This month there are loads of updates on the website, and a groovy new
game called "Mingle". Did you manage to see Genki English in
the Japan Times the other week? If not, you can have a look online. http://www.japantimes.com/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?ek20020426eb.htm
Completely updated and revised Genki English Curriculum
Are you looking for ideas of what to teach in Elementary School? Does your
school want you to provide a year long plan? Don't fancy paying thousands
of dollars for a custom made curriculum? Well, have a look at the new Genki
English Curriculum page. Each of the two levels has 14 lessons, just right
for one year's study. For each level there is a list of the target language
and a recommended game, all the hard work has been done for you, all you
have to do is pop along and teach the class! This curriculum has been updated
to take into account feedback from many people, so if you have any comments
then please let us know! Joel Bacha will also have a book published of
his Elementary School Curriculum, it should be available next month, so
keep checking back! http://genkienglish.net/curriculum.htm
Mingle Game
Now "mingle" probably isn't very high on your "words to
teach" list, and quite rightly so. But by playing this game the kids
can get to practise any conversation that you happen to be studying, for
example "How are you?", "How old are you?", "What
are you doing?" or anything really!
1. Get rid of any tables and chairs and get the kids together in one big
group.
2. Whilst singing the "mingle chant" the kids move around, mingling
with each other! (see the website for the chant, it's very simple)
3. When the teacher says "Stop!" the kids make pairs with the
person nearest to them and they practise today's conversation!
e.g. "What's your name?" "My name's Luke. What's your name?
"My name's Leia. Nice to meet you!"
4. Repeat from 2.
That's it, simple but fun! Instead of just today's conversation, after
saying "Stop!" you can shout out any phrase you'd like to practise!
On the website there is a groovy little animation and of course the Japanese
translation! This is a cool idea that I got from David in Ikina. Thanks! http://genkienglish.net/mingle.htm
NHK TV Challenge!
NHK is the national public broadcaster in Japan, and they are making a
documentary about Genki English! But as this is TV there has to be a bit
of a challenge! So last week we went to a primary school that has just
started English, but is a little unsure of how to teach it. As usual we
did a show for all 600 kids and then a teaching seminar. Usually the teachers
take the ideas, try them out in their classroom and after a while get really
good at teaching English. But this time it's a bit different. One of the
teachers will try out her first lesson this week, and then next week she'll
teach her second English lesson on Parents' Day, in front of all the visitors
and the NHK cameras! Quite a challenge! Can she do it? Check out NHK TV
BS1 on June 9th to find out!
Genki English Live
Last month we had a great time in Fukuoka and Yamagata, this month we'll
be in.....
Kagoshima City May 11th
In the morning a kids' show, and in the afternoon a teachers' seminar.
Then in the evening another seminar in Sendai City (in Kagoshima Prefecture!).
Any elementary school age kids can join the show, to order tickets please
contact the organiser, Jellybeans Educational on 099 216 8800.
June 1st Kyoto KEE Teacher Training seminar
This will be a teacher training seminar featuring many leading presenters.
We'll be doing our seminar and joining in the symposium in Japanese only,
and to join you can contact Professor Shikata at manji@ma8.seikyou.ne.jp
June 2nd Maruzen Tokyo
Yep, we'll be back again, with a bigger room and loads more fun activities!
If you didn't get chance to pop along last month, be sure to join us in
the afternoon of June 2nd at the Maruzen store in Nihonbashi Tokyo. Kids
are also free to attend, and it'll be a sort of "Genki lesson type
thing with a few explanations thrown in for the parents but generally just
fun"!
June 3rd - June 5th Tokyo JET Re-contracting Conference
On June 3rd we'll be doing the AJET workshop and we'll be throwing out
as many cool ideas for teaching Junior High and Elementary School as we
can!! It'll be fun and fast, and if you fancy getting the CDs we'll be
selling them postage free, if you want to snap up a little bargain!
Then on June 5th we'll be the main CLAIR speakers! Yep, we'll be doing
the formal lecture!! Should be fun!! Anyway the basic theme will be "Motivation
and Getting the Most out of JET!"
You might think it a bit strange that we'll be speaking twice at Tokyo,
but not at Kobe. Hmmm, this has confused us a bit as well! But in any case
we will be at the trade fair in Kobe, so if you want a chat come and see
us!
The next day we'll be heading off to LA to do a bit of filming, then back
to Aomori! If you want us to visit your school, there is a full description
of our pricing policy on the website! http://genkienglish.net/show.html
And finally
I've also been busy updating the Japanese translations of lots of the games,
and of course there is still our weekly column in the Asahi Syougakusei
Shinbun. There's also a new "How are you?" talking page on the
website. Plus there are ton more things waiting to go up as soon as I get
time, and I'm also looking at starting CD 4 soon, so if anyone has any
ideas of topics they'd like including then please get in touch!
If you know of anyone who might be interested in this newsletter, then
please feel free to send it on!
Oh, and there's also a Japanese version, you can sign up for it from the
main Japanese menu!
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