In junior high school, students learned knowledge of English grammar by reading and translating sentences and filling handouts. Sometimes we wrote English composition. I enjoyed writing sentences in English. But we had few chances to talk in English with others. So, I could only read and write.
In high school, we had English reading class and writing class. In English reading class, I felt learning English is interesting because I could know wonderful stories by learning English. And in English writing class, we learned knowledge of grammar working out problems on text books. By doing this activity, I became able to write and read English smoothly, so I think this experience is very valuable for me. I don’t think it was enjoyable that a teacher always said “This kind of problem is often given in entrance examinations!” in a class because I think we study English not only for examinations but also for understanding other cultures. And in the high school, there weren’t a lot of chances to talk in English, so we couldn’t learn how to talk in English enough in school (in my case, I learned pronunciations listening to English music). But we sometimes had classes in which ALT joined. In the classes, we enjoyed playing games in English (for example, we did crossword games, writing words in relay with groups). These activities were very effective for me in language learning because I could learn language enjoying games and also feel familiarity with language.
As an English teacher, I think it is important to put reading, listening, writing and speaking in a balanced manner. And it’s interesting and challenging to express one’s idea and talk with others in English, so I want to give a lot of chances to communicate in English to students.
3 件のコメント:
Pizza,
Whenever I go to your blog I start feeling hungry....
Wow, this post was very well written. I think your balanced apptoach to studying English has been very effective.
I have one question. In your writing class did you write essays or primarily translate from Japanese to English. I used to teach at a high school and students would ask me to teach them writing. Their idea of writing was different than mine. They would come to my office with a few papragraphs in Japanese and ask me to help them translate it into English.
JH
Hello!Thank you for your comment.
In English writing class,We just answered problems on text book to see if we understand knowledge of grammar or not,so we had no chances to write essays.In my high school,there was no chance to express one's idea in English both writing and speaking,so we weren't familiarized with thinking in English.I think it would be difficult for a learner to think and write in English without thinking in Japanese if he or she doesn't have many chances to use English and doesn't get used to using English.
Hi!
I also think challenging to express one’s idea and talk with others in English is very important.So, English teacher should teach not only grammer but also speaking,how to communicate.
Emiko
コメントを投稿