11/16 My thesis

Pre-test
○ Object： Junior high school students
○ Test： I make students test for writing for 10 minutes.
「あなたのクラスにALTのアン（Ann）先生が来ました。アン先生に自己紹介の手紙を書きましょう。」

Treatment
○ Object： Junior high school students
○ Preparation： To prepare a letter, introducing my self to the students.
○ In class：
1. I tell them a little about myself, my home, and family. The students understand the 　　　　　　　　　　summary of a letter when they listen to my speech.
2. I suggest that students write the same to me in a letter.
3. We discuss the points of writing a letter.

Dear
Greeting
・ About yourself
・ About school
・ About your family etc…
Complimentary close

4. Students write a letter.
○ After class：I will answer their letter as soon as possible.

Post-test
○ Object：Junior high school students
○ Test： I make students test for writing for 10 minutes.
　　　　　「あなたのクラスにALTのアン（Ann）先生が来ました。アン先生にあなたの家族や学校のことを紹介する手紙を書きましょう。」

My research plan for the summer 8/7

I'm going to prepare for my research in this summer.

I have to...
1) define "communicative competence"
2) clarify the actual situation of children's communicative competences
3) look for articles which have opposite opinions
4) read books
5) study the differences between "activities" and "tasks"

I will update my blog when I finish tasks.

My thesis 5/23

Last week I read a article called "English Language Teaching and Learner's Communicative Competence in Japan" by Shogo Kashiwase at Utsunomiya University. I think it is really useful article, because I'm considering the definition of "communication" now.

He investigated what communication is and what we should do to develop the competence of general communication in schools.
Human communication is realized through 5 senses: hearing, smelling, tasting and touching. Communication has 2 stages of encoding and decoding.
General communication is to exchange massages, information and intention. The messages are composed of complex bundle of feelings, attitude, beliefs and values. General communication is a package of signals, a total of actions.
Speech communication can send many variety of messages to other people. Speesh communication is supported and complemented by other channels of communication such as distance, place, timing, action, body movement, and so on.
He said Japanese people are required to develop the skill of general communication through all of the 5 perceptual senses, dynamics of general communication. English teaching for Japanese people is to develop their general communicative competence through English.

I still don't decide what communication is I am going to define, but I am sure general communication and speech communication he analyzed.

My thesis2 5/6

1) My sentral question
What kind of activities help developed children's communication skill?

2)Summary of the article
Mr.Hall recommended me to read good books called "新学習指導要領にもとづく英語科教育法" by 望月昭彦.
He defined communication as exchanging something messages between more than two persons. It surely includes the decoding and the encoding. The kinds of mediums notify them are a sound, intonation, letters, an expression, a gesture, and so on. The content of message are ceremonial communication, informative communication and persuasive communication. In English classroom superficial greeting and conversation and para-communication activity is not communication. So it's important for students to cultivate "practical communication" at junior high and high school.

3) How does this article relate to my thesis?
I want to investigate into communication. If I do so, I have to define "communication". This book is wrriten about communication. When I will define "communication", this book help me.

Research question

I'm interested in English education at elementary school. Last summer vacation I did practice teaching at elementary school. I taught 3rd grade students English. After the teaching, I had a question. This was "What English activities can children's communication skill be developed?".
I think that children can develop both English communication skill and Japanese communication skill by English activity. I want to research the relation between English activity in elementary school and communication skill, but I have to think over the research question.

Meeting 1

Today we talked about our spring vacation and our goals of this year.

My spring vacation was very busy, but very exciting!! First, I got a driver's license. So I drove by my father's car from Kawai to Miyako. It took for an hour. I was very tired, because it was difficult for me to handle his car. Second, I helped my teachers to drow pictures for text book. The name of it is "Take it easy!". It was very hard, but I had a great experience! If you are interested in English education at elementary school, you should read this book. Besides you can find many pictures that I drew.
Nyanmage and Fantasista had a exciting vacation too. Nyanmage took part in ski game. That game was her final game. She enjoyed skiing. When she talked about it, her face was bright face. Fantasista went to Hanamaki hot spring with his friends. And he studied very hard for teacher's test. When I heard it, I think I have to study more and more!

I wrote my goals in this blog. However I write my goals again. First, I'm going to take the TOEIC test next month. I want to get high score. I have to study English for the test. I think it relates to improve my speaking skill. Second, next summer I will take the teacher's test for elementary school. I want to pass the test. Third, I want to write good thesis. Finally, I want to go to Fiji with my friends and make a good memory.
In this class I found that we have same goal. This is to pass the teacher's test. We're going to take different prefecture, but I want to encourage each other.

After the class we met Kumaken san. He recommended useful book for thesis to us. He told us this book. Thank you so much!!!

Goals of me in this year

I have goals in this year. There are 3 goals.

①To pass the teacher's test
I want to be an elementary school teacher in Iwate. I have to pass the test to be a teacher. The test will be on July.

Now I am studying many things for the test. I have to study many subjects:
japanese, math, science, social atudy, physical education, music, and so on.
And I have to study......
the European history of education, Educational principle, regulation of education, and so on...
I have many chances to learn in this university;
My university has good classes and good seminers for the teacher's test.
I'm going to read many books to know many things and I will have chances to play with children.

I think a key for success will be studying them throughly and equally.


②To speak to everyone my opinions in English
Now I'm not good at speaking my ideas in English. When I speak in English, I'm afraid of mistakes. However as the Japanese proverb says, "mistakes is a key for success". I will speak English actively without being afraid. And I'm going to use new phrases which I don't use habitually.


③My thesis
I haven't decided about theme on my thesis yet, but I'm interested in children's eagerness to study and learn, the relationship between communication in Japanese and English activity at elementary school. I'm going to read many books about English education. And I want to solidify my ideas. I want to write it in order to be helpful to my future and other students.


In order to attain goals, I do my best!!!