6th February 2009

Written test (about 30 minutes)
Some fun:
1. Brad Pitt needs your help! He has 4 questions. Then write your answers for him on your blog. You can use any place in Japan.

The 4 questions are:
1-1. Where is a good place to take the children?
I think the best place for children is Asahiyama Zoo. This zoo is very big. Children can watch many kinds of animals. This zoo is in Hokkaido.

◆Asahiyama Zoo◆
http://www5.city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp/asahiyamazoo/

1-2. Where is a good (interesting) place for the adults (Brad and his wife Angelina Jolie) to visit while they are in Japan?
I think Nara prefecture and Kyoto prefecture are good places for adults because these places are historical places. Many travelers visit there. They have very nice temples and shrines.

◆Nara prefecture◆
http://www.pref.nara.jp/english/index.html

◆Kyoto prefecture◆
http://www.pref.kyoto.jp/en/index.html

1-3. Where is a good place for all the family to go?
I think a good place in Japan is Tokyo Disney Land or Universal Studio Japan. They are famous amusement parks in Japan. Tokyo Disney Land is in Chiba prefecture. Universal Studio Japan is in Osaka prefecture.

1-4. What is the best restaurant?
I think my best restaurant is "Benie". You can eat tempura there. The tempura was really delicious. Benie is in Nara prefecture.

◆Benie◆
http://higashimuki.jp/showpage.php?id=101

2. Tidy up. What will happen to your blog? Now you have finished this course, but your blog is on the Internet and will stay there forever! How do you feel about that? If you want to, you can delete your blog. (But realize that EVEN IF you delete it, it will STILL EXIST somewhere on the Internet!)

I’ll leave my blog here.

3.Please wait ONE WEEK before deleting your blog. Thank you.

4. Well, goodbye, everybody. This was my last year at Shoin. I will not be returning to teach at Shoin next year. I enjoyed teaching you this year, and I wish you all the best in your future.

Thank you very much for your teaching. I appreciate you. I was glad to meeting you. I learned a lot of things about writing articles and using Internet. If you leave at Shoin, come to watch my blog please. =) Thank you very much again for professor!

16th January 2009

I continued to write an article from last week.

1. Read again the World News Blog Writing Criteria .
2. Continue with your project. You must write something today! (Write in MSWord first, and run

spellchecker before uploading to your blog).

Obama took the oath of office as America’s new president. I was impressed his acceptance speech. Please read this article.

*Obama to Use Lincoln's Bible for Inauguration*

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Obama-to-Use-Lincolns-Bible-for-Inauguration.html

Moreover, I’ve been interested in the government of America. I looked up in the Internet. I’ll explain about a system of the government in U.S. The government in U.S is two-chamber systems. There are 100 seats in upper chamber. Their term is six years. On the other hand, there are 435 seats in lower chamber. Their term is 2 years. Have you known already?

3. Read your classmates’ blogs.

9th 2009 January

A Happy New Year!!

1. How did you spend the winter holiday? Write briefly (about 50 words).

My winter vacation was very nice because I met my friends and coworkers.
I could met Noelle in Namba on 28 because her host family called me to meet her. She was my host sister in Malaysia. She went to Japan for homestay.She was fine. We went to Nara Park and I guided her.I was very nervous because I guided someone in English for the first time!We enjoyed talking and sightseeing.

I went to the Osaka Temmangu Shrine with my coworker at cram school on 4th January. I bought a fortune slip. It was a very good luck! I was very happy. Then, I want to the ice cream shop in Namba whose name is “Cold Stone Creamery”. Do you know the shop? My superior in tennis circle works there. The ice cream was very delicious!
I was busy with assignment which was report but I had really good time!

*Osaka Temmangu Shrine*

http://www.tenjinsan.com/

*Cold Stone Creamery*

http://www.coldstonecreamery.co.jp/

2. Choose a country or a part of the world to investigate. You are going to research about this country and its news for the next two classes or more.

3. What is happening in this country or part of the world these days? Choose one important and interesting news topic that concerns this country or part of the world, research about it, and write about it in English on your blog. (You can include Japanese translation of some key words or names to help your Japanese readers.)

*Dress Rehearsal for 'Barack H. Obama'*

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Dress-Rehearsal-for-Barack-H-Obama.html

This article is about Dress Rehearsal for Mr. Barack Hussein Obama. This article was published on Tuesday 13th January 2009. This rehearsal is for a inaugural which is going to be held on 20th January.

4. Tell me your country/area and your news topic.

I choose this country which is America because I have been interested in this state when Mr.Obama stood for the vote. I thought I need to know the government of America. The area is Washington D.C. I’m going to research about the government.
5. Start your research.

Washington D.C. (Washington, District of Columbia) is the capital of America. Nowadays, Obama was elected as a president.

12th December 2008

1. I thought it is useful to enjoy learning English but it is not useful to speaking English. This is because I think people are learned speaking English by communication with foreign people. I thought communicating with foreign people is more useful to learn English. Many people say it is useful or convenient. I also think so. However, I disagree with use the English learning software in class because the students may learn English without the communication.





2. I found an intersting news article.

*English education in Japan isn't all about fluency*
http://mainichi.jp/select/opinion/hasshinbako/news/20081230k0000m070083000c.html

I choose this topic because I’m interested in this topic. If you read it, tell me your opinion please. What did you think about this article?

3.
Key Quwstion 1:Who created this message?
It was created by The Mainichi Daily News.

Key Question 2:What creative techniques are used to attract my attention?
It is used interesting title because I think Japanese people are interested in speaking English.

Key Question 3:How might different people understand this message differently from me?
They can understand by reading this article. I guess different people will have their different opinion.

Key Question 4:What lifestyles, values, and points of view are represented in, or omitted from, this message?
It is represented policy of the Ministry of Education.In addition to, it is omitted opinion from writer of this article.

Key Question 5:Why is this message being sent?
We must learn hard not only speaking English but also writing, listening etc.

5th December 2008

I continued to work from last week.

I choose the topic”Learning English” because I am interesting in Learning English in Japan. Have you ever thought about it? I thought Japanese people can write English but many of them cannot speak English. I have been questioned why Japanese people cannot speak English. Finally I decided to survey about it. Moreover, I found an interesting article in JapanTimes.

Here is the article in Japan Times.

*Nintendo DS English learning software a big hit with students*

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20080703f2.html

I asked 6 classmates about the article and learning English in Japan. I got useful answers.

1. How old are you?

2. What is your occupation?

3. Do you have/ use the software? (Yes on No)

4. If you choose Yes, is it useful?

5. How long have you learned English?

6. Do you think using the English learning software is good idea? (Yes or No)

7. What do you think about the software? Furthermore, do you think learning English in Japan?

These are the results of my questions.

1. How old are you?
19 years old (4)
20 years old (2)

2. What is your occupation?
Student (6)

3. Do you have/ use the software? (Yes or No)
Yes (2)
No (4)

4. If you choose Yes, is it useful?
It’s convenient.
It's useful.

5. How long have you learned English?
1-5years (1)
6-10 years (5)

6. Do you think using the English learning software is good idea? (Yes or No)
Yes (6)

7. What do you think about the software? Furthermore, do you think learning English in Japan?
7-1. I think it is good idea so I want to talk to foreign teacher or people.
7-2. Playing people of DS look like fun. I don’t have the software but I think I want to buy it.
7-3. It’s convenient and I enjoy playing it. I think Japanese people come in contact with a foreigner more. I want to have a chance where I can speak English. Also I consider learning English conversation harder than English grammar.
7-4. I think it is good that people will like English by using it.It is useful to remember English words, but it doesn’t help to speak English.
7-5. I think it is very interesting. I think learning English is necessary. This is because English is common language. I think we must learn speaking English.
7-6. I think that the software is very useful. Spread of study will expand. But I disagree you do nothing but use software.

28th November 2008

I learned how to analyze the articles. I read this article today.

*Three quarters of students take jobs in struggle to survive on loans*
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article5225904.ece

I compared British university students with me. I was surprised at the results.Many part-time jobs are Unskilled/hourly paid in Japan but 30 % of students’ part-time jobs are Skilled/salary paid in British. I especially surprised at it. I am interested that 46% of students answered they work for basic living expenses is more than students in Japan. I guessed that it means the students who live in Britain are more independently than Japanese student.

14th November 2008

1. Watch the slide show and translate these key slides into Japanese: slides 3-12. Put the original English + your translation onto your blog.

The slide show is here.
*Media Literacy*
http://docs.google.com/Present?docid=dsvkpjt_44598zd96hf&skipauth=true

CORE CONCEPT/ KEY QUESTION 1: All media messages are constructed.
全てのマスメディアの情報内容は組み立てられている。
KEY QUESTION 1:Who created this message?
誰がこの情報内容を作成したのか？

CORE CONCEPT/ KEY QUESTION 2: Media messages are constructed using creative language with its own rules.
マスメディアの情報内容は私たちの法則で言葉を創造することを使用することで組み立てられている。Key Question 2:What creative techniques are used to attract my attention?
私の注意をひきつける為にはどんな創作技術が使われているのか？


CORE CONCEOT/ KEY QUESTION 3: Different people experience the same media message differently.
人は皆別々に異なった形で同じ情報内容経験する。
Key Question 3:How might different people understand this message differently from me?
人々はそれぞれどのようにこの情報内容を理解するのだろうか？

CORE CONCEPT/ KEY QUESTION 4: Media have embedded values and points of view.
マスメディアは価値と見解をくみ込んだ。
Key Question 4:What lifestyles, values, and points of view are represented in, or omitted from, this message?
どんな生活様式、価値観、見解がこの情報内容から表示され、また省略されるのか？

CORE CONCEPT/ KEY QUESTION 5: Most media messages are constructed to gain profit and/or power.
ほとんどのマスメディアの情報内容が利益や力を得るために組み立てられている。
Key Question 5:Why is this message being sent?
なぜこの情報内容は発信されているのか？

2. On the Internet, choose a short news article, and analyze the news article using the 5 “media literacy” questions. Write the answers on your blog.
*JT-commercial*
http://www.jti.co.jp/sstyle/manners/ad/tvcm/index.html

1. Who created this message?
JT(Japan Tobacco Inc.) created this message.

2. What creative techniques are used to attract my attention?
It is created intelligible. It uses some photographs and quiet music. It tells us message in Japanese and English.

3. How might different people understand this message differently from me?
Many people can understand this message on TV.

4. What lifestyles, values and points of view are represented in, or omitted from, this message?
I think the attention of tobacco is represented. However, the attention of tobacco for our health is omitted.

5. Why is this message being sent?
The JT Inc sells tobacco. I think the company wants us to buy tobacco and it wants to pay attention for all users when they use tobacco.