ANNOUNCEMENTS

Last Updated on 04/23/2004.

For Monday, April 19, 2004:

• Homework:

  • Buy a copy of the Japan Times (JT) at a news stand of a train station near your house on the monring of Saturday, April 16, 2004. The JT is a morning paper, so you should buy it in the morning. If you should forget to do so, you can buy a copy by going to the JT office in Shiba, Minato Ward. Look at this homepage (map) for info about this office. You should call their circulation department BEFORE you go there!
  • Finish all items on pp. 3-4 of our class handout. (I was so nervous in today's class that I forgot to give you this handout.... Sorry!)
  • Read pp. 5-6 of our class handout. (This one too.... We will work on these on Monday, instead!)

By Sunday, April 25, 2004:

• Homework for H. Suzuki, Iwasaki, Okuma, and Taniguchi:
  • Send info about your first presentations (MOPs) to Mr. Shimura by E-mail!

For Monday, April 26, 2004:

• Homework:

  • 1. Finish Handout, pp. 3-4, write your name, and give it to Mr. Shimura in this class (Deadline):
    • All items in Sections 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7.
    • Odd-numbered items in Section 4.
    • Even-numbered items in Section 6.
  • 2. Read Handout, pp. 5-6, and find answers to 5W in the lead of the example news story on p. 5. Remember not all answers may be available in the lead.
  • 3. Finish Handout, pp. 7-8 and give it to Mr. Shimura in this class (Deadline)
    • Sections 1 and 2.
    • Section 3 (Translation of headlines ONLY: No 5W1H)
    • Section 4: Choose two areas of specialization from:
      • Business & Stocks
      • Asia-Pacific News (Many of news stories in this section are NOT available in Japanese news papers. As a result, it may be difficult to find background information for your presentations in our class.)
      • National News (Covers a wide variety of topics. Stories are usually not so difficult)
      • World News (Covers a wide variety of topics. Not too difficult)
      • Opinion (Usually very difficult stories. Good section for a challenger in our class)
      • Sports (English in sports is also a special kind of English. Each sport has its own special words too. If you know the sport very well, news stories are not so difficult to understand.)
  • 4. Read Handout, pp. 9-11, and start your prepration for the first presentation (MOP).

Extra Information about Learning English:

• Is anyone watching "英会話エンジョイ！スピーキング," a new language program on NHK-Education which started this month. This program broadcasts a real English class for international students at University of New York. If you are thinking of studying (English) in America, this program may be good for you. As the teachers in these classes have the same teaching style as mine, this program will help you understand my class more. A new class is broadcast at 11 p.m. on Tuesdays. Enjoy!

Friday, April 30, 2004:

• Homework:
  • Review Steps 1 and 2 for Giving Long Presentations.
    • Read pp. 9-11 carefully and start your preparation for the MOP.
  • Read pp. 20-35 and review presentation skills in Study Skills.

Friday, May 7, 2004:

• Homework:
  • Review Two Important Checklists for Your MOP:
    • Checklist #1: Intro to MOP (pp. 9-12)
    • Checklist #2: Presentation Techniques (pp. 20-21 & Supplements)
  • Prepare well for MOP #1 by Mr. Suzuki:
    • Use only 10 minutes and:
      • 1. Answer all comprehension questions.
      • 2. Think of questions to ask Mr. Suzuki
• Ide, Iwasaki, and Mizumoto:
  • You missed the most important lecture on April 30. And I am very much worried about you.
  • Review the two checklists above, especially Checklist #2. You must also look at its supplemnts, especially on pp. 22-25, 27-29, 30-31, and 35). Everything in thses checklists is important for your success in our class.
• Iwasaki:
  • This class on May 7 is your LAST chance to give your first handouts to your classmates. No handouts in this class means no MOP for you on May 10. Come to this class, no matter what, and give your first handouts to your classmates, OK?

PowerPoint Book Available at Hiyoshi Library Very Soon

• We have just finished three MOPs, and two speakers used PowerPoint in their first presentations. Are you interested in using it, although you have never used it before? Here a good news for you. Our Hiyoshi Libarary has just informed me of the arrival of 『超図解PowerPoint2003:総合編』. They will be available at the library within a few days.

To those who do not follow deadlines for your MOPs

• We have too many people who do not keep their deadlines for their MOPs. They usually do not use the two checklists for MOPs, either. As a result, they send me not all requested information about their MOPs, and I cannot help them with their preparation. I have seen about 3,000 presentations by students for the past nine years, and, from this experience, I know that these people are in a very big trouble now, because they probably do not have enough preparation time. You really need at least two weeks to prepare for a good presentation.
• Deadlines are not for your teacher but for your own success in this class. Manage your time and schedule well. If you do not have a schedule book, get one now. It should help you not only in this class but also in other classes.

About Cancelation of Class on May 31:

• I am terribly sorry for the cancelation of this class due to my health condition. I especially would like to apologize to Mr. Arai, Mr. Nagayama, Mr. Yokoyama, and Mr. Matsumoto who were supposed to give their MOPs on this day. But please understand that my doctor ordered me to stay at home, so that I will not have to cancel many more future classes.
• Due to this class cancelation, however, we need to change our schedule. Look at the Schedule section of our homepage and check your new presentation dates.
• See you on Friday.