Hi everyone,
First, I’m very sorry for writing this week’s blog so late. As a result, I will extend the deadline for the blog homework until 9th November midnight. Also, as you know, classes on Wednesday are cancelled because of H1N1 influenza. So, we will need to change the deadline for your first essay. Let’s talk about this at our next class. I hope you are all well, and that anyone who has influenza feels better soon.
Okay, thank you so much for your blog comments last week. They were very enjoyable to read. It was very interesting to read about your hopes for the new government, and your concerns about society and the economy.
Many of you are concerned about finance issues. Natsumi wants a review of the use of government revenues. Yukie wants the government to absorb government bonds. Yukie and Toshiro want the government to eliminate the wasteful use of tax payer’s money.
Many of you are also concerned about employment. Hiroki, Naoya and Yukie hope the government will restore businesses and the economy. Takaaki, Narifusa, Kousei and Shihori hope the government will improve current employment problems. Shihori wants the government to improve the working environment of those working in the welfare sector. Yurika wants subsidies for vocational training, especially for those who have lost jobs. Hirotaka doesn’t want the government to stop public constructions.
Many of you are concerned about education. Akihiro, Ayato and Reizi want high school education to be free and Chisato and Reizi want more affordable university education. Ayano wants the education system to be more inclusive for students with disabilities.
And, of course, many of you are also concerned about other social policies. Toshiro wants the government to introduce child benefit payments, and Takaaki wants the government to solve the pension problem. Hiroki wants to see a cut in consumption taxes, Ayato wants the government to abolish gasoline taxes, and Yuri wants the government to ease the burden of the amount of taxes and welfare payments citizens have to make. Yuri and Shiho want highways to be toll-free. On the other hand, Kousei is against toll-free highways, while Yurika wants highways to be toll-free only for trucks and busses. Instead, she wants ship and train fares to be reduced. Hiroki wants more holidays, Takaaki wants the practice of high-ranking government officials obtaining executive posts in private firms to be abolished, and Yasuhiro H. wants the current government to work more positively than the previous government.
Thanks for all of your comments!!
==================================================================
Okay, in this week’s blog I want us to talk about studying English (or any other foreign languages that you study). All of you at the moment are studying at least one foreign language. Studying foreign languages can be fun, but there are also a lot of difficult things too. There is so much to know about a language; so, studying a foreign language can be endless – a life long task. Also, becoming proficient at speaking, writing, listening and reading is also challenging. In this week’s blog I want you to write about two things:
1) What do you find most difficult when studying English (or another foreign language)?
2) What is a good study method you use to study English (or another foreign language)?
When I first started studying Japanese, I found listening to be the most difficult thing. No matter how hard I listened, I couldn’t understand what I was listening to. I couldn’t tell the beginning of one word, and the ending of another. There were so many words that I didn’t know. And, I didn’t know much about Japanese dialects, etc. But, I was determined to become a master at listening to Japanese. So, I practiced for hours every day. I did many listening problems. I listened and listened until I could understand everything without looking at the script. I listened to Japanese songs, TV shows, news, movies… anything I could! I listened all the time!! I watched Japanese movies, and tried to write what was being said. I mimicked what I heard. Through this I learnt many new words, and also discovered many things about Japan and the Japanese language. And, finally, I could come to be able to understand things said in Japanese. In fact, listening is now the easiest thing for me.
Anyway, this is my story. But, I would like to hear yours!! Please try to write about 150 words. Read the comment left before yours and write that person a brief message. Try to read as many of your classmate’s comments as possible. Write your blog comment by November 9, midnight.
Best of luck everyone,
Kris
First, I’m very sorry for writing this week’s blog so late. As a result, I will extend the deadline for the blog homework until 9th November midnight. Also, as you know, classes on Wednesday are cancelled because of H1N1 influenza. So, we will need to change the deadline for your first essay. Let’s talk about this at our next class. I hope you are all well, and that anyone who has influenza feels better soon.
Okay, thank you so much for your blog comments last week. They were very enjoyable to read. It was very interesting to read about your hopes for the new government, and your concerns about society and the economy.
Many of you are concerned about finance issues. Natsumi wants a review of the use of government revenues. Yukie wants the government to absorb government bonds. Yukie and Toshiro want the government to eliminate the wasteful use of tax payer’s money.
Many of you are also concerned about employment. Hiroki, Naoya and Yukie hope the government will restore businesses and the economy. Takaaki, Narifusa, Kousei and Shihori hope the government will improve current employment problems. Shihori wants the government to improve the working environment of those working in the welfare sector. Yurika wants subsidies for vocational training, especially for those who have lost jobs. Hirotaka doesn’t want the government to stop public constructions.
Many of you are concerned about education. Akihiro, Ayato and Reizi want high school education to be free and Chisato and Reizi want more affordable university education. Ayano wants the education system to be more inclusive for students with disabilities.
And, of course, many of you are also concerned about other social policies. Toshiro wants the government to introduce child benefit payments, and Takaaki wants the government to solve the pension problem. Hiroki wants to see a cut in consumption taxes, Ayato wants the government to abolish gasoline taxes, and Yuri wants the government to ease the burden of the amount of taxes and welfare payments citizens have to make. Yuri and Shiho want highways to be toll-free. On the other hand, Kousei is against toll-free highways, while Yurika wants highways to be toll-free only for trucks and busses. Instead, she wants ship and train fares to be reduced. Hiroki wants more holidays, Takaaki wants the practice of high-ranking government officials obtaining executive posts in private firms to be abolished, and Yasuhiro H. wants the current government to work more positively than the previous government.
Thanks for all of your comments!!
==================================================================
Okay, in this week’s blog I want us to talk about studying English (or any other foreign languages that you study). All of you at the moment are studying at least one foreign language. Studying foreign languages can be fun, but there are also a lot of difficult things too. There is so much to know about a language; so, studying a foreign language can be endless – a life long task. Also, becoming proficient at speaking, writing, listening and reading is also challenging. In this week’s blog I want you to write about two things:
1) What do you find most difficult when studying English (or another foreign language)?
2) What is a good study method you use to study English (or another foreign language)?
When I first started studying Japanese, I found listening to be the most difficult thing. No matter how hard I listened, I couldn’t understand what I was listening to. I couldn’t tell the beginning of one word, and the ending of another. There were so many words that I didn’t know. And, I didn’t know much about Japanese dialects, etc. But, I was determined to become a master at listening to Japanese. So, I practiced for hours every day. I did many listening problems. I listened and listened until I could understand everything without looking at the script. I listened to Japanese songs, TV shows, news, movies… anything I could! I listened all the time!! I watched Japanese movies, and tried to write what was being said. I mimicked what I heard. Through this I learnt many new words, and also discovered many things about Japan and the Japanese language. And, finally, I could come to be able to understand things said in Japanese. In fact, listening is now the easiest thing for me.
Anyway, this is my story. But, I would like to hear yours!! Please try to write about 150 words. Read the comment left before yours and write that person a brief message. Try to read as many of your classmate’s comments as possible. Write your blog comment by November 9, midnight.
Best of luck everyone,
Kris
Hello,Kris.You studied Japanese very hard!!So,now,you speak Japanese and listen very well.I want to speak English fluently as you speak Japanese.I try to those things that you did.
返信削除First,my most difficult thing when I studying English is pronouncing.I went to Newzealand on a school excursion,and host mother asked to me "What fruits do you like?" So I answered "I like apple." but she couldn't understand what I said.I was discouraged.I want to speak fluently.
Second,my good method to studying English and Chinese are wacthing movies or cartoon films with subtitles.Sometimes I can understand that sentences and words.
Anyway I want to go abroad and talk with foreigner.So I must study foreign language hard!!!!
Thank you for reading.
Yurika Tomita
I am sad if people who speak English can`t what I say. But, I think you experienced a wonderful thing. You noticed Japanese pronunciation is not good. You could study English pronunciation and conversation hard.
返信削除I like English. I want to speak English fluently and get TOEIC , TOIFL, or English Official Approval. It is difficult that I do those. I have mainly two problems. First, I cannot listen to English well. I cannot recognize words so English local people speak is a good pronounce. Second, I don`t have a very large English vocabulary. I can`t understand conversation. I neglect my English studies so I can`t do those.
But, thanks to studying English, I can show how to get to the station to foreign who get lost. I think we should studier English conversation. We study English grammar hard, but we don`t study it much. After all, Japanese can speak English fluently, and many people are interested English.
Thank you for reading.
Kumiko Hayakawa
Kumiko’s opinion is very nice. I want to speak English fluently and get TOEIC , TOIFL, or English Official Approval too.
返信削除When I started studying foreign language, I was troubled about pronunciation. When I went to China this summer, I realized the difficulty regarding pronunciation. At first I couldn’t make myself understood to them in Chinese. When I showed Chinese paper that I wrote Chinese sentence, I was taught right pronunciation by Chinese. I could gradually make myself understood in Chinese through their help.
I think that it is the most effective for us to go to the actual place. Because I found it important to come in with a foreign culture and mix with the local people.
And it is effective method to listen to foreign music. Chinese friend’s opinions were the same as mine. This way is able to learn a lot of words, pronunciation, grammar and so on.
Further it is best method to make friends.
I want to travel around the world in the future. So I have to study foreign language hard.
Thank you for reading.
Yukie Nishioka.
My name is Hiroki Toyama.
返信削除I agree to your opinion. And your attitude to English is great. Surely,English vocabulary and prononce are diffcult but I want to study English like you to speak foreigner.
Now,I want to speak English fluently because I want to speak foreigner and watch a movie in no caption.
But there are some problems.
First,It is difference of pronounce. Japanese cannot speak English pronounce because I do not speak English correct pronounce every day.
Second,I use wrong English words and grammer. Because there things,Japanese English can not progress. Good method we study English is using and listening English every day. And,your brain and ears are used to English.I think if our body remember English,our English is progressed.
After all,we must use English. So I think we are more interested in English and must be used to it.
Your opinion is very good.
返信削除I think that we must speak English every day.
And, we must listen to English.
What we are used to listen to English is very important.
I have wanted to speak fluently since childhood.
But, I can’t speak fluently.
First, the most difficult thing is listening and pronunciation.
I can’t often understand English that native speaker (like an English teacher) speaks.
They speak very fast for me.
All I can do is listening to partial word.
Also, pronunciation that we speak differs from English that native speaker speaks.
Second, a good method I use to study English is listening to English songs.
When I was a senior in high school, I suffered from my English listening comprehension.
Listening to English songs makes my ear accustom to English.
After all, we must always listen to genuine English and frequently use English.
Thank you for reading.
Chisato Nakashimo.
Chisato’s sentence leaves nothing to be desired, and her opinions just resemble mine.
返信削除１) The thing that I felt difficulty when I study English is I was not able to understand listening, and memory a bunch of English words, and so on.
In order to memory a great deal of English words when I was high-school student, I have kept writing it for a month.
The number of I wrote word is 32,000, but I couldn’t memory it at all.
So I decided that I never write words when I memory not any words, but also something.
２) A good study method that I use to study English is “Shadowing”
Maybe, it is a good method for us to memory something.
Shadowing, it is thing that we repeat word which could listen.
Thereby we can adjust to any things.
If you have the time, please try to it.
My name is Naoya Nakamura.
Recently, “shadowing” comes to be introduced into English lessons. I feel the same way that shadowing is one of the good methods to improve our English skill.
返信削除When it comes to English, it is speaking that I am not good at the most. It is difficult for me to make myself understood in English.
I often use several ways to learn English. One is my favorite foreign drama, Full House. After I watch the story in Japanese, I watch it in English. The scripts are accessible on the internet and they are very useful to learn English phrases. The other is western music. I translate a lyric from English to Japanese in my own way. Thanks to these, I came to like English unique expressions.
There is a saying “We tend to be good at those things we like.” I want to learn English with having fun.
Thank you for reading.
Ayano Hashiguchi
Hi, I’m Takaaki Hayashi.
返信削除I agree with you. I think that your opinion is nice. I also love listening to music.
Japanese is totally different from English. The most different thing is grammar. But, I don’t care it at all. But, there is a more important thing. It is the expression. I often consider which wards I should use. For example, “watch” differ from “see”. But, meaning in Japanese, they are same. And it’s very hard for me to learn pronunciations.
In order to solve these problems, I used to speaking and listen. I enjoy studying English very much. Because it’s fun for me to talk with people in English and listen to music. I recommend speaking in English as a good study method too. Of course, I think watching movies and dramas and listening to music in English is a very good way to study. I love them.
Thank you for reading.
Hi,Takaaki.
返信削除Your method is very positive. It is important to enjoy English.
Today, it is more and more important for us to learn English. However, I can’t get skill of English easily. I think the most difficult point of learning English is grammar. Japanese grammar which is my mother tongue is peculiar, because it is different from most of foreign languages. The arrangement of words is especially difficult. When I study English, I often make an error in the arrangement of words. I have heard Japanese is not very strict, but English is very strict about it.
Anyway, we must get skill of English, though I am not good at studying it. So my best method of studying it is to use all my body, for example, hearing with ears, pronouncing with a mouth and writing with a hand many times. I think this method needs big efforts, but we can get the genuine skill and use it perfectly.
Thank you for reading.
Akihiro Hayashi
Your idea is nice. Especially, I agree with a study method of using all our body.
返信削除I feel speaking is most difficult. I can’t know simple conversational expression, when I speak with foreigner. I feel speaking is difficult at English or Korean language classes.
There are two methods I use.
First, it is listening to English CD. I listened to do it every night, when I was a high school student. So, I learned to listen little by little. Length of time doesn’t care at only a few minutes. The most important thing is “every day”. I think being always related to English is good.
Second, it is talking with foreigner. I can’t use this method so much, but I think this method is necessary to study foreign language.
Yoko Nakamura. Thank you for reading.
I am interested in foreign languages.But I feel everything is difficult about studying foreign lauguages and I don't know how to study that.So,I refer to classmate's comments from now on.
返信削除I agree with Yoko.It is effective to progress with studying foreign languages especially for listening.However,Not all listening,going on studying everyday is important thing.
The matter to me about studying foreign language is I cannot enjoy studying.I want to ask you when do you enjoy studying foreign languages?
I'm Shihori Nakayama.Thank you for reading.
Hello,my name is Toshiro Nakamura.
返信削除Your opinion is very nice.I agree with Yoko and Shihori.I think so too.Listening is very good study method.
I think that I enjoy studying foreign languages when I communicate with foreigners.
To communicate with foreigners is very fun!
In particular,when I could make myself understood,I was very happy.
I found that it is difficult for me to speak foreign languages.Speaking is fun,but we have to choice many words.
Studying method is a lot of. So,I think that good how to study foreign languages is reading. Reading is very good study method.
I can learn many words by heart by reading.
Thank you for reading.
Hello.I'm Yasuhiro Toyota.
返信削除I agree with Toshiro's opinion.I think Speaking is the most difficult.
We can not speaking more than we expected.
Speaking needs a lot of skils on langage.
I think that best way of studying foreign language is listening!!!
Listening gives us a lot of skils.
For example words,grammar,etc...
In addition,we should read aloud.
We can acquire the correct skils.
I think these are my best ways of studying language.
Thank you.
I'm sorry for slowing.
返信削除My name is yuuki tomozawa.
Yasuhiro’s opinion very nice.
I think that it is difficult also for me to speak English.
I am not good at speaking.
I think that becoming accustomed to English in the beginning is important.
I think that you should start from hearing English with CD etc.
Because it is possible to become accustomed to the pronunciation of English,
and the word can be memorized.
It is thought that other methods of speaking with the foreigner actually are good.
Because a correct pronunciation can be remembered.
And because
I am glad if it is possible to run to the other party.
As for me, this method thinks English to be an important preened method.
Thank you for reading.
Hi, Yuuki! I agree with your opinions. It is important for beginners to accustom to hearing foreign languages.
返信削除Kris, I’m sorry too late to wrote this blog. I was in bed with a cold. Your ways to study Japanese are very nice! I will try those methods!
I study English and Chinese in this college. My most difficult thing when I studying them is listening. I haven’t ability to understand spoken foreign languages native speaker. I was troubled about pronunciation.
Good method I study English is listening to English song, TV programs, and movies. I think that we must speak English every day. And, we must listen to English more like Kris. What we are used to listen to English is very important.
Thank you for reading.
My name is Yuri Nakamura.
Hello! My name is Reizi Terasaka.
返信削除First,I'm sorry that writing slows.
I agree with Yuri's opinion.I think that I should touch English to be good for speaking English well.
The grammar is the most difficult of things that I am studying English.There are various kinds of grammars and remembering is serious.
The method of the use when I study English hears a lot of English.I think that it is important to increase the chance to touch English so that English may become good.
Thank you for reading.
I think study japanese language is very important for english
返信削除translater natuko toda say if you want make progress your english skill you must to laern japanese if your mathor tongue is bad you can't any language
I think so. therfore I oppsite early english education before anything else we have to laern japanese.
writhing by hirotaka fujiwara
My name is Daigo yamamoto.I think learning English is very important.English is used around the world.But syudying English is my weak point. Because when I was junior high school student,I became to hate for English. In junior high school,firt I learned word and grammar. But I dont think to interesting.
返信削除I think,first of all English teacher teach English's pleasure and amusement.
Hi,Daigo! I understand your feelng.
返信削除I want to be good at English because I think it is useful for us in the future. But there are some difficult things when we learn about English. The things that I feel difficulty are listening, pronouncing, and so on. But I think that the most difficult thing is memorizing a lot of English word.
When I read English sentence in my high school days, I often used to be not able to understand content of the sentence. This was because there were many words which I didn’t know.I think if we want to educate our ability to understand English, we should memorize a lot of English word. A good method for doing that is repetition. For example, I carried English word book and I opened it to memorize in my vacant hours when I was a high school student. And what’s more, I practiced by writing and pronouncing again and again.
Thanks to these, I got better English. Thank you for your reading. Bye!! Shotaro Tawara.
I also think Shoutaro, memorizing English word is very dificult.
返信削除I have studied English for seven years, but I can hear conversation in English a little.
I’m poor at listening, so of course, I scarcely understand Hollywood movies without subtitles, and western music.
If I am asked by a foreign people who lose his way now, I won’t guide him.
However I want to get better at my hearing ability and fluently talk to native in English. I think it is important to think strongly that I want to progress with my English ability and keep a little studying everyday for example, reading word book in ten minutes, listening to a western music and so on.
When I was a third-year high school student, I studied English hardest ever. I studied English day after day, so English score was improving quickly. I was happy at sensing to progress my English power. Daily effort is most important.
Thank you for reading.
Natsumi Hashimoto
My name is Hideaki Nagai.
返信削除I`m sorry to be late.
is the same as a teacher to think that it is the most difficult when I study English and thinks that I hear it. I cannot understand it even if a teacher talks in English.
A good method is to go to the foreign country for study English. Then I get possible to use the English and learn nature and English and get possible to speak English
My name is Akihito Tsuneyoshi.
返信削除I don't like English.
Because the reason for English is that it is not good from the time of the high school.
I was considerably embarrassed in the class because it understood neither an English grammar nor the word, etc. at all.
I studied hard by using the electronic dictionary because it was not good at EnglishAnd, I thought that I would study English in the future.
Hi Akihiko. Idon't like English too.
返信削除It is a difference of the word that thinks it is the most difficult when I study English. It is afflicted by the difference with Japanese usually used though it is a grammar and a word. Moreover, it feels odd in the difference of the composition with English that brings the conclusion first compared with Japanese that tends to extend the conclusion of the composition of sentences ahead.
The study done when I study English is to become accustomed. It is not easy to say acquiring if it doesn't understand in the sense because English is a word. Therefore, it is thought that it acquires by it doesn't study after it makes a note alone but voicing and practicing talking even forcibly.
Thank you for reading.
Takahiro Noguchi
Hi,Takahiro.I agree with you.
返信削除But,I like English.
I found that English is very different from Japanese.The things that I feel differently are listening, pronouncing, and so on.I think English is very difficult.Most difficult things when I studying English are pronounciation and grammar.If I should speaak English very well,I must study and listen English every day.
A good study method that I use to study English is making native friend.If we speak and listen English with native,we study English highly efficient.
Thank you for reading.
Ryota Fukunaga