東京理科大学 A英3: Supporting post for writing assignment 6 - about hikikomori・作文6のサッポートポスト「ひきこもりについて」

Hello!

How are you? Here is another supporting post for all of you who might want to write more about issues with hikikomori. 

Once again, this is a heavier topic, so anyone wanting to try for this for their writing will get some extra points. 

If you need to refresh yourself about the 6th writing assignment, go to this link here. 

Support & preparation (準備) 
This is another video - this time, a TED Talk in Japanese of a mother who had an adult hikikomori son. This might give you also some more background, this time from someone directly involved with this issue, about hikikomori and what they need to re-enter society. 

Watch it as many times as you need. This time there are no questions - but note down your reaction.
What do you think of it? 

Good luck with this! See you next class!

Image: By Hiroh Satoh from Japan - HIKIKOMORI night, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28635776

東京理科大学 A英3: Writing assignment 6・作文6

Hello!

How are you? In this post, I will introduce our 6th writing assignment (作文6) for the year - writing our opinions on news and issues topics (時事問題) of your choices.

Topic

You have a lot of freedom with topic choices for this writing assignment. Choose any news item, or an issue in society – in Japan or another country – that you have an opinion about. 

But if you have trouble thinking of a topic, here are some choices for you. Look at these and choose one (1):

• The aging population (老齢人口) of Japan and what older people need for their support
• Social media and its problems (for example, fake news, or selling of people’s personal data by Facebook or other social media sites)
• Issues and/or things that need improvement for your university student life
• Possible problems and/or issues connected with the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics
• Voting rights (投票権) for 18-year-olds in Japanese elections (選挙)

For an extra challenge, here are two topics that are even deeper, and also even more timely and important. One of these we have already looked into today - about hikikomori. But I will give extra points to students who try for writing about these topics – and I will have supporting blogposts for these topics:

• Hikikomori and their needs for social adjustment (社会適応) in Japanese society
• Refugee issues (難民の問題) and what refugees need for immigration (移住) to Japan

I am gathering writing on these topics into a book called Voices & Ideas - this is a book about student opinion writing on news topics and social issues. The best of your writing on this topic could go into this book, so write to the best you can! 

How much to write

I would like you to write as much as you can, around 3-5 paragraphs' worth of writing - but of course if you can write more, go for it!

Deadline (締め切り)

It will be December 17th (12/17), so I want you to work on your first draft (下書き) in class from now in your notebooks in pencil. Bring your drafts to the next class. 

I will try to talk to as many of you as I can to review your drafts, and you can change things about the draft as you need to, then write to the finish, print the final version out, and turn in your work. 

Good luck with this! I look forward to reading your great writing on these issues!

Image: By Skagens Kunstmuseer - Lisette Vind Ebbesen med en kopi af dagens avis, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56159623

東京理科大学 A英3: Hikikomori・引きこもり

Hello!

How are you? Here is a post to go with our theme of issues. Here is an issue that is big in society, and has been big for some time - hikikomori. What are your views about hikikomori and what they might need to re-enter society? 

Activity/homework
Click on this link. It's a short Japanese news documentary about hikikomori and the efforts of a special school, called One Step, that intervenes (取りなして) in family situations where there are hikikomori, and tries to help them take the first steps to integrate (溶け込む) back into society. 

Watch the video from the link as many times as you need to. When you are finished, answer these questions in your notebook about the different parts of the video: 

1. Where is the man living, and how long has been living in his room?

2. How does his parents feel about his situation?

3. How much money have they lost because of his situation?
4. How did he react when the One Step School people tried to interview him? 

5. What were some of the things that the man had written in the letters? 

6. What was his job? 

7. What did Hirooka-san from the One Step School say about hikikomori?

8. According to the newspaper story in the video, about how many hikikomori are there? 

Task 

Now look at your notes and write 1-2 paragraphs about what you think of what 
hikikomori need. What are your ideas about how they can re-enter society? 

If you believe that hikikomori are not society's problem and that they should not be given 
any help, give your reasons why.

I know this is also a deeper topic than what some of you have done before - so I will give 
some extra time to you for trying with this topic.

Good luck! Take care!

Image: By S. Schmidt (Benutzer: lonestar84, eigenes Foto) - Self-photographed, CC BY-SA 2.0 de, 
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8530805