Today’s schedule, 3 school shows and then a “otona demo dekiru” (“Even adults can get good!”) lecture in the evening!! Pretty busy! The schools in the morning were great (after I’d rewired up the sound system). We even got some special Macha tea before lunch. And we were also in the paper again. But this time guess what for ? For being “foreigners who visited a school” – my goodness!! I wish the reporters would attend a seminar to realise just how stupid that sounds! I can just imagine a headline in the UK like that, and all the protests it would generate! The afternoon school had a request to do some shopping songs. They have a demonstration class in a few weeks so wanted some ideas. So after the usual Rock, Paper, Scissors, we tried out, for the first time in a “show”, “How much?” and “Bigger Please”. And they were great! It takes a bit longer to teach these songs but they managed it no problem. Mind you afterwards the kids came upto me asking for some water, and I said I’d give them some if they could ask me the price in English. But then all they kept coming out with was “Cheaper, please”!! It was also good to meet the ALT in town. This week’s events had all been organised by the headteachers of the schools with no input from the ALT, it was a bit like the complete reversal of what usually happens! Then a quick rest before the evening show. The adults show is designed for your average person on the street who wants to learn English but needs a bit of a confidence boost to try it. However today most of the people were teachers who also attended yesterday’s seminar. So it was a bit tricky trying to keep it all jokes and motivation and no teaching techniques, but most people seemed to like it!

Richard Graham

Hello, I'm Richard Graham. When I was a kid I found school to be sooooo boring... So I transformed my way of teaching. I listened to what the kids were really wanting to say and taught it in ways they really wanted to learn. The results were magical. Now I help teachers just like you teach amazing lessons and double your incomes!