特別ポスト: "every picture tells a story" - more storytelling with pictures

Hello!

How are you? Today let's talk more about storytelling! Below is the picture of the story you wrote about:

Now here is your story. It was great! Short and to the point, but with local color to it.

This is a hotel at the small town in Germany. There is a restaurant on the first floor, and this is one of the famous restaurants that it is serving good food. Here is normally calm and relaxed place. Many local people often gather in here, and they are talking about their family, pets or something. Sometimes sightseer come here on their vacation, and they are enjoy lazy time, delicious cuisine, and some nice wheat beer. I would like to visit here!

Now here is another story, written by another student. Let's read it. What do you think of it? 

I think this place was the USA, but a bad thing happened in there. This building was the most famous hotel in the USA. A lot of people stayed here and enjoyed many activities around there but this hotel became a target of terrorists!! One day bombing happened at there!!

It was the fine daytime of one day. Five men checked in this hotel. They looked kind, strong and around 30. They opened their trunks in their room. You think there were some goods to stay, but some bombs in there!! They took a walk inside of the hotel till the time of dinner. However, in fact, they went to set bombs. These were time bombs so they set time after they leave there.

Next day, they prepared to leave there. The interphone of the room rang before 30 minutes they left. One of them opened the door, there was a police man. He said that I arrest you. They arrested after all.

Why was the crime found? Since, a girl saw one of them set bomb. She told it to her mother and she told it to hotelman. He called police man during terrorists had a dinner. Police man checked it was bomb. They checked the surveillance camera but did not be careful around them so they were caught.

What do you think of this one? 

See you next time!

Images: Top - "Line Sheet With Pen" (courtesy of adamr)/FreeDigitalPhotos.net/Building - Picasso’s birthplace - By Dominik (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Pablo-Picasso-Birthplace.jpg

特別ポスト - "every picture tells a story": storytelling with pictures

Hello!

How are you? This is an extra post about storytelling. 

Look at the picture above. You made some notes on it - now, can you add more to it? 

Here is some more to do now with this picture. Look at your notes again. Now - can you add more to those notes to make sentences, and even a paragraph (節) about it? 

Imagine a scenario, with people in it, based on your notes, and now write a paragraph about it. 

Here's something extra!

Now if you have time, I encourage you to try the same thing with this picture: 

Now try the same thing - make some notes, then add more to the notes to make sentences, and write a paragraph about it. Now there are two people in this picture - what is happening? Where are they? What kind of situation are they in? Imagine a scenario - and write it!

I'll look forward to seeing the kinds of stories you write. 

Take care! See you next time!

Building - Picasso’s birthplace - By Dominik (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Pablo-Picasso-Birthplace.jpg/Couple - Woodstock couple by Burk Uzzle/image reproduced from file courtesy of Laurence Miller Gallery/laurencemillergallery.com

All images from except Woodstock couple from Wikimedia Commons. All rights reserved. I do not own the rights to these images. All images uploaded for educational purposes only.

特別ポスト - talking about movies and theme songs

Hello!

How are you? Today let's talk about movies, especially ones with unique or memorable theme songs.

The two movie trailers below both have a theme in common - things not being the way they look, but feeling real. The first one is the trailer to The Crying Game. It's a love story made in the early 1990s, but with a difference. Do you know what it is? The theme song was sung by Boy George and it was a big hit.

The next trailer is to the film Her, which was just released in 2013. The story is set in the near future, and it's about a man who falls in love - but his love interest is very different. Do you know what the difference is? The theme song was also a big hit.

Let's talk about these! See you!

Image: "Wall, Nogata" (personal image)/All rights reserved

Videos of trailers uploaded from YouTube. All rights reserved. I do not own the rights to these trailers or the films they preview. Uploaded for educational purposes.

特別ポスト - talking about music

Hello!

How are you? Today I'd like to offer the topic of music. To anyone looking at this post: what is your favorite kind of music, where do you listen to it, and how do you listen to it (for example, by mp3, iPod, Smartphone, CD, or other way)?

Last week I showed the website of a ceramics artist named Alison Palmer, who's from New York. I mentioned that her husband was a musician who had been in a rock band in the U.S. in the late 1960s and 1970s. I am friended with him on Facebook. He's an interesting person with many great stories to tell. Here's how he looks now.

Now here's a video clip of him singing with the band he was in, in 1971:

What do you think of this song? Here's a link about the band he was in.

I'll look forward to talking about music - any kind of music - with you!

Image: "Turntable" (courtesy of James Barker)/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Video uploaded from YouTube. I do not own the rights to the video or music. All rights reserved. Uploaded strictly for educational purposes. 
Extra special thanks to Steve Katz and Blood, Sweat and Tears.

特別ポスト - talking about ceramics & pottery

Hello!

How are you? Today I have some images about ceramics. Let's talk about it! What do you think of the image at the top?

I have a link to the ceramics studio of a Facebook friend of mine. Click on it here and let's talk about the images on it!

Do you think you would like to do any of this kind of ceramic artwork?

Tell me what you think!

Image: "Portuguese Azulejos" (courtesy of artur84)/FreeDigital Photos.net

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!

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

週12・13 ・14 - ECA (Speaking) II (All): 将来の予定

Hello,

How are you? University will soon be finished for the year! So what are your plans for the holidays - our Christmas and New Year's break, or spring - or your near future (将来)? For example - look at the picture on top. Are you going to another country, such as Cambodia, to see Angkor Wat?  

Activity
What are your plans for the Christmas and New Year's or spring holidays - or your near future? 

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 go back to your hometown?  

you going to (or would you like to) go back to your hometow
...go sightseeing in another part of Japan? 
Go sightseeing in another part of Japan? 

...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 (Angkor Wat) - "Angkor Wat Sunrise" (courtesy of J Frasse)/Cherry blossoms - "Sakura" (courtesy of coward_lion)/ Temple - "Kinkakuji Temple, Kyoto, Japan" (courtesy of Worakit Sirijinda)/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

週12・13 - ECA (Speaking) I (All): 話と言うこと

Hello!  

How are you? Today I'd like to introduce a new topic to you about immigrants (移民) - people from one country who move to live in another country.  

Look at these pictures. Can you guess who are Japanese, and who are not Japanese? For the ones who are not Japanese - what are their countries? 

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

See you next class!

Images: Top - By Jean Colemonts/http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AJapanese_Brazilian_Miko_Curitiba_Paran%C3%A1.jpg/1."Akemi Barbara Katsuki" by Hardworking/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Akemi_Barbara_Katsuki.jpg /2. "OFeldman, Tokyo, 2012" by Ofer Feldman- Own work/http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:OFeldman,_Tokyo,_2012.jpg#mediaviewer/File:OFeldman,_Tokyo,_2012.jpg/3. Berzoini125494/http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Berzoini125494.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Berzoini125494.jpg/4. Ryan Higa by Gage Skidmore/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/Ryan_Higa_by_Gage_Skidmore.jpg/5. By norio nakayama (Flickr: 大宮アルディージャ vs 清水エスパルス @ NACK5スタジアム)/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/Dido_Havenaar%2C_assistant_coach_for_Shimizu_S-Pulse.jpg/6. By Cristiano Sant´Anna/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Michio_Kaku-cropped.jpg/All images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. All rights reserved to the copyright holders. Uploaded for educational purposes only.

週10・11 - ECA (Speaking) I (All): 物・ことの描写

Hello,

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:

It's round and made of plastic, and has a hole in the middle. It's something you play to hear music. What is it? 

Without seeing the picture - your partner has to guess what it is! Try it! ow 

1.

lo

ok at these pictures. W
Now try these!

2. It's long and made of wood, but has a strong metal part at the end. It's something you use when building things. It's used to put nails in wood. What is it? 

2. 

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

3. 

4. This is something you use on paper. It's long and made of plastic, but it can also be made of metal. 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
Images: copyright-free from the Apple Microsoft Word Clip Art gallery except CDs - Cds With Mono Colors - Silver (courtesy of artzenter) and Hand Holding Pen (courtesy of iprostocks)/FreeDigitalPhotos.net