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3月 火曜日・金曜日共通


Damien's class(T11,T21,F12,F22)
Preparing for Disasters
The Great Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami resulted in the loss of many lives and caused much damage. A similar disaster could strike Japan at any time. Are you better prepared now than eleven years ago? What have you done to prepare for such an event? Please tell us what you feel are the essential things you need to have and do! If you have a good story from March 11th, 2011, we’d like to hear it!

Jane's class(T12,T22,F11,F21)
Movies. (From these questions below please choose two to answer.)
. What are the movie genres that you like?
. What is your favourite movie? Why do you like it?
. Are there any kinds of movies you dislike? If so, what are they and why do you dislike them?
. What is the scariest/funniest/most romantic movie you have ever seen?
. Who is your favourite movie actor or actress? Why?
. Is there a movie you could watch over and over again?
. How often do you go to the cinema?
. What kind of movies are popular in Japan?
. Is the movie industry in Japan strong? Why or why not?
. Do you choose a movie based on its plot/story or the actors?
. Are most of the movies you watch in English or Japanese, or another language? If so, which language do you watch the movie?
. Do you think movies from different countries can teach us about other cultures?


2月 火曜日・金曜日共通


Damien's class(T11,T21,F12,F22)
Your Childhood!
We all grew up in different places. Tell us a little about your life when you were growing up. Did you have a happy or a tough childhood? Where did you live? Who were your friends? Do you still keep in touch with them? What are your fondest memories? Do you have any regrets?

Jane's class(T12,T22,F11,F21)
Superstitions. (From these questions below please choose two to answer.)
. Are you superstitious ?
. What things are considered bad luck, and what are considered good luck in Japan?
. Do you believe in good and bad luck?
. Do you have any objects that you think brings you good luck?
. Have you ever been really lucky? What happened ?
. What do people do for good luck in Japan?
. What do people avoid doing that they think is unlucky?
. Which numbers are lucky or unlucky in Japan? Why?
. Do you have a lucky number?
. Do you know any old wives' tales?

1月 火曜日・金曜日共通


Damien's class(T11,T21,F12,F22)
Dreams for the Future!
Another year has come around! This is a time to think positively, to dream, and then make plans to make your dreams come true! What are you dreaming of this January? What would you like to do this year?
What changes would you like to see in your life, in your world?

Jane's class(T12,T22,F11,F21)
Technology.
( From these questions below please choose two questions to answer.)
. What are some of the greatest technological achievements of all-time?
. What is your favourite piece of technology?
. What are the main ways in which technology has changed society?
. What new technology do you think will be introduced in the future?
. How have technological advances affected your life?
. How has technology changed education, business, communication, medicine, the ways wars are fought, and social everyday life?



12月 火曜日・金曜日共通


Damien's class(T11,T21,F12,F22)
Making Friends!
Is it difficult or easy for you to start a conversation with a stranger? Is it difficult or easy for you to make new friends? How do you “break the ice” when you meet someone for the first time? What topics do you think are good to start conversations with? Have you made friends with people when traveling in foreign countries? Tell us about your experiences in Japan or when traveling abroad.
How did you meet your ow you met one of your good friends or your husband or wife?

Jane's class(T12,T22,F11,F21)
Family Roles. ( From these questions below please choose two to answer.)
. What is a women's typical family role in Japan? What is a man's typical family role? Have these roles changed over time?
. What are the positive and negative aspects of these changes?
. Do you know of any stay-at-home dads? If you do, do you think this works well for the family involved?
. Do you think children are treated differently according to whether they are first, middle, or last child? If so, how?
. Are sons treated differently than daughters in Japan? How about in olden times?
. What is the typical number of children that a family has, how has this changed?
. How common is it for people to have children before marriage in Japan?
. How does your society view children before marriage?



11月 火曜日・金曜日共通

Damien's class(T11,T21,F12,F22)
A Dream Vacation!
If you could travel safely anywhere in the world, where would you most like to visit? Why do you want to go there? How long would you stay? Who would you go with? Would you go on a package tour or make your own plans and bookings?

Jane's class(T12,T22,F11,F21)
Natural Disasters
( From these questions below please choose two questions to answer.)
. What do you think is the worst disaster ?
. Which one are you most afraid of?
. Which natural disaster causes the most damage and kills the most number of people?
. Which is the most common natural disaster in Japan?
. Do you think there are more natural disasters than there used to be?
. Do you know someone who has been affected by a tsunami?
. Is there an early warning system for a tsunami in Chiba Prefecture ?
. What preparations should you make before an earthquake hits? Are you prepared for the next big one?



10月 火曜日・金曜日共通

Jane's class(T11,T21,F12,F22)
Culture ( From these questions below please choose two to answer.)
. When people from other countries think about the Japanese culture, what do they usually think of?
. Have you ever experienced culture shock ?
. What is considered polite or rude in your culture?
. What has surprised you when you have met people from other countries?
. What are the most important values of your culture?
. What in your culture are you most proud about?
. If a group of people just come to Japan from overseas, what advice would you give them?

Damien's class(T12,T22,F11,F21)
Retirement
Working is an important part of our lives. Many of you have now retired from your jobs… Did you choose to retire or were you forced to retire due to age? Are you happy with your decision? Would you have liked to continue working? If you have not yet retired, what are your retirement plans for the future?
Some of you are housewives who have not had a full time “paid” job yet you have worked every day on behalf of your families. Would you like to “retire” and not do housework ever again? What things would you like to change to make your life as a housewife better?

9月 火曜日・金曜日共通

Damien's class(T12,T22,F11,F21)
Who Do You Admire?
There are many wonderful people in Japan and around the world who have done amazing things: doctors, scientists, sports personalities, musicians, politicians and more. Who do you feel admiration for? Tell us about him or her and the special things they have done.

Jane's class(T11,T21,F12,F22)
Sports ( From these questions below please choose two to answer.)
. Do you play any sports?
. What's your favourite sport ?
. Do you think playing sports helps people work better as a team at work?
. Have you ever been to watch a professional sporting event?
. Is it good that professional sports are so commercial?
. What Japanese traditional sport is popular in other countries ? Why do you think that sport is popular?
. What is the most popular sport in Japan?
. Do you think professional athletes earn too much money? Why or why not? Which sports athletes do you think earn the money?

7月 火曜日・金曜日共通


Damien's class(T12,T22,F11,F21)
Your Japanese Name!
Our parents usually choose our names very carefully. Tell us about your name. What does each of the characters mean? Do you know why your parents choose them? Are you happy with the characters they chose? Does your name match your personality? What is your nickname? How did you decide the names of your children?

Jane's class(T11,T21,F12,F22)
Post offices. ( From these questions below please choose two to answer.)
. What do you use the post office for these days? What post office services do you use the most?
. Do you write letters anymore? If so, when did you write a letter last?
. Do you think there is a personal touch in writing and sending letters and packages?
. What do you think of the Japanese post office services?
. How different was the postal services in Japan 30 years ago?
. How has the Internet changed the postal services?

6月 火曜日・金曜日共通


Damien's class(T12,T22,F11,F21)
In the past it was said that a women’s place is in the home. Times have changed and now many Japanese women have full time jobs while they raised their kids. There are both positive and negative points for working-mothers and for their kids. What do you think of this change? What impact will it have on kids, on Japanese society, etc. ? You can also talk about your personal experiences, either as a child or as a parent raising your kids.

Jane's class(T11,T21,F12,F22)
Hobbies ( From these questions below please choose two to answer.)
What do you think are some of the most popular hobbies that people have? Which hobbies are the most popular in Japan? Which are the most popular with women, men, and children? What do you do in your free time? How much time do you usually spend on your hobbies? Have your hobbies changed throughout the years? Why? What are the strangest hobbies you have heard of ? Did you have any hobbies when you were a child? Do you still do that hobby?
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5月 火曜日・金曜日共通


Damien's class(T12,T22,F11,F21,)
self-introduction & free topic


Jane's class(T11,T21,F12,F22)
Self introduction . A place to visit in Japan. Self introduction; name, where you live, hobbies. Can you recommend a place for me to visit? A city, town or place to visit in Japan. What do you recommend me to do there? What delicious local foods are there?

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