The Akitan 2013 Summer Issue

CONFERENCE INFO ARTICLES PHOTOS LESSONS ALL THINGS SUMMER

In this issue Akita Orientation info ········································· 4 Akitaculture ························································· 6 Skill Development Conference info····················· 7 ALTs in the news ·················································· 10 Summer is here ··················································· 18 Photo corner ······················································· 20 Akita-ben corner ················································· 26 Lesson corner ······················································ 27

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total of 45 new ALTs and CIRs have arrived in Akita this year. With a little more than 100 ALTs and CIRs, that is about half of our JET population in the prefecture. So welcome to all of the new arrivals!

The rainy season has finally come to an end, and it is getting hot, hot, HOT! Summer in Japan is a time of festivals, beach going, rock concerts, watermelon smashing, and much more! Summer in Akita is exceptionally short, so be sure to soak up all those sunrays while you can.

Just remember to stay hydrated because heat stroke might kill you otherwise.

We have packed this summer issue with information about the upcoming Akita Orientation, articles about ALTs in the news, tips for surviving the summer heat, and much more!

Many new adventures await us, so start this new JET year by enjoying a healthy dose of The Akitan! Enjoy!

Your PAs : )

PA Info Randy Umetsu 080-4576-1812 randy.umetsu@gmail.com

Josh Drewry 090-2987-1984 jdrewry.akita@gmail.com

Stephanie Hupp 090-7565-5049 stephaniehupp11@gmail.com

Taylor Fustin 080-3322-3820 taylor.fustin@gmail.com AJET Peer Support Group Everyday 8 p.m.–7 a.m.

Toll free: 050-5534-5566

For new arrivals!

Click here for more details!

So what can I learn that I didn’t already get at Tokyo Orientation?

Well, you are just going to have to come and find out!

Prefectural Advisor Taylor Fustin telling us what’s up. We salute you Taylor!

akitaculture Greetings Akitans, old and new!

Here in Akita, we strive to provide outlets and resources for those within our community in all areas – lifestyle, professional, creative, etc. To meet our creative and cultural needs, we have created akitaculture, a blog devoted to the cultural features of our area and the creative output of those who live here. For a year now, this blog has played host to the reviews, musings, poetry, knowledge, and reflections of those in Akita about our lovely prefecture and about our experiences living in it.

We encourage you to check out the blog (https://akitaculture.wordpress.com) and read about the different and often surprising things Akita has to offer. We want to the blog to reflect the unique offerings of Akita as well as the creativity of its English-speaking community – written, visual, or audial!

After you check it out, please contribute! We are always looking for interesting pieces featuring a favorite restaurant in your area, book reviews, interviews with locals, cultural reflections, festival information, photography – anything you have to offer. If it is cultural and creative, akitaculture wants to give it an audience!

Please lend us your perspectives and your talent, and contribute to the blog! Send all submissions, questions, or suggestions to akitaculturecollective@gmail.com.

More information can be found on the blog site.

Also, keep an eye out for an upcoming photography contest theme!

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Your Akitaculture Editorial Staff PS – If editing and/or web design interests you, please contact us! We are also looking for people to work behind the scenes to improve the pieces and website and to make akitaculture the best it can be.

Click here to view the website

Skill Development Conference 2013

The 2013 Akita Skill Development Conference (SDC) will be held at the Prefectural Education Center in Tenno on October 28 and 29. We are in need of presenters!

Call for SDC Presenters!

Our once a year prefectural wide Skills Development Conference (SDC) will be here soon! As you all know, the success of this conference largely depends on all of us as ALTs, as we are the main presenters. Let’s do our best to make it a great conference!

The Education Center is now looking for ALTs willing to present or submit classroom videos of a lesson. They will be used during the critique/discussion session during the conference.

Below you will find a general schedule for the 2013 SDC. If you are interested in doing one of these presentations or have an idea for a different presentation, please contact Taylor Fustin at taylor.fustin@gmail.com. If you want to see all of the excitement of last year’s SDC, click here.

Thank you! We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Open Presentation Spots Video presentations (8 in total - 6 JHS and 2 HS) Listening and speaking activities Technology Senior High School Activities Reading and writing activities *Your own creative idea for a workshop!

ALTs going all out Twenty men and women don mawashi On June 22, the 9th Annual Akita International Sumo Tournament was held at Akita City’s Prefectural Budokan. Twenty ALTs, both men and women, fought vigorously while donning mawashi (sumo belts). The event was hosted by the Akita Association of JETs (AAJ).

The participants wrestled under selfproclaimed shikona (wrestling names), such as “The Bullfighter,” “SumOwen,” and “A Thousand Years.”

Mounting the dohyo (ring) and receiving chikara-mizu (power water) from other wrestlers, the participants prepared for their bouts as in real sumo matches.

With many fierce bouts, some even ended with wrestlers tumbling off the ring.

After a vigorous match, opponents praised each other’s efforts and sometimes even shook hands. The crowd en-

couraged them with cheers and applause.

“I have great interest in sumo, which is a part of traditional Japanese culture. It felt really good to give my all in my matches,” commented Kenny Grant with a smile. Kenny, originally from the United Kingdom, currently lives in Oga and is an executive member of the AAJ. This tournament was started in 2004 with the goal of promoting cultural exchange. AAJ has held this tournament every year with the exception of 2011, the year of the Great East Japan Earthquake.

June 23, 2013 Translated by Randy Umetsu

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Certificates of appreciation to four high school ALTs On July 9, the Prefectural Board of Education (PBOE) presented the ALTs who would be completing their terms as high school ALTs with certificates of appreciation. The four ALTs come from countries including the United Kingdom and Australia. Coming to Japan on the JET Programme, they taught English at their region’s high school. Two will be returning to their home countries and the other two are set to become English instructors within Akita Prefecture.

At the ceremony held at the Prefectural Office Second Building, BOE Superintendent, Susumu Yoneda, presented each with a certificate. “Both the English skills and communications skills of our high school students have increased due to your instruction. We are thankful that you have left the students with such precious memories,” said the superintendent.

“We are thankful to have been able to work in such a beautiful prefecture,” said Jeremia Grobler, teacher at Noshiro SHS since 2008, on behalf of the four.

July 10, 2013 Translated by Randy Umetsu

the

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Update your directory information!

Especially your schools!

Keeping the Akita JET directory up to date is an on-going process with so many JETs coming and going. There have been many changes in schools this year, so please send Randy Umetsu (randy.umetsu@gmail.com) the names of your new schools by Aug. 31 so they can be updated in the directory. If any of your other info is new too, be sure to send that as well! Thank you!

Email Randy by Aug. 31!!!

JHS and SHS students think and express themselves in English Super English Camp, hosted by the Prefectural Board of Education (PBOE) in order to boost the communication skills of JHS and SHS students, was held at Akita City’s youth exchange center Youth Pal for four days and three nights ending on July 26.

On July 25, the 52 participants wrote short essays on the theme of environmental issues and gave speeches. The students wrote on an A4 sized sheet of paper their views and thoughts concerning environmental problems and the importance of making efforts towards improvement.

Teachers at the camp, including the PBOE Senior High School Division’s staff and ALTs, edited the essays and provided advice saying things like “The grammar is correct, but let’s make this into an easier to understand expression” and “I think you should clearly express your opinion.”

“In addition to utilizing natural energy sources such as fire power and wind power, we each need to make efforts to conserve energy,” read aloud first-year student Ryohei Narita (12) from the Akita University Affiliated JHS. “I want to become a doctor, so I am studying English. This camp, at which I can thoroughly think about how to express myself, is a lot of fun,” said Narita.

Super English Camp, compared to the regular English camps at which students improve their English skills through games, includes content of a higher level, such as discussions and speeches. Twelve JHS students and 40 SHS students with English Proficiency Exam (Eiken) pre grade 2 and above participated in this camp.

July 26, 2013 Translated by Randy Umetsu

Summer is HERE!

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bout six months ago, we spent Akita’s cold winter days hidden away in our kerosene-heated apartments to escape the harsh winter. Again we retreat to the refuge of our apartment, but only this time for the air conditioner. Yes, summer is upon us. While Akita cannot claim to even come near Australia’s record- breaking temperatures of some 50 degrees during the summer of 2012, the combination of heat and humidity will definitely be enough of an excuse to spend extra time in the grocery store to enjoy all the free air con. But summer isn’t bad at all; you just have to know how to enjoy it. Here are just a couple of things to make your summer a little cooler.

By Randy Umetsu

Akita Craft Beer Akita, while famous for its sake, also boasts several craft breweries such as Tazawako Beer and Aqula. Several beers from each brewery have even made their way to the international stage and have walked away with awards. Akita’s craft brews are a sure-fire way to cool your summer down. So find your nearest beer garden and go suck down some of that liquid bread!

Baba-hera Ice Baba-hera, literally meaning “Old lady’s spatula,” is an Akita specialty you will see pop up all over the prefecture as soon as the weather gets warm. These troopers brave the hot summer heat to deliver us this creamy, rose-shaped sherbet.

Akita’s Beaches When all else fails, grab your swimsuit and head down to the beach! Shimohama, Katsurahama, Iwaki, Oga, etc. are all great places to get your swim on! Beaches in Japan usually come with beach huts that sell food, drinks, and all sorts of fun water toys. Be on the lookout for beach parties too!

キャプションAll photos on this page by Jordan Oxborough http://oxborough.co.nz/tohoku/

Pho t corn o er

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itane Sand-craft Festival, July 2013

Photos by Jennifer Rogalski and Jon Stimmer

Akita-ben Corner With Pat Costello, a.k.a Akita-ben Mastah

What is Akita-ben? Akita-ben, literally translating to “Akita dialect,” is a sub-dialect of the Tohoku dialect umbrella (often called Zuzu-ben).

For most of us, learning Japanese is hard enough as it is. Throw Akita-ben into the mix and we have a nearly unintelligible language. (It is often accompanied by subtitles in national broadcasts). But not to fear! Give these Akita-ben phrases a try and you will be conversing with the local obaachan and ojiichan in no time (WARNING: Not for use in formal situations)!

In every new issue of The Akitan, we will be featuring a new Akitaben word or phrase.

んだ Most Japanese people will tell you that no Japanese word starts with the consonant “n.” However, most Japanese people don’t speak Akita-ben either. んだ (nda) and its slightly politer brother んだす (ndasu) are the staple of every conversation in Akita-ben. They are expressions of affirmation and are used like how そうだ (sou da) and そう です (sou desu) are used in standard Japanese.

Example: そうですね (sou desu ne) ↓ んだすな～(ndasuna) Translation: Yes, that is so.

20 Questions Game (25-35 minutes) 1. Divide students into groups of 4. Have them put their desks together.

2. Give each group the blank slips of paper, one for each member.

3. Tell students to write one noun on their paper. Explain what a noun is in Japanese (I let them use their dictionaries to look it up), that it is a Person, Place, or Thing, and that any noun is okay but needs to written in English. Tell them it is a secret and not to show their group members.

4. While they are writing, give each group one pile of cards (the 10 sample cards, other cards with nouns, cards collected from previous classes, or some combination of these).

5. When everyone finishes, have students put their cards into their pile, shuffle it, and then each take one card from the pile. Tell students not show their cards to their group members.

6. Explain how to play.

A. Say the group members will ask students questions.

B. Write the phrase “Yes or No questions” on the board.

C. Explain that each student will ask one question, going around the group, until someone guesses what it is on each card. Say these questions can only be yes or no questions and provide/write some yes or no question sample formats on the board for students to follow (ie, “Is it (a)_____?” or “Do we _________ it?”)

7. Have students begin playing. Tell them to continue until they have used all the cards in their pile. Each time a class does this activity, I add their cards to the piles, so now there are enough cards that students can play for about 30 minutes without finishing or losing interest. It can last as long as you want depending on how many cards you give students.

Download worksheet

Lesson Corn

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Akita JALT

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re you interested in learning more about language teaching?

Would you like to connect with other language teachers around Akita or maybe Japan? If so, then you may be interested in The Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT).

JALT is a non-profit organization dedicated to the improvement of language teaching and learning both within Japan and internationally. The Akita JALT chapter meets monthly and invites you to check out the workshops. You will find a schedule for workshops for the year on their website.

There is a charge of 500 yen for all non-members (It used to be 1,000 yen, but they lowered it for

us!) JALT members and students are free. Scheduled meetings are at JOIN US in Akita City.

NOTE: The Akita JALT community would love to learn more about the JET Programme in Akita and team teaching. If you are interested in presenting something, please contact Wayne Malcom: wamalcom@gmail.com

We hope that you found this newsletter useful. If you have any suggestions to make The Akitan better, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Lastly, submissions from you will make this work-related newsletter all the more interesting. So, if you have lesson activities, work-related essays, job postings, news articles, photos, etc., please submit them to one of the PAs. As always, thanks for reading!

Life After the BOE by David Namisato

We are looking for great photos and articles by you! Please send anything you would like to contribute to one of the PAs and help make The Akitan even better!

Created by your PAs Design and layout : Randy Umetsu Contributors: Jessie Fast Jon Stimmer Jordon Oxborough Kenny Grant Pat Costello Jennifer Rogalski

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