Toyo Gakuen University Skills-based English - Conversation: Talking about the past

Today we are going to practice talking about the past. For example, we are going to talk about we did on holiday, what we did yesterday and what we did a long time ago. The video is from PodEnglish.
Enjoy!



This video is from Real English. Watch the interviews and listen to the answers. Enjoy!



Here's another video from Real English. In this video, many people answer the question, "Were you good at school?"



Let's practice some more. How about you? Were you good at high school? What did you do yesterday?

Toyo Gakuen University Freshman English 2 - Reading Unit 8: Dilemmas

The topic of this lesson is dilemmas. Often people want advice when they face a dilemma. They sometimes ask for advice from advice columns. In the Japan, the Jinsei Annai is a popular advice column. Click the image below for a larger view (画像をクリックして拡大イメージを見る).

Let's learn some vocabulary for this unit. Click here for the Unit 8 vocabulary on Quizlet, and click here for the Unit 8 vocabulary on Study Stack.

Toyo Gakuen University Interest-based English: Travel Lesson 3

Image by quitelucid

Unit 3:Can I change some money here?

In today's lesson we are going to learn about exchanging money. First let's review some vocabulary and learn some new vocabulary. Click this link: Travel English E-J. Now click this link to do some practice: Passport Online. Next, click this link: Passport Online Tests. Let's do a practice test.

Finally, here's so important information to remember:
You can change money in many places including hotels, post offices, banks, travel agencies, and at a foreign exchange office. A foreign exchange office is sometimes called a bureau de change in Britain.

Also, it's best to exchange your money for travellers' cheques. NEVER CARRY A LOT OF CASH WHEN YOU ARE TRAVELLING!!!

Keep your money safe and enjoy shopping!

Toyo Gakuen University Interest-based English 12 - Lesson 3: If I had a million dollars by the Barenaked Ladies

Find more videos like this on EFL CLASSROOM 2.0

Today we are going to listen to one of my favourite songs. The song is called, "If I had a million dollars". If I had a million dollars is by a Canadian pop band called The Barenaked Ladies. The Barenaked Ladies are from my hometown, Toronto.
Enjoy!

Toyo Gakuen University Freshman English 4 - Unit 7: Special Occasions

Today we are going to talk about special occasions. Look at the picture. What special occasions can you see? What other special occasions can you think of?
Holidays are special occasions too. What holidays are on these dates?:

• January first
• February third
• February fourteenth
• March third
• April first
• April twenty-nineth
• May fifth
• December twenty-third
• December twenty-fifth
  

Let's listen and practice saying dates.
Click this link: Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab - Calendars.

Let's review the pronunciation of "th".

Toyo Gakuen students and teachers participate in English language conferences

Autumn is a busy season for language learners and teachers in Japan. Many conferences are held in Autumn. Next Sunday The 3rd JALT Joint Tokyo Conference will be held at Toyo Gakuen's Hongo campus. Last year, the 2nd JALT Joint Tokyo Conference was held at Toyo Gakuen University and some Togaku students attended. They enjoyed it very much. Please read this comment by a Togaku student about last year's conference.

Toyo Gakuen students and teachers are participating in PAC7 at JALT2008 too.

In November, Togaku students and teachers will be participating in the ETJ Tokyo Expo. The ETJ Tokyo Expo will be held at Toyo Gakuen Hongo campus. I will be making a presentation I hope you'll come.


Toyo Gakuen students and teachers are working hard to make learning and teaching English better in Japan!!

Toyo Gakuen University Freshman English 2 - Reading Unit 7 Celebrity Interview

Today we are continuing Unit 7. Here's some of the new vocabulary. Click the links for example sentences (例文) collocations and idioms.

• luxurious - ぜいたくな、豪華な、豪奢な、上等で高価な、最高級の、享楽的な、快楽を追い求める、有り余るほどの、飾りたてた、官能的な

• split - 【自動】〔物が〕割れて二つに分かれる、バラバラになる、裂ける〔人が〕分かれる、交際をやめる、離婚する〔頭が〕割れるように痛む
  

• relationship - 関係、結び付き、かかわり合い、関連、血縁関係、続柄、恋愛関係｛かんけい｝｛むすびつき｝｛かんれん｝｛けつえん かんけい｝｛つづきがら／ぞくがら｝

｛れんあい かんけい｝

• opposite - 反対
  
• totally - 全体的に、全体として、すっかり、何から何まで、全く、完全に｛ぜんたいてき｝｛ぜんたい｝｛かんぜん｝
• invite - 招待する、招く、案内する、招聘する、誘う｛しょうたい｝｛あんない｝｛しょうへい｝
• athlete - 運動選手、スポーツマン、スポーツ愛好家、スポーツ選手、競技者｛うんどう せんしゅ｝｛あいこう か｝｛せんしゅ｝
• accused - 〔法律違反・義務の不履行・約束違反などの理由で〕（人）に責任を問う、（人）を責める［非難する・糾弾する・訴える・告訴する・告発する］、（人）に言いがかり［いちゃもん］をつける、（人）にあれこれ文句を言う｛ほうりつ いはん｝｛ぎむ｝｛ふりこう｝｛やくそく いはん｝｛りゆう｝｛せきにん｝｛ひなん｝｛きゅうだん｝｛こくそ｝｛こくはつ｝｛もんく｝

｛ごうか｝｛ごうしゃ｝｛じょうとう｝｛こうか｝｛さいこうきゅう｝｛きょうらく てき｝｛かいらく｝｛かんのう てき｝
Today we will review these words and learn some collocations and we learn more about adverbs (副詞).

Enjoy!

Toyo Gakuen University Interest-based English: Travel Lesson 2

Image by hjl

Unit 2: Can I have your passport, please?
Today we are going to learn how to speak to an immigration officer.
First, Let's learn some useful vocabulary. Click this link: Travel English.
Let's play some games with the new vocabulary. Click this link: TYG Travel English.
Let's practice key vocabulary from Passport using vocabulary flash cards made by a Togaku student. Click this link: Daiki's Travel English Vocabulary List.
Now let's practice speaking to an immigration officer. Click this link: Passport On-line Activities.
Let's also do some listening practice. Click this link: Immigration and Customs
Did you enjoy this lesson? Please write a comment.

Toyo Gakuen University Interest-based English 12 - Lesson 2: Simple Plan

Today we are going to listen to a song by Simple Plan. Please read the profile below.

Simple Plan

Photo of Simple Plan in Osaka, Japan by Wehwalt

• Formed 1993. Montreal, Quebec Canada
• Genre: Pop Punk
• Members: Pierre Bouvier – lead vocals, occasional guitar
  Jeff Stinco – lead guitar
  Sébastien Lefebvre – rhythm guitar, vocals
  Chuck Comeau – drums
  David Desrosiers – bass, vocals
• Most popular song: Perfect
• Awards: Favourite Canadian Band Award in Canada (MMVA, 2002); Favourite Canadian Band Award in Canada (MMVA, 2003); Favourite Canadian Band Award in Canada (MMVA, 2004); Choice Music: Rock Group (Teen Choice Awards, 2005); Favourite Canadian Band Award in Canada (MMVA, 2005); Juno Fan Choice Award (2006); Favourite Canadian Band Award in Canada (MMVA, 2008)

Today we are going to watch the video for Perfect. Click this link:
http://en.yappr.com/welcome/Video.action?videoGuid=5ABD11AE-B610-4997-AE3E-181A315DEF6B

Here's a list of key vocabulary to help you understand the song:

• think back
• grow up
• according to plan
• wasting time
• disapprove
• good enough
• nothing lasts forever

Go to space alc to get a Japanese translation of these phrases.

Some interesting facts about Perfect:

• It is featured on the game Karaoke Revolution Volume 2.
• Perfect is Simple Plan's biggest hit: #1 in Brazil, #6 in Australia, and #23 in America
  

Enjoy!

Back to School - Shibaura Institute of Technology

Today we started a new Listening and Speaking class at Shibaura Institute of Technology. The students made some rules. The rules for the students are in the picture below.


The students made some rules for me too. The rules for me are in the picture below.


I hope everyone can obey the rules.

Back to School - Toyo Gakuen University

The summer holidays are over. Semester two has started. Welcome back to school. In this post I have some information for the new students in the Travel and Homestay classes.

First, please click the link and watch my self introduction slide slow. Watch the slide show and answer the questions.

Next, please look at my travel map.

Click here to see a larger map

These are my favourite places in the world:

1. Toronto, Ontario, Canada


2. Tokyo, Japan


3. Dublin, Ireland


4. London, England


5. Quebec City, Quebec, Canada


6. Udaipur, India


7. Galway, Ireland


8. Melbourne, Australia


9. Hilo, HI, USA


10. Barcelona, Spain

Now, click these links to learn some useful vocabulary: Travel English, and TYG Travel English.

Finally, students in the Travel English class should click this link: Passport On-line Activities.

Please post a comment. What do you want to learn this semester?

Amanojaku

I love the sound of taiko. Taiko drums are often heard in summer in Japan. We hear them at festivals that we call matsuri.

The first taiko performance I ever saw was in Asakusa, near the famous temple we call Sensoji. I was very impressed by the performance. All the drummers were very small women. They had so much energy.

We can see taiko concerts too in summer too. I attended a great concert given by Amanojaku on the thirteenth of August at the Nerima Cultural Centre. The concert was a celebration of the 100th anniversary of Japanese immigration to Brazil. The concert was fantastic. I was very tired and sleepy but I did my best to keep my eyes open because it's important to SEE taiko as well as hear taiko. A taiko performance is like a dance!

This video is from Amanojaku's DVD called The Soul Beat of Japan. I hope you enjoy this example of traditional japanese culture as much as I did.
Do you like Taiko? Do you play Taiko? Please leave a comment?

World Happiness Music Festival

I went to the World Happiness Music Festival. The World Happiness Music Festival was held at Yumenoshima Park. Fourteen bands played including: The Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, anonymass, LASTORDERZ, Keiichi Suzuki's band Captain Hate and the Seasick Sailors, ccc (This is really the band's name. I don't know how to pronounce it.), Pupa, naomi and goro, Bonnie Pink, Lily and Frankie, Ganga Zumba, NRT320 with Maki Nomiya, Sheena and the Rockets, Tokyo Burabo and HASYMO. HASYMO is the new name for Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO). The bands that I enjoyed the most were The Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, Pupa, Ganga Zumba, and HASYMO.
Here are some photos I took at the festival.

Bonnie Pink

HASYMO

I really enjoyed HASYMO's performance. I have wanted to see Ryuichi Sakamoto, Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi perform for twenty-five years. I first heard YMO when I was a disc jockey at CJAM-FM radio in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

Here is a video of HASYMO playing one of my favourite YMO songs, Rydeen.



There was a lot of good food at the festival too. I ate Loco Moco. Loco Moco is Hawaiian food.

Loco Moco made in Japan

Wearing a Hawaiian shirt. Eating Hawaiian food.

Did you go to a music festival this summer? Do you like any of the bands that palyed at the World Happiness Music Festival? Post a comment.

Toyo Gakuen University Open Campus Lesson: English for travel purposes

Welcome to Toyo Gakuen University!
In today's lesson you will learn some useful English for travelling.
I love travelling. Please look at my travel map.

1. Bora Bora, French Polynesia


2. Quebec City, Quebec, Canada


3. Udaipur, India


4. Galway, Ireland


5. Barcelona, Spain


6. Dublin, Ireland


7. London, UK


8. Melbourne, Australia


9. Hilo, HI, USA


10. Tokyo, Japan

• View my profile


• Create your own travel map or travel blog


• Travel Info at TripAdvisor

Today we are going to learn how to speak to an immigration officer.

First, Let's learn some useful vocabulary. Click this link: Travel English.

Let's play some games with the new vocabulary. Click this link: TYG Travel English.

Now let's practice speaking to an immigration officer. Click this link: Passport On-line Activities.

Did you enjoy this lesson? Please write a comment.

Mr. Stout's Blog now available as a podcast.

You can listen to this blog now!
Click "listen now". It's the button under the title of this post. Now you can listen and read.
You can subscribe too. That means that every time I write a new post you can listen in iTunes.
I was able to make this blog a podcast by using odiogo.com. I'd like to thank Isabelle Jones, a Spanish and French teacher in the UK, for introducing me to odiogo.com.

Odiogo logo uploaded to flickr by Svletlana Gladkova on the 13th of February 2007

How I learn English - a contest from i-osmosis

i-osmosis is an English learning website operated by my friend Abhishek's company Cactus Communications. Learners can get instruction in writing English for exams including TOEIC, TOEFL and EIKEN. i-osmosis has courses in writing for general purposes too.
i-osmosis also has a Japanese website, i-osmosis.jp.


i-osmosis is having a contest called "How I learn English". If you're interested please visit this link: http://www.i-osmosis.jp/how_i_learn.html. Five Amazon.com vouchers worth ¥1,500 each are available.
Good luck!

Toyo Gakuen University Open Campus Lesson: Learning English through Music

Hello! Welcome to Toyo Gakuen University. Below is a video we'll watch in our lesson. Here are some cool links too:
First, a link to a playlist I made on YouTube of videos with lyrics and subtitles:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=0F18E8397C420965
Next, a webpage made by Clair Taylor, a Toyo Gakuen University teacher:
http://www.hm.tyg.jp/clair/
Finally, a website about J-Pop in English:
http://nippop.com/
Enjoy!

Toyo Gakuen University Interest-based English 12 - Music PowerPoint Presentations

Students in the Interest-based English 12 (Music) class have finished their presentations! They worked hard and did a great job.

These presentations are profiles of musical artists. Each student chose an artist that he or she liked. Then they found photos on flickr and on artist fan sites. After that, they did research using wikipedia, and other websites. They used three wikipedias: English, Simple English and Japanese. After they got the information they wrote the key points on their PowerPoint slides. Then they changed the key points into sentences and recorded a narration. If you want to learn more about this class and this project please read my EFL Classroom 2.0 blog post. All the students said they enjoyed making the PowerPoints very much. I'm very proud of their work. Enjoy!

Please reward these students' hard work by posting a comment. I'm sure that they will appreciate it.
Thanks!

The 100th Anniversary of Anne of Green Gables

Image originally uploaded on
http://www.aquilabooks.com/L%20M%20Montgomery/MontgomeryAnneofGreenGables.html

Anne of Green Gables is a very popular novel. It is popular in Canada, the USA, the UK, Japan, and many other places too. Anne of Green Gables was first published in 1908. So, it was published 100 years ago.

Anne of Green Gables is the story of an orphan girl called Anne. Anne has red hair that she wears in braids. In the story, Anne is adopted by a man and woman called Marilla Cuthbert and Matthew Cuthbert. Anne goes to live with the Cuthberts on a farm called Green Gables. The farm is called Green Gables because the roof of the farm house is green. Also, the roof is gabled. Green Gables is in a town called Avonlea. Avonlea is a fictional town on Prince Edward Island.

Image by doubleblue. Dowloaded from wikipedia

Image uploaded by chensiyuan to wikipedia.

The author of Anne of Green Gables was Lucy Maud Montgomery. In the picture below, Maud ids a little girl. Her life was very similar to Anne's life.

Image is public domain. Copyright has expired. Source: http://207.61.100.164/cantext/canlitr/montgome.html

Anne of Green Gables has been made into plays, musicals, and many television series and films. Isao Takahata made a Japanese anime series based on Anne of Green Gables. The voice of Anne was played by Eiko Yamada.

Many people from all over the world visit Prince Edward Island. They want to see Anne's home. As you can see in the pictures below, they sometimes dress up as Anne too.

Image by Quasimime. Originally uploaded on 21 August 2005

Photo taken by Will Pate on May 9, 2007, uploaded May 12, 2007.

It's amazing that a little novel from Canada is still so popular after 100 years.
Happy Anniversary Anne!

Shibaura Institute of Technology Make-up Homework

This is homework for students who were unable to attend the make-up classes on the fourteenth of June. This homework is due on the 12th of July.
Download the worksheet here: http://www.divshare.com/download/4869283-245
Watch the video. Do the tasks on the worksheet.