Presentation 2 Spring 2013 Week 6: Introduction to Voicethread

Hello everyone,
Today we are going to do a lot of speaking practice. First, let's do some speaking practice using English Central. Please click the link: Presentation 2: Wednesday 3rd. Now you are member of the class I set up on English Central. Please choose a video and do some speaking practice. While you are using English Central I will come round to each of you and check your PowerPoint Presentations. After I have checked your PowerPoint presentations, please make the change that I have requested.

Next, let's register for VoiceThread. Please click the link: Register a new account. After you have registered please watch this video: What's a Voicethread Anyway?

Now, lets learn how to comment. Please click the link and watch My Self Introduction. Then please make a comment and ask a question on each slide.

That's all for today. Next week you will make your own VoiceThreads.

Cross Cultural Awareness and English 2013 Semester 1 Week 5: Love and Marriage in Bangladesh

Hello everyone, Today we will continue discussing Love and Marriage. Look at the picture above. This is a picture I took of a Bangladeshi bride and groom at a wedding reception I attended in Dhaka, Bangladesh. In the photo below you can see me with my colleagues. The men, including me, are wearing a traditional Bengali shirt called a "panjabi". This shirt is called a Kurta in India. We were a little embarrassed because all the Bangladeshi men wore European business suits. 


 


Let's listen to two people talking about Love and Marriage in Bangladesh. Some people in Bangladesh have arranged marriages. Let's listen to a conversation about arranged marriages on my friend Todd Beukens' great website English Listening Lesson Library Online (ELLLO). Please listen to the conversation and do the quiz. 

Next, let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: Cross cultural awareness and English vocabulary.

Now, let's learn more about Bengali weddings. Please click the link. Read the article and answer the questions:

1. What is a Ghotok?
2. What are the four parts of the Bengali wedding?
3. What is Gaye holud? 
4. What is the Mahr?
5. Who arranges the wedding ceremony?
6. What do many of the wedding ceremony traditions revolve around?
7. Who arranges the reception?
8. What is the "flower bed" ceremony?

Finally, please leave a comment. What do you think of Bengali wedding traditions?

Presentation 2 Spring 2013 Week 5: Making slides

Death by Powerpoint (and how to fight it)

Hello everyone,

Today we are going to learn about making good slides. So many presenters make very bad slides that we have a new expression in English: Death by Powerpoint. Click the link to read a Japanese blog post about Death by Powerpoint.

You can get some great FREE tips from Garr Reynolds' website too.

OK, let's make some great slides now! Please use your own photos and images, or if you don't have your own photos and images please use only photos and images with a Creative Commons licence. You can read about Creative Commons licences here: クリエイティブ・コモンズ. You can find Creative Commons Images on Flickr, or by doing an advanced search in Google.
Please finish your slides by the end of the class.
Next week we will learn about Voicethread!

Integrated English 1 2013 Week 5: The Inverted Eagle Chapter 3 Review & Quiz 3

Hi everyone! Today we are going to review Chapter 3.

Illustration by Yuji Tachikawa. CC V1.0 Some rights reserved

First, let's review some vocabulary. Click this link: Inverted Eagle Chapter 3 Vocabulary.

Now let's read a great summary of Chapter 3 by Martina R., a student in Stuttgart, Germany:

Chapter 3 – The Hospital

The first lie: Judith told Ellie that she lied concerning the combination of the wall safe, she gave the numbers to Kevin. Because of her age, Judith forgot, that she also gave the combination to Miguel. After this, Ellie wanted to hear the whole story. Judith started to tell the story which had begun a month ago with the purchase of a beautiful stamp.

At the end of the conversation between Ellie and Judith Reed, Yokota, a colleague of Ellie, and Kevin entered the room. Ellie saw Kevin and she accused him of lying to her.

The next steps: Elle checked the stories of the involved people and wanted to search the house from the top to bottom.

After that, Ellie drove to the hospital where Evan and Nancy Reed were staying. Nancy was sleeping  and Even was telephoning someone with his cell phone. Ellie stopped in front of the door and tried to understand the call between Evan and the other person. The words (which) she heard were “Brian … investors …. excited about the project – to get money together”. ...a few seconds after the  call, Ellie went into the room and introduced herself to the Reeds. Then she told the Reeds a part of her investigation. It was surprising, that Evan accused his son of committing the robbery, because the Reeds wanted that Kevin tried to find a job and they had informed him that they were stopping his monthly allowance. Later, Ellie asked the Reeds to describe the occurrences which happened last night separately?

At the end of the Chapter, Yokota called Ellie and told her that there might be a new motive ….

You can read Martina's entire review of  The Inverted Eagle on Karenne Sylvester's great blog Kalinago English.

Finally, please post a comment. Who do you think  dunit? Click the link to learn how to post a comment.

Cross Cultural Awareness and English 2013 Semester 1 Week 4

Hello everyone,

Today we are going to review last week's class and then talk about Jewish wedding traditions. 

First, let's review some vocabulary. Please click the link: Cross Cultural Awareness and English Vocabulary.

One of the Greek wedding traditions we learned about last class was the tradition of throwing rice at the end of the ceremony. Sophia Mavridi, a teacher in Athens, told me that this tradition has been officially banned in many places because some people over did it and disturbed the ceremony. Throwing rice or confetti is a tradition at some weddings in Canada too, but many churches have banned throwing rice and confetti because confetti is difficult to clean up, and people can slip and fall on rice.

Let's listen to a mantinada. The song is called
Ο ΥΜΝΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΜΑΝΑΣ - ΓΙΩΡΓΟΣ ΖΕΡΒΑΚΗΣ . 
Please click the link.

Vicky Loras tells us that the title means, "Hymn to Mother". The singer says that there are many kinds of love in the world but the one kind of love that stands out is love for one's mother. Why do you think that a man might sing a song about his love for his mother at his wedding?

Here is a mantinada shared by Christina Markoulaki,  a teacher in Heraklion, which is the capital of Crete:

Σιγά-σιγά μη βιάζεστε κι η πόρτα μας θ’ ανοίξει, γιατί έχει η νύφη αδέλφια και γονείς να τσ’ αποχαιρετίσει. 

Christina says, "...this mantinada warns the guests not to hurry because the bride will take her time to say goodbye to her family." This matinada shows the very strong connection between the couple and the family, which Christina says is,"... an entirely Greek phenomenon!"

Let's listen to this mantinada now.

 Ok, now let's turn to p.135 in our text book. Let's read about Jewish wedding traditions.
See you next week.

Presentation 1 2013 Week 4: Voice Inflection and the Demonstration Speech

Hello everyone,
Today, after you do your layout presentations, we will learn about voice inflection. After that, we will prepare for our next presentation, the demonstration presentation.
Let's watch a demonstration of how to make ramen.


Now it's your turn. Please prepare a demonstration of your favourite dish.
See you next week!

Presentation 2 Spring 2013 Week 4: Storyboarding

Hello everyone,
I hope you enjoyed Golden Week.
Today we are going to storyboard our first presentation. After that we will edit and rewrite our script.

Please click the link to download the Writing Error Codes handout. Look at the writing error codes and comments on your script. Correct your errors and rewrite your script.

Integrated English 1 2013 Week 4: The Inverted Eagle Chapter 2 Review & Quiz 2

Hey everyone,
I have some exciting news. You can win a free book! Click the link to learn how you can win a free book: Win free CYOA graded readers! OK, now let's go to amazon.jp and review Cup of Death.

Today we are going to review Chapter 2 and preview Chapter 3.
First, let's review some vocabulary. Please sign into Quizlet and study the Chapter 2 vocabulary.
Next let's check the answer to the puzzle. With your group check your answers and share the vocabulary and notes you made in your detective's notebook.


Create your own mind maps at MindMeister

For homework please do the Chapter 3 tasks and puzzle. See you next week!

Cross Cultural Awareness and English 2013 Semester 1 Week 3: Love and marriage in Greece

Hello everyone!
Today we are going to learn about love and marriage in Greece.

Last week we learned about dowries. Dowries are a part of Greek culture too. It's interesting that two very different cultures, China and Greece, can share a cultural tradition, isn't it?
You can learn more about Greek wedding traditions by clicking the link: Ten Greek Wedding Traditions.




Vicky Loras, a Greek Canadian teacher of English told me the following about weddings in Greece:

In many parts around Greece they still celebrate weddings in a traditional way. Some traditions still kept are:

- The families of the couple pin paper money on the bride and groom (which they can then keep of course!)

- Single people (usually women!) write their names on the bride's shoe soles. As she walks and dances throughout the day, some names get erased. Tradition has it, that the people's names that are erased are the next to get married!

- In some villages, the bride and groom each go to church on foot, accompanied by their families. A relative walks in front and holds a Greek flag on a pole, which has a cross on top. They attach three apples on each point of the cross, which symbolises fertility.  

- Towards the end of the ceremony, the guests throw rice at the couple, which symbolises fertility and food. It can be a pretty slippery situation though, with all that rice on the floor!

If you would like to ask Vicky more about Greek culture, you can follow her on Twitter - @vickyloras

Today's article is about μαντινάδες (Mantinades), which are love poems sung at weddings on the island of Crete. Crete is the largest island in Greece. It was once the centre of the ancient Minoan civilization, which was the oldest civilization in Europe, so Crete has a rich cultural tradition. This rich cultural tradition has given the people of Crete some wonderful wedding customs, including the Mantinades.

Before we learn about the Mantinades, let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: Crosscultural awareness and English Vocabulary. 

Now let's listen to a mantinada. The song is called Ο ΥΜΝΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΜΑΝΑΣ - ΓΙΩΡΓΟΣ ΖΕΡΒΑΚΗΣ . Please click the link:

Vicky tells us that the title means, "Hymn to Mother". The singer says that there are many kinds of love in the world but the one kind of love that stands out is love for one's mother. Why do you think that a man might sing a song about his love for his mother at his wedding?

Ok, now please turn to p. 142.

What do you think of Mantinades? Are there any similar types of poetry in Japanese culture, or in the cultures of other peoples? Post a comment below.

See you next week!

Presentation 1 Week 3: More gestures and the layout presentation

Hello everyone,
Today we are going to do our first presentation.
After that we are going to practice using gestures some more. Look at the picture on the left. What does the gesture mean? Do you ever make this gesture?

Our next presentation is a layout presentation. A layout speech describes where things are, their size and their shape. Your next presentation will be about your room. Draw a map of your room on A3-size paper. Your presentation should be 1 minute. You will be tested on your posture, eye contact, voice volume, gestures and the content of your presentation. Don't forget to practice with a partner, or in front of a mirror.
See you next week.

Presentation II Spring 2013 Week 3: Presentation Zen

Hello everyone,
Today we are going to continue preparing for our first presentation.
Let's watch a video by a great presenter called Garr Reynolds. Take out some loose leaf paper. While you are watching the video, take notes and answer the questions below.

Part 1: Preparation

1. What are the 3 parts of a presentation?
2. What are the 3 Zen principles that Reynolds relates to presentations?
3. What is a "slideument", and why should we avoid it?
4. What are the 6 key elements of "stickiness"?
5. What are the 3 parts in the process of preparing a presentation?

Part 2: Design

1. What three Japanese words does Reynolds relate to design?
2. What is the 1-7-7 rule? Is it a good rule, why/why not?
3. What is the "rule of thirds"
4. What are the 7 design concepts?

OK, now look at a set of slides I made. What are some good points and what are some bad points about the slides? 

OK, now it's your turn. Start storyboarding your presentation. You should have at least 14 slides, so your storyboard should have at least 14 panels.

See you next week.

Integrated English 2013 Semester 1 Week 3: The Inverted Eagle Chapter 1 Review & Quiz 1

Hello everyone!
Today we are going to take the first quiz. Before we do that, let's review. Please click the link: Inverted Eagle Crime Talk Vocabulary. Please do the Quizlet test. Do the test. Next, please look at the image below.

This image is a "mind map" Click the link to read a Japanese explanation of mind maps. The mind map above explains the scene of the crime in the Inverted Eagle. Look at the mind map. Make sentences based on the information in the mind map. Write the sentences in your Detective's Notebook.
OK, let's review the answers to the Chapter 1 puzzle, then we'll take the quiz.

Now let's learn some vocabulary for Chapter 2. Please click the link: Inverted Eagle Chapter 2.
Finally, please read Chapter 2, do the tasks including the puzzle, and make notes in your Detective's Notebook. We will have the Chapter 2 Quiz next lesson.
Enjoy!

Presentation 1 Week 2: Gestures, and the informative presentation

Hello everyone,

Today we are going to learn about gestures and we are going to start to prepare for our first presentation.

Please look at the photo on the left. What does the gesture mean. Can you think of any other gestures?

Ok, now let's start preparing for the first presentation, the informative presentation.
Your presentation must be 1 minute.


Only your posture, eye content, voice and the content of your presentation will be tested, so this presentation won't be too difficult. You should practice with a partner.

You will give your presentation next week, so don't be absent and don't be late!

Presentation II Spring 2013 Week 2: Introduction to English Central

Hello everyone,
Today we care going to sign up for English Central. Please click the link for your class:

Presentation II 2013 Tuesday 5th

Presentation II 2013 Wednesday 3rd

After you have signed up for English Central, choose a video and practice speaking. after you have finished using English Central, click the link and download the task sheet for your first presentation.



Now let's start writing the script for our presentations.

Integrated English 2013 Semester 1 Week 2: Introduction to Fiction in action - Whodunit

Hello everyone, Today we are going to review The Cup of Death and start our next story, The Inverted Eagle, which is the first story in the textbook Fiction in Action: Whodunit.

First, let's sign up for Quizlet. Please click the link. Now let's join the class I've set up on Quizlet. Please click the link: Integrated English 2013/2014. Now let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: Inverted Eagle Chapter 1 Vocabulary.

OK, now let's open the book and get started. For homework please read chapter 1 and do the tasks on p.11, and 12. Then  solve the puzzle on p.15 by answering the questions on pp.16 and 17.

Enjoy!

Cross Cultural Awareness and English 2013 Semester 1 Week 2: Love and marriage in China

Hello everyone, I hope you had a nice weekend.
Today we are going to review our reading about love and marriage in Botswana. First, please click the link. Let's sign up for Quizlet. Next, please join the class I have created for us on Quizlet. Please click the link: Cross Cultural Awareness and English 2013/2014. Now let's study some vocabulary, please click the link: Cross cultural Awareness and English Vocabulary.

In the reading, "Brides for sale?", we learned that "lobola", the African custom of paying for a bride, was controversial. Let's review the arguments for lobola and the arguments against lobola. Please turn to p. 124 in your textbook.

Now we are going to start our next topic, Love and Marriage in China. Like Botswanan marriage customs, Chinese marriage customs include a "bride price". Chinese marriage customs also include a dowry. You can read about Chinese pre-wedding customs by clicking the link. Let's watch a video of a Chinese wedding. Please click the link.

Now, please read "A new dowry item: the computer" on pp. 128-129, then answer the questions on p.129.

For homework, please watch the video below. After that, please download the article, "Thousands marry on love you forever day". Read the article and do the tasks. Enjoy!

Presentation 1: Welcome

Hello everyone, welcome to Presentation 1.
Today I am going to introduce you to the course. Let's look at the course outline.
look at the picture on the left. This is the text book we will use. I hope you have bought it. If not, please buy it as soon as possible. We will be using it starting next class. This semester we will learn the basics of how to give 5 types of presentations: an informative presentation, a layout presentation, a demonstration presentation, a comparison demonstration and a persuasive presentation.

First, lets look at a bad presentation. Watch the presentation and take notes. What mistakes are the presenters making? Now let's watch another bad presentation.

Next week we will start our first presentation.
See ya!

Presentation II - Welcome

Hello everyone, welcome back!
Today I am going to introduce you to this course. First, please click the link to download the course outline.

Next, we are going to use a cool website this year called English Central. English Central is a website that helps people learn English by using videos. The best feature of English Central is that you can practice speaking. To use this feature you need premium access. To get premium access you need to buy the card in the photo on the left. You can buy it at the campus book store.


Please buy the English Central Premium Access card by next week. We start using English Central then.
In this course we will not do traditional presentations. We will do special slideshow presentations using web-based software called Voicethread. Voicethread is like PowerPoint, but much much better.  Please click the link to see an example Voicethread presentation.
OK, that's all for today. Please don't forget to buy your English Central Premium Access Card as soon as possible.
See you next week!

Integrated English 2013 Semester 1: Welcome

Hello everyone, welcome to Integrated English I at the University of Tsukuba!

Today I'm going to introduce you to the course. Please click the link to download your Course Outline. As you can see from the course outline, there is a lot of material to cover (内容が多い) in a very short time.

Today we are going to start with our first story, Cup of Death.
First, let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: Cup of Death Vocabulary.
Next, please click the link to download the Cup of Death Activity Sheet 1.

Now click the link to download your Adventure Log.
That's all for today, don't forget to check the course outline for your independent study and class preparation tasks - i.e. homework! See you next week.

Cross Cultural Awareness and English 2013 Semester 1 Week 1: Welcome

Hello everyone, welcome to the University of Tsukuba!
Today I'm going to introduce you to the course. Please click the link to download your Course Outline.
Well, as you saw from the course outline, we will be discussing love and marriage in various cultures this semester. Let's listen to a great song by Frank Sinatra called "Love and Marriage".

 As the song says, "Love and Marriage" go together like a horse and carriage. "Love" and "marriage", and "horse" and "carriage" are collocations. (コロケーション、語と語のつながり、語の配列、連語（法）、連語構成語) Can you think of any more collocations related to the topic of love and marriage? With your partner, please make a list.

Now, let's learn some vocabulary. Please click the link: Cross Cultural Awareness and English Vocabulary. Please study the flashcards for 5 minutes. 

Our first reading is about a marriage tradition in Botswana. Please look at the map below. Where is Botswana? The titles of our first reading is Brides for Sale. What do you think you will learn from the reading? Finally, please leave a comment. Do you think that marriage must include love? See you next week!

The University of Tsukuba Cross Cultural Awareness and English Trimester 3 Week 10

Hello everyone,
Well today is our last class. Thank you so much very being great students this year. I hope you have enjoyed the class, and I hope you have learned a few things too. Also, I hope you will continue to think about some of the issues we have discussed in this class, and I hope you will continue to use Quizlet, and other online learning tools.

One of the issues that came out of our project is the problem of the aging population in Japan. This problem exists in America, and other countries too. Look at the map. Which countries have the lowest birthrates?
OK, now please download today's lesson: World population aging at record rate.

That's all. I hope some of you will take the second year elective presentation classes I'm teaching beginning in April. Otherwise, feel free to drop by my office any time for a chat, or even if you need some help.

Good luck on the rest of your exams, and enjoy the break.

さよなら！

The University of Tsukuba IE Phys. Ed B3 Trimester 3 Wk 9

Hello everyone,
Today will be a review of this term. Please click the link to download your study guide.
Your final test will be next Monday 4 March at 3:15 pm sharp, so don't be late.

You can study the for the vocabulary section of the test by studying our Quizlet flashcards. Please click the link: IE-PhysEd B3 Vocabulary.


Good luck. See you next week.

The University of Tsukuba IE Phys. Ed B3 Trimester 3 Wk 8

Downloaded from Wikipedia

Hello everyone,
Today we are going to talk about a famous European footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo.  Let's watch a video of Cristiano Ronaldo scoring goals. Now let's download the article. Please click the link: www.famouspeoplelessons.com: Cristiano Ronaldo. Now scan the article for words you don't know. Add those words to our flashcard set on Quizlet: IE-PhysEd B3 Vocabulary.
Next, let's read the article and do the tasks.
Finally, please leave a comment. What do you think of Cristiano Ronaldo?
See you next week!

The University of Tsukuba Academic English Presentation I Trimester 3 Wk 8

Hello everyone,
Today we are going to continue working on our final presentations. Last time we talked about the introduction. Today we will talk about the body and conclusion. We'll also start preparing our final presentations. Please click the link to download your final presentation worksheet.
Please write your presentation scripts and bring them to class next week.
See you!