ECA (Speaking) I (J & D): フリーマーケット

Hello!

How are you? Today, I'd like to show you a short video of a Japanese tourist at a flea market in Sydney, Australia. 

Activity
1. Watch the video with no sound. How many things can you see in the video? Can you name them? Write down in your notebooks all the things in the flea market you see.

2. Watch it again with the sound on. Does the tourist talk about any things you don't see in the video? What does he say? Write them down. 

3. Which things at this flea market would you buy? Talk about these things!

Have fun! See you in class!

Image: Personal photograph. All rights reserved.

Video uploaded from YouTube. I do not own the rights to this video. Uploaded for educational use only. All rights reserved to the copyright holder(s).

ECA (Speaking) I (All): 面白いスポーツ

Hello!

How are you? Today let's look at some different sports in different countries. 

First - here's a video of a popular sport in Ireland called hurling. What do you think of it? It's a very fast sport - so watch the video more than once! What other sports is hurling like?

Next - here's a sport some of you may have heard of from Thailand - muay thai. What do you think of it? It's also fast - so watch the video more than once! What other sports is muay thai like? 

Finally - this is a sport I watched as a child in Australia - Australian rules football. What do you think of it? It's another fast sport - so watch it more than once! What other sports is Australian football like?

Activity 

Get together in a group or with a partner. One person choose one (1) video and watch it - then describe (描写して) to your groups' members or partner what is happening in it, how the sport is played, and so on. 

Then when you're finished - the group members or partner watch(es) the same video and check if the person's description (描写) is right! Give points to the person for the best description. 

Have fun!

Image: By Hmlarson - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26330634/from Wikimedia Commons.

Videos uploaded from YouTube. I do not own the rights to the videos. Uploaded for educational purposes only. All rights reserved to the copyright holder(s).

ECA (Speaking) I (J & D): 過去の物価

Hello!



How are you! Today let's think about prices (物価) from the past (過去) - how well do they match up to prices now - in the present (現在)? 

Activity

Look at the poster at the top. It's an old Meiji poster from the 1960s. It's from a long time ago, isn't it? How much money do you think these cost back at that time?

Now look at some old pictures of things we still enjoy or use now. With a partner or in a group, can you guess if these things were cheaper, the same, or more expensive in the past?

(Remember! Cheap = 安い/The same = 同じ/Expensive = 高い)

例えば ：

Bon Curry has been enjoyed in Japan for a long time - since 1968! This is an old Bon Curry package. In 1968, do you think a package of Bon Curry was cheaper, the same, or more expensive, than now?

I think it was cheaper      I think it was the same      I think it was more expensive     

Answer (答え): It was cheaper.  

Now with a partner or in a group, make some guesses about these things. Were they cheaper, the same, or more expensive, than now?

1. Morinaga Drops - late 1960s

I think it was cheaper      I think it was the same      I think it was more expensive

2. Ramune Pet - late 1960s/early 1970s 

I think it was cheaper      I think it was the same      I think it was more expensive 

3. Pepsi - early 1970s

I think it was cheaper      I think it was the same      I think it was more expensive

4. Candy Candy school notebook - early 1980s

I think it was cheaper      I think it was the same      I think it was more expensive

5. Shinkansen ticket - late 1960s/early 1970s

I think it was cheaper      I think it was the same      I think it was more expensive

6. Original Apple Macintosh computer - mid-1980s

I think it was cheaper      I think it was the same      I think it was more expensive

Have fun with this! See you!

Images: Meiji Peanut Chocolate Balls, Bon Curry, Morinaga Drops, Ramune, and Pepsi ad images - screenshots from Pinterest. Candy Candy notebook image - screenshot from eBay. All rights reserved on all images and products to their respective copyright holders. No copyright infringement intended. 

Shinkansen photograph: Roger Wollstadt - http://www.flickr.com/photos/24736216@N07/3429753993/in/set-72157623081490477/, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18004116

Macintosh photograph: w:User:Grm wnr - Modifications of Image:Macintosh 128k.jpg and w:Image:Macintosh 128k No Text.jpg, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=519781

Shinkansen and Macintosh images from Wikimedia Commons. All images uploaded solely for classroom use. 

ECA (Speaking) II (A): 過程・手順

Hello!

How are you? Today let's look at how to explain processes (過程・手順)!

Here's a good example: How do you send a message with your Smartphone over a social media website, like Facebook Messenger or Line?

Many of you know how to do this very easily. But if you had to explain it to someone who has not done it before, or maybe does not even have a Smartphone, how would you show the process?

例えば：How to use Line
Here's how you use Line. First, if you don't have Line, you have to download it onto your Smartphone. It's easy to do! Next, once you have downloaded it, you have to create an account. 

Now when you have created an account and want to send a message, you can send one to me. I'll be the first person on your list. You type a simple message. Then you send it to me - here's my name. After that, I'll send you a reply to show you I got your message. From there we can keep sending an receiving replies and messages to each other. Finally, you can add more names to your list and send and receive messages anytime you want!

Homework/activity
Take a look at this video. It's about how to make ice cream! It's cute and funny - but it's a real recipe! Watch it as many times as you like. When you're finished, can you explain this ice cream recipe to a classmate?

Would you like to try this recipe at home?

Take care! See you next time!

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

Video uploaded from YouTube. I do not own the rights to this video. Uploaded for educational purposes only. All rights reserved to the copyright holder(s).

ECA (英語基礎表現) II (P): 作文4 「健康・幸せ」

Hello!

How are you? Today I will show you our 4th assignment (作文4): writing and showing things that make you healthy and happy!

What makes you happy? Do pets make you happy? Look at the picture above. These are my pets - my dog and two of my cats. They make me happy!

Are there things you do to make yourself healthy and happy? Do you have pets, or play a sport, or have a hobby that helps you to relax?  

So how about you?

For our 4th assignment, we will write and show pictures about things that make us healthy and happy. 

Activity
Look at these pictures and talk about what makes you healthy and happy!

Great (and healthy!) food

Family

Friends

Travel

Sleeping and relaxing

(no picture) 

(Your own idea!)

Homework/extra activity
Scientists have said that dogs, cats and other pets are good for your health too. For people who have disabilities (身体障害者), or have a lot of stress, dogs are good for health. Here's a short video about comfort dogs (セラピードッグ). Watch it! What do you think of it?

Good luck! I look forward to seeing what makes you healthy and happy.

See you next time!

Images: personal photographs. All rights reserved.  
Video uploaded from YouTube. I do not own the rights to the video. Uploaded for educational purposes only. All rights reserved to the copyright holder(s).

ECA (英語基礎表現) II (Super A): 作文4

Hello!

How are you? Today, I will show you our 4th writing assignment (作文4): how to make excuses (詫び) and apologies (申し訳). Our scenario will be about problems in a hotel.

First, this is a sample letter of apology with a difference - some excuses in it. Some of these excuses are a little unbelievable! 

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am the general manager of our hotel. It has come to my attention that you have had a terrible experience at our hotel. Please accept my apologies for your experience.

I have no excuses for our poor performance, but I would like to explain our situation. First, because our front desk manager’s pet penguin has been very sick recently, it has affected his work. In addition, we have had other problems recently with some of our old staff members and we have had to hire and train some new staff. They are still new to their jobs, so they are not as good as we hoped they would be.

In our restaurant, our head chef's cat recently died. He is not married and has no children, so this has been a difficult time for him because his cat was 17 years old. He loved his cat very much, so it has been very hard for him. To make things worse, two of our best waitresses have difficulties in standing for a long time because they have leg and foot problems. One of our vans drove over their feet when they were getting some things out of the back of the van to bring into the restaurant. So, they are getting treatment at the hospital for their problems, but it will be difficult for them for some time.

I cannot show how deeply sorry I am for the bad time you had at our hotel. So please allow me to offer you a free stay at our hotel in the future, when you would like, because we feel terrible for your bad experience. We are working hard to correct our problems and will make a much better experience for you.

Sincerely,

Steven G. Ingaku

General Manager

Ageo Hotel and Resort

Scenario
What I would like you to do is to write a letter of apology, with excuses, about a person's terrible stay at a hotel. Imagine that you are the general manager of the hotel and that you have heard about a person's bad experience at your hotel. 

Make some of your excuses a little unreal - for example, a staff member's dog just died, or the taxi service has changed, or there is a new chef in the hotel restaurant who is strange, or something like that. 

Write 2-3 paragraphs with an opening ("Dear Sir/Madam") and a closing ("Sincerely," and your name). 

Have fun with this! 

See you next time!

Image: "Pillow" (courtesy of mrsiraphol)/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

ECA (Speaking) I (J, D, & All): 思い出ことショート・プレゼンテーション

Hello!

How are you? Today I will show you a small project we will do on short presentations about our memories (思い出こと) with families!

Activity/homework

You brought pictures of your families today to talk about. Now - let's use our family pictures to make small posters to talk more about our families, and special places in our past.

Here are more examples of student posters about families and places:

I hope these are interesting to you. Let's do these for Friday (10/21) and next Monday (10/24)!

Take care!

Images: Personal photographs of student presentation work. All rights reserved to the students.

(ECA) Speaking I (J, D, & All): 思い出こと

Hello!

How are you? Let's look at the picture above. What do you think about or feel when you see this picture? (If you are not Japanese, what is your impression?) 

How about these pictures? 

What are your memories from the past (過去)? What kind of food or drink, TV shows or games did you used to like, watch or do when you were a child? 

Let's talk about these! 

See you next time!

Images: Unattributed photographs from the Internet. All rights reserved to the copyright holder(s). Uploaded for classroom purposes only.

ECA (Speaking) II & I (A & All): 日課

Hello!

How are you? Let's talk about routines (日課)! 

Homework/activity
What order (順番) do you think this routine of different people should go in? 
this routine of different people should go in? 
Look at these pictures. What's the right order? When you're finished, write the order in your notebooks. 
person..." and so on.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.  

6.

7.

8.

9.

In the next class, try to talk about this routine. 

How about your daily routine? What time do you get up? Come to Seigakuin? Finish your last class? Go to a part-time job if you gave one? Have fun!

See you next class!

Images: Top - "Writing In Daily Planner Organizer" (courtesy of Stuart Miles)/1. "Business Meeting" (courtesy of Ambro)/2. "Adorable Couple Watching TV" (courtesy of imagerymajestic)/3. "Woman Asleep" (courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti)/4. "A Cheeseburger Isolated" (courtesy of Grant Cochrane)/5. "Businessman Running With Briefcase" (courtesy of imagerymajestic)/6. "Drive" (courtesy of graur razvan donut)/7. "Drinking Coffee" (courtesy of Ambro)/8. "Woman Cooking Pasta" (courtesy of imagerymajestic)/9. "Bedroom" (courtesy of winnond)/All images from FreeDigitalPhotos.net

ECA (Global Understanding): 東北地方太洋沖地震のインパクト

Hello!

How are you? Take a look at this picture above. It shows the Tohoku coast near Sendai before the earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011 (2011年3月11日の東北地方太洋沖地震).

Now look at this picture below. It shows what happened to the coastline near Sendai after the tsunami:

You can see a big difference, can't you? This shows the great impact on the natural environment (自然環境) of earthquakes and tsunami. 

What about the impact on the people where the earthquake and tsunami happened? Here is one video - a TED talk in Japanese about the impact on the human lives of the people in the Tohoku from the earthquake and tsunami of 3/11/2011:

Here is another video that is shorter, but is unique: In 1933 a big tsunami hit the same part of the Tohoku. The woman in the video made a picture show of the impact of the tsunami on her village and talked of her memories of that time. She speaks in Japanese with a voice-over in English, but the pictures are very powerful. 

Homework/activity

I have no questions about these videos, but I would like you to watch them - they are both short. Watch them as many times as you want or need. 

After you watch them, I would like you to find out which parts of the world get the most natural disasters (自然災害). The natural disasters can be anything - earthquakes (地震), tsunami, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions (噴火).

Make a list of some places you find and what kind of natural disasters they have and bring the list to class for next week.

See you then!

Image: By NASA / Goddard Space Flight Center - http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=49634, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14589779/modified for clarity and educational purposes by sekaijin.

Videos uploaded from YouTube. I do not own the rights to the videos or the content. Uploaded for educational purposes only. All rights reserved to the copyright holder(s). 

ECA (英語基礎表現) II (Super A): ホテル

Hello!

How are you? Let's think about and write some notes on hotels! 

Warmup/activity
Which hotel would you like to stay in? Let's look at some pictures of different hotels.

This is the first one - the Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore:

1. 

What do you think of this hotel? 

Now this one is very different - an English village house made into a country hotel: 

2.

What do you think of it? 

How about this one - a motel on the beach:

3. 

What do you think of this place? 

What about this one? It's a tropical resort in Thailand:

4. 

Would you like to stay here? 

Now - think about all these different hotels and places. Which one would you like to stay in? Write two (2) sentences about the hotel you like. Give some reasons using because. 

例えば：
I want to stay in hotel #2 because it is very quiet, and looks comfortable and peaceful. I think I can get some good rest in this hotel. 

Have fun!
Photo credits: 1. "Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore" courtesy of posterize/2. "Typical English Village House" courtesy of Stuart Miles/3. "Motel 

Images: Top - personal photograph/1. "Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore" (courtesy of posterize)/2. "Typical English Village House" (courtesy of Stuart Miles)/3. "Motel on the Beach" (courtesy of Aleksandr Kutsayev)/4. Image "Tropical Resort in Thailand" (courtesy of nuchylee)/all images except top photo from FreeDigitalPhotos.net/all rights reserved on personal photograph.