Postcard from Canton, China

Hi Jim sensei,

I am on the business trip to China with Tomoko from April 12 to 16.

This photo when we went to Canton Fair on April 15 and had lunch there. There were a lot of people from various coutries!

See you again in the class.

Thanks! Chinatsu & Tomoko

 

Let's welcome Ana to Luna!

We are delighted to announce that Ana has joined our teaching team at Luna; please say hello when you see her & introduce yourself!

"Hi everyone! Nice to meet you

My name is Anastasiya, but you can call me Ana. I'm from the Netherlands, and I'm married to a Japanese person. I really enjoy living in Japan. I like visiting shrines, and my favorite food is sushi. My hobbies are cooking, baking sweets and traveling.


I also have experience working as an English tutor in Seoul, South Korea. I teach on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays, so please feel free to say hello anytime! I'm looking forward to studying English with you~ ♪"

My cousin Shou

I’ll introduce my cousin,Shou.

He’s the son of mother’s brother. He was only six when I was born, so he’s been more like a brother to me than a coupon. He is twenty six years old now.When we meet, we always play sports and games,which makes me happy.

He was born in Chiba prefecture, and he studied electronics in high school and enjoyed playing tennis club.He was very good at tennis and participated in the prefectural tournament. On holidays, he walks with his pet and plays sports with me when I was junior high school student. He started work when he was eighteen years old as a mechanic.

I think he is good-looking. He's quite tall with beautiful black hair, he’s cool and gentle and has beautiful dark brown eyes. I think that he is a really kind character. He is always smiling and always tries to help someone who is in trouble. He works hard and he plays hard, he is always cheerful. That’s why he’s always popular because he has friends around him.

His current lifestyle is really good. He still works as a mechanic, and is married to a nice woman. He also enjoys traveling in Japan with his wife. He wants to do his best until the end, even if it’s difficult. So I’m proud of him.

Posted for Ayumi

Jim's awayday in Tokyo - challenging examiners

Limited thinking time for Speaking Examiners to consider lexical resource components (words!) into CEFR bands...if only there were a website for that? https://lnkd.in/gH_AYdaQ

Speaking Examiners vs CEFR on Wordwall

Interesting disagreement about 'brass' - common in Japan as it is a 'club activity' in JHS/HS (brass band)...and in Yorkshire our number one obsession (money!), and my age group who loved The Pretenders/Chrissie Hynde! High end phrasal verb 'brassed off', idiom 'brass neck', or 'top brass'.

Here's the link https://lnkd.in/gn5efxzT - if you can beat the high score & live in Japan/teach English, get in touch about joining the SE team ;)

Thank you to Chris & the JP040 SE team for your patience with my attempts to spice up/gamify certification & re-invent the assessment wheel. 

Visiting Matsumoto - local advice

Let me introduce Matsumoto city!

Firstly, Matsumoto castle: it was built in the medieval age. You can rent traditional clothes like yukata, and take a photo with a samurai!

Nakamachi is the next place to visit. You can enjoy beautiful views and eat delicious food, like crepes & pancakes. You can also drink fresh spring water from one of the many wells.

Soba is a traditional Japanese noodle made from buckwheat. You can eat it hot or cold with soy sauce & wasabi.

Nawate Street is another beautiful place to visit. There is a big frog statue. You can take photos, drink coffee, and visit the nearby shrine.

You will want to visit Matsumoto. Now, enjoy your visit.

Posted for Ceilidh 

Teaching - and assessing - Young Learners

Calling all teachers of Young Learners in Kanto...here's a great opportunity for you to share your teaching skills, add some internationally recognised PD to your CV. And top up your bank account from time to time. Bingo?!

Cambridge Assessment English's most active Centre in Japan, Kawaijuku JP026, needs YOU! Training for Speaking Examiners to deliver & assess the Young Learners suite of speaking tests is only being run once this year in Tokyo over the July 11-12 weekend - so get cracking with signing up before all the seats are snaffled up > details https://lnkd.in/gH_-Fte3 Please check you meet Minimum Professional Requirements - applicants must reside in Japan & be eligible to work ie have the relevant visa....and enjoy teaching children!

Breaks my heart to have to say that Luna is no longer a Cambridge Centre for Young Learners (nor any other exam) as we basically saved this brand in Japan. 

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.

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.