Archive for July, 2004
An Examination into Teaching English at Public Schools in Japan
Or, why can’t my students speak in English?
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Things to Do or Try in Your Free Time at School
Bored at school? Try one of these ideas to fill your free time
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Learning Japanese: What You Can Realistically Achieve
If you are anything like me, arriving in Japan with no previous immersion language experience, you are probably thinking that Saga prefecture presents an ideal situation in which to learn Japanese (an expectation that your family and friends have probably also expressed, including their parting farewell, “you’ll be fluent in no time”). Well, shit happens! Getting a good grasp on Japanese no matter how smart you are is really hard; just hearing it constantly is not going to set up you up to be able to understand it, speak it or read it without lots of regular practice and study (I thought I’d start with the bad news).
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Nagasaki Nightlife
Hedonism aside, for a medium-sized prefecture, Nagasaki has a rather high number of universities and post-high school colleges. This is clearly reflected on the streets during weekends when the lab rats and future lawmakers come out to play. Upon clearer inspection into bars and clubs, it’s not at all difficult to acquaint oneself with brethrens from different parts of the country who are eager to practice their English.
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Waterfalls in Saga
Coming from Michigan, U.S.A., which is surrounded by the Great Lakes, I’m a fresh-water kind of guy. So if you are hot and bothered (you know what I mean) in the summer, why not grab a few friends and head to one of these lovely little natural swimming pools.
Note: You’ll need a car or to know someone who is willing to chauffeur you around to get to either of these places. If you don’t have either, well, there’s always your shower.
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How to Apply for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test
- Buy (yep, you have to pay for it, 476 yen) the application at any major bookstore that has an English section. Probably at the counter (green envelope wrapped in plastic).
- kinokuniya–hakata, 6th floor of daimaru dept. store (above hakata bus terminal)
- kinokuniya–tenjin, 8th floor of tenjin core bldg.) maruzen–tenjin, fukuoka bldg. 2nd & 3rd floor, on the corner w/the subway “tenjin” station jukundo–tenjin, media mall, behind tenjin core
- fill in the application (this year the application & explanatory booklet included in the packet are in english!)
- attach (3cm x 4cm), b & w or color, taken w/in the last 6 months. (more info in the packet!) *write your name & d.o.b. on the back!
- photocopy your application.
- take application to the post office!
- pay the fee (5300 yen) w/the postal payment form @ the post office (most close by 4:00!) or @ the postal ATM
- send by delivery-certified mail (haitatsu kiroku yuubin)!
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Mental Health Support
As Prefectural Advisor, my primary role is to support you confidentially and emotionally when you are going through a rough time. However, I understand that in some situations, you might feel more comfortable consulting a licensed counsellor. So I have information on that too!
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Train Discounts
This is from the Hokkaido JETs listserve: info on special train discounts at certain times of the year. Discounts & night trains. Check it out & tell your friends!
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Pension Refund Process
Application for Lump-sum withdrawal must be made within 2 years of you leaving Japan, and it will be sent to an account you designate in your home country. It is not clear in the General Information Handbook if you can designate an account in 3rd country that you intend to go to but from what I hear, the CIR/PA from 2 years ago has not yet claimed his back because he has not yet gone back to his home country.
Your lump-sum payment WILL be taxed, and this will be refunded but to a Japanese “Tax-representative’s” account in Japan. Refund of this must be applied for within 5 years.
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Letters to Santa
Santa Claus
North Pole
HOHOHO
Canada
Check out this link for more info.
The very generous Canadian Postal Service even post replies to all students — tell them and even the kids who hate English will be writing away into the next lesson.
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TESL and TOEFL Courses
I thought some people out there in Saga might be interested in taking a distance learning course in TESL or TOEFL. There are two schools that I am aware of up in the Tokyo area. They are Lambert University and Tokyo College (or University — I can’t remember) and they offer distance programs. All you need is some cash, access to the internet, and some time.
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JET Peer Support Group
The JET Peer Support Group is a Volunteer Listening Line here to help.
Dial: 0120-837-725
The line is available from 8pm-8am everyday
What is it? The PSG is a night time listening line that is a useful resource for JET specific issues, more general Japan related questions or just to vent or work through some personal issues with the help of a listening ear.
This time of year can get really busy for a lot of JETs with summer festivals, work, returning home, summer travel, saying good-bye to friends, leaving JET as well as day to day survival in the summer months. We just want to remind you that the Peer Support Group is available should you start to feel overwhelmed (or underwhelmed for that matter).
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Teaching book, English for Primary Teachers
If you ever go to elementary schools, you should really, really! Check out the book:
English for Primary Teachers: A handbook of activities & classroom language by Mary Slattery & Jane Willis. This book is a clear, easy to use introduction to teaching English to children in elementary grades. It contains advice and practical teaching tips. It also builds teachers’ confidence in their ability to use classroom English effectively. A free audio CD gives examples of language from actual classrooms.
It’s won all sorts of awards, and the best thing is that there is a Japanese version! Oxford had the book translated! So you can hopefully get your JTE to read it too. If you leaving and looking for a goodbye gift to give a JTE…
You can find it at Amazon Japan.
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Saga Shinbun’s Edward Crandall Starts His Own Website
Edward Crandall of the Saga Shimbun has just launched his homepage.
It is a bilingual page. Click on the English table of contents to access the various sections. Note that the “update” section, which contains an English translation of his weekly column (originally appearing in Japanese in the Saga Shimbun), will be updated every Thursday with new material.
Free to send him an email. Enjoy!
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Akita International University Opens its Doors
Akita International University AIU as you may or may not have heard is Japan newest university located in Yuwa Machi Akita Prefecture. AIU is a unique university in that it is the first in Japan to offer all its courses and lectures (except some Japanese language classes for International students) in English.
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Information for Americans Voting from Overseas
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Aikido in Saga
The fundamental principle of aikido is to be so “in tune� with the opponent that one can sense his intentions and be able to take advantage of his movement. This principle has given aikido its name: ai means “to meet,� the character ki means “spirit or energy� and do means “the way� in the philosophical sense of Zen Buddhism.
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Taiko in Saga
Wadaiko, also known as taiko, is what I would call an ancient art form. It requires strength, stamina and rhythm. Wadaiko started its life as a method of communication, possibly between communities, but reportedly it was used as a method to talk to god(s); the harder you beat, the clearer the god(s) would hear you. Nowadays it is a mezmorizing and awe-inspiring spectacle. If you’ve ever played or seen some professional taiko group play, you will gape at the effort needed to play some pieces.
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Japanese Food Guide
Japanese cuisine isn’t just fish and noodles. Okay, it’s mostly fish and noodles, but if you spend any time in Japan, you’ll discover a culinary selection as big as any in the world. Read on to learn more about some typical Japanese dishes.
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Okonomiyaki Recipe
I’ve used this recipe a few times and I’ve never been disappointed.
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Miso Soup Recipe
The easiest soup in the world to make. Look for a tub of brownish paste in your local supermarket. Most generally cost around 300 yen and you can make at least 20 soups from it.
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Cycling in Your Area
A different way of getting to know your area is to hop on a bicycle and explore the country roads outside of your town. Get off the main roads, find those small farmers’ roads and get lost for an hour.
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Hiking Around Aso
Aso, which lies in Kumamoto Prefecture about two to three hours away from Saga Prefecture, is one of the biggest active craters in the world. Most people go see the huge and impressive active crater and then drive home missing out on the whole area surrounding the crater.
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Arita Ceramics Fair
Every year during Golden Week, which is from 29 April to 5 May, one of the biggest ceramics fairs in the world takes place in the little porcelain town of Arita in Saga prefecture. In Japanese, it’s called Arita Toukiichi.
There are thousands of shops and stalls full of all kinds of ceramics at all prices. Most ceramics are industrially produced in the area and others handcrafted by local potters. That’s what usually makes the difference in the price. A hand made ceramics vase hand painted by a local potter will be quite expensive as opposed to a mass produced bowl with a design printed on it which might only be 200 yen.
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