Description:

The overseas homestay trip called "Youth International Exchange Training" is aimed at junior high school students to give them the opportunity to experience a one-month homestay in America and participate in international exchange. Before the students leave, they receive pre-departure training from the ALT who teaches them about American daily life and culture and helps them practice some every day conversations.

 

 

Objectives:

To provide students with the opportunity to prepare and learn beforehand, in order to make the overseas homestay trip effective.

Training Curriculum :

Every week on Tuesday and Friday from 5:00pm to 6:30pm, students gather in the meeting room of the Town Hall. One Japanese Teacher of English (JTE) and the ALT do the training.
The content of the training focuses on getting accustomed to various expressions the students will need in order to deal with all kinds of situations during their stay in America. For example, using little skits the students learn practical things such as how to introduce themselves, how to interact with their host family, how to go shopping and go to restaurants, etc.
Also, in order to improve their expressiveness, the students are asked to keep a diary in English, which is corrected by the teachers on the days of the training.
On the last day, participants from previous years are invited for a question and answer session.

 

 

Role of the ALT:

The ALT supports the JTE, performing in skits and taking part in the various activities.
In each training session, the ALT also introduces the present situation in America, seen from his/her own viewpoint, focusing on themes like the American way of thinking or typical American behaviour.
Basically, it is the ALT who will do most of the talking during the training. The JTE will only help with interpreting when necessary.

Pre-Departure Training:

A local company sepecialised in training programmes deals with the organisation of the "Youth International Exchange Training". Therefore, the pre-departure training is also organised separately by this local company.
Consequently, the main homestay trip, which is sponsored by the Board of Education, is not just aiming to improve the level of English, but also hopes to improve the relationship between the participants and to provide a chance for participants to listen to native English conversations.

 

Teachers:

Because there is only one ALT in the town, we have asked that ALT to assist. The JTE is from the town's junior high school.

 

Curriculum and Meetings:

The curriculum is completely decided by the JTE. Meetings are held on the days that the ALT visits the school. Because the ALT and the JTE normally team-teach, the meetings are brief and run smoothly.

1st Day: Getting to Know Each Other:

・Self-introductions of the ALT and JTE

・Students' self-introduction

・Greeting expressions

 

2nd Day: Introduce Yourself and Your Town:

 

3rd Day: Currency and American Culture:

・American currency: coins and notes, counting in English

・Shopping games: conversations in the shop

 

4th Day: Shopping and American Culture:

・Shopping games: conversations in a hamburger restaurant

・American lifestyle: manners at home, in shops, in churches, etc.

 

5th Day: Introducing Your Family:

・ Introduce your town using photos

・American lifestyle: how to use the phone, how to write a letter

 

6th Day: Learning from Last Year's Experiences:

Kusu Town (Oita Prefecture)

Board of Education

School Education Division

Tel: 0973-72-7150

We have received many similar projects, related to sending students to twin schools and on exchange programmes between sister cities. The range of activities of the ALT also differed from situation to situation. The ALT's main duties are listed below:

 

Lectures about Deepening the Knowledge of the Place to be Visited:

The ALT holds lectures about the history and culture, lifestyle habits, school system, etc. of the place that will be visited.

 

Conversation Practice:

The ALT practises conversations using role plays, in order that the students will be able to respond to possible situations, such as leaving and entering the country, inside the aeroplane, food and shopping, homestay, etc. Also, the ALT teaches expressions that the students will need when doing activities abroad (talking about the students’ life in Japan, introducing Japanese culture such as origami, speeches).

 

Pre-Departure Interaction:

The ALT deals with the exchange of letters as a pre-departure exchange activity. The ALT gives advice on how to write a letter or, being a foreigner him/herself, helps identify the things foreign people might want to know about Japan.

 

Question and Answer Sessions:

Even after the training, time is provided for students to ask questions freely. It is an opportunity where the ALT gives advice about the things students should definitely try out or things they have to watch out for.

 

Selection of Students:

The ALT helps selecting the students who applied to go overseas. Together with the Japanese teacher of English, the ALT is in charge of conducting the English interview.