Today we discussed are research topics and goals for the year. For the next seminar on 5/8, we will present our research topics, sub-topics, and methodologies. We will also present our to-do schedule for the year.
James to do:
- Digital teaching portfolios ETM and Puean
- Thai teacher visit
- Kitakami project: Developing a curriculum for ES and JHS children.
- Miyako High School Project: Project-based learning with high school students.
- Myanmar Project
- PhD Thesis: Young teacher development
- “International Room” at Gandai
Nobita to do:
- Choose Topic (5/8): HS English Teaching – He wants to learn about teaching in HS because teaching practice was in JHS and he does not know much about HS English. He works in a cram school and taught HS students and he is interested in HS. For next week, Nobita will 1. choose a topic, sub topic and methodology. 2. Make a schedule for the year.
- Subtopics: Vocabulary learning – HS student’s vocabulary knowledge, HS students’ vocabulary learning strategies, vocabulary instruction in HS, vocabulary used in reading textbooks,
- Methodology: Easiest to carry out = textbook analysis, HS curriculum analysis; more difficult (but not too difficult): classroom observation and teacher interview (how teachers teach reading): same difficulty: questionnaires to teachers; most difficult: questionnaires to students or interviewing students
- Employment test
- Make efforts on graduate thesis
- Pass eiken pre-first
- Learn to play Chopin
- Last Kendo match, September 2015
Sapphire to do:
- Topic: English education in elementary school
- Sub-topic: Team-teaching in elementary school. She wants to know how ESs can support JHS and HS English.
- Methodology: Read about 小中連携, then conduct a case study of some ESs and how their efforts towards 小中連携, or interview or do questionnaires to elementary school teachers about 小中 and JHS teachers about 小中 and compare their ideas.
- Employment test (ES)
- Make memories in Gandai w/ friends
- Eiken (pre-first)
- Graduate thesis
- Find a way to contribute to education for revitalisation in Fukushima
Superwoman to do:
- Topic: Learning second languages: she is interested that Japanese people study English from JHS but they cannot speak English. The international students @ Iwate University speak English well. She wants to know about the different learning processes between Japan and other countries.
- Sub topics: Differences in beliefs about language learning, difference in language learning curricula, differences and similarities between textbooks, etc….
- Methodology : compare a foreign language lesson at JHS in the USA to a foreign language lesson in Japan; compare foreign language textbooks between Japan and the USA; compare the foreign language curriculum between Japan and the USA; compare students’ attitudes towards learning a foreign language in Japan and the USA; compare teachers’ attitudes towards teaching a foreign language in Japan and the USA
- Wants to learn about teaching English in HS
- Stand at the top of the Grand Canyon
- Make a lot of memories with friends
- Speak English at least 30 minutes a day.
- Profile of education systems throughout the world
Crazy Chicken
- Topic: English education in elementary school
- Sub-topic: How to teach third and fourth grade students English grammar based on CLT: To what extent to current (comunication-centered) foreign language activities (correspond with CLT and) encourage grammar learning?
- Methodology: Read papers about actual teaching practice, observe English classes in ES (as much as possible); participate in a pilot lesson in Kitakami
- Employment test (ES)
- 日本語教育能力試験：teach Japanese in other countries
- Improving your dance skills