Category Archives: enjoyed this a lot

Fresh and Fascinating

I recently did a soapbox posting about using a contemporary event with great popular appeal as the subject of a lesson at my English conversation school 英会話, Smith’s School of English, Kawanishi スミス英会話川西校. This made for a really successful and very popular lesson. My lesson featuring the (not quite total) success of Japanese figure skater Mao Asada at [...]

スミス英会話 布施・東大阪 What’s in a name?

スミス英会話布施校講師が書いた記事。日本語のメインサイトはこちら
Barb Dwyer, Terry Bull, Chris Cross…
Know anybody by these names? If so, then you may know some of the people who have been given some of “The Most Unfortunate Names” in England and the United States.
How about Dr Payne, Anna Prentice or Carrie Oakey?
Check out this site and have some fun with your students!
http://www.thebabywebsite.com/article.1792.Silly_Names.htm [...]

Science Fiction

It’s not so long ago that science fiction movies showed such an outrageously modern instrument as a video phone. I remember thinking how cool it would be to see the person that you were talking to, especially if you didn’t know them. How brilliant to put a face to the name. Then a company called [...]

The Greatest Reward of All – 1 Year On

I have been the franchisee and teacher of Smith’s School of English, Kawanishi スミス英会話川西校 for one year today!!!!!!!!
I have always loved languages, especially English, so it is really rewarding being able to earn my living teaching my favourite language at my own English conversation school. I always enjoy my lessons with my very special students, especially [...]

Keeping it Fresh

I’m writing this sitting in the classroom at my English conversation school Smith’s School of English, Kawanishi スミス英会話川西校 waiting for my next student to turn up.
Yesterday, Asada Mao won a silver medal in the women’s figure-skating at the Vancouver Winter Olympics. Today I have already used an exercise, based on an article about the final from the [...]

What is an International Language?

Of course English is perhaps the most widely accepted international language. But actually any language, including Japanese, can be an international language. I personally experienced this about 15 years ago on a business trip to Taiwan for a design meeting with our Taiwan supplier who was to make a charger stand for our [...]

3D TV – in TOEIC and Reality

Al, of Smith’s School of English, Okamoto 英会話岡本, and I have recently been working together on some TOEIC listening excercises on the smithweb.co.jp website. Our latest effort, yet to be published, relates to the launch of 3D television, and more specifically, to Japanese manufacturers position in this new market sector. I am looking forward to using this [...]

Teachers Say “Thank You”

Valentine’s Day is always a humble experience for Smith’s Eikaiwa Nakamozu and Smith’s School of English Sakai Higashi teachers. As we all know there is strong culture of gift giving in Japan and Valentines is no exception. We received many delicious chocolate sweets for which we are very grateful. Some of them were even homemade, yummy! I [...]

スミス英会話高円寺 Great Feedback

I had my fourth lesson with a student who started man to man (one on one) lessons at my Smith’s School of English in Koenji (スミス英会話高円寺 ) last Saturday week. The original purpose for her to commence English lessons at my monthly pay English conversation school (英会話月謝制) was that she had a job interview [...]

スミス英会話 布施・東大阪: 囲碁 棋士試験合格 (Youngest professional “Go” player in history)

スミス英会話布施校講師が書いた記事。日本語のメインサイトはこちら
I read another heart-warming story a few days ago in the Mainichi Daily which described the dedication of an 11 year old elementary school girl from Tokyo who became the youngest professional “Go” (Japanese board game) player in history.  She has broken a record which was set back in 1968 by a South Korean player. [...]

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