One flew over the Cuckoo's Nest

The ridiculous irony of the previous blog posting about a really hopeless learning environment for teens, is that the delightful Sayaka (with some old guy pictured left) was a graduate of the very same school earlier this year. However, the inane reality was that she was obliged to go back to the school for the grad certificate even though she had already graduated high school in Canada.

Sayaka is the (charming) worm that turned. All on her own, she realised there was more to education than the sterile offerings up the road, and applied for a scholarship to escape to BC. I helped her home room teacher write the letter, as I have known her since she was three and applauded her 'get me outta here' chutzpah. And go she did, extending her year into a second. End product, an FCE from Cambridge ESOL and an invitation to study at Waseda from next week. A very well-rounded young lady indeed, and not at all your average uni intake.

(However, this is the second successful FCE candidate we have produced from young learners - Saya took her fisrt YLE Starters exam in 2000 - that has gone on to Waseda. I currently have three more 'on the go'). Anyone in the Matsumoto/Shinshu area want to get a powerful leg up, look no further.

So, anyway, whinge whinge about a derelict school system, and the contradiction which proves the rule.
It also proves that HS kids are not to be underestimated - they can see through "I've been teaching here for 24 years you know" in 10 minutes. And it is about the kids, isn't it?

Personally, I'm really hoping the Tohoku earthquake and the dreadful tsunami will eventually have an effect here in the hills of Nagano too. As they rebuild 'over there', will they be able to do so with a broader vision than just the bricks and mortar (OK, wood & tatami) & inspire the rest of this country to stop dragging its heels - for me, particularly in education?

I'll have to try to remember that each of the 26 victims in the writing class at the HS next Wednesday could be a Sayaka II...which means I have 26 reasons to get bolshy.

Not Eigo Noto - Let's Get you sorted out

April 3rd Luna is delighted to be hosting the final stop on Oxford University Press Kid's Club Tour.

Pre-register NOW 

Got those classes to teach from April and racking your brains for ideas? Having to use that text book and can't figure out how to make it come alive? Doing your head in?

Think you are the only one? Nope!

Practical, extensive, at-your-finger-tips help is here.

Barbara Hoskins Sakamoto
(Co-author, Let's Go)
Barbara Hoskins Sakamoto has taught English and ESL in the US, and EFL in Japan for more than 20 years. She is co-author of the best-selling Let's Go series. You can find her online on her award winning blog, Teaching Village; her Wiki; on Facebook; or on Twitter.

Presentation: Large or small, teach them all!
Goal for 2011: Teach every student in every class! You can reach this goal by teaching with multi-sensory activities that target all your students' learning channels--visual, auditory, kinesthetic--in every lesson! Whether your classes are large or small, in this session, you'll learn simple ways to get better learning results from the limited time you have with students. When students are learning on all channels, they can learn faster, remember more, and use what they've learned in more meaningful ways. 

Schedule, details and map right here

Inspiring First Cert lady

I am not often able to spend a whole day in the company of a single woman, but Sunday was an exception.

In June I spent a shorter day with the same lady; she came back and requested more time - duly granted.

To say this lady is determined, brave and inspiring is not to over-egg the mixture. First train out of Tokyo to get to Luna for nine hours of an English exam. The journey with a white stick and the test with her fingertips.

She ran out of time taking Cambridge ESOL's CAE exam in the summer. It was our first experience accommodating a blind candidate; we had no idea what exactly the parameters were nor how much or how little assistance ( and of what kind) would be required. Jim learnt what amanuensis meant.

Fast forward to Sunday, and borne of our mutual experiences previously, we were much more able to look after our candidate as she sat FCE. For a start, I knew how much extra time she would need - try reading two pieces of paper at the same time, in a foreign language with the clock ticking with your eyes closed? No, I wouldn't like to try that at all.

I was thrilled that this time I was not crushing her every time I had to tell her there were only "ten minutes left" - and I could see she was nowhere near finished. Her confidence clearly took a hit. This time, she was empowered, able to address every question, and was still cheerful at stumps (I am in cricket mode!).

A big thing I'd learned was that the specially arranged materials were full of potential problems (for us). I'll be sharing these with ESOL; let's just say some of them are jaw-droppingly daft.

One solution is called Teruki; I asked her to take the speaking test with our real candidate in order for there to be a genuine interaction, and to help relax the situation. Thank you very much indeed Teruki - living up to your 'Terrific' reputation again!

So, I escorted a tired but unbowed champion to her train home (this time it didn't leave with me on it). I am extremely proud that Luna JP004 is able to go out of it's way to accept candidates with special requirements, and that ESOL provides the materials & discretion. Thanks Yuki & Yukari for managing that sensitively.

Pass (I predict) or fail, I am delighted to say I got to know a winner.

Success in First Certificate (FCE)

His mum was so chuffed she called us the evening they checked his First Certificate result online. I did my little jig to celebrate - we don't get enough students continuing on properly to achieve this level (CEFR B2) at Luna.

Image via Wikipedia

Not Trevor Joseph

Cambridge ESOL's FCE is widely recognised in Europe as the gold standard for English language assessment, and it is known worldwide (with the exception of Japan, possibly North Korea & more remote parts of Papua New Guinea) as a very good certificate to have in your learning portfolio. It is a lifelong achievement, and it opens doors. Doors to academic pursuits, and doors to careers. For example, our good friends studying with Trevor Joseph at King's Road English School in Tokyo know that a Pass at FCE gets them into university in Moscow. Sadly, recognition in Japan is woeful.

Ask a teacher though, which exam should students be aiming for...good chance the better the teacher, the more likely they are to say FCE. Go ahead, try this sensei test?!

Chuffed with FCE success

My concern about T taking FCE was that he'd do his usual half-hearted checking, skip the pre-writing plan he desperately needed to do, get blase in the reading and reboot to High School pronunciation in the speaking test. Oh, and I guaranteed his dad a year ago he'd pass!

So, well done T for proving me right (and wrong)! You now have a shiny FCE certificate for your wall, and should you ever think about studying/working overseas, a proven advantage (as well as a better chance of getting a visa). All you have to do now is get out of basketball and tennis club, daft English classes at school and come to me twice a week & start reading your readers again, we'll have you passing CAE before you go to uni.

Tonight we celebrate your success in FCE - very well done. One proud teacher here.