Hi everyone,皆さん、おげんきですか。

My Japanese classes and lesson include the following features. We had activities of speaking, reading, listening, writing, (esp. in group lessons) making and performing dialogues or speech with use of the course book, “Genki 1”, its grammar and vocab. of the Unit taught and its Workbook. Some students (esp. in the class of Beginners 1) made and memorized for one’s long speech or dialogue and that was very impressive.

As for reading and increase of vocab., grammar and plain forms, I read (and asked students read partly) a children’s books written in Japanese. The books have many colorful, informative, natural and beautiful photos and useful phrases, plain forms and other vocab. One was a book of “mochitsuki” (rice cake making by pounding cooked rice and the practice is yearly and nationally seen and practiced as Japanese people’s family/community activity late in December, before the New Year’s arrival. The book has details of the activities and scientific analysis of rice that is used for “mochitsuki”, which differs from ordinary rice used for daily meals in Japan. Also I read a book on “shimarisu” (stripe squirrels in Japan) to classes.

In most of all classes except the Intermediate 1, I showed the videos of “Wakuwaku Hiragana”, vol, 1 and 2. They have great presentations while introducing stroke orders, vocab. things that the script can be related in shape, many words that the script is used for, lovely animations, music and humors. Very suitable for anyone to watch and improve in writing those letters and increase vocab.

I taught Japanese “rajio-taisoo” (NHK’s daily radio exercise program, its physical exercise, cassette tape) to classes. (I’d taught this in Japanese classes many times in the past and many students, both children and adults enjoyed that.) Japanese people are expert of consistency, in many ways. The NHK radio program must have been on every morning for over half of a century and practiced in all primary schools and many other places (including car manufacturers every morning as the corporate activity) throughout Japan. My students of SLS responded to the tape and exercise, so I will continue having that activity occasionally in future too.

The class of Intermediate 1 (and newly started Beginners 2) are using “Kanji-no Hon” (by K. Aitchson, 2001, MacMillan) for Kanji acquisition. New students of Beginners 2 expressed that they wish to start Kanji instead of waiting for that until they reach the Pre-Intermediate 1. So, the class will have Kanji learning occasionally.

Beginners 1 that finished recently and those students (plus new students) started Beginners 2 recently. Those who finished and had my exam (that included Listening Test) did greatly with very impressive performance/attitude. Many congratulations to them!

Regarding culture, society and nature of Japan in recent media news and other resources used, as before, I showed a dvd, “Pilot Guides – Tokyo” (Tokyo City Guide) presented by highly recognized British presenter, Ian Wright, to new classes or students.

In addition, I informed of the article “High and mighty small” by L. Slattery, Wish, The Australian (4.5.12). That is about 2 distinctive and creative architects of Japan. One, Shigeru Yoshiko is the architect/designer of the world’s tallest media tower, Tokyo Sky Tree and the master of making the tall building. The other is Koji Tsutsui. He is the master of the small. He designed InBetween House near to Tokyo and who was a guest speaker at the conference in Australian Inst. of Architects in Brisbane last month (p. 48). Together they represent two faces of Japanese architecture (p. 48). Fascinating people and works!

Also, I reported and showed many great news and pictures from Japan that are in a magazine Jenta (25.5). They include the following. Aoi Festival in Kyoto in which 500 participants wear the Heian period (794-1185) costumes of noble people with carts etc. And Honda’s new personal mobility device (kind of chair and vehicle) and car navigation displays information shown on windshield that is amazing/smart technology that can appear in a Hollywood movie!). The magazine also shows or describes the historical side of Japanese people’s favorite, “onsen” in depth and the pictures, a 73-year-old Ms Tamae Watanabe who conquered Mt. Everest as the world’s oldest female, and information of many gorgeous natural mountains, waterfall, the village of the Edo Period style in Nagano etc.

 

Japanese Teacher, Toshiko Jackson

4.6.12