TJF DEAI-mail News for DEAI Users
Archive
TJF DEAI-mail News for DEAI Users
Archive
| No.36 July 19 2006 |
|---|
| Dear teachers,
Thank you for your cooperation in answering
to the questionnaire We will make use of this
valuable data for improving the resource and Thank you very much again.
(1) Number of times Deai
was used in a year (2) Ways in which Deai
was used (multiple answers) (3) Materials used Materials that were used the least were the
text booklet, CDs, and materials (4) Ease of use Most said that the photo sheets were easy to use. Among the reasons given were the fact that they provide visual information, are large enough to show a class full of students, are in color, are of good quality, and are able to attract students' interest. Over half the respondents said that captions on the back of photo sheets are easy to use. Of the respondents who said that they were not easy to use, the main reason was the difficulty of the Japanese. In addition, many of the respondents who said that the captions were easy to use rely on them for their own reference. On the other hand, many also commented that because the captions are written in both English and Japanese with kana, students can use them to learn new vocabulary. Not many respondents used the text booklet and CDs, but we received feedback that they were easy to use from the teachers who used them. The CDs were especially well received, because it can be used with a projector to show an entire class, or in making handouts and other materials. Though not many respondents had used the Deai Website Lesson Plans and Idea Corner, those who had tried them praised them as sources of new ideas. This was true also of the alternative versions of My Story sections and Captions, all of which the respondents who used them said well accommodated the students' needs. (5) Purposes for using Deai "to introduce Japanese lifestyle, culture and conditions in general" (167 respondents), "to introduce the lives and culture of young Japanese today" (162 respondents), "to arouse interest in Japanese language and culture" (156 respondents), "to compare Japanese culture to students' own culture" (155 respondents), "to encourage students to observe certain things about Japanese culture" (150 respondents), and "to encourage students to be observant and think about what they see in the photos" (150 respondents). This indicates that capturing the students' interest and introducing Japanese culture are the main purposes for using Deai. With regard to language acquisition purposes, "conversation/class presentations (Japanese-language learning)" (137 respondents) was the most frequently given response. Among the purposes for which few respondents used Deai were "for listening practice (Japanese-language learning)"
(96 respondents), "self expression" (99 respondents), (109 respondents). (6) Attainment of Goals to most items, over 90 percent of respondents answered that "goals were accomplished" or"goals were accomplished for the most part." However, in terms of "self expression" and language acquisition such as "listening practice," "reading," "writing/composition," few respondents--60 to 70 percent--said that "goals were accomplished" or "goals were accomplished for the most part." (7) Media |
| April 13 2006 |
|
Deai Questionnaire Dear Deai mail members, Thank you for your interest in the Deai Photo Resource. In order to evaluate the resource as a teaching aid, TJF would like to take the opportunity, as we enter the fifth year since its completion, to conduct a survey about these resource tools among the teachers
who are registered recipients of "Deai mail." As a token of our appreciation, all those who complete and submit the questionnaire will receive a copy of the
printed edition of The Way We Are 2005, a photo Photo and Message Contest" to be published in the summer of 2006. After answering the questions, you may submit the form by email to forum@tjf.or.jp or print it out and fax it to
us at +81-3-5322-5215. We look forward to your kind * Please send your response by April 24, 2006. TJF will report on the results of the survey at the International Conference on Japanese Language Education (ICJLE) in New York in August 2006. Those interested in the content of the report should contact TJF. N.B. The responses to this questionnaire are intended only for the evaluation of the Deai photo resource and will not be used for any other purpose. Individual names, email addresses, and other personal information will not be associated with the responses and the privacy of all respondents will be strictly respected. Thank you for your understanding. Kayoko Nakano ************************************************** QUESTIONNAIRE Please mark the appropriate item with an "x." 1. About how many times a year have
you used "Deai"? 2. Respondents who checked 0
times Note: If you have not used the
Deai photo resource, you need 3. At what level did you use the "Deai"
resource. (2) Japanese-language level 4. What parts of "Deai" did you use? (check as many as apply) Deai Kit Deai website 5. In what way did you use the "Deai"
resources? (check as 6. Please check the purposes for which
you used the Deai (2) ( ) To encourage students
to be observant and think about (3) Japanese-language learning ( ) b. To review words or sentence
patterns. ( ) c. For listening practice. ( ) d. Reading. ( ) e. Writing/composition. ( ) f. Conversation/class presentations. ( ) g. To introduce the lives
and culture of young Japanese today. (4) Learning for cultural understanding: ( ) b. To arouse interest in
Japanese language and culture. ( ) c. To encourage students
to observe certain things about ( ) d. To compare Japanese culture
to students' own culture. ( ) e. To understand culture
through individuals. ( ) f. To break down stereotypes
and alert students to the ( ) g. To encourage students
to reflect upon their own ( ) h. Self-expression. (5) ( ) Understanding of human
nature: For understanding of 7. Aside from the purposes above,
did you obtain any unexpected 8. Please evaluate the usefulness
of each of the parts of "Deai" Deai kit Deai website (2) What items did you find
difficult to use. Where possible, please Deai kit Deai website 9. The items of Deai resource materials
(Photos and captions, 10. The Supports for Teachers
in utilizing the Deai photo resource 11. The "Deai website" is
an ongoing project continually updated This is the end of the questionnaire.
Thank you very much for Name: |
| No. 35 April 3 2006 |
|
Please have your students send a feedback to each Photo Essay and create their own photo essay!
We are pleased to announce that we have just opened a site where comments about the photo
essays on the Deai Photo Essay Please have your students post their
feedback and comments or Their comments or questions
will be posted on the photo essay's
1. Click the "Submit a comment"
button on the page of the photo 2. You may use either Japanese, English, Chinese, or Korean.
Those
who submit a photo essay will receive: - The Way We Are 2005, a photo
collection from TJF annual "Lives of - Each month we will select
a teacher by lottery from among those and provide the teacher with teaching materials worth JPY5,000 or its equivalent.
Please feel free to contact
us if you have any questions about Thank you very much!
|
| No.34 March 31 2006 |
| We
linked to the curriculum materials for social studies using Deai Snapshots
from Japan: The Lives of Seven Japanese High School Students
We are very pleased to introduce Snapshots from Japan: The Lives of Seven Japanese High School Students, teaching materials developed by the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP) primarily for use in middle and junior high school social studies classes. It was developed in collaboration with the University of Colorado at Boulder, Program for Teaching East Asia, inspired by the 150th anniversary of United States-Japan relations in 2003-2004. These lesson plans aim to develop a range of data analysis, thinking, and geographic skills and to enhance students' understanding of Japan by placing the lives of the Japanese students in the larger context of contemporary Japanese society and culture. The ideas and teaching skills of Snapshots from Japan may be very useful for teachers of subjects other than social studies and in countries other than United States. |
| No.33 January 11 2006 |
|
7 students were invited to Japan Dear teachers, Akemashite omedeto gozaimasu! From November 17 through 27
the seven students selected The students were from Australia,
China, Korea, New Zealand, They experienced many different
deai (encounters/meeting) We also plan to add the details
of their activities in Izena Island,
|
| No.32 September 16 2005 |
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7 students invited to Japan were selected !! Dear senseigata, Konnichiwa. Ogenki desuka? In late August we had a selection
meeting for Deai Photo Essay Cafe The seven students to be invited
to Japan in November were decided as follows.
Baiyun, 17, Changchun Korean
Secondary School (Jilin, China) Ko Soo, 17, Sehwa High School
(Jeju, Korea) Malee, 17, Menasha High School
(Wisconsin, USA) Paul, 18, Durango High School
(Nevada, USA) Rosie, 17, King Edward VII School
(Sheffield, UK) Vicki, 14, Horowhenua College
(Levin, NZ)
|
| No.31 July 28 2005 |
|
157 photoessays has been posted!! Konnichiwa sensei-gata, http://www.tjf.or.jp/photoessaycafe/ We are pleased to announce that
we've posted all the works TJF would like to express its
thanks to all the teachers At the Photo Essay Cafe, registered
members can not only view A reception team of Japanese
high school students will consider Please take a look at the website
and enjoy!!
|
| No. 30 May 12 2005 |
| New
TJF web resource opens in April 2005! "Lives of Japanese Elementary
School Students" http://www.tjf.or.jp/shogakusei/
Choose from a wealth of resources! === A Day with Kentaro === === A Day in Grade 6 Class === ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Dear Teachers, "The Lives of Japanese Elementary
School Students," is Activity ideas using this resource
are also available Please take a look at our new resource and the
activity |
| No.29 March 11 2005 |
| Dear
sensei gata,
Konnichiwa! [Have you sent in your
submissions for the Deai Photo Essay Cafe?] We have been receiving messages from
people saying that they plan to participate [Deai Photo Essay Cafe
Japan Visitation Program] The main attraction of the Program
is a five-day visit starting the day after participants' Here is some more information
on Izena Island: Shun'ichi's family and friends: Izena Town Hall website (Japanese
only): Information on Okinawa prefecture,
where Izena Island is located (English After their stay in Izena, Program
participants will go sightseeing in Naha City located We are looking forward to receiving
your submissions! Yoroshiku onegaishimasu. Muronaka Naomi |
| No.28 February 17 2005 |
| TJF
English Website “The Way We Are: Photo Essays of High School Students in Japan”Now Featuring 40 Entries! http://www.tjf.or.jp/thewayweare/
The “The Way We Are (TWWA)”
website is designed mainly as a means The central purpose of the contest,
conducted by TJF since 1997, The completely new content of
the English TWWA website, with photos Two easy-to-understand rewritten
versions of the Japanese captions and For some photos, website visitors
can listen to audio recordings of simple As of February 15th, 40 entries
have been posted on the website, We hope Japanese-language teachers
will utilize these resources to Muronaka Naomi |
| No.27 December 27, 2004 |
| The
Deai Photo Essay Cafe submission deadline is March 31, 2005!
Konnichiwa sensei-gata, 2004 is now coming to an end.
How did the year treat you? It was a great year for us, And quickly approaching is .
. . March 31, 2005, the photo essay submission deadline On the Deai Photo Essay Cafe
website, we continue to post the photo essays of monitors Following are the comments of
a couple of teachers who participated to the monitoring http://www.tjf.or.jp/photoessaycafe/monitor/index_e.html The awareness that their work was
going to be seen by people all over the world made When I asked my students whether
they wanted to do this project, the answer was a resounding The Photo Essay Cafe is not
a “contest” in which to compete with others over Japanese We believe your students felt
and pondered many things through their exposure to the seven Have a happy new year. See you again in 2005. Harashima Yoko & Muronaka Naomi * The Japan Forum will be closed from December 29 through January 4. |
| No.26 November 4 2004 |
|
News from Muronaka Naomi We hope you have already dropped
by the Deai Photo Essay Cafe website If you have not, or even if
you have, please visit the cafe again for we have added the monitors’works
on the Photo Essays from Around the World It will give you some ideas what the students works would look like. They are wonderful! It’s fun to read Jordan’s self analysis about his competitiveness and Amy’s interesting experience as a baby, etc, etc. Mason, Amy, and Ann tried to write a part of their captions in Japanese, and Justin did his whole essay both in English and Japanese! Even if the students wrote their essays only in English, we translated them into Japanese, so that you can read them in both languages. We believe Japanese high school
students would also enjoy reading about the lives of their peers abroad!
Join Us at the Photo Essay Cafe!
|
| No.25 October 19 2004 |
|
News from Muronaka Naomi Join Us at the Deai Photo Essay Cafe and Visit Japan to Meet Your Peers! We are pleased to announce that the Japan Forum (TJF) has just launched a new project called Deai Photo Essay Cafe, in October 2004, targeted towards secondary school students who are using Deai to study Japanese. The Deai Photo Essay Cafe website is a place where students from all over the world can communicate through photo essays they create themselves. At the Cafe, TJF would like
to publish photo essays created by secondary school students who have
studied using Deai (a photo and text resource focusing on the personalities
and lives of seven real Japanese high school students, Deai: The Lives
of Seven Japanese High School Students) and help them get acquainted with
others. We invite your students to submit photo essays of their own that
tell their story and express their thoughts, reflecting their response Seven students who submit photo essays to the Cafe will be invited to come to Japan for a real deai encounter with the featured students and other Japanese high-school students. Submission guidelines and application forms, in addition to examples of work produced by project monitors, FAQs, and sample flow charts explaining how to create photo essays are available on our website, http://www.tjf.or.jp/photoessaycafe/ We look forward to your participation.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with
us via forum@tjf.or.jp. Thank you very much in advance for your interest in the project. *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- For inquiries about the Deai Photo Essay Cafe,
contact forum@tjf.or.jp |
| No.24 September 9 2004 |
|
News from Muronaka Naomi The Way We Are 2003 is now available The Japanese edition of The Way We Are 2003 (A4 size, 64pages) will be mailed to the first 150 DEAI-mail subscribers who apply. Excluded from this offer, however, are those who have requested one through the TJF Newsletter offer. Those interested in acquiring The Way We Are 2003 should write to TJF by e-mail or fax, giving the following information: 1. Name Contact: TJF DEAI Section Deadline: September 30, 2004
**The Way We Are 2003** For more information about the
contest entries and texts, please see the new English website, The completely new content of the English The Way We Are site, with photos and essays selected from among the nearly 2000 submitted to the seven contests held to date, is designed to introduce the rich personalities and diverse faces of Japanese high school students in a more accessible and understandable manner. Where necessary, footnotes and links to explanatory photos and in-depth explanations are appended to the English translation. For some photos, Web site visitors are able to listen to an audio recording. Two easy-to-understand rewrite versions of the Japanese captions and essays (one with and the other without yomigana readings) are provided for language learners. We look forward to your application. |
| No.23 March 17, 2004 |
|
News from Muronaka Naomi It has recently come to our
attention that a fraudulent e-mail message bearing the subject line “Fotograf”
was sent from the forum@tjf.or.jp mail account to teachers on the DEAI-mail
mailing list. Upon looking into the matter, we discovered that this
e-mail was sent to the list of registered DEAI-mail users because the
forum@tjf.or.jp address was illegally commandeered by a virus Because it is very likely that the file attached to the “Fotograf” e-mail contains a virus, if you have received this e-mail please delete it immediately without opening the file attached to it. We plan to continue sending
messages and updates regarding Deai and the various programs at The Japan
Forum from the forum@tjf.or.jp address in the future. If you ever receive
a message from this e-mail address in which the subject line or message
content seem to have no relation to Deai or one of TJF's programs, please
delete it immediately, leaving any attached files unopened. When in doubt,
throw it out. To prevent this sort of situation from happening in the future, moreover, we ask that, as much as possible, teachers registered to receive DEAI-mail install and periodically update antivirus software on their personal computers. Thank you for your cooperation. |
| No.22 March 17, 2004 |
|
News from Muronaka Naomi The distribution of Deai kits in North America has finally reached an end. This marks the end of distribution in all regions, except New Zealand. Our thanks go out to all those who sent in applications during the course of this program. From this point forward, we hope to pour even further effort into collecting and sharing the ideas of all Deai users. We still encourage all of you to send in any ideas or comments you have, such as: “Why not try using Deai like this?” and “When I used Deai, I got such and such a reaction from my students.” Yoroshiku onegaishimasu. |
| No.21 February 20, 2004 |
|
News from Muronaka Naomi Our sincerest thanks go out
to all those who applied to act as monitors for the Deai Photo Essay Project.
Thanks to your cooperation we received applications from more than 10
people. Judging by the rough outlines submitted, each applicant seems
to have come up with truly creative and Following this monitoring period, the official Deai Photo Essay Project is scheduled to begin in September of this year (tentatively). Once TJF has kicked off the project officially, we invite you all to join in. We hope to get as many teachers and students as possible to participate. Details on the official launching of the photo essay project will be announced in September by DEAI-mail, so stay tuned! |
|
News from Muronaka Naomi Deai Photo Essay Project: Guidelines for Monitoring Applicants The Japan Forum is currently in the planning stages of a project, to begin in autumn 2004, that will engage students who have studied with the Deai resource in creating photo essays about themselves and subsequently to publish those works on the TJF website. Through this project, we aim to give students the opportunity to reexamine and express themselves based on what they thought and felt upon encountering the daily lives and thoughts of the Deai students. By publishing their works on the website, moreover, we also hope to provide the chance for secondary students studying the Japanese language using Deai to find out more about each other. Preceding the project’s planned
start in autumn 2004 we would like to carry out monitoring activities
to help us improve the project’s content and method. As such, we are seeking
teachers who would be willing to act as monitors and could involve their
own class(es) or school in creating photo essays. As samples for the official
announcement to solicit project entries, moreover, a portion of the student
works produced during monitoring will be published
Number of applicants sought:
5
Guidelines for Monitors I. Student Production of Photo Essays A. Photo Essay Content and Structure
Themes: b. "A Day in My Life" c. Open Themed Language: Format:
Language: Number of words:
B. Regarding Copyright and Right of
Portrait License
|
| No.20 December 19, 2003 |
|
News from Muronaka Naomi Konnichiwa Sensei-gata, In a short while, another year will
be gone. Looking back, In the coming year, too, please do
not hesitate to send us It is our dearest hope that you all
enjoy a bright and Dozo yoi otoshi wo! |
| No.19 December 17, 2003 |
|
News from Muronaka Naomi Konnichiwa sensei-gata, In the last DEAI-mail, we introduced
the Deai photo captions that Now, Dr. Kato Kumi of the University
of Queensland, Australia, has While the photo captions focus
on explaining the content of the photographs, Why not try using Dr. Kato’s
revised versions in your class? |
| No.18 December 1, 2003 |
| News
from Muronaka Naomi Ohisashiburi desu! We at TJF get the impression that many of you may think the Japanese used in the Deai photo captions and My Story texts is quite advanced and too difficult. That, however, is to be expected--the Japanese in Deai is what the real Deai students use on an everyday basis, and has been altered only slightly toward more formal expression. While some teachers prefer this level of Japanese for their classes precisely because it is more natural [than textbook Japanese], others probably find that it does not suit their needs. For teachers of the latter group, the following page offer versions of the Deai photo captions and My Story texts that several teachers have revised to match their own class levels, syllabuses, and so on: http://www.tjf.or.jp/deai/contents/teacher/alternate.htm Mr. Yazaki Mitsuo, Japanese-language advisor to the New South Wales (NSW) Ministry of Education in Australia, recently revised the "A Day in the Life" captions of each of the seven Deai students to bring them in line with the state's senior high school syllabus. Teachers outside of NSW will also find these captions useful. Please take a moment to browse through them. In the future, TJF plans to ask Mr. Yazaki to revise the "Profile" captions in Deai for the NSW senior high school syllabus, as well as both the "Profile" and "A Day in the Life" captions for the NSW junior high school syllabus. |
| No.17 October 22, 2003 |
| News
from Muronaka Naomi
Konnichiwa senseigata! We at TJF would be quite pleased if, in the process of getting to know the daily lives and thoughts of each of the seven Deai students, your students began to think of them as virtual communication partners. We would like students not simply to acquire the Japanese language but also to give some thought to themselves and their relationships with the people around them. Today, I would like to introduce the TJF sample lesson plans. In creating the sample lesson plans, we aimed at approximating an actual encounter with the Deai students, such that students could gradually experience getting to know the Deai students over time after their initial encounter. Specifically, we have developed the following ten lesson plans, which proceed from self-introductions to a final virtual trip to visit the seven students in Japan: 1. Portraits of the Seven Deai
Students List of TJF sample lesson plans: Although you are certainly welcome to try implementing all ten lesson plans, we realize that only a very limited number of classes will actually be able to go that far. If you find yourself in this position, please feel free to use only those portions that suit the needs of your classes. Deai users often tell us that it is quite difficult to use the sample lesson plans published on the Deai Website in class because most of them are created as units. While it’s true that trying to use all of the activities offered on the website just as they are could prove difficult, it is also possible to take an activity from one of the lesson plans and rearrange it for your needs, or download only those worksheets that look like viable materials for use in your classes. We encourage you to be creative in how you incorporate the material offered on the website. For example, here are some of the worksheets from the TJF sample lesson plans: -- Students assume the role
of a Deai student and introduce themselves. -- Students record the childhood events and future ambitions of themselves and a Deai student on a Life Map. (Worksheet#2 ,Activity 2&3, Life History and Future Plans） -- Students make a Family Tree
for one of the Deai students. (Worksheet#1, Activity 1, Family） -- Students record the events
of a day in the life of a Deai student. -- Students make a pamphlet
introducing their school to high school students in Japan. -- Students compare their daily
eating habits with those of the Deai students. -- Students write up a plan
for a journey to visit the seven Deai students. This is only a sample of what is offered. There are also worksheets that have students answer questions after examining the photo panels and reading the photo captions or My Story texts. Have a look at the many materials available, and if you come across something that looks promising, please don’t hesitate to try it out! We are looking forward to your feedback. |
| No.16 October 8, 2003 |
| News
from Muronaka Naomi Konnichiwa Senseigata! We would like to thank everyone on the DEAI-mail list who sent in an application for a free copy of this year's photo collection, The Way We Are 2002. As the number of applicants has now exceeded 200, please be aware that we are no longer accepting applications. Arigato gozaimashita! |
| No.15 October 3, 2003 |
| News
from Muronaka Naomi
Konnichiwa teachers! Thank you for your support! The variety of comments, ideas, and other feedback that many DEAI-mail readers have sent in is very encouraging. Arigato gozaimasu! Many Deai users have still not confirmed their email addresses with us. If you received this mail by forward and are interested in receiving DEAI-mail, or if you know of someone who is not on the DEAI-mail list but would like to be, please contact us at forum@tjf.or.jp On the "Voices" section and "Idea Corner" of the Deai Website, we regularly introduce some of the comments and ideas sent in to TJF by Deai users. You can find these handy sections by visiting the following links: Voices Idea Corner In the Idea Corner, we have just uploaded an idea entitled, "Using Deai as a Revision Exercise and To Introduce Structures Newly Added to the New Zealand Syllabus," by Ms. Jenny Short, a teacher at the Senior College of New Zealand. Teachers in New Zealand will likely find some hints for their own classes in her idea.
After reading and listening to the Deai students' self-introduction on CD-ROM 2, students match clues given on a worksheet with the corresponding Deai students.
Students compare stereotypes of Japanese teenagers with what they have learned about Japanese teenagers through Deai, discussing the similarities and differences of teenager life in Australia and Japan.
Students learn about Mizushima Yu's lunchtime from photos and by reading what she reports. They learn strategies for understanding authentic writing and gain first-hand information about how groups of Japanese teenagers spend lunchtime. Includes a deliberate focus on grammar, particularly the use of the relative clause.
Students compare and contrast how people in Japan and Canada promote healthy lifestyles. They discuss their own life styles and measure the level of their health.
English Students re-examine how they look at maps by looking at maps of the world produced in different countries. They also compare and contrast the nature of transportation facilities in Japan and their own culture by studying the ways that the Deai students commute to school. |
| No.14 September 19, 2003 |
| News
from Muronaka Naomi Hello teachers, I hope you all had a chance to look at Ms. Sheila Baumgardner’s generic activities, which were introduced in the last issue of DEAI-mail. If any of you tried to work her ideas into your own classes, please write in to tell us how your students reacted, and to give us your impression of how it went. Today, we introduce curriculum maps and lesson plans for teachers who usually use a textbook in class. Written by the textbook authors themselves and published on the Teacher Support Information section of the Deai Website, these curriculum maps, lesson plans, activities, worksheets, and other resources are designed specifically for using Deai in combination with several leading Japanese-language textbooks. Teachers using any of the textbooks below should definitely follow the link and take a look! Ima! 2 Kisetsu Mirai Stage 5 Nakama 1 Obentoo 1 Wakatta! |
| No.13 September 11, 2003 |
|
News from Muronaka Naomi Hello teachers, TJF is donating a free copy of the photo collection The Way We Are 2002 (A4-size, 64 pages) to the first 200 DEAI-mail subscribers who apply. Excluded from this offer, however, are those who have already received a copy or who have requested one through the TJF Newsletter offer. Those interested in acquiring The Way We Are 2002 should write to TJF by e-mail or fax, giving the following information: 1. Name Contact: TJF DEAI Section Deadline: October 31, 2003
The Way We Are 2002 is a record of high school students living in Japan today through a variety of photographs and messages, including the 26 prizewinning works selected from among the 318 entries submitted to this year's contest from students throughout the country. In order to transmit to the reader, just as they are, the events and activities of the students' daily life, the dreams they dream and the hopes they cherish for the future, the anxieties and struggles they face, and so on, we have improved the content, with more pages and text than previous collections. The TJF objective of conveying the true faces and real lives of Japanese high school students to their peers overseas via the works in this collection has not changed, but for the high school students who participate in the photo contest, creating an entry offers an opportunity to seek a better understanding of themselves and others. Reflecting this aspect of the contest, we have modified our editorial policy: beginning with The Way We Are 2002, the collection will be designed and published mainly for a readership of Japanese high school students. For this reason furigana above Chinese characters (rubi) are not included and a printed English translation of the text is not appended. An English version of the text
of The Way We Are is planned for inclusion on the photo From this year forward, The Way We Are will be sent only to those who request a copy. Although we regret the inconvenience, we ask that even those who have received the photo collection unsolicited in the past submit an application if they wish to receive this year's publication. We await your application. |
| No.12 September 5, 2003 |
| News
from Muronaka Naomi
Konnichiwa teachers! Did you all get a chance to read "Deai Enhances and Compliments Curriculum, Materials, Style, and Student Interest" by Ms. Peggy Hagmann in the last issue of DEAI-mail? I hope it encouraged some of you who have not yet used Deai to give it a try. This time we introduce a few ideas suited to those of you who find yourselves thinking, “I'd like to use Deai a little bit in class tomorrow, but I just don't have time to prepare anything today!" "I'm already using Deai, but I'd like to pick up some other short, simple class ideas," or "The class just finished a test and has reached a short break. With the extra time, I am thinking of using Deai in class tomorrow. Are there any good ideas that I can use for just one class period?" "Generic Activities"
by Ms. Sheila Baumgardner Sheila-sensei has enlightened us to twenty-two generic activities using Deai. Let's take a look at three of them below. * List as many of the nouns, verbs, and adjectives that you can see in the pictures. You may also want to list as many sentences describing actions or objects in the pictures. This can be a class race. * Imagine that you are a psychologist. What type of a personality does each of the Deai characters have? Be able to defend your findings with evidence from the pictures, captions, and comments. * You own an excursion company. Your job is to put together activities for single people looking for adventure. The Deai characters will be visiting the US. Your job is to put together several excursions for this group. Study up on the information about your Deai clients and plan an itinerary for three days. Defend your itinerary with reasons why you feel your activities will be appropriate and meaningful for the various characters. Sheila-sensei's generic activities include many more fun and interesting ideas. So don't wait--check them out on the website today! **** Post Page: http://www.tjf.or.jp/deai/cgi-bin/post/ |
| No.11 August 29, 2003 |
| News
from Muronaka Naomi
Konnichiwa! For teachers in the northern hemisphere, summer vacation will soon end and school will begin, while those in the southern hemisphere are, no doubt, happily awaiting the arrival of spring. Here in Tokyo at TJF, we have had more than our usual share of cool and rainy days. But now, at the end of August, the summer heat has finally kicked in. So, has everyone been using
Deai? To start off with, we recommend the plan below for those of you who are likely to say: "It pains me to admit it, but I haven't even opened the Deai kit box yet," "I've opened the box up, but there is just so much material, I don't know where to begin . . ." or "My class curriculum is fixed, so it's Ms. Peggy Hagmann Thill "I didn't spend excess time to bring Mizushima Yu into my lessons, I didn't spend money, and I didn't get rid of all the great things and materials that I have developed that work well. There was no manual to follow on how to use 'her,' but that was the magic of it. I could be the creator of ideas, and she was there to help me facilitate those ideas in a realistic way that attracts the attention of my students." Without altering the curriculum she has developed up to this point, Peggy-sensei has succeeded in integrating Deai into her classes a little at a time. That way, as her students' interest in the Deai students deepens, they are steadily and simultaneously acquiring specific language objectives. To find out about the specifics of her method, click on the link above and read more. |
| No.10 May 7, 2003 |
| News
from Jibiki Rima (CD-ROM and website director)
< New corners opened for teachers
to share information!! > Using the form on the post page, please send us whatever comments, questions, and impressions you have! We are also eager to hear about practical examples from teachers who have used Deai in class. Even the simplest idea can prove useful to a large number of teachers, so please don't hesitate. Only with your collaboration will Deai be able to grow as a truly meaningful resource for students and teachers alike. Your participation and reactions are urgently needed. The information you share will published in the following new corners: - "Idea Corner" http://www.tjf.or.jp/deai/contents/teacher/idea.htm - "Alternate Versions of My Story and Captions for Japanese-language Learners" - "Voices" http://www.tjf.or.jp/deai/cgi-bin/se3_diary/se3_diary/ < An improved menu frame > We have revised the menu frame along the right-hand side of the Deai Website in response to complaints that it was difficult to view on certain computers and web browsers. |
| No.9 February 26, 2003 |
| News
from Jibiki Rima (CD-ROM and website director)
We've launched a test version of the "Voices" section. What tricks and techniques have you come up with for using Deai? What would you like to ask other teachers using Deai? What questions have occurred to you while using the Deai website? Don't wait! Send your comments to forum@tjf.or.jp and put "Voices" in the subject line! We will be publishing teachers' ideas, impressions, and questions sent in by email and submitted at workshops in the new Voices section of the website. Voices will be a forum for teachers using Deai and those of us at TJF to come together, rediscover Deai's appeal, work together to solve problems, and share ideas. A test version of Voices is currently in place, and eagerly awaiting your email submissions. The formal opening is scheduled for the end of March.
** Japanese ** 皆さんから届いたEメールや、ワークショップの場で寄せられたアイデア・感想・質問は、新ページ
"Voices"に載せていきます。"Voices"は、私たちTJFのスタッフと「であい」を使っている先生が、一緒になって「であい」の面白さを再発見したり、一緒に問題解決を
したり、アイデアを共有していく場です。現在は、テスト版を掲載し、皆さんからのEメールを待っています。正式オープンは3月末です。 |
| No.8 January 6, 2003 |
| New Year’s Message from Nakano Kayoko, Program Director, The Japan Forum Happy New Year to you and your students! Last year we donated Deai materials
to more than 1400 secondary schools offering Japanese-language education,
mainly in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the
U.S.A. Many Deai workshops have been held in cooperation with the local
Japanese-language teachers associations in the U.S. and Canada, and under
the initiative of the Ministries of Education in Australia and New Zealand. Thanks to progressive teachers,
the Deai materials are now being used in myriad different ways in the
classroom. This month we are planning to open a new corner on the Deai
homepage for teachers to present and share with each other various ideas,
comments, or questions. We’d love to collect your successful ** New Year's
Message in Japanese ** さて、今月から「であい」を使った教室活動例や先生方からのさまざまなご意見を共有できるコーナーをホームページ上に開設したいと思っています。どんな小さな発見でも、試みでも、また疑問やご提案でもお寄せいただけたら嬉しいです。そして生徒さん方がどんな反応を示したか教えてください。 平成15年 元旦 中野佳代子 |
| No.7 October 3, 2002 |
|
News from Harashima Yoko The NECTJ 11th Annual Conference Dear teachers in the North East region, This is an announcement about the NECTJ (North East Council of Teachers of Japanese) 11th Annual Conference (on Saturday, November 16th at the Japan Society, NY). Among other productive presentations,
there will be two sessions focusing on the Deai resource. This will be
a great opportunity for you who have received Deai to hear about other
teachers’ Thank you again for your interest in the Deai resource. |
| No.6 September 30, 2002 |
| News from Muronaka Naomi (Responsible for the photo sheets, text booklet, workshops, and donations) Konnichiwa! It's getting a little bit cooler here in Tokyo. I certainly hope the weather is seasonable where you are, as well. Today I would like to answer some questions that I have received at workshops and by email.
Q1: Can I use the videos on CD-ROM2 without captions?
Q2: I tried using CD-ROM2, but I didn't know how to start the movies and sound. What should I do? |
| No.5 September 4, 2002 |
| News from Jibiki Rima (CD-ROM and website director)
The Newest Uploaded Version of the DEAI Website in August 2002
< Activity Search Function! > It has finally become possible to search for specific sample lesson plan activities. You can now search for activities by a variety of parameters: theme, student ability level, points to be studied (function, structure, etc.), materials used, and more.
< Enjoy the "Life Maps" of the Deai Students! > http://www.tjf.or.jp/deai/contents/teacher/lessonplan/bytjf/tjfindex.htm We had the seven Deai students write out each of their own "Life Maps." Filled with episodes from their past and the variety of futures they imagine for themselves, these maps are fun and interesting to read.
As part of the "Life History and Future Plans" sample lesson plan, the Deai students' Life Maps are offered in both the original hand-written version, and a retyped version that is easier to read. Please visit the link above to print them out and see for yourself! |
| No.4 August 29, 2002 |
| News
from Jibiki Rima (CD-ROM and website director)
Deai Workshop Report: workshops in Canada TJF held Deai workshops at
three sites in Canada (see below) from the end of June to the beginning
of July. The twenty to thirty participants at each workshop included not
only teachers of Japanese language from secondary schools, but from universities,
Japanese language schools for heritage language learners, and other institutions.
Each workshop consisted of an explanation of the overall structure and
uses of Deai by TJF staff and demonstrations of its practical use in the
classroom by local teachers, followed by a lively exchange among participants
about potential uses of its resources. <1> Teachers Workshop Division at the Annual Conference of the Canadian Association of Japanese Language Education (CAJLE) Time/Location: June 30th/The
Japan Foundation Toronto Office
Asking the workshop participants to take the role of students, Yazawa Michiko (Japanese Language Consultant, Alberta Learning) demonstrated an activity using Deai. Participants, who had been given almost no information beforehand about the seven Deai students, were split into groups. After playing several games, each group was given a photograph of one of the Deai students and the participants exercised their imaginations about who was pictured and what was shown in the photograph. <2> Deai Workshop in Edmonton Time/Location: July 4th/Alberta
Learning, Alberta
Deai photo sheets are distributed to each person, and members ask questions about particular photos which the person holding that photo answers using the information on the reverse side. Afterward the groups discussed ways of using Deai in their own classes. <3> Benkyokai, Deai Workshop in Vancouver Time/Location: July 6th/Nikkei
Heritage Center, BC Benkyokai is an voluntarily
organized meeting at which secondary school Japanese language teachers
from British Columbia, particularly Vancouver, gather once every two months
to exchange lesson plans, worksheets they design themselves, and other
resources and information. In her presentation, Wendy Sokugawa, who teaches
high school level biology and Japanese, introduced some of the resources
offered on the Deai website those she had downloaded into her own notebook
computer, and demonstrated how to make use of the lesson plans and other
information to be found on the site. --- Schedule of Future Workshops --- Lansing, Michigan
Contact: MFLA (Michigan Foreign Language Association) http://clear.msu.edu/mfla/ |
| No.3 August 28, 2002 |
| News
from Harashima Yoko (in charge of teacher-support information)
A new resource in the newsletter: Meet Michi http://www.tjf.or.jp/eng/ce/ce04nletter.htm I hope everybody has had a great summer. I assume you are busy preparing for the new school year and are excited to see your students, both new and old. Many of you will find "The Japan Forum Newsletter" No. 26 waiting for you in your school mail box. The "Meeting People" section in this issue features Michi, one of the Deai students. We interviewed her again, especially for this article, and she explained in more detail her views on the protection of animals and the environment. We have also provided the original Japanese text for intermediate level students, as well as class ideas and a vocabulary list to go along with the text. We hope Michi's story can be a springboard for your students to think about such global issues. We look forward to hearing about your experiences with Deai in the coming school year! |
| No.2 June 26, 2002 |
| News
from Jibiki Rima (CD-ROM and website director)
The Newest Uploaded Version of the DEAI website in June 2002 Updated "Photos, My Story & Message Video" page: http://www.tjf.or.jp/deai/contents/search/photo_top.html(Internet Explorer recommended) We have reproduced the section on CD-ROM2 entitled "Video Message and Scenes from the Lives of the Seven Deai Students" on the website. On the website, the explanatory texts that accompany the videos and photos are now offered as text so that creating worksheets is more convenient for you! Also, the website includes pages without furigana or with the explanatory texts hidden, to allow you a choice in the information you offer to students. On the down side, depending on the user's computer connection speed, it could take a while to download the original video clips. Please be patient! We are interested in hearing about practical examples that make the most of the respective merits of the CD-ROM and website. |
| No.1 June 26, 2002 |
| With
this very first email, The Japan Forum (TJF) would like to say "Konnichiwa"
to all the DEAI users out there. First of all we would like to thank you
very much for your interest in Deai.
I hope none of you slipped a disk while trying to lift the 10kg Deai kit! Have you had a chance to open the box up yet? I imagine the seven high school students jumped right out! Some of you may not have looked at the CD-ROMs yet, but if you have questions or trouble with anything, please don't hesitate to email us. I particularly encourage you to try CD-ROM 2 as soon as possible because you can hear and see each of the seven students speak to you! In order to make effective use of Deai for Japanese language classes, it is best to use the Deai kit in conjunction with the Deai website: http://www.tjf.or.jp/deai/ . The website is filled with useful information for teachers, and we encourage you to keep an eye on it because, periodically, we will be renovating it and uploading new information in response to users' comments and requests. From now on, TJF will use this email newsletter to send you a variety of information about Deai. Our Deai production staff, Ms. Harashima Yoko (in charge of teacher-support information), Ms. Muronaka Naomi (in charge of the photo sheets, text booklet, donations, and workshops) and Ms. Jibiki Rima (in charge of the CD-ROM and website), will write you regularly by turns. The contents of issues will include: Deai is an open-end material that can grow and contribute to Japanese-language classrooms only with your, the Deai users, collaboration. Let's work together to make it great! Doozo yoroshiku onegai shimasu! Nakano Kayoko |
