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Post by Researcher Irish on May 18, 2015 13:06:38 GMT 9
Hey peeps!
I need help with ideas for my english class.
It has a major focus on culture and Ive done it a million times since Ive got her so Im all out of ideas.
The group I have now has quite a low level and I have a very strict no Japanese policy in class.
If you have any ideas I would love to here them.
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Post by dosanko on May 18, 2015 13:31:20 GMT 9
This is a good thread.
Are you looking for themes in general, or activities you can do in class?
My 職員向け英会話講座 is very casual and it's not necessarily culture-oriented all the time, and I don't have a strict no-Japanese policy (although I speak English 99% of the time). I also have people of various levels of English.
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Post by Researcher Irish on May 18, 2015 13:51:46 GMT 9
This is a good thread. Are you looking for themes in general, or activities you can do in class? My 職員向け英会話講座 is very casual and it's not necessarily culture-oriented all the time, and I don't have a strict no-Japanese policy (although I speak English 99% of the time). I also have people of various levels of English. Thanks. Im looking for themes more than anything and then I will fit activities around them.
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Post by dosanko on May 18, 2015 14:22:57 GMT 9
Hmmm. As mines aren't always culture-oriented, I haven't done very many culture themes, but here's what I've done so far that involves culture learning; Christmas, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, New Year's, other holidays in Canada and Japan, travelling, music (singers), movies (actors), phoning people, drinking culture/hanami, "what's your 地元 famous for?" stuff, TV programmes (I've done Jeopardy in class), April Fool's Day, etc. If you've been doing it for a while, I'm assuming you've probably done most of these
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Post by marudate on May 18, 2015 15:58:11 GMT 9
What did you do already?
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Post by むちゃRABU❤ on May 19, 2015 10:29:02 GMT 9
how about talking about recent topics? it's probably too hard you might think, but you can print out a newspaper article and highlight key words and like, make them talk around those key words. I kind of like the way Sparkles and fellow CIR did their lunchtime sessions. you can try to take a leaf from there?
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su
Straight outta Narita
Posts: 29
CIR Experience: 1st year
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Post by su on Aug 12, 2015 13:14:09 GMT 9
This is my first full day of work, and these are all great ideas!
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Post by マイJake - 島人ぬ宝 on Aug 19, 2015 15:51:50 GMT 9
I have a mixture of English, Preschool and a small sprinkle of Elementary school classes, and I use this resource all the time for games. I just change rules or adapt the games to my themes as necessary. akitajet.com/wiki/Elementary_school_activities
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su
Straight outta Narita
Posts: 29
CIR Experience: 1st year
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Post by su on Aug 20, 2015 12:02:37 GMT 9
I have a mixture of English, Preschool and a small sprinkle of Elementary school classes, and I use this resource all the time for games. I just change rules or adapt the games to my themes as necessary. akitajet.com/wiki/Elementary_school_activitiesThank you!!! I have to visit 15 daycares/kindergartens a 4 or 5 times each in the next year, so I'm so glad there was a Kindergarten section.
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Post by マイJake - 島人ぬ宝 on Aug 20, 2015 13:02:39 GMT 9
I have a mixture of English, Preschool and a small sprinkle of Elementary school classes, and I use this resource all the time for games. I just change rules or adapt the games to my themes as necessary. akitajet.com/wiki/Elementary_school_activitiesThank you!!! I have to visit 15 daycares/kindergartens a 4 or 5 times each in the next year, so I'm so glad there was a Kindergarten section. Yeah its a pretty good resource. I have been going to daycares 3 times a month for the past year now so you can ask me too if you need any ideas!
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su
Straight outta Narita
Posts: 29
CIR Experience: 1st year
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Post by su on Aug 21, 2015 13:46:01 GMT 9
Thank you!!! I have to visit 15 daycares/kindergartens a 4 or 5 times each in the next year, so I'm so glad there was a Kindergarten section. Yeah its a pretty good resource. I have been going to daycares 3 times a month for the past year now so you can ask me too if you need any ideas! I'm going to go a couple times a week, so I'll almost definitely have some questions. Thanks!
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Post by マイJake - 島人ぬ宝 on Aug 21, 2015 13:47:38 GMT 9
Yeah its a pretty good resource. I have been going to daycares 3 times a month for the past year now so you can ask me too if you need any ideas! I'm going to go a couple times a week, so I'll almost definitely have some questions. Thanks! Just don't feel scared. The 児童 sense it and consider you their prey.
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Post by Researcher Irish on Aug 26, 2015 16:56:45 GMT 9
This semester for my international centre class I am choosing a different country each week and introducing its most popular (home-grown) programming on both TV and radio and some unique items of the media from each country.
I am also asking the students to interact with English media every week and bring something which they read or listened to to class every week.
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su
Straight outta Narita
Posts: 29
CIR Experience: 1st year
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Post by su on Aug 27, 2015 10:51:05 GMT 9
I'm going to go a couple times a week, so I'll almost definitely have some questions. Thanks! Just don't feel scared. The 児童 sense it and consider you their prey. I am going to be eaten alive.
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Post by snell_mouse on Aug 27, 2015 11:00:28 GMT 9
In that case just remember that you are bigger than them!
(Unless you are tiny like me and some 小学生 are taller than you. orz)
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su
Straight outta Narita
Posts: 29
CIR Experience: 1st year
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Post by su on Aug 27, 2015 13:40:45 GMT 9
snell_mouse I can't wait til my first visit! ... so I can get it over with. I will be taller than them though. Good point! Researcher Irish Nice! I might use this for my adult English classes.
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ms_ballpython
Straight outta Narita
on a roll!
Posts: 22
CIR Experience: 2nd year
Location: Kyoto
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Post by ms_ballpython on Aug 31, 2015 17:04:58 GMT 9
I have a mixture of English, Preschool and a small sprinkle of Elementary school classes, and I use this resource all the time for games. I just change rules or adapt the games to my themes as necessary. akitajet.com/wiki/Elementary_school_activitiesWondering if you're the Jake I know but anyway!!! Thanks for the great link d(><) Definitely going to start referencing it for my 'English' cultural introduction class at the local cultural center~ (also with the 児童 and I'm probably going to be about 70% happy and 30% scared each time)
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Post by マイJake - 島人ぬ宝 on Sept 1, 2015 10:08:01 GMT 9
I have a mixture of English, Preschool and a small sprinkle of Elementary school classes, and I use this resource all the time for games. I just change rules or adapt the games to my themes as necessary. akitajet.com/wiki/Elementary_school_activitiesWondering if you're the Jake I know but anyway!!! Thanks for the great link d(><) Definitely going to start referencing it for my 'English' cultural introduction class at the local cultural center~ (also with the 児童 and I'm probably going to be about 70% happy and 30% scared each time) Jakes are a rare breed on this forum. I wouldn't be surprised
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Post by momo black on Jan 4, 2017 14:49:17 GMT 9
I'm trying to plan a beginner level 英語講座 with the concept of "English for hosting a foreigner at your home" (trying to make it ~tabunkakyousei~ish somehow)
the themes I have for lessons are self-intro, hobbies, food, touristing, and shopping
I want a nice succinct final theme something related to culture would be great
any ideas?
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Mumblesnore
Dead Stargod
’Tis the season (for Eggnog)
Posts: 16,153
CIR Experience: Former CIR
Location: Tokyo
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Post by Mumblesnore on Jan 4, 2017 15:08:48 GMT 9
Maybe teach them a game (TOLAMPU or otherwise) they can play with foreign guests?
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Post by 𝑜𝓇𝒾𝒽𝒾𝓂𝑒 on Jun 18, 2019 13:41:21 GMT 9
Just sharing the idea I came up with for my EIGO KOUZA this week
Background info: this class is an intermediate class for city hall employees (so adults), this is the first time doing an intermediate class, and this week'll be week 2. I use 100% English (English interpreter lady insisted on that)
So far each week I set a theme and give them 10 minutes to write something for that theme, using suggestions on the worksheet. Then I get each person to present their piece of writing to the class (I do this activity so they can practice writing as well as speaking (and I can mark the written pieces afterwards instead of doing a proper test), learn vocab by looking up what they need for what they want to say, and practice speaking without it being too daunting because they've already thought about and planned out what they want to say.
This week's theme is films and tv shows so they're to write about their favourite film or tv show, the suggestions are: - the plot/story, what is the film/tv show about? - what genre, or type of film / tv show is it? - the characters - what kind of people are they? - where does the film or tv show take place? - why is this film or tv show your favourite?
Then, because one of them asked about doing practice dialogues on specific situations (like explaining to foreigners how to get the bus etc.) last week, and after consulting with English interpreter lady and us both thinking 'their English is already good enough to know/work out how to explain how to get a bus, and besides that kind of dialogue is beginner class stuff', I made some dialogues, but made them a bit more involved and more like a natural conversation by adding different options for replies into the script, so the person can choose the one that fits what they want to say rather than only learning one set response which might not apply to them when having some conversations.
So I put bullet points for each option, and assigned each option a number, then give the follow up responses for those options the same number so they match and it's easy to know which conversation parts link to which, e.g.
A: What's your favourite film?
B: - Hmm...I think my favourite film is probably _________ - I don't really have a favourite film, but my favourite tv show is _________
A: -(1) Oh, I know that one! Which part do you like best? -(2) Ah, I don't know that one. What's it about?
B: -(1) My favourite part is _________ -(1) I don't really have a favourite part, what about you? -(2) It's about __________
A: -(1) I see! I like that part too / My favourite part is ___________ -(1) I see! I don't have a favourite part either, the whole film / show is great -(1) I see! I haven't actually seen the film / show, I just know about it -(2) I see! It sounds interesting (I'd like to watch it sometime)
I haven't done this lesson yet, but I'll update with how it goes once I have~
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Post by 𝑜𝓇𝒾𝒽𝒾𝓂𝑒 on Aug 7, 2019 10:51:21 GMT 9
Realised I forgot to update this, but the dialogues with multiple options are working well! I've used that format in every class since and they've got the hang of using them really well ^^
But now it's my second to last class and I've run out of themes TwT so I was looking for some suggestions. I'd still be using the same class format I explained above.
Themes I've used: Self-intros Films and TV shows Food and Drink Travel Sports Hometowns Festivals Music
I considered books but not everyone reads, and also it could be a little similar to the films/tv shows thing. I also thought about doing family but worried it might be too personal (although could be good 交流 to explain that it's more normal to talk about one's family in the west) Then I was also thinking if I do free talk for the last class maybe I could do this second-to-last one on dreams and goals? But wondered if that might also be too personal/too vague...
Anyone got any ideas? ^^;;;
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Post by 🍅™️ on Aug 7, 2019 11:21:10 GMT 9
Idk if it would work but like idioms are interesting? Like sharing English and Japanese ones?
Maybe having people guess the meanings of English ones or try to translate Japanese ones into English? Also they can show some things about culture, depending on context, etc (like what themes are common in idioms could reflect what's important in a culture)
(my coworkers and I were talking about "You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" the other day and they were like ??)
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Post by 𝑜𝓇𝒾𝒽𝒾𝓂𝑒 on Aug 7, 2019 11:27:08 GMT 9
Ah, that does sound interesting but that feels more like the kind of thing we do in the eikaiwa we help with ^^;; I have an established format for my class I teach as I mentioned above, which is: > establish a simple theme, of the kind that would come up in everyday conversation
> have them write about the theme for 10 mins (provide 5 bulletpoint hints/ideas) (I also write something) > prepare 2 dialogue scripts for the theme, with multiple options for answers > have them go through those in pairs while I go around listening and asking each pair questions So I'd rather have a more specific theme like I had for the other weeks for my class, but I could definitely use the idiom theme for eikaiwa when I actually go
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Post by 🍅™️ on Aug 7, 2019 11:31:09 GMT 9
Ah, that does sound interesting but that feels more like the kind of thing we do in the eikaiwa we help with ^^;; I have an established format for my class I teach as I mentioned above, which is: > have them write about the theme for 10 mins (provide 5 bulletpoint hints/ideas) (I also write something) > prepare 2 dialogue scripts for the theme, with multiple options for answers > have them go through those in pairs while I go around listening and asking each pair questions So I'd rather have a more specific theme like I had for the other weeks for my class, but I could definitely use the idiom theme for eikaiwa when I actually goThat's fair... ^^; If you have a good system that's what you should use for sure. I should have considered your system more with my suggestion, sorry ^^;
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Post by 𝑜𝓇𝒾𝒽𝒾𝓂𝑒 on Aug 7, 2019 11:36:44 GMT 9
Ah, that does sound interesting but that feels more like the kind of thing we do in the eikaiwa we help with ^^;; I have an established format for my class I teach as I mentioned above, which is: > have them write about the theme for 10 mins (provide 5 bulletpoint hints/ideas) (I also write something) > prepare 2 dialogue scripts for the theme, with multiple options for answers > have them go through those in pairs while I go around listening and asking each pair questions So I'd rather have a more specific theme like I had for the other weeks for my class, but I could definitely use the idiom theme for eikaiwa when I actually goThat's fair... ^^; If you have a good system that's what you should use for sure. I should have considered your system more with my suggestion, sorry ^^; Ah it's okay, I appreciate the suggestion at least!~ ^^
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sacchan
So jozu at chopsticks
Why?
Posts: 134
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Post by sacchan on Aug 7, 2019 13:18:40 GMT 9
𝑜𝓇𝒾𝒽𝒾𝓂𝑒 Favourite holidays/popular past times?
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Post by 𝑜𝓇𝒾𝒽𝒾𝓂𝑒 on Aug 7, 2019 13:28:16 GMT 9
sacchan ah we already talked about favourite holidays a bit when I did the class about travel, so I feel like it might be a bit repetitive to do that (or if you meant holidays as in like Christmas, Tanabata etc. we talked about that when I did the class about festivals ^^;; ) As for popular past times, we've talked about a lot of hobby stuff within the other categories so I'm not sure...unless I do a class about peoples' childhoods? But then again that could also be too personal I guess.... It could be cool to do like a "Past and Future" class where people can talk about childhood memories but also goals or hopes for the future though...
Edit: I talked it through with English interpreter lady and she thought the goals would be a good theme, and that I could also ask about past goals like 'what did you want to be when you were younger?' or 'if you weren't working here where would you have liked to work?' so I'm gonna do that~
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sacchan
So jozu at chopsticks
Why?
Posts: 134
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Post by sacchan on Aug 7, 2019 14:07:16 GMT 9
𝑜𝓇𝒾𝒽𝒾𝓂𝑒Ah yeah I meant like Christmas and stuff. Values or something like that could be interesting but potentially too personal... The goal thing sounds really fun! GANBA~
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Post by starbreeze on Aug 7, 2019 14:36:09 GMT 9
I'm starting a similar 英語講座 for the 役場職員 this month.
So far the themes I'm planning on are simple greetings, greeting visitors to the 役場/on the phone, guiding people (tourism), terms for natural disasters, travel and the last is like a what-to-do-when-you-just-can't-English and also specific terms and phrases for the parts of the 役場 people work in.
The format of each lesson will be review of the previous week, pronunciation practice, teaching new phrases and having students group up to do the role play.
I'm also making flashcard decks on Quizlet they can use to help them memorize what they've learned. They're pretty low-key and relaxing to do so hopefully they will wanna do them outside of class.....
I like this choose-your-own-adventure format of role play conversation scenarios. I might have to incorporate that method into mine ifitdoesntbreakmybrain...
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