Magic Ingredients! App-smashing with a reader

One app I really enjoy using with our graded readers as a boost to after reading projects, is to make sure that all of the students have taken time (and been shown how) to produce full, grammatically sound, sentences.

In this case, after reading OUP's Read & Imagine beginner level title The Cake Machine, easy homework was to draw their own 'dream' cake. The blank space below 'describe your cake' is a forbidding prospect without guidance...teachers job to ask leading questions, and then help everyone agree on their responses (all different, of course, but simliar in structure.

Obviously, most of the structures & vocabulary they need are high frequency from the book they've just read (and enjoyed) + the Picture Dictionary at the back a rich resource. "New words" (our own ingredients) an easy share on the whiteboard.

Bit of teacher speed needed to photo & crop drawing into the app, and then gave a example of 'how to' for early finishers, who get on with their project enhancement. Then they help the slower finishers through the tech hurdles and encourage the narrating part (they read their own writing into a 30 second limit). 

 

My big sister Fuu

I have an older sister who was born one year before me. She and I used to go same school until high school. I moved after that and she keeps to live in Miyagi. She said “ I don’t want to leave from hometown! “ But I can’t really understand that one. We are totally different in our preferences, personalities, and ways of thinking.
She studied in the nutrition department at university and now works as a nutritionist at a kindergarten in Sendai.

She loves eating, but it seems like she doesn’t really enjoy cooking, even though she’s a nutritionist!

She looks positive and optimistic, but I think she is actually a little conservative and responsible, and she doesn’t prefer big changes.

To be honest, we didn’t used to get along very well.We fought a lot when we were children.However, as we grew up and started living apart, I realized that this is just the right distance for us. Now we message and call each other, and we can enjoy spending fun time together more than before.

I hope we can keep this natural relationship.

The pros and cons of getting older

 Some people say that getting older is the best time of your life. However, getting older has noth advantages and disadvantages.

On the plus side, you can have more freedom. For example, you can vote, drive a car, drink alcohol, spend money and make decisions for yourslef. Also, you can gain more knowledge and experience.

However, for every plus there is a minus. One disadvantage is that getting poor health, so you have to eat healthy foods and exercise. Also, you become too busy, because you have to work, so you don't have much free time for hobbies and interests. Maybe you will become stressed.

In conclusion, I think that getting older you will have less free time and poor health, but you can gain a lot of experience. Both childhood and getting older have good points.

Posted for Ayumi

A voyage around my favourite relative

I write about my wife's brother, a straight man with no front and back who is loved by everyone

He is three years older than me, and is also a karate enthusiast.

After graduating in physical education at college, he began his career as an adventurer. His most famous adventure was an unsupplied dog sledding adventure to the North Pole, which shows his aggressive, adventurous spirit. Of course, in appearance he has kept his youth, and does not look his age.

After his adventure to the Arctic, he became a director of a company that undertakes corporate training, to strengthen organizations’ talents. He also teaches leadership and organizational management at university. I haven't seen him because of the coronavirus, but I'd like to hear about his other interesting adventure stories someday.

Posted for Masaya

An idyllic place to visit - Okinawa

 

That's right, that's write - I love your tiger feet?!

And for a lighter moment (and a look at where all Japanese boy-bands got their moves from?!) cop some Mud from 1974!

https://youtu.be/EQfidTOTsLo

Cambridge English Qualification: Explaining results

Postcard from...Chino, Japan

We're in Chino at a piano competition. I can see my children playing piano. I am with my husband. It's sunny but cold outside. My daughter won! She will go to Tokyo next month.

I was in Matsumoto yesterday. I took my children to swimming class, and did housework. We had dinner at home.

We are going to buy souvenirs for my parents tomorrow. I will drive my car to the shops in Minami Matsumoto.

My children start school again this week.

I look forward to seeing
you on Tuesday.

Reiko

Another sixth grader writes...

My favourite day of the week is Saturday. In the morning, I always go to the brass band. After brass band, I usually go to piano at my grandmother's house.

We're shopping at the department store. My mother was a salesperson in Tokyo. She likes nice clothes. I do too!

I'm going to my cousin's home by car. We always have fun. Last Sunday it was sunny. We were at my grandmother's house; if it's sunny, we want to go to AEON.

It's my sister's birthday on February 23rd.My mother & I are making a cake. She's cooking a chicken too. The party is at 7 o'clock. See you then!

Posted for Karen (13)

An invigilator share: Keys to writing examination failure

If you are taking an examination that requires you to write an extended piece of writing, then there are a few things you really shouldn't do. If you want to know what you should do to give yourself a fighting chance of success, then any good exam preparation textbook will give you a list of tips. My recommendation for success in FCE (Cambridge: First) would be a copy of First Result from OUP.

In no particular order, are ways to make sure you will not pass:

• Bolt into the writing as soon as you are told to open the question paper & write furiously....good chance you did not read the question properly, certainly no planning or clear construction of an argument.
• Rewrite everything - do it in pencil first then write over the top in pen....I have seen this done so often while invigilating I want to shout at the candidates! If you've got that much time, make a better plan.
• Rubbing out your plan/notes....what's the big secret?! All question papers & rough work go in the shredder immediately after the test. And the table knocking on the wall while you do it?
• Looking for extra questions....if you haven't prepared for the test then there's a good chance you've already wasted the entry fee. 
• Reading & underlining the instructions...as above - you must know what you have to do, and have a solid battle plan before the day of the test
• Writing two answers simultaneously....if you can do this then you should be in the circus. Concentrate on one task at a time. Recently saw a candidate write a whole paragraph in the middle of the wrong answer, realise the mistake, panic, copy it out word for word in the right answer (but wrong place) 
• Go to sleep after blitzing the paper...are you really that good - there are no improvements you could make? Remove repetition maybe, improve vocabulary, elaborate or embellish maybe? At the very least, re-read critically. Inevitably, this is the candidate that did not make a plan.
• Demonstrative body language while 'brainstorming' or thinking of a word...I'm not impressed, candidate - I don't do the marking!
• Crossing out a full answer and doing another question....good luck with that against the clock.
• Doing a Dostoevsky...the first question answered was such a masterpiece, the second one was no more than a post-script. Did you notice both questions were equally weighted? The marginal returns to scale are very limited if you go over
  your time allowance (ie 50%) and certainly counterproductive if you go over the word limit.
• Counting...1,2,3...167... You should know how many words you can write on a line of A4 already! How many lines will you need to write to be within the target range? How fast can you write? Fine tune at the end when you've finished smoothly producing your work.
• Leg-shaking...stop it. It annoys everybody.
• Pencil-twirling...does that help you concentrate? Really?
• Looking around a lot...relax, there's nobody sneaking up on you. Unless you are cheating, in which case I already caught you.
• Checking your watch...we are on my time, the clock at the front of the room. It might not be 'right' but it is the one we are all using today.
• Blanket on your knee...do you want to be disqualified? It's June and it's hot. The a/c will keep you awake at 24 degrees - you won't get frost-bite.
• Using your favourite erasable pen...did you not read the instructions we sent you/that are posted on the door?
• Shoehorning in all the must use phrases you could remember...appropriate? Relevant? 
• I don't do paragraphs...which is a shame, because you just missed out on a load of marks
• I usually write in the present tense...which makes telling a story kind of hard, and will likely put the reader to sleep. Pity, because the only person reading your work needs to be impressed with a variety & range of grammar & can only drink so much coffee while marking.
• I just answered the question...so you didn't do all the other parts, like write a greeting, reason for writing, closing, ending? 
• Plea for help...the marker really won't be swayed by begging. Nor will apologies get you anywhere.
• Artist impression...this will work in Young Learners, perhaps, but very unlikely to be getting you any extra marks at this level. Pictures, emojis, lines joining ideas together, different colour pens? Not going to work.

Wow. That's a long list already! Obviously, Cambridge English does not mark candidates down, but rather employs a Can Do approach. However, if you set out to pass a writing paper and do any of the above, I guarantee you will not be scoring as highly as you could. 

So, exam candidates, please have another look at your teacher's or textbook's top tips, and use them. Plan. Prepare. Pineapple. Pen.

An IELTS (writing) examiner adds: " I don't invigilate exams but I sure do mark a lot of scripts . Hey Candidate ! Know the exam you are going to take ! Not the name of the test but what is required to pass . I see a huge difference between candidates who have studied for their choice of test and those who wing it , as their university teachers cannot be arsed properly correcting their content , style or approach."

A school day in my life - a Japanese teen writes

A day in my school life - a Japanese learner shares

How has the role of women changed (in your country)?

Write an article for an online magazine about how the role of women has changed in your country and say whether you think these changes are positive or negative.

The roles of women has changed dramatically over the last 50 years. But is it a good or a bad thing?

In the past, women weren't able to do as many things as man were. In almost all countries, women didn't have the right to vote. In Japan, it was taken for granted that ladies would stay home and do all the housework, so none of them went to work. They didn't even have the chance to work even if they had the motivation.

Women in Japan voting (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

These days in Japan, many things have changed. Women have more power & rights in today's society. Women can vote. They can also work. Precisely speaking, it is becoming natural for women to work. What is more, they have the same chances of promotion as men. As a result, there are now many female managers, company presidents, and even politicians.

Women's sports have become popular, and have increased recognition. In our country, women's volleyball is more watched than the men's. Our women's soccer team is also very strong, not only in Asia like the men's, but in the World Cup.

Are these changes positive? I personally think that they are. There are about the same number of women as men in the population, which means half the population of the world has been treated badly. Every one of us has the right to live as we like. Everybody should be treated the same way. That is why this alteration is affirmative.

Posted for Toshiya.

About Vikings - My homework project

Who was to predict? Can you predict?

Active volcano Mount St. Helens shortly after the eruption of 18 May 1980 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On Saturday fine Autumn day, Natural disaster happened suddenly.
Why it was not rainy day?

It was very fine day, many climbers visited Mt,Ontake. They were enjoying the fall foliage. At the time suddenly Mt,Ontake erupted. They could not understand what had happened.

Many people had forgotten that Mt, Ontake is an active Volcano.
Over 50 climbers died. Is it cold have previson (prediction) of eruption?

Eruption prediction is very important for natural disaster.
I hope we will have foresee of danger soon.

Takeshi

Do you know Mount Ontake ?

Mount Ontake from Kuraiyama  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mt. Ontake is an active volcano which is Japanese 100 famous mountains and is located at the prefectural border of Nagano and Gifu. Although it is a 3,000m class alp, it is relatively easy climbing and it is very popular in a broad generation. It is also known as a showplace of autumn leaves.

11:52 a.m September 27, 2014 steam explosion -type eruption took place for the first time in seven years. Since two or more factors increase damage, the death toll became the worst situation exceeding over 50 persons. It was Saturday and the weather is good from morning, large number of climbers were visiting from the distant place as well. Many people had concentrated near the summit of the mountain to have a lunch looking at magnificent view.

Help and rescue activities formed by the Nagano Prefectural Police and fire company as well as the Ground Self-Defense Force, run into difficulties because of a toxic gas and heavy rain caused by the typhoon.

Some events are cancelled under the influence of an eruption and the tourist is decreasing sharply, while damage does not reach the skiing area near Mt. Ontake. It usually passes, and preparation of commencement of business is advanced towards winter!

Posted for Saki

After reading the Black Night...a cunning plan!

There is a very valuable painting on display in a local gallery. 

Describe your plan to steal it without getting caught.

This is going to be a very challenging mission as there would be various measures taken by the gallery to prevent the theft. I’d have to visit the gallery a lot and investigate all the possible options thoroughly. I also need to be very careful not to cause any suspicion from anyone when visiting the scene.

On a rainy Sunday afternoon, just before the gallery closes for the day, I hide myself in a bathroom stall and cool myself down. When everyone goes home, I quickly take the painting off the wall, remove it out from the frame, shove it under my shirt, and RUN! It’s as simple as that.

The possibility of success becomes higher if I have the right partner. He can lay spikes on the road to the gallery, and at the time of the theft, he can set off a couple of bombs in other areas of the city. That should definitely result in the slow response of the police.

But come to think of it, even if I did succeed in making off with the painting, while the gallery would have a major problem, I would have one, too.
A million-dollar painting is not worth a penny if no one buys it…

Posted for Nobuyuki

Between the Flags - after reading.

I love swimming.

For the past few years, I have not swimmed, but I started swimming from six years old and took swimming lesson about for seven years. I am good at all style except for butterfly and especially good at breaststroke. During the elementary school years, I was selected a member of team which took part in the city tournament.

The points which I love swimming are as follows.
* I believe that swimming can use all muscle of the body though some athletic machines like the running machine can use only a part of muscle.
* If I take exercise in the same time frame, swimming can burn more calories than athletic machines.

But, I have two negative points for swimming and those are keeping me out of swimming.
* Before swimming in a pool, I need to wash off the makeup and it takes time before swimming.
* I want to protect my skin from burning and want to get a skin free of spots someday.

Posted for Ritsuko

Yuta's dream bedroom; KET writing practice

Yomiuri Giants (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My dream bedroom is big & clean. Next to the window is a big round bed made of wood. There are posters of my favourite baseball team on the wall, and there is a very loud amp next to the bed, and there are two speakers on the wall. There is a modern guitar next to the bed.

Mizuki's dream bedroom; KET writing practice

Murray in the bedroom window on the cover of Dream Evil (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My dream bedroom is big and square. In the middle of the room there is a big square bed made of wood. There is a very large TV screen on one wall,, and there's a big window on another wall. There is a big sofa next to the bed, and there is a big cat doll on the sofa. There are lamps in the ceiling.