Hey! Shanelle here! I had a truly amazing experience this past weekend that I would like to share! Last Saturday, I signed up for an event through my school, which was focused on helping Shijonawate High School students improve their English-speaking abilities. To be honest, I only decided to sign up for this in the beginning because my friend wanted to do it; however, after actually attending the event, I’m so glad that I went to it!
In order to help the Japanese high school students with their English, my school planned a variety of activities that we would do with them. These games were supposed to allow the high schoolers to use their knowledge of the English language in a practical setting. First, we played the introduction game, which was used as a way for our groups to learn everyone’s names by pairing our names with an adjective of the same first syllable, such as “Shiny Shanelle”. It was difficult for the high schoolers to come up with adjectives, so we ended up giving them examples until they found one they wanted. My group came in last for this activity, but we still had a lot of fun!
Next, we played Taboo, which many people probably already know. It’s when one person tries to get everyone to say the word on a card without saying the “taboo” words. This game was a great way for the students to use their English vocabulary. There was one person that was really good at this game in my group; he just kept guessing all the right answers very quickly!
Then, we did the NASA activity, which is when we decide from a given list how each item should be ranked in terms of importance for the described NASA mission. My group was a little troubled by this one because everyone had different opinions about which items were more important; however, I was delightfully surprised when I heard one of the students’ reasoning behind her choice. She explained her point very well and in a way that everyone agreed with her.
The last activity was definitely my favorite! We were tasked with building the tallest free-standing structure with paper and tape. One of the students in my group came up with a great plan which allowed us to construct a really tall tower. It was even taller than me! This was the first and only activity in which my group came in first, and it was this event that shot my group up to second place in the ranking for this event! Although we didn’t win, I had a really great time! I met some amazing individuals, and I hope they continue to improve their English beyond this event!
I would like to note that I have realized now just how important this program is for these high schoolers. In order to learn a language, you must practice it with others. I have been told multiple times that while Japanese people learn English from a young age, emphasis is placed on writing and listening – speaking it not stressed as much in school. Therefore, having programs such as this one, which allows for practical application of what they’ve learned in school, is essential for mastering a language.
For this reason, I have great respect for these high schoolers. Before coming here, I studied the Chinese language for 2 years, but I was not anywhere close to fluent. This is because I was always afraid to speak in front of others. “What if I make a mistake while speaking?” “What if natives think I sound weird?” These were the thoughts that suppressed my voice; these are the reasons I didn’t practice speaking Chinese; and this is why I can’t speak Chinese very well today. However, after seeing the effort these students put into not just learning English, but also speaking it, I really want to become like them! Since I am currently learning Japanese, I want to gain the courage necessary to practice speaking Japanese with the people around me. Unlike those students, there are so many opportunities for me since I am actually in Japan. Therefore, I want to make the most of my time here and really try to learn every aspect of the language – writing, listening, and speaking! Wish me luck!