ANNOUNCEMENT

For Class on Monday, April 18, 2005:

• Homework:

  • 1. Read SS Handbook (Hbk), p. 39 and p,. 41 and review body language for speeches.
  • 2. Read Chapters 1 and 2 of Effective Writing (Except Exercises):
    • Questions for Chapter 1:
      • 1. What is a paragraph?
      • 2. How many ideas can you write in one paragraph?
      • 3. What is an indentation?
      • 4. What influences the length of a paragraph?
      • 5. How many sentences does a paragraph for this class usually have?
    • Questions for Chapter 2:
      • 1. What is a topic sentence?
      • 2. What is the relationship between a topic and the topic sentence?
      • 3. Where can you find a topic sentence in a paragraph?
      • 4. Why do we need a topic sentece?
      • 5. What is a good topic sentence?
  • 3. Start learning how to use a word processing software (e.g., Microsoft WORD 2003).
  • 4. Start thinking about movies or books you want to recommend in your Presentation #3 on June 6.

For Friday, April 22, 2005:

• Homework:
  • 1. Do Exercise 2, Chapter 2 of EW.
  • 2. Do Exercise 1 in SS Handbook, p. 9.
  • 3. Read Chapter 3 of EW and answer the following questions:
    • Questions for Chapter 3:
      • 1. A good paragraph in English is made of FIVE kinds of sentences. What are they?
      • 2. What do these five types of sentences do in a paragraph?
  • 4. Read Effective Writing, pp. 89-95 and "start" studying rules for punctuations (for Item F7 in Format Checklist on p. 5 of SS Handbook.

For Monday, April 25, 2005:

• Homework:
  • Writing Section
    • 1. Ex. 2, Hbk, p. 10
    • 2. Ex. 3, Hbk, p. 11
  • Reading Section
    • 3. Read "1. Introduction to Praphrasing," Hbk, pp. 24-25.
    • 4. Read "2. How to Paraphrase," Hbk, pp. 25-26.

For May 2, 2005:

• Homework
  • Writing Section
    • Write Paragraph #1
      • Deadline: May 2, 2005
      • Checklists to be Used:
        • (1) Format Checklist (Handbook, p. 5)
        • (2) Strucutre Checklist (p. 9).
        • (3) Spelling and Grammar Checklist (p. 12)
      • Topic:
        • Select one of the following two types of topic sentence:
          • (1) A topic sentence with a "supelative" adjective
            • Examples
            • (a) Among the world's cities, London must be considered one of the most exciting places to visit.
            • (b) Natsume Soseki stands out as the most important novelist of Meiji Japan.
            • (c) Nakata is the greatest Japanese soccer player alive today.
          • (2) A topic sentence with "should"
            • Examples
            • (a) Japanese workers shoudl be allowed to take their vacations at different times of the year instead of all at the same time.
            • (b) Smoking in public places should not be permitted.
            • (c) The voting age should be lowered to 18 yars of age.
      • NOTES:
        • Use a computer when you write your Paragraph #1.
        • After you finish writing:
          • (1) Copy Page 21 of SS Handbook.
          • (2) Check your Paragraph #1 with the three checklists.
          • (3) Staple the checklists to your Paragraph #1. The first page will be the checklists, while your Paragraph #1 will be Page 2 of your homework.
  • Reading Section
    • Read Steps 1 and 2 in academic writing in Handbook, pp. 27-29.

For Friday, May 6, 2005:

• Homework
  • Reading Section
    • Do Step 2 on:
      • "Hollywood Movies," Handbook, pp. 27-28.
      • "Vacations of Japanese Workers," Handbook, p. 6.
    • Do Steps 1 and 2 on:
      • "Animal language," New Class Handout, p. 6

For Monday, May 9, 2005:

• Homework
  • Reading Section
    • Do Step 2 for:
      • Hbk, pp. 18-19, "London"
      • EW, p. 79, Ex. 4, "Supermarkets and the Environment."
    • Read Hbk, Step 3, pp. 30-31.
    • Read Hbk, Transitional Words and Phrases, pp. 14-17.

For Friday, May 13, 2005:

• Homework
  • Writing Section
    • Rewrite Paragraph #1
    • When you submit Paragraph #1, give the following to Mr. Shimura:
      • Page 1: Evaluation Sheet for Final Version of Paragraph #1
      • Page 2: Final Version of Paragraph #1
      • Page 3: Evaluation Sheet for Draft #1of Paragraph #1
      • Page 4: Draft #1 of Paragraph #1
    • Remember to staple them BEFORE the submission.
  • Reading Section
    • Step 2 on "Supermarkets and the Environment," EW, Ex. 4, pp. 79-80.
    • Use "Common Mistakes" on p. 31 (Handbook) to analyze Summaries A to F (pp. 30-39). and find their good and bad points.

For Monday, May 16, 2005:

• Homework
  • Writing Section
    • 1. Read EW Ch. 5 and answer the following questions:
      • (1) What is "unity" of a paragraph?
      • (2) What is "consistency"?
      • (3) What are the two kinds of order you should think about when you write your paragraphs?
      • (4) What is "coherence"?
    • 2. Finish EW, Ex. 4, Q. 1-4, pp. 61-62.
    • 3. Comapare the following two and find diferences between a single paragraph and an expanded paragraph:
      • (1) Single Paragraph, Hbk, pp. 32-33
        • Note that this paragraph has one error (correction). Change "twelve million, 40%" on Line 3 to "twenty-two million, more than half".
      • (2) Expanded Paragraph, Hbk, pp. 34-37.
      • It is important to understand how an expanded paragraph is different from a single paragraph, because you will write expanded paragraphs in this class (e.g.., Paragraph #2).
    • 4. Review all four checklists, Hbk, p. 21, for a mid-term review quiz on all checklists.

For Friday, May 20, 2005:

• Homework (Note: Deadline for Expanded Paragraph Passage Has Been Changed!!!)
  • Writing Section
    • 1. Finish Exercise 1 in Hbk, pp. 34-37.
  • Reading Section
    • 1. Steps 2 and 3 on "Tanshin-funin," EW, pp. 75-78.

For Monday, May 23, 2005:

• Homework
  • Writing Section
    • 1. Expanded Paragraph Passage (based on Pragraph #1)
      • (1) Good Paragraph #1: Introduction Pragraph with Main Idea
        • "Good" means it has a TS, two or more SSs and thier DSs, and a conclusion sentence.
      • (2) Good Paragraph #2 about Supporting Idea #1
      • (3) Good Paragraph #3 about Supporting Idea #2
      • [(4) Good Paragraph #4 about Supporting Idea #3)]
    • Notes:
      • No conclusion paragraph is necessary.
      • If it is difficult to expand your Paragraph #1, you can change your topic.
      • This is NOT the first draft. This is the final version. Do your best.
      • Copy the checklists on p. 21, use it to check your passage, and attach it to your expanded paragraph passage.
  • Presentation Section
    • Read Hbk, pp. 38-9, 41-3, and 47.

Fro Friday, May 27, 2005:

• Homework
  • Presentation Section
    • 1. Speech #2: Show and Tell
      • Length: 1 - 1.5 minute(s)
      • Message in Focus: Physical Message (Posture, Eye, Voice, and Gestures)
      • Notes:
        • (1) Use the checklist for Speech #2 (Class Handout, pp. 13-14) and prepare for this speech.
        • (2) Section II.2 on p. 13 says that Speech #2 is made of five parts.
        • (3) You do NOThave to use gestures for all six points in Part (3) about objective information and alll two points in Part (4) about subjective informaion. The point is to use a variety of gestures throughout your Speech #2 "as much as possible."
        • (4) In Part (3), you can change the order of the objective information.
        • (5) Remember, you cannot rehearse too many times. Use the evaluation check sheet on p. 14 and rehearse with a watch and your own voice as many times as possible.
      • Good luck! I will be looking forward to your presentations.
    • 2. Start thinking about Speech #3 scheduled for Friday, next week.
      • You will talk about a book or a movie which you (do not) recommend to your classmates. Find such a book or movie.

For Friday, June 3, 2005:
For Monday, June 6, 2005:

• Homework
  • Presentation Section
    • 1. Self-evaluation of Speech #2
      • As I said in class on Friday, May 27, although you still have some weak points in physical message, your speeches were good overall for "second" presentations! Keep it up! I will be looking forward to your Speech #3. BTW, Speech #3 will be counted toward the final grade (10%). In order to succeed with your Speech #3, do the following:
        • 1. Go to the Foreign Language Education Center office on the 2nd floor of Building #2.
        • 2. Check out the video for our class with your student ID card. The video is available from the morning of May 28.
        • 3. Watch the video and self-evaluate your physical message.
      • Apologies!!! Due to a technical problem with my digital video camera, the sound quality of your presentations turned out to be very bad. It is so poor that many of you cannot self-evluate your voice. Sorry! (I am very disappointed too!) Therefore, in this homework, please evaluate the following items ONLY:
        • 1. Posture
        • 2. Eye
        • 3. Gestures
        • Note: If you can somehow hear your voice (e.g., Mr. Mitsuyasu, Mr. Kobayashi, etc.), you can self-evaluate voice too, although it is optional.
    • 2. Prepare for Speech #3 Rehearsals in This Class
      • Time: 1-1.5 minute(s)
      • Messages in Focus: Physical and Story Messages
      • Use the Worksheet for Speech #3 you received in the class on May 30.

For Monday, June 13. 2005:

• Homework
  • Presentation Section
    • 1. Topic/Theme Selection for Speech #4 "Final Speech"
      • (1) Read "Choosing a theme..." on p. 51 of SS Handbook.
      • (2) Use Worksheet 3 (Class Handout, pp. 27-28) and select two topics/themes for your Final Speech.
        • The success of your Speech #4 depends A LOT on this topic selection. Select:
          • A topic you are interested in.
          • A topic you know something about already.
          • A topic that is useful for your audience.
          • A topic with "your opinion" which the majority of your audience either disagree or are indifferent about, so that you can give this speech to "persuade" them to agree with you or to be interested in the topic.
          • A topic which can be supported with at least three pieces of evidence (data and/or examples) presented in visuals (e.g., graphs, pictures, tables, etc.).

For Friday, June 17, 2005:

• Homework
  • Presentation Section
    • 1. Self-evaluate Your Speech #3
      • (1) Go to the Foreign Language Education Center office on the 2nd floor of Building #3 after 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 14 (not 4:30 p.m. on Monday due to a technical problem with the center).
      • (2) Check out the video (not DVD) for our class with your student ID card.
      • (3) Watch the video and self-evaluate your Speech #3 with the handout, p. 26-Final.
      • (4) Give the self-evaluation sheet to Mr. Shimura in this class.
    • 2. Prepare for Speech #4, the Final Presentation
      • (1) Complete Section I on pp. 29-30 of Class Handout.
• We will make our final decision about your Speech #4 topics at the beginning of this class, so that we can start thinking about physical, story, and visual messages more concretely.

For Monday, June 20 and Friday, June 24, 2005:

• No homework.
• We will have rehearsals for Speech #4. Use the worksheet and prepare/rehearse A LOT for the rehearsals. You can give a very good final speech IF AND ONLY IF you give a good rehearsal. Do your best from rehearsals. All messages must be used in this final speech. Remember to make five posters too.
• To Those Who Did Not Give Rehearsals on Monday:
  • Unfortunately, quite a few people did not give their rehearsals on Monday... I wonder why?! I have been teaching this class for the last six years, and this is the first time for me to have so many canceled rehearsals.... This is too bad for them, because they lost the only and very important chance to get comments from their classmates and instructor about their very important final speeches. If they bring a document which shows that they were absent because of a medical reason, however, they can give their rehearsals on Friday.
• Comments about Rehearsals on Monday:
  • There were three kinds of rehearsals; (1) good rehearsals based on good preparation and lots of rehearsals, (2) poor rehearsals based on poor preparation but with lots of rehearsals, and (3) very bad rehearsals based on poor preparation and not enough rehearsals. To be honest with you, I was disappointed, especially (3). I hope all rehearsals on Friday will be Type (1). Prepare with (a) the Worksheet for Speech #4 AND (b) all relevant handouts. The worksheet gives you lots of page numbers for important handouts for your final speech. You cannot prepare well wihthout looking at all these handouts!!! Also, don't forget to rehease with a watch and three messages a lot. My evaluation will be strict for rehearsals and final speeches given on a later date, because they will have more time for preparation and rehearsals.
  • Although many people MADE good posters, most of them did not USE them well. Use the worksheet and handouts about visuals and review how to use visuals (i.e., Posters #2-4 with evidence) well in three steps (introduce/explain/emphasize).
  • Also, the bullet chart for Introduction and that for Conclusion must be different. Read the class handout about conclusion section. Don't forget to write your opinion in the top sections of these bullet charts. That is:
    • Simple Bullet Chart for Introduction
      • Main Idea (e.g., MDs Are Bettern CDs)
        • Point 1 (e.g., Prices)
        • Point 2 (e.g., Physical Sizes)
        • Point 3 (e.g., Recording Time)
    • Bullet Chart for Conclusion = Bullet Chart for Intro.+ Summary of Evidence in Body
      • Main Idea
        • Point 1
          • Summary of Evidence for Point 1
        • Point 2
          • Summary of Evidnece for Point 2
        • Point 3
          • Summary of Evidence for Point 3

For Monday, June 27 and July 1, 2005:

• No homework.
• We will have final speeches. If you get sick and cannot give your final speech according to the schedule, bring a document which proves that you are sick on the date of your presentation. Without such a document, you cannot give this very important speech Note that the same rule applies to the final examination on academic reading and paragraph writing on July 8. So take a very good care of yourself for the next two weeks!!!
• Start your preparation for the final exam on reading and writing too. Here is what you will be tested in the exam which will be 70 minutes long. You will be given only one text which is 600-700 words long. In the reading section of the exam, you will do Steps 2 and 3 on this text. As for the writing section, you will be asked to write one paragraph in which you will write your opnion about the text. This means that, when you prepare for the final exam, review (1) Steps 2 and 3 in academic writing and (2) all checklists for writing one good paragraph in English.