Pizza!

Yesterday, we made pizza with UNESCO club! Each team made very unique pizzas. I`m glad that they were all successful. I had the chance to taste two of them and they were very good.

Usually, pizza in north america has a thicker crust and is "fluffier". In Italy (where pizza is from), they like thin and crunchy crusts.

I really like pizza because you can put almost anything you want on them; you can be creative and make a pizza that nobody ever made before!

====================================

English tip of the week:

Ask questions!!!

The best way to learn is to ask questions and not be afraid to make mistakes. You can ask any of your school`s English teachers and ALTs, they will be happy to help you! (It`s their job! ;)

New School Year!

Hi everyone!

I’m very excited to begin the new school year. I hope you are too.

I have many fun activities planned for our classes and I look forward to do them with you.

There is now an “English Corner” in the KJ student’s hall. Please go have a look if you can. I will be introducing a new artist every month. You can listen to that artist right there! There is a CD player right next to the board, just press the play button and enjoy the music!

Spring is here and the snow is melting, it really reminds me of spring in Canada. Now I want to go outside all the time and enjoy the sun!

English tip of the week:

When you have to speak in English (or even in Japanese!), act as if you were the most confident person in the world! Even if you are not and you feel a bit insecure, pretend that you are very outgoing and energetic. Imagine that you are an actor (comedian) and you need to play the role of someone that is really confident.

Almost magically, you will gain real confidence and see that you are not afraid to make mistakes. This is the best way to improve your English and your speaking skills!

Have a good weekend!

JD

Earthquake

Hi everyone,

This week, I am only hoping that all of you are OK as well as your friends and your family. This is a very big challenge for Japan and the consequences are very sad. Please, stay strong and safe.
See you at school soon!
JD

はだか まつり

Last Thursday ( March third), I participated in Urasa`s Naked Man Festival. It was a very unique experience!
I was lucky to have other teachers helping me and telling me what to do during the festival because, at first, it is not easy to understand what is happening!
We started by wearing some kind of traditional clothes that cover only the lower part of the body. Then we went in the street. It was snowing and very cold. To warm ourselves up, we would cover ourselves with wax from big giant candles. We then walked to the temple. The most difficult part was to have my feet get completely wet by walking in the water that was running in the street.
When we arrived at the temple, everyone started to push each other and try to get to the front. After reaching the front, we could jump in very cold water and pray for about 5 seconds. Then, we ran to another part of the temple where people keep pushing each other and try to enter a little section of the temple. Only one person at a time can get in, so people get intense with the pushing.
All this time, people say "Sanyo, Sanyo!" in a loud voice.

I really enjoyed the experience and I think I would like to try it again next year.

I will add more pictures very soon so you can see what the festival looked like and how much snow there was!

English tip of the week:

Making an oral presentation.
When you have to do an oral presentation, many things are very important (speaking loudly, looking at the audience, be energetic (げんき)...)
I think that the best way to make an excellent presentation is to practice it a lot!
You need to repeat your speech over and over again. You should focus on ONE thing every time: "this time, I will think about speaking loudly", "this time, I will think about looking in front of me"...
Try to practice in front of a mirror so you can see what the audience will see.
Every time you repeat your speech, it will get a little better. So repeat it as many times as you can!

A great way to practice English

This week, I would like to tell you about a great way to improve your English writing skills and help other people learn Japanese at the same time. It’s a website called lang-8.com .

On this website, you can create a free account and post your English texts. It can be a short diary, a writing production for your English class or anything else. Then, English speakers from all over the world will look at your text and correct it for you. They will also give you explanations about their corrections. 

It is a great way to have your English homework checked before you give it to your teacher ;) .

On the website, they will suggest you to go read texts from people trying to learn Japanese and to correct them. This way, you will help others with their Japanese at the same time as you get help with your English. Everybody wins!

You should really try this website. It is a great example of people collaborating together to improve their knowledge.

You can find me on lang-8 ; I`m jdduq!

 English tip of the week:

- Go try lang-8.com :p

School Calendar

 In Canada, the school year calendar is very different from the Japanese school year calendar. The biggest difference is that it begins in September and not in April. The first days of school are usually used to introduce the students to their new teachers and their new classes. We also have some activities to help the students know each other a little bit better. During this time, the principal makes final adjustments to the schedules and the school organization.

We usually have about 2 weeks of winter holiday during Christmas time. We also have a spring break (1 week) in March or in April. Then, the school year ends in late June. The last weeks are used for final exams.

During July and August, there is no school! The students can stay home, have a summer job, go to camps or do almost anything. There is no homework during summer.

Summer holidays are always very exciting for students!

English tip of the week

When you do a speech or a presentation, you will often say “I will introduce myself”, “I will introduce my hobbies” or “I will talk about myself”…

Be careful how you use these expressions.

Try not to say, “I will introduce about…”

You need to introduce “something”, not “about something”

Examples:

O Today, I will introduce myself.

X Today, I will introduce about myself.

O Today, I would like to tell you about myself.

O Today, I would like to talk about my hobbies.

If you want to use “about”, you should say, “…talk about…” or “…tell you about…”

Have a good weekend! Enjoy the snow while it`s still here ;)

Valentine`s Day!

Valentine`s Day is coming soon! As you know, it is February 14.

From what I have heard, Valentine`s Day in Japan is mostly about girls giving chocolates to boys. Later, on “White Day”, the boys will treat the girls back.

In Canada, it’s a bit different. We don’t have any “White Day”. We only have Valentine’s Day to celebrate friendships and relationships. Usually, it’s the boys who will do nice things for the girls on Valentine’s Day. For example, a boy will give flowers to his girlfriend or a husband will bring his wife to a nice restaurant. Sometimes, the girls will also do something nice for the boys but it’s mostly the boys who have the pressure to do something special for their partner.

Valentine is also about friendship. Younger boys and girls can exchange valentine cards and be each other’s “valentines” for the day.

On Valentine Day, make sure you tell the people you love how you feel. You can tell your parents, your brothers, yours sisters or anyone you appreciate!

 ===================================================

English tip of the week!

How to use the apostrophe ( ‘ ).

The Oxford Dictionary says: The apostrophe is a punctuation mark ( ’ ) used to indicate either possession (e.g., Harry’s book; boys’s coats) or the omission of letters or numbers (e.g., can’t; he’s; class of ’99).

So when you use ( ‘s ) , it is almost the same thing as の. 

Example : Harry’s book  = ハリの本

This is what they mean by saying,“ indicates possession “.

You can also use the apostrophe to replace letters or numbers. This can make some words shorter.

Examples;

It is = It’s

Should not = Shouldn’t

Could not = Couldn’t

I will = I’ll

It was in `95 = It was in 1995

It can also be used to show how some people speak even if it’s not proper written English.

Examples;

“Hi y’all!” (Means; “Hi you all!”)

“Wat’chadoin’ ?” (Means; “What are you doing?” – this is really not good written English :p)

Can you try to find all the apostrophes ( ` ) in my text about Valentine`s Day?

Can you say if it is used to indicate possession or the replace other letters?

Traveling abroad!

I think that traveling abroad is one of the most enjoyable things in life. Our planet is full of amazing places, people and surprises! Of course, going to a foreign country and interacting with people from a different culture can be scary but I think that we learn the most when we go out of our comfort zones. Traveling is the best way to learn amazing things about the world and yourself while having fun!

Of course, it can be difficult to plan and pay for a trip abroad when you are 16 years old…  it is still a great time to become interested in other countries, dream about your future trips and maybe plan one already!

If you have an opportunity to take a trip, take it! I don’t know anyone who ever regretted visiting a new place.

Can you guess where I took these pictures?

English tip! 

Try to use synonyms (words that mean almost the same thing).

When you need to write a text about a specific subject, try to find a list of synonyms for the main words that you will use. This way, you will avoid using the same word too many times. 

For example; if you write about cars, try to find as many synonyms of the word "car" as you can:

car, automobile, auto, motor vehicle

Depending on your text, maybe you can also use informal synonyms: wheels, lemon (a bad car), clunker (an old and bad car), rustbucket (a rusted car), motorcar (that`s an old way to call a car).

Examples;

X I really love cars. So the other day I went to see a car show. I was a bit shy to get there with my old car since all the best and newest cars will be shown at the car show. 

O I really love cars. So the other day I went to see an auto show. I was a bit shy to get there with my old clunker since all the best and newest motor vehicles will be shown at the auto show. 

Winter Fun!

On January 4^th, I had the chance to participate in a special activity at KJ: it was もちつき. It was a lot of fun. I had the opportunity to pound the mochi and also to eat the delicious mochi. I ate three different kinds of mochi: azuki mochi (red bean), kinako mochi (soybean flour) and oroshidaikon (grated daikon).

In Québec City (where I was born), there is a very big winter festival every year. It is usually in late January and early February. It is called: Carnaval de Québec (Quebec’s Carnival). There are a LOT of things happening during this festival: ice sculptures, a snow bath, a parade, sledding…

One of the most impressive things though is  the ice hotel that they build every year. People can go spend a night in that hotel that is built completely out of ice. The walls, the floor and even the beds are made of ice. There is also a bar where you can drink out of glasses made of ice!

There are also many people celebrating weddings there. Can you imagine getting married while wearing your winter coat?

English tip of the week:

When you talk about yourself and other people, make sure that you put the other people before you. It’s a way of showing that you consider other people as being important and you do not put yourself before them.

Example: ( O = Correct, X = Incorrect )

O – My brother and I went to the movies.

O- My father, my mother and myself really enjoy playing games together.

O- Mr. Miyazaki, Ms. Kinoshita and me will give a class tomorrow.

X – Me and my sister are playing video games.

X – Myself and my parents will go skiing next weekend.

Have a great weekend! I will see you next week!

JD

There is so much snow in Urasa!!!

As you know, I am from Québec in Canada. There, we also have a lot of snow during the winter. Usually, it accumulates gradually (そろそろ) all winter and we end up having a lot of snow. I am very impressed by how quickly (さっと) the snow accumulates here in Minami Uonuma. I am very happy to have good snow boots!

Snow in Urasa

Snow in Quebec

 If you would like me to talk about special things or if you have any questions, don`t hesitate to leave a comment under this blog post. Also, you are always welcome to come see me at the teacher`s room!

English tip of the week:

When you list things, make sure to use commas (,) to separate each items in your list and use “AND” only for the last one instead of the comma.

Examples: ( O = Good :  X = Not Good)

O – I like apples, oranges, bananas and grapes.

X – I like apples, oranges, bananas, and grapes.

X – I like apples and oranges and bananas and grapes.

When you want to say that there are more things in your list, you should use “and so on” ONLY IF people know what the other things are.

Examples:

O – The letters of the alphabet are: A, B, C, D and so on. (People already know what the other letters are)

X – I like apples, oranges, bananas and so on. (People cannot really guess what other fruits you like)

You should use “and other things” or “and some others” or “and many more” instead of “and so on” if people don’t know the other things in the list.

Examples:

O – I like apples, oranges, bananas and some other fruits.

O – I really like music. I like the Beatles, Michael Jackson, Led Zeppelin and many more.

I hope this can help you!

See you next week for another blog post!

JD

Welcome to my corner!

Hi everyone!

You found my blog!
This is where you will be able to read about many interesting things... in English ;)
I want to tell you some interesting facts about Canada,  tell you about what I'm doing in KJ, Muikamachi and Shiozawa, give you some tips about learning English, etc.

I will write a new post every friday afternoon, so you can read it during the weekend.

This week, I will tell you about my winter holiday.

Preparing the cake at Muikamachi's Christmas party! 

It was a very good cake!

Preparing the "Pouding Chômeur"

The maple syrup sauce! humm! おいしい！

Mia chan!

First, I had the chance to have a nice christmas party with the students from the English Club of Muikamachi High School. We made a cake and exchanged gifts. It was a lot of fun.

 Then, I introduced a typical French Canadian desert to KJ's UNESCO Club. It's a very sweet cake that uses a lot of Maple Syrup. It's one of my favorite desserts! Everyone in the club managed to make a tasty "Pouding Chômeur" (that's how we call call this cake in French; in English it would mean "unemployed pudding").




During the holidays, I also spent a lot of time with my daughter Mia.

In January, I want to begin a Pen Pal programme between you (Japanese students) and the students that I had in Canada. If you are interested, I'll tell you more soon!

As always, don't hesitate to come and talk with me at any time!
And don't be afraid to use your English ;) 頑張れ！

A very happy new year 2011!

JD