Conversation Class Lesson Summary
Language Resident Name: Yohichi Tagami
Day and Date: Sep 28, 2016
Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class): Intermediate Japanese
Class theme/topics discussed: The Meaning of Paper-crane
Goal of the class:
Students will learn the true meaning of paper-crane folded by Origami.
Students will learn about the historical person, Sasaki Sadako and then think about a peace.
How did you structure the class?
Activity 1 (7 min) Attendance check and announcements
I check students’ attendance and give them three announcements.
Activity 2 (5 min): Review of the Last Class
I ask some questions about Keirounohi to the students and review the key points together with PowerPoint.
Activity 3 (8 min): Introduction of Hiroshima
I show some photos related to Hiroshima to the students and then introduce it to the students. I also ask some questions to the students, and they talk about it in a pair and then share it in the class.
Activity 4 (15 min): Introduction of Paper-crane
I show some related photos to the students and ask some questions about it. The students consider it and then discuss it in a group. I also introduce general information of it to the students with the photos.
Activity 5 (20 min): The Story of Sasaki Sadako
I give the students a handout and then have them read it in a group helping one another. Then we will read it together with the powerpoint. I explain some vocabulary to the students and then give them some questions based on the story they’ve just read.
Activity 6 (5 min): Consolidation (What is your idea of peace?)
I ask two questions to the students, and they think about it. Then I gather the ideas from the students and conclude it in the class.
Back-up Activity (5-10 min) Brainstorming
I ask the students about their favorite Japanese song. Students think about it and discuss it in the class. I write down them they said on the whiteboard.
What technology, media or props did you use? (internet resources, playmobiles, handouts, etc.)
Powerpoint, handout
What worked well in this class? What did not work?
The class was good in general. Some students found today’s lesson interesting, but the others found it boring due to the historical thing. But they did good in reading the handout I gave them, trying to comprehend the content of it. But Considering it from my viewpoint, it was irrelevant to the intermediate conversation class today since they were not used to this kind of task. Although it was boring to some of the students in the class, however; at least they were able to achieve one of the goals by participating in the class. They were able to learnd what Paper-crane means to us.
How could this class be improved/ modified?
I should have modified the way to explain about the topic to the students, not reading but some other ways or combined ones, which could help them motivate the activity and let them talk about it freely in the class.
If you have a more detailed lesson plan, please attach it below (OK to use target language for that). Please attach any handouts as well.