ECA (Speaking) I (J): エスニシティー・正体

Hello!

How are you? Today, let's look more at our global-glocal topic about ethnicity and identity (エスニシティー、正体).

Homework
Here are two videos on the topic of ethnicity and identity. Both videos are about the newest Miss World Japan for 2016, Priyanka Yoshikawa. You may have heard of her - she is half-Japanese and half-Bangladeshi, and she has had some very different reactions by Japanese people to her winning the Miss World Japan contest.

Here is the first video. It's short and in Japanese, and gives you an idea of who she is.

Here is the second one. It's longer, and it comes from an Internet-based website for a Japanese person who teaches Japanese to foreigners online. It starts off in English - but then goes into Japanese. The teacher interviews people on the street in Tokyo to get their reactions to her being Miss World Japan. 

Here are some questions for you to answer. Watch the video more than once if you have to. Please write your answers in your notebook. 

Here are the first set of questions.

1. The first woman interviewed:

What does she think of mixed people? 

How does she feel about Priyanka Yoshikawa representing Japan?

2. The second woman:

What does she think of Priyanka Yoshikawa being Miss World Japan?

3. The man and woman:

What does the man think of Priyanka Yoshikawa's character?

How does the woman feel about Priyanka Yoshikawa's looks?

4. The two female friends:

What does the first woman say about Priyanka Yoshikawa's ethnic background? 

How does the second woman feel about the judges' choice of Priyanka Yoshikawa?

5. The two male friends:

What does the first man say about her looks?

How does the second man feel about her representing Japan (日本の代表している) ? 

I hope this is interesting for you. 

Take care! 

Image: "Seamless pattern" (unattributed)/courtesy of iStock Photos - Getty Images. All rights reserved. 

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

ECA (Speaking) I (D): 日系ブラジルの教育

Hello!

How are you? Today, let's do more on our global-glocal topic about immigrants (移民) and identity (正体).

Let's look at Japanese-Brazilians (日系ブラジール人) and some problems they have living in Japan. What do you know about Japanese-Brazilians? Do you know any famous Japanese-Brazilians?

Here is a picture of an educational center for Japanese-Brazilian people:

There are many Japanese-Brazilians living in Japan. They have their own businesses, and even their own schools.

Homework

Here is a video about the problems that many Brazilians have in Japan, especially with education. Watch this video. What do you think? Make some notes about the video (you can write your notes in Japanese or English). When you are finished, answer these questions in your notebooks:

1. When did Japanese first begin leaving Japan for Brazil?

2. When did Japan first begin letting Japanese-Brazilians to come to Japan to work?

3. What is the name of the Japanese-Brazilian school in Toyoda?

4. What does the school do for the children’s parents who do not have jobs?

5. In 2009 how many Brazilians did Francisco Freitas say were in Japan?

6. What percentage of Brazilian children are not in Brazilian schools?

7. What problems do some Brazilian children have when going to Japanese schools?
8. What did Rodney Freitas say about how Japanese-Brazilians are treated in Brazil?

We will make some presentations about immigrants (移民) and some problems (問題) they have in Japan and other countries.

I hope this will be interesting for you!

Take care!

Images: Top - photograph of student poster presentation. All rights reserved to the student presenters/Building - By English: Abasaa 日本語: あばさー (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/Japanese_Brazilian_Center_Educational_Institute_in_Oizumi.JPG
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. 

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

ECA (Speaking) I (J & D): 音楽、歌を比べている

Hello!

How are you? Today let's listen to some songs. Some of them you may know, but some of them you may not know. What do you think of them? 

First, check these two songs out. What do you think of them? 

1. 

2.

Now how about these two? 

3.

4. 

Finally, how about this one?

5. 

Have fun with these! 

See you next class!

All videos uploaded from YouTube/All rights reserved to the copyright holders/I do not own the rights to the videos, images, or compositions. Uploaded strictly for classroom use.

ECA (Speaking) I (C): 日本に日系ブラジールの教育

Hello!

How are you? Today, let's start our special topic - about Japanese-Brazilians (日系ブラジール人) and some problems they have living in Japan.

The picture at the top of this post is an educational center for Japanese-Brazilian people. There are many Japanese-Brazilians living in Japan.

Here is a video about the problems that many Brazilians have in Japan, especially with education. Watch this video. What do you think? Make some notes about the video (you can write your notes in Japanese or English). When you are finished, answer these questions in your notebooks:

1. When did Japanese first begin leaving Japan for Brazil?

2. When did Japan first begin letting Japanese-Brazilians to come to Japan to work?

3. What is the name of the Japanese-Brazilian school in Toyoda?

4. What does the school do for the children’s parents who do not have jobs?

5. In 2009 how many Brazilians did Francisco Freitas say were in Japan?

6. What percentage of Brazilian children are not in Brazilian schools?

7. What problems do some Brazilian children have when going to Japanese schools?
8. What did Rodney Freitas say about how Japanese-Brazilians are treated in Brazil?

We will make some presentations about immigrants (移民) and the problems (問題) they have in Japan.

I hope this will be interesting for you. Take care!

Image: By English: Abasaa 日本語: あばさー (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/Japanese_Brazilian_Center_Educational_Institute_in_Oizumi.JPG

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

ECA (Speaking) I (W): 東京に難民の雇用

Hello!

How are you? Today, let's start our special topic - about refugees (難民) in Tokyo.

The picture you see at the top is of a young refugee (難民) working in Afghanistan. Many countries have refugees. Japan has many refugees, especially from Africa and other parts of Asia.

This is a video about refugees (難民) in Tokyo and some jobs they do. Watch this video. What do you think of it? Make some notes. You can make notes in Japanese or English. When you are finished, answer these questions:

1. What kinds of daily needs (日用品) are there for refugees (難民) at the Refugee Support Association center (難民支援協会) in Shinjuku? 
2. What did Doi-san (土井さん) of Human Rights Watch (ヒュマンライッツウオッチ)  say about refugees and business chances? 
3. What is the name of the nail salon in the video? 
4. What country does Nang Sie Hom (ナン・シーホン) come from? 
5. What did the owner of the nail salon say about her nail artists? 
6. Where does the Refugee Support Fund (難民起業サポートファンド) get its money from? 
7. What kind of job does Melipp Senbu (マリップ・ センブ) have? 

We will make some presentations in groups about refugees in Japan. What problems do refugees have, and what can we do to help them? 

I hope this is interesting for you. Take care! 

Image: By NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan from Afghanistan (120410-N-3069F-025  Uploaded by russavia) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/120410-N-3069F-025_%287109524151%29.jpg

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

ECA (Speaking) I (C, W, & A): 音楽、歌を比べている

Hello!

How are you? Today let's listen to some songs you may not know. What do you think of them? 

First, check these two songs out. What do you think of them? 

1. 

2. 

Now how about these next two? 

3. 

4. 

Finally, how about these two? 

5.

6. 

Have fun with these! 

See you next class!

All videos uploaded from YouTube/All rights reserved to the copyright holders/I do not own the rights to the videos, images, or compositions. Uploaded strictly for classroom use.

ECA (Speaking) I (D): 日系ブラジール人教育

Hello to my Kodomo speaking students,

How are you? Today, let's start our special topic - about Japanese-Brazilians (日系ブラジール人) and some problems they have living in Japan.

The picture at the top of this post is an educational center for Japanese-Brazilian people. There are many Japanese-Brazilians living in Japan.

Here is a video about the problems that many Brazilians have in Japan, especially with education. Watch this video. What do you think? Make some notes about the video (you can write your notes in Japanese or English). When you are finished, answer these questions in your notebooks:

1. When did Japanese first begin leaving Japan for Brazil?

2. When did Japan first begin letting Japanese-Brazilians to come to Japan to work?

3. What is the name of the Japanese-Brazilian school in Toyoda?

4. What does the school do for the children’s parents who do not have jobs?

5. In 2009 how many Brazilians did Francisco Freitas say were in Japan?

6. What percentage of Brazilian children are not in Brazilian schools?

7. What problems do some Brazilian children have when going to Japanese schools?
8. What did Rodney Freitas say about how Japanese-Brazilians are treated in Brazil?

We will make some presentations about immigrants (移民) and the problems (問題) they have in Japan.

I hope this will be interesting for you. Take care!

Image: By English: Abasaa 日本語: あばさー (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/Japanese_Brazilian_Center_Educational_Institute_in_Oizumi.JPG

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

ECA (Speaking) I (J): 東京に難民の雇用

Hello to my Nichibun speaking students,

How are you? Today, let's start our special topic - about refugees (難民) in Tokyo.

The picture you see at the top is of a young refugee (難民) working in Afghanistan. Many countries have refugees. Japan has many refugees, especially from Africa and other parts of Asia.

This is a video about refugees (難民) in Tokyo and some jobs they do. Watch this video. What do you think of it? Make some notes. You can make notes in Japanese or English. When you are finished, answer these questions:

1. What kinds of daily needs (日用品) are there for refugees (難民) at the Refugee Support Association center (難民支援協会) in Shinjuku? 
2. What did Doi-san (土井さん) of Human Rights Watch (ヒュマンライッツウオッチ)  say about refugees and business chances? 
3. What is the name of the nail salon in the video? 
4. What country does Nang Sie Hom (ナン・シーホン) come from? 
5. What did the owner of the nail salon say about her nail artists? 
6. Where does the Refugee Support Fund (難民起業サポートファンド) get its money from? 
7. What kind of job does Melipp Senbu (マリップ・ センブ) have? 

We will make some presentations in groups about refugees in Japan. What problems do refugees have, and what can we do to help them? 

I hope this is interesting for you. Take care! 

Image: By NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan from Afghanistan (120410-N-3069F-025  Uploaded by russavia) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/120410-N-3069F-025_%287109524151%29.jpg

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

ECA (英語基礎表現) II (Super A): metaphor/隠喩

Hello!

How are you? These are the videos to go with the worksheets for today's special lesson.

Here is the first video - "Blank Space," by Taylor Swift:

Here is the second video - "Torn," by Natalie Imbruglia:

Here is the third video -  "Clarity," by Zedd featuring Foxes. (I could not upload the video from YouTube directly to this post, so click on this link and go directly to YouTube.) 

So please listen to these, and do the worksheets!

See you next time!

Image: personal photograph. All rights reserved.

Videos uploaded from YouTube. Uploaded for classroom purposes only. I do not own the rights to the videos or the musical compositions. All rights reserved to the copyright holders.

ECA (English Through Songs) B: Taylor Swift - "Red"/テイラー・スイフト「レッド」

Hello!

How are you? Today I would like to introduce a new song to you - Taylor Swift's "Red." Here is the video for it:

In this song, she uses many colors as metaphors (隠喩、例え) to show feelings. What other colors does she use in this song, and what feelings do those colors show?

Taylor Swift is from the U.S. and is one of the biggest stars in music in many countries now, including Japan. If you would like to know more about her, click here for her Wikipedia article (日本語).

I hope you enjoy it.

See you next time!

Image: Personal photograph. All rights reserved.

Video uploaded from Vevo via YouTube. Uploaded strictly for classroom use. I do not own the rights to the musical composition or the video. All rights reserved to the copyright holder(s).

ECA (Culture) B: 性別と文化 「タイの結婚式」

Hello!

How are you? Today I would like to show you a video on marriage customs (各国結婚の風儀、文化). We will look at marriage customs in Thailand.

Marriage customs are a point in studying and understanding gender and culture.

This video is long (13 分!), but it has interesting points about a Thai wedding.

Activity/homework
Please watch and take notes about this wedding ceremony (結婚式). How is the man dressed? How about the woman? What are some things they do? How about the guests? What are they wearing?

Make notes in your notebooks about these and other points. You can make notes in English or Japanese. Bring these notes to the next class.

I hope you find this video and topic interesting.

See you next time!

Image: "Blessed Water At Thai Wedding" (courtesy of bigjom)/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

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

ECA (英語基礎表現) II (Super A): writing about music (Part 2)

Hello!

How are you? Here is Part 2 on writing about music.

Here's more on the other two pieces of music I played for you in class. First, here's a video file for the third piece of music I played for you - Booker T. & the MGs' "Green Onions":

If you would like to learn more about the artists who did this song, click here for the Wikipedia article about them (日本語). If you would like to see a clip of these artists performing this song, click here. 

Now, here's a video file for the last piece of music for you - Frank Zappa's "Little Umbrellas":

If you would like to learn more about Frank Zappa, click on this link to read the Wikipedia article (in Japanese) about him.

Hope you enjoyed these. Write comments on this blog post about what you think of this music or these artists!

See you next time!

Image: "Solo Guitar" (courtesy of dan)/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Videos uploaded from YouTube. Videos uploaded strictly for classroom use. I do not own the rights to the musical compositions or videos. All rights reserved to the copyright holder(s). 

ECA (英語基礎表現) II (Super A): writing about music (Part 1)

Hello,

How are you? Do you remember the four pieces of music I played for you in class? We'll do something more with them now! This is a Part 1 post - Part 2 will follow.

I would like you to go through your paragraphs about those pieces of music, and listen to the first two pieces of music again - and this time to click on some videos of the first two artists whose pieces of music I played. I also have information links you can click on about these artists. 

Would these video images, and reading about these musicians, change your ideas about what you wrote? 

First - below is a video sound file of the first piece of music you heard - Jacques Loussier and his version of J.S. Bach's "Siciliano in G Minor."  

If you would like to learn more about Jacques Loussier, click here for a Wikipedia article (in Japanese) about him. 

Next - here is the second piece of music you heard - Moondog's "Dog Trot."

Here is a video file of this piece of music:

If you would like to learn more about Moondog, click here for the Wikipedia article (日本語) about him. 

What do you think of these artists? Does seeing the artists' pictures or some image connected to the music, or reading about them on Wikipedia, change your own images of the music? Write comments on this blog post about what you think!

Hope you enjoyed listening to them again.

See you next time!

Image: "Gondolier's Sonata" (courtesy of sattva)/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Videos uploaded from YouTube. Videos uploaded strictly for classroom use. I do not own the rights to the musical compositions or videos. All rights reserved to the copyright holder(s). 

ECA (Speaking) II (A)/Travel English: 買い物: フリーマーケット

Hello,

How are you? I have a video for you. It's about two Japanese tourists in Frankfurt, Germany, at a flea market. 

Homework/activity
1. Watch the video. 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. Now which things at this flea market would you buy? Talk about these things!

Have fun! See you next time!

Image: "Shop" (courtesy of Dino De Luca)/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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

ECA (Culture) B: アメリカに礼義正しさのポイント

Hello!

 

How are you? Today here is a video about some things Japanese should be careful not to do when in the U.S. The woman's name is Rachel. Answer some questions about the video after you watch. You can watch the video as many times as you want. Write your answers in your notebooks:

1. What did Rachel say about eating soup?

2. Instead of sniffling your nose, what did she say you should do?

3. If a person sneezes, what should you say to the person?

4. What should you do if you accidentally bump into a person?

5. What did she say about doors in public places?

6. In a restaurant, if you want something from a waiter or waitress, what should you do?

7. What did she say about giving money when paying for something at a shop or store counter?

 

I hope Rachel's talk was interesting for you. 

See you next time!

 

Image: Thai wai picture - unattributed image downloaded from the Internet. Downloaded strictly for classroom use. All rights reserved to the copyright holder(s).

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

ECA (English Through Songs) B: Maroon 5 - "This Love"/マルーン 5「ディス・ラヴ」

Hello!

How are you? Here was our first song, "This Love," by Maroon 5.

Maroon 5 is an American band from Los Angeles. They are one of the biggest rock bands in the world right now. They toured Japan in September.

We listened to this song in class. But here is the song again from YouTube - you can listen to it again:

This song is about a man who feels he has to break up with his girlfriend because their relationship has become so much trouble for the both of them. 

I hope you enjoyed this song. If you would like to know more about Maroon 5, click here for their article on Wikipedia (日本語).

See you next time!

Image: "Woman Do Not Look Happy Standing" (courtesy of nuttakit)/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Video uploaded from YouTube. Video uploaded strictly for classroom purposes. I do not own the rights to the musical composition or video. All rights reserved to the copyright holder(s).

週7~10 - ECA (英語基礎表現) II (Super A): writing about music (Part 2)

Hello,

How are you? Here is Part 2 about the pieces of music I had played in class for you. 

Keep going through the paragraphs you wrote in class on the music you heard. You have listened to the first two pieces of music - now here are the other two pieces of music. 

Here - click on this link to see a video about the third piece of music I played for you - Miles Davis' "Portia." 

If you want to know more about Miles Davis, click here to read a Wikipedia article (in Japanese) about him. 

Now - click on this link to see a video clip of the fourth piece of music I played for you - Frank Zappa's "Little Umbrellas."  

If you want to know more about Frank Zappa, click here to read a Wikipedia article (in Japanese) about him. 

Does seeing images to the music, or reading more about the artists, change your feelings or images about them? Write some comments to this blog post about them!

See you next time!

Image photographed from DVD cover for purposes of subject illustration. I do not own the rights to this image. All rights reserved to the owner(s).

週7~10 - ECA (英語基礎表現) II (Super A): writing about music (Part 1)

Hello,

How are you? Do you remember the four pieces of music I played for you in class? We'll do something more with them now! This is a Part 1 post - Part 2 will follow.

I would like you to go through your paragraphs about those pieces of music, and listen to the first two pieces of music again - and this time to click on some videos of the first two artists whose pieces of music I played. I also have information links you can click on about these artists. 

Would these video images, and reading about these musicians, change your ideas about what you wrote? 

First - below is a link about the first piece of music you heard - Jacques Loussier and his version of J.S. Bach's "Siciliano in G Minor."  

Click here for a video clip of Jacques Loussier and this Bach piece I played for you in class. 

If you want to know more about Jacques Loussier, click here for a Wikipedia article (in Japanese) about him. 

Next - here is the second piece of music you heard - Ronny Jordan and his song "After Hours." 

Click here for a video clip of Ronny Jordan playing the music I played for you in class. 

If you want to know more about Ronny Jordan, click here also for a Wikipedia article (in Japanese) about him. 

What do you think of these musicians? Does seeing the artists' pictures or some image connected to the music, or reading about them on Wikipedia, change your own images of the music? Write comments on this blog post about what you think!

Hope you enjoyed listening to them again.

See you next time!

Image: "On The Stage" courtesy of George Stojkovic/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

特別ポスト - ECA (Reading) II (Super A)：ifを使った条件文のレビュー

Hello to all my students,

Image "Water Drops In Rainy Day" courtesy of Toa55/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How are you? Here I have a video for you about the basic type of if-clauses (ifを使った条件文).  

Look at the picture above. Here's an example of a sentence using a basic if-clause:

If it rains, you will see water drip outside your window. 

Watch this video as many times as you want or need. I hope it will help you to understand this grammar point better for the posttest next week on January 27th (1/27). 

Video from YouTube. I do not own the rights to this video. It is uploaded strictly for educational purposes. 

See you then!