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An English-as-a-Foreign Language instructor's repertoire of effective classroom activities is extended not only through acquiring useful, new ideas, but through adapting these activities (new and old) for varied needs and purposes. This article focuses on the potential for adaptation of one popular, communicative activity: "Find someone who..." Suggestions for modification include: employing different grammar points, increasing linguistic complexity, decreasing linguistic support, broadening the information gap, using follow-up questions, one-word cues and picture cues, looking for "no" answers, using information questions, doing indirect questioning, linking with follow-up activities, developing topical themes, and using trivia quizzes and personalized cues. Together, these modifications exemplify how many activities can be adapted to better reach our students and respond to the various needs we encounter. (Contains 13 references.) (Author)

During this five-day unit, students will enter the world of a Japanese classroom. They will talk about school uniforms, "fill" their backpacks with school items, and learn how to do a simple self-introduction in front of their peers. Students will participate in the cultural customs of a Japanese classroom and view pictures, videos, and commercials that illustrate Japanese school life. For an interpretive assessment, students will listen to a description of the items in a particular backpack and choose the matching backpack from a variety of choices. For an interpersonal assessment, students will participate in an oral question and answer game in which they have to make sure they have everything in their respective backpacks or go get it from the "teacher" (another student). Finally, students will introduce themselves using a standard Japanese presentation format, saying a greeting, their names, grade level, and "nice to meet you." This will function as a presentational assessment in this short unit. Through the context of meaningful and engaging activities, carefully scaffolded lessons, and lots of comprehensible input, students will have many opportunities for success with the language in this short period of time. [Funding for this paper was provided by the National Security Agency.]

This paper examines obstacles faced by Japanese students learning English, noting that many such students are highly competent in reading, writing, and listening, but not in speaking. It suggests that students are worried about making oral mistakes, which cannot be erased once uttered, and that oral activities completed in English class are often meaningless and irrelevant to daily life. Four chapters focus on the following: (1) "The Problems Which Lead to Japanese Who Cannot Speak English" (the grammar-translation method, large class size, and student characteristics); (2) "Two Keys for Improving Speaking" (reducing learning anxiety and using meaningful communication in class); (3) "Two Valuable Techniques for Lowering Anxiety and Increasing Communication" (appropriate error correction and group work); and (4) "Applying the Techniques in Japan: Sample Lessons with Suggestions" (sharing tips on how to be successful learners, talking about cell phones, talking about scientists, and using a show-and-tell technique). Four appendixes contain handouts and a script and pictures to be used in the show-and-tell technique). (Contains 29 references.) (SM)

This paper discusses how to teach listening so that English-as-a-Second-Language students can develop a level of listening ability that is useful in the real world, not just in the classroom. It asserts that if teachers know the processes involved in listening comprehension and some features of spoken English, they can provide students with appropriate advice and effective listening practice. Three chapters focus on the following: (1) "The Current Situation of Teaching Listening in Japanese High Schools" (teaching listening in English classes and recognizing the need for improvement); (2) "The Listening Process for Comprehension and Some Features of Spoken English" (bottom-up and top-down processing, schema theory, reduced forms of spoken English, performance variables and redundancy, and rhetorical markers, and skills for listening); and (3) "Improved Approach" (basic skills for listening comprehension should be taught, schema-building activities should precede the listening activity, students should learn strategies for effective listening, students should listen to a variety of authentic materials, and post-listening strategies should be integrated with other skills, such as reading, writing, and speaking). (Contains 28 references.) (SM)

This paper discusses how to change English-as-a-Second-Language reading instruction within Japanese senior high schools into communication, or interaction between students and the text. It focuses on the use of top-down skills to increase reading comprehension, noting that Japanese teachers tend to naturally emphasize bottom-up skills and neglect top-down skills. Four chapters look at the following: (1) "The Present Situation of Teaching Reading at Senior High Schools in Japan"; (2) "The Fundamental Cause for the Present Problems" (emphasis on the bottom-up reading process model and limitations of this approach); (3) "Two Approaches Toward a 'New' Way of Teaching Reading" (skills and strategies approach and extensive reading approach); and (4) "Suggestions for Lesson Planning" (pre-reading activities, post-reading activities, and sustained silent reading.) Five appendixes contain previewing and post-reading sheets, graphic organizers, and a news article report. (Contains 19 references.) (SM)

Popular films can be used successfully in a wide range of language, content, and culture classes. Creating support materials in order to use a movie in such a class is an enormous task, but with careful planning it can be broken into four manageable components: contemplation, selection, segmentation, and construction. This brief paper provides a step-by-step guide to selecting, securing, showing, and developing a productive lesson plan based on a popular film. Copyright issues are explained. One table and three references are included. An appendix--Developers' Checklist--is also attached. (Author/KFT)

Problems in teaching English pronunciation to large groups of university students in Japan are discussed, and some solutions are offered. Pronunciation instruction requires close individual interaction between teacher and student, difficult if not impossible to achieve in a typical Japanese university classroom. However, it is possible to get feedback from a large number of students and enhance their motivation for and interest in English pronunciation and phonetics by applying some less traditional techniques and tasks such as phoneme cards, pronunciation-based quiz games, using a form of sign language, using materials prepared by the students, encouraging students' reports on various aspects of pronunciation and phonetics, and introducing elements of the discovery learning technique. Examples are offered. (Contains eight references.) (Author/MSE)

This paper examines differences between approaches to instruction in Japanese and American classrooms and the need for individualized English instruction in Japan. Traditional classroom techniques in Japan have emphasized treating all students the same, whereas American techniques, especially since the 1970s, have placed a growing emphasis on individualized instruction. The expansion of computer technology into classrooms has contributed to the rise of computer-assisted individual instruction (CAII) in foreign language programs. CAII is especially well-suited for Japan, where secondary and college students studying English as a Second Language (ESL) have varied preparation and skill levels, perform only those tasks assigned by the instructor, and are resistent to studying English independently. The strengths and weakness of CAII are examined, and the facilities, materials, and personnel necessary for its implementation are discussed. Student evaluation methods are also addressed, and a trial use of CAII in a Japanese ESL classroom is reported. Contains 34 references. (MDM)

The document offers practical and motivating techniques for studying Japan. Dedicated to promoting global awareness, separate sections discuss Japan's geography, history, culture, education, government, economics, energy, transportation, and communication. Each section presents a topical overview; suggested classroom activities; and easily reproducible maps, worksheets, games, and illustrations. The section on geography focuses on the development of map skills through experiences with location, climate, topography, time zones, and points of interest. The section on history examines Japan's major historical periods, national symbols, and important people. The largest section focuses on culture and includes facts about sports and games, dress, housing, ideographs, the tea ceremony, flower arranging, living treasures, Japanese gardens, paper folding, forms of drama, writing poetry, diet, art, festivals and holidays, tango-no-sekku (kite making), woodblock printing, and Japanese words and phrases. The section on education compares the organization and standards of schools in Japan to those in Oklahoma. In the section on government, the structure of the Japanese government and the symbols which represent Japan are presented. The final section looks at Japanese exports and imports, modes of transportation, Japanese and American currency, pollution problems, and facts about a typical middle class Japanese household. In addition, the document presents a seven-item annotated bibliography and a listing of over 75 selected supplementary films and materials. (LH)

Emphasizes the need to redefine goals of "communicative competence," specifically for secondary-level students of English in Japan. Since students do not feel a pressing need to use English, such goals seem too distant for them. Some basic classroom language teaching methodology is suggested that is aimed at fitting in with the overall goals of compulsory education in Japan. (SL)

Designed for use by elementary and secondary teachers but useful to anyone interested in Japanese art, this booklet considers the ways in which design issues have been solved in Japanese culture, both in the past and the present. Following a discussion of major Japanese design concepts and Japanese motifs, the text traces the historical development of Japanese art from the Joman period (up to 200 B.C.) to the Edo period (1615-1868). Subsequent sections focus on other Japanese art patterns and processes including calligraphy, seals, paper, packaging, tea ceremonies, and Japanese gardens. These worksheets are designed to involve the students in understanding the principles of Japanese design by working on projects which use these principles and Japanese methods. Throughout the booklet religious belief systems underlying design ideas are covered, as well as the concept of space, which is seen in the context of a densely populated and highly urbanized environment. The book concludes with a glossary, a list of additional resources, and a bibliography. (IS)

General semantics and science fiction are disciplines that can be incorporated in lectures for public speaking and other speech communication classes. Alfred Korzybski's theories of general semantics lend themselves to researching, preparing, delivering interpersonal communication messages, and establishing student interest in foreign languages, as well as to such disparate fields as teaching, dentistry, and fiction writing. The basic instructional model "sf + gs = K" (science fiction + general semantics = Knowledge) can be useful for interdisciplinary and intercultural curricula, and the addition of an "x" factor to the basic formula would represent an added academic discipline or off-campus condition (sf + gs + x = K). Science fiction authors such as A.E. Van Vogt, Robert Heinlein, Frank Herbert, and Aldous Huxley have been influenced by Korzybski's theories, and their novels represent a popularization of general semantics. Teachers could introduce a unit on science fiction with a lecture on general semantics, referring to the works of Van Vogt or Heinlein. In a Japanese classroom setting, students could assess a single Japanese author's stories relative to the fantastic as a source of national inspiration, for example, or to national introspection relative to the here and now. Foreign language studies might be enhanced by having students read science fiction both in their native language and in the language they are learning. Korzybski maintained that his theories were applicable in different contexts of human communication, and the addition of the basic formula of sf + gs + x = K shows the applicability of general semantics to various academic disciplines. (Thirty-five footnotes are appended.) (NKA)