Cambridge Training session for Examiners of YLE

Sunday is a day of rest for some, but for others Sunday is a good day for a vigorous training session, where dedicated teachers can spend the day thrashing it out, extending their knowledge and honing their teaching skills.

The training itself covered all the aspects of becoming an Oral Examiner for the Cambridge YLE, from using the materials correctly to becoming familiar with the assessment criteria. The session provided practical hands on experience with the materials and incorporated grueling practice with the assessment of candidates.

As a teacher I found the course especially useful as I now have a better understanding of how the exams are run and what is expected of children interested in doing the Young Learner Examinations. It has also given me a lot to think about; where my classes are going and how best I can guide my students should they want to do one of the Young Learners Exams someday.

Of course it is an added bonus for the school, as better qualified teachers means better tuition for the students.

Thanks Jim for an interesting and informative session. A day well spent.

When's the next one?

Welcome back Yuki - and Hijiri

Mummy's little helper Hijiri has joined the team! As you can see, he is on his mum's back making sure things go as smoothly as possible on Yuki's return to front-line action!

We were very lucky to have Maki step into Yuki's slippers for the last six months or so; Yuki's first question on her first day back last Monday was "What's been going on then?" which is pretty much impossible to answer! Lots and lots, with new faces in classes and classes in different places, teachers in new schedules, new teachers and a rearranged office - no office complete without a cot in the corner, is it?!

Having Yuki back is a shot in the arm for all of us, with spring here as well. We are very excited to have the chance to get to know Hijiri too, and I am sure he is going have a great time making lots of friends and hanging out with the grown ups. I think we'll call him the 'supervisor' for now. What do you think?

Thank you, Maki

We said our fond farewells to Maki on March 10th, after six months sterling service in our office, covering Yuki's maternity leave.

Maki did an amazing job for us under a lot of pressure, and we are so grateful for her ever cheerful attitude and calmness under some pretty intense pressure. She kept the school afloat, made sure all our mums were happy & informed, stopped some of Jim's crazier ideas and still found time for afternoon tea!

Thank you thank you thank you Maki. You were great, and we are going to miss you - so please come back & see us often (maybe lend a hand when Hijiri needs his mum's attention?). Wishing you the very best of luck, with love from all of us at Luna xxx

End of the season

A very quick post to say "thank you" to all my students at Epson over the last six months, who have worked hard in their Business English classes; a lot of their work you can see here as they have been busy reading various levels of Penguin graded readers. I think that initiative has been extremely successful and popular; reading is an enjoyable hobby if nothing else!

Anyway, my Business English classes have finished for a week or two; next week I interview potential new students to place them in new classes which start in April. And then we start afresh, new faces in class and new ideas from me to keep them interested/motivated. Quite a challenge...the last season we have just finished accounted for 8,610 student hours, without adding in homework, blogging, emails etc!

A Christmas Carol

Write about Ebenezer Scrooge before and after the ghosts came to him.

Before Ebenezer Scrooge met the ghosts, he was a cold, hard man. He loved money, and he didn't like people. He really didn't like Christmas. So people and dogs didn't want to be near him. And he lost a lovely woman because he loved money more!

One Christmas night, three ghosts came to him, they showed him his past, his life now, and a possible future. He learned a lot of important things for his life, and he changed his mind. He wanted people to be happy, so he became a second father to the Cratchit children. He bought a big goose for Cratchit's family. He came to like Christmas, and he never said "Humbug!" again.

Who said writing wasn't fun?!

Writing has never been this much fun! I think it has something to do with being the teacher. These students were asked to categorise words according to first sounds. Not only did they complete the task successfully but were able to practice their writing skills, spelling included, as well. Well done boys!

PELE

The story of Pele's first World Cup final goal.

His name is "Edison Arantes do Nascimento". His fan call him "Pele". He is seven teen years old. In spite of his youth, he got goal in the World Cup final.
Brazil won the championship of the World Cup by his great play.
He scored six goal in his first World Cup.

Result of Pele.
1. Against Russia 2-0 (0 goal)
2. Against Wales 1-0 (1 goal)
3. Against France 5-2 (3 goals)
4. Against Sweden 5-2 (2 goals)

Mother Teresa

What did Mother Teresa do in these years?

:: 1910-28 ::
Agnes Gonxha(=Mother Teresa) was born on 26 August 1910.
Mother Teresa's father died in 1918. Then she was good Christian.
She wanted to be a nun in India in 1923. On 25 September 1928, she went to the home of the Loreto nuns in Ireland to become a nun in India. After thirteen weeks, she reached in India.

:: 1929-31 ::
1929-30, she became nuns' school teacher. And she moved to one of the Loreto nuns' schools in Calcutta. She was very busy, and there was no entertainment. But she was happy, because she lived for God, and she remembered his love.

:: 1932-48 ::
1932-44: She was a teacher at Loreto Entally.
1944-48: She was the head teacher.
1943-46: The years were very bad years for Calcutta. 3,000,000 people died of famine. So, she wanted to work for a poor people.

:: 1948-65 ::
She got permission to work for poor people by head of the Catholic Church in Calcutta. She began to work alone. First, she became to teacher for street children. And she worked for dying people.
There were twelve nuns with her in 1950. In 1952, the government Calcutta gave her a big building, and she started a home for dying people there.
1952-1962: They worked only in Calcutta.
1962-1972: They started to work away from Calcutta too.

:: 1965-97 ::
In 1969, there was a TV program about her. So, she became very famous person.
In 1979, the Nobel Peace Prize went to her.
In 1980s, there were Missionaries of Charity in 100 countries.
In September 1997, she died at the home of the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta. Many poor people and important people came to her home to see her and say goodbye to her.

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THE ADVENTURE OF TOM SAWYER

Is Tom a good boy or a bad boy? Why? Write about it.

Tom is a good boy. And Tom is a bad boy. He is good boy, because he is wise. He braved the risk of himself for Muff Potter. He led Huckleberry Finn to go to school.

Tom is a bad boy, because he doesn't like to study.
He has a tendency to lie when he doesn’t want to go to school.

I think that human has many faces. So, Tom has both.

DAVID BECKHAM

Why do children want to be David Beckham?

David was small and thin when he was child. And, He wasn't very good at school. Schoolwork wasn't interesting or important to him.His silly foul in a game against Argentina led to losing in the game in 1998 World Cup.In spite of these, He became very great footballer.Today, He is very famous footballer.He married very famous singer in 1999. And, He has two children. His great free kick in a game against Greece in 2001 led to the finals at the World Cup.As a result, He earns money very much. He became the richest footballer in the world.

He can turn failure and weakness into success.So, children respect him and want to be him.

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It's (another) baby!

All of us at Luna want to send our congratulations to Michelle & Adriano Pacitti on the birth of their daughter, Chiara Maria, on the 19th of February. Chiara weighed in at a healthy 3080g. Mother & daughter are doing well - but a bit daunted apparently with Adri going back to work today.

We are looking forward to a visit sometime, when we can exchange nappy stories etc! Incidentally, Yuki is returning to work next week with Hijiri (yes, already) which is also very exciting. If you hear a noise on the phone or see goo on your fax, please be patient!

Please post your comments for Michelle, Adri & Chiara here, or email Jim to be forwarded. Don't they all look healthy & happy!?

Jim

MIB

You work for the New York Times. Write a newspaper story about Beatrice and Edgar. Begin with these words: Farm Wife says 'Alien Took My Husband's Body!'

Farm Wife says 'Alien Took My Husband's Body!' Her name is Beatrice. Her husband's name is Edgar. They live in countryside. One night, they were taking a dinner. Suddenly, they heard big noise from outside. He went to outside with his gun. Few minutes later, he returned back in the house. His appearance wasn't change. But she felt something strange. Next, he wanted sugar!?She noticed Alien took my husband's body. Then she fainted. Now Edgar is missing.

PELE

I read the "PELE". I write the story of Pele's first world cup.
**********************
In 1957, Pele got into Brazilian World Cup team. Then he was only seventeen. Very very young player.

The 1958 World Cup games were in Sweden. The first game was Brazil vs Russia. Brazil won 2-0.

The second game played Wales. He scored a goal. Brazil won 1-0.

The third game played France. He scored three goals. Of cource Brazil won 5-2.

The final game was Beazil vs Sweden. Sweden scored first. But Brazil scored five goals. Pele scored two goals, and Brazil won 5-2. Brazil were the champions!

He scored six goals in first World Cup. This World Cup started his legend.

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Hana (Noriko Yada)

RAIN MAN

16. You are Susanna. Write a letter to your friend about Charlie . Describe your feelings about him. Say how and why Charlie has become a better man since his father died.
*************

Dear Meg,

Hello, Do you remember my boyfriend Charlie? Last week his father died and the fact that he has a brother was found out. We met his brother Raymond. He was autistic. Charlie took his brother from his house[Wallbrook] by force. The purpose was to get huge money that their father left Raymond. At first, their trip was so tough to Charlie since he never could control Raymond's emotion, but Charlie gradually loved Raymond as a brother and wanted to live together. Although his desire did not come true, I think that Charlie could become more thoughtful.

See you soon,
Susanna

game of the week

Need a new challenge? Try practicing a dialog in a group with a timer. The rules are as follows: each person says one line of the dialog, CORRECTLY, before passing the timer on. The aim of the game is to not be the one holding the timer when the time runs out. This is not as easy as one would think, especially with the extra time pressure, so be warned. We had great fun with this one in class. Well done to those who managed to say the lines correctly and not get caught out!

Shakespeare - His Life and Plays

Now I can post my first one.

I, with my wife, have been to Shakespeare's Birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon several years ago, and this book at first reminded me of the memory. The backyard of the house was a quiet garden with complicated path with a mood of countryside, as I had expected for such a historical old house, but in front of the house there was an urban street with certain traffic.
The author referred to The Seven Samurai in light of similarity of stories. It's no surprise of any similarities between them because Korosawa loved Shakespeare so much that he borrowed stories from many plays of Shakespeare. But this book told me that Shakespeare also was such a writer who refurbish old stories very well. Interesting.

(To find out more about the area Tetsuro is writing about, please click http://www.visitbritain.us/destinations/england/heart-of-england/shakespeare-country.aspx If you want to change the langauge, go to the flag icon in the top corner! It's a beautiful part of England. Jim)

<15>
Dear Anne, I am acting in a theatre in London and also have wrote some plays, which were very succesful. Are you, Susanna, Hamnet, and Judith all doing well? If something is going wrong, write me. I will come back to you.

<16>
Saw "Twelfth Night". Heard an interesting story, obviously a joke, about Shakespeare and Burbage, both casted in the play. Burbage saw a beautiful woman in the audience and arranged to meet her. But when knocking on her door, Shakespeare was already making love to her, saying "William I came before Richard III". Brilliant.

<17>
S: "So, Mr. Hall, what are you doing?"
H: "Sir, I am a doctor. You may have heard of a doctor who uses plants to cure the patients."
S: "Oh, are you that Dr. Hall? What a pleasure to meet you!"
H: "I came here today to..."
S: "Of course, no problem!"

<18>
I would like to read or see A Midsummer Night's Dream because I always like comedies. According the book, this play looks to have a complex structure of three stories affecting each others. This kind of complexity in dramas, I also like.

Goodbye Matsumoto - Hello Waseda!

Absolutely magic news for everyone associated with Luna today, as one of our students has managed to get himself into Waseda University. We are all jumping up & down with pleaseure and pride today, totally thrilled to bits, enjoying some champagne with his mum.

I don't usually name names on the blog, but Mitsuya deserves a massive round of applause for his achievement - a lot of hard work has paid of, at last. As I have personally known Mitsuya & taught him over the last six years, I feel especially chuffed and pleased for his family.

He has come a long way too; in 2002 he passed YLE Flyers as baby-faced kid, and was bullied shamefully on a homestay in New Zealand (by me!). Now he has FCE under his belt, a TOEIC score better than most teachers could get, and is too big to push around anymore.

Obviously, my Monday evening schedule is going to change now. Any really bright students with a lot of ambition want to get into a good uni? Give us a call!

How to make Frogs squeek

Ah, this is a rare sound, best enjoyed in Paris.

Ingredients:

1. petite grenouilles (Frogs), fifteen
   
2. Les Grandes Ros Bouef, fifteen
3. Slight pinch of deja vu/disbelief (to taste)
   

Method:

• Shake grenouilles with bone-crunching tackles a la Noon
  
• Batter with explosive volcano-like south island dressing
• Stir in some old-school hooking & rucking
  
• Apply pressure with reliable left boot of Wilkinson
• Serve roasting hot, accompanied by a rendition of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariots", on a bed of trampled blue shirts
  

NB May be hard to swallow for some.

A Scandal in Bohemia

Why are the Sherlock Holmes stories so popular?

-----------------
There are a lot of people who love Holmes.
Some people send fan letter to 221B Baker Street.

Why is Holmes loved?

The Stories and person have a lot of charm. But I think another reason. The Sherlock Holmes stories has a huge volume of information that helps the reader's imagination and a space that reader can imagine freely. As a result, some creators made many movies, dramas and cartoons by own interpretations. Each works produced the fun, consequently the stories have became popular.

Why are the Sherlock Holmes stories so popular?
The stories has a huge volume of information that helps the reader's imagination and a space that reader can imagine freely.

Postcard from Tahiti

Hi, Jim & Everyone, How are you?

I'm in Tahiti, French Polynesia. There are so beautiful lagoon, the horizon & cobalt blue sky. weather is wonderful, it's around 25C. I feel fresh everyday. I can see many tropical fishes from my aquatic cottage. And then, I played dolphins which were extremely clever & cute, you know. It was an amazing experience for me. I wish I could stay here longer.

From Akane. See you.

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Meet the readers

With a couple of weeks to spare, my lads have polished of their reading books and are ready for more! In a 20 week span, they have read 6 graded readers - the first time any of them have ever picked up an English book. They have blogged their written assignments (see previous postings) and seen the benefits of their labours - better vocabulary retention, interesting stories or biographic information, reviewing grammar points; faster reading (itself a very valuable skill), skimming & scanning; becoming independent learners & tossing away the electronic dictionaries; and the writing component as well.

This my boys have managed on top of busy jobs - we study in company - and on top of their regular homework tasks...which this week is to find a podcast they might want to listen to (starting at BBC) and to report back. I'm hoping my champions will sign up for more punishment (classes oops) from April and that we can continue to do great stuff together!

TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA

16 You are one of Captain Nemo's men. Write about your captain. Do you like living and working with him on the Nautilus? Why(not)?

He is brave men. Hi loves all of sea and knows about animals, food and the neture very well.
I usually don't understand him decision. Becouse He doesn't explain the purpose details. But He has definite pourpos of adventure.

He is dependable for me. His decision is always help which we have troubles.

I like livind and working with him and love this adventure.

Shakespeare, His life and plays

This book is very educational, so I could view his 37 works along his life. If you want to see your favorite classic human story with beautifull English, this ( a littile serious ) books must meet your need.


#15 Hello, I am working as dramatist to make new type of plays about English history, comedies and tragidies. I am doing well. In case of hearing bad rumor, please don't be care of criticizing for me. How are Hamnet, Judith and you doing? Don't you have any cold? I will back soon. #16 (I don't know John Manningham because I can't pick that name up from the book, but) I may feel jealous about the talent of Shakespeare. His works are all coping from other writings being on fasion. He is just actor, not writer. #17 "You must be serious and intelligent man, my daughter is happy with such a good hasband." "I will live with Susannna in your hometown Stratford, please meet sometimes together." #18 I would like to see King Lear, because I am one of fathers and feel a lot about my child. If I have the social position, I am a father, I am a man at the same time. I must be feel something form that works.

Postcard from New York

Dear Jim,

How are you? I'm having a very good time here!
I don't want to go back to Japan...anyway,
I'll see you soon. bye!

Takako

(posted for Takako, from my NHK class...hand delivered 5 months after her trip!)

Marcel goes to HOLLYWOOD

Dear my friend,

Hello. How are you? I’m now visiting Los Angeles with Celine on holiday.
It is a very good place and we are staying in a beautiful house. Everything was going well until an accident occurred.

We saw a little girl taken away by kidnappers. We chased the kidnappers, and found out where they were staying. We also found the girl. We decided to help her. We telephoned the police to come and help her.

Finally, the police caught the kidnappers. The girl went back to her home. We did very good job! We are feeling very good to be able to help her.

I look forward seeing you.

Regards,
Marcel

Mike's Lucky Day

What is Mike going to do after this story? Is he going to be a student again?

Mike and Jennifer are going to become a lover. They are going to out on date every week. However, her father doesn't admit the relation between them. Mike is going to study hard and graduate from the university. Mike is going to work hard because to become independent and to admit to her father. His father is going to admit him.They are going to marry. Lucky them!

(Takeho)

Talking the talk

I had a couple of fun lessons today which I'd like to share.

This morning I was up at Daiichi, where we were learning some more adjectives - enthusiastic, jealous, frustrated and some other juicy ones. As usual, Chihiro & Nomado got really into it. Always helps when you have a couple of performers in a class, as they give the quieter students a bit of cover - as well as a level of participation they can try to rise to. I've noticed lately some of the very reluctant girls have been trying harder, which is great. Last week we built adverbs out of the adjectives we already knew (mostly adding -ly) and mimed out some strange sentences eg tap dance confidently, kiss your grandmother angrily etc, which turned out to be rather hilarious!

Later in the day, I was with my cool class at the Korean school. This class are soooo much fun. They learn really quickly, and help each other out which I really respect. I only see them once a month or so, so we have to motor through stuff; nevertheless they 'get' it. They can now confidently tackle short /a/, /e/ & /i/ sounds. From this launch pad, reading & spelling is a breeze. Sadly, our year together is nearly finished...and another class I taught ten years ago graduates next month.

Getting old :(

Happy Valentine's Day

This is supposed to be a romantic day! A day of hoping for that special person to notice you and send you some lovely flowers anonymously, or for some chocolates to arrive on your desk mysteriously, a trinket to appear for you, or a poem handwritten & dedicated to you in an unsigned card...

Ladies: you do not have to do anything today except look lovely, expectant, and lovely again.

Guys, you've got it all wrong. There is NO "Giri Choco". YOU should be busting a nut doing something special for the lady (or ladies) in your life - or for that one you've had your eye on but not been brave enough to act yet. Today's the day. Strike while you have the golden opportunity! Go for it!

There is NO White Day. This is a rubbish invention to sell more chocolate. This 'day' does not exist anywhere else on this planet. If you can't be romantic & spontaneous today, forget it. White Day is for losers!

"But what happens if I forgot?" Well, you're in the dog house! Only an expensive restaurant with a decent bottle of wine, flowers, a present, and you all dressed up posh will save your bacon. Don't panic; be cool, pretend you had a surprise all planned out...

So get your act together gentlemen (and I do mean "gentlemen"). Top Ten Tips:

1. Ladies first today (should be everyday, anyway, right?)
2. Open doors for ladies (ditto above)
   
3. Make her day - say it with flowers (a dozen red roses the norm)
4. Do something unusual - buy her something cute...or sexy?
5. Cook dinner, or book a table somewhere nice. (Got kids? Get a babysitter!)
6. Send an I.L.Y. text message
7. Candles & incense tonight, turn the TV off (and her on!)
8. Say "I love you" in another language!
   
9. Put a heart on her desk/car/pillow/dog
10. Don't wait - do it NOW. Go on. NOW.

What do you think?

What indeed?

We recently added this ad to the Town pages. Please have a look & tell me what you think?
What? Where?

Click on the title to be redirected!

Young Learners Exams

This evening I have been checking speaking test scores for children who took YLE over the weekend in Hokkaido, where 3 schools altogether entered candidates in two separate locations (Sapporo & Obihiro). My job is to upload scores to Cambridge online, and return the papers by mail (which is expensive!)

In order to arrange all of this, the process started over 7 weeks ago when the schools sent us applications to have the exams. I contact Cambridge & arrange for enough papers, CDs etc to be sent, and ask for (qualified) Oral Examiners to volunteer to conduct the speaking tests. Once we receive the material in Matsumoto (from the UK), we forward it to the schools with personalised mark sheets, interview schedules etc. which we print out.

Once our parcel arrives in the UK, qualified examiners mark the reading/writing, and listening papers; results are calculated and then certificates printed for ALL the children who took the exams - there is no pass/fail. Instead, their certificate shows how well they did. This is less competitive & generally makes all candidates feel as though they have achieved something...which indeed they have. Taking an exam in English is a brave thing to try!

We recommend schools make a big fuss about the certificates - arrange a formal ceremony to mark the occasion etc.

Meantime, I have 6 schools who have already applied to have their YLE sessions in March...

One Hundred - not out

Just a quick word to note that the 100th correspondent signed up for the blog in the last day or two -woo hoo!

I should also note that we had the 1,000th 'hit' over a month ago - we're now about 1,500. All of which is excellent news and means that your good work is being noticed - according to the map, in about 39 countries!

Keep up the good work and remember, you don't have to be asked before you start writing! Jim

Girl meets Boy

Do you like dancing and discos? Yes,I like dancing. Why/why not? Because dance make me happy and feeling so fine. I like hip hop dance very much and started learning at dance school last spring. But I don't like discos. Because I like dance only as sport and don't want another things.

Do you like holiday on boats? Yes I do. Why/why not? Because I hanker for luxurious holiday very much. Holiday on boats is the most luxurious for me. It needs many days to make a voyage and spend a lot of money.

Are you shy? When? No, I am not. I can become a friend easily if I meet somebody whom I have never meet. I think friend are important treasure. Friend make person happy and support and help each other.

(Posted for Shin)

Pele

Today is January 11,
Dear Dico,

How are you?
Your father and I miss you every day, but we hope you are very well. How is the life with Santos? Do you have many friends? I’d like to see you and live with you.

If you have any trouble, inform us immediately. We can help you. If you would like to come back home, please let me know. You are always welcome.
Anyway, we will support you, so do your best.

Love,
Celeste

Postcard from San Francisco

Hi Jim,

How are you? I'm writing this card in San Francisco. I walked around at center of the city. It's so nice place, because the old buildings harmonize well with the modern, and there are many public transportations (not so much cars). When I can come back here, I want to take a cable car. See you in next class.

Cordially, Jun

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Michael Jordan

I read "MICHAEL JORDAN".
I write ten questions for Michel Jordan.

1)When did you start basketball?
2)Why did you chooes basketball?
3)Do you think basketball's appeal?
4)How long did you play basketball every day?
5)Which did you like basketball or baseball?
6)What is your shoe size?
7)What did you like to do except baseball and basketball?
8)How many times did you visit to Japan?
9)What is your hobby?
10)Do you have a dream of your life?

HANA (Noriko Yada)

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

I think Tom is a really good boy, because he is very kind and extrovert. He told Huck to go to school and shared money with his friend. He hoped to make his friend happy.I like him very much.

Posted for Shin

Exam Results - November

Late November Luna organised Cambridge ESOL's KET & PET exams at two venues in Niigata & Tokyo (see previous posts).

Unlike other exams (that shall remain nameless), Cambridge ESOL results do NOT give candidates a numerical breakdown of their performance. Rather, Statements of Results show how well or poorly candidates did in each paper - including speaking. Personally, I think this is a much more realistic way of interpreting a person's particular & overall abilities to understand, use and function in English. I'll get off my soapbox!

Just wanted to share with you how our candidates fared (though I take no credit for successes nor blame for disappoinments, as I taught none of the entries - which is annoying!)

KET : 20 candidates.

• 14 passed, 3 "With Merit". (2 "Narrow Fails")

PET candidates: 26 candidates.

• 22 passed, 4 "With Merit". (2 "Narrow Fails")

Which I think deserve a round of applause, don't you?

Of course, I encourage all of our students to prove how good they are...KET & PET are both available in Matsumoto, on June 7th. Why not have a go? Who knows, you might surprise yourself!

Jim

Six Sketches

Writing: There are some nervous people in these sketches.Why are they nervous? When are you nervous?

"I'm Right"
The ticket inspector is nervous when the old man and women are talking about their thicket. Because the old men and women are always wrong.

"Cheese"
People are nervous. People come to a photographer for their photographs and they're nervous.

"A good Match"
David is nervous when United lose a game. David supports United.

"Wedding Day"
David is nervous. He puts on the wrong shoe.

Yasuhiro.

The Full Monty

The Full Monty is a very popular and funny British file!

Gaz and five others decide to form a strippers’ group. None of the men has stripped before. Gaz must make sure the local women come to the show, so he tells them that the group will take all their clothes off. Will these unlikely strippers dare to go for the ‘full monty’?
Click here to find the story in Japanese.

Writing #24
Imagine you are a reporter working on the Sheffield Star. Write about the show for the paper’s front page.

Male strippers “HOT METAL” coming soon!
Six unemployed men have formed a male stripper group, HOT METAL. They were worker at steel factory in Sheffield and unemployed, because the factory was closed by competition. They got to know each other at the job club while they are looking for a job, and decided to form the male stripper group to earn the money. They exercised their dance at their factory warehouse. Gaz who is the leader of this group said they will take all their clothes off. It means "The Full Monty".

Michael Jordan biography

Dear Larry,

How are you? I think you are very well.

As you know, I'm now playing baseball in Chicago White Sox.
But I can't play now because of money trouble in our team.
I love baseball but I can't play now. I'm now 31 years old, and it is not very young to play. So I can't wait the day that I can play baseball.

I'm now wondering whether I should wait for baseball or not.
Larry, what do you think about it?

Regards,
Jordan

The Black Cat

A detective novelist "Edogawa Ranpo" is well-known in Japan. Do you know his name comes from an American novelist "Edgar Allan Poe" who wrote about terrible people with strange lives? "Black Cat " is one of his masterpieces.

There's a man who loves animals and keeps a beautiful and intelligent black cat. At first he lives happily with the black cat but he changes slowly to be unkind, selfish and violent because of alcohol.

Eventually he cruelly kills the black cat. Some days after he finds another black cat and keeps him. One day he kills his wife because she stops him killing the new black cat. He buries her dead body in the wall but it is found by the police because a voice like a child crying comes from inside of the wall. When her dead body appears, the black cat is standing on her head covered with dried blood.

This story will frighten you!

The Adnentures of Tom Sawyer

Is Tom a good boy or a bad boy? Why? Write about it.

I think he is a good boy.

He showed a courage to confess innocence of Muffy Potter.

He loves a friend.(Huck and Becky etc..) He is masculine.(He protects Becky.)

He is a mischievous boy, but he might be clever because hit on a lot of mischief.

I had good feeling in innocence and an adventure spirit of him.

I feel envy it. I lost....

A Scandal in Bohemia

Sherlock Holmes is often kind to the criminals that he cathes.

Do you think this is right? Why dose he act like this?

--------------------------

I think that it's right. To solve the mystery is pleasure to Sherlock Holmes. Crime is certainly bad things although, on the other hand they gave Sherlock Holmes the interesting mystery. I think that's why he act kind to the criminals.

The Last of Mohicans

Sorry, I'll delete this post soon.
Instead of this post, I'll add a comment to the exsitent article.

Six Sketches

There are some nervous people in these sketches. Why are they nervous? When are you nervous?

In the sketch of "Wedding Day", David is nervous, because he wears one black shoe and one brown shoe. He made mistake to wear odd shoes.

In the sketch of "The English Teacher", the students are nervous, because smoke is coming under the door.Mr. Brown don't understand it.

I am nervous when I quarrel with my wife or when I make mistake in my work, when I take an English exam and I receive the results.

(Posted for Masaya)

1984

This novel was written in 1949, however the given circumstances of the story is today's world. In the story everyone is under watch and be tightly-controlled both physically and mentally, and freedom of thought is not guaranteed. Under such circumstance, brain-freeze is only one technique to live in easily and safety. I think that's exactly today's world! And the author must have written the story as a warning against today's society.

Rain Man

Charlie tells Raymond: 'You're like a computer. 'Write about the special things that Raymond can do.
------------
Raymond has a excellent memory, observation power and calculation ability. He can remember a lot of telephone numbers on a telephone book at night. At a restaurant, a waitress was surprised because he told telephone number of her to Charlie. Moreover, he can count a lot of things quickly by his excellent observation power. He counted accurately the toothpicks that had dropped on the floor by the waitress.

In addition, he can win in the casino by his excellent memory, observation power and calculation ability. Of course, He accurately remembers prizes (eg. $89,796). He is exactly like the computer.

However, the most special things that he can do is, a change of Charlie. Charlie was selfishness. Raymond changed Charlie into gentle man. This is the most special things.

Michael Jordan

You are Michael Jordan in the summer of 1994. Write a letter to your brother, Larry, about your job in baseball

---------------------------

Dear Larry
I have a news that surprises you. I challenge new job this year. What it do you think?The work uses the ball, but it is not basketball. When I was a child, it often played. So,it is a baseball. I am a baseball player on the Chicago White Sox.My number is 45. It is your old number when you are a high school student.I want to win the championship. I want to get award of baseball too.Please come to see my play. Let's meet in the baseball stadium.
best wishes,Michael

Postcard from Chicago, U.S.A.

In Chicago, it is very cold today - negative 17 degrees C.
It's colder than Nagano, Japan. And it is also very windy
downtown, where I am staying (at Omuni Hotel). I enjoyed a thick crust pizza and a Chop House Steak, and a bottle of Goose Island.

From a member of your class, Junichi.

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GIRL meets BOY

Do you like dancing and discos? Why/why not?
No, I don't. I'm not good at the dancing.However, I have feelings that want to go to the disco once.

Do you like holiday on boats? Why/why not?
No, I don't.I live in Nagano where doesn't have the sea. I have not taken the ship for a long time. Maybe I get seasick.

Are you shy? When?
Yes, I am.I'm shy of strangers for the person of the first meeting.I'm not good at standing in the presence of others.

(Takeho)

Mike's Lucky Day

What is Mike going to do after this story? Is he going to be a student again?

I think he is going to ask her to many dine. And he is going to make a date with her, watching movie, driving, swimming, travel, and so on.
They are going to make a love.

But her father doesn't permit the relation between Jennifer and Mike.
Because Mike is a student yet. Then Mike is going to graduate from college, he is going to work in Jennifer's shop. Of course he works with her. They will make a happy very well.

Yasuhiro.

Marcel goes to Hollywood

I read "Marcel goes to HOLLYWOOD".
Two French mice are heroes of this story, thier names are "Marcel & Celine". Marcel is a detective and Celine is a painter.

DAY1:
They arrive in Los Angeles. They go to Hollywood from airport. They stay Mr.Waldman's house.
At 10 o'clock they go to bed. But 12 o'clock Marcel hears noise, he opens his eyes. He goes to the kitchen. He finds a kidnapper's massage. They kidnap "Lois Waldman". She is Waldman's daughter, fifteen years old.

DAY2:
In the morning, Mr. & Mrs. Waldman read the massage.
At 10:05 the kidnapper to ring Mr. Waldman, they tell him "Bring $1 million to room 309 on the Queen Mary".
Mr. Waldman goes to bank and puts $1 million in the suitcase. He goes to "Queen Mary room 309".Marcel and Celine go, too.
Mr. Waldman hands kidnapper $1 million. But he doesn't get his daughter.
Marcel and Celine in the suitcase, go to kidnapper's house with kidnapper.
They find Lois in a bedroom.
At 11 o'clock, Marcel telephones the police.
Police finds kidnapper and saves Lois.

Marcel and Celine take a lorry go back to Waldman's house.

Noriko Yada

E.T

I read "E.T" for three weeks at the end of Dec 2007. Because I have never watched this movie, it was a little bit difficult for me to understand the relationship of characters. I wrote my thinking that I looked at the photo on page 34 in the book.

1. What is happening ?
The boys rode away with E.T by bike to the forest in order to take him to his spaceship.
2. What is going to happen ?
E.T is putting up his finger and the bikes are going up into the sky. Five bikes fly over the police, their cars and over the houses.
3. What is E.T thinking ?
E.T is thinking of Elliot like a brother and he wants to go back to his star with Elliot.

Masanori Yagasaki

Poster Project

Recently asked my high school class to do a bit of research - we had been studying about countries, the nationalities of those countries and the languages spoken there. Some of the lads started shouting out names like "Ronaldo", "Beckham", and "Ichiro", and I quickly got the impression there was a well-spring of latent knowledge & interest to push the boat out a bit.

A teacher is always taking a bit of a risk asking students to produce unstructured work. A 'mistake' I made years ago with my refugee students in Thailand was to ask them "How did you get here?". Obviously, each story was shocking; reading 50 or so made me think long and hard about what I was trying to do as a teacher and how little I had to complain about. I recently re-read some of their accounts when I was sorting through boxes of old stuff at my brother's place in Australia - still very harrowing.

Anyway. Rie & I asked our students to produce a poster highlighting a particular country. We suggested a couple of websites, and we brainstormed ideas as to what they might include. As you can see from the postings below, some of them really got their teeth into it. Which is the best poster? You decide - there's a poll on the right, so please take a second to cast your vote. (And by all means post a comment under them.)