Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Writing 2 Spring 2014 Week 6: Writing a Personal Narrative Part 2

Hello everyone,
Today we are going to continue preparing for our second writing task, a personal anecdote.
First, let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: Academic Word List.
By now, all of you have a lot of experience using a Japanese/English dictionary, so it's time you started using an English Dictionary. Dictionary.com is a very good site. Another reference tool you should be using is a Thesaurus. A thesaurus is a dictionary of synonyms and antonyms. Synonyms are words that have a similar meaning and antonyms are words that have an opposite meaning. Thesaurus.com is a good site.

Look at the picture on the left. This is a picture of me when I was a high school teacher. I told you a story about a lesson I learned from my students when I was a high school teacher.  Here it is again:

           In 2003, I was lucky enough to get a job teaching at Kanto International High School. I had been teaching in Japan for six years, but this was the first time I was a real independent classroom teacher.  Also, I had started studying toward a Master of Education in TESOL degree at Temple University. I knew that I would have many opportunities to apply what I was learning at graduate school in the classes I was teaching at the high school, so I was very excited when I got hired at Kanto.

          One of the things I had learned at graduate school was the importance of group work, so one day I gave my students a group project. I explained the project to the students, and everyone seemed to understand what they were supposed to do. I handed out some worksheets for the students to use while doing their group project, and then told them to get started. As the students were working on their group project I walked around the classroom, and I realised that all the students were working alone. They must not have understood my instructions I thought, so I asked the students to stop working and I explained again that the project was a group project and they should work on the project together. The students started working on their projects again, and I walked around the class again observing them. They were still working alone. This puzzled me. I had been taught that Japan was a "group-oriented society", so why were these students not working together, as a group? My students taught me a valuable lesson that day. They taught me that what is normal for a group in one culture is not necessarily normal for a group in another culture.

Now it's your turn. Tell us about an experience you had that taught you a valuable lesson.

Writing I Spring 2014 Week 6: Sharing our writing

working hand

Hello everyone, Today we are going to read our classmates writing on our University of Tsukuba Academic Writing Blog. First let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link, and don't forget to sign in: Academic World List.
Now, please go to our class blog, log in. Post your first two assignments. Then, read three of your classmates' posts and leave a comment for them.
Your next assignment will be an opinion paragraph. Please submit it to my mailbox by next Monday at 3 pm.
Enjoy writing!

Presentation 2 Spring 2014 Week 6

Hello everyone, Today we are going to upload our Powerpoint slides to Voicethread. Look at the image below. Click the tap called "Create". Then click "Upload".


Next, click "My Computer". After that, select your powerpoint file and wait for it to be uploaded.


 When the upload is complete, please record your presentation. You record your presentation the same way that you commented on a presentation. First make a text comment. Copy and paste your text into the comment. Then comment again . This time make a voice recording. When you are finished, share your presentation. Go to your "My Voice" page. Then, drag and drop your presentation into our Tsukuba Dai group. Look at the image below.



Enjoy!

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Presentation 1 Spring 2014 Week 6: The Comparative Presentation

Hello everyone,

Today we are going to do our comparative presentations. Then we'll start working on our final presentations. Today we'll talk about introductions.

Please click the link to download your final presentation worksheet.
Next week we will talk about the body and the conclusion.
Finally, here's a video to help you remember what Death by Powerpoint is, and how to prevent it.

Integrated English I for Art & Design Majors (Class B) and Life and Environmental Science Majors (Class C1): Week 4: Chapter 2 Quiz

Illustration by Yuji Tachikawa. CC V1.0 Some rights reserved
Hello everyone!
Today we are going to review Chapter 2 and do the quiz. Let's review some vocabulary. Please click the link: Inverted Eagle Chapter 2. After the quiz we will start Chapter 3. Click the link for the Chapter 3 vocabulary flash cards.

Have a great week-end. Enjoy reading!

Monday, May 26, 2014

Integrated English 1 for Physical Education Majors B4 Week 4: Paul Kariya Chapter 2

Hello everyone, Today we are going to continue reading about Paul Kariya. In chapter 2 we learn about Kariya's American college hockey career. In the video below, you can see the 1993 U.S. National Championship. Kariya's pass to Jim Montgomery set up the winning goal.

 

Let's study some vocabulary. I have added some new words from chapters 1 and 2.
OK, there will be a quiz about chapter 2 next class. Also, please read chapter 3.
Enjoy!

Cross Cultural Awareness and English I Spring 2014 Week 5: Jewish Wedding Traditions

Photo downloaded from Wikipedia
Hello everyone!

Today we are going to finish learning about love and marriage in Greece. Then we'll learn about some Jewish wedding traditions.

First, let's review some vocabulary. Please click the link: Cross cultural awareness and English vocabulary.

Now let's learn about superstitions have Jewish wedding customs special.





What do you think of the superstitions you have read about. Are you superstitious? Can you think of any superstitions associated with Japanese wedding customs? Please post a comment.


Thursday, May 22, 2014

Writing 2 Spring 2014 Week 5: Writing a personal narrative

Downloaded from wikipedia
Hello everyone,
Today we are going to start our next writing assignment. Your next writing assignment is a two-paragraph personal narrative about a personal experience. In this assignment you will tell an anecdote. An anecdote is a short description of an interesting event. Your anecdote must tell about something that happened to you that taught you a lesson. In other words, there should be a moral to your story.
First, let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: Academic Word List.



Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Writing 1 Spring 2004 Week 5: Organising Information by Order of Importance

Hello everyone,
Well, we ran out of time last week, so we are going to learn how to post to our class writing blog today. I sent you an invitation to become an author on our class writing blog. Please check your gmail account, read the message and follow the instructions. After that go to our class blog, and sign in. Look at the picture on the left. Click "New Post". After that, follow the steps listed below:







  1. Type your title in the box above the tool bar. Your title should be like this: "My Life at Tsukuba is Wonderful by Taro Higashinihon"
  2. Copy and paste your assignment into the textbox. 
  3. Look at the corrections I made on your second draught. Correct your mistakes
  4. On the right hand side look for "Labels". Type the following words into the box: Academic Writing 1, 2014, and your first name and the first letter of your last name ie. TaroH.
  5. Click preview. Make sure everything is OK.
  6. Finally, click "Publish".
After you post your paragraph. Read three of your classmates' posts, and make a comment on each.
After that, we'll start our third assignment - Why I Decided to Come to the University of Tsukuba.
For homework, please edit your second assignment and write your second draught, and write your first draught of your third assignment. Please put all your assignments: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, and 3.1 in a folder and deposit them in my mailbox on the fourth floor of the foreign Language Centre. 
Have fun writing! 

Presentation 2 Spring 2014 Week 5: Introduction to Voicethread

Hello everyone,
Today we are finally ready to start making our Voicethread presentations, but first we need to register for VoiceThread. Please click the link: Register a new account. After you have registered please watch this video: What's a Voicethread Anyway?

I have created a group for us on Voicethread. Please click the link to join the group: Tsukuba Dai Presentation II Spring 2014.

Now, lets learn how to comment. Please watch the Voicethread presentation below. After that please make a comment and ask a question on each slide. To make a comment, first type out your comment using a word processor such as Microsoft Word. Then click "Comment", and then click type. Copy and pate your comment into the text box. After that, click "Record". Read your comment out loud, and record it. Listen to your recording. If you like it, move on to the next slide. If you don't like it, re-record your comment.



Now class we will upload our slides to Voicethread.
See you!

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Presentation I Spring 2014 Week 5: The Visual Message

Hello everyone,

Well, we have finished learning about the physical message. Now it's time to learn about the visual message. Today we will start to learn how to make good slides.

So many presenters make very bad slides that we have a new expression in English: "Death by Powerpoint". Click the link to read a Japanese blog post about Death by Powerpoint.




If you want to read a really good book about making presentations, I recommend Presentation Zen by Garr Reynolds. You can get some great FREE tips from his website too.

OK, let's make some great slides now!

Integrated English I for Art & Design Majors (Class B) and Life and Environmental Science Majors (Class C1): Week 3: Chapter 2


Hello everyone, Well, we are a little behind schedule. Today we are going to do the first quiz. Then we are going to read Chapter 2 and do the tasks, including solving the puzzle.
First, let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: Inverted Eagle Chapter 1 Vocabulary.
OK, we'll have a quiz about Chapter 2 next week at the beginning of the class, so don't be late!

Monday, May 19, 2014

Integrated English 1 for Physical Education Majors B4 Week 3: Paul Kariya Chapter 1

Hello everyone,
Today we are going to review Chapter 1 of our Paul Kariya biography and do the first quiz.
First, let's watch a cartoon about the rules of hockey explained by a popular character in Canada, Peter Puck. Please click the link.

Now let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: IE-I PE (B4) Vocabulary.

Now let's review Chapter 1. Click the link to see a mind map of Chapter 1.

Next, click the link to download your Chapter 1 Review Worksheet.
For homework, please read Chapter 2.
Enjoy!


Cross Cultural Awareness and English I Spring 2014 Week 4: Love and Marriage in Greece

Photo by Louis Konstantinou
Hello everyone!
Today we are going to learn about love and marriage in Greece.
Last week we learned about dowries. Dowries have been a part of Greek culture too. It's interesting that two very different cultures, China and Greece, can share a cultural tradition, isn't it?
You can learn more about Greek wedding traditions by clicking the link: Ten Greek Wedding Traditions.




Today's article is about μαντινάδες (Mantinades), which are love poems sung at weddings on the island of Crete. Crete is the largest island in Greece. It was once the centre of the ancient Minoan civilization, which was the oldest civilization in Europe, so Crete has a rich cultural tradition. This rich cultural tradition has given the people of Crete some wonderful wedding customs, including the Mantinades.

Before we learn about the Mantinades, let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: Crosscultural awareness and English Vocabulary

Now let's listen to a mantinada. The song is called Ο ΥΜΝΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΜΑΝΑΣ - ΓΙΩΡΓΟΣ ΖΕΡΒΑΚΗΣ . Please click the link:


Vicky Loras, a Greek Canadian teacher of English in Switzerland tells us that the title means, "Hymn to Mother". The singer says that there are many kinds of love in the world but the one kind of love that stands out is love for one's mother. Why do you think that a man might sing a song about his love for his mother at his wedding?


Here is a mantinada shared by Christina Markoulaki,  a teacher in Heraklion, which is the capital of Crete:
Σιγά-σιγά μη βιάζεστε κι η πόρτα μας θ’ ανοίξει, γιατί έχει η νύφη αδέλφια και γονείς να τσ’ αποχαιρετίσει. 

Christina says, "...this mantinada warns the guests not to hurry because the bride will take her time to say goodbye to her family." This matinada shows the very strong connection between the couple and the family, which Christina says is,"... an entirely Greek phenomenon!"

Let's listen to this mantinada now. Please click the link: 

Ψαρογιώργης - Aνωγειανές κοντυλιές-Πεντοζάλης


 That's all for this week. See you next week!

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Writing 2 Spring 2014 Week 4: Editing your opinion paragraph

2008-01-26 (Editing a paper) - 31Hello everyone, today we are going to edit our first assignment. First, let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: Academic Wordlist.
I have checked your papers. Reread your papers. Check that you have followed the style sheet. In particular, you should check that you have indented the first line of your paragraph. Check that your paragraph has a good topic sentence. The topic sentence should be a general statement that states a clear opinion. Also, remember that a paragraph has only one main idea. After that look for overgeneralisations. Below are some examples of overgeneralisations:

  • "All Canadians are polite" - many Canadians are polite, but some are not. These statements are better: "Some Canadians are polite" or "Canadians are known to be polite"
  • "Only Japan has four seasons" - actually this is just plain wrong!
  • "People from other countries can't eat natto" - I know some Americans, and Australians that love natto. 
Avoid absolutes, words such as "all", "only", "no", "never", and so on.
Ok, please write your second draught. Please print it and put it in a folder with your first draught. Then submit it to my mailbox on the 4th floor of the Foreign Language Centre.
See ya!

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Writing 1 Spring 2014 Week 4: Organising information by time

Time Hello everyone, today we are going to start our next assignment. Your assignment will be a time order paragraph. First, let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: Academic Word List.

Now let's post our first assignments to our class blog. First, you will need to create a Google account. Then send me a message using gmail, so I can add you as an author on our class blog. After that you can post your first assignment. Please click the link to see previous posts by University of Tsukuba students: The University of Tsukuba Academic Writing Blog. After you have posted your assignment you should read one of your class mate's posts and comment on it.
Finally, don't forget that the first draught of your second assignment is due next Tuesday. Your second assignment is to write a paragraph about either your best experience or your worst experience. You can read some examples of paragraphs about best and worst experiences by clicking the link.
Enjoy writing!

Presentation 2 Spring 2014 Week 4: Making Storyboards and making slides

TEDxKyoto2012 - Garr Reynolds
Hello everyone,

Today we are going to storyboard our first presentation.

Let's watch a video by a great presenter called Garr Reynolds.

Take out some loose leaf paper.

While you are watching the video, take notes and answer the questions below.



Part 1: Preparation
  1. What are the 3 parts of a presentation?
  2. What are the 3 Zen principles that Reynolds relates to presentations?
  3. What is a "slideument", and why should we avoid it?
  4. What are the 6 key elements of "stickiness"?
  5. What are the 3 parts in the process of preparing a presentation?

Part 2: Design
  1. What three Japanese words does Reynolds relate to design?
  2. What is the 1-7-7 rule? Is it a good rule, why/why not?
  3. What is the "rule of thirds"
  4. What are the 7 design concepts?
OK, now it's your turn. Start storyboarding your presentation. You should have at least 14 slides, so your storyboard should have at least 14 panels.

Please click the link to download your storyboard worksheet. After that we will edit and rewrite our script.

Now let's talk about slides. Below you can see some examples of really good slides. The slides were made by Garr Reynolds. You can get some great FREE tips from Garr Reynolds' website too.

OK, let's make some great slides now! Please use your own photos and images, or if you don't have your own photos and images please use only photos and images with a Creative Commons licence. You can read about Creative Commons licences here: クリエイティブ・コモンズ. You can find Creative Commons Images on Flickr, or by doing an advanced search in Google.
 



Bring your slides with you on a USB flash drive next week. Enjoy!

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Presentation 1 Spring 2014 Week 4: The demonstration Presentation


Hello everyone,
Today we are going to do our second presentation. Then we will begin our third presentation, the demonstration presentation. Let's watch a demonstration of how to make ramen.
Now it's your turn. Please prepare a demonstration presentation of your favourite dish.

Integrated English I for Art & Design Majors (Class B) and Life and Environmental Science Majors (Class C1): Week 2: Chapter 1 review and Quiz 1

Hello everyone!
Today we are going to take the first quiz. Before we do that, let's review. Please click the link: Inverted Eagle Crime Talk Vocabulary. Please do the Quizlet test. Do the test. Next, please look at the image below.

This image is a "mind map" Click the link to read a Japanese explanation of mind maps. The mind map above explains the scene of the crime in the Inverted Eagle. Look at the mind map. Make sentences based on the information in the mind map. Write the sentences in your Detective's Notebook on p. 5 in section E. Initial Observations. Look at the examples below:

  • Sometime before 9am, a robbery occurred.
  • The robbery occurred at the Reeds' House
  • There was also a drugging.
  • There was almost a murder.

OK, let's review the answers to the Chapter 1 puzzle, then we'll take the quiz.

Now let's learn some vocabulary for Chapter 2. Please click the link: Inverted Eagle Chapter 2.
Finally, please read Chapter 2, do the tasks including the puzzle, and make notes in your Detective's Notebook. We will have the Chapter 2 Quiz next lesson.
Enjoy!

Monday, May 12, 2014

Integrated English 1 for Physical Education Majors B4 Week 2: The History of Hockey

Hockey Hall of Fame Hello everyone, Today we are going to learn about the history of hockey. First, let's study some vocabulary on Quizlet. Please click the link: IE-I PE (B4) Vocabulary.
Now click the link to download the document called The History of Hockey. Click the link to see all the teams in the National Hockey League (NHL).
After you read about the history of hockey we will have a quiz. After the quiz, we will start reading the biography of Paul Kariya. There will be a quiz on Chapter 1 next week.
Enjoy!


Sunday, May 11, 2014

Cross Cultural Awareness and English I Spring 2014 Week 3: Love and Marriage in China

Hello everyone, I hope you had a nice weekend.
Today we are going to start our next topic, Love and Marriage in China, but first let's study some vocabulary on Quizlet, please click the link: Cross cultural Awareness and English Vocabulary.

Like Botswanan marriage customs, Chinese marriage customs include a "bride price". Chinese marriage customs also include a dowry. You can read about Chinese pre-wedding customs by clicking the link. Let's watch a video of a Chinese wedding. Now let's study some vocabulary,

For homework, please watch the video below. After that, please download the article, "Thousands marry on love you forever day". Read the article and do the tasks. Enjoy!

Thursday, May 08, 2014

Writing 2 Spring 2014 Week 3: Task 1 - An Opinion Paragraph


Hello everyone,
Today we are going to start our first writing task, an opinion paragraph. You must choose one of the following topics:
  • The advantages of studying at a national university
  • The advantages of studying at a private university
  • The advantages of studying overseas
  • The advantages of speaking one or more languages
  • A topic of your choice

Your paragraph must be at least 200 words (not letters). You should use this style sheet. Your first draught is due next Wednesday, 14 March at 3 pm. Please deposit your assignment in my mailbox on the 4th floor of the Foreign Language Centre.
Enjoy!

Wednesday, May 07, 2014

Writing 1 Spring 2014 Week 3: Writing a Second Draught

Hello everyone,
I hope you enjoyed Golden Week.
Those of you who submitted your the first draught of your first writing assignment will see some red marks I've made on your paper. In order to understand those marks you will need our Writing Error Codes handout.

Today we will review the structure of a paragraph and then start our second draughts.

First let's study some vocabulary on Quizlet.

Please submit your second draught to my mailbox on the 4th floor of the Foreign Language Centre by Tuesday 13 May, at 3 pm.

Presentation 2 Spring 2014 Week 3: Writing a Script Continued


Hello everyone,
Today we are going to continue working on our first presentation.
First, if you were absent last class, please click the link to download the task sheet for your first presentation. Before we continue working on our scripts, let's do some pronunciation practice on English Central.

Now we are going to finish writing the first draught of our script. Your first draught is due on Monday 12th May at 1:30 pm. Please deposit your first script in my mailbox on the 4th floor of the Foreign Language Centre, just outside the teachers room. You can see a picture of my mailbox on the left. I will check your scripts, and show you where you have made mistakes. You can use our Writing Error Codes handout to help you understand the corrections I will make.

See you next week!

Presentation 1 Spring 2014 Week 3: More gestures and the Layout Presentation

Hello everyone,
Today we are going to do our first presentation.
After that we are going to practice using gestures some more. Look at the picture on the left. What does the gesture mean? Do you ever make this gesture?

Our next presentation is a layout presentation. A layout speech describes where things are, their size and their shape. Your next presentation will be about your room. Draw a map of your room on A3-size paper. Your presentation should be 1 minute. You will be tested on your posture, eye contact, voice volume, gestures and the content of your presentation. Don't forget to practice with a partner, or in front of a mirror.
See you next week.

Thursday, May 01, 2014

Writing 2 Spring 2014 Week 2: Expressing an opinion

Image downloaded from Ricochet
Hello everyone, Today we are going to learn about expressing an opinion. Your first writing task will be to write a paragraph expressing an opinion about a topic of your choice.

First, let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: Academic Word List.

Students in Daniel Ferrara's class at International Christian University (ICU) are blogging. Each student has their own blog. Would you like to have your own blog?


Let's look at some blog posts by ICU students. Please choose one blog post and click the link. Then read the post and leave a comment.


"ICU as a hybrid Institution" by Yuri Tami
"Education is..." by Nozomi Koizumi 
"The limits of locavorism" by Mai Ingawa
"Japan's population crisis" by Ikumi Tanaka
"Human beings are the only intelligent life in the universe?" by Naoki Fukushima
"Three things we know about how the brain works" by Kentaro Nakao
"What are trans fats anyway and why are they so bad?" by Arisa Shiokawa
"Is imprisonment a necessary system for dealing with all criminal acts?" by Nakamura Kenta
"Never to old to learn" by Konomi Sano
"Democracy is the best form of government" by Takahiro Takizawa

We'll continue learning how to express an opinion in English next week. Have a great Golden Week!