Week 12 - Adding a comic to a blog post

Don't forget to choose your graduation seminar.

Did you practice for your audio clip with Kevin? If not, do that. If yes, you can post your audio on the page where the related text is.

Next ...
Want to do some grammar practice? No? I didn't think so. Let's make a comic instead.

Make Beliefs Comix
Here's a comic I made with Make Beliefs Comix, an online comic building site. The scene is from 'Annie Hall,' Woody Allen's most famous movie. Here's the original scene from the movie.

Here's another comic from the same movie, but after the character, Alvy, has become an adult. And here's the original movie clip (scene starts at 1:40).

The comic below is from a Quentin Tarantino movie. Do you know it? The comic creator is called Strip Creator.

Here's the actual scene from "Pulp Fiction," (from 1:00 minute mark) for the dialog above. (The comic was edited slightly to remove profanity.)

Some ideas:

• Movie or TV scene - like above
• Manga scene - like above
• Sports - a dialog from the news, such as a reporter and player; or an incident that happened on the field; a conversation between two players; something 
• Restaurants, cafes or bars - a dialog between a customer and staff, a dialog between two customers or two staff members
• Cooking - a guy telling someone how to cook something 
• Or have some characters talking about the content of your blog post

Save the comic (or take a screen shot) and paste it into your blog post. Send me a link so I know where to find it! 

You can delete the comic if you like after the course grades have been given. (But you don't have to delete it.)

Blog Post #5 is due next week - Dec. 13.

Week 11 - Blog Post #4 Presentations

Today you will present Blog Post #4. Have you made all corrections?

Today ...

1. Present Blog Post #4
2. Make any needed changes to your blogs.
3. Blog Post #5 is due Dec. 13 (or sooner)
4. Continue audio recording activity; actually, I would like to help you practice your pronunciation and intonation before you record. We can do that in class if there is time.

Week 10 - Relative Clauses & Audio; Blog Post #4 Due

Hey guys! Are you genki today?

Today ...
1) Blog Post #4 is due. Kevin will give you corrections, either today or by email.
2) We will hear 3 more limericks.
3) We will do a Relative Clauses worksheet. PDF
Practice #1 / #2
4) If time, we will start an Audio Activity: Find a blog post that you'd like to add audio to.
5) Choose (or make) two to four sentences that capture the feel of your blog post. 
6) Practice the sentences until you sound like a native! You need good intonation! Have Kevin listen.
7) Record your sentences (on Voice Record Pro) . *
8) Save the audio in your Google Drive or on Sound Cloud (you can log in with Google).
9) Copy the 'share' code. 
10) Paste or embed the audio clip in your blog post (at the bottom of the post).

* If you want to make a slideshow or video with a different app that includes audio, you can do that. However, you will have to figure out how to do it yourself.

• Today you will download Voice Record Pro to your smartphone (if you haven't already).
• Using your Google Drive is the easiest way to share the audio file.
• You can make a SoundCloud account (with your Google login) if you prefer.
• You will be ready to record after we practice a bit together!

Kevin's example: Talk Back - July 12, 2014
Student example, Ikegami Honmonji Temple

You will present Blog Post #4 next week (Nov. 29). 

Blog Post #5 (final post!) is due in three weeks! (Dec. 13); you will present it Dec. 20.

Week 9 - Limericks for Intonation

Today ...

1) We will practice saying some limericks for intonation (PDF)
2) Blog post #4 is due next week (Nov. 22)

Limericks to practice intonation:

There once were two cats from Kilkenny,

Each thought there was one cat too many.

They started to fight and

To scratch and to bite.

Now instead of two cats there aren't any.

Kevin will give you two limericks to practice saying in class. Each person will have different limericks to present.

Blog post #4 writing is due next week, Nov. 22 
Blog post #5 writing is due Dec. 13

Week 8 - Blog Post #3 Presentations

Today you will present Blog Post #3! Have you made all corrections?

Blog Presentations #3

This is your blog! Present without reading, please! Practice in advance, know how to pronounce all words, and speak with feeling!

Today ...

1. Present Blog Post #3
2. Make any needed changes to your blogs.
3. Blog Post #4 is due Nov. 22 (or sooner)
4. Do a grammar exercise re. the Present Perfect Tense

Past Tense vs Present Perfect Tense

Past Tense example:
How long did you work at Starbucks?  I worked there for two years.

Present Perfect Tense example:
How long have you worked at Starbucks?  I have worked there since 2019.

Past Tense - the work is finished

Present Perfect Tense - the work started in the past and is still continuing

Present Perfect Tense Practice Exercise

Do the form!
Present Perfect Tense Form

Week 7 - Blog Post #3 Due

Reminder: Tokubetsu Enshu II students will choose Graduation Seminars soon. I will not be here next year, so you have to choose another teacher.

Today (Nov. 1) ...

1) Thursday we will have a day off. How will you spend your day?

2) We will check to see that you posted Blog Post #3.

3) We will do another Passive vs Active exercise and a Word Families grammar exercise.

The results of the More Passive vs Active Sentences form were surprising. Students who got less than 20 out of 23 should review verb forms.

By the way, one answer was marked wrong even though it was not wrong. I fixed it (sorry).

#10. The teacher's accent ___ by the students. (not understand)

The teacher's accent is not understood by the students.  OR  The teacher's accent isn't understood by the students.

Both are OK!

Students who got less than 20 on the form should do the following:

Online Present Simple Exercise
Be Verbs Exercise
The forms of Be Exercise

• When you finish, make a comment in the comment box like this: I finished the 3 grammar exercises. - Hana (your name)

Mana and Chihiro don't have to do the above 3 exercises.😀

Please look at these two sentences:
English is taught at Tsurumi University. / English was taught at Tsurumi University.

Both are passive, but the first is present tense, the second is past tense.

All students should do this form:
Still More Passive vs Active Sentences

All sentences on the form are in the present tense.

---

Word Families

adjective	adverb	verb	noun
free	freely	free (freed)	freedom
calm	calmly	calm (calmed)	calm, calmness
quiet	quietly	quiet (quieted)	quiet, quietness
perfect	perfectly	perfect (perfected)	perfection
deep	deeply	deepen (deepened)	depth
creative	creatively	create (created)	creation
decisive	decisively	decide (decided)	decision
lost		lose (lost)	loss
special	specially (especially)	specialize (specialized)	specialty
influential	influentially	influence (influenced)	influence

He’s a free man.       He spoke freely.      He freed the birds from the cage.    I like my freedom.

She’s a calm person.   She spoke calmly.  She calmed the crying baby.   I am enjoying the calm.

Word Families Exercise

More Word Families Exercise

joinmyquiz.com

Next week be ready to present Blog Post #3.

Week 6 - Active vs Passive

Greetings!

Blog Post #3 is due next week (Nov. 1). You will present it Nov. 8.
* Please make corrections to your blog as soon as possible after Kevin shows you the mistakes.

Today ...
1) Passive vs Active exercise (I gave you the paper last week in class.) PDF
    Jamboard
2) More Passive vs Active Sentences
3) Tokyo Theme restaurants & cafes

• 6 Most Instagrammable Cafes To Visit In Tokyo 2022
• 12 Best Themed Cafes and Restaurants to Visit in Tokyo
• 10 Quirky Cafes In Tokyo Travelers Must Try
• 11 Guilt-Free Animal Cafés In Japan & Tokyo

How to do the activity:

1) Choose a theme cafe or restaurant and reserve it in the blog comments (cafe/restaurant name & your name)

2) Research the cafe/restaurant and tell us:

   a) roughly where it's located (but not the whole address)

   b) the cafe/restaurant theme

   c) what you can do, see, eat or drink there

   d) anything interesting you want to say about it

   e) why you are interested in this place

   f) Is it still open? Some places closed because of Covid-19. Choose an open one!

3) Post on your practice blog with an image

4) Present to the class today! We should finish during the class period!

5 Must Try Japanese Food Experiences in Tokyo - link

In this video, the presenter identifies five "must try" food experiences for visitors in Tokyo. (There is also a 6th bonus experience.) What are the types of food? Which one do you think is the most essential for a tourist in Japan? Give a good reason (not "Because I like ...")

Week 5 - Blog Post #2 Presentations

 You will present Blog Post #2 today! Have you made all corrections?

Blog Presentations #2 - Tuesday, Oct. 18

This is your blog! Present without reading, please! Practice in advance, know how to pronounce all words, and speak with feeling!

Today, you will ...

1. Present Blog Post #2
2. Make any needed changes to your blogs.
3. Blog Post #3 is due Nov. 1 (or sooner)
4. Do a grammar exercise re. passive & active verbs

Passive vs Active

Present

People say this class is difficult. (active)

This class is said to be difficult by many people. (passive)

Many people eat pancakes at breakfast. (active)

Pancakes are usually eaten at breakfast. (passive)

Past

I finished my homework in 10 minutes. (active)

My homework was finished in 10 minutes. (passive)

Everyone had fun. (active)

Fun was had by all. (passive)

In general, it's better to use active case, but sometimes, you need variation in your writing. Passive case is also useful sometimes for making the subject more vague.

Example of evading responsibility by using the passive case

I made a mistake. (active)

A mistake was made. (passive)

Passive vs Active Exercise

Some Grammar Stuff

Recently we did 2 verbs exercises. Many students had trouble.

eat - ate - eaten

• I eat there every day.
• I ate there this morning.
• Has he ever eaten there? Yes, he has eaten there before.

Things we do often, always, sometimes, never, etc. = present tense (現在形)

• I often eat a donut in the morning.
• I always eat breakfast.
• I sometimes eat a banana.
• I never eat natto.

Things done in the past = past tense. (過去形)

• I ate there this morning.
• She studied for the test last night.
• We ordered that book online a week ago, but it hasn't arrived yet.

However, the question form is different!

• Did you eat breakfast this morning?
• Did she study for the test last night?
• Did we order that book online?

Helping verbs 'have', 'has' = past participle (過去分詞)

• I have been to France.
• She has seen that movie.
• Has he ever eaten there?

He has eaten there.
そこで食べたことがあるそうです。

Has he ever eaten there?
彼はそこで食事をしたことがありますか？

Grammar Exercises (we did last week)

Verb Forms Practice

Verb Forms 2022

____

Causative Verbs

Last week ...

3) They made us ___ 12 hours a day. [to work, work, working, works]

4) The police ordered the man ___ out of the car. [getting, get, to get, gets]

*6) Jim was made ___ outside.  [to wait, waiting, wait, waits]

• make someone do something  させる
• have someone do something   させる
• help someone do something  てつだう
• let someone do something  やらせる

but ...

• cause someone to do something  させる
• force someone to do something  強いる
• order someone to do something  命ずる
• *be made to do something  やらされる

I made her do the homework again.  もう一度、宿題をやらせた。

I forced him to give me his money.  無理やり金を出させた。

The mother let her child ride on the horse.  母親は子供を馬に乗せた。

The father caused his child to laugh loudly.  父親は、子供を大笑いさせた。

*The smoker was made to use the smoking area.  喫煙者は喫煙所を利用させた。

Causative Verbs Practice

Week 4 - Blog Post #2 due today

Greetings!

From Pixabay; by Chräcker Heller  •  Düsseldorf

Today Blog Post #2 is due. You will present it next week.
* Remember, you must make corrections to your blog as soon as possible after Kevin shows you the mistakes.

Today ...
1) Check Blog Post #1 for corrections 

2) Fix your blog description (if you haven't already)

3) Sentence corrections (see below)

4) Verb Forms Practice

Verb Forms 2022

Sentence Corrections (let's do them together):

• They living from one to one and a half years. 
• So they rests.
• Basically not so many clients, so they often spend the time lazily in the club room.
• I found a poster about it by accident when I'm on a train. 
• Do you want be born again?
• Directed by Peter Farrelly.
• Finally, about his control.
• Currently in second place.
• Kimi is suffering pancreatic disease.
• So in this time I would like to talk about Green Day.
• You will definitely like him if you listen this song.
• I think anyone thinks pancakes are made in America. It's not true.
• And played DJ at the closing ceremony of the Olympics.
• My parakeet name is Koko. He is orange head.
• Please watching this interesting TV drama.
• Their songs always make me feel comfortable. I always listen to it when I take the train. 

Blog Post #3 is due in 3 weeks (Nov. 1). All posts should be over 200 words.