Dragon Days

2003-11-20T10:03:00.000+09:00

November 20th 2003

Good morning,

We are in the final 4 weeks of the semester. Here is the schedule. Next week there will be no Blog.

9 Nov 20 Final Project Preparations No Blog

10 Nov 27 Final Project Preparations No Blog

11 Dec 4 Final Project First Group

12 Dec 11 Final Project Second Group

Today this is what we will do:

PART 1

Open your Blog so that we can check it

PART 2

Today we will continue to work on the final projects. I want you to get into your groups and work on your essay. I want you to turn in a draft of your essay at the end of class. This essay should have an Introduction and a Conclusion.

PART 3

If you finish your essay earlier, I want you to begin to create one group Brochure. This Brochure should look something like the practice project we did earlier in the course.

That’s it!!

West

For some fun, put on your headsets and click here:
http://www.henry.martinez.net/videos/2ndplace.htm

2003-11-12T16:14:00.000+09:00

November 13, 2003

Here are my instructions

PART ONE (Time: 10 minutes)

• Please open up your Blog webpage
• Open my Blog

PART TWO (15 minutes)

Email Mr. West and send him your Blog address. Email him at:

lwest@nufs.ac.jp

PART THREE: (Time: 10 minutes)

• Get out a piece of paper and a pen or pencil
• Stand up.
• Move one computer to the left.
• Sit down.
• Read your classmate’s last Blog entry.
• Answer these questions on your piece of paper:

1. What is one thing that you learned from this Blog entry.

2. How can your classmate improve his or her Blog?

• Tell your classmate what you wrote.

• Go back to your seat.

PART FOUR (Time: 50 minutes)

Today we are going to work on your research essays. Let me tell you something about these essays. Each essay should be 6 pages long. Each page should be typed and double-spaced. You should use Times New Roman at 12-Font. Each page of your final essay should be 150 words. So, for 6 pages that should be 900 words total. Plus you should have one page for references. It should look like this:

Part A (2 pages)
question 1
question 2
question 3

Part B (2 pages)
question 4
question 5
question 6

Part C (2 pages)
question 7
question 8
question 9

Part D (1 page)
References

Today I want you to get into your presentation groups. I want you to divide the work. Remember there are 9 questions that I want you to answer. Each person in your group should answer 3 questions:

1. What is your NGO?
2. What is the mission or goal of your NGO?
3. Who does this NGO help or benefit?
4. What do the members of the NGO do?
5. Why is this NGO important to the world?
6. Why is this NGO important to Japan?
7. Why is this NGO important to YOU?
8. How can a person join this NGO?
9. What are the responsibilities of each member in the NGO?

Today, I want you to write something for each question. You can copy and paste these words from the Internet.

After you finish this task, I want you to save the information. Put it on a floppy disk. If you do not have one, then send one of your group members to the store on campus and buy a disk. You will need this disk every class.

When you are finished with the task, I want you to raise your hand. Either my assistant or I will come and check to see if you have completed today’s work. If you have completed your work, then you can do something else.

PART FIVE (5 Minutes)

Homework:

Go to the internet and study the topic of Ecology. What can people do to save the planet?

How does the topic relate to Japan?
How does the topic relate to other countries?
How does the topic related to you?

2003-11-05T16:08:00.000+09:00

November 6, 2003
Here are my instructions

PART ONE (Time: 10 minutes)

• Please open up your Blog webpage

• Open my Blog

PART TWO: (Time: 10 minutes)

• Get out a piece of paper and a pen or pencil

• Stand up.

• Move one computer to the left.

• Sit down.

• Read your classmate’s last Blog entry.

• Answer these questions on your piece of paper:

1. What is one thing that you learned from this Blog entry.

2. How can your classmate improve his or her Blog?

• Tell your classmate what you wrote.

• Go back to your seat.

PART THREE (Time: 50 minutes)

This semester is now half way finished. Soon, we will have the final projects (December 4th and 11th. I now want you to choose the members of your research-presentation group.

There should be three people in your group.

You must have at least one male or one female in your group.

You cannot have all females or all males.

Be careful choosing your group members.

Choose smart people.

I want you all to sit together around one computer.

Look at the following sites.

Choose the NPO of NGO that you would like to research and do a presentation for:

NPO/ NGOs from http://www.global-village.expo2005.or.jp/

Websites

1. Japan Rachel Carson Council

http://www.ecostation.gr.jp/interview/

http://www.rachelcarson.org/

http://tb.sanseido.co.jp/h-english/link/exceed_1_link.html

2. Shizen-Ikuji (Natural Child-rearing) Association

http://shizen-ikuji.org/

3. OISCA
The Organization for Industrial, Spiritual, and Cultural Advancement
(food)

http://www.oisca.org/

4. Honokuni Morizukuri no Kai

http://www.honokuni.org

5. WWF Japan

http://www.wwf.or.jp/

6. Young Water Action Team: YWAT

http://www.ywat.org/

7. Medecins Sans Frontieres: MSF

http://www.msf.org/

8. International Circus Village Association

http://www.circus-mura.net/

9. Natural Step Japan

http://www.tnsj.org/

10. Global Sports Alliance: GSA

http://www.gsa.or.jp/

11. EARTH VISION COMMITTEE

http://www.earth-vision.jp/top-e.htm

PART FOUR: (Time: 10 minutes)

Sign up for the NPO/NGO that your group wants to represent

PART FOUR
Homework:

Go to the internet and study the topic of war. Learn about one war that is currently happening in the world. Answer the following questions:

How does the topic relate to Japan?
How does the topic relate to other countries?
How does the topic related to you?

2003-10-29T15:45:00.000+09:00

October 30, 2003
Here are my instructions

PART ONE (Time: 10 minutes)

• Please open up your Blog webpage
• Open my Blog

PART TWO: (Time: 10 minutes)

Since Halloween will soon be here. I want to have some fun. After all, there is a child in me that loves Halloween. So, I want you to put on your Headset and read the following story:

In the next picture, you will find a house. The people in the house say that there are ghosts. A lady once lived in the house, but her husband died. The women used to sit at the table and look through the window waiting for her husband to return. If you stare at the window for about 20 seconds, then you may see the ghost of her husband.

Now, click on the link and stare at the window:

http://home.comcast.net/~n9ivo/whatswrong.swf

PART THREE: (Time: 25 minutes)

Go to the following site and read about child labor:

http://www.unicef.ca/eng/unicef/sch_activites/1998/main.html

Answer the question:

When does child work become child labor?

Why is child labor wrong?

PART THREE: (Time: 45 minutes)

Imagine that you work for a Non-Profit Organization (NPO) like UNICEF. You are asked by your boss to create a brochure for the (NPO). You have to use the information from the site and create a brochure life the example. You should have 3 three columns and either a chart or a picture. You should copy material from the website and paste it on to your brochure. You must print out the brochure and put your name on it. Then, give a copy to your teacher.

PART FOUR
Homework:

Study the issue of child labor. Answer the following questions.

How does the topic relate to Japan?
How does the topic relate to other countries?
How does the topic related to you?

2003-10-22T16:12:00.000+09:00

October 23, 2003
Here are my instructions

PART ONE (Time: 10 minutes)

Please open up your Blog webpage.

PART TWO: Food Quiz (Time: 10 minutes)

Go to the following site and test your eating habits:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/healthyeating/diet.shtml

PART THREE-Food Pyramid (Time: 25 minutes)

What is the Food Pyramid? Go to the following link to find the answer.

http://www.nal.usda.gov:8001/py/pmap.htm

Now go to this link

Food Pyramid Challenge

http://web.utk.edu/~fnh/new_page_6.htm

PART THREE: World Hunger (Time: 45 minutes)

Everyone needs food, but some people do not have enough food, or they do not have access to food. I want you to learn something about the topic of World Hunger. You will need to find an article on the Internet that deals with the topic. I want you to print out a copy of that article. I also want you to save a copy of that article on to a floppy disk.

Your homework blog will be based upon the article that you chose.

PART FOUR

Homework:

What is your article?
How does your article relate to Japan?
How does your article relate to other countries?
How does your article related to you?

For FUN!!!!!

Listen to the radio topic on World Hunger and Development.

http://www.etsu.edu/philos/radio/crocker.htm

Listen for 10 minutes and define these words.

Malnutrition
Famine
Preventative Medicine

2003-10-15T14:38:00.000+09:00

Lesson 4 October 16

Here are my instructions:

PART ONE (Time: 10 minutes)

Please open up your Blog webpage.

I will pass a piece of paper around. Please write down your Blog URL address.
I want to be able to read your Blog.

PART TWO (Time: 50 minutes)

Today we will be talking about the topic of Language.

As you know, there are many types of language in the world.

People have learned to communicate their ideas in many ways.

Today, I want you to attempt to communicate with pictures. I want you to express your

feelings with a cartoon.

You must work with another person, and you must create a

cartoon. I want you to draw it on the Computer. If you do not know how to draw, then

go to the following site: http://www.chunkymonkey.com

Your cartoon needs to have at least two characters.

One of them is angry. The other one must try to understand why. You must have some

dialogue. Please make it funny. Put your name on the paper and print it so that you can

give it to me when you are finished.

PART THREE (30 Minutes)

Read the story and answer the questions:

Learning to Learn a Language

By. L. K. West

The setting: a house in Livermore, California, about 50 minutes East of San Francisco. A blond haired little boy comes running up to his uncle.

“Uncle, Gleonard, uncle Gleonard. Guess what?”
“What, Brandon?” I reply.
“I just got ah, I just got a toy car!” He states.
“Wow, look at that. It’s great”. I reply.
“Can we play cars, uncle Gleonard?” Brandon asks.
“No, I’m busy right now. Maybe later.” I answer.
“Look uncle Gleonard, the car is fast.” Brandon quickly responds.
“Later, Brandon.” I reply

My nephew is a cute little boy. He is full of life and loves the world. As can be seen from his English, though, he has some troubles. Every time he calls my name he makes a mistake. Instead of calling me “Uncle Leonard,” he says, “Uncle Gleonard.” As an English teacher I once thought I would try and correct him. It didn’t work. He continued to make the mistake. It is true that Brandon doesn’t have great English, but he does have something most language learners’ lack.

I love my nephew, but I must admit he is selfish. When he wants something, he asks for it. Look at the conversation. Who asks the most questions? Who is controlling the topics of discussion? The answer to both of these questions is Brandon. This little five year old boy is trying to get his way and get me to play. He doesn’t really listen. He doesn’t want me to tell him “no”.

As a language teacher and researcher, I think this scenario is rather amusing. If I were to alter the dialogue and put it into the classroom it might look like this:

“West-Sensei, West-Sensei, guess what?” Shingo asks.
“What, Shingo?” I say.
“I just got a new cell-phone!” Replies Shingo.
“Wow, that’s great.” I tell him.
“Look, do you want to see…?” Shingo quickly says.
“No, not now, I have to begin class.” I stop him.
“It’s really great. Come see!” He says.
“Later, Shingo!!!” I say.

In this context most people might agree that Shingo appears rude. He is not allowing me to begin class. He acts very selfish. He is not acting very polite. Yet, I believe that learning is primarily a selfish activity. Good learners, like Brandon and this example of the fictitious Shingo, are selfish. To learn a language, to learn anything requires that one acts selfishly.

I have taught in Asia for a number of years. First, I taught in the People’s Republic of China. Everyday students would clamor around me drilling me with questions. During class and after class, students would hound me with questions about English. They acted like nested chirping baby birds eager for food. I often came home exhausted from so many questions. Later in South Korea I taught female students. If I said something they didn’t understand, they immediately questioned me. They really wanted to learn.

In Japan people are extremely polite. They wait for each other to talk. They are respectful to the needs of the other people. While this is good manners for adults in society, it does not work well for language learning. If you want to learn or practice a language you must act differently than you do at other times.

My wife and I were riding the subway home one night. We were on the Higashiyama line leaving Sakae. While sitting in the crowded car, two men stood close by. They both smelled of alcohol. Suddenly, one of them ventured to speak. He started asking me all sorts of questions in English. He was quite marvelous. I was amazed at his willingness to speak English.

This action of speaking on the subway car illustrates my point. I have ridden on the subways of Nagoya for months without having anyone pose a question to me. Japanese are too polite to venture out and converse. The only time this business man could speak English was when he was drunk. Perhaps that during drinking, people feel that they can act selfishly.

Of course I am not advocating students or anyone go out and get to drunk in order to practice their English. They should, however, learn to empty themselves and become as little children. In the Christian Bible there is a famous saying, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:3). My point is that unless you become like little children, you will never really learn to LEARN a language.

Learning a language requires that students take on the role of children, like Brandon, and act selfishly. Students need to hound their teachers with questions. They need to be like hungry birds seeking food (knowledge). At the end of the day, we teachers should be tired from so many questions from our students.

Learning a language is a selfish activity. It requires a lot of time and effort. Students have to speak. They have to ask questions. They have to visit their professors. When other people tell them to be quiet, good learners continue to talk. If students don’t know the answer to problems, they must continually seek out the answer.

Answer the Questions:

1. What does Uncle Gleonard mean? Why does Brandon say this?
2. According to the author, what do most language learner’s lack?
3. In order to learn English, should you drink alcohol?
4. Look up the Bible verse and see what it says. Matthew 18:3
5. Why does the author use this Bible verse for learning a language?

Homework

Write a Blog on the topic of learning languages.

1. What is this topic about?
2. How does learning languages relate to Japanese people?
3. How does learning languages relate to other countries?
4. How does learning languages relate to you?

2003-10-08T11:51:00.000+09:00

Lesson 3 October 9th

Here are your instructions:

PART ONE (Time: 10 minutes)

How many names of countries do you know in English?

Write down all of the names of countries in English. You have 2 minutes.

Ask your partner: How many countries did you write down?

Review all of the countries.

PART TWO (Time: 40 minutes)

Today we are going to talk about the idea of a GLOBAL VILLAGE & WORLD POPULATION
"http://www.empowermentresources.com/info2/theglobalvillage.html" Global Village.

According to the following site the world’s population of people can be organized into

the following 1000 people. If the world were a village of 1,000 people, it would include:

• 584 Asians
• 124 Africans
• 95 East and West Europeans
• 84 Latin Americans
• 55 Soviets (including for the moment Lithuanians, Latvians, Estonians and other national groups)
• 52 North Americans
• 6 Australians and New Zealanders

In pairs, take this information and create a pie chart. You can use Microsoft Word or Claris Works. Remember to save your work.

PART THREE (20 Minutes)

Go to the Aichi World Expo website: http://www.global-village.expo2005.or.jp/.

Look around. Think about what NPO or NGO you will represent for our in-class

Exposition. Think about who you will want in your group.

PART FOUR: Reading (20 Minutes)
I will give you a handout

2003-09-24T23:50:00.000+09:00

Here is a look at the course this semester:

Assessment:
1. Attendance and Active Participation (25%)
2. Written Assignments (40%)
3. Final Project (35%)

Schedule:

Class 1: Introduce Schedule--Arrange Seating, Log on to a Blog, answer the following questions: Who am I, what did I do this summer. Write a Blog

Class 2: Thinking Globally--A Changing WorldNote: Think about who you will work with on your NGO project. Write a Blog. Do a Reading Quiz.

Class 3: On the Move--Population and Immigration. Write a Blog

Class 4: All Talk: Language. Write a Blog

Class 5: Food for Though—Nutrition. Write a Blog

Class 6: Not Child’s Play—Work. Write a Blog

Class 7: Let There Be Peace on Earth--Peace & Conflict. Write a Blog

Class 8: Saving the Planet-- Ecology Write a Blog

Class 9: Flights of Fancy—Travel, Final Project Preparations. Write a Blog

Class 10: Alternative Transportation. Final Project Preparations. Write a Blog

Class 11: Final Project First Group

Class 12: Final Project Second Group

Class 13: No Class

Written Assignments

Each week you will be required to write a Journal Entry into your online “Blog”. The first week I will introduce you to this resource. You will be responsible to answer 3 questions: How does the day’s topic relate to Japan? How does the day’s topic relate to the world? How does the day’s topic relate to me? This Blog will be checked by my attendant every class during roll.

Final Projects

You must form a group of 3 people. You will have to choose who will be in your group. You cannot have all men or women, you must have a mix. Choose wisely. Do not just choose a friend. Choose someone who will work hard. If you choose some lazy person, then you will have to do all of the work.

This project is to be a kind of presentation based on the world expo in Japan 2005. The theme is the NGO Global Village (http://www.global-village.expo2005.or.jp/). Each group will have to create a presentation for all your classmates. The presentations will occur on the last two days of class: December 4th and 11th. On each day 10 groups will set up booths similar to the real exposition. Each group will have to create Poster boards with photos, drawings and other information about their particular NGO. You also make handouts with information about your NGO. Plus you will have to be able to answer questions about your NGO. Your goal is to inform your classmates about your NGO. Here is a list of NGOs from the global-village website:

· Japan Rachel Carson Council
· Shizen-Ikuji (Natural Child-rearing) Association
· OISCA
· Honokuni Morizukuri no Kai
· EARTH VISION COMMITTEE
· Young Water Action Team: YWAT
· Medecins Sans Frontieres: MSF
· International Circus Village Association
· Natural Step Japan
· Global Sports Alliance: GSA
· WWF Japan
· Anthroposophical Society in Japan

Research/ Writing

You should do as much back ground research as possible. Try the following:

1. Search the internet: Does the NGO have a website? What is it?
2. Interviews: Does the NGO have representatives in Japan? Call them for an interview. Call the NGO Global Village people in Nagoya:

Nagoya DaiyaUBldg 4F, 3-15-1 Meieki
Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 450-0002 Japan
E-mail ngo.gvlg@expo2005.or.jp
Tel. +81-52-569-2634
Fax. +81-52-569-3385

Questions to answer:

1. What is your NGO?
2. What is the mission or goal of your NGO?
3. Who does this NGO help or benefit?
4. What do the members of the NGO do?
5. Why is this NGO important to the world?
6. Why is this NGO important to Japan?
7. Why is this NGO important to YOU?
8. How can a person join this NGO?
9. What are the responsibilities of each member in the NGO?

Writing Assignment:

Your group will be responsible to write one 6-page paper with references on your particular NGO. That is 6 pages, double spaced, plus extra pages as a reference. I suggest breaking the assignment into the following-- Each member of your group will have to write a two-page paper answering 3 questions. Person one will answer questions 1-3; person two will answer questions 4-6; person three will answer questions 7-9. If one person does not do his or her own work then the other two people will have to answer all of the questions. When each person is finished writing, then combine all three sections together into one paper.

Booths/ Presentations:

You should be as creative as possible. Remember your Multiple Intelligences. If you like music or art, then your booth should have music and art that represents the theme of your NGO. If you like to draw, then your booth must have lots of drawings.

Handouts:

You should make 40 handouts for your classmates. These hand outs need to be well organized and should summarize what your NGO is about. It should also have the contact information, plus have pictures. Do not copy from your NGO. You must create your own handouts. Use the information from your writing assignment to help you to create this handout.

2003-09-16T17:44:00.000+09:00

Hi Everyone,

How was your summer? I spent a lot of my summer in England. First I went to Lancaster in the North of England. There I spent 3 weeks studying. Later my wife Angela joined me and we headed North to the Lake District. Go to the link (http://www.keswick.u-net.com/ldp.htm). Wow is it beautiful.

2003-04-11T08:56:00.000+09:00

check out my class page