Job Discussion Forums

[taobenli]

Hello-

I did the JET Program last year in Japan and am currently working in a U.S. public school where there are a lot of Korean and some Japanese kids. There is a Korean assistant and I am assigned to help the Japanese kids. My Japanese compehension is decent but my speaking is getting really crap. I work with two Japanese kindergarteners every day, and one 3rd grader- they often speak Japanese to me but I speak English to them (the goal is for them to learn English after all). I have been informed that there is a new Japanese 4th grader and two 6th graders arriving in the district after spring break in a few weeks. I really need a refresher course in classroom expression for these newcomers, and some japanese vocabulary that would be useful for explaining math, social studies, etc. Does anyone know of any good websites for this? I would even buy a good book on this subject if one exists and isn't too pricey.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[Glenski]

I can send you a list of Japanese/English expressions that deal with grammar.

If you want things like how to discipline students or tell them how to do assignments, that's another story.

[taobenli]

Glenski-

I would really appreciate that.....my e-mail is taobenli followed by @ and then yahoo.com. Grammar translations are a good start....I think I have my discipline vocab down pretty well. Explaining the assignments will be harder (Japanese math and science vocab, yikes!) but I'll keep looking.

Thanks!

[Lynn]

I would just like to add than I think you have an awesome job. My Japanese skills have never been needed in the states. May I ask where you live? (PM me if too personal or just ignore completely )

I lived in New York City for 3 years. I was registered as a Japanese interpreter through a company which works with the city court, social services, child social sevices and other branches of government. In all the 3 years, I was called on only once to interpret. And my skills were hardly even needed because it was a Japanese/non-Jpes family and English was their main language.

[taobenli]

It is an awesome job...too bad it pays so little!

I am in Illinois, in a northern Chicago suburb. There are some Japanese kids...but for anyone who knows Korean, this is really the place to come!

[Lynn]

Chicago, huh...interesting. Thanks for the response. One more question, are you an Illinois certified teacher?

I was thinking of going for the certified state license thing(WA state), but I always thought I'd never get a chance to use my Japanese skills. Maybe I'm wrong...?