Native English Language Program

Native English Language Program http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/ ja Copyright 2012 Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:10:39 +0900 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=3.21-ja http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss PSAs, Quizzes and a Blue Tarp g3 2-8-12 psa1.JPG

Here are the first graders studying before a quiz.

Here's a big blue tarp I bought. I'm planning to use it to do "bluescreening" techniques in my future videos. I replace the blue background with a different background. I can also overlay videos with it. This tarp is a bit too shiny, but it should work okay. Haven't tried it yet, though.

]]> http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2012/02/psas_quizzes_and_a_blue_tarp.html http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2012/02/psas_quizzes_and_a_blue_tarp.html Diary Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:10:39 +0900 This Week in NELP g1 2-2-12 debate1.JPG

Here are the junior high school first graders watching a movie. They watched the movie Chicken Run. I think they enjoyed it a lot.

Here are the first graders playing before class.

Last week it snowed for the first time this year!

My first graders begged me to let them go outside and take a picture with them.

Here are the first graders in their special projects class. They are making two short films.

Here are the second graders. They are having a discussion about the speech "I Will Fight No More Forever" by Chief Joseph.

Here are the second graders taking a quiz.

Here are the second graders having a debate. Their topic was "Should we stop using disposable chopsticks."

Here are the third graders. They're talking about invasive species in Japan. Today's topic was "How did these invasive species come to Japan and why?" I then had the students classify 160 invasive species according to the students' predictions on how and why they came or were brought to Japan. In the future, we'll do research and find out how accurate our guesses were, but on the whole, the students had a really amazing sense about the animals.

Here are the high school first graders. In today's lesson, we discussed business etiquette. Students demonstrated how to meet, greet, bow, shake hands, exchange business cards, go into a meeting room, introduce people, put someone on speaker phone, pose for photos and more. It was a very eventful class.

Next week in NELP: The junior high school first graders will talk about the speech "On Colonizing Education" by Chief Canasatego. The junior high school second graders will watch a movie! The junior high school third graders will prepare for their next debate. Their topic is "Should we kill stray dogs and cats?" The high school first graders will write a resume, and in oral communication class they will continue talking about business etiquette and will begin working on interview questions for job interviews. ]]> http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2012/02/this_week_in_nelp_10.html http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2012/02/this_week_in_nelp_10.html Diary Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:59:22 +0900 Speech Contest January 2012 hs1 1-22-12 sp3.jpg

]]> http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2012/01/speech_contest_january_2012.html http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2012/01/speech_contest_january_2012.html Speech Contests Sun, 22 Jan 2012 10:32:37 +0900 Games and Public Service Announcements g1 1-22-12 uno1.JPG

Here are the third graders working on their Public Service Announcement video.

They've decided to make one video instead of two because we're running out of time in 3rd grade and we only have a little more time together. They have no idea how sad that thought makes me! I'm really going to miss having them in my junior high classes. My third graders have been such an extraordinary group of students and I've had a lot of fun with them the last three years. ]]> http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2012/01/games_and_public_service_annou.html http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2012/01/games_and_public_service_annou.html Diary Sun, 22 Jan 2012 10:16:34 +0900 How I teach the high school program I often quote Pablo Picasso: I am always doing that which I cannot do in order to learn how to do it. I think this quote expresses the NELP program very well. I always tell my students that the best way to learn how to do something is just to do it. It saves a lot of talking. As well, I tell my students "You can't learn something without making mistakes. You do it. You do it wrong. I adjust. You do it again. You do it better." It's like my other favorite NELP quote (this time from Samuel Beckett): "Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." I was telling my students just today that it's a FAILING of education that we teachers always try to tell students exactly what to do and how to do it and what to give us so that we'll be happy. Bosses and supervisors and managers almost NEVER tell their workers exactly what they want. They often simply say "Do it." And then if it's not what they want, they say "Do it again." It's my belief that if we ONLY teach our students how to follow directions, we're only preparing them to be FOLLOWERS. If we want these young women to go out into the world and be LEADERS, we must teach them to think, to do things they don't know how to do, to do things they've never done before, to do things that are OUTSIDE of their "comfort zone." Naturally, this makes some of my students extremely unhappy because they never know: "Am I doing it right? Is this good enough? Is this what Mark is looking for?" I'm very sorry to make my students suffer, but I believe this experience is very good for them because this is what their employers will expect of them. Naturally, none of my girls believe they will someday be "The Boss". But being a manager or supervisor or boss ... being a LEADER ... is something that people very rarely choose for themselves. It's often something that, initially, someone asks them to become. My high school students are creative, hardworking and brilliantly intelligent. I have NO DOUBT that they really will be the leaders of tomorrow. I just hope I can prepare them just a little and help them just a little even so that someday they will be GREAT leaders. http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2012/01/how_i_teach_the_high_school_pr.html http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2012/01/how_i_teach_the_high_school_pr.html High School Program Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:53:16 +0900 The High School Program This term, in the high school first grade class, we're discussing business. More specific, we're discussing leadership and organization. The students had three winter vacation assignments. 1. The students had to write an agenda for a business meeting. 2. The students had to find three jokes. 3. The students had to answer this question: What is a successful business meeting? In our first lesson, we had a discussion. The topic was: What is a successful manager? We talked about the qualities of a good boss. In our first writing lesson, we talked about how to write an agenda for a meeting. Today, we talked about how to host a meeting. Specifically we talked about how to open a meeting, how to introduce ourselves confidently to a group, how to introduce ourselves professionally to an individual, and how to show confidence. I also talked to the students a bit more about writing an agenda. Next Tuesday, we're going to talk about refrigerators, and next Thursday we'll talk about the importance of humor as a business and management tool. http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2012/01/the_high_school_program.html http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2012/01/the_high_school_program.html High School Program Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:42:51 +0900 The First Photos of 3rd Term g1 1-19-12 bingo.JPG

Here are the first grade students!

Here are the first graders playing before class.

Here are the first graders in reading class.

Here are the first graders in writing class.

Here are the second graders playing before class.

Here are the third graders. In third grade, we're doing a project on invasive species in Japan. The students have just started. Here, they're studying about how animals are classified.

The third graders have also been working on their public service announcement project. However, since one of our third graders was absent that day, progress broke down and we ended up playing Jenga during the last ten minutes of class.

Here are the high school first graders. This term, they're discussing business.

]]> http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2012/01/the_first_photos_of_3rd_term.html http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2012/01/the_first_photos_of_3rd_term.html Diary Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:02:22 +0900 3rd Term Third term started a week ago, and I've been very busy with many projects. The first graders are reading "All Summer in a Day", a story about bullying by science fiction author Ray Bradbury. The second graders are reading the speech "I Will Fight No More Forever" by Nez Perce leader Chief Joseph. We talked about the history behind the speech, the history of Europeans in the Americas and their treatment of Native Americans. We talked about the names of tribes. We also talked about the history of Chief Joseph's group of Nez Perce. Today we talked about the Jewish ghetto, the holocaust, and the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII. The third graders have started preparing for their big debate in June. Last week we talked about the purpose of debate and the usefulness of studying debate. Today we talked about how animals are classified. The students are really brilliant! I gave them a full deck of 166 cards that I made, showing animals classified by the National Institute of Environmental Studies as "invasive species" and I asked the students, besides "animals" or "living things" what one group do all these animals belong to. One girl brightly spoke up and said "They all have a backbone." Not the answer I was looking for, but brilliant nonetheless. I hadn't included invertebrates for reasons that may become obvious later. The third graders have also begun work again on the Public Service Announcement project. The high school first grade class will be spending a lot of time talking about business. We're going to talk about agendas, resumes, interviews and FIRING PEOPLE! I think it will be a very eventful term. In the meantime, I'm already getting ready for this year's English Camp and I'm also looking at more changes to the curriculum. http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2012/01/3rd_term.html http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2012/01/3rd_term.html Diary Mon, 16 Jan 2012 23:49:38 +0900 Christmas 2011 g2 12-29-11 christmas 1.JPG

]]> http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2012/01/christmas_2011.html http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2012/01/christmas_2011.html Diary Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:00:14 +0900 Joto and Reischauer 2011 joto 11-22-11 1.JPG

One of my second graders and one of my third graders both went to the Joto Speech Contest this year. They both did really well, and I was very proud of both of them. My third grader did a fantastic job and earned one of the two 2nd prizes. Two of my third graders and one of my second graders gave speeches at the Reischauer Speech Contest. One of my second graders gave a recitation, and one SELP third grader and one SELP first grader also gave recitations. I was unfortunately unable to go because I was giving a seminar to students interested in taking the NELP test. My third graders got third place and fifth place in the original section, and my second grader got third place in the recitation section. I'm really proud of all of them. ]]> http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2011/11/joto_and_reischauer_2011.html http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2011/11/joto_and_reischauer_2011.html Speech Contests Wed, 23 Nov 2011 20:48:26 +0900 Latest Pictures from NELP g1 11-22-11 quiz 1.JPG

Here are the first graders in their special projects class.

Here are the first graders in the writing class.

Here are the second graders in our discussion class.

Here are the second graders doing small group presentations.

Here are the third graders having a discussion.

Here are the third graders doing small group presentations.

Here are the high school students in the writing class.

]]> http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2011/11/latest_pictures_from_nelp.html http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2011/11/latest_pictures_from_nelp.html Diary Wed, 23 Nov 2011 20:17:00 +0900 Debates and Pocky Day! g1 11-13-11 debate 1.JPG

My third graders convinced me to celebrate "Pocky Day" on 11-11-11. Here are some pictures of my second graders enjoying their "Pocky." Sure, I'm spoiling them, but 11-11-11 happens only once every hundred years and it's the only such day where you can get 6 numbers to line up like that.

I realized I don't have a lot of pictures of my students actually WORKING on something. So here are my second graders taking a quiz!

Here are the third graders having a debate about how to reduce garbage. They really made me laugh with how tough they were. They argued very strongly and emotionally!

Next week, the first graders are going to start talking about a short science fiction story called "The Fun They Had." The second graders are going to talk about the Oscar Wilde short story "The Selfish Giant." The third graders are going to talk about the Christmas Truce of 1914.]]> http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2011/11/debates_and_pocky_day.html http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2011/11/debates_and_pocky_day.html Diary Sun, 13 Nov 2011 21:42:44 +0900 Debates and Conversations g1 11-08-11 class.JPG

Here are the first graders preparing for their debate. Their topic is very controversial! "Should Seishin Expel Students Who Cause Problems?" This time, the debate will be the students vs. the TEACHER! The students were allowed to choose which position to take, and they unanimously decided that Seishin should NOT expel students who cause problems. Good for them!

One of my first graders having a little fun before class. I snapped the picture too late. A moment before she was making a very funny face.

Here are my first graders in our self-access grammar class. The students took a grammar test at the beginning of the year. In our self-access grammar class, the students do worksheets on the grammar points they missed, either in the original test or in our weekly grammar and listening tests.

My first graders. "Am I boring you?"

Well ... not EVERYBODY was sleeping!

(Note to parents: the students never sleep in class. They were just playing before class began). Here are my second graders having a discussion. The topic was "If today was your last day, what would you do?" The answers ranged from "Stay home and sleep." to "Rob a bank and go shopping" to "Run down the street screaming and shooting people I don't like!" I don't think that last one was serious.

The second graders didn't practice for this week's debate because there was some disagreement about the balance of the teams. So, instead, our debate will be unprepared and it will be a "free-for-all" open debate. The topic is "Should Seishin Put Air Conditioners in the Gym." I'm looking forward to their answers. The students already realize it's not as simple as it seems. Here are the third graders. They're doing preparation for their debate. This will be a dual-proposition debate. Instead of affirmative and negative teams, we'll have TWO affirmative teams, each presenting their own plan. The topic is about reducing waste and garbage and each team has to come up with a proposal for reducing our national garbage and waste. I'm really looking forward to this debate. My third graders are such awesome students!

]]> http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2011/11/debates_and_conversations.html http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2011/11/debates_and_conversations.html Diary Tue, 08 Nov 2011 22:20:11 +0900 Halloween Presentations g2 11-2-11 halloween presentations 1.JPG

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]]> http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2011/11/halloween_presentations.html http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2011/11/halloween_presentations.html oral communication Thu, 03 Nov 2011 18:10:28 +0900 Halloween in the NELP Program g1 11-1-11 halloween 5.JPG

Here is our second grade class.

Here are my fabulous third graders!

Four out of five high school first grade NELP students in this survey were reportedly scared by the Halloween horror videos we watched!

They really seemed to enjoy Halloween. See, this is how they usually look!

(Parents: this was a joke. They don't sleep in class. My high school first graders are awesome students!) Here are my junior high school first graders making presentations.

Here are the junior high school students just playing around.

Here are the first graders working on their first grade video project in our Special Projects class.

The first graders had to tell a scary story. The second graders were told to ask their teachers and the older students about scary stories about Seishin! The third graders were told to find a scary story about their hometown or from local culture or folklore. Next week, we're going to do debates.]]> http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2011/11/halloween_in_the_nelp_program.html http://www.nd-seishin.ac.jp/native/2011/11/halloween_in_the_nelp_program.html Diary Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:46:35 +0900