2018-02

#866 Kids have a lot of potential for growth.

Students seemed very confused by many new words.

At my work, I teach classes at cram school. Since the beginning of this month, I’ve started to teach English to the new 5th and 6th grade students on how to read Aesop’s fables.

At the first lesson, it was the first time for them to read English stories. Since there were many new words, they seemed very confused.

After each lesson, I was exhausted because I had to read aloud the English sentences many times for them. And I was worried if they would lose their interest in English because of its difficulty.

A miracle happened.

The other day was their third lesson.

A miracle happened.

A 5th grade boy recited a paragraph of Aesop’s fables from memory. It was perfect. He was the first who recited it and his English pronunciation was very good. Everybody in the class was surprised. After his performance, three students raised their hands and said “I can do it, too!”
Each of them read out in a loud and energetic voice. (Although it was not a recitation.)

They have a lot of potential for growth.

I was quite moved because I could see that they practiced a lot. And the same time, I found that they like English and they have a lot of potential for growth. Their attitude motivated me to try to recite Aesop’s fables myself.

Small joy!!!(2018.2.20)

2018-02-27 | Posted in English4 Comments » 

 

#867 Transform it into a different item. ~ Unique knit caps using German yarn balls ~

Knit caps on a TV program

Recently I watched a NHK TV program called “At Home with Venetia in Kyoto.” I was very interested in these beautiful knit caps that were made by Umemura Martina on TV.

I found the same knit caps.


Fortunately, I could find the same knit caps at Takashimaya department store the next day. It was available for a limited time at a small booth. At first, I was supposed to be just looking but I couldn’t stop myself from buying a knit cap because of its attractive design.

A waist warmer or a knit cap?

The knit cap’s shape was cylindrical and looked like a waist warmer that had two kinds of weaving patterns.

How does it become a cap from a waist warmer?

First, turn it over and twist the middle part. Then hold the twisted part with one hand and fold one side of the warmer onto the other side to make it into a cap. Thanks to the two wearing patterns, the cap can be reversed and show a totally different design. These knitted items were very unique.

Colorful yarn balls from Germany

The booth had many colorful yarn balls. Since each yarn ball already had unique design, when you make a knit cap, you just need to knit one ball.

“What kind of pattern will come out?” Some people may think of this when knitting it.

These knit balls were made in Germany. Umemura Martina, a German lady, teaches people how to knit and sells German knit balls named “Opal”.
You can turn the knit cap into a neck warmer, too.

It was very warm when I went out in this cold winter.

Small joy!!(2018.2.16)

2018-02-21 | Posted in English4 Comments » 

 

#868 “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”

Final lessons for 6th grade

I had my final lessons for 6th grade at the cram school last month. They were going to leave my class and go to the class for junior high school students. And I’m going to have new 6th graders in February.

Lemons and lemonade

In the final lessons, I wrote a proverb “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” on the whiteboard and explained it to the class. In this case, lemons mean some difficulties in life and lemonade means something good. Since I thought the phrase was a little bit difficult for 6th grade to understand, I drew a lemonade on the board and showed them a real lemon which I brought from my house to help me explained to them. They listened well and looked like they were interested in my talk. Some students were writing down the phrase in their notes.
I said “Don’t just study English for school and marks. Study English because it can bring you a lot of opportunities and fun in your future.” That was my last message to them.

I hope kids will continue to enjoy studying English.

After the lesson, a boy came to me and picked up the lemon to play with it.
I told him “I’ll give it to you.”
He was very pleased but he said “I’m worried that I may spoil it.”
I said “Don’t keep it by yourself. Give it to your mother when you get home!”

At the second class, a girl came to me at the end of the lesson and she said “I want this lemon.”
I said “Sure.”
She smelled the lemon and said “I like lemons.”

I think it was a good idea to bring lemons to the classes because they probably left a good impression to the students on their English study.

Small joy!!!(2018.2)

2018-02-16 | Posted in English4 Comments » 

 

#869 『英語は朗読でうまくなる!』元NHKアナウンサーの本で小学生の心を掴みたい

英語界の2020年問題

私は塾で小学生に英語を教えています。
英語界の2020年問題を見据えてこの度、塾ではイソップ童話を教材にして英文音読や暗唱をすることになりました。2020年問題とは2020年から小学5,6年生の英語が「外国語活動」から「教科」になり国語や算数と同様に時間割に加わり成績がつくようになることです。

本『英語は朗読でうまくなる!』

以前は中学校の教科書を使って音読や暗唱を教えていましたが、童話となると文章も長くなるし、何よりも「朗読感」を加え、読み方も工夫する必要が出て来るのではないか!?
こんな時何かとヒントをくれる本屋さんで、ジャストな本を見つけました。


『英語は朗読でうまくなる!』著者:青谷優子
朗読家・元NHK国際放送アナウンサーの青谷優子さんの朗読で、ニュース、スピーチ、詩、物語の11作品がCDに入った本です。聴いてみるとまるでネイティブが朗読しているような美しい英語でした。

朗読するメリット

音読と朗読は違い、音読はインプット、朗読はアウトプットとあります。

朗読にとって最も大切なことは「聞き手を意識すること」です。

・(省略)

聞き手により伝わるように工夫することは、会話、スピーチ、プレゼンテーションでも必要な行為です。つまり、朗読をすることで、魅力的な話者になる訓練を積むことができるのです。
(本「英語は朗読でうまくなる」より引用)

朗読時の3大ポイントとは

また、朗読時の3大ポイントは下記の3つと著者は言っています。

comprehension(理解)
imagination(想像)
visualization(視覚化)

子供達が音読する際、英文字を読むことさえ難しいのですが、特にこの3つの中のimagination(想像)をすることで、初めて出会う英文も体得しやすいのではと感じています。

教室には発表を聞いてくれる仲間達がいるのだから、「聞き手を意識する」気持ちを子供達に教えていきたいです。
それは私自身についても同様で、子供達にとって魅力的な話者になれるよう訓練を積んでいきます。

Small joy!!(2018.2.7)

2018-02-07 | Posted in Japanese2 Comments »