Due to Covid-19, AIRA Japanese classes are closed now. In order to get through this difficult situation AIRA Japanese language volunteers learned the skills of effective teaching for online lessons. (No. 20-4)
Date and Time : Saturday, July 18th 1:00 p.m.-- 3:00 p.m.
Style of Lecture : Online lecture with Zoom
Lecturer : Mr. Hiroyuki Nishikawa, Associate Professor at Meikai University (Department of Japanese, Faculty of Languages and Cultures)
Participants : Twenty-two AIRA volunteers and staff members
Mr. Nishikawa has been researching Japanese language education using the Internet for about 25 years. “New Lifestyle” including the avoidance of the three C’s (closed spaces, crowded places and close-contact settings) is required now. Online lessons will greatly help foreigners living in the community who want to learn Japanese.
This lecture was held for Japanese language volunteers to learn the basics of Zoom. They joined it on their computer or smartphone.
The lecture started emceed by Ms. Komiyama, following opening remarks by Ms. Kitajima, vice president of AIRA, and introduction of Mr. Nishikawa,
the lecturer.
1. How to Use Zoom
After Mr. Nishikawa explained Zoom’s functions such as Reaction, Chat, Screen Sharing and Breakout Rooms, the attendants practiced using them. Screen Sharing and Chat are easy to use for teachers and easy to understand for students. By using Screen Sharing you can share a virtual whiteboard as well as documents of Word, Excel and Power Point, and webpages.
Breakout Rooms is a function to divide students into small groups, which enables teaching students according to their levels.
2. Pattern Practice by Using Power Point
Using Power Point is effective in remote teaching. If you prepare the material in advance, you can shorten explanation and make your lessons livelier by inserting videos.
Pattern practice is a technique to teach grammar in which students repeat a sentence, each time substituting a new element. Power Point is a very useful tool for patter practice.
AIRA Japanese language volunteers are now giving lessons and having meetings with Zoom. If they make better use of Zoom’s functions, more effective online teaching will be possible.
Around 1995, when Mr. Nishikawa started to research online Japanese lessons, Japan was facing three challenging issues; internationalization, highly information-oriented society and rapidly aging population. AIRA was established in response to increasing internationalization. Twenty-five years later, when a new lifestyle is required, online learning is the trend of the time.
(Translated by Chizu Yamaguchi)
