HOOSIERS TRIBUNE　on 4/12

フージャーズの皆様へ

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今週例会の出欠確認です。
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こんばんは、デモらです。

先週土曜日、大阪城公園まで桜の撮影に行ってきました。

天気はよく桜は満開。絶好のお花見日和とあって、花見と言うより
「人見」という感じでしたが、それなりに満足のいく写真が撮れました。

当日は大阪城ホールでコンサートがあったようなのですが、ホールの前に
アーチスト名等は見あたらず、誰のコンサートかは分かりませんでした。
コンサート会場に入る子は10代の女の子が大半で、アイドル系だということは
分かったのですが、わざわざ聞いてまで知りたいとは思わず、結局その場では
分からずじまいでした。

帰宅後、ネット検索してみると、Hay!Say!Jumpというアイドルグループの
コンサートということだったのですが、皆さんご存じですか？

若い頃は男女問わずアイドル関係にはかなり詳しいと自負していた私ですが、
今ではさっぱりですね（汗）

さて、今回のトピックは小学生の英語教育についてです。文部科学省は今月3日、
2011年度から小学5・6年生で必修化される小学生の英語教育の概要を発表
しました。文法や単語の書き取りは教えないということですが、そもそも
小学校で英語教育の必要はあるのでしょうか？

英文が読めない方は、新聞やネットで検索してみてください。


※※皆さんにお願い※※

最近、同姓のメンバーが増えています。出欠欄の記入は必ずフルネームで
お願いします。特に田中さん、渡辺さん、鈴木さん、山下さん、中村さんはフルネームで！

できれば、以下のトピックを印刷してお持ちください。

☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆

Primary schools to teach 285 English words in '11

Fifth- and sixth-year primary school students will learn a total of 285 English words and 50 expressions in compulsory English
classes to be introduced in the 2011 school year, the Education, Science and Technology Ministry said Thursday.

The students are expected to learn the words and expressions with textbooks compiled by the ministry titled "Eigo Noto," (English
Notes), according to ministry officials. The 50 expressions are currently taught in the first year of middle school. The ministry
has distributed a preliminary version of the textbooks--one each for fifth-graders and sixth-graders--to about 550 schools
nationwide to be used on a trial basis in the school year that started this month.

The textbooks are designed to enable students to play games and introduce themselves in English by the time they graduate from
primary school.

The students, however, will not be taught English grammar or spelling, they added.

To help teachers who have no experience in teaching English, the ministry has also made available CDs to be used for listening
comprehension along with guidance for teachers that includes key points in helping students give speeches in English.

During the school year, both fifth- and sixth-grade students will receive a total of 35 English lessons, lasting 45 minutes each,
according to the officials.

The English classes will focus on speaking and listening, but not on reading and writing, they said.

The textbooks are designed to teach English to primary school children through various activities, such as listening to content on
CDs and "making presentations in front of classmates."

In Lesson 1 of the fifth-grader's textbook, students will learn how to say "hello" in nine different languages, including English,
Chinese, French and Russian. Students will become familiar with greetings in different languages, not only through the textbook, but
also the CDs, the officials said.

In subsequent chapters, fifth graders will also learn interrogative and negative constructions through bingo and other games,
according to the officials.

Sixth-grade students are expected to learn more advanced English expressions. After getting familiar with the alphabet in Lesson 1
in the textbook written for their grade, children will practice giving directions with their classmates and produce their own
English-language plays in groups.

In Lesson 9--the last chapter in the textbook--sixth graders will learn how to speak about their dreams in English, using
expressions such as "I want to be a teacher."

Teaching guidance for primary school teachers presents detailed time schedules for each 45-minute class, allocating, for example,
five minutes for "greetings at the beginning of the class" and 15 minutes for a "review of the previous lesson," according to the
officials.

The guidance for teachers also gives details on key instruction points and teaching methods, such as "asking children questions
while also showing them cards" offering contextual help.

Officials said it would be up to individual schools whether they use the teaching materials. However, the ministry plans to
distribute them to all primary schools across the country so that they would be able to start preparations for the introduction of
compulsory English classes in fiscal 2011, they added.

1. When and where did you start studying English? Who taught you first?

いつどこであなたは英語の勉強を始めましたか？誰が最初に教えてくれましたか？

2. What do you think of the contents of the English classes introduced above?

上で紹介されている、英語授業の内容についてどう思いますか？

3. Is it too early for elementary school children to study English? Do you think studying correct Japanese is more important than
learning English in the process of education?

小学生が英語を学ぶのは早すぎると思いますか？教育の過程において、正しい日本語を学ぶことが英語を学ぶことより重要だと思いますか？

4. Do you agree younger children are more likely to absorb English? Tell us your idea about good ways to learn English in the first
step.

幼い子供は英語を吸収しやすいということに同意しますか？英語を学ぶ初期段階における、いい学習方法のアイディアを語ってください。

5. It's the season of cherry-blossom viewing. Talk about your memories concerning cherry-blossom.

お花見の季節ですね。桜の想い出について語ってください。