Why I Study English

The Holiday season (Thanksgiving and Christmas) is soon approaching. Tomorrow (11/28) is Thanksgiving in the United States. This is a time to spend with family and be thankful for all of the things we have in life. Christmas is a similar holiday spent with family celebrating the end of the year, and reflecting on the past year. In Japan, Christmas is a time to enjoy the bright lights (illumination) around the stations and in parks as well as eating cake and KFC. However, it can also be used to think about what we've done this year, and what we would like to do for the next.

The end of the semester is coming. With only three weeks left, students will have to think about how to study and practice without GTF classes or English Plaza. Three months is a long time without using English and all students need to think about what they can do to keep up their English skills. This blog post will introduce English Central  (EC) as a good option for anyone who wants to practice English using videos. I like EC because it has listening and speaking practice. Videos can be a great way to practice because they are interesting and fun. Many of you spend a lot of time watching videos on Youtube anyway, so why not focus more attention on specific English learning programs.

I can start a conversation, but how do I keep it going? This is what a student asked me recently. Once students get comfortable with meeting with other students, keeping the conversation alive can be a challenge. This can be easier if you are in a group of people where it only takes one person to ask a question or make a comment.  In many cases, someone is just waiting for anyone to say something. Here are some ideas to help awkward silences: 1. Share your plan for the day or something you are excited about. 2. If you know someone has a test coming up or a trip, ask about it. 3. Ask your partner or group if they are watching an exciting TV show or if they recently started listening to any new music. 4. Find something in common, like being students in the same class or department.