Class Ideas

Tomo's University Life

Author：Yoko Nishimura-Parke

Topic／Goals：Connection、Exchange、School Life、Self, Family, and Friends、Social Environment、Social Life、Spare Time and Sports、Take Action

2020.11

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Students will read an article with an interview of an active university student, and learn about student life in Japan, especially the aspect of club activities.
Objectives

・Students will learn about a university student’s life in Japan.
・Students will envisage university life in Japan as an exchange student by creating a dialogue between Tomo and themselves.
・Students will consider Tomo’s experiences and personality through writing a recommendation letter to a committee.
・Students will watch the videos and try a new sport that was started by Japanese students. Then they reflect on Japanese culture based on young people’s attitude toward the sport.
Target Senior high school level or higher
Japanese Level Advanced
What to prepare

Procedure

1. Questions to help students' comprehension

a) What are the three clubs that Tomo takes part in?

b) What kinds of activities do they do in each club?

c) Explain why Tomo joined "105." How does his reason relate to his own experience?

d) Why does Tomo enjoy working at Yuzuriha? What does he find interesting about it?

e) What kind of sport is bottle cap baseball?


2. Discussion points

f) Describe Tomo's lifestyle at the beginning of his university days. Why did it end up like that?

g) Tomo says「あの時の自分はバカでした」. When is 「あの時」? What do you think he came to realize through his reflection?

h) What do you think Tomo is learning through his three club activities? What influences do these club activities have on Tomo's university life? If Tomo hadn't joined these activities, how different would his university life be?

i) If you were to join one of the three activities, which one would you choose? Why? Share your ideas with your classmates.


3. Creative tasks

j) You have just started to study at Tomo's university as an exchange student. You want to know about the club activities and part-time jobs available to students. You met Tomo at a "105" event for the first time today. Create a dialogue in which you ask Tomo for advice on various things.

k) You are an exchange student at Tomo's university, and you meet him through "105." You want to recommend Tomo to be the chairperson of the executive committee of the university festival. Write a recommendation letter to the committee explaining why Tomo is suitable as the chairperson.

l) You are an exchange student at Tomo's university. You want to join one of the following three club activities: 105, Yuzuriha​, or bottle cap baseball. Write an email to Tomo to express your interest. Include a brief self-introduction and your reasons for wanting to join the club activity. Refer to the following websites if you wish:

m) Watch the videos of bottle cap throwing techniques. Did you feel there were aspects that were culturally Japanese?
Try bottle cap throwing yourself. How did you like it? Share your thoughts with your classmates.


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