I read a book ★ December 13 , 2005

TOEFLテスト　TOEICテストと日本人の英語力

～資格主義から実力主義へ～

I think to master English is important for us because we need to use English as a tool of international communication. So it may be natural for many Japanese to take many kinds of English certificate examination. But when we take an examination, the most important thing is not getting good score, but getting essential communication ability to maintain our own idea through the study for English certificate examination. To be a real good communicator, we have to have our own idea and do persuasive negotiation making the best of our awkward English. Why we study English? Is it to get good score for our promotion or entrance? It can’t be reason. I think it is important to get real ability for our goal　ｂecause what kinds of English we need is depend on our future. Otherwise we will not be able to study English efficiently and actively and be a good communicator. I said to myself why I am studying English. It is not to get capacities, but for my future students. I want to be a glamourous English teacher, and teach many students not only grammar and content of textbook but also culture and custom of many countries because I want students to like English and be positive communicators. For my goal, I have to study English respecting its culture. Thus the first step to start studying English is thinking why I try to study English and what I want to do using English. I learned this idea from this book.

I thought we should do many communication activities to grow up good communicators. Because when I was junior high school student, I hardly did communication activities and I was always studying grammar at English class, so I could not communicate with others. But I found Japanese students should study grammar more in comparison with other Asian Nations. So I changed my idea: it is important to keep the balances of 4 skills.

Cram School ★ October 19, 2005

Teaching Practice at cram shool

To readers
I was teaching English at cram school to prepare my teaching practice in junior high scnool. I thought there are mamy differeces between cram shool and junior high school. So I want to introduce how to teach English at cram school.


① Greeting
② Home room (10 minutes)
Taka attendance.
We have to give students useful imformation about the entrance examination.
We have to make a good atmosphere to make students study hard.
We check students' homework. If students forgot doing homework or bringing their
notebook, students have to show the teacher the notebook next time.
③ Test 1 (20 minutes)
We do test to check whether they could understand the grammar which they learned last week or not every week. (5~10 questions, from homework and workbook) Teacher asks each students how many questions you could solve. (80％～：pass)
④ Explain new material (20 minutes)
Writing the points of new material, we explain the grammar.(Students have to take notes quickly. Students speak nothing.)
⑤ Laboratory (40 minutes)
Every student have workbook, and students have to solve the question inside stated time. We check how students did in the labotatory.
⑥ Test 2 (30 minutes)
We do test to check whether they could master the new grammar or not. (15~20 questions, from workbook, 80%~:pass)
⑦ Greeting


The differences between junior high school's English class and cram school's.
① Don't use English in the classroom. (Explain in Japanese)
② Deductive instruction ＞ Inductive instruction
③ Presentation⇒Practice⇒（×Production）
④ Writing!! (×Speaking, Reading, Listening)
⑤ Goal: To take good score. (×To communicate with foreigners in English)
⑥ Only teachers are speaking.
⑦ Make a point of grammars.
⑧ Don't do any activities.

There were many differences between junior high school's English class and cram school's. Today, many students go to cram school after school or weekend, and they are studying like this. I have never gone to cram shool, so I can not understand the feelings of students. But many students say that we will not be able to pass the entrance examination if we come to cram school and study grammars. The idea of students confused me. Gami (V)o￥o(V)

Student Teaching ★ October 6 , 2005

★☆ Teaching Practice ☆★

To readers
This is my analysis of Unit 4&5 in New Horizon English Course 3 (U4&5 in NH3, for short) and my opinion about teaching English at junior high school. They are based on both my success and failure during my teaching practice this summer, so I’m very happy if I receive any comment.
（ I realizad a lack in my knowledge of English and imformation about other countries and my country. Especially, my pronounciation of English is greatly different from that of native speakers. So I thought that I should learn not only teaching methods and English grammar, but also phonetics and intercultural communication more during university students. I want to try my best and improve my speaking and listening skills of English and know about foreign countries more and see the beauty of my country, Japan!! (V)o￥o(V)　）

1. successful points
① Classroom English
I almost used English in my class. Because I thought that it is absurd to use Japanese when students try to study English, and I wanted to give them as many changes as possible to listen to English. Classroom English is very useful in teaching English, and I thought it makes good atmosphere of English classroom and encourages the students to speak English.
I thought that even if students could not understand our classroom English, we had better not use Japanese to explain the words. Because students have power to guess the words which they could not understand. So we have to let students use their imagination and ability to guess.
ex)
・Demonstrate-------------- U4 p.46 "raise"
・Use the real thing--------- U4 p.44 "fan"
・Draw or Sketch----------- U4 p.51 "line"
・Antonyms------------------ U4 p.53 "expensive" ⇔ cheap
・Synonyms------------------ U4 p.46 "loud" ≒ big
・Verbal explanation------- U4 p.47 "thirsty" → If you want something to eat, you are hungry. If you want something to drink, you are thirsty.

② Study about sound
Students have few chances to study about sound in this textbook. So I tried to let them study about sound each time when we checked the new words.
ex)
U4 p.44 fan-fun
U4 p.46 raise-rise
U4 p.47 thirsty [th] ... etc

③ A lot of care to students' activity
There were many kind of students in the classroom. So there were some pairs who could not do their activity well( because they hated each other) in each class. When I noticed the trouble, I stopped doing pair activity and changed group activity in the next class. But to do group activity was worse than pair activity, because the chances to speak English decreased by doing group activity. So next class, I went to the pair and did the activity with them. As a result, they could do pair activity with me. If I did not notice this situation, they won't do the activity during my class. I thought that it was important to see students' activity carefully.

④ Warm-up
I did criss-cross for warm-up before presenting the new material. Students enjoyed this game, and their speaking and listening skills were improved day by day. I gave them questions from textbook(new words, grammar, dialog). So Students were watching their textbook for preparing this game before the class. I thought that to make good atmosphere of class is very important. After this game, the atmosphere of my class was wonderful. So I could teach smoothly.

⑤ P.P.P
Studnts study English to use English, so the goal of the class is not to master the grammar or to practice hard. The goal of the English class is to use the new material by themselves. That is why, it is important for us to make the lesson plan like "Presentation→Practice→Production", and make time to produce.
ex)
U5 p.55 ”間接疑問文(an indirect question)”
Goal: To talk with your partner using indirect questions and know about your partner.

⑥ Gather students' worksheet.
I gathered students’ worksheet every day to check･･･
・spell(There were many mistakes which students could not notice.)
・Who could understand? Who could not understand?
・What was difficult[easy] for them?
・What kind of mistakes did they make?
I could notice many things from students’ worksheet. So I could modify and devise my lesson plan for next class, and make better one.


2. Bad points(changes for the better)
① Deductive instruction ＜ Inductive instruction
I explained students new material in Japanese using grammatical language on the blackboard. The students who like English could understand and satisfied my teaching, but this explanation is maybe hard for some students who hate English. I should give students more examples concluding the new material, and let them notice and guess about the new material without boring explanation. And all students may study it naturally.

② evaluation words
My pet phrase was “OK”. One of an English teacher advised me that you should make the differences between ”Are you OK?” and “That’s OK” , and use more evaluation words like “good, excellent, good job, great “. So I made list of evaluation words in my mind and tried to use these words. ( A: Excellent! , B: Great! , C: Good job! , D: Good! , E: OK! )

③ worksheet
I almost used English in my class, but I made work sheet in Japanese.
ex) 氏名、組、番、学習日
I could put many words into English.

④ Make a clear goal
At first my plan was too ambitious because I wanted to mix writing, speaking, listening and reading. So every activity did not work well. I thought that it is difficult to use four skills only 50 minutes, and I understood that to focus and make clear goal is very important to make a effective activity.

I thought that the most important things is to communicate with students and know them. If we counld not make good relationship, we will not be able to make good classes. I do not know what kind of teacher is a good teacher, but I believe that the teacher who tries to understand students is a good teacher.

Assignment 12 ★ July 3 , 2005

Reflection on Team Y's lesson
Good points of their resson
・ They could exploit the textbook well . Their introduction and short play based on the dialogue of the textbook . I found that it is possible for us to do lessons without making many handouts or charts . Many of groups were forgetting to exploit the textbook , and we tried to make something new , so we took much time to prepare the class . We learned many points of teaching grammer , so we tended to forget to use textbook effectively . Next time , I want to try to use the textbook more usefully .
・ Their warm up was very good !! Team A's lesson and Team Y's lesson were related , so it was important to confirm his knowledge and prepare before teaching the new materials . What is more , they could imply the content of their lesson in their introduction , so the introduction had aspects of both confirmnation and notice . ・ When they read the dialogue of textbook , they tried to use Backward Build-up Drill . It is difficult to read for beginners to read a long line of the dialogue , so I thought this method was effective .
The points they might try doing differently in the future
・ I thought they should take the time to practice new words and dialogue . It is hard for beginner to remember how to pronounce and the meaning of the words within such a short time .
・ He confused the difference between he and she when he did check test . Teachers taught the meaning of new word in Japanese , so we thought that he could understand the meaning , but he could not understand the difference . I thought it is important to confirm beginner's understanding . They might try using students as examples or talking about familiar topics .
ex) He is my father . He is Mr. Koizumi .
She is my mother . She is Ms . Aiko .
She is Yuka / Yukiko . (As point girls)
He is Taku / kyounowanko . (As point boys)

Assignment 11 ★ July 2 , 2005

Reflection on Team KMKM's lesson
☆Greeting☆
☆Introduction☆
・ We tried to say something that students can understand to warm up , using map , pictures , name cards . But introduction is difficult for him . (?) I realized that he could understand our name and home , but he could hardly undertand about age . However , I think we could get student's interest about new material , and use student's imagination and ability to guess the material .
☆Goal☆
・ We spoke today's goal too quickly . Maybe he could hardly understand what he is going to learn today . We should speak more slowly and comfirm his understanding .
・ I thought that our goal was too difficult for beginners to get over . We might demand too many things . He is real beginner of English , so to ask name and age and telephone number mey be really diffiult for him . We should think from bigginer's point of view .
☆Practice(Number)☆
・ We should practice more slowly , and we should take more time to practice with his partner or group . He could say with other students , but he could not say numbers by himself . It took time to remember how to say numbers . We should wait until he can remember , otherwise he will be unable to do interview smoothy .
☆Short play☆
・ When we did short play , we spoke too quickly . So I thought it was hard for him to understand the content of our short play . We should repeat the dialogue . Our good points of short play are to use our body , change our voice , use real character . And we did same pattern of conversation three times . Maybe junior high school students will be interested in this short play .
☆Practice(Key words)
・ We should practice more . We should practice with not only all class members but also his partner or group . He needed more time to master and remember the thress sentences .
☆Interview☆
・ We tried to mix writing , apeaking , reading , listening , I thought our idea of interview was very good . Because this activity has aspects of both real and drill , and students could produce language with meaning and other members could attend to the message . But we should take more time to do this activity , because he could not ask all of his group members .
☆Check test☆
・We also tried to mix four skills . Check tesk was balanced well . When we check the answer , we should do repetitions and confirm their knowledge . We could celebrate one of our member's birthday !! Congratulation !!!
☆Greeting☆

I remembered my first Spanish lesson . I was nervous at first , because I hardly understood what thacher was speaking . I had both hopes and fears , but fears were much bigger than hopes . I thought he will have same feeling with me . The hurdle which we have to get over to learn something new is very very high , it is beyond our expectations . I really remembered and the feeling of students who try to study somethig new . I want to think about the feeling of beginner , and plan the lesson next time .

Assignment 10 ★ June 26 , 2005

Key Points for Teaching Grammar
Which of the Key Points for teaching grammar, ideas for introducing new grammar, ideas for practicing new grammar, and ideas for communicative activities were useful and why you thought so.
★Teaching new grammar
☆I thought to encourade students to see patterns is very important and helpful . I am teaching at cram school and practiced irregular verb like this method , but there were not pattens in my practice . So students could not notice the patterns and tried to learn it by heart . It was hard for students to remember irregular verb and many of students hated to remember . If I practice irregular past which is devided into same group , students will be able to remember more easily . So I thought to make patterns is very important .
★Introducing and Practicing new grammar
☆when we introduce new material , I think getting students' interest toward new material is one of the most important things . So I like to use real things (ex. pictures) and real imformation and to do quizzes base on fact . To use real things and real imformation help stuents to undertand new materials . And these idea will be able to sustain interest of students . What is more , we will be able to let students use their imagination and ability to guess by useing these ways .
★Communication activity
☆I think that information gap makes students more active . It is important for teachers to give as many chances to use English as possible to their students . I especially like to do Interview . Because this activity mixes writing , speaking , and listening . And this activity has aspects of both drill and real . What is more , students can talk about familiar topics , and they will be able to test their knowledge and help each other . Of course , I liked to do Skit and Karuta .

Which ideas you did not think were useful and why you thought so?
★Teaching new grammar
☆I like to do Hangman and Who am I , but these games took much time per question and only a few of students could attend the game . So these games may be bored junior high school students . We should devise how to do these games . For example , teachers make groups and let each groups compete .
★Introducing an practicing new grammar
☆I think many of students like to do movement , but there are not only positive and cheerful students but also negative and quiet students in the classes . When I attended "Reader's theater" , one of real junior high school teacher told us that there are students who do not speak in the class . There are many kinds of students , and I think to use this way is very difficult for teachers . I want to try to use this way , but I want to pay attention to students' character at first .

Assignment 9 ★ June 20 , 2005

Reflection on Team A's lesson
Good points of their resson
☆First , they confirmed what Mr.Neyim learned in the last class★They could do warm up before teach new materials★Teachers introduced themselves saying something that Mr.Neyim can understand★What is more , they asked Mr.Neyim to do introduction , and they found his mintakes and they could correct it★I thought their warm up was very good idea★
☆Their class was well balanced . They tried to mix reading , listening , writing and speaking .
☆Teachers used student's imagination and ability to guess to help him understand the materials . After the short play , one of teacher said to Mr.Neyim , "Can you understand the meaning of This is ~, That is~." I thought this question was very good .

The points they might try doing differently in the future .
☆Practice should have aspects of both drill and real . I thought the practice was monotonous . The practice was communication activity(コミュニケーション活動) , so I thought they should also do task activity(タスク活動) to understand practical English usage .
ex) Teachers give students a list of new words which is in the class .
①Pair work
Student A : What is this ?
Student B : This is desk .
Student B : What is that ?
Student A : That is blackbord .
②Class work
Teacher : Student A , what is this ?
Student A : This is TV .
All students : This is TV .
☆I thought that they hasitated to act out and say something to students . I think it is natural for us to be shy , but If I should be a student , I would feel nervous . I always look at my friends face before I say something . I thought this is bad habit of us . I want to try to speak with confidence . If teachers hesitated to speak , students also hesitated to speak . I wann to improve my bad habit .

Their warm-up impressed me !! It was very natural . They gave Nr.Neyim many chances to use English , and they confirmes his understanding . They tought him kindly . They were very good teachers . (V)o￥o(V)

Assignment 8 ★ June 19 , 2005

Reflection on DHC2's lesson
Good points of their resson
☆When we did pronounciation practice , first teachers and students pronounced together , then teachers called on rows , then called on individual students . Teachers did not repeat with the students and their instruction was decisive . Because they spoke their instructuin at least two times , and they spoke slowly and clearly . So it was easy for students to understand what we should do .
☆They used many visuals , for example name card , pictures and so on . It was useful for biginners to understand the lesson .
☆Before students do practice or game , teachers gave a demonstration . So beginner students understand what they do without explaining in English . Seeing is believeing !!
☆Their short play was very very good !! They spoke slowly and manage to express what they were speaking by gestures .

The points they might try doing differently in the future .
☆When we did practice , some of students had same two cards .
☆When we did pronounciation practice , we pronounced louder voice , because we enjoyed the class very much . But maybe teachers could not listen her voice . This is my reflection . Next time I try to pronounce in a whisper . I am sorry (>_<)
☆When we did pronounciation practice , I felt dull because the repetition was monotonous .
☆When we did Karuta , we repeated "Do you like soccer? Yes , I do ." But there are another answer . we did not say "No , I don't ." All of students do not have same ideas , so teacher should ask individual atudents to answer the question .
ex) Teacher : Do you like soccer ?
Students : Do you like soccer ?
Teacher : Student A .
Student A : Yes , I do .
Teacher : Student B .
Student B : No , I don't .
☆They should design a activity to check their comprehension of today's lesson .

I thought their lesson was very very great !! All of teachers were powerful , so we could study cheerfully . I thought it was important for teachers to do their class vigorously . I could learn many things from their powerful class . Thank you (V)o￥o(V)

Assignment 7 ★ June 4 , 2005

Reflection on Team T 's lesson
What I Particularly Liked about Team T's Lesson
☆ First teachers and students pronounced together , then teachers called on rows , then called on individual students . Teachers did not repeat with the students and their instruction was decisive . So it was easy for students to understand what we should do .　
☆ Teachers used not only English but also Japanese . It was kind of students to use Japanese , because he was a real beginner of English . If I were them , I might use only english and I would bother him . The idea was very good !
☆ When teachers asked a question of him , he could not answer the question . So they showed him the play again . I thought this is good .
☆ Ｔeachers moved around the class room , and they watched students carefully . And if he had a trouble , they taught him till he can understand .

Some Suggestions for an Even Better Lesson
☆ I thought they should take warm up time more , because He was a real beginner of English . Teachers greeted and did introduction of new material , and started to show their short play . I thought he could not stretch his head before today's lesson , and he was nervous . Teachers should introduce theirself or say somethig that students can understand .
☆ Teachers spoke too quickly in their short play . They should speak more slowly using the real thing . (ex: clock)
☆ When we did Fill in the blanks of conclusion , teacher's instruction was not decisive . Teachers made interval (ex: Are you America ?) when they read dialogues , but many of students around me confused the readings . They could devise how to speak dialogues of Fill in the blanks . But they used stress and intonation , so maybe they could cover the confusion .
☆ Teachers used "I'm" without explaining . I think contraction make beginner students confusion .
☆ I thought they could do practice more . They should give him chances to use the new material . I want to do conversation , not only my partner but also other classmates in the class . If he could role play more , he would realize that he master today's new materials .
☆ Teachers could teach about period , comma , question mark , and capital letter together . Probably beginner will puzzle when they do fill in the blanks , if they did not know these materials .
☆ I thought he learnes many things in a day . It was a hard menu for a beginner .
☆ Teachers should use (un)grammatical foreigner talk .
① slower pace , clearly
② simply , shorter sentences
× subordinate clauses
× complex grammatical forms (ex: question tags)
③ regular , basic
× contracted form (ex: I'm)
④ elaborated languages
Teachers sometimes spoke what begginers can not understand . I thought they should use grammatical foreigner talk . Maybe ungrammatical foreigner talk is better than grammatical foreigner talk for beginners .

Team T's class was very marvelous . Their class was powerful , so I felt very happy !! There were many good points , so I could learn a lot of things from their class . I want to make good use of this experience . Thank you　(V)o￥o(V)

Assignment 6 ★ May 31 , 2005

Which of the grammatical elements was easiest for you to learn as a student ?
It was easy for me to understand 受動態 , 現在完了, 関係代名詞 , 進行形 , 未来形 etc ...
There were two reasons why I felt easy .
Fitst , there are definite rules . If I could master the rules , I could solve any questions .
Second , there are only a few rules . I was poor at memorizing .
Which of the grammatical elements was most difficult for you to understand ?
I was poor at preposition . There were four reasons why I did not like preposotion .
First , there are many meaning .
ex) There is a book on the desk . [接触]
I went on foot . [支持]
I spend much money on books . [対照]
I bought this book on Christmas Eve . [時]　　etc...
Second , It is difficult for Japanese to tell .
ex) I stopped at Tokyo 0n my way to Sendai .
We lived in a small village in Scotland .
A lamp hung over the table .
Our plane was flying high above the clouds .
Third , it is hard foｒ me to remember group preposition(群前置詞) .
ex) thanks to ~ / instead of ~ / in front of ~ / in addition to ~
Finally , it is misleading .
ex) 彼女は動物について本を書いた。
She wrote a book about animals . 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 私たちはそのテーマについて論じる。
We discuss (× about) the subject .
私は彼女の家に到着する。
I arrive at her house .
I reach (× at) her house .

I was also poor at article . There are two reasons why I did not like article .
First , there are many meaning .
ex) There was not a cloud in the sky . [ひとつの]
A rose smells sweet . [種類全体]
This watch loses two minutes a day . [～につき]
Second , there are many idioms .
ex) after a while / by the way / on the way

Which of the grammar do you have confidence in teaching ?
I have confidence to teach 受動態 , 現在完了 , 関係代名詞 , 進行形 , 未来形 etc...
Because there are definite rules , so I thought it is easy for me to teach these grammatical elements . Maybe , I will be able to make questions and explain the grammar easily , and students also will be able to understand it and solve the questions easily . These grammatical elements are not confusing , and there are not many exceptions , so it is easy for students to memorize . What is more , teacher will be able to make chances to use these grammatical elememts , because these are often used in daily conversation .

Which grammar do you think will be difficult for you in teaching ?
①　Oral phrase (会話表現)
ex) Here you are / Nice to meet you
Because I will not be able to explain the grammer with the grammers which students have already learned . If I said to students , "Please memorize this phrase." , students will memorize this . But maybe there are students who has question . I am teaching English at cram school , and one of my student said to me , "Please tell me the grammatical rules of 'Here you are'."　I was perplexed the question . If he is high school student , I can explain the rule , but he is 7th grade , so he does not learn "Here is[are]~構文" and 倒置 . Then I thought that it is difficult for me to teach oral phrase .
②　Preposition & Article (前置詞＆冠詞)
・ There are many meaning .
・ It is difficult for Japanese to tell .
・ It is hard for me to remember group preposition .
・ It is misleading .
③　Idiom
・ There are many same expression .
ex) show up = turn up = appear = come = arrive
put out A = turn off A = extinguish A
・ There are enormous idions .
・ There are not regular rules .

Assignment 5 ★ May 20 , 2005

☆ Reflection on SNIFFLE's Lesson ☆
Good points of their resson
・ They told students the goal of today's lesson , so Everybody could understood what we learn today .
・ When teachers read the dialogue , they acted out using pictures and charts . Besides teachers repeated important sentences . When they read key words of the sentences , they read it slowly and clearly .
・ I thought that the way of practicing number is very marvelous !! Without notice teachers faded out . (contextualizing→coaching→scaffolding→fading) (At first we repeated after teacher slowly , next we repeated quickly , finally we counted number by ourself .)
・ They did conprehension checks . (They designed activities so students can test their knowledge .)
・ They gave a good account of students , after we prasticed hard .
・ They did gestures .
・ One of teacher wrote imortant grammar on the blackboard .

The points they might try doing differently in the future .
・ They could teach how to pronounce plural"s" and They could give them other examples of it .
(pens[ｚ] , books[s] , buses[iz])
They could teach the grammatical rule of plural .
・ They could teach how to say 58 , 139 etc .
(I think that it is hard for beginner students to understand how to say it .)
・ They could teach new words of "Queen Burgers" menu . And using the menu , students could act out practically to practice how to order menus and how to say number .
＊If teachers let students act out , they should teach "thousand". If students order many memus , students will confuse how to say large number .
・ They could give students chances to practice dialogue with students' partner .

I could enjoy myself ☆　Sniffle's class was devised well !! Junior high school students will be interested in learning English if students took their class (V)o￥o(V) I feel admiration for their wonderful lesson ☆★☆

Assignment 4 ★ May 13 , 2005

Working with Input ☆彡
Which points of this lesson did you agree with or find helpful and why ?

First , I thought it is helpful to reformulate utterances . Because when Mr.Hall said to us , "Reformulations of utterance" , I did not understand what the words meant . But I could understand it by myself , after he said to us , "It is to say one thing in various ways" . It is easy for us to understand the words which was translated into Japanese , but if we understood difficult words by ourselves , we would get pleasure and the pleasure make an impresion of the words .

Second , I agreed with using the real things and pictures or charts . When I took Spanish class , family tree helped me to understand the explanation and new bocabularies . That is , the explanation with pictures is much more intelligible than the explanation without using pictures , because if teachers wrote pictures on blackboard , we could image and understand through the pictures . It is helpful to use not only ears but also eyes .

Third , I also agreed with doing total physical response . Because I could really enjoy myself , and I could understand and remember new bocabularies easier by using my body . Maybe students will feel same things with me . I think if we had more time to do activity of students during classes , we will not bore students . Only teacher's explanation is monotonous , so this activity will stimulate them .

Finally , It is helpful for us to make gestures to teach new vocabularies . When Mr.Hall tought us the names of our body's parts in Spanish , he used this way . For example , when he taught us how to speak shoulder , he touched his shoulder . And when he explained strength , he frowmed and spoke in a deep voice . So I could understand those words which I had never heard before in only Spanish . Thus , it is effective to do gestires to teach students new vocabularies in their second language .

Which points of this lesson did you disagreed or did not find helpful and why ?

First , I disagreed with using students as examples . There are not only positive and cheerful students but also negative and quiet students in the classes . So we should not use this way easily , we should use after we can understant students's character well . Perhaps , we may say the words which the student worries about , and we may hurt their feelings . Whether students are interested in the subject or not depend on it that they like the teacher . So we have to behave carefully , and take full responsibility for this behavior .

Next , I did not find helpful about traditional vocabulary learning . Of course , there are many advantages , for example , we can learn many words once , teachers can teach fast and so on . But there are many disadvantages , too . For taking entrance examination , I had to remember new vocabularies as many as possible in the class . So most of high school English teachers did traditional vocabulary learning . During the class , I could remember many new vocabularies and I felt this is the best way to learn them . But I forget those vocabularies easily day by day , and finally I forget almost of them . So I thought this way can not make long-term memory , because we can not use them practically . It is more efficient to learn them certainly even the number which we can learn is small than to learn many vocabularies uncertainly .

Assignment 3 ★ May 3 , 2005

　My first Spanish class

1) How much of the presentation in Spanish did you understand?
I think I could understand 80 percent of today's mini lesson . It was easy for me to understand Spanish words like Padre , Madre , but it was difficult for me to do handout without looking at blackboard because I could not remember .
What made the input comprehensible and what could have been done to make the language easier to understand?
・ At first teacher drew family tree , so it was easy for us to image and expect .
・ The theme of today's mini lesson was intimate for us , so I was interested in the study . (The words which we learned today are used frequenrly and we have many chances to use these words .)
・ Teacher spoke Spanish slower pace , clearly and simply .
・ Teacher said same things again and again , so I had a time to think and understand .
・ The expression and gestures of teacher helped us to understand Spanish .

2) Did you learn any new words or new grammar in Spanish?
・ Mi means my .
・ Si means yes .
・ No means no .
・ "---a" means female .
・ "---o" means male .
・ Persona means person .
・ Titulo means relationship .
・ Quien means what .

3) How did you feel about being a beginning foreign language student?
I was nervous at first , because I hardly understood what thacher was speaking . I had both hopes and fears , but fears were much bigger than hopes . At first I was not interesting , because I could not understand at all . The hurdle which we have to get over to learn something new is very very high , it is beyond my expectations . I really remembered and understood the feeling of students who try to study somethig new . I realized that begining is the most important terms for students to become interested in the subject . The attitude toward study develops on whether students are interest in the subject in the begining or not . That is to say , we have to grip the attention of students , and we have to interest them in the subjects . It is our duty , and we have to perform the duty . For that purpose we have to choose a theme carefully and research teaching materials closely .
I felt importance of teachers again , and I remembered the feeling of students who study English for the first time . What is more , I felt the difficulty of teaching a foreign language to learners , because first of all we have to fascinate them .

Assignment 2 ★ April 27 , 2005

I want to ask teachers …

① I learned about Inductive Instruction and Deductive Instruction today . Which instruction do you usually do at junior high school ?

② What kind of Grammar Translation Method do you do in your class ?

③ Do you use notions in your class ?

Assignment １ ★ April 24 , 2005

○o。.my ideal teacher.。o○

My favorite English teacher was Mr.Sasaki who is a junior high school English teacher . He was one of the most interesting adults I have ever met . Every student loved him , what is more every teacher and parent respected him . He was a symbol of my junior high school !! This teacher was my favorite because he has a lot of wide and deep knowledge about culture , custom , literature , politics and economy of foreign countries . He has never said same things , his talk was always fresh and it provoked us to study English . His class greatly excited us , because he used everything that he can use , for example , pictures , movies , newspapers , tv , internet , books and so on . We did many group activities in the class . For example , we examined about something we like , and we presented in English . And we made short plays , short stories . We loved to do group activity , because we can get a lot of knowledge which is not wrriten in the textbook and we can help each other . What is more , he gave us a chance to exchange letters with students of foreign countries and to meet foreigners who live in my home town . So we could use our English practically , and we could know how our Engkish skills were improvbed . Many of the students became interesred in English or foreign countries . I am one of them , too !! Therefore I am studying English in the university .

*～● As a teacher ●～*

1 . My greated strength ★３Ｐ★

＊ Punctual … I will be able to manage many documents of students like homework and works .

＊ Patient … I think there are a lot of joy in my school life , but there are also sadness . I will be able to get over the sadness .

＊ Positive …　I like to try new things . I would like to learn from the past , and make something better than before .

2 . My greated weakness ★３Ｓ★

＊Stupid … I will be a teacher like a cram school teacher . I am lacking knowledge and experience , because I hardly read books and newspapers and take part in social activity . So I will be able to teach students English grammer , but I won't be able to make impressive classes like Mr.Sasaki .

＊ Shy … I cannot say my opinion in the presence of people . Of course , it is hard for me to warn others .

＊ Sensitive … I am sensitive about others opinion . I change my opinion easily . I know a saying that "Where there is a will , there is a way " . I have to have my opinion .