by Marian Hara
The Education Ministry has announced that communication, thinking and discussion skills must be developed to help produce Japanese citizens who are able to hold their own in our globalized world. In this presentation Marian Hara asked Gunma JALT participants thought-provoking questions such as:
What are your thoughts on this?
Is it something you do already?
Do you think it’s too difficult for high school students?
How can we work effectively on these skill areas in our English classes?
What are the pitfalls?
Hara introduced some possible approaches and lead a round-table discussion on the challenges and directions participants might take to help their students thrive in these areas.
Marian Hara has lived in Japan for over 40 years working mostly as a direct hire, and late full-timer in a private girls' high school in Tokyo where she helped develop a 2-year Global Studies Programme and an essay writing course for seniors. She has an RSA Post-graduate ESL diploma from Edinburgh University (1990). She is active with Amnesty International and WELL (Women Educating, Learning and Leading) and organizes regular study sessions for teachers of Younger Learners within Tokyo JALT and the Young Learners SIG.
