Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Friday, November 2, Presentations

The following students will give their presentations this coming Friday, Nov. 2.
  1. Shuhei Oka
  2. Akira Gomi
  3. Peng Wenli
  4. Yuki Ueda
  5. Daichi Sasaki
  6. Motoho Nakui
  7. Shota Hayashida
  8. Masataka Iizuka
  9. Michimasa Ohyama
  10. Keisuke Takahama

The remaining students will present on the last day of class, Nov. 9.

Don't forget that your 10-week plans are also due on Nov. 9.

Work hard and see you Friday!

Monday, October 29, 2012

Learn Something

Hello again.

Here are some grammar, spelling, and usage errors I found on your blogs last week. Take a look and learn.

1. Isram > Islam

Be careful with the letters l and r. Japanese EFL speakers often confuse the two sounds, so make a habit of checking a dictionary. With tablet computers and smart phones, this should be quick and easy.

2. companeys > companies

Remember that the final letter y changes to ies for most plural nouns.

3. influence to the environment > influence on the environment

The preposition to is almost never used immediately after the verb influence. Use the preposition on instead.

4. pencil lead rhymes with dead (not feed!)

Please check the pronunciation of words you will use in your presentation. English spelling and pronunciation are notoriously confusing, but if you check one word at a time, it gets easier.

5. I speak the reason > I say the reason

The verb speak rarely takes an object. If you need to use a direct object, like above, then use the verb say.

6. the roof is sharp > the roof is steep

Houses in Hokkaido have steep roofs so the snow slides off. Walking on steep roofs is dangerous.

7. week3 > week 3

Don't forget to insert a space between words and numbers!

And that's all. More next week!

Presentations for Halloween

Hello, pupils.

Please find below the list of names for presentations for Wednesday, Oct. 31.

1st Period
  1. Minayo Aoki
  2. Natsuki Ohta
  3. Mina Ohnuki
  4. Momoko Kugayama
  5. Misaki Koseki
  6. Yukiho Seike
  7. Kanako Chiba
  8. Chihiro Nishimoto
  9. Emi Shizuho
  10. Kayo Yoshida

2nd Period
  1. Yusuke Kuribara
  2. Kaori Kokubun
  3. Yuki Torii
  4. Shinjiro Yamaguchi
  5. Miyuki Iida
  6. Masahiro Kumazawa
  7. Kanami China
  8. Yuma Satou
  9. Hiroki Nakane
  10. Mayu Namiki

I'm looking forward to some interesting and creative presentations.

Happy Halloween!

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

2. Friday 2nd Period, October 26 Presentations

Please find below the list for Friday 2nd Period presentations on October 26.
  1. Tsubasa Adachi
  2. Rei Fujiwara
  3. Kazuhito Ayukawa
  4. Sho Oketani
  5. Taisei Kurihara
  6. Ikuma Nishikawa
  7. Shun Murayama
  8. Makoto Ogane
  9. Hisataka Kajiwara
  10. Keiichi Sawada
Please remember that you only get this one chance to give your presentation. Don't be late for class. Don't be absent. Be prepared.

See you Friday!

Monday, October 22, 2012

1. History of Blogging

Hello, everyone.

Here is a list of the students who will give their presentations on Wednesday, the 24th. There are only ten students per class. If your name is on the list and you do not come to class, you do not get another chance. If you are not prepared, you do not get another chance. This is a one-time opportunity. Sink or swim. Win or lose.

Wednesday, 1st Period (8:40-9:55)

  1. Yuka Ishikawa
  2. Reina Kamizaki
  3. Makiko Ketoguchi
  4. Ai Koumoto
  5. Mako Tanabe
  6. Haruko Nakamura
  7. Mineto Oka
  8. Shota Yano
  9. Kimika Meri
  10. Manami Ichikawa

Wednesday, 2nd Period (10:10-11:25)


  1. Kohei Aramaki
  2. Airi Utsumi
  3. Narumi Aoki
  4. Chihiro Imori
  5. Takuma Saito
  6. Takuma Watanabe
  7. Yuto Onodera
  8. Hiromitsu Sakurai
  9. Kazuma Fujimoto
  10. Yoshitaka Hino 

I repeat: If you do not come to class, or if you are not prepared, you do not get a second chance. 

Important information: Your 10-week plans are due on the last day of class, November 14. You must print them out and bring them to class to give to me. No hand-written plans will be accepted. Only typed and printed plans will be accepted.

See you all on Wednesday! Good luck!

Friday, 2nd Period Class: I will list the names of students who will present later this week, so please check this blog again later.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Check this blog early next week on Monday the 22nd for a list of the students who will give their presentations on the 24th (the URL is above in the address bar). There will be 10 people chosen each week. In case someone does not come to class or is not prepared, I will choose an additional 5 students as alternates.

Best of luck in your preparations. Here is some final advice about presentations:

1) Practice at least once.

2) Pictures are good.

3) A lot of writing is bad.

4) Don't read everything.

5) Look at the audience and be natural.

6) Check your spelling on your PowerPoint slides.

7) Be funny, challenging, and/or unexpected. Surprise us.

8) Relax and be confident. You have put a lot of time into this. YOU are the expert.


Study hard and see you next week!

(And don't forget to check this blog again on Monday!)