One way that I help some of my older students to practice their English is by being their Pen-Pal.
Each week these students write a letter to me, and I will write them a reply.
These letters are a great way to practice not only their reading and writing, but also their narrative and conversational grammar. The letters can be about any topic as well.
Some of my students write to me about their vacations, telling me how they visit family and the delicious food they got to eat.
One student and I have started exchanging spooky stories and folk tales because we discovered we both find them so much fun, and there are so many we can compare from different cultures.
Yet another student has been sharing her art with me, and her excitement to soon practice digital art.
Alongside helping them to practice their English, exchanging these letters gives me a chance to know my students more personally and tailor the language I teach them to their interests.
I keep each letter the students send me as a way to look back and see how they have improved, I hope that they will also be able to look back on the letters and appreciate their growth and the fun of having a pen pal!
-Jordan Sensei
英語学習には欠かせない「フォニックス」をご存じですか❔
フォニックスとは、発音と文字の関係性を学ぶ音声学習法で、もともと英語圏の子どもたちに読み書きを教えるために開発されたものです。
日本の子どもたちがひらがなを「50音」で覚えるように、アメリカやイギリスなど英語圏の子どもたちは「フォニックス」で英語を学びます。
つまり、「音」と「文字」を結びつけるルールです🎶
このルールをマスターすることで、知らない単語でも、耳で聞いただけでスペリングがわかり、正しく書くことができます❢
アミティーでは英会話のレッスンでも、PCを使用したインタラクティブのレッスンでもフォニックスを学習します。
またオリジナル教材にてご家庭でも取り組めますのでお問い合わせください！
Everyone has moments that they remember very well.
Often these times are very important moments, but sometimes, they can seem like such small moments but all the same they remain strong and clear in our memories.
Today I`d like to share two of those memories I have from the time I have been teaching.
The first is just over a year passed, when teaching my high school student `H` about good and bad habits. the phrase "To be a couch potato" came up as a way to express laziness. however, `H` was able to put it in the perspective of resting and growing to be healthy. I was already impressed by her ideas, and then she ended our class not with "take care of yourself" or "have a good weekend" but with "Please be a potato!". It caught me so far off guard that I still laugh every time I think of it.
The second memory I keep close is that of my young student `M` who started taking classes with her brother. `M` can be a rather reserved little girl and was very unsure about me for a long time, she didn`t understand and didn`t want to speak to me much, but with encouragement from mom and dad, and her brother as an example, she has opened up a lot, and not long ago at all `M` began our lesson together by running excitedly into the school not for a high five but right into my arms and giving me a big, squeazy hug. That moment when you realize how much a student has come to trust and like you is truly a special one!
-Jordan Sensei
みなさんこんにちは！
本日は、小学校低学年のプライベートレッスンでの出来事を紹介いたします。
小2のYくん。
英語をスラスラと読むことができ、今は少しずつ英検の練習をしています。
今回は、'Is he/she ~ing,too?'という構文だったので、こんなアクティビティをしてみました。
①絵あてゲーム
先生とYくんでそれぞれ一つずつ、習った単語を使って絵をかき、その絵に対して質問をして答えを当てていきました。
②ハングマン(文字あてゲーム)
先生がボードに「------」のように線を書き、先生が考えている単語は何かを当てるゲームです。
Yくんは思いつくアルファベットを言っていき「li--enだから…tが入るかな！」(答えはlisten)と単語を推測することができました！
個別レッスンなので、より一層アクティビティができますね！
これからも一緒にレベルを上げながら英語を勉強していきましょう！
福田
Everybody's got their something.
I find it heart warming to watch the students excel in the goals they set for themselves.
From finally getting the hang of a difficult word pronunciation or getting a good score on an English test.
Even getting "revenge" and re-delivering a speech about their favourite game to all the teachers here at Amity!
Everybody's got their something to prove and everybody wants to shine in someway.
This week and last week, I have been fortunate enough to witness these little moments.
All students have that something that have been trying and working hard for.
I am so proud of all of them and hope they can continue to keep trying to improve their English.
- Khanya (Kay) Sensei
アミティーでは、CLIL学習を取り入れています！
CLILとは・・・Content and Language Integrated Learning(内容言語統合型学習)の略で
英語をツールとして使い、地理や算数を学習する言語の学習方法を指します。
アミティーのレッスンでは英語圏に住む子供たちと同じように自然と英語を身に着けて頂くことを目標としています。
学習するコンテンツの質の高さ！はアミティーの強みです😊👌
Unconditional Positive Regard
Many years ago I worked in Counseling and Psychotherapy and was trained in UPR (Unconditional Positive Regard) in my work with clients.
However, when I began working in education, I discovered that UPR is not limited to counseling but is also important in the English language classroom and guides me in my role as a teacher.
This is because UPR creates a safe space where students can try out language without fear of making mistakes.
UPR boots student motivation because feeling valued makes students eager to learn.
UPR builds confidence because continual positive feedback encourages students to speak and supports their personal growth.
When I was a student I hated learning languages so as a teacher I vow that none of my students will ever feel the same way. - Michael
Lately I have been working with one of our best students on a very special project for his school.
`H` has been studying with us for a long time and is very confident with his English, So confident, in fact, that very soon he will be giving a speech in English in front of his entire school, and then later to a competition at city hall!
Now this is no simple speech that `H` is working on, measuring at almost two pages long, it is all about environmentalism and clean energy research, and is full of some complex vocabulary, however despite that, He has put his all into his practice. We have used techniques taught to actors in theater and film to help him not only remember all of these words, but express his feelings about them through his tone and body language.
`H` has absolutely blown me away with how quickly he has picked up everything we worked on, and even though he is nervous to speak in front of so many people, I can`t wait to hear what an amazing job he does!
-Jordan Sensei
英語は、始めようと思ったその時がベストタイミングです！
☆離乳食デビューしたら
☆幼稚園に通い始めたら
☆小学校入学前に
☆中学・高校・大学入試に向けて
☆留学を考え始めたら
英語を始められるきっかけは様々です♪
まずは体験レッスンから始めてみませんか？
おためしレッスン申し込み締め切り9/21（土）までです！
This week, sadly, I`ve had to say goodbye to one of my Adult students, `T`.
`T` only took English lessons with me for a short while, but his enthusiasm was so contagious, every week he would come to class and dilligently take notes on the vocabulary and expressions we were learning.
`T` also loves games, and so a good portion of our lesson would be our conversation held over the top of a game of Reversi. Despite his claims otherwise, I was blown away again and again by `T`s strong vocabulary and understanding of English, what he needed most of all was confidence and a foundation for when to use what he already knew.
I think this is something that reflects in many language learners, when you are surrounded by Native speakers, you feel like you know less than you actually do. One day, you`ll surprise yourself and realise all at once just how far you`ve come!
-Jordan Sensei
