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09 .04Are You a Luddite?Photo Credit: Florian Schmetz @ Unsplash.comAre you familiar with the term Luddite? A Luddite is a person who is not comfortable using technology, in many cases because they do not trust technology. In extreme cases, the person wants to destroy technology. The term refers to the participants in a rebellion in England that occurred from 1811 to 1816 during the industrial revolution. Many weavers in England were upset that they were being replaced by machines. Traditional weaving shops could not compete in price with the textile products the factories were producing. The leader of the rebellion was supposedly a weaver named Captain, or King, Ludd, and his followers were referred to as Luddites. They broke into the factories and destroyed textile machinery. These days, referring to someone as a Luddite means you recognize that the person is avoiding, or speaking out against technology because that person thinks it is harmful rather than beneficial.Seems like many people are coming to that conclusion. Recently I've been reading a book called Stolen Focus by Johann Hari. In the book, he explains the many ways that his attention, particularly his ability to focus, has been reduced by use of his cell phone. For example, he complains that he has lost his ability to read anything for more than a few minutes, so now it takes him a long time to finish a book. In particular, he blames social media apps, which constantly demand that we give them our attention. He decides the best thing to do is to leave his phone in his apartment in New York and to move to a small town where he can stop using the Internet for three months. In the book, he describes the many positive effects that occur when he stops allowing the Internet and social media to command his focus. {Stolen Focus – Book Summary [https://medium.com/learning-by-proxy/stolen-focus-book-summary-b433453a0383]}I was surprised to learn that even a few teenagers are concluding that using social media is not in their best interest. “'Luddite' Teens Don't Want Your Likes,” an article recently published in the New York Times, is about a group of teenagers at a high school in New York who have voluntarily decided not to use smartphones. Most of them have flip phones, and a few of them have no phones at all. These students formed a circle called the Luddite Club in their high school, and they meet outdoors to read, paint and draw, and to have discussions about the ideas presented in books they are reading. All of them are critical of society's reliance on social media, especially the need to post and get ‘likes’. Describing the benefits of abandoning social media, one of the students says “when I got my flip phone, things instantly changed. I got my brain back. It made me observe myself as a person.” {New York Times [https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/15/style/teens-social-media.html]}So, what do you think? Are you happy with your smartphone and your access to social media, or have you been starting to question the benefits of being connected? If you have your doubts, it might be time to consider the taking the Luddite challenge, and see if it works for you.Questions:1. What is a Luddite?A. a dull soundB. a person who does not like technologyC. a type of rock2. How did the author of Stolen Focus attempt to regain his focus?A. he moved to a small town and did not use the internetB. he took medicineC. he did yoga3. What is the name of the circle formed by the high school students who have given up their smart phones?A. Joy Luck ClubB. Breakfast ClubC. Luddite ClubScroll down ↓ for the answersAnswers:1. B2. A3. CJohn Kuzel
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07 .03How to Tell a StoryPhoto Credit: RetroSupply @ unsplash.comStorytelling is part of all cultures. Being able to tell a good story either orally or through writing is a good skill to have. Most stories have a similar structure:• Beginning• Middle• EndStories also must have a central conflict. The conflict is the problem or obstacle your main character, or protagonist, is trying to solve or overcome. (The secondary character who opposes the main character is called the antagonist.) Ask yourself “what does my main character want?” Making it difficult for your main character to get what he or she wants provides the conflict.Beginning: introduction of the conflictMiddle: attempts to solve the conflictEnd: resolution of the conflict. Does your main character succeed or fail?Your story should rise in a way that each obstacle placed in the way of the protagonist becomes more difficult to overcome until you reach the most difficult obstacle just before the story ends. The most difficult and exciting point is called the climax. Remember, the climax is always at the end of the story just before you reveal whether your protagonist succeeds or fails.When you begin to create or tell a story you must know the conflict. Also, it is helpful to know the ending before you start, even if you change the ending as you write. Next time you read a story, try to identify the conflict.Below is a retold story originally told by Aesop. Can you identify the conflict?The Fox and the CrowOnce there was a crow that had stolen a piece of cheese. She was perched on a tree branch ready to eat her meal when a fox approached. The fox saw the cheese and wanted it. However, he couldn’t climb the tree to get the cheese. He thought for a moment and then called up to the crow. “Madam crow,” said the fox. “You have the most beautiful feathers—more beautiful even than a peacock or pheasant.”The crow turned her head and looked at the fox because she had never received such a compliment. “But alas,” continued the fox, “I have not heard your voice. I’m sure your voice matches that of a song bird, but since I have never heard it, how am I to know? If I could just hear you sing, I would proclaim you queen of the birds.” The crow wanted to show the fox that she had a beautiful voice to match her feathers so she opened her mouth to sing, dropping the cheese. The fox quickly picked it up and ran off.Questions:1. What are the three parts of a story and what is the element of each?2. What is a protagonist?3. What is the conflict in the “Fox and the Crow?”Scroll down ↓ for the answersAnswers:1. Beginning: introduction of the conflict. Middle: attempts to solve the conflict. End: resolution of the conflict.2. The main character who is trying to overcome the conflict or solve the problem3. The fox wants the crow’s cheese but can’t get at it.Rex Arthur Stewart
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06 .19Shadowing and Language LearningWhat is shadowing?Shadowing is a language learning technique which requires learners to listen to an audio recording of the language they wish to improve and try to ‘talk along’— to repeat aloud almost simultaneously with the speaker, or as close behind the speaker as possible. This technique is used to help learners improve speaking speed, pronunciation, intonation, rhythm and flow, and accent by mimicking what they are hearing. It can also be an effective way to learn useful vocabulary and grammar, and to develop a sense of the common sentence structures and collocations used in the language. With easy access to online recordings of all types (TV, streaming sites, podcasts, YouTube, TED talks etc.), this method of learning is accessible to almost anyone.How to get started!It is, of course, best to choose recordings about topics that are both of interest and easy to understand. Most learners will benefit from access to a transcript or subtitles, allowing them to read and talk along at the same time, although more advanced learners may be able to shadow simply by listening. Before trying to speak aloud, it is a good idea to first listen to the recording several times and take note of key vocabular,y words and phrases. After that, it is helpful to try silent shadowing before attempting to speak aloud. Since this technique can be a bit tiring, it is best to start with a short section of the listening, perhaps just a minute or two, and slowly increase the shadowing time as appropriate. For those who find talking along with the speaker difficult, it is also possible to listen to an entire sentence or two and then repeat.Shadowing as feedback in conversation.Shadowing can also be used in actual conversation with another person to show that you are listening and interested in what others have to say. An example can be seen in the short exchange below.A: I had a great summer. I travelled abroad for the first time.B: Wow! You travelled abroad! How exciting!In conclusion, while shadowing is not always easy, it can be a fun challenge, can be done in private without fear of judgement, and can improve speaking skills if practiced regularly.Questions:1) What does 'shadowing' mean in this reading?A. Being a ninjaB. A way of studying EnglishC. To hide in the dark places2) What are three things that shadowing can help language learners to improve?A. PronunciationB. Speaking speedC. CollocationsD. All of the above3) What should learners do before attempting to 'talk along' with a recording?A. Silent ShadowingB. Look for listening passages with text or subtitlesC. Listen to the passage two timesD. All of the aboveScroll down ↓ for the answersAnswers:1. B2. D3. DBBP Staff
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06 .12The Fun of Learning IdiomsPhoto Credit: Tima Miroshnichenko @ Pexels.comIdioms generally refer to conventionally used phrases whose meanings cannot easily be inferred from their literal meanings. More precisely, the Oxford Dictionary of English defines the word idiom as “a group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words.” Take a famous English idiom like “kick the bucket” as an example. To those who have never heard this phrase, it only means “to strike an open cylindrical container with the foot,” and none of them could guess that it also has a conventional meaning of “to die.”You may say learning idioms is just boring and troublesome because it is a matter of memorization. However, you will find it interesting to deepen your understanding of idioms by looking at the cultural ideas and customs behind them. Where do you think the conventional meaning of “kick the bucket” is derived from? The most common etymology would be that it comes from a scene where a person wishing to commit suicide stands on an upside-down bucket and kicks it to hang himself/herself. On the other hand, according to the Oxford Dictionary of Idioms, another etymology explains that “bucket” in this phrase is a homonym that refers to a beam: in the Norfolk dialect, a bucket means a beam that was used to suspend a slaughtered pig by its heels. Another characteristic of idioms is that they often involve metaphors. For example, the expression “have butterflies in one’s stomach,” which denotes uneasy or nervous feelings, gives us a vivid image of fluttering sensations as if real butterflies were flying inside the stomach. Also, “a hot potato” refers to a controversial issue or question that nobody is willing to treat, like people avoiding touching a piping hot potato.Interestingly, some English idioms have their analogs in Japanese though their components don’t necessarily correspond with each other. Typical examples include “bite one’s lip (kuchibiru wo kamu)” and “pull the strings (ura de ito wo hiku).” Let’s look closely at another example such as “give someone the cold shoulder.” Apart from its literal meaning, it conventionally means “to ignore or behave unfriendly to someone.” According to the Oxford Dictionary of Idioms and many other English dictionaries, this idiom comes from the idea that serving a visitor a cold roast shoulder of meat represents inhospitality. Although this origin lies in European culture, it also seems convincing to many Japanese speakers because Japanese culture also has a similar idea: remember that the Japanese idiom “hiyameshi wo kuwaseru,” which literally means “to let someone eat cold cooked rice,” has almost the same meaning as “give someone the cold shoulder.”Below is a list of other interesting English idioms. Can you explain all of their meanings? If not, look them up in dictionaries. Once you find that conventional meanings of idioms have not arbitrarily been established, you can no longer say learning idioms is just a boring part of English study.put oneself in someone’s shoesget into a stewcarry a torch for someonelet the cat out of the bagrain cats and dogstake the bull by the hornswhen pigs flywater under the bridgeon the ballnot rocket scienceQuestions:1. According to the writer, the origin of the English idiom “kick the bucket” is already identified. True or False?2. According to the writer, a Japanese analog to the English idiom “give someone the shoulder” is_______________.A. kata no chikara wo nukuB. hiyameshi wo kuwaseruC. te wo kasu3. The conventional meaning of the English idiom “let the cat out of the bag” is_______________.Scroll down ↓ for the answersAnswers:1. False2. B3. reveal a secret carelessly or by mistakeHideki Goto
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05 .29Gestures and physical movements are parts of our communication.
Photo Credit: Andrea Piacquadio @ pexels.com
In many countries, people often use hand gestures, such as “beat” gestures, to make communication easier. There is scientific research showing that “beat” gestures improve children's narrative discourse performance. Other studies illustrate that people can more easily realise the meanings of words when hand gestures are used during a conversation than during a conversation without gestures.
As there are different languages depending on cultures, different hand gestures are used from country to country. For example, Japanese people wave their hands when they want to call over somebody, or ask somebody to move forward. More specifically, they repeatedly drag their four fingers inwards to their palm, before then straightening them again. These beckoning gestures have an opposite meaning in Western culture. People in Western countries use similar gestures when they want to say goodbye.
Japanese people wave their hands left to right in front of their faces when they want to say 'no'. However, people in Western countries use a similar expression when something smells bad.
Not only hand gestures, but also physical behaviours are culturally different. At this point I would like to introduce my experience in the UK when I was a postgraduate student. When I was a college student in Japan, I thought it was okay to sniffle quietly when I had a runny nose. I did not care about other people's sniffling sounds, unless they were loud. However, when I was a postgraduate student in the UK, I realised that making a sniffling sound is very rude in Western cultures. When I was studying in a university library with my friend from Luxemburg, a male student next to us sniffled many times. I did not care about it so much, but suddenly my friend from Luxemburg stood up and whispered into my ear, 'I can't stand that sound, Chika. I'm gonna leave'. She looked very angry, and I was extremely surprised to learn the reason for this anger. I realised that it is better to blow one’s nose in Western countries even if it makes a sound. It may not be good to make a big noise, though.
Of course, it is very important to learn other languages. However, as we can see in the examples of this blog, physical movements or behaviours also have huge impacts on our communication. While learning foreign languages, it may be interesting to observe the physical movements or behaviours which are common in our own countries, and think about how these common behaviours are considered in other countries.
Questions:
Question 1: What kinds of hand gestures do Japanese people use when they want to call somebody over?
Question 2: What does the beckoning gesture of Japanese people mean in Western countries?
Question 3: What kinds of hand gestures do Japanese people use when they want to say 'no'?
Scroll down ↓ for the answers
Answers:
Answer 1: They drag their four fingers inwards to their palm, before then straightening them again and repeating the gesture.
Answer 2: It means 'goodbye'.
Answer 3: They repeatedly wave their hand left to right in front of their faces.
Chika Kitano -
04 .24Language Lessons from Polyglot Language LearnersPhoto credit: Tessa Kavanagh on PixabayPolyglots are people who have learned many languages. The most famous polyglots can speak over 10 languages. Some of the current famous polyglots are Richard Simcott, Steve Kaufmann, and Luca Lampariello. You can look them up on the internet to find out in detail how they study. They might study a little differently than your teachers have told you but it is hard to argue with their success. This article will summarize what I found out from researching polyglot language learners.The first thing to know is there isn’t one way to learn a language. Polyglots used a lot of different methods. Some of the methods they recommended were the opposite of what other polyglots recommended. The lesson here is to research what others recommend, try many different methods, and when you find one that works for you personally, use that method. Despite there being many opinions on what is the best way to learn languages, there were some main themes that emerged.Maximize Comprehensible Input. Most polyglots were big fans of the American Linguistics Professor Stephen Krashen. Krashen recommends learners expose themselves to as much of the target language as they can. This input should ideally be just above your level and interesting to you. This includes reading easy books, watching videos, and listening to music. The key is to listen and read as much as you can in your target language. Some people call this the immersion approach. Use the time you have such as when you are travelling to school, doing housework, or winding down at the end of the day.Review Words, Phrases, and Sentences from the Input. Most polyglots advised reviewing what was learned from the input using a Spaced Repetition System. This is similar to studying from flashcards but the Spaced Repetition software tells you when to study the information again just before you forget it. There are many computer applications you can use but the most famous one is called, “Anki”. When a word or phrase repeatedly catches your attention make a study card and review it until you can recall it easily.Practice Speaking and Writing. Although most polyglots advise to focus on listening and reading at the beginning stages of learning a language, speaking and writing can help to reinforce and solidify language already learned. To practice writing, the most obvious example given is to write a diary. For speaking, the most obvious thing to do is to speak to others in the target language. If this is not possible, recording yourself can also be good practice.Learning a language should be fun if you follow the polyglot language learners’ advice. Immerse yourself with as much interesting content in your target language as you can. Pick out bits you want to learn and review them with a spaced repetition system like Anki. When you have progressed beyond the beginner level, use speaking and writing to reinforce what you have learned through listening and reading.But most of all, make sure to have fun!Questions:1: What is a "polyglot"?A parrotA person who speaks many languages well.A person with many “glots”.2: What is the first advice from polyglots?Eat food from around the world.Feed your parrot many seeds and fruits.Maximize comprehensible input.3: What is the name of the most famous SRS Flashcard Application?Anki.GoogleTik-TokScroll down ↓ for the answersAnswers:1 – B2 – C3 – AMichael Wilkins
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04 .17Inspired by Historical FictionPhoto credit: Avery Evans unsplash.comYou may have discovered that reading about one topic will get you interested in others. Recently, I read the novel “The Eagle Has Landed” by Jack Higgins (1975). The style is what some call ‘historical fiction’ meaning places, people and events used in the book may have really existed, but the drama is a fictional story. This particular story relates an account of a secret plan of Nazi Germany to send soldiers to England in order to kidnap the Prime Minister of Britain, Winston Churchill.While reading, I first became curious of the location of some scenes in the book. This led me to researching more about Norfolk and Norwich, England by looking at maps and pictures. I also wanted to see pictures of war time Berlin and England.I became interested in the historical characters including Adolf Hitler, Churchill, and Benito Mussolini, the former Prime Minister of Italy. These are names I grew up hearing, but I never learned the details about what kind of people they were, or what they did during the time of World War II. I also become interested in the political problems between Ireland and Britain which have a long history and are one component of the story’s background. The internet is a great resource for following up on topics. We can see pictures, videos and find other materials related to what we are reading.After finishing the book, I learned about a movie that was made based on the novel. I read about the actors featured in the movie and how it was reviewed by movie critics. From now I would like to read more ‘historical fiction’ novels to see how the authors combine real and imaginary events or people. In fact, there have been many historical dramas produced for TV in Japan. They are often based on historical characters and events, but they can show us a human side to the events we read about in history textbooks. I recommend trying some historical novels and checking out some historical dramas as well. It is an interesting way to encounter people and events from the past. Maybe you will also be inspired to expand your interests and views about various related topics.Questions:Q1. Which book did the author read?A. Harry PotterB. The Eagle Has LandedC. Apollo 13Q2. Who were two famous people in the novel?A. Adolf Hitler, Winston ChurchillB. Jack Ryan, Ethan HuntC. William Wallace, Queen ElizabethQ3. Why does the author recommend reading historical fiction?A. You can watch historical movies.B. It can help you get a good grade on history tests.C. It can give you a new perspective on history.Scroll down ↓ for the answersAnswers:1 B2 A3 CBBP Staff
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03 .13Learning a Language through Loving a TV Program
Do you know what the longest-running animated television series is? Do you think it’s The Simpsons? South Park? Family Guy? Well, it’s my favourite Japanese show–Sazae-san.
You all know that the Isono and Fuguta families never get old, that there’s no way Katsuo can fit his K T-shirts over his head, and that by the end of the credits we begin to feel down at the prospect of the end of the weekend.
But did you know the power of one TV show you love to help your understanding of a language? How many people in the world today have learned Dutch through Nijntje en haar vriendjes, French through La Famille Barbapapa, and Russian through Cheburashka? I can’t tell you which TV program is best for learning English—that you’ll have to do yourself. It’s really just as long as you love the program and want to watch it again and again like I like watching Sazae-san again and again.
Here are some tips. But first you’ll have to have Amazon Prime or Netflix or use your digital recorder. Next, you’ll need a friend. Nobody speaks a language by themselves.
List of tips:
--Watch for 10 minutes, then predict what you think will happen.
--Watch the entire episode, then summarize what happened.
--Freeze any random frame, then describe what is happening.
--Watch a scene with your eyes closed, describe what happened, then watch what really happened.
--Watch a scene with no sound and write down what you think was said, then check.
--Have your friend write down the English subtitles, then erase a few words.
Next, you watch without the subtitles and try to fill in the blanks your friend made.
--Turn the sound off and practice reading the English subtitles aloud.
Afterwards, with the sound on, check your pronunciation and intonation.
--Together write down an English-subtitled dialogue, then practice acting it out.
You both may be better than some of the actors you find on TV these days.
I hope you will try one or two of these tips on your own beloved TV program. As for me, it’s time that I finally figure out what Ikura-chan is really saying. So, from now on I’m going to try to translate everything he says into perfect English.
Photo Credit: Taryn Elliott@pexels.com
Blog Quiz
Q1. What is the longest-running animated television series?
Q2. Which languages can you learn if you watch Nijntje en haar vriendjes,La Famille Barbapapa, and Cheburashka?
Q3. What is the best TV show to help you learn English?
Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.
Quiz AnswersQ1. Sazae-san.
Q2. Dutch, French, and Russian.
Q3. The one that you love.Paul Meyer -
02 .20Multilingual Learning Challenge - Still on the Way
My interest in foreign countries has not been really traveling but experiencing and feeling different perspectives and ways of thinking in life: understanding different cultural aspects, communicating in the local language, and meeting people in new environments. For me, these are the reasons for exploring or learning foreign languages.
I’ve always thought it would be nice if I could speak multiple languages. I was interested in what kind of person I would be if I could manage several languages. When I was younger, right after I started working in Japan, I made up my mind without hesitation to live abroad. I was expecting to live in a European country one day, so I started preparing and learning German (because I learned some German at university) in addition to English by myself.
I finally got a chance to do an internship at an international hotel in Belgium. Therefore, I started to learn French a few months before my departure so that I could work there in French. Of course, it was not easy without speaking proper or professional French, and it certainly was an unforgettable struggle at that time. However, after my internship for 6 months, I kept challenging and finally this experience inspired me to move on to the next stage. I worked for other company/organization using both English and French, and eventually I spent nearly 12 years of my life in Belgium.
Perhaps the lesson from this experience is that I would say that my curiosity about learning a foreign language brought me unexpected value. Certainly, the emphasis is not merely on perfect language acquisition. So, for myself, in terms of "speaking", "listening", "writing", and "reading", each foreign language has its different level. However, I can say that I am fascinated by learning new languages, and that this new experience enriched my way of thinking about my own life. I always look forward to opportunities to start learning other languages (they are on my checklist) because I feel that this multilingual learning challenge is a great opportunity to change myself and to discover new values and experiences in my life.
Photo Credit: Anna Tarazevich@pexels.com
Blog Quiz
Q1. What is the topic of this essay?
Q2. According to the author, what inspired her to start learning French?
Q3. According to the author, what does it mean to have an opportunity to learn a new language?
Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.
Quiz Answers
Q1. The essay discusses the challenges of multilingual learning and the value the author received from her own experience.
Q2. The author started learning French in preparation for her internship in Belgium.
Q3. Learning and exploring a new language is a great chance to change yourself and discover new values and experiences in your life.
Emi Shibuya -
01 .164 Ways to Improve Your Presentation
How do you feel about giving a presentation? It can be quite a scary experience, especially in a foreign language. Practicing and improving your skills in explaining research results, expressing your opinions, introducing your ideas, and answering questions from an audience are all valuable skills for your future. Not only will those skills be useful in the workplace, but they will also give you more confidence in your social life.
This checklist of questions and advice will help you prepare for your presentation, improve your delivery, and hopefully result in a better score for your grade! Let’s look at two presentation formats: (A) poster and (B) projected. They have some similarities, but their differences are important to think about.
Topic - Q1. Are you interested in your presentation topic? If you’re not interested, your research will probably be poor, and your audience will become bored easily. Ask your teacher if you can change the topic to something you want to talk about and have strong opinions about.
Content – Q2. Does your research information match your English ability? If your research information is difficult for you to understand, it will be difficult to explain and probably very difficult for your audience to understand too. Make your content easier by first describing examples of difficult vocabulary.
Materials – Q3A. Can you read and see all the important details on your poster from 2 meters away? For a poster presentation, you will talk to a small group, face-to-face. Before you give your presentation, print a first draft, look at your poster through your audience’s eyes, and then edit it for your final draft.
Materials – Q3B. Is there too much or too little information on each slide? For a projected presentation you will stand at the front of the room and your audience will be far from you and the screen. Your speech should be more detailed than your slides, so don’t write full sentences! Also, titles can be large, but all other key words should not be smaller than 24-point font.
Rehearsal = Better Delivery – Q4A. How can you create appeal for your audience? A poster presentation environment is similar to a conversation, so by rehearsing in advance, it will be much easier to make eye contact, relax, and enjoy your speech. This will make a bond between you and your audience, helping them to focus and relax too.
Rehearsal = Better Delivery – Q4B. Can your audience hear you? A projected presentation is often done in a large room, so if you are looking down at the computer screen, the sound of your speech will go down to the floor! Rehearse your presentation 10 times. Then on presentation day, speak to the people at the back of the room. Good luck!
Photo Credit: Christina Morillo@pexels.com
Blog Quiz
Q1. What should you do if you’re not interested in your presentation topic?
Q2. How can you make your presentation content easier to understand for
your audience?
Q3. For a Projected Presentation, what is the smallest size your key words
should be?
Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.
Quiz Answers
Q1. You should ask your teacher if you can change it.
Q2. By first describing examples of difficult vocabulary.
Q3. 24-point font
Ben McDonough