14717 items found.
Challenging Stereotypes
Type:Oral
Keyword:Discussion,Speaking
Course Description:
In this class, we will discuss various stereotypes that exist in cultures around the world focusing on those most familiar to us. The goal of this class is to help you see people as individuals rather than only as members of a group, and to challenge the way you think about social interaction.This is an active participation class: students will need to join in the discussion every day for participation credit. Use of PCs or smartphones is not allowed unless specific permission is given. Paper and electronic dictionaries are allowed, but smartphone-based dictionaries are prohibited.
We will read Klara and the Sun (2021) written by a British novelist and screenwriter Kazuo Ishiguro (1954-) who was born in Japan. Ishiguro visited Keio University in 2001 and 2015 and thus has a close tie with this university. This is his first full-length novel since winning the 2017 Nobel Prize in Literature and features a humanoid robot (Artificial Friend). It is written in relatively easy English and deals with issues we face in the 21st-century world, such as A.I., loneliness, faith, inequality, and environmental pollution. Reading a literary work accurately and closely, students will deeply consider these issues and try to express their views in appropriate English.
Working with a small team, students will read a reasonable number of pages each class. In so doing, students will steadily improve their reading comprehension skills as well as vocabulary and discussion skills. This class will also use audiovisual materials, such as Ishiguro’s interviews in order to give students opportunities to hear the 'voices' of this internationally renowned author who has his roots in Japan.
This course is designed to enhance presentation skills through the performances of English drama. Students will practice overall English skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) as well as non-verbal communication skills (body language, facial expressions, gazing, tone and pitch of voice, etc.). Students will work in a small team. After selecting plays based on their interests, they will closely read them, making acting and directing plans. Through this process, students will discover a theme to explore in their performance, learn how to collect information about theatre production, and develop abilities to summarize and express their own thoughts in appropriate English. We will then practice acting in English in workshops. At the end of this course, students will perform plays in English (or selected scenes from plays). The performances will be recorded and made public after students edit them. This class sets great score by students’ agency and creativity. They will also write performance reviews in English.
Japanese Social Issues - How To Analyze Issues And Present Your Opinion
***Please note that eight classes will be held live on campus and six classes will be held live on Zoom. You must attend and be able to participate in real-time, not by a class recording or on-demand.***
Each week, we will cover one core Japanese social problem.
The course will use active learning in every class (presentations, discussions, and group work).
Some activities will be done individually, but several activities will be group-based. Homework will be given every week, including reading and watching videos.
We will actively apply what we learn to think of solutions to current real-world Japanese social problems.
After you complete the course, you will:
1. Be able to give better presentations.
2. Be able to take part in higher-level conversations and express your opinion more clearly.
3. Be able to research more quickly.
4. Be able to determine the quality of your research sources.
Tabletop! Advanced Discussion using Role-Playing Games
This class uses Tabletop Role-Playing Games (RPGs) to simulate creative, collaborative, and advanced interactions in English. This class is designed to use narrative & collaborative story-telling in a game-like setting where students must use their listening, speaking, critical thinking, reading, and writing skills in English to (a) construct and participate in a group story with other users of English, (b) problem-solve and negotiate new and unique situations where language is the primary tool available, (c) explore the role of language and identity, and (d) critically evaluate strategies necessary for the completion of those tasks.
This class is designed for improving fluency, creativity, and pragmatic skills in speaking and listening. Academic English is not the goal of the class, though there will be opportunities to engage in formal and complex interactions.
This course is not recommended for GIGA students seeking to improve academic English abilities. Instead this class is designed to improve fluency and creativity.
*This course is NOT repeatable. If you have taken the Tabletop RPG class in previous Fall Semesters, you will be asked to register for another course (if you've taken the Spring Tabletop course, you can take this course)
Students on this course learn the negotiation process from the initial planning to closing deals. Role-plays, negotiation games, and full group business and UN model negotiations are used to develop both negotiation and language skills while developing an understanding of cultural differences when negotiating.
The focus for this course is the expanded contextual relationship of the arts to society, politics, culture and history, with a special emphasis on environmentalism and human rights. Supported by reference to Post War art & culture and through seminars and workshops, students study concepts relating to relevant creative expression and use this knowledge to present projects about art & context during the semester, concentrating on Artists Tackling Global Issues. In addition to the development of critical thinking skills, students develop the following English language skills: listening and note taking, reading, writing, seminar participation, discussion, debate and presentation. The course is best suited to students who are comfortable taking instruction and participating in class in English. Students who are interested in Architecture, Design, Urban Planning, and Media will especially benefit from this course.
Business AI - How to Use AI to Improve Your Business
***Please note that eight classes will be held live on campus, and six classes will be held live on Zoom. You must attend and be able to participate in real-time in both formats, not by a class recording or on-demand.***
In this class, you will learn and apply different types of business AI to create two online business presentations
1. A business consulting project
2. A marketing AI project
You will learn and apply the following: market research, analytics, salesmanship and copywriting, ad creation, YouTube video creation, and different types of AI.
The course will use active learning in every class (discussion and group work).
Each week, a short lecture will be followed by a hands-on activity to put the information learned into action. Some activities will be done individually, but several activities will be group-based. Homework will be given every week, including several discussions and presentations.
By the end of the class, you will have learned about several areas of business AI and improved your presentation skills in different formats.
Minorities and Cultural Differences is a speaking course tailored for advanced English language learners (TOEFL ITP® 516 or higher). This course provides a unique opportunity for students to engage critically with the concepts of minority cultures, cultural diversity, and inclusivity within the context of a university setting.
Throughout the course, students will work to understand the multifaceted nature of minority experiences. Discussions will encompass a range of topics, including but not limited to, the sociopolitical dynamics of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, and ability. The course aims to foster a nuanced understanding of how these identities intersect and influence individuals' experiences in academic and social environments.
A significant focus of the course will be on the challenges and opportunities presented by cultural differences. Students will examine the impact of cultural diversity on communication, social interaction, and community building. This exploration will enable students to appreciate the richness that diversity brings to academic and professional contexts while also acknowledging and addressing the complexities it can introduce.
The major assignment for this course involves creating a formal proposal aimed at increasing inclusivity and easing cultural differences on campus. This task will challenge students to apply their learning to practical, actionable initiatives that can make a tangible difference in their university community. The process of developing this proposal will include sessions on writing formal proposals and citing and referencing, ensuring students are equipped with the skills necessary to articulate their ideas effectively and responsibly.
By participating in this course, students will hopefully not only enhance their speaking and critical thinking skills in English but also develop a deeper cultural awareness and sensitivity. They will learn to navigate and contribute to discussions on complex and sensitive topics, gaining the confidence and competence to be advocates for inclusivity and cultural understanding in their academic and professional pursuits.
Students learn academic writing structures and techniques to enable them to successfully write logical, well considered essays about relevant global issues in English. We focus on the five-paragraph essay format which includes: the introductory paragraph, three body paragraphs and a concluding paragraph. Special attention is given to writing convincing thesis statements and research questions. Students are also introduced to public speaking and learn how to suitably address groups, and to logically structure presentations in line with their research topics for their essay writing. Subject to approval, students choose their own topics: the only stipulation is that all topics must have some connection to relevant global issues and specific reference must be made the United Nation’s Sustainable Developments Goals.
Content can include:
• New technologies & concepts
• New and improved Products
• Examples of bad and good practices and processes
• Societal problems.
• Global and Domestic Issues
This course is designed to help students become confident in using their English to produce written work from paragraph length to essay length. Students will be exposed to initial concepts in how to write good sentences, expand and vary sentences, improve writing style and write in formal tone. Subsequently, students will learn how to organize and support ideas to build a cohesive paragraph. Students will practice to write various cohesive short essays throughout the semester.
In this class you will listen to a variety of authentic content and answer questions about it. The materials' difficulty is relatively high, but you can work at your own pace. Examples of content: English songs, news and entertainment, fiction/non-fiction stories, etc. aimed at native speakers.
In this class, you will read some of Japan's representative poets from the modern age. You will improve your English speaking, writing, and translation skills by discussing and translating Japanese poems into English. We will cover modern haiku and tanka, and jiyūshi. Every week we will have classroom activities in which you will discuss the poems with classmates and translate them in groups or on your own.
Indie rock: Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the music they produced and was initially used interchangeably with alternative rock. As grunge and punk revival bands in the US and Britpop bands in the UK broke into the mainstream in the 1990s, it came to be used to identify those acts that retained an outsider and underground perspective. [from Wikipedia]
This class will explore indie rock from 1988 to 1998. It will be a firsthand account of album (cassettes/CDs) buying and concert going during that time period. We will discuss bands and solo artists within their cultural and historical contexts. We will analyze albums, song lyrics, music videos, and footage of live performances. We will have discussions based on these materials. Students are expected to participate enthusiastically. There will be weekly homework that relates to the in-class topics. There will be a midterm essay test and a final presentation.
Japanese Social Issues - How To Analyze Issues And Present Your Opinion
***Please note that eight classes will be held live on campus and six classes will be held live on Zoom. You must attend and be able to participate in real-time, not by a class recording or on-demand.***
Each week, we will cover one core Japanese social problem.
The course will use active learning in every class (presentations, discussions, and group work).
Some activities will be done individually, but several activities will be group-based. Homework will be given every week, including reading and watching videos.
We will actively apply what we learn to think of solutions to current real-world Japanese social problems.
After you complete the course, you will:
1. Be able to give better presentations.
2. Be able to take part in higher-level conversations and express your opinion more clearly.
3. Be able to research more quickly.
4. Be able to determine the quality of your research sources.
Tabletop! Advanced Discussion using Tabletop Games
This class uses games-based learning to engage in advanced, pragmatic discussions in English. Through the use of Tabletop Board Games, this class will engage students in a rich, task-based environment to focus on pragmatic discussion and listening skills. Students will work in groups to (a) learn, understand, and negotiate complex rule systems of the games, (b) cooperate and coordinate with fellow players to complete specific tasks within the games, and (c) critically evaluate strategies necessary for the completion of those tasks.
The focus of the class is on developing oral fluency, pragmatics, and problem-solving abilities in English. Because of this, students are recommended to have a strong foundation in listening and reading. As fluency is the one of the goals, this course is NOT recommended for GIGA students seeking to improve academic English abilities.
*This course is NOT repeatable. If you have taken the Tabletop class in previous Spring Semesters, you will be asked to register for another course (if you've taken the Fall Tabletop RPG course, you can take this course)
This course is designed to help students become proficient in expressing and responding to opinion in discussions. There will be a lot of opportunities to practice inquiring and making suggestions as well so that at the end of the semester, students can confidently express and present opinions with another English speaker. Basic presentation skills will also be taught and practiced in class.
The topics selected for discussions focus on trending topics of interest to youth such as YouTubers, music, social media, fast fashion, etc. Each session begins with students taking turns to express opinions on an issue of their choice
Students learn techniques and skills to enable them to successfully deliver presentations to audiences in English. We focus on presentation formats including; objects, processes and problem & solutions. Students focus on delivery, research and multimedia use. They are introduced to public speaking and learn how to suitably address groups, use non-verbal communication, project the voice and logically structure presentations. Subject to approval, students choose their own topics-the only stipulation is that all topics must have some connection to relevant global issues and specific reference must be made the United Nation’s Sustainable Developments Goals. During the semester there are two group presentations and one individual presentation. At the end of the course, students should be able to give well structured, media assisted presentations in English.
This course is designed to enhance oral communication skills (listening and speaking) through watching movies (online materials), and making your own movies in English. Students will get to practice their reading and writing skills, as well, by script reading and writing. We will watch video series together to learn common phrases and expressions in context, then answer Q&A, and conduct discussions online. There are some phrases that have embedded meaning as well as literal meaning. For example, what does it mean by ‘Get out of here!’ when the speaker had the smiley yet surprised expression on his face when he said it? Do you really need to get out of the room? Or did the speaker mean something else? These acts are called ‘indirect speech acts’ and students will learn by experiencing them and other types of discourse techniques via role plays. The focus will be placed on learning by ‘speech act’ (such as ‘apology’ and ‘sarcasm’) but other patterns of pragmatic markers will be covered such as discourse markers, y’know within conversation. Students will also study our original films (several skits made by English speaking SFC students) and compare their own skits with the model interactions. After learning useful expressions and phrases within context, students will be expected to develop their own scripts, and make their own movies in a group, utilizing what they learned in class. Attention should be paid to not only linguistic but also paralinguistic features such as tones as well as non-verbal ones (facial expressions, gestures, gazing, and body language). They are expected to learn autonomously online and in class interactively engaging with the instructor and the classmates in English.
In this class, you will read (in Japanese) and discuss (in English) some famous Japanese poets from the Meiji through roughly the early Shōwa era. You will also write your own original English poems sometimes.
Tabletop! Advanced Discussion using Tabletop Games
This class uses games-based learning to engage in advanced, pragmatic discussions in English. Through the use of Tabletop Board Games (e.g., Catan), this class will engage students in a rich, task-based environment to focus on pragmatic discussion and listening skills. Students will work in groups to (a) learn, understand, and negotiate complex rule systems of the games, (b) cooperate and coordinate with fellow players to complete specific tasks within the games, and (c) critically evaluate strategies necessary for the completion of those tasks.
The focus of the class is on developing oral fluency, pragmatics, and problem-solving abilities in English. Because of this, students are recommended to have a strong foundation in listening, grammar, and reading. As fluency is the one of the goals, this course is NOT recommended for GIGA students seeking to improve academic English abilities.
*This course is NOT repeatable. If you have taken the Tabletop class in previous Spring Semesters, you will be asked to register for another course (if you've taken the Fall Tabletop RPG course, you can take this course)
Students on this course learn the negotiation process from the initial planning to closing deals. Role-plays, negotiation games, and full group business and UN model negotiations are used to develop both negotiation and language skills while developing an understanding of cultural differences when negotiating.
Indie rock: Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the music they produced and was initially used interchangeably with alternative rock. As grunge and punk revival bands in the US and Britpop bands in the UK broke into the mainstream in the 1990s, it came to be used to identify those acts that retained an outsider and underground perspective. [from Wikipedia]
This class will explore indie rock from 1988 to 1998. It will be a firsthand account of album (cassettes/CDs) buying and concert going during that time period. We will discuss bands and solo artists within their cultural and historical contexts. We will analyze albums, song lyrics, music videos, and footage of live performances. We will have discussions based on these materials. Students are expected to participate enthusiastically. There will be weekly homework that relates to the in-class topics. There will be a midterm essay test and a final presentation.
Heavy Metal lyrics (late 1960s to present) course
Heavy metal: is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and the United States. With roots in blues rock, psychedelic rock, and acid rock, heavy metal bands developed a thick, massive sound, characterized by distortion, extended guitar solos, emphatic beats, and loudness. The lyrics and performances are sometimes associated with aggression and machismo. [from Wikipedia]
This class will explore heavy metal music from its late 1960s origins until the present day. We will discuss bands within their cultural and historical contexts. We will analyze song lyrics, albums, music videos, and footage of live performances. We will have discussions based on these materials. Students are expected to participate enthusiastically. There will be weekly homework that relates to the in-class topics. There will be a midterm essay test and a final presentation.
This course will use recent American movies to deepen students' understanding of US culture while boosting their vocabulary, and fine-tuning their listening skills. Among various other facets of US lifestyle, the movies we explore will relate to family, friendship, love, gender, race, work, success, and political issues. Students will be given regular viewing homework and written assignments. There will also be a midterm essay test. Class discussions will relate to cultural aspects of the films. Students should be the driving force of these discussions. Enthusiastic class participation is expected. The course will culminate in student presentations related to modern American cinema.
Students must have a Netflix account to join this course.