特別ポスト - ECA (英語基礎表現) II (Super A): final writing assignment support (Part 2)/期末作文サポート (Part 2)

Hello!

How are you? My apologies to all of you first - I have had so little time! I could only do a 'Part 1' post last night because I had no more time to make a longer one! I'm doing this post quickly as well.

I have searched around on the Internet, but I have had almost no time to make any more links. I will post what I have here. 

So for those of you I did not write to last night, here are some comment and recommendations for your topics, and some reminders to you of the comments I made yesterday:

Hana:
In your paper on comparing Japanese and American food, I have two links for you here and here - you might want to check them out. You might want to compare the origins of these two kinds of dishes in the links to see what they might have in common.

Maya:

In your topic about comparing expressions of respect in Japanese and English, you might want to focus on the contrast between the numerous set expressions of respect in Japanese and the confusion of variety in expressing respect in English.

Hirano-san:
About your topic of comparing your favorite movies, you might want to go into the style of direction in the two films - how the pacing or the flow of action is different between the two movies, and how or why you think they are as entertaining as they are to you because of the direction.

En:
You have a difficult, but interesting topic. It's hard for me to know what to say to support you - though I think it's a great idea. Your basic idea is how one thing that is different from another thing can survive and develop well from it. You saw the example of the lotus in the picture - maybe you can find other examples of flowers or things in nature that grow in what might be dangerous places or under dangerous conditions.

Yui:
You are comparing Hokkaido and Okinawa, which can be interesting. To give focus to your topic, you might want to show how both places are outliers in Japan - that means they have been outside of the main areas of development of Japan and have sub-cultures that are different from the Kanto or Kansai. So focus on points of culture and maybe even language - how the Japanese language in Hokkaido and Okinawan are different from standard Japanese, for example, with some examples of some phrases or expressions.

I know I could not find many links (except for Hana), but this is all the time I have. I hope my comments can help you in your focus. Good luck on your papers and I'll look forward to getting them next week.

See you then!

Image: "Process Word" (courtesy of Stuart Miles)/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

特別ポスト - ECA (英語基礎表現) II (Super A): final writing assignment support (Part 1)/期末作文サポート (Part 1)

Hello!

How are you? Here is a Part 1 of some links I can give some of you in support for your final writing projects. (I haven't had any time to find things for all of you tonight, so this is why this is a 'Part 1' post! Part 2 will be tomorrow night!)

Sanchio:

Check these two links out here and here for your topic about Nelson Mandela. You might find them very useful. The first is in French, and the second comes from the U.S. 

Kyosuke:

You might find this link here very interesting about one American car that influenced a generation of car design in a number of countries in the 1960s.

Julia:

Here is a blog you might find interesting with a question posted on it asking about differences between Chinese and Japanese food. Check out the responses to it.

Nanami:

Check this link to the Japan Meterological Agency's (気象庁) website. If you search around in it, you should be able to find some historical high and low temperatures for the areas you are writing about.

Tooru:

This was hard to find anything on, so this is the best I could do. Try this link here about Japanese who are trying to help Cambodians revive Khmer pottery. It's different from your topic but you might find a connection that is interesting. 

I hope these can help you. To the others in the class - I will post for you in Part 2 tomorrow night!

Good luck! See you next week!

Image: "Shop sign, Shinjuku" (personal image). All rights reserved. 

週13・14 - ECA (Speaking) I (J & D): 話と言うことポスターの例え

Hello!

How are you? Here is another supporting post for you about story presentation posters. The picture at the top here comes from a student poster from last year. Isn't it great?

These are examples of some story posters. Here is the poster with the picture at the top: 

Here's another one, in two parts. It doesn't use the pictures like the ones I have uploaded on the blogpost I showed you last week, but students' own pictures:

That was a great one! Now here's another with the same kinds of pictures I have in the blogpost from last week! 

That's an interesting one! There are many I could show here, but I thought I would give some small examples of student work. 

Take care! See you next time!

特別ポスト - ECA (英語基礎表現) II (Super A): final writing assignment/期末作文

Hello,

Happy New Year! How are you? Today I will show you the final writing assignment (期末作文).

For your final assignment, choose one (1) of the following:

1. Compare and contrast (比較対照) two things - two periods of fashion (for example, 1970s fashion with 1980s fashion), two places, pieces of music, or two TV programs or movies you have seen that you feel are interesting, special, or unique.

Rules: whatever you select, you must let me know by no later than next week (1/15) what you are doing - bring a laptop computer, tablet or mobile device (Smartphone or cell phone) with links or uploads of what you have selected (like pictures from the Internet, or YouTube videos). 

In your writing, first show the two things, and show what they have in common or connection. Then go into the details about how they compare and contrast (比較対照) - you could show how one thing is better than the other, but it does not have to be about how one is good or the other bad. It could be how they are different and what qualities or character you find interesting, unique, or special about them. Finally, you can show what you like, and which you prefer (like better).  

2. Write about a person you respect or admire - like family members, friends, or famous people.

Rules: whomever you choose, you must let me know by no later than next week (1/15) who you are writing about. Tell me a little about the person and give me an idea about how you feel about him or her. 

In your writing, first go into detail about what connection you have with that person. For example, which family member is the person? Where did you first meet the friend? When and how did you find out about the famous person? Go into detail about what you respect or admire about the person. Think of a situation or story about the person that shows what you believe makes the person great. Finally, show what you have learned from the person that you want to try and live by in your own life. 

3. Write about another issue to do with the global topics we wrote about in our 6th writing assignment (作文6) - especially something that impacts Japan in some way, and especially in areas such as society, education, or work. 

Rules: whatever topic you choose, let me know by no later than next week (1/15) what you will write about. Find some information from the Internet to support your topic. 

In your writing, first show what the issue or situation is, and where it began or how it became the issue it has become. From there, you can write your opinion about your subject - but show support for your opinion and how it has become the issue with the impact it has in Japan. Finally, show where you feel you are in the issue. Does it impact your future? Will it shape your decisions about where or how you will live, or even if it might affect when and how (and even if) you will have a family? 

While this could be a heavy issue and if you have sensitive feelings about it that are hard to write or even think about, it could also be something positive. Not all the changes that are happening in our society are negative, and it may even make the future better. So think about it in this way too!

About the writing itself - here is what I will look for:

In whichever choice you write about above - #1, 2, or 3 - your must write a 3-4 paragraph paper.  

Your papers must have correct formatting, with correct spacing. I have shown you this before, but if you need a refresher you can check this blog or ask me. 

Your papers must have titles.

Your papers must have your name, date and the name of the class on it.

Your writing must have long sentences, with connecting words (and, but, or, so, because, など).

*Very important - your paragraphs should be long. Do not make them too short!

Good luck on this assignment! I believe you will do well on whichever you choose. Write to the very best you can, because I will gather your writing into more collections to be uploaded to this blog!

Images: Top - "Circular Workflow Chart" (courtesy of basketman)/Flower - "Pink Lotus" (courtesy of seaskylab)/Girl - "Smiling Girl With The Milk Glass" (courtesy of imagerymajestic)/Graffiti - personal image/All images except graffiti photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net. All rights reserved for personal image.

特別ポスト - ECA (英語基礎表現) II (Super A): Words on Music

Hello,

How are you? Here I will introduce some of your writing that will go into a collection called Words on Music. It's writing on the pieces of music such as the ones you have done. 

I hope you can enjoy this writing again. I was very impressed with what many of you did in writing about music from Jacques Loussier's version of Bach's Siciliano in G Minor. Here is the music from YouTube once again: 

Now here are some selections you wrote about this music:

The main melody was very beautiful but sad. I felt the sound of piano fantastic, and I also felt something mysterious. It brought me to the world of fantasy, separated from the reality. It made me imagine the story.

In a small town in Austria, there was the calm lake floating some red lotuses. It was in the park far from any buildings, and it was near the forests. The silence controlled the all-time in the park. The place was not warm but little bit cold. The season was early spring. No one was there but a crying young girl sitting on the bench in front of the lake. She looked twelve or thirteen. Her face was pain badly because she lost her favorite clarinet given by her grandmother. She would often play the clarinet in the park and she loved the time passed so slowly.

She knew that she had to go home and tell her grandmother the truth. But she was reluctant to do so then. She did not want to see the sad face of her grandmother and did not have any courage confessing her mistakes. So she wanted to stay in the place any one was not. Only stars knew where she was and what made her cry and stars were shining for her for a long time.

That's fantastic! Here's another:

One teenage girl had sad something, and she escaped her house garden. Soon she was in deep forest.

She ran and ran in the forest, and she got tired. She felt that this forest was maze and lost. She was alone and got sad. However, she thought happy, because she could forget her troubles. At that time, she heard something noise at back little trees. And she turned around. There were little rabbits and they stared at her, because it was strange and nobody have never come in the deep forest, so rabbits were think that today is a special day. Rabbits called to many animals. The many animals were guide to center of the forest. She could see many rabbits, birds, lions, snakes, horses, wolfs, hyenas, elephants and more many kinds animals. She was welcomed. Then, they were enjoyed the party. They ate cakes and drank elegant fruit tea. Then they danced together with splendor music all night. They had a good time. She completely forgot her troubles, and noticed that here is my place to live.

After that, she loved this forest and animals, so she decided that lived in here. They still living with and happy.

Great! Let's check out another: 

Once upon a time, a family lived in the big residence in the forest. The family members were father, mother, daughter and a few dogs. They looked happy and the house full of a laughing voice every day. However, since all of them passed away, around the residence became quiet. The building also became sad.

One day, big storm came to the forest. Because of it, the residence became worse and worse. However, after few years, many plants came up around the residence but also in the residence. A lot of seeds were carried by the storm. Many animals lived in the forest gather this residence and started living in there.

週13・14 - ECA (Speaking) I (J & D): 話と言うこと

Hello,

How are you? Let's look at telling stories with action (話と行うことを言う) with pictures! 

Activity/homework
Look at these pictures. Make a story with these pictures (イメージに話を作り). (You can use the picture above, at the top of this blogpost!) You can put them in any order you like (イメージの順番がなんでもいい). 

Rules (ルール) 
1. You can use seven (7) of these pictures.
2. You have to tell your story (話すを言う) using words like first, next, then, after that, and finally.

Try it!

Have fun!

Photo credits: Top photo - "Sunset Holiday" (courtesy of imagerymajestic)/Roofs - "Hiyama Tatsuno Hyogo Prefecture" (courtesy of 663highland)/ 

Images: Top (wedding) - "The Exit" (courtesy of Elwood W. McKay III)/Sunset - "Beautiful Sunset" (courtesy of Photokanok)/Man in suit - "Handsome Young Businessman" (courtesy of imagerymajestic)/Airliner - "Take Off At Sunset" (courtesy of Time Beach)/Young man - "Young Handsome Man" (courtesy of marin)/Poker chips - "Pocket Aces In The Hand" (courtesy of Grant Cochrane)/Sports car - "Classic Porsche 959" (courtesy of M-Pics)/Woman - "Asian Model Woman" (courtesy of posterize)/Drink - "Singapore Sling" (courtesy of Antoine Henrich)/SUV - "Mercedes ML" (courtesy of M-Pics)/All photos from FreeDigitalPhotos.net 

週13 ・14 - ECA (Speaking) II (A): 将来の予定

Hello,

How are you? University will soon be finished for the year! So what are your plans for the spring - or your near future (将来)? For example - are you going back to your hometown? another country, such as Cambodia, to see Angkor Wat?  

Activity
Look at these other pictures. Are you going to do any of these things? If not, what would you like to do? 

Are you going (or would you like) to take a trip to another country - such as Cambodia to see Angkor Wat? 

you going to (or would you like to) go back to your home

… or go sightseeing in another part of Japan? 
Go sightseeing in another part of Japan? 

… or go to the U.S - maybe California? 

Go to the U.S - maybe California? 

Or maybe New York? 

Or maybe New York? 
Or maybe Australia - for example, Sydney? 
Or maybe Australia - for example, Sydney? 

Are you going (or would you like) to study abroad (in another country)? Are you going (or would 

...or work a part-time job? 

...work a part-time job? 

Talk about these with a partner or group! What are you going to do - or - what would you like to do?

Have fun!
Have fun!

Images: Top (Cherry blossoms) - "Sakura" (courtesy of coward_lion)/Angkor Wat - "Angkor Wat Sunrise" (courtesy of J Frasse)/Temple - "Kinkakuji Temple, Kyoto, Japan" (courtesy of Worakit Sirijinda)/Hollywood sign - "Hollywood Sign" (courtesy of portal)/Statue of Liberty - "Statue of Liberty Face" (courtesy of portal)Sydney Opera House - "Sydney Opera House At Night" (courtesy of Susie B)/People - "Group of Young Students" (courtesy of photostock)/Pizza - "Pizza" (courtesy of federico stevanin)/All photos from FreeDigitalPhotos.net