Teaching in Japan - ３年生 interview tests

**Filmed after the school day had ended in my own spare time. The two students helping were 9th graders, and had no club activity, so they agreed to stay a little extra and help me film this vlog.**

An example of the short interview test I gave each of my 9th graders about two weeks ago.

They have about 100 or so questions that they study - basic conversation stuff - and I pull random questions from the list and ask each of them about 10-15 of them.

It can go quickly, if the student is like the one in this video - well prepared and able to understand each question - or it can be painfully slow if the student constantly needs me to prompt them in Japanese or they simply stare at me in silence.

It's a great way to meet all your students if you're a new ALT - you can put a name with the face and learn a little about them - I ask if they like music, can they play the piano, what kind of food do they like - all kinds of fun stuff.

Yui did very well in this video, but she had already answered the same basic questions earlier in the day. We ask that they give full-sentence answers - so for example when I asked, "Which is larger, China or America?" She just answered "America." She should have said something like "I think America is larger than China." But overall I would have given her an A based on this interview.

I'm only allowed to give as low as a C to my kids - no one "fails" altho I give very few Cs - most of my kids do just fine since they are all very comfortable speaking to me since I've been their teacher for 4+ years now.

Hope you found this interesting.

-Jason

Category:

Education

Tags:

• 中学校
• teaching
• ESL
• Japan
• Jr
• High
• 9th
• graders
• JET
• program
• ALT
• Japanese
• school

[EruIluvatar]

This is probably an ancient video to comment on, but thanks for showing us how the teaching is done. I like learning about Japanese culture from a "western" perspective.

[myargonauts]

@EruIluvatar no worries - I still see and read every comment on all my videos. So thanks for the comment. :)

[Titan232065]

my mom is moving there in the summer to fujieda any advice

[myargonauts]

@Titan232065 some of the basics I go over in my "Becoming an ALT" playlist would probably be helpful

[Legolas1717]

According to Wikipedia, China is only smaller than America if you exclude areas of dispute between China and India. I'd have given her a C, but then again, my students hate me. ;-)

[myargonauts]

haha - well, every now and then my kids would give a very wrong answer, but if they said it in proper English it was still fine, since I am testing their ability to use English, not their knowledge of geography. :)

[nyannyan123456]

I love english with the japanese accent. I got a kick out of all the school kids that speak english with me when I was in japan. I think it a shame american schools dont have more alternative language classes.

[euphoricrush]

Oh man, this is so adorable.

[rinwhr]

@Peachesandsushi lmao

[ALifetimeDream]

Aww... I want to go teach English so badly. :(

[fagbowsa]

omg :O, she's not been to england, buuttt shee HAS been to finland. ahahah (;

[Peachesandsushi]

"Which is larger China or America?" "America" ><

[lovelivelifewthrocky]

a hecky na did u guys see that mask she was holding

[Destroyificator]

This was interesting. It looks like you put her under pressure as well. How cruel, hahha.