第167回 WORKSHOP報告(2月3日) / 参加者68名

第167回 WORKSHOP報告(2月3日) / 参加者68名

1. マテリアルの紹介 Dさん

2. マテリアルの紹介 Hさん

3.ディスカッション中の様子

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
《 今回のworkshop 》
○workshop参加人数:68名(うち新人の方:11名)
○【前半】:Forest Bank

○【後半】:English taught in English
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

みなさまこんにちは、E’s club幹事のKです。
2月3日(土) 開催の第167回workshopの詳細をお送りいたします。

今回は前半のマテリアルをDさん、 後半のマテリアルをHさんにご作成いただきました。
前半は”Forest Bank”、後半は”English taught in English” というテーマでそれぞれディスカッションを行います。

なお、後半ではみなさま全員に一対一で「英語を英語で教える」 体験をしていただきます。
特定の英文法について、3~ 5分間のレッスンができるように事前準備をお願いいたします。

[今週のマテリアル]
≪FIRST HALF≫
‘Forest bank’ proposed to save Japan’s ailing artificial forests
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
September 23, 2017 at 09:00 JST
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/ articles/AJ201709230004.html

Vast tracts of artificial forests left unattended or abandoned across Japan could be redeveloped under plans to set up a “forest bank.”

The system envisaged by the Forestry Agency, cities, towns and villages would mean leasing long-neglected forests of Japanese cedar, Japanese cypress and other varieties to forest operators eager to maintain larger swathes of land.

The move is aimed at promoting both large-scale forestry and preserving the environment.

Legislation is expected to be submitted to the ordinary Diet session early next year to enable the forest bank system to be introduced in fiscal 2018, starting next April.

While obliging forest owners to plant and grow trees, the system will also urge operators to put their forests into the hands of municipalities if they cannot take care of the properties by themselves.

Cities, towns and villages will commission wood production and other companies that want to expand their business to manage and thin out leased forests. The government will provide assistance for them to develop woodland paths and introduce forestry machinery.

As private operators rarely care to manage forests with steep slopes or those far from woodland paths, municipalities will lease those areas for free to monitor them on their own.

While annual costs of around 50 billion yen ($446 million) are estimated to get the system up and running, a plan has been proposed to cover the expenses with a forest environment tax now being mulled by the government and the ruling coalition.

Similar tax mechanisms are already in place in 37 prefectures and Yokohama city, causing some politicians to hesitate about creating a “double taxation” system.

The government and ruling coalition are expected to continue to promote intraparty discussions ahead of the taxation reform planned for late this year.

Forests account for 25 million hectares, or two-thirds of Japan’s total area. Forty percent of the forests, or 10 million hectares, are man-made.

Many trees in those artificial forests were planted after the end of World War II to meet growing demand for houses, and they are now ready for felling.

Many of those forests are owned by individuals or small businesses. Falling timber prices and shrinking populations have resulted in more forested areas not being managed properly.

The Forestry Agency conducted a questionnaire survey targeting cities, wards, towns and villages nationwide between April and May to ascertain whether the forests are appropriately looked after.

Eighty percent of the municipalities said their forests “are not sufficiently managed.”

When forests in mountain areas are neglected, typhoons and torrential rains bring a greater risk of landslides and other disasters.

If looked after properly, forests help to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and conserve water sources.

Cutting Japanese cedar trees and planting tree species that release smaller amounts of pollen offer the best relief for countless pollen allergy sufferers across the country, experts say.

“Many forests have been taken over by younger owners in mountainous areas, hence the need for a mechanism for those who want to lease their forests,” said Hideo Sakai, professor emeritus of forest engineering at the University of Tokyo. “(The forest bank) will provide a new option for those people.”

(This article was written by Tetsushi Yamamura and Soichi Furuya.)

(参考)
1.吉野杉ができるまで
http://www.town.yoshino.nara. jp/about/sangyo/ringyo/
2.24年に森林環境税を創設へ 年1千円、住民税に上乗せ目指す( 朝日新聞2017年11月30日)
https://www.asahi.com/ articles/ASKCZ543QKCZULFA019. html
3.総務省 森林環境税最大1000円個人住民税上乗せ提言( 毎日新聞2017年12月1日)
https://mainichi.jp/articles/ 20171122/k00/00m/010/105000c
4.林野庁の取組み「公共建築物木材利用促進法」「 木づかい運動~国産材使って減らそうCO2減らそう~」
http://www.rinya.maff.go.jp/j/ riyou/kidukai/index.html
5.吉野杉の「おすぎ」を買った女…木材の価格は誤解だらけ
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/ byline/tanakaatsuo/20141211- 00041384/

1. How many disposable chopsticks do you use in a month? What do you think of disposable chopsticks? Have you ever felt guilty about using or getting disposable chopsticks? (7min.)

2. Thinning(間伐)is one of essential process to make trees into commercial use. Thinning woods (間伐材) are processed as chopsticks and OKE , or used as biomass fuel recently . Please discuss innovative product made by thinned wood(間伐材)in a group. (7min.)

3. Not only consumers but house builders and even lumber companies (or trading companies) in Japan are dealing with mainly foreign trees these days. Is this a matter of concern for Japanese market? (What will happen if this trend continues?).

4. What should government (Foreign Agency) should do to revitalize forestry or boost the market? (7 min.)

5. Japanese government try to fund new tax to preserve local forest. Do you agree to pay tax for forest though there is already similar tax as Golfer tax? Is 1,000 JPY /person in a year is enough? How should government (Forest Agency) spend this budget? (7 min)

6. There will be ‘Forest Bank’ system in Japan. Do you think it will work? To help this system works well, what should government (Forest Agency) do? What can we do?

7. (If you have spare time) Few young people are interested in forest industry. Please share your idea to lure young people to forest industry.

≪LATTER HALF≫
<Agenda>
English taught in English

<Reference 1>
English taught in English
The Japan Times
Jan 12, 2009
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/ opinion/2009/01/12/editorials/ english-taught-in-english/#. WmX4cK5l-M8

New teaching guidelines released by the education ministry call for high school English to be taught primarily in English from 2013. This conversion from traditional methods to a more active and communicative approach is decades behind the rest of the world. As China, Vietnam and South Korea have moved ahead, Japan’s English education policies have languished. It may be a case of too little too late. Japan’s position in the future internationalized world will be determined by the nation’s English ability.

That is not to say that many teachers have not already moved ahead on their own. Many have already instituted what the government is just now starting to recommend. Excellent-quality English programs exist here and there and, generally, English-teaching methods have improved. However, ministry guidelines for increasing conversation, upping vocabulary levels and offering more active learning, admirable as they are, must be put into practice broadly and completely in more classrooms.

English education in Japan has been hobbled by an overemphasis on grammar study, pressure to pass entrance exams and over-reliance on translation. As a result, years and years of English study typically produce more anxiety than communicative ability. Changing the tradition of explaining everything in Japanese by creating more active English-based approaches will not happen overnight.

If the ministry’s decision-makers are serious, they will commit to training teachers, finding more active textbooks, financing extra materials and study centers, and changing the overall English study curriculum.

Mostly, though, what needs to be changed is attitude. The resistance to teaching in English may stem from some teachers’ embarrassment over their own ability. Yet, that is just the attitude that must be changed in students’ minds. The burden of shifting to a more active approach will inevitably fall on English teachers. Yet, many teachers have already undertaken that shift with or without government support. Their individual efforts should be applauded and their innovations studied and exchanged.

<Reference 2>
English education set to get serious
The Japan Times
by Atsushi Kodera and Masaaki Kameda
Dec 13, 2013
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/ news/2013/12/13/national/ english-education-set-to-get- serious/#.WmX43a5l-M8

<Questions>
Q1 What are the merits of English-only policy?

Q2 What are the demerits of English-only policy?

Q3 Do you agree or disagree with English-only policy in junior high and high school? Please state your opinion with reasons.

Q4 Please choose a grammar unit and try to teach it to the person in front of you in 3-5min.

Examples of option: past tense, question form, comparative, superlative, can, should, etc.
NOTE:
・You do not have to choose a grammar unit from the list. You can think the unit to teach by yourself.
・You can choose the same unit in your group.
・It would be appreciated if you prepare for teaching in English beforehand.

Q5 How did you feel about teaching in English?

.
***********************************************************
私たちと一緒に英語コミュニケーション能力を鍛えませんか?
ご興味を持たれた方は、
入会申込フォーム
https://english-speaking-club.com/cms/?page_id=93
よりお申し込みください。お待ちしています!
***********************************************************