Overview of Courses offered by Fukiai SHS

N.B. Students in Fukiai are either in the General or International course.

S.I (Sougo Eigo Ichi)

This course looks to help students improve all areas of their English language ability; listening, speaking, reading and writing. One example is the reading section, which has two aims; improving reading skill and increasing vocabulary. Often students make presentations to the rest of the class during the course. Over the year students look at many different topics, most of which are relevant to the students’ daily life. This course often includes both pair and group work to make sure that throughout S.I the students are encouraged to help each other and work together as a team to overcome problems.

S.II (Sougo II)

In this course students can choose between a grammar-based class and an essay writing class.

In the grammar writing class students build vocabulary and grammar through worksheets and exercises.

In the essay writing class students write many different types of essay; one example is writing about Japanese festivals. The overall topic of all the essays is Intercultural Communication and the finished essays will be shared with schools in Wales, Turkey and India.

L.I (Language Laboratory and Computer I)

This course looks at the four parts of language (listening, speaking, reading and writing) using a, ‘context based approach.’ As the title says, this course uses the language laboratory equipment at Fukiai to make learning English easier and hopefully, fun. Students will use movies such as, Remember the Titans to study issues like discrimination.

S.E. (Strategic English)

This general course aims to help students improve their reading and study reading skills that are useful to learning English whether in Fukiai or elsewhere.

I.E. (Integrated English)

Looking at all four parts of language (listening, speaking, reading and writing) this is a general course that helps students improve all areas of their English. The students in I.E. also learn how they can express their opinions about different topics.

E.U. A (English Understanding A)

Continuing from S.I. in the first year, the second year the topics are more advanced, looking at wider, international issues such as AIDS and Japanese Identity and its place in the world.

E.U. B (English Understanding B)

In this course, students read books and use both audio and visual resources for the topics used in E.U. A to build understanding and vocabulary. This then helps smooth discussion in the E.U. A course.

E.E. (English Expression)

In this course half the lessons focus on grammar, the other half focus on essays and both parts work together to improve essay building. In essay building students look in detail about what makes an essay and study how to write a good essay on different topics. One topic, for example, is after reading Three Passions I Have Lived For by Bertrand Russell, students have to write about three passions in their lives. The grammar section also supports the essay section by using worksheets to teach and review grammar rules.

L. II (Language Laboratory and Computer II)

Continuing from L. I in the first year, the students at first look at ‘individualism’ against ‘group mentality’ by watching the movie Ants. After this, students use the English skills that they learnt to discuss the issues raised. Later they move on to debate topics such as crime and justice.

COM (Communications)

In this course students study the different ways people can communicate in English, using speaking, gestures and the written word. The class looks deeply into the language, at things like feelings and emotion to become better communicators. This is done in many ways, from watching clips of movies to making presentations; the aim of which is to sell their ideas to the rest of the class.

I.A. (International Affairs)

This course gives students more freedom to take responsibility for their own work and reports. On one project students carry out surveys and then use Excel to display their results. Other areas looked at are volunteerism and natural disasters around the world. After this students are able to take part in NDYS, the Natural Disasters Youth Summit, with many other students from around the country. www.jearn.jp

I.S. (International Studies)

I.S. looks at problems in the world, for example; the genocide in Rwanda. However this course is focused on the United Nations. In the second and third term students work towards and take part in their own model United Nations.

I.E. �U (Integrated English �U)

Continuing on from I.E. in the first year, this course takes what was learnt and continues to build on it.

R.E.

R.E. is focused more on the reading side of English, like S.E. in the first year,

O. II (Oral Communication II)

In this course students put their English to use to research and discuss topics. They have to find data and then use it to support their opinion. As well as this they have to search newspapers and report on articles that interest them to help develop English speaking and presentation skills.

E.U. (English Understanding)

This course focuses on reading, looking at past university entrance examination papers and topics that university examiners often ask about. Some examples are; the environment, economics and culture.

E.E. (English Expression)
In this course students can choose between a grammar class and an essay writing class. In the grammar class, using work sheets and past papers students look at the grammar section of entrance exams to learn and review the grammar needed to pass. Students also practice translation from Japanese into English. In the essay based class students looked at different kinds of essays and how to write them clearly. One example is procedural essays, when students have to write clear, accurate instructions on how to do something. As well as this students practice speed writing to help prepare for the exams. The students’ final task was to write an, ‘alphabetical autobiography,’ twenty-six short essays about themselves from a to z.

L. III (Language Laboratory and Computer III)

This course looks at the four parts of language (listening, speaking, reading and writing) using a, ‘context based approach.’ As the title says, this course uses the language laboratory equipment at Fukiai to make learning English easier and hopefully, fun. In one example students use the movie Dead Poets Society to start a discussion on topics used in the movie.

COM

This course is a text book based course, designed to prepare students for entrance exams. Working through worksheets and mock exams, this helps students become familiar with university exams and help them stay calm when taking them.

E.R. (Extensive Reading)

The aim of this class is to help students read more difficult pieces of writing and then talk about them to improve their understanding and their thinking skills.

In this class students could can whether to be placed in the advanced or intermediate class. By doing this the class is split into smaller groups to make discussion easier.

In both classes, the passage is often a newspaper or magazine article, to help students think about a world view, while talking with their classmates.

I.A. (International Affairs)

IA continues from the second year course. Students examine different world issues, such as, ‘sustainable development.’ As well as this a number of formal debates take place, which are a great chance for students to use much of the English they have learnt at Fukiai. Finally a class book of student’s reflections of the IA course and their time at Fukiai is written by students as a review exercise.

I.E.III (Integrated English III)

This course is the third year of general English teaching, following on from I.E. A and B.

O. III (Oral Communication III)

This course looks to improve how the students speak and listen. An example of this is when the movie Pay it Forward is used to help students think and talk about the topics used in the movie.

RE. (Reading)

This course is designed to help students improve their reading stills, so they are ready for entrance exams.

E.R. (Extensive Reading)

This course, which is optional, allows students to examine pieces of writing in more detail.

WR. (Writing)

This course, following from the second year WR course is designed to help students improve their writing and grammar skills, to improve their English and to get ready for entrance exams.