Kevin Ryan's Student Forums: Courses

This is the place for students to access information, assignments, grades, and projects for Speaking and Listening 2B. There is no text for this class, we will be using the Internet every day in class, so bring your computer and your iPod Touch. We use a format called Task-based Learning (TBL). We have tasks that require you to use English to complete. I hope you find this class interesting.

We use this place to coordinate our work on preparing and giving interviews to native speakers. This class is mostly done with small group work. Your grade is determined by the quality of your preparation and your interviews.

Podcasting: Fall 2010:
We make three podcasts in this class, each 3-5 minutes in English. You will have the responsibility to prepare, record, and edit each podcast. You can cooperate with each other, but everyone will do 3 podcasts.

Light Topic: Girl Groups and trends in the music business

Medium Topic: How do Japanese universities compare to the rest of the world?

Serious Topic: Changes in the legal system: Lay Judges and the Death Penalty

Podcasting is similar to Internet radio. In teams, we discuss, write and record three short podcasts (3-5 minutes) on social, political, or cultural topics about Japan that are of interest to listeners abroad. For three weeks you work on one podcast: Research, Practice, Recording and Editing: to make a podcast on one topic. The Final Exam is to evaluate all podcasts produced in this class and give feedback . All podcasts will be put online for access by the world at LanguageJapan.

Podcasting class for Spring 2010:

To Log in, use your Family Name and the first letter of your Given name (example: SuzukiJ) as your username. Use your student ID as your password (example: 920345D). Once you log in, you should click on your name in the top right corner, and change the email address in your profile. (Edit profile).

Light Topic: Manga

Medium Topic: Finding Jobs

Serious Topic: Declining Birthrate

Podcasting is similar to Internet radio. In teams, we discuss, write and record three short podcasts (3-5 minutes) on social, political, or cultural topics about Japan that are of interest to listeners abroad. We create teams of three, with one director (manager, technician), one writer (researcher) and one announcer. For three weeks this team works together to make a podcast on one topic. Each three weeks the teams are mixed, and students do one of the other two jobs. Final Exam is to evaluate all podcasts produced in this class and give feedback . All podcasts will be put online for access by the world at LanguageJapan.

Mysteries in English. How to read to answer problems. Discussion of problems. Critical Thinking. Text: Whodunit?

We look at hamburgers and fast food through the lens of 3 different kinds of media; books, movies (documentaries) and computer games. We discuss how the food industry is changing, and look closely at how books, movies and games each influence our ideas.