Priori to the PBLL section of the course

Students in this course learn how to conduct peer reading, group presentations, and self and peer assessment

Task Description:

Each segment of the course throughout the semester, students in the course conduct peer reading, group presentaiton, and self and peer assessment

Task Type:
scaffolding
Technology Tips:

Peer assessment by Google Forms

Files

Introduction to Website/Newsletter language

Find out what kind of language is used on website/newsletter

Task Description:

Prior to opening the project, check what kinds of sentence patterns (e.g. formality, politeness, vocabulary) are used on Japanese websites and newsletters

Task Type:
scaffolding
Task Focus:
grammar
Task Time:
75 to 90 minutes

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Find out who lives in Japan now

Watch film trailers and short video lectures and consider the issues related to recent immigrants in Japan

Task Description:

(1) Watch two film trailors: 

Saudade (2011) 

3-5-4 Soccer (2015)

(2) Watch two short video lectures by Professor J. Oba

Answer the questions on Project entry question sheet. 

 

 

 

Task Type:
scaffolding
Task Focus:
content
Task Time:
30-40 minutes
Task Extension:

This task helps students understand the history and basic issues of so-called "new-comers" in Japan.

The task will help them prepare their meeting with Prof. Oba to find out more about Brazilians in Japan in the following class.

Technology Tips:

The short video lecturers will be prepared during the fall semester of 2015 and stored on Moodle.

Potential Hurdles:

Neither of the films are available in DVD format yet. Therefore, I chose their trailers.

Files

Ask a specialist questions

Ask questions to confirm your understanding of video lectures and film trailers

Task Description:

You will meet Prof. Oba, who gave you video lectures. She has been conducting research in the town in which the two film trailers that you just watched. (She watched both films too.) Prepare to ask her question in order to (1) confirm your understanding on the video lectures and film trailers; (2) find out more about the issues on recent immigrants in Japan.

Task Type:
scaffolding
Task Focus:
interaction
Task Time:
40 minutes

Files

What is "Easy Japanese" and what does it mean to us?

Find out what "Easy Japanese" is and whether you can contribute to the Easy Japanese project.

Task Description:

Choose one of the following articles:

Sato, K. (2008)  Newspaper essay; Tanaka, H. et al. (2013) Academic essay; Ozaki, A. (2011) Academic article. (See Reading reference file)

Form a group with people who want to read the same article. Conduct peer reading with them and discuss whether/how Easy Japanese impact you and your learning of Japanese.

You will create a presentation to explain this article to your classmates who did not choose it to read together.

Task Type:
driving question
Task Focus:
content
Task Time:
30-40 minutes in class and then homework
Task Extension:

Each of the three groups will conduct a presentation about the article of their choice

Technology Tips:

I am preparing a video clip to show how to do peer reading

Files

Group Presentation 1: What is Easy Japanese and our thoughts on it

Inform peers about what you found out from the article that your group selected and what your group discussed

Task Description:

You will conduct a seven (7)-minute presentation to inform your peer and Prof. Oba about Easy Japanese from the article that your group selected (, which the other students have not read) and what your group discussed about Easy Japanese. Prepare power point slides to aid your presentation.

Task Type:
need to know
Task Focus:
content
Task Time:
45 minutes including Q & A

Files

Group Essay 1: Introduction to Easy Japanese

Write summary of your group presentation

Task Description:

You will write a summary essay of the article that your group presented with group members. Note that this will be a part of the website/newsletter that the class is building.

Task Focus:
grammar
Task Time:
Class time and homework

Files

Individual Presentaiton: Compare Japanese situations with your country/community

Let people in Japan know how your community is dealing with similar situations

Task Description:

Does your county/community have similar issues with new immigrants?  How are they dealing with the issues? Or what do you think will be the biggest issues if/when a large number immigrants come into your country/comminity?

Prepare three (3) minute presentation.

 

Task Type:
need to know
Task Focus:
content
Task Time:
50 minutes including discussion

Files

Prepare for writing formal e-mail messages and conduct interviews

Practice formal e-mail writing and how to conduct interviews

Task Description:

Practice writing formal e-mail messages.

Practice how to conduct interviews.

Task Type:
scaffolding
Task Focus:
grammar
Task Time:
50 minutes

Files

Creating video messages and conducting on-line interviews

Learn how to create group video messages and how to conduct on-line interviews

Task Description:

You will learn how to create video messages

You will learn what you have to be careful when you conduct interviews on-line

Task Type:
scaffolding
Task Focus:
technology
Task Time:
50 minutes
Technology Tips:

Use Video Thread or a similar product for video messages

Use Zoom for on-line interview

 

Files

Group Essay 2: Conducting inquiries

You will create inquiry e-mail, or short-video to make contacts with people in Japan with group members

Task Description:

In order to find out more information about Easy Japanese and examine whether your thoughts and suggestions are valid ones, initiate a contact with a person/people whom your group selected. Ask questions in e-mail, video-mail, or set up an interview date.

You will conduct a group presentation later to share what you have found later.

Task Type:
need to know
Task Time:
30-40 minutes in class and then homework
Task Extension:

Students will send e-mail, video messages to relevant party in Japan; they will read replies to their messages and report them in class.

Or conduct on-line interview and report the summary of it in class.  

Potential Hurdles:

Due to large time difference between East Coast of the US and Japan, I selected video messages rather than on-line meeting with junior high students.

Currently looking for a partner class in Japan.

Files

Group Presentation 2: Results of inquiries

Share what your group find out through inquiry activities

Task Description:

Conduct 10 minute group prensetation to discuss what you find out through inquiries and how the new knowledge reflects upon your thoughts and suggestions on Easy Japanese

Task Type:
need to know
Task Time:
50 minutes including discussion

Files

Group Essay 3: What we found out via inquiries

Write summary of what you found out via inquiries

Task Description:

Write a summary of what you found out via inquiries.

Task Type:
need to know
Task Time:
30-40 minutes in class and then homework

Files

Individual Essay: So what do you think about Easy Japanese now?

Share your thoughts, suggestions, and proposals to Easy Japanese

Task Description:

Share your thoughts, suggestions, and proposals to Easy Japanese, after all the activities you have conducted.

Focus on whether/how your thoughts and suggestions have shifted as you find out more about the situations in Japan and your classmates' countries/communities.

Task Focus:
content
Task Time:
20 minutes in class and homework

Files

Gallery Walk: Examine essay compoments

Look at each essay components for the final product and make suggestions

Task Description:

Each group put the latest essay draft for the final product on the wall.

Give comments to the other groups' essays individually by putting your comments, questions, and suggestions in post-it.

Task Time:
50 minutes including discussion

Files

Put essays and visual aids

Try out the design of website/draft by putting everything on it

Task Description:

Turn in each essay component to the group that is resposible to the whole design to see how the final product will look like.

 

Task Focus:
technology
Task Time:
50 minutes

Files

Checking the Final Product Draft

Look at the final product draft and make appropriate adjustments

Task Description:

Examine the draft of the final product.  Look at the given assessment guidelines and discuss how you can improve the draft.

Task Time:
50 minutes including discussion

Files

Publish your website/newsletter

Publish your website/newsletter

Task Description:

Open website/newsletter to public and send a link to appropriate people and organization.

Task Focus:
technology

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Forming Group for presentation 1

Make a group to conduct a presentation on the article and your thoughts on Easy Japanese.

Task Description:

Make a group with classmates who read the same article.
Discuss what to present to peer who did not select to read the article and share your thoughts on Easy Japanese.

Task Focus:
interaction
Task Time:
20 minutes

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Forming Groups for Inquiries and Group Presentation 2

Select one of the given activities to contact people in Japan to find out more about Easy Japanese

Task Description:

You will learn more about Easy Japanese by contacting people in Japan. Choose one of the following activities.  Form a group with classmates who selected the same activity.

 

  

               Write e-mail inquiry to Ms. Shikama, who has been helping new immigrants from Brazil in Hamamatsu City, and ask questions (e.g. whether/how Easy Japanese is used in Hamamatsu, whether she think a strategy from their own community works in Japan)  

Or

Write e-mail inquiry to or (On-line) Interview people (non-Japanese citizen) who experienced big disasters in Japan

Or

Communicate with junior high students who have learned about Easy Japanese (e.g. ask questions such as whether they were aware of the issues of immigrants, use of Easy Japanese in their communities, what they think they can do about the issues)

 

Task Focus:
interaction
Task Time:
20 minutes

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Visualize the final product: Create teams to produce the final product

Discuss how we can build the final product (website/newsletter) to inform our opinions on Easy Japanese to Japanese people

Task Description:

Discuss what tasks there are to create a wesite/newsletter.

Divide into groups and assign each group necessary tasks.

Make the time line of the project.

Task Focus:
interaction
Task Time:
50 minutes

Files

Peer Assessment on Group Presentation 1

Give feedback to your own and your classmates' presentations

Task Description:

Using the assessment guidelines, give feedback to your own and your classmates' presentation.

 

Task Time:
10 minutes and homework
Technology Tips:

Google forms

Files

Peer assessment: Group Essay 1

How do you make your group essays be parts of one product together?

Task Description:

Read other groups' essays and give feedbacks, using the assessement guidelines . Consider how you make them to be parts of the final product together.

Task Type:
scaffolding
Task Focus:
interaction
Task Time:
50 minutes

Files

Peer Assessment on Group Presentation 2

Give feedback to your own and your classmates' group presentations

Task Description:

Use the assessment guidelines, give feedback to your own and your classmates' group presentations.

Task Time:
10 minutes and homework
Technology Tips:

Google forms

Files

Peer Assessment on Group Essay 3

Read your classmates' essays and consider how you put them into the final product together with yours.

Task Description:

Assess your classmates' group essays according to the assessment guidelines.

Consider how you put all of the group essays into the final essay to be on the website/newsletter.

Task Focus:
interaction
Task Time:
50 minutes including discussion

Files

Peer Assessment on Individual Essays

Read your classmates' essay (Gallery Walk) and consider how they contribute to the final product

Task Description:

Assess your classmates' essays according to the assessment guidelines.

Consider what parts of each essay should be on the website/newsletter. 

Task Focus:
interaction
Task Time:
50 minutes including discussion

Files

Peer Assessment on the Final Product

Reflect what you just accomplished

Task Description:

Examine the final product with the assessment guidelines.

Reflect your project activities and discuss what went well and what was difficult and why.

Task Focus:
interaction
Task Time:
50 minutes including discussion

Files