Teach Japanese あいうえお

I am in a course for bringing along teachers of Japanese. Today is the first lesson, and it is to last from April to December.

In this course, we will learn how to teach Japanese to foreign people, and we are to give mimic lessons at least two times. I heard that Japanese teachers are needed not only in Japan but also in other countries, because many people study Japanese in China, South Korea, Taiwan, and so on. Native teachers of Japanese have to be objective in regarding their own language and quiet foreign learners' fears.

By the way, I decided to take this course for some reason. First, I had a friend who studies Japanese hard. She is a Taiwanese, but her Japanese is very good. She said that she studied it by watching Japanese anime and drama on TV. Though I have corrected her Japanese expressions occasionally, I have not teach Japanese to her systematically. However, her zeal for Japanese acted as an encourage to me.

Besides, it will be very useful experience, if I learn in this course. I think it is an advantage to know how to teach Japanese in Japanese, even when I move to other countries.

I would like to be eager in this course for a teacher of Japanese!

[216 words]

~~Swim~ming~~

Last year, I took classes of physical education of tennis last and played tennis once a week, but I do not this year, so my campus life is very inactive.

Lately, I made it my custom to go swimming on every Sunday not to be inactive. In the first and the second time, I got muscular rheumatism, although swimming was a sport I liked when I was a junior high school and high school student.

I expected that I would lose weight by continuing with swimming, but I will gain weight. Ha-ha. It is because I become hungry after swimming and the hunger gives more relish to foods! However, it is one of the things that give me the great enjoyment.

Today, I went swimming with my family. It was pleasant for me than going swimming alone. We had a good time.

[143 words]

Sound♪

I like some kinds of music, but one of music I like is classical music.

I think it is because I learned how to play the piano for six years. It was my hobby. My teacher of piano was a great pianist, so I could enjoy her lessons.

When I listen to classical music, it calms me down and makes me feel comfortable. It can also elevate my concentration, although other kinds of music do not.

That is why I like classical music.

[83 words]

Hot spring! ♨

I went to a hot spring today. This public bath is only fifteen minutes' drive. It is a place where many people come to. Some people come there from a distant area. The fee is reasonable, that is two hundred yen, so there are people who come every day.

The hot water has an affect on pains in body and some sicknesses, so some people come there in order to soften their pains. Drinking the hot water is good for our health. It taste a little salty, but I heard that some people use it to water down "syou-tyuu". (That is one of Japanese alcohol.)

In the public bath, there are two warm bath inside and outside and a cold bath, that is called "mizu-buro" in Japanese. I can see many stars and the moon outside. I usually take a warm bath and a cold bath one after the other. It is said that blood vessels become stronger and there is not much fear of catching a cold by doing so.

Besides there is a shop of vegetables, fruits, ice creams, flowers, side dishes, and so on. The cucumbers and tomatoes are espacially fresh. It is one of my pleasures in the hot spring.

It is a good place!

[211 words]

To Australia!?

In March, my friends move to Melbourne in Australia. They are a married couple with a baby. This baby is a so cute girl and one years old. She has a fair skin, and her cheeks are as red as roses. The mother is very good at speaking English, and her young brother had already moved to Australia about five years ago, and he is very fluent in speaking English.

I heard that they had to meet requirements in order to live in Australia. It seems to be considered whether a person have great English skill and other useful techniques.

As to the cute baby, I think she is learning English now and will become a fluent speaker of English soon rather than a speaker of Japanese. She will become my teacher of English! When I meet her again in days to come, I want to speak with her in English. I really hope so. It may become an encouragement to me for keeping learning English.

[166 words]

Reading class

We had a class of English reading today, but in this time, we took a test of current affairs from the Japanese newspaper.

We had to study for the test before the class, so I read 7 newspapers in this week. However, I watch the news program on TV every morning rather than read the news in the newspaper, so it was so hard to understand the articles... but this became a good opportunity to read the newspaper.

[78 words]

First classes!

The first classes started this week, and I enjoyed them.

For example, the first writing class was on Wednesday. The class room was the room 1446, that is, this class requires that I should use a computer! I am not good at using a computer, but I know it is very important. It was a little difficult to follow instructions, but the class was in a good atmosphere. When I corrected my last essay, I asked many questions. I could learn the right expressions in English.

I will try again next week, too. Thank you so much!

[97 words]

Writing 3 practice

Dear my host family,

Hello. It is nice to know you. My name is Jam. I am a second-year student of KGU in Japan and majoring in English. This time I made an application for a homestay in order to learn not only English but also about the culture and people. Thank you for assenting to my homestay. I really appreciate your kindness.

I heard that there are four people in your family. There are three in my family, and I am an only child, so I am very glad to hear that you have two daughters. You also have three dogs, don't you? I love dogs, and I have a dachshund too. I am looking forward to seeing you and your family.

I do not have allergies to animal hair and food. My only allergy is to dust, but it sometimes comes out in the process of getting accustomed to new surroundings, so please don't worry so much. Except for that, I am in good health.

I also heard that you keep a farm. Would you take me to your farm? I have experiences of helping in domesticating cattle and hogs and working in the fields. I will be glad If I can lend a hand.

Would you mind if I used the kitchen? Please let me make Japanese dishes once a week. Are "miso"(Japanese soybean paste) and "syouyu"(soy sauce) available in your town? If not, I will bring them. Please tell me if there is any particular Japanese food that you would like to try.

Although this is my intimate affairs, my father loves travels and he says he wants to come by your town during my stay at this opportunity. When he visits your town, would you mind seeing him?

Please let me know daily routines of your family and the rough schedule for six weeks if possible. If you would write me about what points I should be careful, it will be very helpful for me.

I will appreciate hearing from you soon.

I am really looking forward to seeing and staying with you all.

Sincerely,
Jam


[356 words]

BK1-01: Newspaper boy

I will start my reading review again. I tried reading in English during this spring vacation, too. Let me introduce a story I read.

It is "Newspaper boy". A boy named Toby is doing the paper round. One day, he gets involved in a case. However, he can solve it with the articles of the newspaper. It is because the newspaper boy likes the paper and he is familiar with the contents in articles.

I thought he is a good newspaper boy, and doing the newspaper round is the best job for him. I would like to get a suitable job for me, too.


[104 words]

Spring Vacation !

I challenged the TOEIC test in this spring vacation. It was very difficult test, and I could not follow the speed in the listening section. Also, I could not finish the reading section in time, so I realized the speed of reading was very important. Fortunately, the score was satisfying and better than I had expected.

During this vacation, I enjoyed the lessons for the TOEIC test. I tried to enrich my English vocabulary and took many exercises. It lasted for only two weeks, but it was very helpful for me. At the final exercise, I took a good score, that is superior to the last TOEIC test by 90 score! I am really looking forward to take the TOEIC test in June.

In March, I went to Nagasaki in order to visit my grandparents. I was glad to see them, because we had not seen for about 3 years. My grandfather is good at drawing pictures of especially flowers, and he is very skillful. My grandmother likes to do the gardening, and she showed me her garden. Because spring had come, there were many flowers which were white, pink, light purple, and so on. The garden was beautiful.

This spring is fresh to me!


[205 words]

Speaking class Activity : comments

　　In this week, we enjoyed the presentations from the students of T sensei's class. Those presentations were about barrier free, and it was very practical topic because wheel chair users are also in this university. From their presentations, I could find the good and bad points of which I was unconscious.
　　The more students try to have eye contact, the more their presentation become active. Although we are always told to do so, but I learned the importance of eye contact and speaking without reading especially by listening to others presenting.

My Winter Holidays!

　　In this winter, I went to Ibusuki(指宿) in Kagoshima with my family. On this Sunday―it's today―Taiga(大河) drama started, and its heroine is Atsu-hime(篤姫). She was a woman in the Edo period and from Ibusuki. So it was nice time to visit there.
　　Besides we visited Nagasaki-bana(長崎鼻), which is the extreme south of Kyusyu, and we could see the horizon. I realized that the world is round.
　　It was nice trip!　

Honors class Reading

　　I read this week "SALLY'S PHONE". I enjoy the reading.
　　Sally, the heroine, constantly receive a call from her boyfriend, Andrew. Her phone often rings, and she always fulfills his instruction and act in compliance with his wishes―from the time for dating to the color of her skirt! He says it must be blue, because he likes blue. But she met a guy named Paul by chance. Going to the party with him, she turns the phone off. Before the party, Paul says that Sally's red skirt is nice. Sally becomes very happy.
　　I thought it is useless to be submissive to others, although cooperation is necessary. And I will never be a slave to phone!

Honors class Reading

　　I read "Parallel" this week.
　　The key line of this story is "We make decisions. Lots of decisions. Little decisions, big decisions...Our decisions make a difference to our lives." That's right, isn't it? I sometimes consider what am I doing now if I made a different decision before. Everyone is the same, I think. That's interesting.
　　But I will read a book with happy ending.

Speaking class Activity: My impression

　　In this week, we had a presentation about the future of the world. There were many opinions in groups.
　　Some students think about a bright or ideal future, others think about a leak or bad future. When we say our own opinion, each personality come out. It's very interesting. That's my impression on this presentation.