Photo Credit: Oz Art @pexels.com

 

Here, I will introduce a powerful technique to improve both your listening and speaking skills at the same time! It's a method called shadowing, where you practice repeating the English you hear, as if you are its shadow.

 

Let's take The Beatles' "Let It Be" as an example for our explanation.

 

The Beatles - Let It Be

You can find the song at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDYfEBY9NM4

 

When you hear "When I find myself in times of trouble," you immediately repeat "When I find myself in times of trouble." As you repeat this, the next phrase, "Mother Mary comes to me," will play, so you quickly start repeating that phrase. You continue in this way with "Speaking words of wisdom..." and so on.

 

Shadowing is an excellent exercise for both listening and speaking practice. It is great for listening because it trains you to hear and understand English directly, without translating it into Japanese in your head. Additionally, being able to shadow well means you can accurately mimic the unique rhythm of English.

 

For example, if you can pronounce "When I find myself in times of trouble" in sync with the audio, that means you are able to follow the rhythm rules of English: You stress and elongate content words (words that carry meaning) like "find," "myself," "times" and "trouble," while pronouncing function words (words that indicate grammar) like "when," "I," "in" and "of" weakly and briefly.

 

If you take too long to pronounce function words like "when" or "I," you won't be able to say the line in sync with the audio. Now, let’s actually try shadowing this song.

 

As you shadow, avoid looking at the text as much as possible, and focus only on the audio. It might feel difficult at first, but it’s important to practice the same material repeatedly until you can do it.

 

Observing the rhythm of English in songs and mimicking it is a highly effective learning method. You can practice shadowing with other pop songs, nursery rhymes, and even jazz when you've gotten the hang of it. However, not all English songs are suitable for shadowing, so be selective.

 

Here, we used a song for shadowing, but anything can be suitable as long as it matches the learner’s vocabulary level and an English script is available for reference if needed. You can practice shadowing with things you enjoy, like dramas or movies. Be sure to incorporate this into your English learning!

 

Questions:

 

Q1. What skills improve with shadowing?

 

Q2. What is the typical rhythm in the English language?

 

Q3. What tips are given for shadowing?

 

 

Scroll down ↓ for the answers

 

 

A1. Listening and speaking skills.

A2. Content words are pronounced strongly and are longer, while function words are pronounced weakly and are shorter.

A3. Focus only on the sound/ Repeat the same material multiple times.

Photo Credit: Ivan Samkov @pexels.com

 

Risk is an essential part of our human journey. We take risks all through our lives as we grow up. Think about how you learned to speak your native language. You experimented with sounds and meanings all the time. You used humor and emotion and wild ideas. You took risks. And it felt natural to do so.

 

How can you imitate that natural risk taking in your learning of a new language?

 

Firstly, think about the environment you have cultivated around your language learning. Do you study alone? Do you mostly read or listen to the target language? Are you a passive learner in this sense? Or do you prefer to interact with others in the language and use it primarily to communicate and connect and share? In this way, you might be a more active learner.

 

Everyone is different in their approach to learning, but what is essential is that you take a risk by stepping out of your comfort zone and challenging yourself to use the target language in new settings and in new ways as much as possible. Join a discussion circle in the BBP Communication Room on campus, make friends with students from other countries, set up a social media account in the target language and chat with other accounts in real time online (chatting during live sports matches is a great way to do this). All these activities involve a certain amount of risk taking.

 

Secondly, set challenging goals. Use one of the many online level checks for a language proficiency test. If it’s English, there is EIKEN, IELTS, TOEIC, or TOEFL. Ideally, target a level that is a little beyond your current ability. As extra motivation, register for a test at the same time as a friend for some friendly competition. Set achievable and measurable goals that push you harder. If it’s within your ability to remember 10 new words a week, try 10 new words a day. If it’s easy for you to write 100 words without pausing, try writing 1000 without looking at a dictionary or erasing any words. Using an official language test as a goal and targeting a level that is currently a little above your ability is a great way to add more risk to your language learning.

 

Adding an element of risk is a great way to become a better language learner. And maybe it’s easier than you think.

 

Questions:

 

Q1. True or false: it is unnatural to take risks in life.

 

Q2. True or false: commenting online in a foreign language about a soccer game is a fun way to interact.

 

Q3. True or false: language learners should only take aptitude tests that match their levels.

 

Scroll down ↓ for the answers

 

A1. False

A2. True

A3. False

Photo Credit: cottonbro studio@pexels.com

 

 

In English conversation classes, sometimes the topic turns to “What is the best way to learn English?” Of course, there is no one best way to learn—each person is different, but... as an English teacher, I have my opinions. When someone suggests that watching movies in English is an interesting way to get listening practice, I mostly agree with them. Movies are interesting and a learner can usually hear a lot of English. However, I think that watching television programs is probably better. I have a couple of reasons for this.

 

The first reason is that television shows are both shorter and longer than movies. Why shorter? On one hand, an episode of a TV program is usually between 25 and 60 minutes long—under one hour. On the other hand, a movie might be two hours long. If someone is listening intensely to their second language, a shorter time will be less tiring and more enjoyable. Why longer? An episode of a TV program is like a chapter in a book, but a movie is like a whole book. TV programs tell a story over are the entire series: that could be six episodes or twenty or more! In TV shows, the story can become deeper and more interesting because the person watching spends much more time with the characters.

 

The second reason is that television programs are just talkier. In an episode of a TV program, characters will talk more than characters in a movie. TV programs tell more of the story through dialogue than movies, so a learner will hear more English in ten minutes of a TV program than they will in ten minutes of a movie.

 

Why do I say that television is talkier than movies? This is because of the different histories of the two mediums.

 

Movies are a visual experience. They have always been primarily a visual medium. Until about 1930, movies were silent. A language of visual storytelling was developed for films, and this visual language has continued, changed, and expanded until the present. Television influenced some of the changes to visual storytelling because, when TV began in the 1940s and 50s, people started going to movies less. To get more people into the movie theatres, the movie industry created movies that offered a visual spectacle—colour, widescreen, even 3D—that TV could not match. For these reasons, much or most of the story in a film today will be told through the images and spectacle.

 

Television is more an audio experience. TV came from radio—almost all early TV performers and writers came from radio rather than the movie industry. This made sense because the radio networks already had infrastructure that could be adapted to broadcast television signals and were producing regular programs that could be easily adapted to television. As well, early television sets had small screens that could not show detail like the big screen of the movie theatres: characters had to talk more so the viewer could understand the story. Because television programs were written like radio programs, people listened to the television in the same way they listened to the radio. Someone might cook dinner with the television on or do homework while watching a favourite TV show. No one cooks dinner or reads a book in a movie theatre.

 

The emphasis on using dialogue to tell a story in television shows has continued even until the present day. This is why I think television is better for listening to English than movies. Of course, I always tell students that movies are good... but television is better.

 

 

Blog Quiz

 

Q1. Why are TV programs shorter than movies?

Q2. Why are TV progams longer than movies?

Q3. What kind of experience are movies?

Q4. What kind of experience is television?

 

Scroll down to see the answers below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answers:

 

1.         They are usually less than an hour for one episode, but a movie is usually two or more hours.

2.         There are many episodes used to tell a story. Movies usually tell the whole story in the movie.

3.         Visual experiences

4.         Audio experiences

Photo Credit: SHVETS production@pexels.com

 

 

This is part two of a short blog series about how to study productively. Part 1 was published here. Ritsumeikan University students are very busy and have many classes, assignments, part time jobs, and other things to do, so it is very important to use your free time wisely in order to succeed with your studies.

 

In part 1, I mentioned making a plan for studying is one important method that should not be overlooked. I also wrote about conducting your own Zoom study sessions. For this post, I recommend four additional methods:1) use Mel Robbins’ 5-second rule, 2) start with easy tasks first, 3) do B+ work, and 4) take brain breaks.

 

In 2017, Mel Robbins wrote a book and did a TED talk  [https://www.ted.com/talks/mel_robbins_how_to_stop_screwing_yourself_over?language=en ] about the “5-Second Rule”. People who have trouble starting tasks might find it useful. For example, if you have trouble getting out of bed in the morning, count backwards 5-4-3-2-1 and then jump out of bed. Concentrating on counting backwards disrupts your negative thoughts such as “I’m too tired. I want to stay in bed.” and helps your brain switch to “Let’s go and start the day!” Why don’t you try this method and see if it helps you?

 

Another way to trick your brain into working hard is by doing easy tasks first when you begin a study session. For example, I frequently reply to student messages on manaba+R first, and then I begin planning a lesson or marking some student assignments. Writing messages to students is easy for me and I don’t mind doing it, so it is a good task to use to convince my brain that it’s time to work and finish my tasks. After completing the easy tasks, I am proud of myself and feel good about making progress, so it is usually easier for me to tackle my other work for my classes.

 

The next way to work productively is by giving myself permission to do “B+ work”. It is impossible to do A+ work on every task perfectly every time, so I give myself permission to do as much as I can and then I stop. This is a good mindset for low-stakes assignments or homework that is not a big part of the final assessment. You should choose this method for tasks that are semi-important, not a final project or a test!

 

Finally, make sure you take brain breaks. A brain break is an activity that may be fun or simply not related to your work. Sometimes I scroll my Instagram feed, take a walk outside, or do some housecleaning. After the brain break, I can return to my work and focus better on the task. I think my brain enjoys having time off and sometimes I feel I can concentrate more easily after the break.

 

I hope today’s post gives you some good ideas for how to complete your assignments or study for a test. Why not try one of them and see if it works?

 

 

Blog Quiz:

Q1. When should you use the “5-Second Rule”?

Q2. What kind of task does the author start with when she begins a work-

session?

Q3. What kind of assignments should students use the “do B+ work” method

for?

 

 

Scroll down to see the answers below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answers:

Q1. When you have a task that you don’t want to do.

Q2. Replying to messages from students.

Q3. Low-stakes assignments that are not a big part of their final grade.

Photo Credit: Julia M Cameron@pexels.com

 

 

Students at Ritsumeikan University are very busy with classes, assignments and projects. Is it easy for you to complete work for your courses? If you have some trouble, here is some advice for you:

 

1) Make a plan: at night, think about what you’d like to do the next day and make a list. You might write down something important: classes or tests you have, assignments’ due, and even your part time work schedule. When you wake up the next morning, check the list, and begin your tasks. If you need extra help, you might consider using a calendar or the reminder function on your smart phone. Also, using a Bullet Journal is another way to personalize your schedule to keep your attention on the things you need to do. See this blog post to find out more about Bullet Journals: Bullet Journals [https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/work-money/a32155559/how-to-start-a-bullet-journal/]

 

2) Get a Zoom buddy: sometimes simply beginning homework can be a very difficult thing to do. In fact, if the homework is for a class that is particularly uninteresting or difficult for you, you might avoid it all together. In this case, why not get a Zoom buddy and study online! Studying with friends is always fun for me. Give it a try! This is how to set up the Zoom session: invite a friend to Zoom with you on a day you are at home and start the Zoom call with your friend. At the beginning of the call, tell your friend what you plan to do. Ask your friend to tell you their plan. Both of you should turn off your PC mics but keep your cameras on. Work for a short period of time (30 minutes, 45 minutes, or one hour). You can decide the length with your friend. At the end of the time period, unmute yourselves and tell each other what you accomplished. Please note during the Zoom session, you should not chat with your friend at all. Watching your friend study should motivate you to do your work. Also, it is not important for both of you to be doing the same task. You can be doing completely different tasks from your friend.

 

I have many more ideas for how to study productively. Read my next blog to find out more hints. Good luck!

 

 

Blog Quiz:

Q1. The author recommends making a plan as an important part of studying

   productively. When is the best time to do so?

Q2. During a Zoom Buddy session, should you keep your camera on?

Q3. During a Zoom Buddy session, should you do the same task as your friend?

 

 

Scroll down for the answers below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answers:

Q1. At night before you go to sleep.

Q2. Yes, but you should turn OFF your mic so that you are not tempted to talk to

your friend.

Q3. It's not necessary to do the same task. In fact, you should probably do a

different one so you are not tempted to work together.

Photo Credit: Element5 Digital@pexels.com

 

Last time, I wrote that extensive reading is the best way to improve your English in Japan and explained what it is by comparing it with “intensive reading.” Just to make things clear, let me add that what I meant was "the best way to improve English BY YOURSELF.”

 

It goes without saying that language learning should be done through interactions with others whenever possible. (That’s why it’s really important to speak in English with your classmates and teacher as much as you can in class! When you have a chance, you should use the stopwatch function on your smartphone and time yourself and check how many minutes you’re actually speaking in English in one class. Then, you can multiply that time with the number of English classes you have in one semester and calculate the estimated total time. I think a lot of you will be appalled by how short the time is! That’s why you should come to the communication rooms! Sorry, I got carried away. Let’s go back to our topic.)

 

Outside your English classes and communication rooms, and after you graduate and start working, what can you do to keep on improving your English? Since trying to master a language is a life-long endeavor and challenge, you need something that is easily accessible so that you can continue for a long time. That’s why extensive reading is the best way to go. As long as you have a book with you, you can do it anytime and anywhere. Nowadays, you might even be able to find extensive reading books at your local libraries. Therefore, if you’re lucky, you can do extensive reading for free! Yes, free! Isn’t that amazing?

 

Another key word that will keep you motivated and help you pursue the long-term goal is “fun.” As I wrote in the last blog, extensive reading is also called “pleasure reading,” and it should be something that you enjoy doing. This is the other reason why extensive reading is a great way to develop your English skills. How could you ever continue doing something if you can’t enjoy it?

 

I have written the two main reasons why extensive reading is the best way to enhance your English ability in Japan. For more specific reasons why you should do it, here is a list of benefits that extensive reading researchers have found in their studies:

 

If you do a lot of extensive reading …

- you will gain confidence,

- you will be able to read English faster,

- you will learn more vocabulary,

- you will improve your overall English ability (= grammar, listening, writing, and speaking),

- and you will get higher scores on tests.

 

I hope you have enjoyed reading this blog and hope that you are more interested in doing extensive reading. I have written the “why’s” this time, so next time I would like to write the “hows” so that you understand how you can actually start and do extensive reading. To be continued!

 

 

 

Blog Quiz:

Q1. Why does the writer suggest that you check the time you speak English in

 your English classes?

Q2. How can you do extensive reading for free?

Q3. What are the two main reasons that you can continue doing extensive

 reading for a long time?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answers:

A1. So that you can realize how much you are actually speaking in English.

A2. You can do it for free if you can find a library that has extensive reading

 books.

A3. It’s easy to do and fun!

Photo Credit: Charlotte May@pexels.com

 

College offers a unique opportunity for self-discovery, personal growth, and the acquisition of knowledge and skills. University life is a great experience, however, it is not without its share of challenges. College students will all face different hurdles. These challenges can be academic, personal, or financial in nature.

 

The transition from high school to college is difficult for many students. The sudden move from external motivation to internal motivation is difficult for many students, especially those who have grown up (and often thrived) under strict schooling regimes.

 

Fear of failure can often exacerbate stress and can lead to students who did well under a strictly structured high school model to stuggle with the freedoms, and the responsibilty to self, that is part of university life.

 

Many individuals arrive at college with both high goals and/or a high level of stress (self-imposed or external). Overcoming the fear of failure involves changing one’s perspective, and recognizing that making mistakes is an integral part of learning.

 

Personal problems include homesickness, loneliness, and the struggle to create a new identity in a new environment. For many, the college experience is their first time living away from home, and homesickness is often common. To overcome this, students should try to participate in campus activities to help form connections with their peers.

 

Loneliness is another issue many students face. The social landscape of college can be daunting, and the quest for genuine connections can be a challenging one. The key to overcoming this hurdle lies in proactive engagement. By attending social events, joining clubs or organizations, and seeking out like-minded individuals, students can create opportunities to build lasting relationships.

 

Financial hurdles are yet another facet of the college experience that students must navigate. The rising costs of tuition, textbooks, housing, and living expenses can be a daunting obstacle. Scholarships, grants, and financial aid are essential tools in reducing the financial burden. It is vital for students to explore all available options, both need-based and merit-based, to secure financial assistance. Additionally, prudent budgeting and financial literacy enable students to manage their expenses more effectively. Moreover, students should also seek part-time employment to alleviate their financial pressures.

 

Students face many difficulties when they first enter college. Knowing that other students have faced (and overcome) the same or similar difficulties is the first step in overcoming hurdles in university life. Following the example of other students who have thrived at university by joining clubs and getting part-time jobs is the first step in creating a lasting and worthwhile college experience.

 

 

Blog Quiz:

 

Q1. What are the 3 main general areas of difficulties students may face?

Q2. The first step to overcoming fear of failure is to …

Q3. What is a good way to overcome loneliness?

 

 

Scroll down for the answers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answers:

 

A1. academic, personal, or financial

A2. changing one’s perspective (AND/OR) recognizing that making mistakes is an integral part of learning

A3. Clubs // Part-time jobs

Photo Credit: Bich Tran@pexels.com

 

 

Keeping track of important tasks is difficult if you are a busy person like me. On any given day, I have 3-4 classes to teach and lots of preparation and marking. I also do volunteer work, have meetings, and household/family obligations. I have found a solution that you might want to try, and I recommend it to all of my students: Make a Bullet Journal [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fm15cmYU0IM], or ‘Bujo’ as some aficionados call it!

 

The Bullet Journal method was developed by a man named Ryder Carroll. It seems he had trouble organizing his daily life and probably he found iCalendar, Google calendar, or paper planners to be ineffective for him. I certainly do. For some reason, I don’t like to use digital tools to organize my life. I always forget to check them and I find important notes disappear easily. I prefer to use paper but I can never find a paper planner that works for me. I have many paper organizers at home that I have never used. It’s a waste of money! But then I discovered the Bullet Journal. So, what is it?

 

A Bullet Journal is a customizable notebook that YOU design in a way that helps you remember important tasks and events. Mine contains a calendar, a to-do list, and a notetaking space. I use a regular lined notebook from the Muji store and decorate it with colored pens. I use Flexion pens and colored markers to make lesson plans and lists of things to do. If I need to erase something, these pens allow me to do so. My Bullet Journal is messier than the ones you can find online, like the ones here in this blog post [https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/work-money/a32155559/how-to-start-a-bullet-journal/] or this one [https://bulletjournal.com/blogs/bulletjournalist/your-bullet-journal-your-rules] but it works for me. Give it a try!

 

Here are some Instagram pages you might follow if you are interested in this topic: @bujoaddictblog, @Bujo_with_Fran, @dulcetbujo, @productivedoodling. Or Google these search terms to get started: “bullet journal ideas”, “bujo”, “bullet journal calendar ideas”. Good luck and happy journaling!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blog Quiz

 

Q1. What is a nickname for a Bullet Journal?

Q2. How does Gretchen waste money?

Q3. Why does Gretchen prefer Flexion pens?

 

Scroll down for the answers to the quiz…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answers:

A1. Bujo.

A2. She buys planners that she does not use.

A3. You can erase the text if you need to.

Photo Credit: Liza Summer@pexels.com

 

 

Have you ever wanted to join a volunteer group or to help others? I often hear from students who have worked as volunteers helping others abroad. One of the benefits of doing this is to forge relationships with other students and with other volunteer workers. Often times, students can also use and develop their English language skills while volunteering. Volunteer experiences can help students to broaden their horizons, too! Of course and most importantly, others benefit from students’ help, and the students, themselves, acquire life skills, gain experience from traveling abroad, learn about the plight of others who are less fortunate than themselves, and they gain satisfaction from helping others, too.

 

While it is exciting to participate in experiences like this abroad, not everyone can afford to do so. Also, students might want to gain some volunteer experience on a local level before venturing off to participate in volunteer activities on a global level. Do you know that you can find and/or create such opportunities for yourself right here on campus?

 

In fact, years ago, I helped students do this on another campus. We went to the International Center on that campus, and students introduced themselves to some of the foreign students. Then they asked them what challenges they were dealing with while living abroad. Based on the answers they received, they offered to help the foreign students with various things. For example, two foreign students needed help with learning kanji, so my students helped them. Some needed help with language barriers that made shopping, using home appliances, etc. difficult for them. Still others didn’t need help, but they expressed an interest in learning more about Japanese culture.

 

As a result, some of my students offered to spend a day with some foreign students to introduce them to various shrines and/or temples. After learning about where they wanted to go, my students did research, learned about the place they decided to visit, checked their use of English with me, and practiced what they would say in English when they visited the place. They often made a day of it and went out to lunch or coffee, too. Sometimes the foreign students thanked my students by inviting them over for dinner. In fact, in two cases, the visiting students invited Japanese students to their homes in the United States! These volunteer students had a wonderful time visiting them abroad. As you can see, helping others can bring about positive experiences and long lasting friendships can be forged without being far from home. If this sounds like something you would like to do, why don’t you reach out to international students on campus to see if you can be of help to them? It seems to me that the Beyond Borders Plaza would be a great place to start!

 

You also might like to try volunteering for the Expo 2025 Osaka. Recruitment is currently taking place, and volunteers will be able to help Japanese and foreign visitors, too. You can learn more at about volunteering for Expo 2025 Osaka at the following website: Expo 2025 Osaka [https://www.expo2025-volunteer.com/pr/]

 

 

 

 

Blog Quiz

 

Q1.List three ways students can benefit from doing volunteer work.

 

Q2.Where would be a great place for students to gain volunteer experience on Ritsumeikan campus?

 

Q3.What event is coming up where volunteers are currently being recruited?

 

 

Scroll down for the answers to the quiz…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answers:

 

A1. Develop relationships with others, develop English language skills, and broaden their horizons.

 

A 2. Beyond Borders Plaza

 

A3. Expo 2025 Osaka

 

Photo Credit: Cottonbro Studio @pexels.com

One of the realities of getting older is knowing when you can reach your limit in certain areas. Whether it’s the ability or interest to try something new, or not adopting certain things that become a norm from year to year, it can be a blessing or a curse. I have learned about myself that a lot of things I may not show much interest in these days are largely because there are so many other things pulling my attention. I don’t necessarily doubt my ability to do something because of my age, but there are simply other things already in my orbit.

 

My family is one of those spheres orbiting my life, in particular my kids. For them, I am thankful they haven’t learned the idea of limits yet. That doesn’t mean my wife and I just let them run around, stalking the neighborhood like wild animals. Rather, we try not to stifle their interests before they realize what they want. Children’s lives do not need to be an amendment to their parents—they have their own lives that need to be understood on their own terms.

 

At the same time, there are some limits that are healthy for kids to have and wouldn’t hinder their imagination. The biggest one lately is my kids simply slowing down and resting. They currently still need to take naps. When they don’t, they are floating in the wind, bouncing around and responding to even the least little things. The fact that they are twins only heightens their reactions since they are also repeatedly bouncing off each other.

 

What does it mean for my kids to learn the limits of their bodies, those times in their day where it’s “okay” to take it easy and rest? As much as this is something for my young kids to learn, the world continues to pull at us to react strongly to anything and everything, to jump to conclusions without taking a breather or questioning what we’re doing. The world sometimes invites us to fall into the habits we had as children when we were weaker and less in control of ourselves.

 

During those times when we’re confronted with something new, we’re invited to be young children again. We don’t always take the time to question what we’re doing or why, or how far we should go. What makes the difference for me when I get older is knowing when to let go and move onto something else, and when it’s something worth fighting for. Then, it’s not about limits so much as it is understanding what’s most important, and that cannot really be taught.

 

 

Blog Questions:

1.     Why does the author not put many limits on his kids?

A.   His kids do not yet know what they are interested in

B.   His kids do not do many things

C.   His kids are too old

2.     How does life currently make us act more like children?

A.   We are childish people around those we love

B.    By people making decisions for us

C.    By reacting to everything without thinking about it; information overload

3.     What is different about limits when you get older?

A.   People have different hobbies when they are young

B.    Knowing when to let go and when to fight

C.    When you get older, you forget your limits

 

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answers:

1.       A - his kids do not yet know what they’re interested in

2.       C - by reacting to everything without thinking about it; information overload

3.       B - knowing when to let go and when to fight