Writing English A: Writing assignment 2・作文 2

Hello! 

How are you? Here is our second writing assignment (作文2) – writing opinions on news and issues (時事問題) topics.

Theme & topics

You have a lot of freedom with topic choices for this writing assignment. Choose any news item, or an issue in society – in Japan or another country – that you have an opinion about.  

But if you have trouble thinking of a topic, here are some choices for you. Look at these and choose one (1):

• The aging population (老齢人口) of Japan and what older people need for their support
• Social media and its problems (for example, fake news, or selling of people’s personal data by Facebook or other social media sites)
• Issues and/or things that need improvement for student life at Daito Bunka
• Voting rights (投票権) for 18-year-olds in Japanese elections (選挙)

For an extra challenge, here are two topics that are even deeper, but also even more timely and important. I will give extra points to students who try for writing about these topics. You have already seen a separate supporting blogpost for one of these topics: 

• Refugee issues (難民の問題) and what refugees need for immigration (移住) to Japan
• The responses of the Japanese government to the COVID-19 virus

I am gathering writing on these topics into a book called Voices & Ideas - this is a book about student opinion writing on news topics and social issues. The best of your writing on this topic could go into this book, so write to the best you can! 

How much to write

I would like to see at least 3-4 paragraphs' worth of writing - however, I would really like you to write as much as you can, because your work may be published (出版した) on both this blog and in the Voices & Ideas book. 

Deadline (締め切り)

There will be two (2) deadlines – July 7th (7/7) for a rough draft (下書き), and July 14th (7/14) for the final version. 

So, please send me your rough draft for review and individual comments by 7/7, and then, a final version by 7/14. 

Before that time, if you need any advice or guidance, message me anytime.

Good luck! I look forward to reading your great writing on news and issues topics!

Image: Screenshot taken from https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/01/20/national/media-national/japanese-read-news-online-newspapers-first-time-survey-finds/#.XIdp9xhh3q1

I do not own the rights to the original photograph. All rights reserved on original photograph to the copyright holder(s). Uploaded for classroom purposes only.

Writing English A: Writing assignment 2・作文 2

Hello! 

How are you? Here is our second writing assignment (作文2) – writing opinions on news and issues (時事問題) topics.

Topics

You have a lot of freedom with topic choices for this writing assignment. Choose any news item, or an issue in society – in Japan or another country – that you have an opinion about.  

But if you have trouble thinking of a topic, here are some choices for you. Look at these and choose one (1):

• The aging population (老齢人口) of Japan and what older people need for their support
• Social media and its problems (for example, fake news, or selling of people’s personal data by Facebook or other social media sites)
• Issues and/or things that need improvement for student life at Daito Bunka
• Possible problems and/or issues connected with the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics 
• Voting rights (投票権) for 18-year-olds in Japanese elections (選挙) 

For an extra challenge, here are two topics that are even deeper, but also even more timely and important. I will give extra points to students who try for writing about these topics. 

• Hikikomori and their problems of social adjustment (社会適応) in Japanese society
• Refugee issues (難民の問題) and what refugees need for immigration (移住) to Japan

I am gathering writing on these topics into a book called Voices & Ideas - this is a book about student opinion writing on news topics and social issues. The best of your writing on this topic could go into this book, so write to the best you can! 

How much to write

I would like to see at least 3-4 paragraphs' worth of writing - however, I would really like you to write as much as you can, because your work may be published (出版した) on both this blog and in the Voices & Ideas book. 

Deadline (締め切り)

It will be June 19th (6/19), so I want you to bring in a first draft (下書き) next week on 6/12 in your notebooks in pencil. I will go over more how you can build your opinion writing, with language for opinions - phrases, expressions, and vocabulary. Then you can write to the finish and turn in your work at the beginning of class on 6/19. 

Here are the board notes for our class on 6/5 about our new writing assignment plus evaluation criteria for writing assignments:

Good luck! I look forward to reading your great writing on news and issues topics!

Image: Screenshot taken from https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/01/20/national/media-national/japanese-read-news-online-newspapers-first-time-survey-finds/#.XIdp9xhh3q1

I do not own the rights to the original photograph. All rights reserved on original photograph to the copyright holder(s). Uploaded for classroom purposes only.

Final writing project: The Small Book of Big People review

Hello to all my students,

Image "Asian Model Woman" courtesy of posterize/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How are you doing? As I said in class last week, I would re-post part of our book from the spring semester, The Small Book of Big People. This may help those of you who are writing about characters and actors in movies or TV shows for your final writing project. 

Take a look at these! They might help to refresh you on how to describe people (人物をびょうしゃしてりる).

I respect my cram school teacher. He was kindly and reliable. Now, I still often go to meet him and talk about various things. When I was a junior high school student, he taught me English, history and Japanese. His teaching was plain and interesting, so I was easy to understand him. He advised me how to study English. I practiced it and took high score in English tests. Thanks to meeting him, I came to like English. That is why I respect him!

Great! How about this one? 

My most respected person is Mizuki Noguchi. She is a marathon runner. She is very small, but her early characteristic was a stride form of running. She took the gold medal at the Athens Olympics. When I read her book, she impressed me greatly, because she said, “the distance does not let me down.” I was touched by her words. She is an unusually hard worker.  I want to become a player like her.

That's great too! Check this one:

Kim Jeajung is the most famous Korean singer. I think he is cool, mysterious, cute, a gentleman, elegant, smart and he sings very well! When I was 13 years old, I saw him for the first time on a TV music program when he appeared with the group he is famous for, Touhoushinki. When they sung, I was very surprised by their songs, and his beautiful voice especially shocked me. This group became famous in Japan, and he rose in popularity. I often listened to their songs then. Their beautiful harmonies relaxed me and cheered me up, especially his voice. He is now the face of Korean cosmetics store called Tony Mory. It profited thanks to him. I think his popularity shows no sign of abating. Recently, he has become an actor playing the leading roles in two films. I think he will have become a huge star! I want to continue to cheer for him, and I will love him forever.

Now how about this one:

My exceptional people are my parents. My mother is doing housework and she is working part time job too. It is very hard, but she never says complaint in the presence of a child. I always talk her when have a matter causing. My father is a self-employed person. His work is very hard and tired. But, he is working for us every day. My parents always come in on my side in the end and to help. They think about children in the very first. So I thank them and respect. I want to become parent like them in the future.

This person has great parents!

See you next class!