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Waseda/PSU TNP EnglishLING 399 Academic English, Wk 1

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Party in the Park (PSU Park Blocks)TOMORROW: Thursday,

September 2711:00-3:00FREE FOOD!Check out the clubs!

Online Idiom Resources (on class website’s front page)

Cultural observations (Part A only)Take out the cultural observation

sheet.

**Did you find people with the same or opposite ideas? Or all different?

Cultural observations (Part B)(Education) (Share)What about the education

system?What have you had to adjust to?ParticipationLength of classesHomework (lots of)Age of studentsEager to learn—ask quesetionsSpeed of speaking of professorsNo lunchtimeGroupwork

Cultural observations (Part B)(Education) Small groupsDiscuss Questions 2 & 3. Discuss

what is comfortable now, what is uncomfortable for you, and why.

If you have time, on the back of the paper in small groups take one example: What’s the activity? What’s the purpose? What’s the value?

KYOIKU MAMA

Take a class poll—Is there any consensus? (general agreement shared by all)

SA A U D SD

a. 4 3 5 5

b. 2 4 6 3 1

c. 5 6 0 5 0

d. 2 5 3 5 1

e. 0 0 2 7 7

f. 4 5 4 1 2

g. 1 9 2 4 0

h. 0 2 3 8 3

i. 0 2 5 3 6

j. 6 5 3 1 1

NPR LISTENING

What are schools for? (What are different purposes for

education (elementary, middle, and high school)(Brainstorm Ideas)

Keep kids off the streetsMake people happy in the futureHelp citizens get jobs in the futureMake a civilized population—teach people how to behave or function in a societyGet knowledge ?Make life long friendslearn how to socialize with othersDevelop one’s identity—explore who I amDevelop a shared identitydevelop kindness—morals—*understand how the world works so we can function/cope/survive in society.

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Brainstorm in groups: Purpose: *Think about education (What things do you remember from elementary, middle, and high school? College? Activities? Homework?)

Activity Purpose Value

Club activities : fun, relationship; skills:

culture and society of JPN, effort

School trip

HS (PT job)

English (from MS)

Entrance exams

Introductions

Sports festival

NPR/KAISER/KENNEDY SCHOOL EDUCATION SURVEY

Random telephone survey of 1,422 adults nationwide. (1999)

Let’s take a class poll (Purpose)

       

21A. Most important role for schools?

Academic skills and knowledge 

Character development 

Both

21B. What should school provide?

Giving knowledge 

Critical thinking 

Both

21C. Have schools gotten too far from basics or should they teach a broader range?

Too far from basics 

Teach broader range 

Both

Important role for schools? (purpose)

  Academic skills and knowledge

Character development

Both(vol.) Don’t Know

Parents 51 33 16 1

Non-parents

51 36 12 1

21A. Which is a more important role for schools — to give students academic skills and other knowledge to prepare them for a job, a career, or college OR to develop students' character so they can make responsible decisions as adults in society about such things as drugs, sex, family, and money?

What should schools provide? (purpose)

  Giving knowledg

e

Critical thinkin

g

Both (vol.)

Neither

(vol.)

Don’t Know

Parents 58 35 6 * 2

Non-parents

55 36 8 1 1

21B. Which of the following two statements comes closer to your view: Schools need to return to their main function of giving knowledge to students, OR schools need to focus on teaching children how to think critically rather than worrying about how much detailed knowledge they have?

Back to basics (reading, writing, math)? Or Teach more in our complex world? (purpose)

  Too far from basics

Teach broader range

Both (vol.)

Neither (vol.)

Don’t Know

Parents 49 44 5 1 1

Non-parents

53 40 5 1 1

21C. Which of the following two statements comes closer to your view: Schools have gotten too far away from the basics, like reading, writing, and math, OR schools need to teach about a broader range of subjects than they used to, because the world is more complex today?

NPR News report based on the poll

What’s the main idea?

Listen and take notesOrganize by speaker—top of

handout

*Joel Spring has dates.

Review notes and answer questions (small groups)

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The Purpose of Education Assignment#1 (an introduction)You have spent several years in an education

system. Now you have experience abroad too.

Consider: What is the purpose of education? What are your reasons for pursuing education? What are the goals of a specific society for an educated populace?

In class, we will be working with this topic. Stretch yourself. Brainstorm. Talk to people.

As you are thinking, reflect back on readings/topics in class to incorporate in the paper.

Discuss1. Are individual needs & national needs the same or

different?2. Hirsch said US schools started for many reasons:

_____create citizens who are informed citizens so they can vote_____create a literate populace _____teach students how to function in the modern world_____give everyone an even start

Rank Japanese schools on how well they do the following (0-10, 10 is best). Discuss the rank you gave with your classmate. 

3. What’s more important for schools to try to achieve?◦ Prepare students for good job or create good

character?◦ Impart knowledge or teach students to think

critically4. What are schools for?

HW1. **Bring Am Ways textbook on Friday**Homework:2. HW: Complete K.Mama worksheets:

vocabulary and question sheet (Turn in Friday).3. HW: Read the Purpose of Education Essay

Assignment Handout & Think about EDUCATION! The activities, purposes, and underlying values. (Friday)

4. Do the NPR listening from the class websiteRemember:5. Buy PTI (Bring Monday)6. Xerox Elective syllabus (Turn in when you can)

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Brainstorm in groups: Purpose: *Think about education (What things do you remember from elementary, middle, and high school? College? Activities? Homework?)

Activity Purpose Value

Club activities : fun, relationship; skills:

culture and society of JPN, effort

School trip

HS (PT job)

English (from MS)

Entrance exams

Introductions

Sports festival