SHS – projectGENIUS https://projectgenius.online Working with schools and teachers focused on forging a brighter world. Wed, 20 Nov 2024 04:29:50 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7 https://i0.wp.com/projectgenius.online/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/cropped-Logo-1-circle.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 SHS – projectGENIUS https://projectgenius.online 32 32 191002203 What Do Teachers Actually Do During Festival Preparation Time? https://projectgenius.online/2024/11/20/what-do-teachers-actually-do-during-festival-preparation-time/ Wed, 20 Nov 2024 04:08:53 +0000 https://projectgenius.online/?p=4865 The school festival has finished successfully and usually people talk about what happens during the festival. However, I’d like to talk about preparations and my reflections of it instead.

According to the list of class data of the JHS/HS, there were 7 haunted houses, 3 casinos, 2 shooting games, 2 maid cafes, and a human zoo with the students wearing animal headbands lying on the ground being fed through cage bars choko boru for their food and protein shakes for drinks.

During the week of school festival preparations, I finally had some downtime between grading and making tests to walk around and help the students and teachers. Below is a list of festival related vents that I personally partiicipated or witnessed where students were practicing English conversation:

• masks being spray painted inside a classroom not well ventilated for a haunted house

• told said high school students to put on masks because of the dangerous fumes

• told high school students to turn on the classroom light because they were sawing wood in the dark using their phones as lights

• wrote cursive for the JHS 1st graders classroom board

• edited an English paper about Japanese culture that was to be displayed in the classroom

• students told me about the new Monster Hunter game coming out

• punctured a hole in the opening of a balloon for students to pump air into

• got a free t-shirt for a Biohazard/Resident Evil themed classroom

• made 30 paper flowers out of confetti paper and 30 paper trains

• decorated a hallway with a smiley face design with above said decorations

• made 20 origami cranes and 10 origami shurikens

• shot a nerf gun for a student to practice running from

• students went shopping at Daiso and Costco to buy materials and supplies

• spun a casino custom slot machine with a students face on it making different poses

• ate 3 cotton candies for the students to practice using the cotton candy machine

• students explained to me the new popcorn game that was on the homepage of Google

• brushed 2 wigs for the performances with many students complimenting them

In the past, the benefits of being an assistant teacher included team teaching and less lesson planning time to connect with students. With the increased time to connect with students, I walked around the school and interacted with students, asking about their lives. I actually knew most of their names and a lot about their family, love rumors, friends, interests, and other kinds of trouble they had going on in their life that I felt so much closer with them.

Now as a main teacher, while I don’t have as much time to connect due to increased role responsibilities as when I was in an assistant role, I still do my best to talk with my students. I really love when the festival season comes around the corner because this is one of the best times I can connect more with my students. Being able to have fun moments inside and outside the classroom is a joy to me and I love seeing my students thrive and improve in their studies. The educational and emotional responsibility we as teachers share for our students is a great task that I take pride in, as showcased during the festival season.

During the festival, the time with my students brings more natural conversations that are so unprompted and organic. While making origami, my students volunteered to become teachers and taught me how to make a crane using easy English and learned new words.

The time together with no lesson plan, but rather just sitting with students creating was the time where I not only learned new names but also their interests and daily life worries. Instead of repeating the textbooks, while making origami students asked the usual questions like what Japanese food do I like and why did I come to Japan but also unusual questions that they never would’ve had the chance to ask me otherwise about mental illness and sexual orientation.

These rare moments outside the classrooms are one of the things I have looked forward to as a teacher as I try to get those interactions every day. One of my favorite things to do when I’m not teaching is to go visit the club rooms and talk with the students. For example, the best place for me is visiting the cooking club. Learning and teaching real world skills is the best motivation for anyone to learn a language and food culture connects us universally.

When I left school during the school festival preparations week to go home, I felt a different kind of accomplishment with my students due to the connections made and look forward to making more.

Image by lifeforstock on Freepik

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Occasionally Something Beautiful https://projectgenius.online/2024/09/20/occasionally-something-beautiful/ Fri, 20 Sep 2024 06:07:48 +0000 https://projectgenius.online/?p=4853
Jason Packman
Jason Packman
Chief of English Services

One of our client schools has a class that our teachers really enjoy planning and teaching, but I have never been a fan of, either as an observer or as a substitute teacher. It is a current affairs class for third year high school students. Our teachers choose a topic and prepare texts and vocabulary lists related to the topic. The instructor stands in front of the class lecturing to students who are asked to answer questions or give their opinion from time to time.

In my experience teaching and observing this class I have not seen much engagement beyond a handful of high-level students. I wondered why there wasn’t more engagement.  Was it because the language or topics were too difficult, the students were not interested in the topics, or the students did not have the tools or opportunity to discuss?

Thinking that deeper student engagement with the material was the key to increasing student participation, I suggested in one observation report that our instructor consider  doing a jigsaw activity– breaking up the reading into sections, giving a group one section, then reforming groups so that each student in a group had read a different section and could explain to each other their assigned reading  -- to encourage discussion and increase comprehension. However, I received feedback that the teacher I had observed felt that all I was doing was telling him to have the kids play more games, to be more fun.

Looking back at my report, I probably was too blunt in my general criticism of the class – though over the years I have not  been shy in repeating my thoughts about the class to our teachers at the school -- but I am still at a bit of a loss as to why this activity perceived to be a game.

Games are a touchy subject for some EFL teachers in Japan. There are those, and  I would say I am one of them, who are wary about being associated with the stereotype of the genki English teacher, who doesn’t really teach – or know how to teach -- but just plays games and has fun with the kids while the serious learning occurs elsewhere. Whether a legitimate criticism or not, having that self-image as a teacher can be demotivating for ambitious and motivated professionals.

Games and gamification of learning can, however, be an important part of an English class, whether it is an old school board game like sugoroku  or having all the kids pull out their smart phones or tablets to play Kahoot. Some students are motivated by winning a game, it can encourage language use, and it just adds some variety to the classroom environment.

Teachers, though, should be judicious in their use of competitive games during lessons. Not all kids are motivated by competition, losing can be highly demotivating and in the worst case, though in my experience not a rare case, competition can create unnecessary and unconstructive conflict in the class. The English used in a game can also be completely disassociated from its actual context or meaning, making its usage transactional and ephemeral.

Our client schools are private schools with many of them wanting to have as many of their students as possible accepted into top level universities, which means their students are successfully passing college entrance exams. The incentive for these schools and the instructors they hire is to teach English as a Test Subject, emphasizing teacher fronted lecture courses, devaluing activities that provide opportunities to acquire language within a communicative context. We want our students to succeed in life, of course, and in Japan that means passing exams to get into universities. So, it is important for our teachers to support our clients and students in these goals. But, just like overemphasizing competitive games, teachers who attempt to motivate students solely on the basis of passing exams can also demotivate some students and lessen engagement in the classroom by promoting a way of thinking  that any activity  that is not directly related to explicitly passing exams is a waste of time within a competitive educational and career environment. 

Both competitive games and teaching to the test are similar in that they have easily identifiable outcomes. However, does that mean activities in which students are given the opportunity to engage with each other in an unstructured or lightly structured environment will ultimately have negative outcomes for student learning or development? Professor Laitha Vasudevan of Teachers College Columbia argues instead that it is essential. In an article entitled "Adolescents, Embodiment, and Play" she writes “adolescents need time and space for unfettered opportunities for experimentation and exploration of the changing world in which they live. Free play, or the full freedom to make all the decisions about play from materials to activity to location, is vital for young people’s development and sense-making about the world.” This is “because it is often in play that intertextual connections, imaginations, and other raw materials for literate engagements are sourced and nurtured.” 

How can we as teachers motivate students to use English in a more integrated way beyond just receiving a reward, whether that means becoming the daily champion or getting into their university of choice? Activities like jigsaw discussions are one way to bridge the gap between the two. A jigsaw activity puts the responsibility on students to speak and use English in their own time and their own way. In the context of the current affairs class, students can independently discuss and talk about the topic and come to their own understanding with several different classmates. The act of breaking up the essay into a number of parts and then asking students to summarize their section to other students who haven’t read it ensures that everyone will be required to engage with their classmates and the material in different ways. Understanding is then confirmed by the teacher through a whole class discussion. A jigsaw activity does introduce constraints that unfettered play would not, but, as the famous mid-20th century designer Charles Eames discussed, how one decides how to  work within constraints is an important aspect of creativity.  This activity provides both students and teachers the space to use English and interact with each other in ways that can not only help them acquire English but also, though a less constrained environment, allow them to more fully identify themselves  as English speakers.

I strongly believe that we can add plus alpha to our client schools by providing opportunities to our students to express themselves and make interpersonal connections through English. Of course it takes time to build such a culture and it is much easier for everyone to fall back on either top down, highly structured lectures or competitive games where there are clear outcomes with winners and losers, correct and incorrect answers, and everyone can rate their success by the amount (rather than quality) of  English spoken in one finite class period and have  our classroom management skills judged by how students quietly stayed in their seats and talked only when spoken to, allowing everyone to quickly and quietly get through our days as teachers and students without much trouble or stress.

By challenging ourselves and our students to do more and be better, we do risk the possibility of failure, and that some chaos and messiness will ensue. But by giving our students more autonomy in lessons in the short term we can challenge them to be better learners and help cultivate more positive attitudes and outcomes in their English-speaking journey outside of class in the long term.

The article I referenced by Prof. Vasudevan was published in the  April/May/June 2023 of LITERACY TODAY, a publication of the International Literacy Association

I took the title from a video by Project Genius’ first Chief of English Services, Peter Ackerly.

Header image "RDECOM presents STEM opportunties at Edgewood High School" by U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

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Rating Classroom Management Techniques (And a Bingo Bonus!) https://projectgenius.online/2024/09/09/rating-classroom-management-techniques-and-a-bingo-bonus/ Mon, 09 Sep 2024 00:56:29 +0000 https://projectgenius.online/?p=4847 Having taught from babies to high school, I have implemented a wide range of classroom management techniques over the years. As all age ranges react differently, you can probably guess which ones react better than others. 

Have you implemented these same techniques in your school as well? I hope you will learn at least one new technique today or perhaps agree or disagree with my rating system of each technique. 

 Can you get bingo from below? 

The silent treatmentRinging a bell/annoying sound1-on-1 outside classroomJingle jingle keys pay attentionAdding a punishment (homework, test, etc)
Making them standTeachers RoomQuiet policeThreatening to turn off the AC in summerStand near noisy students
https://bouncyballs.org/ Take break time awayFREE SPACE (you have good students, congratulations!) Calming musicThe unexpected 
Moving studentsBoard apologyTurning off the lightsTimerCountdown
Positive reinforcementExerciseCall and responseApology letterCalling parents threat

Here is the list of techniques used above for getting a classroom quiet and my efficiency rating for all::

TechniqueEfficiency Rating :(1 - least effective 5 - most effective)Explanation:
The silent treatment3Usually can take a long time for students to realize the teacher is waiting so if overdone can lose effectiveness quickly.
Ringing a bell/annoying sound5The more annoying it is, the more likely the student's attention will be quickly grabbed. 
1-on-1 outside classroom2Either with myself or having gotten other teachers involved, this is actually not that effective, especially with students with more stronger personalities than others.
Jingle jingle keys4Used sparingly and once taught effectively, “jingle jingle pay attention” is a keeper. 
Adding a punishment 4Most effective when the punishment is a test, quiz, or homework. Fear is always a great way to quiet students down. If your students all have bad grades, this won’t be effective at all.
Making them stand5Surprisingly works very well for most students. They tend to get the hint pretty quickly if I ask them to stand multiple times or if I keep them standing for long periods (only a few minutes max don’t worry.)
Teachers Room2Another surprising one, the teacher’s room is actually NOT that effective and can make other students make it into a game. Can be effective for others though so pick your battles.
8)   Quiet police3Depending on the class, works wonderful and others…well you can imagine. Hit or miss.
9) Threatening to turn off the AC in summer510/10 highly recommend (use sparingly as your last weapon).
10) Stand near noisy students4If they’re silly, they will stare back at you and keep laughing but overall this is pretty effective but not long term.
11) https://bouncyballs.org/ 2Honestly…it’s not that great. I’ve used these voice level monitoring sites, and the students just don’t seem interested in it to be honest.
12) Take break time away5With only 10 minutes in between classes, time is gold.
13) Calming music3Gets students interested but doesn’t keep their attention for long. Best for self-study mostly.
14) The unexpected5A dance, a meme, a song, this is one of the best ways to get their attention. For example, a popular Tiktok song as of July 2024
15) Moving students5As long as they are not near ANY students this will work. I usually like to put them near me or have them be my helper. A classic because if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
16) Board apology3If they can write and understand why they’re writing, great. If they don’t care, they will see it as just annoying, which might also work as well. Hit or miss.
17) Turning off the lights2Can work in the right conditions but overall students just think they’re about to watch a movie.
18) Timer2Students will just wait till it gets to an even number of 1:00 exactly then go “aww…”
19) Countdown4A classic.
20) Positive reinforcement4Usually in the form of giving no homework or a song, this does work pretty well.
21) Exercise4Depending on the season, this is another effective surprise. If you make them tired they will be too tired to talk to others and will just preserve their saliva instead. Jumping jacks, clapping hands, pushups, etc this is especially effective if there’s a lot of boys in the class.
22) Call and response3It might be just me, but I am honestly not that great at doing these because I am soft voiced, but I bet other teachers will have better luck with this.
23) Apology letter4.5Great for those who are skilled AND not skilled in English, it will force lower skilled users to use what little English they know (or ChatGPT) and at least write some English they otherwise would not have written. Highly recommend it.
24) Calling parents threat3.5Greater for younger students, older students don't seem to care as much. This is actually more effective if you make it into a joke and pretend you are calling the police instead.

Header image by Miroslavik from Pixabay

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Assessment Question Styles at Schools in Japan https://projectgenius.online/2024/07/08/assessment-question-styles-at-schools-in-japan/ Mon, 08 Jul 2024 12:23:45 +0000 https://projectgenius.online/?p=4822 It’s your first year of teaching and your school’s Japanese English teacher has just asked you to help create questions for the end of term test. After researching online, you find some examples but have to incorporate material from your specific textbook into the test.

For new teachers who are new at creating tests, here are some examples that I have seen from my schools using Japan’s English Junior High  School textbooks: New Horizon, New Treasure, My Way, and the Sunshine series.

Below is a format with real, altered questions and real Japanese used on past tests.

The number of questions and points in the parenthesis per section is what I’ve personally seen being used as well. Usually, tests are about one hour and use 60-80 questions, 1-2 minutes per question on average.

Vocabulary: Translation (10 questions, 1 point each)

Kanji Translation: Please translate the following into Japanese.   [A] 次の語を日本語に直しなさい crash       2) temperature       3) experience       4) source     
Kanji Translation: Please translate the following into English   [B] 次の語を英語に直しなさい いろいろな 2)そのうえ、さらに  3) 状態    4) 生き残る  

Grammar Table: (10 questions, 1 point each)

Kanji Translation: Fill in the following table. [D] 次の表を埋めなさい。   ~は ~の ~を ~のもの   ~は ~の ~を ~のもの 私 I ① me ② 私たち we our ⑧ ours あなた you ③ you yours あなたたち you ③ you yours 彼 he his ④ ⑤ 彼ら、それら they their ⑨ ⑩ 彼女 she ⑥ her hers           それ it its ⑦            

Rearranging (5 questions, 2-3 points)

Kanji Translation: Rearrange the words in brackets appropriately to make them match the meaning in Japanese and write the complete sentence. Note that even the word at the beginning of the sentence is in lowercase.   [E] 日本語の意味に合うようカッコ内の語句を適切に並べかえ全文を書きなさい。文頭にくる語も小文字になっているので注意すること。 この女性はわたしの母です。 [ woman / my / this / mother / is / .]

Fill in the Blank: ( 5 questions, 2 points)

Kanji Translation: Write the third person singular present tense of the following verbs. [F] 次の動詞の3人称単数・現在の形を書きなさい。 1. know      ________                         2. cry  _________

Multiple Choice: (15-20 questions, 1-3 points)

Kanji Translation: Choose the most appropriate word to fill in the blank and answer with a symbol. [G] 空所に入る最も適切な語を選び、記号で答えなさい。              
   1. You ( ア aren’t play  イ not play  ウ don’t play ) baseball.
Kanji Translation: Choose the most appropriate word to put in the parentheses so that it matches the meaning in Japanese.  
[H] 日本語の意味に会うように、( )に入れるのに最も適切なものを選びなさい。   明日はクラブ部活がありませ。 We don’t have any club (    ) tomorrow.                        A) operations B) meetings C) games D) activities
Kanji Translation: When inserting the word in brackets into the following English sentence, please indicate the appropriate position with a symbol.
[I] 次の英文にカッコ内の語を入れるとき、適当な位置を記号で答えなさい。                        1. They read books after school.〈 sometimes 〉
Kanji Translation: Choose one word from each of the following pairs that has a different pronunciation of the underlined part from the others, and answer with a symbol. (Phonics) [J] 次の各組の語で下線部の発音が他と異なるものを1つ選び、記号で答えよ。   1.    ア see                        イ bread          ウ bee             エ piece 2.    ア cat                         イ black           ウ any             エ happy
Kanji Translation: Choose the most appropriate answer to the following questions and write it in a symbol. [K] 次の質問の答えとして最も適切な答えを1つ選び、記号で答えよ。       1.  Where do you live? ア I live in Shibuya station. イ I lives near Shibuya station. ウ I live near Shibuya station. エ I lived close to Shibuya station.

Passage Reading ( 5 questions, 2-3 points each)

Kanji Translation: Read NEW HORIZON Unit 6 Part 1 and answer the questions that follow. NEW HORIZON  Unit 6 Part1を読んで、あとの問いに答えなさい。              Hello, everyone. Look at this picture. This is Takuya, my brother. He’s twenty years old. He lives in Cebu, the Philippines. He studies English at a language school there. He meets many Asian students at school.             Takuya goes to school on weekdays, and sometimes enjoys scuba diving on weekends. Cebu has many beautiful beaches. He and his friends go diving together. He really likes Cebu.
Kanji Translation: Answer the following questions in English, but make sure to write the answer following the opening of your answer sheet and include a period. Answer the following questions in English, but make sure to write the answer following the opening of your answer sheet and include a period. [L] 次の質問に英語で答えよ。ただし、解答用紙の書き出しに続け、ピリオドも書くこと。 ア How old is Takuya? He               .
Kanji Translation: Read the following English text and answer O if it matches the content of the text, or answer X if it does not.      次の英文を読み、本文の内容と合う場合はO、合わない場合はXで答えなさい。  ア Takuya studies English in Japan.

Word Box: (5-10 Questions, 2 points each)

Kanji Translation: Read the following sentence and choose the symbol below that expresses the meaning of the Japanese sentence. [M]  次の文を読み、日本文の意味を表すように、以下から記号を選びなさい。    ベッドの下の猫は黒いです。 The cat (  1  ) the bed is black. あなたのえんぴつは机の上にあります。 Your pencil is (  2  ) the desk..   アin                イon              
Kanji Translation: Choose the appropriate answer from ア to エ and write the symbol in the ( ) in the following sentence. [N]  次の文の( )内に適するものをア~エから選び、記号を書きなさい。
1.) Bob: What did Mr. Brown want us to do yesterday? I can’t remember. Patty: (                 1         )
2.) Taku: Matt did you hear the news? There’s a flood tomorrow. Are you ready? (                 2      ) Matt: Yes, I am! I have food, water, and a flashlight. ア.Can I help you? イ.He wants us to make an art presentation. ウ.Tell me what you have done. エ.Would you like me to carry your jacket or something?

Short Answer (3-5 questions, 3 points each)

Kanji Translation: Answer the following questions in English. [O] 次の質問に英語で答えなさい。 1.   What do you want to do today?
2.   What’s easy for your friend to do?

Essay (3-5 sentences, 6-10 points)

Kanji Translation: Introduce in detail in English to a friend visiting from America things that can only be seen in Japan (events, animals, etc.) or unique Japanese culture. [P] アメリカから来日している友人に、日本でしか見られないもの(行事や動物など)、あるいは日本特有の文化を詳しく英語で紹介しなさい。

Follow this guide and well done! You will have made up the majority real English questions used in the Japanese public and private education sector.

For veterans and beginners alike, I hope you have learned a new assessment method from the above and good luck making your next test!

Header image "Solo exam" by Perrimoon is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

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Tips for Teaching ESL Students to Debate in English Part 2 https://projectgenius.online/2023/11/06/tips-for-teaching-esl-students-to-debate-in-english-part-2/ Mon, 06 Nov 2023 09:47:43 +0000 https://projectgenius.online/?p=4424 Designed by stories / Freepik

Lily Song
by Lily Song
High School Instructor

One of the most difficult parts of debating for both native speakers and ESL students is rebuttal. From my experience the rebuttal part for Japanese ESL learners is especially hard since debating is not something that they commonly do even in Japanese. The most important aspect is providing them with a structure to follow. 

To rebut effectively in English debates, here are some essential tips:

Active Listening: Understand your opponent's arguments by actively listening and taking notes.

Preparation: Anticipate your opponent's points and prepare your arguments in advance.

Signposting: Structure your rebuttal by starting with an acknowledgment of the opponent's point.

Address Key Points: Focus on the most crucial aspects of your opponent's argument in your rebuttal.

Provide Evidence: Support your counterarguments with facts, statistics, or examples.

Expand Vocabulary: Enhance your English vocabulary to express your ideas more effectively.

Here is the slide show Lily uses for her debate class. You can download it below.
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Enjoying English through Japanese Folk Tales (and Big Bird) https://projectgenius.online/2023/10/04/enjoying-english-through-japanese-folk-tales-and-big-bird/ Wed, 04 Oct 2023 08:12:37 +0000 https://projectgenius.online/?p=4396
Jason Packman
Jason Packman
Chief of English Services

A while back, while randomly watching YouTube one night, I was recommended a video entitled Big Bird in Japan. Intrigued, I watched it.

This PBS-NHK co-production ended up being quite interesting. It was produced in the late 1980s at the height of US-Japan tensions; not coincidentally, about the time the JET programme began. Big Bird and Barkley somehow join a tour of Japan and immediately get lost in Shinjuku. A friendly stranger of mysterious origins helps them to rejoin their tour in Kyoto while introducing them to Japanese life and culture. In addition to the time capsule aspect of watching something from the late 1980s, I was reminded of my own first day in Japan in 1995.

I was on my way to my study abroad university dorm room outside of Kyoto with my brand new, never-before-used passport and one full year of Japanese language studies at university under my belt. I got on the wrong train line in Osaka at first, but somehow, I made it to my station. I took a bus when I got there, but only way I knew I was at my stop was when the bus driver called "Gaijin-san!" in a friendly voice -- though I felt a bit self-conscious when everyone on the bus looked at me at the same time.

Unsurprisingly, I went in the opposite direction from the dorm I was staying at for the next month. At a loss of what to do, I just walked into one of those local electronics shops that are in neighborhoods around Japan and thrust the paper I had explaining where I was supposed to go towards them. Luckily, the family that owned that shop was just as friendly as the person Big Bird met. They calmed me down and bought me McDonalds for lunch, my first real meal in Japan, which I happily ate while chatting away. So I ended up feeling a strong affinity towards Big Bird and Barkley, watching them become lost and then found while wandering around Shinjuku and the rest of Japan.

When I showed it to my junior high school students, however, I found the visuals interesting enough—Big Bird and Barkley driving through Japan in a car is easy enough to understand while I noticed some students trying to figure out what Shinkansen station Big Bird and Barkley were at— for them to follow along while the language being at a level that can be understood by my mid-to-high level students.

My students English isn't at a level to have the sociological discussions about the video on Japan-US relations in the 1980s or representations of culture that you could have with older, more advanced students. However, I did want them to actively engage with the video. With my colleagues at my junior high school, we decided to make a listening, fill-in-the-blank worksheet based on the pre-school performance of the Japanese folk tale "The Bamboo Princess" that Big Bird and Barkley somehow stumble into watching. It starts at around the 39 minute mark and, spoiler alert, this story is related to the origins of our heroes' magical friend.

I will share two different worksheets here. First is the one we did in class, where we added a few vocabulary words at the beginning and a few review questions at the end. Looking at it again, I decided another way to do it would be to have students only listen for nouns. I hope you can either use these or that they give you some ideas to make materials better suited for your students.

Incorporating cultural materials such as this video is an effective way to help our students with their English. Though often we want to introduce things from our own country that does provide another layer of complexity to their language learning, as they need to learn not only the language but the cultural context, as well. It is always easier to understand something in a foreign language if you know the material well in your own language, so I believe using materials such as Japanese folk tales is one way to help students' confidence in learning languages.

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Tips for Teaching ESL Students to Debate in English https://projectgenius.online/2023/09/20/tips-for-teaching-esl-students-to-debate-in-english/ Wed, 20 Sep 2023 01:05:52 +0000 https://projectgenius.online/?p=4381 Designed by stories / Freepik

Lily Song
by Lily Song
High School Instructor

1. Start with Basic Topics

Begin with simple, relatable topics that ESL students can easily understand and express opinions about. Gradually progress to more complex subjects as their language skills improve.

2. Emphasize Vocabulary

Introduce debate-specific vocabulary and phrases, such as "opening statement," "rebuttal," and "counterargument." Encourage students to incorporate these terms into their speeches to enhance their language proficiency.

3. Provide Structured Practice

Break the debate process into manageable steps. Teach students how to outline their arguments, provide evidence, and refute opposing viewpoints. Practice each step separately before combining them into full debates.

4. Foster a Supportive Environment

Create a safe and inclusive classroom environment where ESL students feel comfortable expressing their opinions and making mistakes. Encourage peer feedback and constructive criticism.

5. Incorporate Technology

Use online resources, debate platforms, and multimedia materials to make learning engaging and interactive. ESL students can watch and analyze debates in English, helping them grasp the art of persuasion.

6. Encourage Research

Encourage ESL students to research thoroughly before debates. This not only improves their argumentation skills but also enhances their knowledge of the topic.

7. Practice, Practice, Practice

Regular practice is key to mastering debate skills. Host mock debates, organize debates within the class, or even encourage ESL students to join debate clubs or competitions outside of school.

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Job Opening in Saitama https://projectgenius.online/2023/02/15/job-opening-in-saitama/ Wed, 15 Feb 2023 01:30:10 +0000 https://projectgenius.online/?p=4354
Jason Packman
Jason Packman
Chief of English Services

We are looking for a teacher who can join our team at one of our client schools in Saitama. The client is a private co-ed junior/senior high school in Saitama city, accessible from stations on the Keihin Tohoku and Musashino lines. Our client is looking for someone who can solo teach as well as be a confident T1 and a supportive T2 in a team-taught classroom. We are looking for someone who can work Mondays to Fridays as well as some half days on Saturdays.

The compensation package for this position includes a monthly pre-tax salary of ¥280,000 a month, regardless of the number of lessons taught per month and which is not reduced during summer, winter, and spring vacations, fully compensated transportation expenses, shakai hoken and pension package. and a Japanese school year based renewable contract.

Our ideal candidate: currently lives within a reasonable door-to-door commuting distance from the school campus; has a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution; a TESOL certificate from an accredited program or college is advantageous but not required; has at least one year experience teaching at a public or private secondary school in Japan; can both teach by themselves in a Japanese school classroom as well as work well with JTE co-teachers; can write lesson plans, create materials, and teach lessons with minimal supervision and instruction following guidelines provided while being flexible to any requests by other teachers and staff at our client-school; is willing and able to integrate technology into their lessons; is willing and able to teach/lead PE classes in English; can motivate students through their in-class teaching and interactions with students outside of class; wants to take the initiative in terms of lesson planning and classroom management but is also willing to share ideas and keep a positive attitude with the staff and teachers, Japanese and non-Japanese, at our client school as well as with our off-site office and executive team; possesses native English-level proficiency; can legally work in Japan.

If you would like to be considered for this opportunity, email your resume and cover letter to [email protected]. Due to the number of resumes we receive we are unable to contact all applicants, but we do keep resumes on file and if you do not hear from us for this position, we may contact you in the future if a more suitable position becomes available. We also regularly post open positions on gaijinpot.com. Feel free to email us your resume if you are not interested in this position but would like us to consider you for other positions, as well.

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New Year’s Quiz (2019 News Events) https://projectgenius.online/2020/01/24/new-years-quiz-2019-news-events/ Fri, 24 Jan 2020 15:45:47 +0000 http://edu-tech.co.nz/projectgenius/?p=3839 3839 Family Guy – Future Predictions Lesson https://projectgenius.online/2019/06/23/family-guy-future-predictions-lesson/ Sun, 23 Jun 2019 08:16:06 +0000 http://edu-tech.co.nz/projectgenius/?p=3780 Here's a video based lesson that uses a clip from Family Guy to give students a chance to practice making predictions for the immediate future.

It's worth bearing in mind that Family Guy is of course PG-14 material and it is best suited to that age and upwards.

Link to the video is in the lesson plan

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