My daughter won first prize

I was over the moon when my wife texted me this afternoon, saying "Your daughter just won first prize.". I was like ten times happier than I myself won the championship. I'm really, really proud of her.

Sharing English Speaking Activities

1. Who's got what 

http://www.etseverywhere.com/action-listening-games/whos-got-what-an-action-listening-game

2. Snowball Fight

http://www.genkienglish.net/snowballfight.htm

3. Backs to the Board

http://www.eslcafe.com/idea/index.cgi?display:1065699475-82913.txt

4. Talking about Celebrities

http://guojhen.blogspot.tw/2016/03/collaborative-lesson-planning.html

5. Gallery Walk

https://youtu.be/pSt5echeRrM

6. 50 Below Zero

https://youtu.be/CcBr09JcX5g

7. Four Corners

http://www.teach-this.com/resources/esl/giving-opinions

8. Show and Tell

http://longmanhomeusa.com/blog/theunexpected-power-of-show-and-tell/

9. Making Videos with Ease

http://guojhen.blogspot.tw/2016/04/english-self-introduction-with.html

10. Q & A

What's the purpose of learning a language? To be politically correct, we would probably say something like, "Of course, to be able to communicate in that language.", even though in reality, we don't provide opportunities or deliberately ignore the importance of it because of this test-driven mindset.

Teaching Demonstration Filming Project of NCUE: Superlatives and Simple Past

It's been the second time to work with The College of Extension Education of National Changhua University of Education, NCUE, on this filming project for my third and fourth English teaching videos. The main idea is that English teachers can learn and benefit from the videos of this project online as part of the in-service training program of the Ministry of Education. These two dedicated videos of "Superlatives" and "Simple Past" were demonstrated with a variety of activities based on the principles of Task Based Learning, which emphasizing the meaningful application of the language in a context.

International Video Conferencing, Picture Book and Mind Mapping, and Board Game

I hadn't been a homeroom teacher for three years when I took on the position as full-time advisor of the English Advisory Group, and I found this job was quite demanding but also rewarding. I tried some interesting activities in this class that I used to think they were only for more advanced learners. However, my NORMAL students have already proved they can be as motivated and willing to learn to USE English as their gifted counterparts.

Taking My English Speaking Skills to the Next Level

Ever since I decided to leave my previous position as full-time advisor of the English Advisory Group and go back to KMJH to be a homeroom teacher again, I've turned down many offers to share my English teaching at workshops because I can't just take official leave that often as I used to. However, as soon as I got the invitation to do "Teaching English in a Big Class with Mixed Abilities" with native-speaking English teachers, I immediately said yes because I got to speak lots of English.

International Video Conferencing: Introducing the history and features of KMJH

With this second Skype exchange with Toshi’s students, we experienced using English to introduce KMJH and Taichung, complete with a section of Readers Theater performance and the viral PPAP from Japan. Also, thanks to their counterparts’ hard work, we also got to know some fun facts about Japanese sports day, school festivals and clubs.

My students brainstormed some interesting topics to present, including Kuang Ming’s brief history, stories of the cornerstone (奠基石) and the Land Temple (土地公廟), lunch menu and lunch break, and even Principal Hu’s motto. They created mind maps to better materialize what they wanted to present. Furthermore, they also came up with relevant key vocab and expressions that were in line with their assigned topics and then completed their scripts and PPT slides.

The layout of my updated Skype turned out a bit messy. 10 minutes into the session, I still couldn’t find the “Share Screen” icon and that really gave me a fright. I was clueless and even more nervous after Skype crashed quite a few times. How horrifying it was! Luckily, it went back to normal all of a sudden so that we didn’t have to cancel it.

10 minutes before the end of the today’s meeting, I prompted my students to do a bit of their RT performance. The Wicked Witch and the Narrator reluctantly came to the camera because they were shy and blushed, but they did an amazing job by bringing the character alive with their perfect English pronunciation and intonation. Also, totally on a whim, I asked whether they would like to do PPAP for their Japanese partners, and so they did. We were all amused.

Of course, it still left a lot to be desired. For example, some students really have to speak up, and some talked too fast. Also, some of them were just reading their scripts. Despite all that, isn’t it the whole idea of this Skype English exchange, to provide an authentic environment for students to speak English and learn to appreciate cultural differences? For that, Toshi, let’s do it again, shall we? 

http://www.tama-st-h.metro.tokyo.jp/web/readings/topics/topics2811.php#1116-01

Be Confident and Speak English!

A gorgeous Russian TV presenter and radio host visited KMJH and shared her secret to success. I got to experience a bit of what it's like to be an interpreter. Of course, the students once again learned to appreciate cultural differences through English.

Skype Exchange Session 1: Self-introduction and Talent Show

We made it!

The purpose of session 1 is to help my students and their Japanese counterparts from Tokyo Metropolitan Tama High School of Science and Technology get to know each other and also prepare for the following group presentation sessions about some shared issues. Collaborative lesson planning is instrumental in making it happen, so I've closely with my partners, Toshi and Rhi, developed lesson plans, worksheets, and a checklist. Prior to this session, we went over some details of equipment and step-by-step procedures.

Well, It’s quite demanding but definitely rewarding as well when seeing my students speaking and listening to a lot of English attentively. On top of that, two classrooms were virtually connected, with students from both sides so engaged throughout the whole session. My partner also told me that four other colleges of his came to participate and said many good things about the session. What a pleasant surprise!

Receiving The International School Award from British Council Taiwan

OMG! We did it. Of all the candidates, only six received the award and won a one hundred thousand TWD grant from the British Council Taiwan and Education Bureau of Taichung City Government. All the sweat and tears going into this Skype Exchange Project finally paid off.

Under the framework of Identity and Belonging, we developed an action plan in the hope to create an authentic environment for the students not only to use the language but experience cultural differences. I cannot thank Akiko Kubo enough for her determination and dedication to this project.

105年度臺中市國教輔導團「勤耕」投稿: TESOL at QUT

TESOL at Queensland University of Technology:

The Program and School Visits

Introduction

A Dream Came True

When I became a husband and a father of two, I started to think that studying abroad would be just a dream. I never wanted to be an irresponsible man who could abandon his family and leave his job in order to satisfy his personal desire. Things have changed when I learned that the Ministry of Education was going to subsidize English teachers to study in Australia for five weeks. I felt the door to complete my “unfinished business” finally opened and I tried so hard to be admitted. I was jealous of my colleagues who pursued their master’s degree in the United Kingdom but not until I was with the other amazing English teachers from Taiwan to study TESOL in Brisbane, Australia.

Two Wonderful Roommates

The honeymoon period was undoubtedly enjoyable during the first days of my stay in Brisbane. I had two wonderful roommates. We shared a quite small room but their friendliness created a warm atmosphere inside. We would go to school together, shop together and cook our own food together. Just like any kind of adventure, our beginning was never easy. We had to learn how to get economical during our stay in Brisbane. It was all shared effort and through that we managed to save up to seven dollars every day. We got on a free ferry and inter-campus shuttle after a few days of trial and error.

The Beauty of Brisbane

For many times, I missed home. However, the beauty of Brisbane has caused me some distractions as its breathtaking tourist spots around the city would entice me to move around. With the variety of gourmet food I could try at the Sunday Riverside markets and South Bank markets on Saturday night, I felt like roaming around Taiwan's night market. Other captivating sights can be seen at the Gallery of Modern Art, the State Library of Queensland, the Queensland Art Gallery, and the Queensland Museum in South Bank. Even I who was not so enthusiastic about art could not easily get my eyes away from what they had inside. By taking a trip on the City Cat ferry, that could carry commuters and visitors up and down the Brisbane River, which winds its way through the City and suburbs, my classmates and I would just add more convenience.

The Orientation

The most important part of my trip to Brisbane started in 3 days. In that training program, participants were expected to gain a new perspective and some innovative skills on English teaching. The first week was more like an orientation. We applied for our ID card, got the username and password, and learned to use it to have access to the library of the Queensland University of Technology or QUT. Moreover, they shared a brief introduction to Australia—their culture, family life, land territory, and about the aboriginals. Classes were conducted in a more student-centered way, mainly with group discussion and even some hands-on activities wherein participants of this program must actively engage in sharing their ideas with the group in English. I thought of it as a great opportunity for us to refine our communication skills. By the end of the whole program, we had to submit our project report. They introduced us the basics of the Independent Study that all participants should apply in deciding on a specific topic related to an actual problem encountered in the classroom and they gave us a tour of the library to know how we could efficiently make use of it while working on our report. The project was the reflection of what we learned and they hoped our new ideas and developed or improved skills would benefit students in Taiwan.

Free Talking with Albert

With this semester coming to an end soon, I'd really like my students to have one more opportunity to speak English with the help of Albert, who I've been practicing speaking with for the past two years. By making video calls via Skype, the students worked in groups of two or three, doing self-introduction and talking about their hobbies, favorite subjects, food and so on, complete with describing interesting pictures in English. 

Cultural Exchange with Malaysian Volunteers from NTCU

I've been practicing speaking English one on one via Skype over eight years. I've also been to Brisbane for a dedicated TESOL program subsidized by the MOE for five weeks. On top of that, I've been lucky enough to attend the Global English workshop in Seoul, meeting many wonderful English teachers from neighboring Asian countries. The point is that I really, really enjoy both using English to express myself and getting to meet people outside of Taiwan and their cultures. Can I also create an authentic environment that my students will be motivated to use the language? Well, at least to have a glimpse of what it's like without leaving the country?

International Education at Kuang Ming

I have been doing lots of sharing at workshops and teaching demonstrations at different schools. However, today it was the first time that I shared and displayed some achievements in front of all the ninth graders in the very auditorium of my own school. Based on my perspective of how they responded, I think I did a good job today.

Fun with English: Self-introduction and A Little Happiness

This tenth teaching demonstration of mine was performed at Mingjian Junior High School on May 21. By the request of the event planner, the main idea was to create opportunities for students to USE English and to showcase how activities can be set up also using the language as well. In other words, it was more like an English camp, which I was given total freedom to decide on what to teach and enjoyed watching students busy applying what they've learned from textbooks. Teaching procedures are stated as bold and highlighted:

Cultural Exchange: Malaysian food, tourist spots and costumes

Self-introduction

The goal of this class is very simple: to have the students use the language and get to know more about other cultures. Thanks to Professor Meei-ling Liaw and her assistant, Jessica, I got to invite three international students of  NTCU, Jacklyn, Joyce, and Rachel,  to come to my class and do cultural exchange about Malaysian food, tourist attractions, and traditional costumes. The agenda is stated as follows:

A Quantum Leap in Teaching

Three years ago, I embarked on this great journey of gradually reinventing my ways of teaching with ideas and techniques from Cooperative Learning, Task Based Learning, lesson planning with ABCD objectives, to name just a few. I kept on trying out new strategies in my own class, microteaching, and teaching demonstrations. Of course, some worked so well, but some didn't. However, I've learned a great deal through this trial and error and eventually found a pattern that not only suits me so well but helps achieve the goal of getting students to talk in English.

English Self-introduction with Screencastify

Ever since I learned how to use Screencastify at the workshop a few weeks ago, I've been thinking about how I can also get my students to practice English with it. Then, I introduced them some famous teen YouTubers and their videos for the next project, Self-Introduction in English. To motivate their interest of learning, I also told them that they could showcase their talents, introduce their hobbies or pets, and anything like that. As usual, they came up with the script first, and then I helped revise it. 

Cooperative Learning: The 9th Teaching Demonstration

This is the 9th teaching demonstration outside of my school, with students I've never met before and all the English teachers there sitting in the back. Words are difficult to describe how I feel now. Well, let's just say I am completely blown away.

Cooperative Learning: Class Participation and Discussion

Due to this national policy of promoting Cooperative Learning throughout all the junior high schools in the country, I get to travel to many schools to not only share what I've learned related to this teaching approach but observe other teachers' classes and give my professional feedback and suggestions. When it comes to classroom observation, I probably have done this over twenty times, gaining plenty of experience and STEALING many brilliant ideas from it as well. So, I've developed my own framework of participation and discussion in terms of Cooperative Learning, jotting down everything, including the highlights, my questions and suggestions, to share with all the participants right after the teaching demonstration.

Before Demonstration

I'll tell the event planner that I'm really willing to help check the teacher's lesson plan prior to the real performance if that's fine with him or her. Of course, this is not mandatory, but if I do

Introducing the Beauty of Taichung:演武場、光明國中、逢甲夜市

Creating an authentic environment for my students to speak the language and get to experience cultural exchanges are always the main ideas throughout this course of International Education. Toshi, a Japanese English teacher who is also a Global English alumni of the UO AEI, came to visit me during his trip to Taiwan this February. We toured places including 刑務演武場, 光明國中, 逢甲夜市 and 東豐自行車道. It was such a pleasant experience for me to introduce the beauty of Taichung to Toshi in English, and I also gained new perspectives from his points of view. What if I could duplicate what I learned and extend Toshi's visit to benefit my students by getting them to make oral presentations about the same tourist attractions?

First attempt to make a video with Screencastify

I shared the process and progress of how the English Advisory Group strived to promote Professional Learning Community and collaborative lesson planning to the junior high English teachers by sharing all the hard work of every member on our official website, including lesson plans, worksheets and reflections as well. On top of that, by doing microteaching and teaching demonstrations at many schools in Taichung, we didn't just walk the walk but engaged the participants with genuine teaching activities that can be applied in the classroom.

Kuang Ming and Seijo's Skype Exchange 3: Celebrities

"Our teacher told us this was the last time we spoke to Akiko's students. We wanted to give them a surprise. We shouted "Happy Graduation" out loud in Japanese together, and they seemed a bit shocked and also quite glad to hear it."; "I come to realize English is absolutely a magical tool for communication because we can talk about so much with each other without worrying about making mistakes."; "I felt a lot less stressed speaking to them in English today. I tried to say whatever came to my mind even though my spoken English was not very good at all." Well, I just can read their reflection and comments again and again with a smile on my face while also reliving some of the very unforgettable moments during the two-hour session, which is exactly the driving force that will keep me going no matter what.

Collaborative Lesson Planning: Celebrities

 1. Guessing Game. 

   With 15 slides of Taiwanese celebrities shown only to one of the students, the rest of them ask questions to guess who the famous person is. 

Feeling Nostalgic Already

I still remember vividly how I made up my mind and determined to take on the position as Full-time Advisor about three years ago, which totally turned over a new leaf in my life. This job requires me mainly to organize workshops for the whole junior high English teachers here in Taichung. It takes lots of time and energy on paperwork, meetings, phone calls, and sometimes even difficult negotiations, to get the job done. However, when looking back, I would definitely say it is all worth it and rewarding because I've tapped some very unlikely potential.

Classroom Language and Task Based Learning

This is actually the second time that I attended the TBL workshop by the British Council. The first one helped me a lot understand how the ideas and techniques of this communicative approach take shape in the real world. It’s really good I can refresh my memory and also gain new perspectives in terms of TBL, especially I know I’m on the right track after briefly talking about one of my TBL lesson plans with the Director English, Jamie. Also, he kindly offered some very useful suggestions of differentiating some of the activities in the main tasks :   

English Winter Camp with Travel English and French Toast

All the activities were set up using only English as the medium of instruction. The whole idea is to create an environment where students have to work in groups and complete all the tasks targeting travel English, including how to go through customs, take public transportation, check in at a hotel, order food at a restaurant, and so on in English. Of course, making French toast is always a popular activity which engages all the students while also helping them pick up some useful English expressions. Here are 6 activities used in the course.

Teaching Demonstration Filming Project

B2L8 Means of Transportation

https://youtu.be/g5tjEc7yVKY
B2L9 Reading Activities
https://youtu.be/5pRuoDwhq9E

It is my honor and pleasure today to film for the “Teaching Demonstration Project” with the National Changhua University of Education. The idea is to demonstrate some innovative teaching strategies targeting reading and grammar in textbooks for all the junior high English teachers. On top of that, it is also my privilege to work with those lovely students in雅心書軒for the very first time after its unveiling ceremony at PHJH.

A Little Happiness:小幸運與合作學習

Teaching Materials

The movie, Our Times (我的少女時代), is a blockbuster describing memories of Truly Lin’s high-school-years (林真心), with her struggles to become pretty and popular. It also nostalgically recalls romantic events and puppy love affair with a bad boy in the 1990s. The theme song, A Little Happiness (小幸運), has quickly gone viral on You Tube with more than 45 million views. Today, I decided to develop a worksheet and a few activities revolving around an English cover version with beautifully rewritten lyrics.