What's New at Kyoto NHK ESS?

Hi All,

This is an announcement about the practice on March 8th, 2014.

1. Date (March 8th)
2. Genre (Discussion)
3. Title (Let's talk about the universe in a scientific way)
4. Description

You might have once asked the following questions. How the universe was born? What is the fate of it? How large is it? It is difficult to give clear answers to these question, but we can study the universe in a scientific way and the recent research has given a lot of knowledge on the universe.

In this practice, I would like you to talk about the universe in a group and to feel the atmosphere of the study of the universe. I will give you problems about the universe which are interesting and solvable even for non-experts. Please solve the problems through the discussion in your group!
(I will try to make the practice as easy as possible.)

This is how the practice goes.
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1) Making 4-5 people groups
2) A problem to solve is given.
3) Discussing in a group to solve the problem
4) Sharing each group's solution among all
5) Repeating 2) to 4)
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I hope you enjoy this practice.

All the best.
Kazuyuki Sugimura

Dear ESS member.
I introduce May 15 practice.

(1) Genre :Game
(2) Title:Taboo character
(3) Process

(a)I indicate taboo character. 1 character at once. Taboo character start from “z”.If we can, we play game to “a”.
(b)You dictation my present English sentence. And you guess either used taboo character or not.
(c) I say correct answer and I hand out script.
(d) I present English sentence one more time. And you check it.
(e)When 5 minute before finish, I ask to you answered many pieces correctly.

I hope you'll enjoy this practice.

Masakazu Nakatani.

Dear ESS members.

This is the announcement for the practice on March 22nd.

Genre : Game: Role playing game
Title : Press conference

I offer you to hold press coference on different topics.
For example, New product release, Scandal and Explanation for a faulty product .

How to do?

1. Make 4 groups and select your roles Jornalist or interviewer
2. Makes questions to interviewer and witty answers to Jornalist.
3. Hold the press conference.
4. Summary

1. You are about to interview a top politician/company and are keen to expose he/she as being inadequate for the job they do.
2. This is your big chance to enhance your reputation and further your career. Please write down whole of conversation between a Journalist and interviewer.

1. One day after you gave a speech on the importance of parents to teach their children morals your son was convicted for selling drugs.
2. When you were younger you were a supporter of pro-choice.
3. In a debate on the future of race relations in the US you said, 'We need to forget about the past and move forward.'

1. You talk about the importance and good standard of state schools
but both your children attend private schools.
2. On a visit to a school in a depressed area in Alabama you were
quoted as saying 'I've never met so many ill-mannered children; they should be placed in a juvenille detention center.'

1. You talk about the need for people to stop smoking due to healthcare costs but smoke yourself.
2. When asked about the ever increasing waiting list for medicare patients needing operations, you were quoted as saying, 'Well, it's not my fault that people keep getting sick!'

メディケア（英: Medicare）は、高齢者および障害者向け公的医療保険制度です。

1. Your company sold a blonde hair dye that turns your hair blue
2. Over 100 customers complained and want to refund.
3. If you refund all of them, it will cost 1000,000 yen at least.
4. Explain the product and its defect.

*I use “Lesson Plan - Press Conference By Lindsey Newhall” on All about for reference.http://esl.about.com/od/conversationlessonplans/a/press_conf.htm

I hope this geme will be fun and usefull to practice speaking, listening and dictation skills.

Thank you,
Yoko Iida

Dear ESS members.

This is the announcemento for the practice on March 29 2014.

Genre:Discussion

Title:Deliberation and Discussion

1,Make some groups.
2,Diside a leader of your group.
3,Deliberate and Discuss some questions.

I hope you have happy time.

Thank you.
Chikako Morita

Hi ESS members,

I hereby announce the practice which will be held on 5th of April.

Genre:
Talk
Title:
Technology innovation
Summary:
The electronic devices around us, such as mobile, PC, TV, gaming console etc, have changed so dramatically in past few decades.
In this practice, I want you to decide your favorite device (no matter how modern or outdated the device is) in your group and introduce us a little bit.
The group will be departed to 6 as usual.

Best regards,
Akira Hashimoto