eri-chan

☆☆

2006-11-07T06:58:00.000-08:00

Monday November 6th 2006
About my thesis 2

Does English curriculum have to unify in elementary school?
・・・・・・Today I will write about English activities’ goals and features for each grades in elementary schools and questionnaires.

1. feature
The following is important parts from some books.
○The lower graders
・ They can react to teacher’s voice and sounds naturally and they can remember them.
・ They are not shy.
・ They like expressions of repeating, copying and music.
・ They are interested in ALTs.

○ the middle graders
・ They are accustomed to a school.
・ They have a pose to copy.
・ This is a last time to react obediently.
・ They are interested in language.
・ They look for the pleasure of expression in playing English games.

○ the upper graders
・ They have ability to think same to adults.
・ They can understand that meaning of inter-culture.
・ They look for complicated roles in games.

２.goals for each grades
‘’bring up children’s interest in English and their attitude toward using English ’’
(From the Ministry of Education)

○ the lower graders
・ be fond of English
・ play with English

○ the middle graders
・ enjoy English
・ play with conversation

○ the upper graders
・ get used to English
・ enjoy conversation with native speakers
(These are from some elementary schools.)

Actually, I couldn’t find concrete goals.
I don’t know whether these are goals which I need for my papers or not. There are some goals divided into 3 or 4 parts, but they were goals as English subject.

I think that these are good for elementary school students. And these are also good to achieve.

3.about questionnaires
Who----- some elementary school teachers
When---- in November
What----about English curriculum

☆★

2006-10-30T04:07:00.000-08:00

Monday, October 30, 2006
About my thesis

Today I will write about my thesis.

1. Paper’s research question

It’s ‘’ what are differences and common things of English classes among grades in elementary school? ’’. I think that classes should be changed with children’s growing. But it is not decided yet what kind of the content and activities are good in the lower grades, the middle and upper. I want to know this and teacher’s good attitudes in English activities.

2. How to research

I want to do questionnaires to teachers in some elementary schools.

3. Books I’ve read

‘’Nihonnnoeigokyouikunihituyounakoto’’ Yukio Oostu
‘’Korekaranoshougakkoueigokyouiku’’ Tadahiko Higuchi
‘’ Konnnahuunihajimetemiteha Shougakkoueigo’’
‘’Shougakkoueigo Seminar‘’ (three kinds of books)
‘’Shougakkoudenoeigokyouikuhahituyouka’’ Yukio Oostu
‘’Konnnahuunihajimetemiteha? Shougakkoueigokyouiku’’

4. Concrete plan to December

10/24~11/1
・ make a plan
・ write on my blog
・ reading books

11/1~11/8
・ reading books
・ background

11/8~11/15
・ make a questionnaire
・ reading books
・ draft

11/15~22
・ make a questionnaire
・ continue writing draft

11/22~27
・ ask questionnaires to teachers

2006-06-30T00:08:00.001-07:00

Friday 30th June 2006
My advices to ALTs

I had a time to listen the stories of one junior high school English teacher Mr. M. I got some points which are useful in my teacher training. I want to tell these points to ALTs.

1) Making goals and remember them.

I think that this is difficult, but this is important for teachers. If teachers don't have any goals, students cannot get nothing or they cannot understand what is important.
So, teachers have to remember to make goals clearly and try to get students to understand them.

2) Teachers enjoy English!!!

I think that this is most important. Teachers' job is to teach English to students. But If teachers enjoy English classes, students can think that learning is not only tests or examinations to enter high school but also enjoy activities and enjoy to know another countries. I want students to feel that learning English is fun!!! For it, I want to enjoy English with each students.

3) Activities

I think that activities make students' understanding easier. Because in activities, students use their own body. And students can feel English' s interests. So teachers should use activities as many as you can, for example pare works, group works and works with all students. In these activities, teachers advise to students and teachers can take part in them.

I think that these points are important for teachers. So I would like to remember points and enjoy English classes.

My advices to ALTs

2006-06-30T00:08:00.000-07:00

I had a time to listen the stories of one junior high school English teacher Mr. M. I got some points which are useful in my teacher training. I want to tell these points to ALTs.

1) Making goals and remember them.

I think that this is difficult, but this is important for teachers. If teachers don't have any goals, students cannot get nothing or they cannot understand what is important.
So, teachers have to remember to make goals clearly and try to get students to understand them.

2) Teachers enjoy English!!!

I think that this is most important. Teachers' job is to teach English to students. But If teachers enjoy English classes, students can think that learning is not only tests or examinations to enter high school but also enjoy activities and enjoy to know another countries. I want students to feel that learning English is fun!!! For it, I want to enjoy English with each students.

3) Activities

I think that activities make students' understanding easier. Because in activities, students use their own body. And students can feel English' s interests. So teachers should use activities as many as you can, for example pare works, group works and works with all students. In these activities, teachers advise to students and teachers can take part in them.

I think that these points are important for teachers. So I would like to remember points and enjoy English classes.

2006-05-23T06:07:00.000-07:00

Tuesday ,23th May 2006
!!My Thesis!!

I have been studying what the new English education of elementary schools should focuse on. This time I want to write about 4 points.
1. What I read.
2. Who wrote it?
3.What he wrote.
4. What I think.

1.what I read
I discovered 中教審初等中東教育分科会　外国語専門部会's homepage. There are some interesting things forme about English education from elementary to hogh schools.

2.who it wrote
Maybe it was wrote by some members of 文部科学省.

3.what they wrote.
I found differences between elementary schools' English education and junior highschools'.
First, in junior high, English Education is to acquire English as language. And they learn their functions.

In elementary school, next points are important.
+make chances to speak and use English.
+grow abilities to listen English (in middle grades)
+grow an attitude to understand, reply and speak actively.
And to write and read.

4. what I think
I think that it is important to grow attitude to try to speak, listen, write and read. And for it, I would like students to feel English is interesting.
I've been reading next book named "The future English education in elementary school ". I want to read more books and know more informations.

2006-04-17T06:25:00.000-07:00

Monday, 17th April ,2006
!!About my thesis!!

I am studying English education in elementary schools, now. The name is "English activities" and it is in "総合的な学習の時間". And I think that big difference between other sublects is that English activities don't have goals clearly. They depend on each schools. So I think that English activities are so difficult.

?? How much am I studying???
I have read some books about this activities in library. But I want to read more and know more about it. I don't know what kind of things I am interested in about English activities clearly, but I want to study ways to be good class for children.

??Frame of mind??
Now I am happy because I can know about education through studying for examination to be a teacher. Studying was sometimes so boring. If it was context that I was not interested in. But I think the reason why I did not try to know anything. So I can enjoy studying if I have feeling that I want to learn anything from teachers. But teachers have to work children to study actively. I want to be a teacher who can supply good studying.

2006-02-25T22:34:00.000-08:00

Sunday, 26th Feburary , 2006

I read a book "Eigokyouiku" (The English Teacher's Magagine) written about English education of elementary schools. I am interested in this title.

Now we can hear voices of changing English into English as a subject. I had thought that early start is best for us to study English, but I knew it is not so easy.

In this book, three teachers were discussing about the future English education. I got 2 points from their conversaton.

First, as time which students can learn in school is limited, teachers should try to make cues to bring up " autonmous learners ". Surely, I think it is correct. Teachers had better give them chances to touch English and it is best that students can think that they is interesting and want to learn more and more.

Second, even if English education starts from elementary school or junior high school, it is neccesary to build one pillar. They said that making one image about education through 3 schools, elementary, junior high and high school.

Frankly, I don't know clearly differences between English as a subject and English as activities . But, I think that English subject in elementary schools should be time which students can feel its fun.And then I think that English communication is important. This is from myexperiences, but there are not many reasons and ground . So I want to read more books and get many information and my opinion.

2006-01-30T06:34:00.000-08:00

Differences of English classes between Thailand and Japan
Tuesday, 31, January, 2006

I have been in Thailand for 11 days, and taught students English as a teacher in a junior high and a high school. I went there with another 4 members. We had about 16 English classes. Students were so cute and so kind, and we enjoyed eating lunch, playing vollyball, and of course, studying English. Specifically, what I was glad was that I could see students smiles in our classes. It was very difficult to tell all things in English. Because both of students and us are English learners. But, I think that all experiences will be useful for me! I appriciate all teachers in Thaiand and my professors who adviced many many things.
I want to compare English classes of junior high schools between Thailand and Japan.

(1)About Engish classes that we had in Thailand.

We taught them Japanese cultures, Japanese traditional toys and 4 seasons. We decided key sentenses "Which seasons do you like?" or "Do you like ~?" and after we explained seasons and toys, we exercised sentenses. We used the former in classes which we needed to use easy English, and the latter was used for students who can understand easily.
We used pair works and lines to exercise key sentenses. And if they seemed not to understand the sentenses, we showed examples, which we asked these questions each other and asked students. There were some shy students, but it was so useful to show examples. And also we played a game "Seasons basket" like a "Fruits basket". We changed words of fruits to seasons.
And in another classes, what we taught was business telephone English. The reason is that they may use in the future. We made two groups, a clerk group and a customer group, and then played one or two times and changed a role. Next to pare works, some students identified with a clerk and a customer with using a real sell phone and a desk. I thought a role playing with using real things are very fun for students and important to study.

(2)About English classes in Japan ( when I was a junior high school student)

What I remember well about English classes is that learning English is learning words. In text books, there are always new words written in another space than storys. And I had to remember new words' meaning and spellings. And then I learned key grammers and exercised with pairs and with using papers to exercise. I liked playing games and singing English songs, "Let it be." or "Country road".

(3)Differences between Thailand and Japan

I had been in only 11 days and have only 16 classes. So I cannot say with assurance. But I found some differences.
What most I want to say is that it is a difference how to learn English. In Thailand, first, they start oral English, not new words and no grammars. When I saw some English activities to teach students how to speech, teachers taught them sentenses which students need to speech. And students repeated sentenses and tried to remember.And if there were some words which they didn't understand and couldn't remember, a teacher taught them meanings in Thai. In Japan, there is always grammars. I think that many students don't like that. And maybe students in Thai, students don't write wors or sentenses again and again to remember . They did not use pencils but their mouths.

And another difference is the shape of classes. I think it is a big difference. In Japan, the distance from a teacher to students who are sitting a last line is so far. Teachers have to speak the big voice and repeat mnay times, but in Thailand it is nearer than Japan. So we could see all students easily. If teachers want to play game and there are distanse to students, classes may not go smoothly. Students may feel bored. I thought it is important that students can listen what teachers say.

For 11 days, everyday are learning. I learned in school, from culture, from people.
I think that students in Thailand are interested in learning about Japan, because it is difficult for them to go to abroad. For them it may be more difficult than Japanese.
I think that it is certain that Japanese students have interests to foreign countries more or less. So I knew that learning English is not only learning new words and grammars but also knowing foreign countries and there cultures and so on, again.

2005-12-14T07:47:00.000-08:00

TOEFUL test, TOEIC test and Japanese English Abilities
Wednesday 15th December

I read a book about English Abilities. There are about real English abilities.
I like the words "World Englishes". I think that there are many kinds of English expression same with the number of people. It is just fun of learning. The best way to know own English abilities may be doing test and compare to other people. But, it is not clear that what communication abilities are, what English abilties, like the writer says.
I found that there was nothing makes me borrer than to study English for exams in my student's life. If I get a good score, I feel nice, but I was considering learning English as "subject" for exams. So I think it is important for learners to get own reasons to study English. I remember my happiness and satisfaction when I could tell what I want to say to ALTs. And when I got informations and knew other countries' cultures in classes, I came to be interested in English. The writer says that English is not as a language, but there are many other things surrounding. If English is one of subjects for examinations or a needed language, people, especially children cannot find their interests. So I feel the need to tell interests of learning English. I think that learning English is not for exams, but for ways to open children's doors. And I think that learning English is interesting, if there is another reason to
learn.

2005-11-08T00:15:00.000-08:00

The sound "Ava, va"
Tuesday 8 Novenver!!

His voice is so cute!!! I was glad to see him in this Monday.
By the way, about his saying the sound "Ava va.", I have two ideas.
first, I think that children imitate their parents and their family's voice and they get language little by little. In a computer, his father said "Ava va" many time, so it can be easy for him to say it. He imitated father's voice, and there may be no reason especially.
As a another idea, the sound "v" is not in Japanese same as "f, r". He has been listening the special sound from his father. Finally, he might be interested in the sound "v".
In any case, I think that it is important to speak to children positively.

And also about student, I understood making starts is so important for teachers, as parents give their children starts to get a sound. Parents don't try to force them to speak, but they listen their sounds and imitate them. Parents give starts to speak to them. If there are no father and mother near children, they never get any words. In preschool, teachers play important parts for students. If teachers can give new chances to develop their play, students can experience new things. I think that teacher always should try to understand them what they want to, what they need to. I experienced its difficulties and importance.

2005-11-01T17:43:00.000-08:00

☆Children in Preschool☆

I went to a preschool for 5 days as my teacher training. The time was short, but I spent a full time. It's because that this teacher training changed my images of preschool. Before I went there, I didn't understand a real mean of "play". I know that teacher in preschool always play with children to have them have some new experiences and have their play develop. But it was difficult in fact. I thought that depeloping play is that children do new things. I advised to children to do. But I knew that I didn't understand what children want to in 3rd days. My teacher said that we should read children's mind and pull out what they want to. And she adviced me that teachers don't ask them "What do you want to do?" directly, because children sometimes understand about themselves. So teachers can be one of members and think about their play.
And also I learned that quarrels and collisions among children are important chances which they learn about friends and how to make a good relationships. I thought that they are troubles and troublesome. But I knew that they experienced what is to thinkabout their friends. They came to think friends throught these things, so I think that teachers' support is so important!!!
I had to say goodbye when we know each other. So I hoped to be there more long time. But I remember what I learned in the preschool .

My teacher training !!!

2005-10-05T00:43:00.000-07:00

I had gone to an elementary school, 1st grade for my teacher training. The school is famous for a great performances using Japanese drums.
I had been looking forward to go to school, but I had been anxious about my teacher training.
At the beginning, it was so hard for me to remember students' names. There were many similar names. But as time has gone, it was not a problem. I was so happpy because many students spoke to me when I went to claassroom in morning. I taught all subjects to students and how to wash hands as my last class. I taught that order of hand wash, the palm of the hand, between fingers, between fingers and nails, insteps and side of hands. I used a story illustrated with picture cards about a boy who forgot to wash his hands. And then I had student think what he forgot. Students don't remember how to wash hands completely. So I repeated the order with students. They looked like so fun this activity.
Through this teacher training, I think that it was good for me to be able to feel differences among grades. In 1st grade, students are so young that we have to change what we want to say into easier, and in 6th grade, students may dislike treating like children. In my first class, I was very nouvous and speed to talk was so first for students. It might be tired. After the class, my teacher adviced to me that teachers should be an actor in 1st grade. This is one of parts which teachers should have. This is useful to make atmosphere for learning.
I could get many ideas and feel about a lot of things because of students and teachers who adviced to me. I think that these ideas is neccesary for teachers.
First, I think to understand what students want to say is so important in classes. Almost all students are anxious about whether their ideas are O.K. or not , when they raised their hands and spoke what they think. If what they said was same as what teacher wants, they sit down with happy faces. But if teachers don't say anything for their saying, they are sad. I think that teacher should catch their ideas and understand their feeling. And if there are not ideas which teachers don't want, teachers could ask another questions to the student after teachers understand what they want to say. I hope that students can gain confedence!
I think to praise is also important. My teacher didn't scold students but praise good students. If there were some students who are talking in classes, he praised good students who were waiting silently and he had notice them what they had to. He praised good students, all students did same as good students. I think to praise is good especially for schoolchildren in the lower grades. Because they can notice by themselves.
Lastly, I think that classes is not that teachers give information and ideas to students, but that teachers help students with learning. Sometimes there are some ideas which teachers sould teach，but it is important to make classes with all students.

I was glad to meet 1-2 students. In a farewell party, I saw all students cried. My partner and I also cried. There were not same days. Each day has alot of precious memories. I want to make use of these experiences in my life.

To New Year Students!!!

2005-08-03T01:51:00.000-07:00

I have learned about English Teaching Methodologies II and III for a year. In the II, we learned how to make a lesson and howto teach grammar. I was surprised that there are many tipes to teach. We could think how these methods are, and we could experience directly. And we had some lessons to teach English to some foreigners who don't know much English. I was so nervous, because we have never have such a experience which we teach English to foreigners. But, it was so useful, because other classmates gave us some advises and comments after lesson. Lesson became well gradually. I think that it ware so precious experiences for us. And, we could have some chances to talk with English teachers in another countries with using blog. Don't you think it is fun? You will change ideas and get new informations from them!!
In MethodologiesII, we learned how to get the secound language with using text. There are many difficults words, but I think that each words have very important means. So, you sould do your preparations before classes. And, we went to Nakano junior high school to teach English to students. I thought that it is fun to learn English with children. I hope that you think so. I got many many things through this classes to be a teacher.
Thank you,

2005-06-30T00:36:00.000-07:00

★★１．Team Y's lesson★★★
TeamY's first good point is that when Yuka asked "What is this?" to Mr. Abdreim and he didn't know how to say 本 in English，she didn't answer soon and she asked Chisa. This is very good!!
The second good point is that in introducing new words, they did not only their means and also their accent, especially Australia. Because sometimes Japanese English have wrong acsents, it is important for teachers to teach true acsents. And then, they did a short play again after practicing new words and asked Mr. Abdreim the content. It is very useful way to check whether he can understand new words or not.
Their lesson was great!!!!!(^▽^)/

★★２．Team KMKM's lesson ★★★
What cute voices they have!!!!! If they do this lesson in a junior high school, students all could
feel fun. I think it's important for us to give some situation that students can enjoy learning and forget that English is difficult. And then inpracticing the numbers, good points were that they changed speed of repeating and finally, they had practicing only students. And also they were walking around the room when we answered the questions. I think that it is important to know that whether students could understand new words and sentenses or couldn't.
Thank you for your nice lesson!!!(＊＾－＾＊)/

2005-06-29T18:49:00.000-07:00

☆About the idea for Teaching Grammar
I think that Hangman is good way to use with key grammatical points. If a teacher introduce new gramars only on the words, almost all students may feel very bored. But in this way students can learn new words and sentences through playing this game. The games make it easy to enter into learning and they arevery fun!!

☆About the ideas for Practicing and Introducion New Grammars
I think to use pictures is useful. Especially to use 標識 to practice "must" and "have to".
I think learning can be easier to use their eyes and mouths than just to listen and write.

☆About the ideas for Communicative Activities
In this term, I think Matching game is nice, because there are many kinds of answers in this game. So, It is more useful for students than only to read same sentences. And in this game, as students can walk around the room to find to ask the question, I think activities with using their bodies can be so useful!!

☆I think activities and games are so important for learning, because they can be remember what they learned with playing games and moving their bodies.And then using pictures are easy to indicate the examples.

2005-06-21T14:18:00.000-07:00

Team DHC2's reflection!!!
I thought they made good atmosphere, because students looked like very fun, of course the guest, too. I think that the short plays with using CD player and so on made the mood better. We all could feel time spent soon. And also because inyour group, there was 進行役，it was so easy to know when we would go next contents. And another good point is that arrenging of cars is good for students. I thought that it makes easier to understand than using cards has all sentences. In pare works, pretty cards they made were so useful to practice. And last, what is great thing was that they used かるた game for another way of practicing. It was very interesting for me，and she also enjoyed studying.

2005-06-21T02:44:00.000-07:00

Team A's reflection!!
I thought their lesson were great，too. It was good job that they could teach how to use "this "and "that" withought using much Japanese. I thought using two blackboards located oposite side made it easy to understand them. Team A also made some cards to pare works, we could many times to practice how to use that day's important sentences. The guest looked like so fun!!!

2005-06-05T23:12:00.000-07:00

About Team T's Lesson
★What they paticularly liked about Team T's lesson
I thought that Team T's lesson was good, because I could see the structure of the lesson, especially there are introduction, review and practices. And also they watched students' eyes to know whether he could understand or not. It is so important for teachers to watch the students' reaction. And then they repeated important words and key sentenses over and over. He could understand them and repeated to put into his head. Also, it's good to ask him some questions.
In intruction, by showing him a short play they had us found that today's lesson is about "Greeting". Because I didn't connect well in our Team sniffle's lesson, I learned the importance of introduction to have students prepare the lesson of Greeting. The review of the lesson was also good, because he could confirm what he learned in that lesson. I thought that he looks very fun!!!!!

★Some　suggestions for an even better lesson
He was almost enjoying the lesson, but sometimes he seemed that he cuoldn't understand how to pronounce. And also he wrote pronpunciation in Japanese under the English, as I did in my junior high school. In the lesson, Team T did many many times to practice how to say, but I thought it is so difficult to teach English!!

Grammatical Elements

2005-05-30T21:03:00.000-07:00

☆When I was a student, I felt that "s+v", "s+v+c", "s+v+o" were easier than other grammars, because they are just simple sentenses. And chunks like "How are you?", "Good morning." and "See you later." were also not difficult to understand and remember, because they were always used in English classes. Difficult grammatical elements were how to make 疑問文 and 関係節. Because the order of words change between 肯定文　and 疑問文, I was very confused. I think some students can't understand this and come to dislike English.

☆As a teacher, I think we should teach the differences of order between English and Japanese, like a in Japanese "V" is last of a sentense，but in English "V" always come back of "S". If the students can understand them, they can make simple sentenses!! And I think if they use them as often as they can , they can use by themselves, as when I was a student.
I think that the plural forms is so difficult to teach ot the students, because they don't exist in Japanese and there is no regular form. For example, there are the words which we have to put "-s", "-es" and the word which we have to change to almost different words. And also there are some kinds of ways to pronounce. Now, this is used natural rules for us, but it may be difficult for students especially who are beginners of English.

sniffle's lesson

2005-05-22T23:12:00.000-07:00

My team taught English to three Spanish in last class. In preparing, because we thought that taching English to people who can't speak Japanese was more dificult than to children who can't speak English, so we dicided to repeat important words and practicing the key words again and again. I think that it was good to show a short play using the key words and sentenses, how to say numbers and plural form. And also practicing numbers with using a list and samples we made were effective in their understanding.
But I thought we could have used more activities among them with using menu or made situation which they could use what they knew in this class.
I thought teaching English to foreigners was a good experience which I can seldom experience. So I want to put it to good acount!!!!

英語教育法Ⅲ homework about Spanish class

2005-05-08T22:47:00.000-07:00

①How much of the presentation in Spanish did you understand? What made the input comprehensible and what could have been done to make the language easier to nderstand?

I could understand allmost all of the presentation in Spanish. The reasons are that teacher talked Spanish very slowly and repeated important words again and again until we can understand them. And also, teacher taught us Spanish with pointing the genealogy to have us understand easily. Finally, teacher began to explain the words from himself "Mi". And then we learned with using a game.

② Did you learn any new words or new grammer in Spanish?
Yes, I learned many new words like "Padre" is a father, "Madre" is a mother and "Hijo" is a wife and also learned how to ask someone's father and mother.

③How did you feed about being a beginning foreign language student?
When the Spanish class began, I thought that I can't understand this class because I've never studied Spanish, but finally, I enjoyed learning Spanish. I thought that it is useful for learning to use the genealogy and jestures, speak slowly and repeat key words.

英語教育法Ⅲ　Part1

2005-04-21T23:58:00.000-07:00

1. My favorite English teacher was Setsuo Takahashi in my junior high school.
2. This teacher was my favorite because I became to like English by the grace of him. As his classes always have some games and English songs, I enjoyed speaking English and studying.
3. As a teacher, my greatest strength will be to like children.
4. As a teacher, my greatest weakness will be that I sometimes take a pessimistic view.

eri-chan

2005-04-21T23:03:00.000-07:00

Hi!!（＊＾－＾＊）Y
Welcome to my page!
I'm Eri.
I'm an University student in Japan and my major is education.
I like listening to music and going shopping with my friends.
Recently, I began to live near my university. I'm enjoying.
Nice to meet you!!!!

eri-chan

☆☆

☆★

My advices to ALTs

My teacher training !!!

To New Year Students!!!

Grammatical Elements

sniffle's lesson

英語教育法Ⅲ homework about Spanish class

英語教育法Ⅲ Part1

eri-chan

英語教育法Ⅲ　Part1