at Shibaura            The classes are hard.
My life at Shibaura            So far I enjoy it here. 

My life at this university is good. I have made many friends. The classes are hard. So far I enjoy it here. 

Second, make sure you have the correct spacing between one sentence and another. For example:

My life at this university is good.I have made many friends.The classes are hard.So far I enjoy it here. 

My life at this university is good. I have made many friends. The classes are hard. So far I enjoy it here. (Look at the spaces between each sentence!)                                         

Finally, try to connect your sentences to make longer ones. For example:

My life at this university is good and I have made many friends. The classes are hard, but so far I enjoy it here. 

I have more things to show and tell you soon.

See you next week!

週11 - ECA (Survival English) - 観光

Hello Survival English students,

Image "Travel The World, Concept" courtesy of potowizard/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How are you? Let's look at sightseeing (観光). Where would you like to go and what would you like to see? 

Activity
Look at these pictures. What are these places and what countries are they in? Take some guesses!

1. 

2. 

3. 

4.

5. 

6. 

7. 

Homework

Find 1-3 pictures of a place you would like to go to and bring it to the next class. Talk about the place you would like to go to and why you want to go there. 

Have fun!

Photo credits: A. "Business Meeting" (courtesy of Ambro) B. "Adorable Couple Watching TV" (courtesy of imagerymajestic) C. "Woman Asleep" 

Photo credits: 1. "Vintage Eiffel Tower" (courtesy of chrisroll) 2. "Machu Picchu" (courtesy of Arvind Balaraman) 3. "New York Times" (courtesy of Antoine Henrich) 4. "Angkor Wat Sunrise" (courtesy of J Frasse) 5. "Sydney Opera House At Night" (courtesy of Susie B) 6. "Great Wall Of China" (courtesy of cescassawin) 7. "Ancient Ruins In Delphi" (courtesy of thephotoholic)/All pictures from FreeDigitalPhotos.net

週10・11 - ECA (Speaking) I (W & All) & (Survival English) - 道を教える

Hello to all my Ningenfukushi, Speaking (All) and Survival English students,

Image "New York Times" courtesy of Antoine Henrich/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How are you? Let's talk about directions (方向)!    

Activity

Look at these pictures. They are the directions to Seigakuin from a train station, but the pictures are not in the right order (違う順番). With a group or a partner, can you put these pictures in the right order? 

When you are finished, can you talk about these directions? Here is some language you can use for the order (順番) of the directions: 

First...    go straight...    down this street...    turn right...    turn left...   

next to the...    between (the)...    across from (the)...    at (the corner)...    

on the left...    on the right...     

Try it! This is the first picture: 

A. #1

B. 

C. 

D. 

E. 

F. 

G. 

H. 

I. 

J. 

K. 

Homework

Take 4-5 pictures of the way from your train station to your home. Bring them to the next class and show your classmates. Talk about your directions from your station to your home.

Have fun!

週10・11 - ECA (Speaking) I (C & A) - できること・経験

Hello to my Jido and Obei speaking students,

Image "Chess" courtesy of artemisphoto/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How are you? Let's look at some abilities (できること) and experiences (経験) of people! 

Homework
Watch these three (3) videos. 

1. From Taiwan, here's a family with a very special power. Watch it and see what it is! 

2. Here is a boy who has trouble communicating with people - but he can already play the piano! He's playing a song that has been very popular. Do you know what it is?  

    

3. Here is a Japanese student talking about her fun experience as a homestay student in Dublin, Ireland. She talks about her experience in Japanese - listen to her talk. What does she say about her experience? Take some notes. What do you think of it? Would you like to have her experience? 
videos. They have been uploaded strictly for class.

What abilities, skills or experience do you have? Do you know anyone who has any special abilities, skills or experience? Talk about what you know how to do or have done - or what your friends or family know how to do or have done! 

Have fun!

Video credits - all videos uploaded from YouTube. I do not own the rights to these videos. They have been uploaded strictly for classroom use.

All videos uploaded from YouTube. I do not own the rights to these videos. They are strictly for educational use.

週10 - ECA (Speaking) I (All) - 物・ことの描写

Hello to my All speaking students,

How are you? Today let's look at describing things (物を描写). What is this picture at the top? What do you call it in English?

Activity
1. Look at these pictures. What's this first one? With a partner, describe the first thing (その物を描写する). Do not let your partner see the picture! Say this:

This is something you use when building a bookcase; a carpenter uses it when building a house. What is it? 

Without seeing the picture - your partner has to guess what it is! Try it! ow look at these pictures. W1. 

2. Try this picture - This is something people ride in at a place like Disneyland. It's fast and scary but many people love it. What is it? 

2. 

3. This next picture is something you see at a clinic or hospital. A doctor uses to check your heart at a health check. What is it? 

3.

4. This is something in space around the Earth. We use it for communications, and it can take pictures of things on the Earth. What is it? 

4. 

5. This is a game that is popular in many countries. It's played by two people. It has pieces on a board, and the pieces are black and white. The pieces look like things - for example, a castle, a king, a horse, and so on. What game is it?  

5. 

6. This is something we use on bicycles, bags, and sometimes, some doors. It keeps things safe, and we can open and close it. To open it, we need a thin piece of metal that we put into a long hole at the bottom. What is it? 

6. 

7. This is a special feeling we have for someone we care about - a man, a woman, a family member or a child. We can't see or touch this, but we feel it's real. It makes us feel excited and it is a special kind of feeling. What is it? 

7. 

Have fun!
Picture credits - all pictures copyright-free with no attributions from the Apple Microsoft Word application Clip Art gallery
All pictures copyright-free with no attributions necessary from the Apple Microsoft Word application Clip Art gallery

週8・9 - ECA (Speaking) I (W) - 歌

Hello to my Ningenfukushi students,

Image "Music" courtesy of Salvatore Vuono/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How are you? Today let's listen to some songs. Choose the one you like the best!

This is important! Take notes when you listen. What do you like about these songs?  

Homework

Here's the first one. It's Maroon 5 - "Sunday Morning." What do you think of it? 

Here's another one. It's Taylor Swift - "Red." How do you like this one?

Here's one more! It's The Darkness - "I Believe In A Thing Called Love." How's this?

(Sorry - I couldn't find a video with Japanese words!)

Here's another! It's Lady Gaga - "Alejandro." How about this? 

Now here's the last one - It's Bruno Mars - "It Will Rain." How is this one? 

Listen to all these songs. Tell your classmates what you think of these songs next time!

See you next class!

週8・9 - ECA (Survival English) - 食べ物と頼みこと

Hello Survival English students,

 Image "Food Selection" courtesy of courtesy of arztsamui/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How are you? Today we'll look at food, ordering, and tipping. 

Homework #1
Look at this video below. It's from an English class in the U.S. about ordering in a restaurant. Let's watch it! You can watch it more than once. 

This video uploaded from YouTube. I do not own the rights to this video. It is uploaded strictly for classroom use. 

Take notes on what is happening to answer these questions:

1. What kinds of things does the waitress say before she takes the customer's order?
2. What drink does the customer order?
3. Why does the waitress ask to see the customer's ID card?
4. What appetizer does the customer order?
5. What kind of steak does the customer order?
6. How does the customer want the steak cooked?
7. What kind of dressing does the customer want on her salad?
8. What kind of sauce does she want on her baked potato?

In the next class, we will do a restaurant scenario with a waiter and customer! 

Homework #2
In the U.S., a restaurant tip is usually about 15% of the total bill. In your notebooks, work out what 15% of the total bill is for these restaurant bills:

例えば：$18.00 (x 0.15)

$27.50

$29.75

$44.87

$68.62

Write these tips in your notes and bring them to class next time.

Have fun!

週8・9 - ECA (Speaking) I (C, A & W) - 場所・位置・イベント

Hello to all my speaking students, 

Image "Fun At Party" courtesy of ponsuwan/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image "Fun At Party" courtesy of ponsuwan/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How are you? Let's talk about places (場所、位置) and events (イベント)! 

What kinds of places or events would you like to go and see? Look at these places and events. Which ones do you like? Which ones are interesting? Which ones do you like better? Which one do you like the best? Which one is the most interesting? Talk about these places and events! 

例えば：
A: Which place looks better to go to - a tropical island or the Great Wall of China? 
B: Hmm...a tropical island. I want to go there.
A: A tropical island? How come? 
B: Because it looks so relaxing. How about you? 
A: Well, I think the Great Wall of China is more interesting to go to.
B: ...

1.

a tropical island 

  the Great Wall of China

2.

   a fireworks display

a live concert
3.

 an open-air market

the Sydney Opera House


4.

Times Square in New York

a Japanese street festival 

Have fun!

Photo credits: 1. "Cloud Reflection At Dusk" (courtesy of samuiblue) and "Great Wall Of China" (courtesy of cescassawin) 2. "Fireworks" (courtesy of noppasinw) and "On The Stage" (courtesy of George Stojkovic) 3. "Shop" (courtesy of Dino De Luca) and "Sydney Opera House At Night" (courtesy of Susie B) 4. "New York Times" (courtesy of Antoine Henrich) and "Japanese Street Festival" (no attribution - my personal picture) /All pictures from FreeDigitalPhotos.net except Japanese Street Festival (unpublished personal image)