Ideas for Japanese 1 Teachers Assistant

I'm very excited to be a T.A. for my sensei in Nihongo 1 next year, but I'd like to have some idea as to what to do for the class. A lot of the kids taking the class will be fellow seniors or underclassmen, so I can't have anything annoying like cute Japanese games, unfortunately. Well... if you had any good ones, I'm sure I could enforce them. I will make them call me sempai however ^_^. I know all the material since I took the class a while back and all, and any thing I do with the class depends on sensei, but I was wondering if anyone had any unique ideas. I'd really hope by being a T.A., more kids will stay in the class. Most the time, we only have 6 out of 18 kids go onto Japanese 2. A lot of kids think it's a slacker class, take it, discover they have to try then flunk or drop out. I'd really like to change that by helping people have more interest in the class and helping them learn. There isn't much homework, she's very good about not giving busy work, but you have to have interest to keep up with the three writing systems, the language, and cultural stuff you learn. I'd really appreciate any suggestions or idea. Thanks much ^_^

My only suggestion would be to drop the idea of making them call you sempai.

I would have to agree.

If we express it in pithy aphorisms:

You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

and

There's a difference between being boss and being bossy.

Teach them how to distinguish between all the different counters that are used... I'm sure your students will have a ball getting those down, heh. 8-p

COUNTERS NOO! I hate those >.<. Actually, I'm awful at those myself so that may be a good idea, I could learn too. They wont know what sempai means anyways. Well... not until the following year probably ^_^ but I wont be there by then. Har. Anyway, that wasn't really meant to be the focus of my question ^_^()...

Ooh, do some of the stuff my teacher did.

1)Make assignments where students have to translate a sertain number of pages from a raw (untranslated manga) I've learned oodles of Kanji that way.

2)Give out Japanese snacks & drinks like Lamune, Calpico, Calpico softchews, yan-yan, hello panda, sheets of roasted nori, & let them watch subtitled or raw anime. This is a good way to lure people into the class.

3)Do the "wich language is it?" game by playing music from several different asian countries. Make sure it's modern music. In Chinese music, your best bet is with the new visual bands like Silo, Silver Ash, etc. & make sure to keep the music varied in genre. This improves the sharpness of student hearing & broadens their interests. It's also cute if you teach them how to sing some of them.

First off, how long have you been studying Japanese?

LikaLaruku said:

Ooh, do some of the stuff my teacher did.

1)Make assignments where students have to translate a sertain number of pages from a raw (untranslated manga) I've learned oodles of Kanji that way.

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This might be a bit tough for an introductory course where, among the students, ten kanji might be known, and there's no way they are going to know how to look up kanji by stroke, bushu, or yomi. Working through kids books might be a better bet, because everything is in kana.

2)Give out Japanese snacks & drinks like Lamune, Calpico, Calpico softchews, yan-yan, hello panda, sheets of roasted nori, & let them watch subtitled or raw anime. This is a good way to lure people into the class.

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Good idea; also, maybe try and set up a pot-luck day where people bring traditional Japanese foods, along with simple written explinations as to their origins, preparation, etc. Outlaw sushi from this one -- it should be a food that a Japanese person eats at least once a week.

3)Do the "wich language is it?" game...

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I can't see this helping too much with Japanese.

Since you're dealng with older students, you could try a written and/or spoken 'telephone' game, where each person has to repeat what all the previous people said, and then add to it.

Try and talk the teacher into kana-only writing assignments -- they aren't going to learn jack if they're writing in Romaji.

Make sure the students speak Japanese as much as possible! If you have the time, sit down and do one-on-ones and/or small groups for conversation, especially with the struggling students. Of course, it isn't going to be easy at first with a very limited vocabulary, but the surest way to not learn a foreign language is to never use it -- all of the failing students from my first few Japanese classes were the ones who spoke in English, took notes in English, and just used the language at a bare minimum.

Incorporate 'fun words' -- things like 'boushi' and 'shibou' ('hat' and 'fat', respectively), that just sound naturally similar.

Well I have done Japanese 1 and 2 in highschool, that's all they offer. However, I've done a lot of my own studying, although my kanji has gotten rusty ^_^(), but that's alright because in the class I'm helping in next year, Japanese 1, we only use kana. Kanji is for the next year. I agree that translating manga would be too hard, but we have a lot of childrens books that are written in kana. There is an asian food market about an hour from here, so I could buy and bring in food, but making students make/bring in Japanese food I think would be a little much. I think most of them wouldn't do it. I think it's a good idea for Japanese 2, however because she has the class do a project, so I'll tell sensei about it for next year. I took this class a few years ago, and it's a good class. We'll use all kana once the class is used to it, although, we don't speak in Japanese as much as we should, so I'll try to encourage that more myself. We also have a lovely set of tapes with "Tanaka-san" having various conversations which could do the same thing as music can, but maybe a little less exciting. If I recall, sensei has terrible terrible Japanese CD of people singing Christmas songs. It was torture.. so maybe I'll invest in other CDs that are more pop related so I can show students more about popular culture and so they can hear Japanese in song, because it does sound a lot different than conversation. At least I think so ^_^(). I really should find a fun way to teach counters because sensei hates them too, so those weren't really taught. They were... glanced at... kinda.. noted, but not taught. I suppose I could bring in different stuff and ask them to write the correct counter next to the objects? Anyway, It may be hard to get them to want to participate in games or sing songs and such because some of these students are my friends, which may make it more likely for them not to listen to me. I do have a couple months before I need to worry about it too much, however... I'm sure sensei would help out if they were like that. Besides all that, thanks so much for all the suggestions!! Now at least I wont come into the class the first week and have nothing to add ^_^. THANKS (again) I'm very very appreciative!!!! I dont know how else I can say thank-you in the English language.. well there's always DOMO ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU!!! I think that about expresses it all ^_^