AIRA held a consultation meeting for leaders of the Foreign Language Classes prior to the opening of “the 2020 Foreign Language Classes” taking it into consideration on how to cope with the Novel Coronavirus infection.(No. 20-2)

Date & Time : July 3rd (Fri) 14:00 ~ 16:30

Venue : Abiko Civic Plaza (Meeting Room 1)
Counselor : Mr. Uehara (Director of Foreign Language Classes,
　　　　　  Ms. Sakatsume, Ms. Furukawa (AIRA Secretariat)

With the reopening of public facilities and the Abiko Civic Plaza on July 1st, AIRA returned to the normal work.
The Foreign Language Classes were initially scheduled to start in May. However, the Coronavirus pandemic made AIRA close the operation of receiving applications for the classes. From the reopening day on July 1st, the secretariat and the division of Foreign Language Classes reviewed the number of classes and the course fee, confirmed the already-applied applicants their intention to stay the class, and also restarted recruiting applicants.

The meeting was designed to let class leaders know about the problems for class management, taking precautionary measures to prevent spreading the Coronavirus infection in the classroom and to alleviate concern of the students about the disease.

Seven class leaders were present at the meeting at the designated time. To use the public facilities of Abiko and Chiba Prefecture, it is required to wear a face mask, to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer before entering into public facilities. They also have to avoid the “Three Cs”, namely crowding, enclosed space, closed contact. Consequently, they are assumed to be more careful than ever for their class management and before booking rooms, they will have to consider the size of the room, desk arrangement, and social distance between the instructor and the students. The class leaders listened to the instructions intently, asked questions, and took notes.
Public facilities in Abiko were shut down to prevent spread of the Novel Coronavirus infection on/after March 24th. Furthermore, the total shutdown of Abiko Civic Plaza on/after May 1st made AIRA suspend business. Therefore, what AIRA could do was to respond the inquiries on the answering machine and by e-mails.

Under the circumstance, AIRA held a board of directors on line for the preparation of the classes. Additionally, the Japanese Language Classes started after the holidays of May by using the “Zoom” application. At first, both volunteer instructors and students seemed to struggle to use the application properly. The Japanese Language Classes divided into groups will finish the first term in the middle of July, when all the faces of instructors and students will be on the Zoom screen.

( Translated by Ms. Hitomi Koyama)