Friday, October 4th, 2013 Presentation Choices

After spinning the wheel I have decided that the topics will be...

1) Stereotypes and there effects

- Choose a country or people and tell us about the stereotypes that are held about them in other countries (yes, you can choose Canada).
- Tell us how these stereotypes affect a person's ability to get a job, to get housing, or to get a loan, etc.
- Tell us if these stereotypes are justified (true) at all.

No two students can talk about stereotypes of the same country. Please write your country of choice in the comment section.


2) Health and government

- Should people get free healthcare?
- Why do you think that Obama's plan for universal healthcare is failing?
- What are the good things about free healthcare?
- What are the bad things about free healthcare?
- What do you think of Canada's healthcare?

Sorry, only one student can do this topic. First come, first serve. Comment in the comment section to get this topic.


3) Nature vs. Nurture

- Which influences a child's personality and success more, their instincts, genes, and parental lineage, or how they are raised, what they are taught, and who they interact with?

Sorry, only one student can do this topic. First come, first serve. Comment in the comment section to get this topic.


4) Environmental disasters

- Choose one or two environmental disasters and tell us about them.
- What lasting impact has this had on the way we think or on the environment?
- Did this change the behaviour of companies?

No two students can talk about stereotypes of the same disaster. Please write your disaster of choice in the comment section.

Monday's topic

Hi everyone.

My topic is 「Number of Dpression Patients increased by 44% in 4 years」

See you Monday~

Thursday, October 3, 2013 Debate Vote!

The choices this week are:


1) Discrimination and medicine. Can doctors choose their patients?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/autistic-girl-turned-away-by-b-c-dentist-1.1871733


2) Industry and environmental impact. Whose rights are more important? Is it business, people, or nature?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/alberta-orders-lake-drained-to-contain-bitumen-leak-1.1871970

Wednesday, October 2, 2013 Wednesday discussion topic

The amazingly lucky student who gets to choose the topic for Wednesday is...

JB!

October 1, 2013 Tuesday Topic Ontario youth joblessness

Please read http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-s-youth-unemployment-among-worst-in-canada-1.1872206

Also, please read the comments. This is very important!

We will be talking about causes of the problem, solutions, and the effects of the problem (short and long-term).

I hope you all are having a good weekend! Get outside while it's nice!

Matthew

Topic on Monday

Hi, it's Ryo.

I'm gonna talk about "Mexico" on Monday.

See u later.
Ryo

Monday's topic

Hi everyone.

My topic is 「Different English Pronunciation」

See you next monday

 Joey

Monday's topic

Hi everyone.

My topic is 「Tatoo in Japan」

See you tomorrow

Masa

debate topic on Wendnesday

Hi guys ~
I'm gorgeous Joey haha

I want to talk about whether violent games effect on personality or not.

First, please lead this.
http://news.yahoo.com/shots-fired-at-washington-navy-yard--u-s--navy-confirms-130407614.html

And lead two opposite opinions about this dispute.
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/09/congress-video-game-violence-navy-yard-97131.html

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/18/opinion/bushman-video-games/index.html?iref=allsearch

 I know those are so long article. (I think we don't need to read all article )
Anyway
I want to talk about violent games
C u soon:)
sleep tight

Thursday, Sept 26/13 Discussion topic vote

Hello all!

Up for the vote this time, are these two most interesting topics. I vote for the first one.

1) Medical:
Supervised injection site in Vancouver

Please read this.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/insite-supervised-injection-site-marks-10-year-milestone-1.1862149

Also read this please (it is very short).
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/overdose-of-a-15-year-old-raises-questions-1.1858522

If you would like more information on Insite, you could read this too (this is optional).
http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/as-insite-turns-10-others-fight-for-supervised-drug-injection-sites-across-canada-1.1464533

2) Mental health:
University student suicide

http://www.ctvnews.ca/w5/campus-crisis-why-are-suicide-rates-rising-among-university-students-1.1463654

Friday, September 27, 2013 Presentation Choices

Choice 1

Architecture/construction:
- Tell us about a building that is very important or iconic in any part of the world.
- When was it built?
- Why was it built?
- Who built it?
- How long did it take to build?
- What does it symbolize or mean?
- Is it a tourist destination?
- What is your opinion of the building?


Choice 2

Environment:
- Tell us about an environmental problem or success.
    - For example: too many jellyfish in the ocean (failure?) or the saving of the Great Bear Rainforest in       Canada.
- What is the problem?
- Why is there a problem?
- Is it getting worse or better?
- What can be done to stop or fix it?
- Who wants to stop it and who does not care about it?
- What is your opinion?
- What other problems will this problem cause in the future?

Choice 3

Education:
- Due to the fact that unemployment is so high, and education costs so much, is university necessary anymore?
- Tell us about unemployment in your country and in Canada.
- Tell us about the job possibilities in your country with and without a university degree.
- How much does it cost to attend university?
- Do you know anyone who did not attend university, but is still very successful?
- When you go (or when you went) to university, did you choose the major because you liked it, or because you think (thought) you might get a job?

Wednesday, September 25 Discussion

The lucky student who gets to choose the topic for Wednesday is...

Joey!

Tuesday, September 24 Discussion

Please click on the link and read the article before Tuesday's class.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cash-strapped-canada-post-weighs-future-of-mail-delivery-1.1863096

Consider these questions.

1) Do you have mail service to your door? In Toronto? In Japan or Korea?
2) How often do you use the traditional mail system? In Canada? In Japan or Korea?
3) Do you think alternate (every second day) mail delivery is a good idea?
4) Do you think that we need the traditional mail system anymore, or should everyone have to go to a central location to pick up their mail?
5) Why do you think that the government of Canada will give lots of tax money to companies like Ford Motors, but they let the Canada post system lose money?
6) Do you think that mail delivered to a community box or just to a post office is safer than mail delivered to a house mail box? Have you ever had mail stolen?

See you on Monday.

Matthew

Topic on Monday

Hi, everyone.

My topic on Monday is
"Coffee is good or bad for our health??"

Have a nice weekend:-)

Ryo

The topic of presentation on Monday

Hi there.

My topic is "Cool Japan".

Have a good weekend.
See you on Monday.

Masa

Friday, September 20/13 presentation choices

Presentation choice #1

Choose a time in your countries history (for me, it would be Winnipeg in 1919) and tell us about it.
- What kind of music was popular?
- What political system was there?
- What important things were happening at that time in your country?
- What is exciting about it?
- Did any of your family live at this time?
- What was happening in Canada at this time?
- And more!!

Presentation choice #2

A presentation on a person from last week's list that did not get presented on. Steve Jobs, Oprah, and Walk Disney have already been presented on.
You can also choose another very famous person who first had failure.

Special choice #3

One Korean student can present on what Korean thanksgiving is, what you eat, what is the history, etc.
The first person to comment saying, "I'd doing Korean Thanksgiving", gets it.

Presentation choice #4

Submit a topic to me (on this blog), and I will let you know if it is good or not.

debate topic on Wendnesday

http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/12/health/e-cigarettes-debate/index.html?hpt=he_c2

Hi guys ~
I'm gorgeous Alice haha

I want to talk about E-cigarettes.
I know this is so long article. (I think we don't need to read all article )
Anyway
I want to talk about E- cigarettes

C u soon:)
sleep tight

Thursday, September 19th Discussion Vote

I encourage you to read both before voting.

1)
Something unique.
This is an article about art and it has many pictures.
What do you think about the artist? Is this art?
What do you think about these smokers? Are they courageous? Are they just addicts?
What do you do to relax in our super busy culture? Did we lose a good way to relax when smoking became such an evil?
http://www.slate.com/blogs/behold/2013/09/15/laura_noel_smoke_break_examines_smokers_in_their_natural_environments_photos.html

2)
Something technological.
This is an article about how technology is helping seniors grow old with dignity.
Is this type of thing worth the price to taxpayers?
How do you feel about the elderly being put into homes? Do you want to go to a home when you are old?
What other types of technology help, or could help?
Does this sort of technology just make the life of doctors much easier?
Will this sort of thing result in more deaths because the doctors are not actually seeing the patients?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22984876

Happy voting!

Matthew

Wed, Nov 18/2013 Discussion

The lucky student (who gets to chose a topic and post the link to this site) is Alice!

Please find a good article and post the link here by Tuesday evening.

Thanks!

Matthew

presentation topic on monday

Hi everyone.
Weekend is almost finishing!

I am going to make a presentation about theory of blood type.

See you in the class soon!
Bye!

-Nick

What is my presentation topic?

My presentation topic is "charge the happy battery in your brains" on monday
HAPPINESS:)

weekend is almost finished
C U soon

Alice

Tuesday, September 17 2013 discussion topic

Howdy all!

Please go to http://www.vernoncoleman.com/tccidu.htm and read the article.

It is a little long, but the author makes some good points.

Please decide whether you agree with the author, or disagree.

Also, do you think that suing someone (taking them to court) teaches them a good lesson? Or does simply being nice and asking for change, teach a better lesson?

See you Monday!

Matthew

My topic of presentation on Monday.

Hi, everyone.
Do you enjoy your weekend?

Anyway,
Do you know the domestic rocket was launched for the first time in 12 years in Japan?
So,my topic is 「The epsilon」.

Have a good weekend.
See you Monday.

Masa

Topic for Monday

Hi, it's Ryo.
On Monday I'm gonna talk about "famous quotes."

Have a nice weekend.

Ryo

Thursday, March 12 2013 discussion topic

Hello all!

Here are the choices for Thursday.

1) This first topic should be familiar to at least some of you.

We might be discussing the positives and negatives of being an unpaid intern. Just this week, this issue has become one of discussion in Canada.

Please read the article at http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2013/09/09/canada-unpaid-internship-overtime-tuition-cost.html

Also, and VERY IMPORTANTLY, please read the comments made by people at the bottom of the page.

OR

2) Apple has released a new iphone again. Do you think that the new iphone 5c is a good idea or a foolish one? Also, do you think that Apple drop the prices of the iphones like other companies have done with their phones?

Please read http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/gadget_hunter/2013/09/apple_launch_event_unveiling_the_iphone_5s_and_5c.html
and
http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/09/10/apple_iphone_5s_new_phone_launch.html

Choose wisely. See you in class!

Matthew

P.S. Thanks to Ryo for posting the debate topic for tomorrow! Everyone else, remember to post you opinions in the comment section just at the bottom of his post.

Wednesday debate topic

Hello, it's Ryo.
I'd like to offer this topic for the debate on Wendnesday.

"Our technology is good for us, or bad for us??"

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2013/09/04/sleep-children-teens-cellphones.html

Generally speaking, the technology helps us to live better, but also the truth is that the technology could affect us badly like this article. It's always big issue.

"Is this just the conservative opinion?? Or it's true??"
So I'd like to discuss if the recent technology is good or bad for us??

I hope everyone likes that topic.
Good night, see you tomorrow.

Ryo

Wednesday, September 11th Debate

The lucky student who gets to choose the debate topic for this Wednesday, September 11th is...Ryo!

Please choose a topic that has an article or a video (or both), and link it to a new post on this blog.

Remember, the topic must have two arguable sides.

Thanks a bunch! Who will it be next week?

Matthew

Class Assignment Outline

Practical Speaking - High Intermediate

Class Presentation Schedule

Monday

Semi-Formal Student Presentations:

-       Students will sit (or stand) at the front of the room.

-       Topic: An issue/news story facing your home country or facing Canada. What is the issue/story? How is it affecting the country? What does the global community think about it? What is your opinion?

-       Source: Newspaper or Internet

-       Length: 10-15min

-       The presentation topic must be posted on the blog by 10pm on Saturday.

-       All students must visit the blog and read the presentation topics. They must post at least one question for the presenter

-       Audience is responsible to ask questions following the presentation.

Tuesday

Homework Question Discussion:

-       Students are responsible to be prepared for the homework discussion.

-       This question will be provided during the class on Monday.

Wednesday

Blog Debate

-       One student will be responsible to choose a debate topic from the CBC news website.

-       Go to the website, choose a story. (Remember that technology is a Friday option.)

-       Go to the class blog, post the link, and write your opinion. This must be done by 9am on Tuesday.

-       All other students must visit the blog, read the story, and post their opinion on the blog by 9pm on Tuesday

-       This will be debated in class.

-       The teacher will assign ‘For’ group and ‘Against’ group.

Thursday

Teacher Topic:

-       The teacher will post two topics for discussion on the blog by 7pm on Tuesday.

-       Students will go to the blog and say which one they want to talk about

-       The topic with the most votes by 8pm on Wednesday will be the one we discuss on Thursday.

Friday

Formal Student Presentations:

-       Topic: 1)Technology or 2)Art

-       Students will stand at the front of the room.

-       Length: 10-15min

-       1) Students will research a piece of technology (e.g. cellphone, satellite, video game console, etc.). Where was it developed? Where is it most popular? What is it used for? Why do we need it? Do we need it? Do you think it will be helpful or harmful over the long term? How does it affect the privacy or the lives of regular citizens?

-       2) Students will research a type of music (rap, rock, country, etc) that they are interested in. What are the origins of the music? Who made the music famous? Where did the music become famous first? Why do you like the music? Is it popular all over the world? Is it acceptable (by authority figures) all over the world? How has the music influenced people?

*When reading an article, students are responsible for noting the vocabulary they do not know, looking it up, recording it, and handing it in to the teacher.*

Friday, Sept 13/13 Presentation Topic

Friday the 13th presentations! (Do you know about Friday the 13th?)

Today's presentations will be a little bit different.

1) Double click on the image below to see it more clearly.

2) Choose one famous person (or group) who interests you OR choose a person that is not on the list .(This person must have had a great failure, but then overcame the failure to be very successful.) You can't choose yourself.

3) Do some research. Tell us about the failure and about how the person reacted. What did they do? Did you give up? Did they try harder?

4) What did the person do to become successful?

5) When they talk about the failure now, what do they say? Do they say that it motivated them or depressed them?

6) Tell us about yourself. When did you experience a failure or large setback? How did you overcome this setback.

Lastly, I do not want students to choose the same person. This will be first come first serve. The first to post a comment on this blog claiming a person, will get to present on that person.

Matthew

Tuesday, Sept 10/13 homework discussion question

There will be two shorter discussion on Tuesday.

First, please go and watch the video (no reading) at http://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/story/2013/09/06/sp-hockey-team-canada-jersey-storify-olympics.html

- Do you like or dislike the jerseys?
- Do you think that the uniform of a team is important?
- Canadian news often has stories like this (stories that some people think are not important). Do you think that this because there not many serious stories in Canada, or do you think this is a way to hide the serious stories? Lastly, do you think that the Canadian people do not want to think about the serious issues?

Second, please go and read the article at http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2013/08/28/f-canadian-rangers.html

- Do you think this is an effective way to observe and protect Canada's North?
- Do you have suggestions to improve this?
- Why do the Rangers use old rifles? Do you agree with the use of this equipment?
- The Rangers are mostly aboriginal peoples. Why do you think this is? Why might this be beneficial to both the protection of the North and to Canada as a whole?

See you Monday!

Matthew

The topic of Ryo's presentation

Hello.
My presentation topic on Monday is " English education problems in Japan".

Have a good weekend.

Ryo

Topic of presentation on Monday

Hi, everyone.

The Tokyo Olympic Games will be held in 2020.

So my topic is 「The Tokyo Olympic Games」

Masa

Topic of Wednesday's debate

Hi,everyone.

At first, I want you to read this article.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2013/08/25/tech-space-station-canadian-on-moon.html

What do you think about this article?
Do you think we really need to live in the space?
Do you think you want to live in the space?

Let's discuss this article tomorrow!
See you tomorrow.

Masa

Friday, Sept 6 Presentation choices

Friday

Formal Student Presentations:

-       Topic: 1)Technology or 2)Art

-       Students will stand at the front of the room.

-       Length: 10-15min

-       1) Students will research a piece of technology (e.g. cellphone, satellite, video game console, etc.). Where was it developed? Where is it most popular? What is it used for? Why do we need it? Do we need it? Do you think it will be helpful or harmful over the long term? How does it affect the privacy or the lives of regular citizens?

-       2) Students will research a type of music (rap, rock, country, etc) that they are interested in. What are the origins of the music? Who made the music famous? Where did the music become famous first? Why do you like the music? Is it popular all over the world? Is it acceptable (by authority figures) all over the world? How has the music influenced people?

Thurday, Sept 5 discussion vote

Please vote on one of the following topics.

1) Should laptops be made mandatory for students in Senior School?
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/story/2012/09/19/mb-school-laptops-mandatory-dakota-collegiate.html

You also may want to read this article.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2013/08/14/technology-laptop-grades.html

OR

2) What do you think of self-driving cars? What issues would arise if they came to Canada or to your home country?
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/story/2013/09/01/canada-driverless-cars.html

Tuesday, Sept 3 2013 Discussion Question

Taking into consideration the Chernobyl nuclear accident in the 1980's, and now the Fukushima nuclear accident, do you think nuclear power should be banned (made illegal)?

Please read the article at http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/09/01/japan-fukushima-reactor-radiation-levels-spike.html

If you can't follow the link, search 'cbc news fukushima'.

See you tomorrow,
Matthew