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Rules vs Patterns
"Learn with your ears ... NOT with your eyes." That's what A.J. Hoge said in a video linked to Lesson 6, and Mike and Shawnie agreed that you should listen, listen, listen ... to English. They were REFERRING to the English of Native Speakers. That is the best way to DEVELOPE a feeling for the sound of the patterns of English phrases within sentences. Native speakers HAVE this feeling and they USE it all the time ... unconciously as they speak AND quite consciously when they write. That's right, they do NOT use grammar books. Instead they LISTEN in their heads to the phrases and sentences that they are trying write in order to DECIDE if their English is correct. They might even SAY the sentences out loud, especially if a group is INVOLOVED in the writing process.
Your groups should do the same thing during your conversations. Both Plans A and B [see Lesson Nine for details] INCLUDE speaking and repetition. This "repetition" should INCLUDE variations, and everyone in the group should CONTRIBUTE their own variations, so that everyone can LISTEN to them and DECIDE which one is best.
All too often students STOP SPEAKING English [Oh, no!!] in order to DISCUSS grammar in Japanese. That is a Big Mistake. You will often END UP with grammatically correct, but awkward and unnatural, English. [Foreign teachers, by the way, are invariably included on Entrance Exam Committees in order to AVOID this problem.]
Students that have HAD low test scores in English may THINK that they should simply RELY on the other students [with higher scores] to PROVIDE their group with the best sentences. This, too, is a Mistake. Students with higher test scores may KNOW more English, but that does NOT MEAN that they know everything that you know.
PICTURE a Venn diagram with two INTERSECTING circles: a big one and a small one. The Big Circle REPRESENTS a student who knows lots of English. The Small Circle knows less English, but a part of the area in that small circle FALLS outside of the big circle. The Small Circle knows some things that the Big Circle does NOT. Even a Small Circle HAS something to CONTRIBUTE to the group. DO NOT HESITATE to MAKE your contribution and to be HEARD. SPEAK with confidence. You can be assertive without being aggressive.
| ��c Chat |
| Group B1�@Week 7 |
| O Prince Charles�́@�������Ȃ���@�Ȃ�Ȃ������@�m�����B |
| 1 Diana�Ɓ@���������B |
| 2 �q�����@���������B |
| 3 �q���B�́@�Ԃ⓮���Ɂ@�������@�������B |
| ---Next Conversation--- |
The verb DETERMINES the sentence's pattern, so TRY to RECALL a variety of verbs that may be useful. Be as specific about people's actions as possible. AVOID the passive voice unless you really WANT to DELETE a subject�i���j.
It is very easy to EXPRESS yourself in vague generalities in the Japanese language. Let's look at a conversation that took place in my elective English Conversation class on Fridays. ... Students often THINK �� = house, but it might be�uan apartment�v,�uAbby's apartment�v, or�uEthan's apartment�v. They might WANT to TRANSLATE ���� as "teachings", but that INCLUDES Maezumi's�uway of teaching�vOR his�urough treatment�vof Abby, including specific actions [spilling water on her, etc.]. The dictionary translation of ���� is "fight" or "quarrel", but was it physical, verbal, or both? Was it at high volume and emotionally out of control? or a quiet and civilized disagreement? These details will make the conversation longer, smoother, and much more interesting.
The Flow of the Conversation
Here is an English translation of an ABRIDGED version [above, on the right] of a conversation. There were seven sentences after the Conversation Starter, but the information in four of the sentences was clearly NOT from the assigned video and�uCamilla�vwas changed to�uDiana�vto CORRECT the confusion about the names of Prince Charles' two wives.
This conversation is quite smooth, because the sentences are closely connected. They are all about Prince Charles' single life and his family life with his first wife Diana. There is still more information, however, that could be INSERTED to make the conversation longer and more interesting.
| S �� | V �� | O/C �� | +A �� |
| Prince Charles | knew | that ... | |
| ... he | had to get married. | ||
| He | married | Diana. | |
| They | were blessed | with two children. | |
| The children | were interested | in cars and animals. |
Some students COME UP with information from mysterious sources, that was NOT in the video or the commentary. If students mistakenly IMAGINED that information from what they HEARD and SAW, then there is no problem. It is natural that it would COME OUT in their discussion. If, however, students are PULLING information from easily accessed written sources such as Wikipedia, then they are LOSING the opportunity to USE their own English CREATIVELY to talk about events that they have EXPERIENCED, albeit vicariously.
Advice from People
on the Internet
Listening to the advice of various teachers and learners can give you ideas and keep you motivated to continue your quest for fluency in a second language.
Listen to a Japanese learner named Chi explain how she has improved her Englishusing Input
[//www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFxNR8SzahQ#t=2m11s]and using Output
[//www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFxNR8SzahQ#t=6m55s]
Chi is right about Basic English [Jr. High level]. Easy English is very powerful. Native speakers USE it all the time. You should, too. CONCENTRATE on the sentence patterns of common verbs ... and then the noun phrases that go with those verbs. LISTEN [and look] for full noun phrases�i1��@2��@3��j... PUT them into your sentences.
Singing English songs can HELP you with natural English pronunciation. FIND the lyrics on YouTube and sing along with your favorite songs. It will PROVIDE very natural repetition [=> deep learning]. The words and phrases will STICK in your head�i�g�ɕt���jand they will be in the context of a song ... and often a background story.
WATCH dramas in English ... TALK about them ... more English in a story context. TRY REPEATING dialog while REVIEWING foreign TV dramas and movies [simultaneously = shadowing]. If you want to be able to TALK about your personal life in English [something we avoid, here in class, as being too personal], WRITE a journal in 4�� Japanese then PRACTICE SAYING it in English AND then you could write it in English.
I never test your knowledge of these videos which give advice for learning English. They are simply to help you become a better language learner now and in the long run ... after you finish my class and after you graduate from Aichi Gakuin University.
Time for You to PracticeNow LET's ENJOY some really long conversations in your discussion groups. WRITE Japanese, then SPEAK English. You have a new video that you can talk about ... The Yellow House. Your Conversation Starters, however, can also be about any of the videos about British Royalty.
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Last updated November 27, 2020contact information
| These lessons are DESIGNED to HELP Japanese students
to LEARN to SPEAK English as a foreign language. They could
be REVERSE ENGINEERED to help English speakers learn to speak Japanese as a foreign language. I would be elated to SHARE my ideas about teaching foreign languages with other teachers. You can CLICK the link above to FIND my contact information. |
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Plan: Pay Attention
Watch and Listen
We WATCH videos so that we will HAVE something interesting to TALK about. WATCH the entire video [45-90 minutes], at least 10 mintues a day. As you WATCH you should WRITE down sentences about what is HAPPENING in 4�� Japanese OR English, so that you will REMEMBER the story. We are TRYING to CONNECT the images from the video to spoken English--the sound of English AND the motion of your mouth as you SPEAK English.
As you LISTEN to English dialogs, you should PAY attention to the patterns of English--micro-grammar and macro-grammar. NOTICE the 1, 2, 3 �� pattern of full noun phrases. NOTICE the S, V, O/C, +A�� pattern in sentences [and clauses]. USE these patterns to make YOUR OWN sentences about what you SEE in the assigned videos.
PAY attention to the characters and the story [rather than the dialog]. The dialog is NOT the main part of the story, the action is. Like Haruna's sentences, your sentences should be about what you SAW�i���Ǝ��j. Unlike her sentences, most of yours will be in past tenses�i�ߋ��`�A�ߋ��i�s�`�A�ߋ������`�jAND when you USE pronouns, they will have to REFER to noun phrases that have already APPEARED in the conversation.
| S �� | V �� | O/C �� | |
| He | is running. | ||
| She | is eating | a sandwich. | |
| There | are | three trees. | |
| This | is | a big brown table. | |
| S �� | V �� | O/C �� | +A �� |
| Three young doctors | were running | beside an ambulance. | |
| A lonely co-ed | was eating | some noodles | all by herself. |
| There | are | black and white stones | on the board. |
| They | are | smooth round stones. |
Although you may USE information from the dialog in your senteces, NEVER QUOTE the dialog. ��b�́@���������K�@�ł͂���܂���BIf characters SAY something very important, you can USE reported speech [indirect quotations] to EXPLAIN what they SAID.
Some videos PROVIDE subtitles. Subtitles of dialogs can also be GENERATED automatically [but NOT very accurately] by voice recognition and/or translation software. Do NOT COPY these English subtitles. Reading and Writing English will NOT HELP you with your SPEAKING.
| #t= | S �� | V �� | O/C �� | +A �� |
| 9:35 | Dr. Aizawa | looked | at some CT head scans. | |
| ������ | 1 �� | 2 �� | 3 �� | +a �� |
| S | Dr. Aizawa | |||
| A | some | CT head | scans | |
| #t= | S �� | V �� | O/C �� | +A �� |
| 34m42s | A fat lady with a fractured leg |
demanded to be taken | to a hospital right away. | |
| ������ | 1 �� | 2 �� | 3 �� | +a �� |
| S ... | a | fat | lady | with ... |
| ... S | ... a | fractured | leg | |
| A | a | [nearby] | hospital | |
| #t= | S �� | V �� | O/C �� | +A �� |
| 1h3m40s | The head of the deparment |
introduced | a new member | at a meeting of doctors. |
| ������ | 1 �� | 2 �� | 3 �� | +a �� |
| S ... | the | head | of ... | |
| ... S | ... the | [Emergency] | department | |
| O | a | new | member | |
| A | a | meeting | of doctors |
It is easier to TELL stories when you USE the people's names. You can FIND most of the names on the webpage for Man vs Machine, which is LINKED to the Class �f���� [Bulletin Board].
Bulletin Board => => Man vs MachineYou can [usually] CLICK the names on the webpage to SEE the characters' faces. These are your New Friends TRY to REMEMBER what they LOOK like!!
Write Japanese => Speak English
Sometimes what you really WANT to SAY is difficult to PUT into English quickly, easily, and automatically. DON'T GIVE UP. WRITE it in 4�� Japanese sentences. Each time you write a sentence, SPEAK English while LOOKING at it. It is best to USE a sheet of size B5 paper. FOLD the sheet of paper into four equal columns�i�����ɐ܂��āA�����Ė������ɐ܂�j. At the top of the columns write: �@�@�@S+�@�@�@A+�@�@�@O+/C�@�@�@V.
You can DO this while WATCHING the assigned videos at home. When you are FINISHED LOOK at your Japanese sentences and WRITE the corresponding English sentences: 4��p��. BRING your Japanese sentences and English sentences to class. SHOW the English sentences to your teacher for feedback. You can LOOK at your Japanese sentences to JOG your memory during classroom discussions.
If you DO SHOW your English sentences to your teacher ... at the top of the paper in large letters you should WRITE: Seminar, �uX2�v, then your student number�i�w�Дԍ�, 21 ���j, and finally your full name�i���O����ɖ����͌�Łj.
The division of Japanese sentences is fairly simple. Always PUT the verb�i�����jat the end of the sentence--into the last slot�iV ��j.
| S+ �� | A+ �� | O+/C �� | V �� |
| Shinko�� | ��� | ���܂��Ă���B | |
| Debbie �搶�� | �p��̎��Ƃ� | ���k�� | �w�������B |
| Misato��Shinko�� | �e�F | �ł��B | |
| �d�ԂɊԂ� | �������B |
Noun phrases�i������jthat END in �u�� or ���v GO into the first slot�iS+ ��j. Ones that END in �u���v GO into the O+ slot. Those that END in other particles�i���̑��̏��� like �u��, ��, and �� �v�jGO into the A+ slot. Noun phrases that do NOT end in a particle go into the C slot [same slot as O+]. We USE Roman letters�i���[�}���jfor all names and for foreign loan words�i�O����, use foreign spelling�j. If a noun phrase is too long, then CONTINUE on the next line�isame column, �������j. Always LEAVE an empty line�i��s����jbetween and above sentences.
Introduction: New Videos
So far we've been WATCHING Japanese videos, but speech COMES from listening. To SPEAK English fluently and with confidence, you have to HAVE good listening skills. LISTENING is the key to IMPROVING your English ability.
Listen to AJ Hoge explain Rule #3[//www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSuWkhx5Etw]
Your homework for this week will be to WRITE 4��p�� Conversation Starters for an English video about Leonardo da Vinci. You can NAVIGATE from the Class Bulletin Board�i�f���jto the Da Vinci webpage. Then CLICK the link for Season 2 episode 3 [see below].
Bulletin Board => => Da Vinci => => The Life of Leonardo [Part 1]You can CLICK the names on the webpage to see the characters' faces. These are your New Friends. TRY to REMEMBER what they LOOK like!!
The video is in English. Don't FREAK OUT. CONCENTRATE on the people and the story, not the dialog. You are PREPARING for a conversation about the story. It is something to TALK about and good listening practice ... but NOT a listening comprehension exercise. USE your imagination, so you can TALK about what you THINK HAPPENED in the story.
Time for You to Practice| ��c Chat |
| Group X2�@Week 3 |
| Leader: Hanako |
| Plan A: Speak English, then Write English |
| Steps 2-3: Noun phrase / Sentence pairs |
| [[��]]: a // red alarm // clock [2:40] |
| [[�R]]: A red alarm clock // woke up // a sleepy college student. |
| [[��]]: her // wall // calendar [3:00] |
| [[��]]: She // ripped // a page // off her wall calendar. |
You NEED to CHOOSE a leader.
At the top of your report WRITE
[message #1] your group's name, "Week 3",
[message #2] the leader's name,
[message #3] Plan A: Speak English, then write English, and
[message #4] Steps 2-3: Noun phrase / sentence pairs.
Your phrase and sentence pairs should be about Man vs Machine.
If you HAVE any questions about what you are supposed to be DOING, first DISCUSS it in your group, then ... if you are still in doubt, DO what you THINK is right, RAISE your hand and SHOW it to the teacher [the PDS Cycle, aka PDCA Cycle].
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Last updated April 23, 2021contact information
| These lessons are DESIGNED to HELP Japanese students
to LEARN to SPEAK English as a foreign language. They could
be REVERSE ENGINEERED to help English speakers learn to speak Japanese as a foreign language. I would be thrilled to SHARE my ideas about teaching foreign languages with other teachers. You can CLICK the link above to FIND my contact information. |