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Talking about Japan
I live and teach in Japan. For more than 30 years I taught in my university's Intercultural Studies Department. Of course, dealing with culture is a two-way street. Students need to be able to look at and explain their own culture as well as learn about other cultures. Here are a few activities I use to have my students practice explaining Japan.
What is it? Students give hints about Japanese things. Partners guess.
Essential Japanese. Students begin by deciding on 8 words or phrases that someone new to Japan really needs to know. They they play a "password" game with Japanese words.
Explain Japan. 20 topics related to Japanese culture. Students choose those that are interesting and try explaining them. I wrote this before taking students abroad to give them practice.
It's special Students draw a picture (or bring) something that represents their (or another) culture and explain it.
My name is... Students write their name in Japanese, then think about/ practice explaining the meaning.This is good at the beginning of the year when students are still getting to know each other.
Explaining your culture gives learners a formula to explain words that either don't exist in English or that they don't know. This based on the Group Work in unit 6 of English Firsthand 2.
Savoring wabi-sabi This goes with my ELT and the Science of Happiness website. It encourages students to notice and talk about traditional Japanese design.
Culture capsule. Students identify things important from their own culture. (This is a draft of an activity we included in a previous edition of English Firsthand 2.)
What is it? Students give hints about Japanese things. Partners guess.
Essential Japanese. Students begin by deciding on 8 words or phrases that someone new to Japan really needs to know. They they play a "password" game with Japanese words.
Explain Japan. 20 topics related to Japanese culture. Students choose those that are interesting and try explaining them. I wrote this before taking students abroad to give them practice.
It's special Students draw a picture (or bring) something that represents their (or another) culture and explain it.
My name is... Students write their name in Japanese, then think about/ practice explaining the meaning.This is good at the beginning of the year when students are still getting to know each other.
Explaining your culture gives learners a formula to explain words that either don't exist in English or that they don't know. This based on the Group Work in unit 6 of English Firsthand 2.
Savoring wabi-sabi This goes with my ELT and the Science of Happiness website. It encourages students to notice and talk about traditional Japanese design.
Culture capsule. Students identify things important from their own culture. (This is a draft of an activity we included in a previous edition of English Firsthand 2.)