About Two Approaches

In the last class, we learned about two approaches to teach vocablary. They are the Teach and Learn Approach and the Learning through Input Approach. I would like to tell you about the strengths and weaknesses of each approach.Approach. You can see a PowerPoint presentation of the approaches here.


First, I will talk about the Teach and Learn Approach.

☆strengths
・Students can understand the meaning of the words easily.
・They will be able to review the words easily when they forget them.
☆weaknesses
・Students can be bored with learning because it is a little monotonous.
・Students may forget the words easily. Sometimes the memories are transient.

Second, I will talk about the Learning through Input Approach.

☆strengths
・Students can memorize the words well because they can imagine a concrete situation.
・Students can concentrate on the learning because they can enjoy the theme or topic itself.
☆weaknesses
・It is a little difficult to understand sepecially for the students who not good at English.
・When students learn some words on the textbook, the words don't often have connection. So it is a little difficult to use this method when students learn with the textbook.

Lastly as a junior high school English teacher I would favor a Hybrid. Two methods have each effective points, but I think that it isn't an ideal way that teach by the same method every time. So I think that keeping their balance is also important.

Communicative Activities

Today, I'm going to review typical junior high school's communicative activities which we learned in the last class. The activities I'm going to show you today is Interview and Find someone who... .


First, I want to introduce new Interview. In the last class, we used this activity to study past tense. And we did this Interview with partners and we could enjoy partner's stories, but I think that we will be able to enjoy this activity more. In my plan, we use this to study future tense in the situation of invitation. For example, I ask someone their planning, “Are you free at 7:00 tomorrow?”, and if the answere is “Yes!”, I invite him to the movies or drinking or something, “Shall we go for a drink?”, and we promise to go for a drink. And then, I ask other person. In this activity, we can talk with many people and enjoy talking.


Second, I want to introduce new Find someone who... . I think that it is better that teacher ask students their plan or hope for the vacation in advance, and make a list. Students use this sheets and find whose plans are they. I think that students can have chance to talk with every member and they can do many tiomes in this activity.

Good -by My Job

On this long weekend, I said good-by to my part time job, because my shop was closed down. I had been a shop assistant in the sushi shop. I started that part time job in the August before last. Though I had many worries and sometimes I thought that I want to change my workplace, I could enjoy working truly. Because I loved my coworkers.

I loved my coworkers, because they were so kind. Especially, elder coworkers treated me as their real daughter. They always gave me sweets and something to drink, and they were so friendly to me, so I talked to them about many things. When I worried about something, they heard my stories and gave me sone advice. When I was sick, they cared me. I also thought they were my second parents.

I feel so sad because I will not be able to meet them any more, but I want to tell them thank you for good memories and your kindness. I will not forget this experiences.