教員コラムBlog
- home
- 教員コラム / Blog
- Beginner年度のコラム
コラム一覧
/ Blog List(Beginnerのコラム)
-
07 .10Superhero MoviesPhoto Credit: Andrew Martin @ PixabayI grew up reading American comic books. I remember going to weekend swap meets and buying them for 10 cents each. My brother and I had stacks and stacks of comics in our room. Although I had a lot of funny comics such as Richie Rich and Archie, superhero comics were my favorite. That is why I am so happy with the world-wide popularity of superhero movies now. I can see the characters I loved in my youth come alive on the big screen. In addition, while comic books were something of a nerds’ hobby when I was young, modern superhero movies are mainstream and have become the most popular movies. In America there are two major superhero comic book publishers; DC Comics and Marvel Comics. DC superheroes include Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman and the Justice League. Marvel superheroes include Iron Man, Spider-Man, the X-Men and the Avengers. Although there have been some crossovers of these characters in comic books, they don’t exist in the same fictional worlds and don’t appear in movies together.DC superheroes were the first to have successful live action TV shows and movies. Superman movie serials were produced in the 1940’s and 1950’s, and the first big budget superhero movie was ‘Superman’, which debuted in 1978. It was so successful that it spawned three sequels. Similarly, Batman featured in a popular TV series in the 1960’s that had its own movie spinoff. The first megahit Batman movie opened in 1989. It led to three sequels with different directors and different actors playing Batman. Batman was also the star of a trilogy of smash hit movies that started with ‘Batman Begins’ in 2005. Likewise, ‘Wonder Woman’ was a hit TV show for four years in the late 1970’s.Marvel was quite late to the game compared to DC. Spider-Man’s live action debut didn’t happen until late 1978 and the show was cancelled after only 2 seasons. ‘The Incredible Hulk’ fared much better, as it was broadcast on TV from 1978 to 1982 and led to three TV movies in the late 1980’s. Marvel’s movie success didn’t come until the X-Men series (which had 10 movies) started in 2000 and a Spider-Man trilogy which began in 2002. However, even though Marvel had a slow start, they would greatly outdo DC in the modern era of superhero movies.The modern DCEU (DC Extended Universe) began with 2013’s ‘Man of Steel’. Since then, 9 other DC movies have appeared with heroes such as Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Shazam and the Suicide Squad. The movies have had varying degrees of success. On the other hand, the modern MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) started with 2008’s ‘Iron Man’. Currently, there are 30 movies (which have almost all been major hits) with more coming seemingly every month. The MCU features superheroes such as Captain America, Ant-Man, Black Widow, Captain Marvel and Black Panther. Marvel superheroes have become unstoppable juggernauts at the movie theater and their DC counterparts are definitely playing catchup. However, superhero fans such as myself are the real winners because there is no end in sight to more of these amazing, action-packed films.Questions:1. Who is a DC superhero?A. SupermanB. SpidermanC. Archie2. How many movies were there in the X-men movie series?A. 3B. 10C. 303. When was the first movie of the modern DC universe (DCEU) shown in theaters?A. 1978B. 2005C. 2013Scroll down ↓ for the answersAnswers:1. A2. B3. CJason Henwood
-
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
-
05 .22Seven Hours to the Beach
Photo Credit: マサコ アーント @ pixabay
One cheap way to get to the beach in Japan is to fly with Peach Airlines from Kansai International Airport to Ishigaki Island in Okinawa. In March, I flew round trip for ¥15,000, and with a bargain deal on a new hotel with a free breakfast for ¥6,000, the choice to see the ocean before school started was an easy one over a weekend stay in an urban setting in Tokyo.
After exiting the new airport on Ishigaki even with a Starbucks cafe, I took a city bus 15 minutes to my hotel in front of the new Intercontinental ANA Resort Hotel and walked to the beach in 5 minutes. Without a car, I had to take a bus around the island. The main gem of a beach is called Kabira with clear, clean water and star-shaped grains of sand. It was an undeveloped beach in a pure state, very peaceful and beautiful. That is in contrast to the downtown area with many izakayas serving Orion beer and souvenir shops selling ceramic shisa figurines. Almost all of the homes in Okinawa have a pair of shisa dragons on the roof or at the entrance. One of the shisa has an open mouth beckoning for good fortune to enter, while the other one has a closed mouth to expel bad fortune. These figures are seen everywhere as spiritual guardians.
The other lyrical touch that I appreciated was constantly hearing the music of the sanshin, I guess Hawaii’s counterpart being the ukulele.
The vibe down there is mellow, and it is a place that needs more tourists to survive economically. This is a great place for students since the costs are low and the warm weather will make it easy to pack a light carry-on suitcase.
Questions:
1) What musical instrument is heard on Ishigaki Island?
A - ukulele
B – sanshin
C – guitar
2) What is special about the sand on Kabira Beach?
A – it has gold in it
B – it smells good
C – there are star-shaped grains of sand
3) What Okinawan figure/decoration/guardian is also connected with luck inside and outside the house?
A – Setsubun
B – Maneki Neko
C – Shisa
Scroll down ↓ for the answers
Answers:
1) B
2) C
3) C
Jane Ward -
05 .08The Joy of Vinyl RecordsPhoto Credit: Merve @ pexels.comMany people today listen to music using streaming services like Apple Music or downloaded mp3 files played through smart phones. When I was a child in the early 1970’s, we mostly listened to music with vinyl records. Then cassette tapes became popular because they were more portable, and you could record your own music onto them. Later in the 1990’s, CDs became the most popular medium for music. My favorite way to listen to music is the vinyl record. In recent years, records have become trendy again, partly due to their popularity with DJs. I am not a DJ, but I have several other reasons why I like vinyl best.If taken care of properly, records last a long time. I have several hundred records; most of them I bought in my youth or came from my father’s even older collection. Today I listened to the very first record I ever bought – Led Zeppelin IV. It still sounds great, even though the vinyl record is over 40 years old. None of the cassettes from my childhood work at all now, and even some of my CDs from the 1990’s don’t really work well anymore. My old records; however, have become some of my most prized possessions.I believe the analog format of vinyl records provides a better, warmer sound than digital formats. Even the pops and crackles you hear on scratched or dusty records can have some nostalgic attraction for people of my generation. Many audiophiles think analog records contain a wider range of sound waves and give a rich, truer, more authentic sound.Finally, and most importantly, listening to music with records is a more involved, satisfying experience. First, I have to physically find a record by looking through my record collection. The artwork on the record covers trigger memories and helps me choose what I want to hear. Then I have to take out the record from its sleeve, decide if I want to hear side A or B, put the record on my turntable, and manually place the needle at the song I want to hear. Often, I will start from the beginning using the automatic function. This makes me listen to all of the songs in the order the artist intended, something I think is mostly lost today when we skip through and just pick single songs from our mp3 collection. As I listen to the record, I usually spend some time looking at the artwork and the information printed on the album sleeve, and sometimes I can read the lyrics to the songs if they are printed on the sleeve. I think listening to music with records is a more focused, complete, artistic experience than using other formats. When I play vinyl records, I can most fully appreciate what I am listening to.Questions:1. Which of the following is the oldest music medium?A. CDsB. Streaming ServicesC. Vinyl records2. In paragraph 4, what is an ‘audiophile’?A. A professional musician.B. A notebook with notes about music.C. A person who is enthusiastic about high-quality sound.3. Why does the author like vinyl records?A. Because they are very convenient.B. Because the author thinks they provide a better listening experience.C. Because the author is a DJ.Scroll down ↓ for the answersAnswers:1. C2. C3. BBrett Morgan
-
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 .13Lessons Learned from Being on TV (Part 2)
Unfortunately, the last three that I mentioned aired really late at night, so not too many people were able to watch them. This is why I was so glad to have gotten this most recent chance.
October 7: MBS Yonchan. This news program showed my feature at 6:40 p.m., which means more people had a chance to watch. It was the longest corner yet, at roughly 12.5 minutes, and the TV crew even came and filmed me at Ritsumeikan University! By then, I had been filmed so many times that I was not too nervous, but I did sense that students and other teachers were a little shy. Anyhow, I learned something about TV on this day, and it is unfortunate. They are not always accurate and do not always want to portray the truth. They want to tell the story that they think will get them the biggest audience. They also do not always allow the subject of the feature to check it ahead of time and make corrections. There were no fewer than six errors or fabrications on the program, including my age, which they got wrong by 5 years.
All in all, I am happy to be getting recognition for the work I am doing to promote the Hanshin Tigers in English to people all over the world. If you want to study English by reading (and hearing) about the Tigers, why not check out my website [www.thehanshintigers.com]?
Photo Credit: Martin Péchy@pexels.com
Blog Quiz
Q1. According to the writer, why did more people watch MBS Yonchan than several other programs he appeared on?
Q2. What mistake did the most recent TV program make about the writer?
a) Six
b) His age
c) His family members
Q3. Overall, is the writer satisfied with his experiences appearing on television?
Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.
Quiz Answers
Q1. Because it was shown at 6:40 p.m.
Q2. B
Q3. Yes
Trevor Raichura -
02 .06Lessons Learned from Being on TV (Part 1)
I cannot believe how lucky I am. I would have never imagined that I would be featured on television in Japan FIVE times in a single year! Let me quickly mention the first four, and then focus on what I learned from the fifth one.
January 4: Ikegami Akira no Kansaijin ga Shiranai Kansai. This new year’s special showed me covering the Hanshin Tigers in a special way for English-speaking fans all around the world. Famous panelists that I met in the studio included Black Mayonnaise, High Heel Ringo, Miyu Honda, and Joichiro Fujiwara from Naniwa Danshi.
June 17: News Zero. This late-night nationally broadcast news program, hosted by famous anchor Yumiko Udo, was similar to Mr. Ikegami’s program, but I did not go to a studio to talk to famous people. Instead, TV directors recorded me at a separate studio and at a restaurant. Ms. Udo is a huge Hanshin Tigers fan, and she said she wants to meet and go to a Tigers game at Koshien with me. (I would love that!)
June 28: Sekai wo Chotto Dake Kaeru Summit. For this one, I had to go to the studio for a recording, and sitting right next to me was fellow guest Takeshi Tsuruno. We talked before the recording started, and he was a really nice guy! This program had nothing to do with my areas of expertise (English education and Hanshin Tigers), so I was nervous throughout.
July 7: MBS Ballpark. This was the first time a TV program visited my home, which made me (and my whole family) a little nervous. Still, it was interesting to watch the program and hear Tomonori Jinnai and Reni Takagi (Momoiro Clover Z) say that “Hanshin should acquire Trevor-san.” (I would love that!)
Q1. How many times was the writer featured on Japanese TV in 2022?
Q2. Who said she wanted to go to a Hanshin Tigers game with the writer?
a) Reni Takagi
b) High Heel Ringo
c) Yumiko Udo
Q3. On which two dates did the writer mention feeling nervous during the recording session?
Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.
Quiz Answers
Q1. 5
Q2. C
Q3. June 28 & July 7
Trevor Raichura -
01 .09Living with Poison
How do you feel when you hear the word "poison"? You will probably feel scared, or you might remember scenes from some detective movies or TV programs. Obviously, the term does not have any positive connotations.
Despite the impression we receive from the word, poison sometimes plays an essential role in our lives. For example, professor Funayama at Nihon Pharmaceutical University explains that there is basically no distinction between "poison" and "medicine". According to him, we distinguish the words only by whether the element is beneficial to the human body. We call it “poison” when it does harm to our bodies. Medicine, on the other hand, does good for our bodies. Both have in common that they have a particular influence on our bodies. We, in a sense, live with poison.
A lot of creatures live with the poison as well. For example, some animals risk their mobility to eat poison, and others intake it to protect themselves from predators. You often see sleeping koalas when you visit a zoo. They often spend their days sleeping most of the time. This is because they cannot survive without eating eucalyptus leaves, a plant which is poisonous to their body. They sleep to digest the harmful substances in the leaves.
Some frogs and snakes intake poison from their food and utilize it to protect themselves. Toads, for example, have a potent poison called bufotoxin in their body. Dogs and cats sometimes, unfortunately, lose their lives when they eat the frog while they are taking a walk. The tiger keelback, yamakagashi in Japanese, are bold enough to eat the poisonous toads, and they use the toad-derived poison as a weapon against their predators. Poison dart frogs, toxic frogs, save poison in their body using the same method. Wild poison dart frogs eat some ants and millipedes (yasude in Japanese) with poison and keep the poison in their skins. Interestingly, captive-bred poison frogs lose their toxicity because they don't have the chance to capture such food.
"Poison" might sound scary, but the substance with the label can be a blessing to animals, including us. It will be interesting to see how other creatures make use of poison.
Photo Credit: Doug Brown@pexels.com
Blog Quiz
Q1. According to professor Funayama, how are poison and medicine different?
Q2. What can happen when dogs eat a toad?
Q3. What do tiger keelbacks and wild poison dart frogs have in common?
Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.
Quiz Answers
Q1. A substance is called poison when it has a negative influence on the human body. Medicine refers to a substance with a positive effect on the human body.
Q2. It can lead to a deadly accident for the pet.
Q3. They both capture poisonous creatures and save the poison in their body.
Yoshitaka Seto -
08 .29Traveling in Laos
During these Covid-19 times it is not easy to travel internationally, but we are all hoping that changes for the better soon. Today, I would like to tell about one of my favorite countries for traveling – Laos. I have made several trips to Laos and never grow tired of this unique country. As a tourist destination in Southeast Asia, Laos is not as popular as some of its neighboring countries like Thailand, Cambodia, or Vietnam. I think this is one reason it is such an interesting place to visit.
Many people start their trip to Laos by flying into Vientiane. Even though it is the capital of Laos, Vientiane is a small, relaxed city. People are very friendly, and it is a great place to just walk around for a day or two and get a feel for the culture. The mighty Mekong River forms the eastern border of the city, and eating local dishes for dinner in an open-air restaurant on the banks of the Mekong while watching the sunset is a highly recommended way to finish your day.
A few hours bus ride north of Vientiane is the small, fun town of Vang Vieng, which is very popular with young, backpacking travelers from around the world. It is surrounded by beautiful karst mountains and jungle and is a great place for outdoor activities. You can go tubing and kayaking in the river or try caving and rock climbing.
Further north is the UNESCO World Heritage city of Luang Prabang. Also set on the banks of the Mekong, it is a fascinating city with many Buddhist temples and historical French colonial architecture. A great thing to do here is to take a boat ride for a couple hours up the Mekong to the Buddha caves of Pak Ou. Luang Prabang also has excellent restaurants and a cool night market for shopping.
For the adventurous traveler with more time, Laos has some other interesting destinations. In the far north around the town of Luang Namtha you can go trekking to remote hill-tribe villages. In the south of Laos there is the coffee producing Bolaven plateau and the incredible Falls of the Mekong, the largest waterfall in Southeast Asia.
Fairly close to Japan and very affordable to visit with fascinating cultures, friendly people, and incredible natural beauty, Laos is a great choice for adventurous university students wishing to explore off the beaten path in Southeast Asia.
Q1 What are 3 countries mentioned that are next to Laos?
Q2 What is the capital city of Laos?
Q3 What are some adventurous outdoor activities you can do in Laos?
Scroll down for answers
A1 Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
A2 Vientiane.
A3 Tubing, kayaking, caving, rock climbing, and trekking.
Brett Morgan *Photo Credit: The Author* -
08 .22Fountain pens
Today, I would like to introduce the idea of using a fountain pen for daily use. I know that electronic media such as smartphones and tablets have become a part of our daily lives, but it would be nice to enjoy a traditional writing method instead. Recently, I went to Kinokuniya near Osaka station and found a section of fountain pens. There were a lot of them lined up in a row for us to try them out casually. Many people just enjoy such pens as a collection, but fountain pens have many purposes: to enjoy the pleasure of writing, to use as a tool, and to appreciate having time for yourself.
The first idea is to enjoy the feeling of writing. It is a feeling that only those who have tasted it can understand, but even just by drawing a line, you can feel it in your hand. When I wrote with a fountain pen for the first time, I was amazed at the sound it made when I wrote. Later, after using it several times, I began to feel the steady sound was comfortable. In particular, it is a beneficial tool for people with weak writing pressure compared with regular pens or pencils.
Second, a fountain pen is an excellent tool for organizing your thoughts. Nowadays, it is easy to make voice recordings and convert your ideas into text. However, there is a limit to how much you can write by hand compared with electronic media. In this sense, you can unconsciously replace writing time with organizing time in your mind.
The third is to set aside time for yourself. This idea is similar to the second benefit but different. As long as you have a pen and paper in front of you, you can think only of yourself. No person or sounds will disturb you. In this age of IT advancement, it is precious to be in a space where you are not connected to the Internet, where information is flowing. Especially for writers, such a tool can be a treasure trove of great ideas.
In conclusion, many people love fountain pens, such as writers and cartoonists. However, fountain pens are not only for specialists but also for people in general to enjoy the benefits and pleasure we have discussed. There are several series of pens for beginners with an economical price. So, why not give it a try?
Q1. What is the first benefit of fountain pens?
Q2. What is the second benefit of fountain pens?
Q3. What is the third benefit of fountain pens?
--- Scroll down for answers ---
A1. They help you to enjoy the feeling of writing.
A2. They help you to organize your thoughts.
A3. They give you space to think of and for yourself.
Akiko Watanabe **Photo courtesy of Pixabay @pexels.com**