English in the media

Extreme Australia

2006-07-06T16:32:00.000+09:00

Discovery Channel: Special Report - Extreme Australia
Listen to this introduction to Australia (25 min). It's humble beginnings through to modern day marvels.

For the next class listen to this introduction and think of some interesting questions about Australia to ask your teacher.
In the next class, be ready to not only ask questions, but also offer information of your own about what you know about Australia.
Our class discussion depends on how much you contribute, so try and discover some interesting things to talk about.

Have a listen to the Australian accent. How is it different?

What kinds of people are there in Australia? What has happened to Australia's native people?

What kinds of animals can be found in Australia?

What is happening to the Koala?

Let's have a chat about my unique country...

Also available through i-tunes music store, Discovery Channel - Extreme Australia, 27/06/2006
Copyright 2005 Discovery Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. www.discovery.com.

Looking at 'Blues' (click here)

2006-06-29T15:33:00.000+09:00

Please think about the meaning of the following song. Find the lyrics for a song from your own collection (or internet), and bring them to the next class. Share it with a partner.
Don't forget to bring your lyrics to class.

***Worried Life Blues lyrics*** B.B.King and Eric Clapton, Riding with the King
Oh lordy lord, oh lordy lord.
It ............ me so bad for us to part.
But someday baby,
I .......... gonna worry my life any more.

So many nights since you've been ...............
I've had to worry, and ............ my life alone.
Yeah, but someday baby,
I ............ gonna worry my life any more.

So many days since you .................
I've had to worry both ........... and ............
Yeah, but someday baby,
I ............. gonna worry my life any more.

Bridge

You're on my ........... every place I go.
How much I love you, nobody know.
Yeah, someday baby,
I ........... gonna worry my life any more.

So that's my ........... and this is all I've got to say to you:
Goodbye, baby, I don't ........... what you do.
but someday baby,
I ........... gonna worry my life any more.

Oh lordy lord, oh lordy lord.
It ........... me so bad for us to part.
but someday baby,
I ........... gonna worry my life any more.

Weddings Student Response -Hirtotaka and HyungSuk

2006-06-29T14:15:00.000+09:00

Listen to this response to the listening on weddings.

Special thanks to
Hirotaka. H. and HyungSuk. K.
YMCA International College for hosting the student response

Music:
Square Rooms, AlCorley, Wonderful 80's [Disc 2]
Mr. Wendell, Arrested development, Now 1

Korean Story Student Response (click here)

2006-06-22T16:32:00.000+09:00

Listen to a story about the little green frog and why it cries when it rains.

Special thanks to
An Seung Il and Seo Dawon
YMCA International College for hosting the student response

Music: 'Sway' by Bic Runga

Vitamins (click here)

2006-06-22T16:03:00.000+09:00

Do you take vitamins? Do you know what they are or do?
This weeks topic is about vitamins.
What are they? What do they do? How do they work?
How many vitamins are there? What does each one do?
Vitamin A
Vitamin B
Vitamin B12
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Vitamin K
Where can we get these vitamins?
What is a supplement?

VOA news - Special English Program - Science in the News
Food for Thought: How Vitamins Are Important to Health
Written by Nancy Steinbach
19 June 2006
You can see the full transcript of this program at:
http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/2006-06-19-voa1.cfm

special thanks to:
-YMCA International College for hosting this program
-VOA.com
http://www.voanews.com/english/portal.cfm

Weddings in America (click here)

2006-06-13T16:28:00.000+09:00

Are you planning a wedding? Have you already had one? Do you enjoy going to weddings?
This weeks program is a VOA special on 'American weddings'.

What movies do you know about weddings?
What kinds of things do people do for weddings? Where do people like to get married?
What is the difference between a traditional wedding and a modern wedding?
How about a Religous ceremony vs. a civil one?
What are some wedding traditions?
Whose responsibility is it to plan a wedding?
What kinds of music is played at traditional weddings?

VOA news - Special English Program
Planning a Wedding Becomes a Marriage of a Million Details
Written by Jerilyn Watson
11 June 2006
You can see the transcript of this program at:
http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/2006-06-11-voa1.cfm

special thanks to:
-YMCA International College for hosting this program
-VOA.com

Practical Jokes -student response Kenji/Li Chao (click here)

2006-06-12T17:14:00.000+09:00

Special thanks to
Kenji and Li Chao
YMCA International College for hosting the student response

Music: 'Your Mirror', and 'Thrill Me' by "Simply Red"

The Ginger Bread Man (click here)

2006-06-09T18:04:00.000+09:00

Today's lesson is on story telling. This week we listen to the story of 'The Ginger Bread Man'.
All stories have a main character, setting, problem and some kind of resolution to that problem. Good or bad.
Listen to this story teller and try to identify some of the techniques that she uses to make the story more interesting.
Things such as:
*Repetition
*Stress
*Intonation
*Volume
*Changing her voice for different characters

For this weeks class, I would like you to think of stories that you know. Be ready to tell them in class,
using some of the techniques mentioned above.

Read by Natasha
Storynory, ipod-ready stories for kids,at
http://storynory.com/
Also available through i-tunes music store, Podcasts, Education, storynory: free Audio Stories for Kids

Student Response(Pets & Animals) -Tomoko/Chie (click here)

2006-06-06T08:45:00.000+09:00

Special thanks to
Tomoko and Chie
YMCA International College for hosting the student response

Music: Hold on, Girl & Boys, by "Good Charlotte"

Practical Jokes -Interview (click here)

2006-06-01T13:42:00.000+09:00

The follow up to 'Practical Jokes'. An interview with 3 YMCA teachers.
- President Nixon
- Salt Shaker
- Rice Ball
- Cockroach
- Garbage can

Special thanks to:
-Mr. Greg Kennerly
-Mr. Paul Marlowe
-Mr. Pat Kwan

-YMCA International College for hosting this interview

-The little coffee shop across the road

Music: "King of Pain", Th Police

Practical Jokes (click here)

2006-05-30T17:57:00.000+09:00

What is a 'Practical Joke'? Have you ever played a practical joke on someone? Has anyone ever played a joke on you? Listen to this podcast lesson on practical jokes -about 16 minutes. For the next class, be ready to talk about this topic. Try to have some story of your own to tell someone.

Expressions
I’ve had it!
Not going to take it, anymore!
What’s the matter?
I’m sick and tired of...
...being the but of practical jokes.
One of these days...
Oh no, what has he done now!
Sit down at your desk.
Got up.
To giggle at someone.
What’s so funny?
Sticker.
Bumper Stickers
Stuck to his pants
I’m a red hot mama!
Very funny!
...going to get it.
I’m planning my revenge.

ESL POD, Dr. Lucy Tse, Dr. Jeff Mcquillan, http://eslpod.com/website/index.php, 2006
Also available through i-tunes music store, Podcasts, Education, English as a second language Podcast

Student Response(sleep) -Kousuke/Dinesh (click here)

2006-05-26T15:23:00.000+09:00

Special thanks to
Kousuke and Dinesh
YMCA International College for hosting the student response

Do Animals Think? (click here)

2006-05-25T18:15:00.000+09:00

Do you have a pet? A gold fish? A little doggy? Maybe a little cat?
Does your pet think? Do they want to talk to you?
Do you talk to your pet?

An extract from (listen to the whole thing at the following address):
The Philosopher's Zone
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/philosopherszone/
By Alan Saunders
Do Animals Think?
Saturday 13, May 2006

Special thanks to:
ABC Radio National (Australia)
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/

Student Response -Janet/Saiko (click here)

2006-05-23T21:21:00.000+09:00

Listen to Janet and Saiko talk about the topic of 'Dirty Jobs'.
What kinds of jobs are dirty?
What kinds of jobs do you dislike?
Would you accept a job that you dislike?
What would you choose, a high paying dirty job or low paying easy job?

Special thanks to
Janet and Saiko
YMCA International College for hosting the student response

Music:
"I Don't Want To Wait" by Paula Cole

Sleep Disorders - Interview with Greg

2006-05-23T09:00:00.000+09:00

An interview with Mr. Greg Kennerly about sleep and sleep disorders.
Do you drink a lot of coffee? Do you have any trouble sleeping?
What do you do to help you sleep?
Have you ever walked in your sleep?
Do you still sleep walk?

Do you know any other sleep disorders?
*Sleep eating
*Talking in your sleep
*Snoring

Causes of insomnia (sleeplessness):
*coffee

Home remedies:
*Warm milk
*Go for a jog, get some exercise
*Camomile tea
*Reading

Interviewer: Mr. Steven Mondy
Interviewee: Mr. Greg Kennerly
Special thanks to
- the Osaka Y.M.C.A. International College
- Mogu coffee shop

Sleep Walking (Click Here)

2006-05-17T15:52:00.000+09:00

Sleep Disorders:
Do you have any problem getting to sleep?

Sleep walking:
When do most people usually outgrow this condition?
What is the behavior characterized by?
What ‘triggers’ (causes) sleep walking?

Comprehension:
What does Dr. Judith Owens specialize in?
What does she say about sleepwalkers?
What did Owen’s suggest Michael do?
What did it help Michael do?
What was discovered?
What was the treatment for Michael?

Vocabulary:
chronic, adolescence, episodes, bolt, screaming, yelling
rip, shatter, appeared, parasomnia, night terrors, charting
cause, consistent basis, caffeinated, anxiety, deprivation,
results, immediate, restful, plentiful, travel free

Parasomnia, which means "around sleep," includes sleepwalking, night terrors, bedwetting, and narcolepsy.

Also available through i-tunes music store, Discovery Channel - Night Terrors, 2/05/2006
Copyright 2005 Discovery Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. www.discovery.com.

Fashion - Student Response Amor/Kae (click here)

2006-05-15T16:32:00.000+09:00

Are you influenced by fashion?
Have you noticed that you can see many people with brand names recently (especially teenagers)?
What makes you beautiful?
Do 'Brand Names' help to make you beautiful?
How does caring about fashion help your character?

Special thanks to
Amor and Kae (GC2)

YMCA International College for hosting this blog entry

Worst Job You've Ever Had...(Click Here)

2006-05-10T14:33:00.000+09:00

An interview with three YMCA teachers about the worst job they have ever had.

Special Thanks to
Okamoto-Sensei - Construction Work
Debbie Sukita - Secretary
Pat Kwan - Service Station attendant

and the Osaka YMCA International College.

Dirty Jobs - Garbage Collector (Click Here)

2006-05-09T16:34:00.000+09:00

Do you think that you have the worst job in the world?
Well listen to this 'Discovery Channel Podcast' for what it's like to be a garbage collector in San Francisco.

Discussion Questions:
Can you think of any job that you would hate to have?
What is the worst job that you've ever had?

Comprehension Questions:
How much garbage is collected each week?
What is an average shift like?
What is one of the benefits of being a garbage collector?
What is one of the common problems associated with this kind of job?

Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe
Welcome to Dirty Jobs, the new Discovery Channel series that profiles the unsung American laborers who make their living in the most unthinkable — yet vital — ways.
http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/dirtyjobs/splash.html
Copyright 2005 Discovery Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. www.discovery.com.
Also available through i-tunes music store, Discovery Channel - More Dirty Jobs, 13/02/2006

The Business of Beauty - Fashion (click here)

2006-04-28T15:08:00.000+09:00

An interview with Mr. Greg Kennerly about how fashion influences his life.
Some of the questions that were asked throughout the interview...
Are you influenced by fashion?
How about your friends?
What do you wear on your day off?
Do you know any 'brand names'?
Why are the prices so high?
Do they fit well?
Why on earth would you cut the labels off?
Can you recommend any places to buy clothes?
Do you wear the same sorts of colours now as you did when you were a teenager?
What makes a person beautiful? Does fashion contribute to making you beautiful?

Interviewer: Mr. Steven Mondy
Interviewee: Mr. Greg Kennerly
Special thanks to
- the Osaka Y.M.C.A. International College
- Mogu coffee shop

Student Response (Click Here)

2006-04-18T16:01:00.000+09:00

What is Japanese Otaku? How is it different to a ‘Geek’?
Listen to two students from the English in the Media Course explain their understanding on Japanese Otaku.

The Business of Beauty (click here)

2006-04-17T17:05:00.000+09:00

What is beauty? What makes someone beautiful? What beauty products do you use? Do you think they will make you more beautiful?

Listen to this reading about the business of beauty and discover
1. Beauty is big business
2. There are ways that people measure beauty.

Geeks (click here)

2006-04-10T18:30:00.000+09:00

What is a Geek? Who is a Geek? Am I a Geek? Listen to this lecture an discover if your are a Geek or not?
Entry 1: Geeks
Beyond True Stories by Sandra Heyer, Unit 3, page 47 & 49
Read by Steven Mondy