After reading Double Trouble...creative writing

 Write about a home-stay visit you have made.

When I was 17 years old, I went to Salt Lake City in U.S. and had a home-stay at there for a week.

It was my first time to go abroad. This home-stay program was planned by Matsumoto city and arranged by JTB. Matsumoto city is the sister-city relationship with Salt Lake City of Utah, and there is a home-stay program every year.

I stayed a small family together with another participant. They are a family of three. Father was a professor of Utah University. Mother stayed at home, their daughter was primary school student. They were believers in Mormonism as the city is very famous for Mormonism.

As my English level was not so high, I often talked with the daughter and play with her friends in the yard. Host mother and father had a barbeque party in the yard and we enjoyed the dinner. I had a lot of activities like river trip, attend the parade, and study English at University together with the groups who attend the program.

It was very amazing experience and all things were new and interesting to me!






Posted for Reiko

After reading The Canterville Ghost - cultural comparisons Americans & Japanese

 The Americans in this story are very different to the British. 

How are Americans different to people from your country?

I think there are many difference between Japanese and Americans. For example looks, culture and religion…etc.

I think Americans are franker than Japanese. Many Japanese don’t good at saying their true feeling to others, I think. In Japan, sometimes it is better hiding the true. We have the custom to talk modest. So we are not used to saying true feeling. But this may confused other country people.

I think Japanese are shyer than Americans. In Japan, people don’t talk to next man/woman when they are in the plane or train. But sometimes Americans are talk to next man/woman who haven’t meet before. When I took a train before, the next man who is from America talked to me. And we talked from Matsumoto to Nagoya in English. I couldn’t speak English well, but he had a dictionary, so we used dictionary and talked. It was fun.

I think Americans have more interesting idea for an entertainment. Maybe Japanese think whether it will be dangerous, first. But Americans do the first. Snowboarding, American football… I think many race of people live in America so many culture mixed and new entertainments and sports were appeared.

Posted for Yuri

Barb Sakamoto presents for OUP Kids` Club

Karl fluffs the audience

I can`t think of a better way to have christened our new premises, than by having Oxford University Press and their Kids` Club Tour present for us on Sunday April 3rd. I am, as always, deeply indebted to OUP for their eternal support and good faith. Luna is a small fish in a very large pond, but we are constantly encouraged by the magnificent efforts of this quietly spoken publisher - which for my money holds most of the EFL/ELT trump cards.

We were originally scheduled to have Setsuko Toyama come and present on their behalf; we can`t blame her daughter for getting engaged, can we?! Thank you Barbara Sakamoto for stepping not only into that breach, but for the second one as well. Two presentations back to back was a champion performance, especially given Karl & I were less than attentive on the PC/projector end of things (sorry Barb!).

Koichi re-introduces himself to Yukari

That OUP would send no less than 26 boxes of materials to back up this event was awesome (if heavy). These guys do not mess about! As well as my good friend Karl, my wife`s first English teacher Koichi supported the presentation, and it was lovely to see him looking so well and professionally on the ball. It is hard to believe he has now been with OUP for a decade since his boss interviewed him in the Suissei Club - oh yes, Koichi is a Matsumoto lad!

Barb knocked the house out with her left-right combo on Sunday; and to a very attentive full house. I am deeply grateful for all our JALT friends for pushing the message and turning up in good numbers; apologies accepted from quite a few with flu. Please take a very good look at http://www.slideshare.net/barbsaka/little-tech-for-big-results

Naomi does art a la Barb

Fortunately, our technological glitches merely enhanced the presentation; if we can over come, so can every teacher! Barb`s presentations included lots of clear, simple and real uses of teacher-friendly (and very student usable) tech in and around our classrooms. I was very glad the likes of Naomi & Simon got involved..world class opportunities do not come knocking at our door everyday! I was even more delighted that mums came to join in as well - well done Michiyo!

Thanks everyone for participating - nice to see some new faces as well as familiar ones. Most especially a thank you to Barb; grace personified even in the rough company of English lads on a Saturday night....very much in control of your stage at Luna. Thank you @barbsaka  You ROCK!

I am sorry this took a while to post everyone - I have been away in Indonesia/Osaka and it has taken me a while to "catch up". Jim

Your predictions

Image via Wikipedia

Here is some analysis of your expert predictions for the Football World Cup in South Africa - thank you for all your clicks!

• Group A: An amazing 45% thought France would win this group. They came bottom and only just managed to score a goal near the end. Typically ungracious guests, spoiling the host's party. They do win best comedy act of the world cup though, and made England look good by comparison.
• Group B: 60% of you chose Argentina, who have some brilliant players but an insane manager (see previous posts about him). Are they fragile at the back?
• group C: 0% selected USA, who fully deserved to go through, and should have won their game with Serbia except for inexplicable reffing. England? My observant 10 year old student explained "They're crap". Kid will go far!
• Group D: Depressingly, 75% called Germany to win. What a surprise, we (England) get to put them in their place in the next round. 12 years ago I was doing shots of Jameson's (Irish whiskey) through the penalty shoot out with Sean. Ghana is not a chocolate bar.
• Group E: Only 47% said Holland. Maybe the other 53% wanted The Netherlands? Will Japan meet 31% expectations tonight (and beat the Danes...like England did in Niigata in 2002)? I think so.  Good joke I heard today: "If Japan had a Prius up front instead of a Honda, would they be unstoppable?" Gambarre Nippon.
• Group F: 83% said Italy. They're rubbish! I'd love to see the Kiwi's get into the next round but Paraguay are too good.
• Group G: Only 61% thought Brazil would clean up in this group? Any change of heart? They're looking strong.
• Group H: The Swiss probably gave the Spaniards the wake up call they needed. 89% of you figured they'd make the last 16 as winners of this group. Chile should join them (one of my dark horses).

Next challenge is to predict who will fill the semi-final berths, to be played on July 2nd.

Circle Games

Activities: After reading
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Q1. Which of the stories is about......
a: a 'difficult' boy is the USA? -> Special Clay
b: a clever boy in Singapore? -> The Trishow Man
c: American tourists in Englanc? -> The Wheel on the Wall
d: an archaeology student in the UK? -> Beautiful Things
e: a story-teller in cafe? -> Quick Man Tan