The University of Tsukuba Academic English Presentation II Trimester 3 Wk 3

Merry Christmas everyone,

Today we are going to do our very first presentations. Then we are going to start all over again from the beginning and fine tune our presentations skills starting with introductions.

Next week you will repeat your first presentation with a new and improved introduction. Today you will learn some important phrases to help you write both formal and informal introductions, to state your purpose clearly and to have an effective opening.

Have a nice holiday. See you next year!

The University of Tsukuba Christmas Day Lesson

 メリークリスマス！Nollaig shona duit! Joyeaux Noel! Merry Christmas everyone! Today Christmas Day is being celebrated in many countries around the world. However, the 25th of December is not the only day Christmas is celebrated on. Christmas Day will be celebrated on the 6th of January in Armenia, and it will be celebrated on the 7th of January in Ethiopia, Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, the Republic of Macedonia, and the Republic of Moldova. 

In Japan, Christmas is mostly a secular (世俗的な) commercial celebration. Interestingly, Christmas Eve has become a time for Japanese couples to have romantic dinners and exchange gifts. 





Our Cross Cultural Awareness and English lecture today will be on love songs sung on the island of Crete in Greece. By the way, "Merry Christmas" in Greek is Καλά Χριστούγεννα!
Click the link today's lecture topic: The University of Tsukuba Cross Cultural Awareness and English Trimester 3 Week 3

The University of Tsukuba Academic Writing II Week 3

Hello everyone,
Today we are going to review the structure of a paragraph, edit our self introductions again, and post to our class writing blog. Actually it is a blog for both of my writing classes, so you will have a chance to read posts by students in my other class too. An important part of the writing process is sharing your writing with friends and colleagues. The comments you receive from your friends and colleagues will help you improve the content of your writing and also help you develop an understanding of your readers.






Let's get started. Please click the link: The University of Tsukuba Academic Writing Blog. Read the posts written by the students in my other writing class. Then post a comment. Please comment on at least 3 posts.
Happy holidays!

The University of Tsukuba IE Engineering C1 - Trimester 3 Week 3

Hello everyone, Today we are going to review chapters 5 -9 of The Hound of the Baskervilles. First, let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: Sherlock Holmes: The Hound of the Baskervilles Vocabulary. Now, let's do a quiz. Please answer the questions in the Quiz form below. Some of the questions are the same as the questions in last week's quiz.

Now let's watch a video. Please click the link: Sherlock Holmes and the Baskerville Curse Part 2. Watch the video and take notes.
Now please click the link and download today's worksheet: Hound of the Baskervilles Chapters 1-9 Worksheet.
For homework please read chapters 10 and 11. There will be another quiz next class.
Happy holidays!

The University of Tsukuba Academic Writing I Week 3

Adapted from an image uploaded to Flickr by stevendepolo

Hello everyone,
Today we are going to review the structure of a paragraph, edit our self introductions again, and post to our class writing blog. Actually it is a blog for both of my writing classes, so you will have a chance to read posts by students in my other class too. An important part of the writing process is sharing your writing with friends and colleagues. The comments you receive from your friends and colleagues will help you improve the content of your writing and also help you develop an understanding of your readers.



Let's get started. Please click the link: The University of Tsukuba Academic Writing Blog. 

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

Hi everyone,

Look at the image to the left. What do you think we are going to talk about this class? Write 5 questions about the picture. Have a 2-minute English conversation with a partner.

Before we continue discussing today's topic, let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: IE-PhysEd B3 Vocabulary.

OK, today we are going read another article from BreakingNewsEnglish.com .
Please click the link to go to the article:
Energy Drinks Irreversibly Damage Teeth.




So, what do you think? Will you stop drinking sports and energy drinks? Please post a comment.
See you next class!

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

Hello everyone, Today we are going to do our first presentations.

After that we are going to learn more about gestures.

Look at the picture. What does the gesture mean? Do you ever make this gesture? When? Where? or Why?

Your next presentation will be a layout speech. For homework, please prepare your speech. You will give your presentation at the beginning of next class, so don't be late!

Your presentation must be one minute.
See you next week!

The University of Tsukuba IE Phys. Ed B3 Trimester 3 Wk 2

Hello everyone, I hope you had a nice week-end. Let's start today with a video. Watch the video. Where was the video taken? What is happening in the video?

 

Now let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: IE-PhysEd B3 Vocabulary.

Today's lesson is about the 2012 Copa Sudamericana Final between Sao Paulo and Tigre. Please click the link to download today's worksheet: South America soccer title won after riot. Today's worksheet was adapted from a lesson written by Sean Banville (@SeanBanville on Twitter). Sean has an excellent website called BreakingNewsEnglish.com. You can see the original lesson that this lesson is based on by clicking the link: http://breakingnewsenglish.com/1212/121215-copa_sudamericana.html
So, what do you think about violence in sport. Please post a comment.
See you next week!

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

Hello everyone!

Today we are going to learn 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: Cross cultural awareness and English Vocabulary. 
Now let's listen to a mantinades. The song is called Please click the link: 

Ο ΥΜΝΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΜΑΝΑΣ - ΓΙΩΡΓΟΣ ΖΕΡΒΑΚΗΣ . 

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!

The University of Tsukuba Academic English Presentation I Trimester 3 Wk 2

Adapted from an image uploaded to Flickr by MML

Hello everyone,
Today we are going to start learning how to give good presentations.
First, let's look at the course outline.
Now, lets look at a bad presentation. Watch the presentation and take notes. What mistakes are the presenters making?

Last week we learned a little about good presentation posture and good eye contact. Let's review.





Your first presentation will be an informative speech. For homework, please prepare your speech. You will give your presentation at the beginning of next class, so don't be late!

Your presentation must be one minute.

See you next week!

The University of Tsukuba IE Engineering C1 - Trimester 3 Week 2

Hello everyone, Today we are going to review chapters 1 -4 of The Hound of the Baskervilles. First, let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: Sherlock Holmes: The Hound of the Baskervilles Vocabulary.

Now, let's do a quiz. Please answer the questions in the Quiz form below.



For homework please read chapters 5 - 9 Enjoy!

The University of Tsukuba Academic English: Presentation 2 Wk 2

Adapted from an image uploaded to Flickr by knittymarie

Hello everyone,

Today we are going to review the basic presentation skills you learned in Presentation 1.

Look at the image on the left. What's wrong with this presentation? can you think of two things that are wrong with this presentation?
Now let's look at a really bad presentation by some American university students. Watch the presentation and take notes. What mistakes are the presenters making?



OK, your first presentation will be an informative presentation. You should introduce yourself and your hometown. You should make 4 slides and your presentation should be 2 minutes long. Your presentation will be judged on the following criteria: Posture, eye contact, volume, voice inflection, gestures, content, organisation, and slides.

Have fun, and see you next week!

The University of Tsukuba Cross Cultural Awareness and English Trimester 3 Week 2

Hello everyone,
Last week we talked about marriage in Botswana. We learned about the Botswanian practice of Labola. Labola is sometimes translated into English as "bride price".

This week let's talk about marriage in China. Chinese marriage customs include a bride price too. 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 let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: Cross Cultural Awareness and English Vocabulary.


Now lets read about how modern technology is changing the traditional Chinese dowry.
Finally, what do you think of Chinese wedding customs? Please post a comment.
See you next week

The University of Tsukuba IE Phys. Ed B3 Trimester 3 Wk 1

Hello everyone,
I hope you enjoyed the break. Today we start a new trimester and a new topic. Today we start talking about health and fitness. Look at the image below:

 This is called a Food Pyramid. As you can see, fats, oils, and sweets are at the top of the pyramid. These are things that we should try to avoid. Below fats, oils ands sweets we have the 5 food groups. Which food group are we supposed to eat the most?
Draw a pyramid on a piece of paper. Divide your pyramid into the 5 food groups plus fats, oils and sweets. Now draw the things you ate today in the appropriate section of the pyramid. Did you eat healthy meals today?



Now lets review some vocabulary and learn some new vocabulary. Please click the link: IE-PhysEd B3 Vocabulary.

Next we are going to read an article about vegetarianism. Some famous people are vegetarians. You can find a list here: http://www.happycow.net/famous_vegetarians.html

Finally, please post a comment. Describe your diet. What kinds of food do you usually eat every day?
See you next week!

The University of Tsukuba IE Engineering C1 - Trimester 3 Week 1

Hello everyone,

I hope you enjoyed the break. Today we start a new trimester and a new Sherlock Holmes mystery. The Hound of the Baskervilles is perhaps the most famous Sherlock Holmes story. The novel is mostly set on Dartmoor in Devon in the West Country of England.  Click the link to see Devon on a map of England. Now read the blurb (裏表紙の宣伝文) on back of your reader. What kind of place is Dartmoor? Now let's learn some vocabulary. Please click the link: Sherlock Holmes: The Hound of the Baskervilles Vocabulary.

Now, let's watch a video. Watch the video without sound. Work with a partner. Make a list of all the things you see in the video. Please click the link: Sherlock Holmes and the Baskerville Curse.

Now lets start reading. Read chapters 1-4. Enjoy!

The University of Tsukuba Cross Cultural Awareness and English Trimester 3 Week 1

Hello everyone!
I hope you are rested and relaxed after the break. Today we start a new trimester and a new topic - Love and Marriage. To begin, let's make a list of words we know related to 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 add any words on page 122 in your textbook that you don't know to our vocabulary flashcards. After that, 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!