English Teacher Training (No Longer Being Updated)

This blog was designed for my English Teaching Methodologies class in Japan. The course has ended but anyone who is interested about using blogs in teacher training ot education in general is encouraged to explore this site. We used the blog to exchange opinions about the course content, provide each other feedback on our practice teaching, and talk to current teachers. To see a blog that is currently active, please go to the English Teacher Discussion Forum.

Friday, May 27, 2005

Blogging Assignment: Junior High School Grammar

The link below lists all the English grammar taught in junior high schools in Japan and the approximate order in which it is taught.

http://www.englisheducation.iwate-u.ac.jp/ClassFiles/kyouikuhou3/chuugakkougrammar.htm

For your assignment, please write which of the grammatical elements was easiest for you to learn as a student. Also, please write what was most difficult for you to understand. Next, as a teacher, which of the grammar do you have confidence in teaching and which grammar do you think will be difficult for you. PLEASE have this done by TUESDAY May 31.

Please comment on someone else's blog. What would be particularly nice is if you could give the person advice about how to teach grammar he or she finds difficult. Please have this done by WEDNESDAY, June 1 6 PM.



Wednesday, May 25, 2005

Driving in Hokkaido Can be Dangerous!

Friday, May 20, 2005

Assignment 4: Reflection on Sniffle's Lesson

For those of you that saw Sniffle's lesson,
Please write about what you particularly liked about Sniffle’s lesson and also a few things that they might try doing differently in the future.

Sniffle,
Please write an entry reflecting on your experience teaching numbers to the three students. Please try to get your blogs done early so other people can comment on them.

To Everyone,
Please don't forget to comment on your classmates' blogs. It might be especially nice to comment on the presenters' blogs!
Please have your blog done by Tuesday, May 24 and your comment completed by Wednesday, May 25.

Saturday, May 07, 2005

Answers to your Questions

I asked a friend of mine to answer some of your questions to current teachers. She is an English teacher at a high school in Hokkaido. Here are the questions and her answers:

Question from:
http://kee-na-o.blogspot.com/
Which do you think is more important to teach, English grammar orcommunication in English?

Answer
I think both grammar and communication in English are important. As you know, if you want to communicate in English fluently, you cannot do without grammar knowledge. but, if teachers think much of grammar ( exercises ), students regard English not as a tool for communication but as subject like math or literature. I suppose the balance is a key to encourage learners to play an active role in international stage.

Question from:
http://centerof-ricefield.blogspot.com/
I think it is difficult to teach foreign language. What are difficult thingswhen you teach English?

Answer
When I come across the sentences that I cannot translate into Japanese exactly.
Japanese and English are different. Sometimes I cannot translate and express the subtle nuance.

Question from:
http://popppo.blogspot.com/
When you teach English,what is the most of difficult point?

Answer
There are lots of difficult points. 関係代名詞・関係副詞・直接話法・間接話法etc..
The poorer the students are, the more difficult to teach is.
オーラルコミュニケーションを教えるのもとても大変です。教科書が使いにくい。

Question from:
http://nyanji.blogspot.com/
"Is it nessesary for English teachers to go Study abroad?"

Answer
I don't think so. If you have experience studying abroad, I think it is better. That's because you can tell the students the cultural differences. However, I don't think it is necessary to study abroad.
大事なことは、外国人とわけへだてなくコミュニケーションできるかどうかだと思います。日本にいても、外国人とよく交流し、文化の違いを感じたり、人間はみな同じなんだということを感じたりできればよいと思いますよ。私は英語教師ですが、私は留学経験がありません。すみません、時間がないので途中から日本語で書きました。