English is Fun!
...written on 2000-11-20, @ 13:50:25
Fri November 17, 2000
Ok, I have been runnning on empty these past couple of days and I am looking forward to resting this weekend.
So, I prepared like a madwoman for my "English Lesson for Teachers" on Thursday. I asked Hide what he thought about a couple of exercises I wanted to do with the Japanese teachers. My topic was to include something about surprises. One of the exercises involved the teachers writing down on a little piece of paper "something that many people don't know about you". Hide thought that this was too personal and that the teachers wouldn't do it. I took his advice into consideration and altered the plan a little.
I had to get up early on Thursday and go to Japanese class, grab some lunch, buy prizes, run home and change and walk to work. I wanted to get there early so I could make copies and prepare the room for the grand event. I had come early the day before to watch Hide's class, but he told me he didn't want me in there because I would make him nervous. So basically I was on my own for Thursday.
I got everything in order and the teacher-students came in. There were 12 of them. On the blackboard, I had listed three things about Japan that I had found surprising (wearing special slippers for the toilet, wearing a white surgical face mask to work when you have a cold, and last but not least, learning Japanese).I explained why these things were surprising to me and then I asked them to write down one thing that surprised them about Americans. Some of the answers:
1. Americans eat peanut butter all by itself
2. Americans have more sense of humor than the Japanese
3. Americans are always eating beef
4. American middle school students are quieter in the classroom than Japanese students
5. American men are very tall
6. Food servings at American restaurants are too big
7. American toilets
8. American college students study more compared with Japanese students
I collected those papers and put them in bag #1.I then asked them to write down two things that might surprise people about them. This could include hobbies, interests, and dreams for their future. I gathered those up and put them in bag #2.
I referenced Hide's class yesterday and asked them if they remembered certain words or phrases that he had taught them. Most of them said no. That's when I introduced the phrase "Use it or lose it". I used myself as an example and said I would not learn Japanese by going to Japanese class once a week, that I had to study everyday and use what I had learned. I told them this was easier for me since I lived in Japan and could practice by listening and reading the things around me, but that since they did not have the same opportunity, they would have to work extra hard at learning English.
I gave them a sheet of "Getting to Know You" questions and answers. It had basic sentences they could use for striking up conversation, ie. What is your favorite American movie?, Do you have friends in other countries?, Tell me about your family, etc. We practiced saying some of these sentences.
Then I passed out "Getting to Know You" Bingo sheets with a 5x5 grid. On these sheets I had questions like, Do you have travel plans for the New Year? Do you like reading mysteries? Do you enjoy teaching? Do you collect or know someone who collects Japanese dolls? Do you like the weather today (it was rainy)? Have you ever been on a diet? Can you lend me 2000 yen ($20 U.S.)? Also in every row there was a "free question" where they could ask any question they wished. To score they had to get a "yes" answer to their question and to get BINGO, they had to get five squares in a row. I told them to stand up and said "GO". They hustled around the room asking their questions and I was eavesdropping, delighting in all the English I was hearing. They had fun with each other, pretending that they might say yes, but actually saying no and laughing at their coworkers' exasperated squeals. Finally, one teacher got Bingo and I gave her a prize, several more soon followed and I gave them prizes as well. I called the game to an end and we went on to the next project.
This was the production part of the lesson. They would take the questions I had given them plus the answers to the question "What would surprise people about you?" and construct a little story. Here is where I took Hide's advice into account. Instead of having them use their own answers to that question and apply it to themselves (way too personal for them to do at this point), I paired them up and had one partner choose two "surprise" answers out of bag #2 and the other partner chose two photographs out of my hand. Together then, they were to make up a story about the people in the photographs using the "surprise" answers they had picked. I went around and monitored their exchanges. I called time and then asked which pair wanted to go first. Well, there were no volunteers of course (very typical), so I took "Fred, the Fugu" (my rubber blowfish) out of my bag and tossed him to someone. That pair stood up and did their story as I showed the two pictures they picked to the rest of the class. As I said before, the teachers there had different levels of English, so some stories were simple, while others were more advanced. In either case, a robust round of applause followed each person's efforts.
The time was drawing short and I was afraid we might go over, but I even had time to praise them for their hard work and thank them for a very enjoyable class.I told them that the biggest surprise of the class, was not that I could play the Shakuhachi (Japanese flute), but that they could and did speak English and were able to communicate with me and with each other.
Later I saw the video of the class and it was great to see them all laughing and having a good time while using English. Fred said he got some very positive feedback from the attendees and that I did a good job.
What, me worry? Asameshi mae. ("piece of cake" or an easy job). Now what should I do for the next one?