Cross-posting from LinkedIn - Speaking Examiner training

It's taken a few days to get my voice back!March 28th - training for Cambridge Assessment English speaking examiners (SEs) at A2 & B1 levels in Tokyo was such a popular ticket that Kawaijuku JP026 doubled the registration and were STILL over-subscribed.

Participants rubbed shoulders with colleagues from JHS & HS settings, ALTs as well as homeroom teachers; language school & Eikaiwa teachers; university teachers/lecturers/assistant professors from across the Greater Tokyo area + a journeyman from Osaka. PhDs, Masters, DELTAs & CELTAs in abundance + a blizzard of different passports & previous teaching experiences...all of which went into the mix so that we can deliver these speaking tests to globally recognised standards & assess with analytical confidence.

Great to see some SEs getting back into the team after being sidelined by work elsewhere, and others joining us from Centres overseas &/or stepping up to add new levels having proven their own "Can Do". And the newbies realising they were in the right place, just stuff was a lot harder than imagined?

March 29th - Certification - is 'prove it' day. Many learnings to take in during training, a chance to fine tune interlocution chops & table management/non-verbal skills...and thoroughly apply detailed assessment criteria to two individual performances in a paired format, quickly.

As usual, I learned a lot. Inevitable, in a room of 32 teachers, each of whom has 3,000+ classroom hours under his/her belt - that's a LOT of experience :)
Frequently bailed out by my TL colleague Damian Gowland, and corrected by our superb SE Personnal Manager Keiko Ohashi & big TY to all participants for staying the course & coming out smiling!

Can't wait to start processing applications for B1 & B2 training, Tokyo, July 11-12. Find all the details (and apply soon - this session is bound to be much sought after!) https://lnkd.in/g-i8U6MW

Postcard from...Nagurumi Castle ruins, Gunma

 This is an outstanding preservation job on a hilltop castle (site), perched over the Tone River, in Gunma prefecture. The overgrowth has been cleared away, and the site of buildings & fortifications gentrified & identified, clearly identiable with really good signage.

Although the actual footprint of the site is quite small, it sits on a significant ridge with natural (steep!) defensive features, which were enhanced with cross-contour ditches. These have been bridged, which makes this an easy stroll of exploration. The view from the tip overlooking the valley is stunning, and I imagine this location would have been very difficult to overwhelm.

The connections with Sanada, of Ueda Castle fame, is quite something, given it's a long hour's drive around the mountains via the Agatsuma valley today and chilly enough even as spring is breaking.

This information from JCastle info:

Originally a fortification on this site was built by the Numata in defense of Numata Castle. The present fortifications date to Sanada Masayuki who fortified them to launch his attacks on Numata Castle. As an ally of the Takeda, Sanada Masayuki took control of the area by taking Iwabitsu Castle, Nagurumi Castle and finally Numata Castle in 1580. This area was heavily disputed between the Sanada and the Hojo until 1589 when Hideyoshi ended hostilities by giving the area, including Nagurumi Castle, to Sanada and the remainder to the Hojo. This decision did not sit well with the Hojo commander Inomata Kuninori who attacked and took Nagurumi Castle in late 1589. This was the famous spark that set off Hideyoshi's campaign to end the Hojo. Hideyoshi defetaed the Hojo the following year (1590) thus unifying all Japan. The Sanada were given Numata castle and Nagurumi was abandoned.

Please visit that great website for more castle info & places to explore!

I want to follow the BFG’s example! ~Talking About the Amazing BFG~

 

The BFG is different from the other giants.
First, he doesn’t eat people. Even when he is very hungry, he keeps eating snozzcumbers, which taste very terrible. He hates their taste, but he still eats them because he does not want to hurt people.

Also, while the other giants are violence, but the BFG is kind. He catches dreams and sends good dreams to people so that they can sleep happily at night. This shows his warm heart.

In the end of story, the BFG works together with Sophie and talks to the Queen of England about the man-eating giants. With the Queen’s help, the giants are caught, and people can live in peace.

If I were the BFG, I might not be able to eat bad food when I was very hungry. The BFG is amazing because he values his kindness to protect people more than his hungry.

Like the BFG, I’m going to resist hungry, eat vegetables (though vegetables have greater taste than snozzcumbers!), and try to my diet :)

What “Shopaholic” shows us

 

Due to quickly growth of Internet, we can buy something online very easy. We do not have to give real cash to shop staff, so it is difficult to feel how much money we really used. Because of this, people may spend more money. There are full of goods from all over the world, I think that many people can become ‘’ Shopaholic’’ like a Beckey.

I almost become a Shopaholic. I loved collecting goods of Pokémon, and I was exited everywhere I pressed the ‘’buy’’ button. I can’t stop myself. Next month, I saw my credit card bill and I was very surprised and scared. The bill showed me clearly the result of my actions. I learned that it is important to look back at what we spend money and think if it was really needed. （Even so, there are times when I feel like I can’t control myself to say , “I want that.” The internet is scary!!! ）

In the story, Beckey keep shopping and ignoring credit card bills and letter from the bank. I think this is a bad habit. In the end, Beckey tries to pay back her own debt, but she loses many important things such as trust from friends and family. One wrong choice, I feel that I might have become like Becky. This story teaches us to think carefully about how to use our limited money.

 

A Giant to be respected

 Virtually all Giants love to eat people and eat people every night.  One night, fourteen boys and eighteen girls disappeared from their beds at school. However, the only Big Friendly Giant doesn’t eat people in Giant Country, and he eats a strange vegetable called a snozzcumber to relieve hunger though it tastes terrible, and he really hates it. Delicious things like apples and oranges don’t grow in Giant County.

It may be quite easy for the BFG to eat people to satisfy his hunger. However, it is important and wonderful that he didn't do anything that he thought was wrong.

I see a similar situation in our development for our customers. We supply goods in North America, South America, the U.K., Europe, Australia, and New Zealand mainly. The U.K. and Europe have a very high eco-consciousness, and their products use minimal plastic, but the U.S. is the opposite. The plastic parts are much cheaper than the non-plastic parts, but the U.K. and Europe take wonderful action to save our future. I respect them who do something that makes the future better though it causes some impact in cost, efficiency etc.

Is shopping a good way to feel happy?

 I don’t think shopping is a good way to feel. 

I understand that it is easy to feel happy if we go shopping, but good feeling is not maintained for a long time. Our material desires have no limits. For example, when we buy clothes, accessories, or small gifts for ourselves, we may feel more confident or satisfied. 

This is why some people use shopping as a way to reduce stress or improve their feeling. Sometimes, I do shopping when I feel stressed. 

On the other hand, people might feel regret if they spend too much money or buy things they do not really need. Shopping can be addictive, and some people cannot stop even if they want to. Many people suffer from this problem for many years. 

It is often said that true happiness comes from experiences rather than things. Such as spending time with family and friends, achieving goals, learning new skills, or helping others. These activities can improve our feeling of happiness in the long term. If shopping is done not to satisfy our own desires but for the sake of others, I believe it can have a very positive effect on our feelings.

In conclusion, shopping can make us happy for a short time, but it should not be our main happiness. Buying small things is okay, but true happiness comes from people we care about, good experiences, and growing for our skills. 

I know the good way to spend money for my feelings, but I cannot stop my material desire!!

Ayumu Hirano - profile of a famous sportsperson

Ayumu Hirano is a professional snowboarder and skateboarder. He was born in Niigata on November 29th, 1998. He started snowboarding when he was four. His older brother also snowboarded & skateboarded, which inspired him. He became famous quickly, because of his high jumps and difficult tricks in the halfpipe.

He competed in the Sochi Winter Olympics when he was only fifteen and won a silver medal. He became one of the youngest medallists in Olympic snowboarding history. In 2018, he competed again at the Preong Chang Olympics and won another silver medal.

Besides the Olympics, he has won many medals at the X Games, which is a famous competition for extreme sports. He is know for performing very difficult tricks including the "triple cork" that only a few people can do.

In the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, he finally won a gold medal for the men's halfpipe. He competed in this year's World Cup, but he couldn't land well and was injured. However, he competed in the Olympics this month and finished in seventh place.

Posted for Renka

Visit Matsumoto - Hikari's top tips

Visitors can rent Yukata

If you come to Matsumoto, you'll definitely enjoy visiting Matsumoto Castle. It was built in the medieval age. Before there, you can rent traditional Japanese clothes, "Yukata". You can experience something rare, such as taking a photo with a samurai. Getting there by rickshaw is fun. In winter, there is an ice festival and the castle is light up. In summer, you can listen to traditional Japanese drums in the castle grounds.

Shopping is good in Nakamachi Street. You'll enjoy eating food & buying Japanese handicrafts. you can eat lots of desserts and foods, for example deicious crepes, pancakes, and traditional Matsumoto food, caramelised crickets & bee larvae. You can drink from a fresh-water spring.

If you're a first-time visitor to Matsumoto, don't miss out on eating soba. It is a dish of traditional Japanese noodles maade from buck wheat. You can learn how to make it too, in a class. It can be eaten hot or cold. Cold, with leeks, soy sauce & wasabi. Eat it hot with wild mountain vegetables or tempura, shiitake or matsutake mushrooms.

For those who only have a short time in Matsumoto, why not go to Nakamachi Street? There is a statue of big frogs at the entrance to the street. They are named Metoba, Gonta. When you visit there, you should take a photo with them. You can drink coffee while seeing beautiful nature. There is a shrine. You will want to wish for good luck.

Now you will want to visit Matsumoto. Enjoy your trip to Matsumoto.

Posted for Hikari

☻My best friend☻

 My best friend and I are both twenty four years old. We met last year of high school in Matsumoto when we were eighteen years old. We studied in the same class.She is smart and kind. When I did not undestand something, she always helped me.

 After we graduated from high school. She moved to Tokyo.We could not meet face to face because of COVID 19, but we sometimes play video games on the internet.

Now she works Tatsuno city in Nagano prefecture. We often go traveling or have lunch. A few weeks ago, we went to Lake Suwa together☻

*This is a photo taken at that time. I'm on the right, and my friend is on the left. 📷️

I love her and I am very happy that she is my friend !!

A Precious Friend in My Life

I met her at high school. We were in the same class and chose art class. 

We went to the art class room together every class. She was really good at painting.  I like her art.

We discovered we were same author fans, Osamu Dazai. We went too a cinema to watch his movies. 

After graduating, we spent a lot of time together. She had many ideas and ways of thinking that I didn’t.

She especially loves cooking. I went to her home to eat her dishes. She also was good at making sweets. At Valentine's day, I asked her to help me bake chocolate cookies. Finally, I could make lovely cookies. 

We don't meet often after we were married, but we text or call, and talk a lot such as family, job and children. 

Talking with her makes me feel calm, and I always enjoy it.

 

My best friend Mariko

Mariko and I were neighbours.  We met when we were four years old.  In the first grade of elementary school, we went roller skating together and had fun times.

After her mother died of an illness when she was nine years old, her fathr did his best to raise his children and his business. However, I think she had times to feel sad.

When she was thirty years old, she met a man who we could trust and respect.  I was very glad that she got married to him.

We meet once or twice a month to talk each other while playing with her son.

Are All Animals Equal on Animal Farm?

 I don’t think life on Animal Farm is fair for all the animals.  

At the beginning of the story, all the animals believed they were in an equal society. They thought the human was not good for them. So, they worked together to kick out Mr. Jones, and they hoped that everyone would share the work. For a short period of time, it seemed like everything might get better.

However, as time was passed, the pigs started to take more and more power. They said that pigs were the “smartest” animals, so they should make the decisions. At first, the other animals accepted this, but soon the pigs began to act like leaders. They got better food, they slept in beds, and they did not work as hard as the other animals.

The pigs also changed the rules. For example, they rewrote the commandments so their actions look correctly. They used Squealer to spread propaganda and made the other animals believe that everything was fine, even when it was not. The animals like Boxer worked extremely hard, but they never got respect for their work.

In the end, the pigs became almost the same as the humans the animals had tried to escape from. They walked on two legs, drank alcohol, and made deals with humans. The other animals were tired, hungry, and confused, but they were unable to fight the pigs because they had no power or education.

For these reasons, life on Animal Farm is not fair for all the animals. Only the pigs enjoyed a good life, while the rest of the animals cannot feel freedom. 

The animals of Animal Farm were not equal

I think life on Animal Farm is not fair for all the animals.

At the beginning of the story, all animals are equal. They work together and share the same dream. They believe that life will be better without humans. The rules of the farm say that all animals are the same and should live in peace and fairness.

However, this fair life did not continue. As time went on, the pigs became more powerful than the other animals. They made important decisions and changed the rules little by little. The pigs began to live a comfortable life. They ate more food, slept in beds like a human.

Other animals, such as horses and sheep, continued to work very hard every day. They believed the pigs and did not question them. Boxer was a typical example. He worked harder than anyone else and always trusted the pigs. When Boxer got injured, the pigs said that he was taken to a hospital. However, in reality, he was taken to a Horse Slaughterer, and his body never came back to the farm. After his death, the pigs made up a story about him. They said he died happily and praise them. They used his death to make people believe they are good leaders.

This shows that life on Animal Farm is very unfair. Even the most loyal and hardworking animal is used and then thrown away.

  

Appropriate shopping

 When I was in my twenties, I would go to Shinjuku once every few months to buy clothes. I would walk around all day, carefully consider what I liked, and buy the things I loved. I really enjoyed looking at clothes in different stores. I can understand how Sophie felt happy at shopping.

I have gotten into the habit of prioritizing my shopping within the limits that don't disrupt my daily life. Because of this, it was difficult for me before to spend money that did not match my income. This book and my ex-husband helped me fully understand that some people will spend any money they have on hand immediately and go shopping even when they have no reliable income.

For those who struggle with managing money, it may be beneficial to minimize the amount of money they have or to offer them fun activities other than spending money. This book also taught me that it's nearly impossible to make more money easily.Hitting the lottery is a miracle that may happen once in a lifetime. I should enjoy the lottery with the extra cash in my pocket.

Telling your students to "Go Away!"

 

Go away, kids!

A risky strategy if you want to get paid next month!

My kindy classes fell on Feb 3rd, which is 'setsubun' festival in Japan this year. It's an occassion when children throw (soy) beans at a monster (usually the oldest bloke in the house) shouting 'oni wa soto' - literally, go away monster.

The idea is to shoo away bad luck/evil spirits from the house, and to invite good luck in through the open door. I am sure many cultures have similar mid-winter superstitions/traditions (what are they?).

Monster mash

Who doesn't like making masks?! I wanted two different ones so I could divide my class into 2 groups, to shout at each other by the end of the lesson. Content was reviewing/recognising some letters of the alphabet & following colouring directions. We had not done a Hallowe'en theme last year - for several reasons including I think it is a cultural imposition & inappropriate! But the Super Simple Song "Go Away" from Halloween fits this task rather snuggly, so first time of hearing, my monsters quickly got the idea and could use their new English phrase at home on demand :)

What do you think? Monsters banished?!

My great cousin Hiroko

 I like my cousin Hiroko. She's my father's older brother's middle daughter. She is seven years older than me. I often played with her when I was a child, but we spend less time together  since she got married.

She is very active ! She likes to travel. When she was young, she went to India to volunteer at Mother Theresa's House, by herself. She plays Japanese drums with her daughter until recently.

She is tall and has brown eyes.

 One thing I love about her is her sociable, cheerful, and sunny personality, so she can change any atmosphere cheerfully.

She has a son and a daughter. Her son got a job this year, and her daughter will become university student from this April. So she  will become active again. She's trying a challenge 100km walking now!

Assumptions - a hand game that tanked!

We make assumptions all the time - mine was to expect my young students to be able to take turns. How old do you need to be before you can manage this 'simple' chant with hands in a stack?

One potato, two potatoes seemed so simple, but boy was it a hard to achieve! Understanding the 'drill' was a hard sell. It's not a familiar chant to Japanese kids. Sticking to the beat, one at a time, was anathema.

Taking turns with a partner vs 'me first' or 'mine on top to win' strategies...

Moving a hand from bottom to top, a new concept...

Keeping up with the speed & remembering English numbers...

Including all group members, not pushing, don't want to stand up...so many variables I'd not factored into this quick & easy hand game!

This group having a second go, a week after trying for the first time. A bit of familiarity helped, but I think you can see for yourself how complex this little game is for little ones! A learning opportunity, no?!

Task based learning - is it?!

As I keep saying, I'm not an expert! I'm not sure if this classroom activity actually meets the methodological definition of "Task Based Learning" (TBL) or not...but it felt like a task, looked like a task, and resulted in something tangible which the students really enjoyed doing...so, whatever it might be labelled, it was a win in the classroom.

I went to see a presentation about TBL on Sunday, at the ETJ event in Tokyo. Another one of many presentations that was 'talk to the people around you' variety...very frustrating as I want to learn from someone whose abstract suggested knowledge would be imparted. Instead, I'm floundering with other audience members unknown on a vague topic with no idea what the outcome should be. After that, given a task which I was 100% unable to do. The first was annoying, the second actually made me think that as a student, I'd be angry & humiliated in this sitution.

Both these situations made me think about where my learners were on Saturday afternoon. 

• They know each other well
• They have the language they need (I know)
• They have practiced , because they wanted to
• They can manage the tech (app on my iPad) intuitively (I know)
• They're a bit shy & reluctant to speak up (I know)
• They want to do something 'safe'... within their capabilities
• Very different artistic 'skills'

The 'task' had been a follow up to 'finishing' their graded reader -  draw a picture of your favourite animal as homework. This takes the 'performance anxiety' out of drawing, and can be done in 2 minutes or half an hour (not a classroom time management problem waiting for perfection or "I'm done"). The language aspect = answer some questions about your animal. The result had been one word responses (predictable) which we 'repaired' together, building full sentences & reviewing structures from the reader on the way (so, it did involve grammar, it did involved syntax, it did involve spelling).

I've posted before about using Chatterkids, and the benefits of anonymising student output...here are the results of my students using each others' work to personalise their work. They controlled the device, blinged up their work, re-recorded if they wanted to & agreed with each other when they were done. As you can see & hear, I think a great pay off which got a lot more language flowing than I know they'd usually not be keen to do :)

Students get to keep their work - parents can also see the outcomes as we shared to their Google Classroom. Genuinely happy faces...what do you think? Task based learning?

Seiko Matsuda biography

She was born in Fukuoka on 10th March 1962. When she was born she almost died, but she survived. Her real name is Noriko Kamachi. She has a brother , Mitsuhisa Kamachi.

When she was in the first grade of high school, she thought she wanted to be a singer, so she tried lots of auditions. However they did not think she was going to be a good singer. She participated in a tournament, and she got first place. At this time she decided to be a singer, and she quit her school in Fukuoka., and she transferred to Horikoshi High School in Tokyo, which is famous because many idols and actors went there.

She appeared in a Japanese TV drama in October that year. At the same time, the name “Matsuda Seiko” was officially decided.

In 1980, she debuted as an idol, the most famous things about her is “Seiko chan cut”. Its name of her hair style. In the 80s, lots of Japanese girls had Seiko chan cut.

Her most famous songs are “Akai sweet pea” and “Aoi sangosho”. These songs are still famous and most people still knows her in 2026.

She also made her international debut in the 90s. She sings R&B or English Dance Music.

She got married in 1985, she had a daughter Sayaka the next year. In 2021, her daughter Sayaka passed away suddenly.

And now 2026, Seiko Matsuda is 63. She appeared on the Japanese big New Year TV show Kohaku Uta Gassen the end of 2025.

Professional Development from an "expert"

 I'd been losing sleep for weeks over the Christmas & New Year holiday, about an invitation I'd accepted to be a panelist for OUP about teaching pre-primary children.

I think they asked me because everybody else was busy (shopping for daughter's wedding dress or at a conference in Turkey...instagram is insightful!)...

So this time last week I strapped into presenter chair with my ideas printed out (large font, don't want to squint to camera!). I really appreciated the rehearsal we'd had a week or two prior, to get the idea of the flow & pace to expect, and to actually 'meet' the other people involved (Taiwan, UK, Korea, Japan). Who would speak when, and trying hard to relate with what other speakers were saying naturally.

Behind the curtain!

In the green room - what's that?! Just me. Am I in the wrong meeting? Does my camera & mic work (they did, my speaker decided to mimic the inside of a submarine though) and then boom, off goes the rollercoaster. Don't fidget. Don't fold your arms. Slow down. Use names. Don't talk over people. Relax - there's only 1,000 or so people watching this webinar (and they're recording it for Youtube) ...no stress. Don't look in the chat column!

"...and thank you to our experts, Yumi & Jim, goodbye!"

Fastest hour of all time. 

What was I talking about? With quite a bit of on the floor experience at kindergarten, how to survive, basically, teaching pre-primary learners. There is not a lot of professional training available to language teachers for this age group, and any teacher new to this part of the market is daunted by a myriad of unknowns...When I did my CELTA in the last century, I was asked to give an expert opinion on the last afternoon of the course for 'teaching children', as I was the only person who had done so previously. So, a bit like that! The publisher had noticed me tagging their product on instagram I think. It is a great product, and makes my life every week a lot less stressful and a lot more predictable. 

What could possibly go wrong, working with little kids?! Now that's where you need strategies! Be it music, transitions, behavioural rules, achieving realistic expectations, self-preservation...working in an unfamiliar environment with things you have to carry/plug in/not break...wifi you can't access or no screen to project onto...someone just ate your flashcard and/or their crayons...the homeroom teacher disappeared to cope with a 'code brown'. Here's a topic I could keep going on for quite a while without referencing childhood psychology, methodology tags, curriculum design etc. How to get to class number 32 in a year's time, with a smile still on everyone's face.

The product? Toy Team from Oxford University Press...recommended bookseller = English Books because Colin Bethell is a great bloke, really helpful, and a mate since before I suddenly got famous(?!).

Get yourself noticed by sharing the good, the bad and the ugly from your lessons. Share your aspirations, your fears, and your fails. Connect, network, tag products & publishers, fellow teachers & people you want to meet. Am I an expert? No, my classes were 'quite ordinary' yesterday with a dead laptop + no wifi, nauseating hayfever ;)

Intonation is key! Encouraging learners to bounce

Having 'learned' the vocabulary & structure - third person + be + adjective - to describe how someone is  feeling...and also expanding with 'negative' information with our trusted Everybody Up 2 text book, sorted out word order & spelling heads down if you like; time to take it out for a road test!

Aim of this exercise/task was to make the exchanges real, really quick, making output not only 'correct' but interesting to the listener. To achieve that, I insisted the speaker point to the object card, but look at their listener. In a way, the speaker takes a snapshot of the phrase they are going to use from the card, and uses language independent of the support from memory. I really pushed my students to 'bounce' intonation across their complete utterances (not words 'one by one' drone), and even the most reluctant/shy felt able to let rip as the room was so noisy/fast moving & supportive (want to win the game, after all!).

Beauty of this kind of task is the non-speaker has time to listen to peers, practice what they are going to say & get things organised in their heads...and then cope with the need to repeat, go again etc (which is actually reassuring because they 'can do the first few more easily & focus on the far end of the table - listening to the other group?!). Tip = put the tough words in the middle so you can "pause" and model eg 'excited' with everyone's attention. Monitor subtly - cough if intonation not so great, wave an arm to encourage MORE oomph (technical term!), gesture encouragement (saying something breaks the flow) to inactive players 'on a break', and really encourage every student to have a go! 

I think this worked well - our learners usually need something to break the monotony of their school classes to get back to making English real, really useful, with really English speaking powers. What do you think?

 

On Thin Ice - the graded reader (not the state of Greenland)

Reading for detail - Read & Imagine

As you can easily see, there's a lot of text on the page, which most learners in Japan would baulk at immediately!

Our 'can do' learners at Luna have got used to this psychological barrier & can jump it with ease.

• Quiet reading? Yes
• Reading independently (at home)? Yes
• Overcome 'new' words? Yes
• Familiar with characters? Yes
• Enjoy the storylines? Yes
• Recycle language? Yes
• Personalisation with 'after reading' projects? Yes
• Work together with comprehension tasks? Yes
• Gain confidence with pronunciation of longer words? Yes
• Notice direct speech markers (punctuation)? Yes
• Read ahead for markers? Yes
• Look back in the story to refresh? Yes
• Travel in time & space, around the world? Yes
• Learn really cool stuff? Yes
• Put proper intonation into longer utterances (taking turns 'in character')? Yes
• Listening skills explored? Yes
• Gain confidence spelling? Yes
• Volume of vocabulary? Yes
• Expanding vocabulary sets beyond limited textbook content? Yes
• Yes.Yes. Yes.

There are so many benefits to our dedication at Luna to incorporating graded readers into our students' language learning careers. One of them is our adoption of Oxford's Read and Imagine + Read and Discover series - designed for young language learners with audio and activity books to enhance the learner experience. In our opinion, Oxford's Reading Tree is not fit for purpose, and the Extensive Reading Foundation's continued idolisation of that culturally loaded & unsuitable series is frankly annoying - driven by 'experts' who lecture from their high perches at universities without any idea what they're talking about wrt young learners, accessibility, learning styles, affordability. You never saw Oxford's Story Tree, which WAS ideal for the EFL classroom & independent home-readers?

Rant over? Not really!

Postcard from...Nagoya, Japan

Hi there blog readers!

I went to Nagoya to meet English teachers, school owners, an ex-student and a couple of really cool old friends I've not seen for a while. It was good to reconnect, talk about absent friends a bit, and to get new ideas for my classes and the year ahead.

My side hustle was making an excuse to finally photograph Nagoya Castle. I think I've been there before, but so long ago my photos will be faded as much as my memory. 

Honmaru Palace (foreground)

The first thing to know, is that it is a long walk from the station - so don't bother - get the subway! And understand this is a reconstructed, concrete job, with an awful elevator stuck on the side but ironically, no access to the main tower at the moment. Restoration to the walls is ongoing - somewhat slowly by the looks of it - and the grounds are sparse. The Honmaru Palace has been beautifully restored. A walk around the outer (now mostly dry) moat gives you a good idea of the scale (modest, I'd say). And don't be surprised when you see deer in the moat bed!

I got the impression that this castle was a bit of a peacock - look at my green roofing & golden kinshachi (fish) on the roof - but rather soulless and disconnected from the town (compared to Himeji, for example, which dominates the city...or Matsumoto, where there's ALWAYS something going on and the backdrop is stunning anyway).

Editing my photos, I realised black & white gave the structure more character. What do you think? The full set I took are here on Flickr

I was disappointed with this experience as there was not a lot of information to read, not much signage, and not a whole lot of story to attach to it....not a lot to explore or learn, nor clever angles to tease more out of the photography.

 

Train ride review - Shinano

I read recently that the trains on the Shinano service between Nagano & Nagoya will be replaced in 2027, and that the new ones will be 'tested' on the route this year. I'm looking forward to spotting one, and certainly riding them...the current trains are famously wobbly & can make you nauseus, especially if they are overheated or overcrowded & you have to stand. It will still be a tilting design, as the line will not change (lots of turns as it negotiates the Kiso valley and the climb up and over to Nagano from Matsumoto) but I've read there will be significant improvements to the rolling stock, with smart technology anticipating wheel slippageand anticipative breaking...we'll see.

My ride down to Nagoya the other morning was stunning; it had snowed heavily overnight, but for once my Shinano was not late. Every corner revealed another gorgeous carpet of white, hamlets blanketed & the hillsides jumping out from the blue sky. It was so pretty, I forgot to take any pictures!

Heading back next day, a lot of the snow was gone, and the roads looked safer. I remembered to press record, so enjoy a little bit of the trip, racing the trucks north as we wriggled through tunnels & over bridges, hugging the base of the hills. My advice is to get a seat on the west side of the train for the best views/photos from Nagoya to Shiojiri, and take a battery charger (there's no ac supply on this train - nor food & drink service, for that matter, so stock up at the platform convenience store). Between Matsumoto & Nagano, you want to be on the east side. 

No matter which season you take this train, the 'wide' views are very distracting! Give up reading a book and glue yourself to the window. To really make the most of your trip, reserve a seat at the very front...you won't regret it.

Hard Worker Boxer - after reading "Animal Farm"

 The animal that I felt sorry for is Boxer. He deeply trusted Napoleon, and he made his best in the Battle of the Windmill and worked hard to build a new windmill as per the pigs’ instruction/decision, though he was old, had not enough food to eat, and hurt his hoof in the Battle of the Windmill. After his hoof got a little better, he worked harder than before like slaves together with all the animals except for the pigs.

When he could not work for a few days, he was taken by a company that sells Dog Food.Boxer was sold by the pigs who Boxer deeply trusted for the pigs’ money. And after his death, the pig Squealer lied about Boxer’s death and his last words.

The pigs Boxer trusted, deceived and betrayed him throughout his entire life. The pigs said that Boxer died in the animal hospital with his last words being: “I’m sorry I couldn’t finish the windmill”, and “But remember: Napoleon is always right”. This is the point that I feel most sorry for Boxer.

Take it outside!

Started this week's lesson with "Put on your shoes" song...reason being, I wanted to hurry up, hurry up, let's go outside!

A beautiful blue sky, but a bit chilly - makes sense to put on your coat! (A silly idea in summer!)

A simple game I learned from the kids = with a partner, rock/scissors/paper. Loser tags on behind winner. Find another pair, leaders do rock/scissors paper again and repeat until you have one long caterpillar/conga line :)

My take on this = play music at each challenge - I used the 1st half of the Hello song. Everyone joins in anyway because they love the song/know it, and also want to keep warm AND be on the winning team :)

In an earlier class, I played the Walking Walking song - a winner - but everyone ran off or crashed into each other > needed a rethink. This elegant solution, though I say so myself, meant everyone more or less under control, and safe, and in frame :)

No, I'm not fine!

"How are you? ""How are you."

Try again. "No. How are you?" "Oh. I'm fine."

How's he? 

And that's the end of the conversation for most Japanese students - get out of the conversation as quickly & as 'safely' as possible, with a generic response & no fuss. Certainly no extension, or attempt to broaden the scope - like enquire after the speaker's health. It's SO frustrating! Especially when I hear the inquirer react with "Oh good". Agghh!

So, I love unit 1 of Everybody Up 2, because we can break that mould. Here we meet 10 different emotions/feeling, none of them "fine" (which has lost all meaning). After this, require a 'proper' answer, every class, and a 'pass it on' reflex...either return the question, or turn to the next student as a round the room drill. Also, insist on different responses. And add a negative ( eg "I'm happy. I'm not sad."). Extension for bonus points in ay Cambridge speaking test!

Doing the same thing again...but it's a game?!

And sit down. Coats off (it's winter), rehydrate (in summer), blow noses (hayfever season)...

Teacher switches the grammar into a memory challenge; "How's Yuki?" Listening to other people? Becoming flexible with grammatical structures? "She's happy. She's not sad." 

And...every time, insist on meaningful, melodic intonation across utterances; prevent false starts/heads down...avoid 'speed of the slowest' answering as a group.

Mood meter

Personalise this - draw pictures into the back cover of the workbook is my favourite ploy. As a class, make a mood meter for the doorway (reminder, entrance routine etc).

Check spelling? In a way - but use the picture dictionary to start more extension.

Drill it to bits (pardon the pun) - another job for wordwall, again doing more with less. Embedding learning so it becomes a reflex, not an allergy!

A joined up lesson - making the most of students' flashcards

Making a learning record with flashcards

I'm a firm believer of doing more with less - and a massive fan of good text books. Students need something familiar in the hands/bags, a structure they can grab onto and a bit of a routine they can enjoy diverting from...not glued to turning the next page at all, but able to thumb back through recognisable patterns, structres, chunks & lexical sets. And then have the confidence to be able to close the book, with learning internalised, push their English skills into deeper water with friends to help & to challenge.

Oxford Phonics World textbooks have a lovely set of flashcards tucked away at the back, which are a great resource to expand learning; introduce or review words (in this case CVC patterns), make sets or mix everything up! 

• Teacher tip = have each student mark each of their cards with their own favourite colour (important these are different, so you can unmix easily when you play games etc) before cutting them out. And give each student a ziplock bag with their name on, to prevent losses!

Here we went at 16 recently studied words (shoert i and e sounds). Quiet time to cut carefully = also time to recall the pictures/sounds (which are on the reverse side). Many ways to review at this stage - teacher-led or students challenging each other etc. 

Matching & categorising: Wordwall

There's a 'blank' picture dictionary at the back of the classbook, which I love, because the artwork is the same, but it is in alphabetical order (not by unit)...a subliminal dictionary skill implanted! My approach with strong students = take a card, find it in the picture dictionary, and 'do your best' spelling it (after you've sounded it out) logically. Then check on the back & high fives, noticing a consistent pattern with the middle vowel sound/spelling. Students can do this together & correct/reinforce/referee each other (including comments on letter writing/legibility!) or competitively. Either way, teacher is passive but actively monitoring output carefully & encouraging constantly :)

Using wordwall as a follow up - I love this as there are so many different formats of game you can select per set of words (in this case). The thinking bit = different images, but clearly the same item. Creating these sets, you can add audio - male/female voice, lots of dialects to chose from. Be careful that you use a consistent sound that you want your students to model/mimic (US, Kiwi or Scottish ones that bend vowel sound? Or consonant sounds that disappear into glottal stops?!). You can have wordwall 'pronounce' all your cards, both sides, or just the one. Or none. Think about what you want your learners to do!

Postcard from Yutoku inari Shrine, Saga pref, Japan

 

This one of the most stunning shrines I've ever seen! Up on a hillside, well off the beaten track in rural Saga Prefecture, Yutoku Inari Shrine is an absolute belter!

Wow! I got the right bus after all!

I was not optimistic on the busride from Takeo Onsen, as I was the only person on the bus...was I on the right one (never really know in Japan!)? The bus terminus itself was even less inspiring, just a gravel turning area, and not a soul around. But I followed the signs and along the main drag beyond a large stone torii, familiar trinket shops & snack vendors came into view. And then around a corner, wow! The view (above) was breathtaking. Couldn't help but congratulate myself for persevering to get here.

The weather was spot on; the leaves were just changing; not too many tourists though a few charmless ones walking through my photographs (not half as bad as Dazaifu though!). I hope my photos do the complex justice - full set is here on Flickr - every footsteep revealed another gorgeous angle or detail. Very Japanese contrast of colours. What I really was not expecting was the path up behind the shrine, through countless bright, and older more faded, red torii. A steep climb, and not for the faint-hearted (witness the 9 or 'rescue stations' along the way) though there were a number of people considerably older than my staggering up the roughly hewn steps.

How many torii? Hundreds!

The view from the top of the hill was also very rewarding - Saga airport in the distance across the sea, and a chance to suck in some air, share knowing smiles with other game hillclimbers that we'd just hiked up an incomparable, culturally & spiritually unique, path through the gods.

A must visit, off the tourist route, photographers' dream. Skip Kyoto & Asakusa!

Just in time for autumn

Yumi's Air BnB offering

Enjoy staying in a nostalgic, atmospheric Heisei-era house

Although it was built in the 90’s, it’s been recently renovated. This one-bedroom house is in a convenient location in rural central Japan.

The rooms

The spacious master bedroom has two single beds. The beds can be moved, so you can use them as a double bed if you connect them. The large living room has a mid-century-design sofa, which two people can comfortably sit on. The modern, fully appointed kitchen is big enough for two people to enjoy cooking together. A new IH cooktop has been installed, and there are plenty of kitchen utensils. The supermarket ‘BIG’ is only three minutes’ walk away from the house, so you can find fresh Japanese vegetables and prepare a delicious meal at home.

The neighbourhood

The house is located near a busy main road, Route 19. However, you will not be annoyed by traffic noise as long as the window is closed. Shiojiri train station is about 30 minutes’ walk, but there is a ride-share taxi service; the stop is only a few steps away from the house. You can make a reservation easily using an app. The ride-share service is not punctual, so it’s recommended to book your departure one hour ahead of time.

Postcard from Ouo Shrine - The Floating Gates in the Ariake Sea, Kyushu

 

What a great find, on the Ariake Sea! This is a beautiful spot to slow down and take in the view! Regardless of the tide, these Torii (gates) are stunning in red, against the sea & skyline of Saga.

I took the local train down the Nagasaki Line, from my sake stop-off at Hizen Hama. Not too far, but a lovely glimpse of the sea all the way. A short walk from the deserted station of Tara (and a careful note of the next trains from the timetable!) and this stunning view appeared behind an abandoned restaurant and discarded fishing gear. 

As you can see, the tide was out - so I could walk around to the ocean-side as well, for some reverse angle shots. Dilemma, walk on the soft sand & get wet feet, or crunch over the razor-sharp oyster shells & shred my shoes? As you can see, this was a superbly photogenic, lesser known yet iconic 'must' for any camera-toting traveller wanting to find the real Japan. 

And, as my train was not due for ages, why not tackle a few deep fried oysters & wash them down with a Super Dry?! Technically, "sitting down in the shade to edit my photos" :)

Want to see more photos? Check out the album on Flickr right here - and please leave a comment!

Postcard from Karatsu Castle, Kyushu

I think this castle has been famous on Japanese TV/manga? How would I know!

My journey here across NW Saga prefecture was delightful (but slow), with trains not connecting and a lot of sitting around in Imari (honestly, not much to see or do there at all!). So, I bought a beer, found a nice place to sit in the sun, and read my book.

I was worried the castle would be in the dark already, but it was beautifully illuminated as I got into Karatsu station at sunset. I could see it resplendent on its perch, and made straight for it. Obviously a hilltop castle, and commanding the coastline of Karatsu Bay & the mouth of the Matsuura River. 

Nobody else was around, the stars came out. The shadows danced, my batteries ran low. Although I couldn't get into the keep (and no chance next morning as I had to really run to back to work on the first train) I did have plenty of the evening to absorb the majestic location, see the fishermen out on the bay, and hear absolutely nothing else - just the gentle breeze in the trees. Chance to sit down, take a breath, and really enjoy being where I was!

Yes, the castle is rebuilt. Yes, it's concrete...the masonry is awesome, the ramparts bewildering, the location breathtaking; the history & the legends abundant. I'll post again about the trains & their marvelous liveries (stay tuned, they're incredible!). I know I will not have many chances to come this way again, so allow me for indulging myself :)

If you have any chance at all to head west from Fukuoka, I really recommend Karatsu-jo!

Postcard from Taipei, Taiwan

 Dear Jim-sensei,

Happy New Year!

I had been Taipei in New Year's Day. It was very nice place, people and food than I expected!! I'd like to visit again :)

I hope you will have a great year 2026

Nene

Postcard from Himeji Castle - an evening's stroll

Himeji Castle floating in the night sky

I unexpectedly had an evening to kill in the famous castle city of Himeji, so of course I dumped my bags at my hotel and made for the castle as quickly as I could - I had no idea when they'd turn the lights off!

My progress was delayed by the numpties at the hotel check-in, who could not compute that I was not carrying my passport (the check-in machine they were lurking behind would not work without it...), nor was I going to let them require it anyway. Guy checking in next to me, probably Japanese = not asked for ID. Numpty #1 went for a translation app & assumed "English" etc. Been there, got the t-shirt & a crap way to start trips in 2026. Mini-rant over.

Sitting pretty on its hilltop, Himeji castle dominates the skyline. Illuminated brightly at night, it almost floats, as you can see in the picture. There was almost nobody about, as I strolled around the inner moat  apart from a noisy group of Americans wondering if they could do a bit of trespassing (silly idea, as a secuirty guard was following them!).

Walls reflected in the glass-like moat

It was a chilly night, and very still. The moat was like glass, casting fabulous reflections of the impressive fortifications. Each corner offered a new angle of the keep, and the inner walls looming above, with shadows emphasising its defensive might...A very different (and better) experience than my first visit here during Covid, socially not distanced from thousands of elbows-out Chinese visitors and their annoying selfie sticks.

A lovely evening's walk. Super peaceful - I thoroughly recommend this night-time exploration.

Check out my photos from this, and my previous trip on Flickr!

Memories at the Hot Springs—Talking with a Stranger

 

I have had a long conversation with a complete stranger.

One day, I was at a hot spring. An elderly woman dropped her towel in the bath. I picked it up and squeezed the water out for her. That small action started our conversation.

She told me that she was traveling from Tokyo. She was born and raised there, but she loved the nature in Nagano. She said she comes to Nagano every year because the air is clean and the scenery is beautiful. I thought Tokyo was a great place where you can do anything, but she said Tokyo is a very tiring city.

We talked about how hard life in Tokyo can be and how relaxing Nagano is. 

The conversation continued while we stayed in the bath.

I usually go to hot springs alone because I like to relax quietly. However, talking with her while warming my body felt nice too. I think it is not good to talk to strangers for no reason, but I also think it is important not to ignore conversations that start naturally.

About “Horiemon,” who shocked Japan with his fraud

 

Takafumi Horie, known as “Horiemon,” is a famous Japanese businessman. When he was a university student, he founded an internet company called Livedoor and grew it into a large business. He was often featured in the media, and many people praised him. His popularity on the internet was especially strong.

However, in 2006, he was arrested for fraud. He used the false financial data to make his company look more successful than it really was. By making the company’s value look higher and using it to buy other companies, he deceived society. The court judged his actions to be serious and sentenced him to two and a half years in prison. This case shocked many people who had admired him.

When he entered prison, he broadcast the moment live and continued writing blogs through his staff. He was criticized for showing no regret, such as appearing with a mohawk hairstyle when he appeared at the police station.

Today, Horie remains very active. He writes books, appears on television, starts school, and works on space-related projects. Even after a major failure and strong public criticism, he continues to move forward. I think this shows a level of courage that most people do not have.

Both Anna Delvey’s case and Horie’s case show that when people become blinded by money, they can easily deceive others. It made me wonder whether I could stay honest if I ever gained a large amount of money myself.