Hokuryu Junior High School Short-Term Language Study Abroad Report Presentation (Australia, 16 days) Sakura Kosuge and Koshin Fukase Study Abroad

Thursday, November 2, 2023

The Hokuryu Junior High School Short-Term Language Study Abroad Report Presentation was held on Tuesday, October 31st from 1:30pm to 3:00pm in the Hokuryu Town Community Center Large Hall (2nd floor).

The event was held in a friendly atmosphere in the hall, with all students from Kitaryu Junior High School (approximately 38 people), fifth and sixth graders from Shinryu Elementary School (approximately 16 people), as well as parents and local residents, all looking on as teachers and staff looked on.

Hokuryu Junior High School Short-Term Language Study Abroad Report Presentation



Hokuryu Town Short-Term Language Study Abroad Subsidy Program for Junior High School Students

The Hokuryu Town Junior High School Short-Term Language Study Abroad Grant Program is implemented based on instructions from the town's Board of Education. Its objective is to provide junior high school students living in Hokuryu Town with the opportunity to study abroad, thereby helping them to understand different cultures, broaden their horizons, and improve their ability to adapt to the international community.

Eligible applicants are those who have obtained the English Proficiency Test Level 3 or a TOEIC score of 400 or above by the end of their second year of junior high school.

Regarding expenses, the town will cover transportation costs, accommodation fees, local education fees, travel insurance fees, etc. Personal expenses are the responsibility of the participants.

Sakura Kosuge and Koshin Fukase study abroad

In August of this year, two third-year junior high school students, Sakura Kosuge and Koshin Fukase, participated in the program and studied abroad for 16 days, staying with host families in Australia.

General MC: English teacher Masashi Kaneuchi

The main MC was English teacher Masashi Kaneuchi, who conducted the event in fluent English.

Greetings from the Principal: Principal Uesugi Akihiro

"Today, we will have third-year students Sakura Kosuge and Koshin Fukase, who participated in a short-term language study abroad program, talk about their experiences and what they learned during that time.

I think some of you have been looking forward to this day, as you returned shortly after the start of the second term. Today, we are also joined by 5th and 6th grade elementary school students.

As the moderator explained earlier, if you pass the English Proficiency Test Level 3, you can study abroad for 16 days. I think it would be a good idea to focus on studying English with that as your goal.

"Well, today, we have all been able to welcome our distinguished guests, as well as parents and local residents, despite their busy schedules. We hope you will all come and see and hear about the results of the children's learning. Thank you for your time today."

Yuto Tsuji, participant of the elementary school English speech contest

My name is Eiji Kikuchi and I teach English at an elementary school.
Today is a report session on short-term language study abroad for junior high school students, but since it is an opportunity for elementary and junior high school students to gather, I would like to introduce just one English activity at an elementary school.

"Starting this year, elementary school students will be giving speeches in English and taking part in speech competitions. I think this will be quite a challenge. This time, 500 people from all over the country took part, and the competition was judged by video judging.

Masato Tsuji, a sixth grader from our school, volunteered to participate. He practiced hard and took videos.

The theme was "My Dream." Although they did not make it to the final round, they were awarded the "Effort Award" by the principal and were recognized.

I would like to take this opportunity to have everyone listen to Tsuji-kun. Before that, I would like to ask Tsuji-kun to share his thoughts."

Masato Tsuji, Shinryu Elementary School

"Hello everyone! I'm Yuto Tsuji, a sixth grader. The reason I wanted to participate in this speech contest is because I want to be able to speak English well.

Practicing the speech was difficult, especially my English pronunciation. I received advice from my English teacher and the principal, and I managed to complete it.

What I felt at that time was that even if something was difficult and tough, I felt very happy when I worked hard and managed to complete it. If you have an opportunity like this, I would encourage you to participate.

My dream is to become a YouTuber and introduce the things I'm interested in and the wonderful things about Hokuryu Town to as many people as possible. I put that feeling into my speech in English.

I am very happy to have this opportunity for you all to hear me. Now, please listen to my speech."

Australian Quiz by Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) Mr. Sell

1. How many times larger is Australia than Japan?: 21 times
2. Australia's population: Approximately 26 million
3. What are the five stars on the right side of the flag?: Southern Cross
4. Cars in Australia: Keep to the left
5. What is the capital of Australia?: Canberra
6. Who are Australia's indigenous people?: Aborigines
7. In the northeastern part of the continent is the Great Barrier Reef, the largest in the world.
8. What does "AUSSIE" mean?: Australian
9. What is Australian English called?
10. What do they call the "first floor" in Australia?: GROUND FLOOR

Which one do you like?

Mr. Sell asked the students what they liked, and they answered enthusiastically in English.
"Uluru" "Bungee Jumping" "Parasailing" "Surfing" "Great Barrier Reef" "Opera House"

Report presentation: Sakura Kosuge and Koshin Fukase

I went on a short-term study abroad program in Australia from August 9th to 24th. I will be explaining the program using PowerPoint.

Pre-learning

• Australian geography and culture
• Everyday conversation and phrases you can use on an airplane
• self-introduction

Australian money

• Australian banknotes are not susceptible to water damage (polymer banknotes printed on thin plastic sheets)
• $1 = 100¢ (about 96 yen)
• Many credit card payments

To Sydney

• New Chitose Airport → Kansai Airport (approx. 2 hours 30 minutes)
• Japan (Kansai Airport) → Hong Kong (approx. 3 hours)
• Hong Kong → Australia (approx. 8 hours)

In-flight meals

Arrival in Sydney

• The atmosphere is different
• I finally realized I was in Australia

zoo

• It takes about an hour by bus from Sydney to the zoo.
• Wallaby feeding experience
• Birds are allowed to roam freely, and when I was eating French fries, a bird came from the side and stole them from me.
• It was refreshing to see the animals roaming freely.

koala

Greeting and introducing yourself to your host mother

What it's like at school

• Different classrooms for each subject
• The red frames are break times (first break, second break)
• Each session lasts 30 minutes, during which you can freely eat snacks or lunch (your favorite time).

Greetings and exchanges

• I attended classes and ate meals with a buddy of the same age (a student in charge provided one-on-one support).
• When I tried to communicate with gestures, they worked hard to understand my intentions, which was very helpful.
• Through my buddy friends, I was able to broaden my circle of friends, which helped me improve my communication skills.

class

• Study a wide range of subjects including mathematics, social studies, science, English, art, environment, home economics, geography, health and physical education, etc.
• Photo taken when announcing "What I want to do in Australia"

snack

• Marshmallows topped with sweets and fleurs
• meat pie
• Vegemite (a fermented food with a unique flavor) - a salty jam that is eaten on bread in Australia (a national dish)

Art: Boomerang making

• Aboriginal people making boomerangs

The work I created at that time

Home Economics Cooking: Making Lamingtons

• Lamington is a local Australian dessert made of cake covered in chocolate and coconut.

ranch

• The school's farm has many animals, including cows, goats, sheep, and alpacas.
• Observe the growth of animals

Lunch and BBQ

• At the barbecue, I tried Australia's famous kangaroo sausages (I felt bad eating them because I wasn't used to them).

science museum

• Visiting science shows and planetariums

Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge

• Spend a fulfilling day visiting famous tourist spots
• I felt that the architectural structure of the Opera House was unique.

Day off

• The day we had a barbecue with the homestay students
• The old man who cooked the meat for us was 90 years old ("It's good to be healthy!" lol!)

church

• There were many singing scenes, so it was a good experience for learning English.

Picnic by the sea

• The view is amazing!

National Park

• Hiking (We walked through the mountains and came across beautiful waterfalls and observation decks. It was a day where we got to experience a lot of Australian nature.)
• Swimming at the beach

Host mother's homemade food

• Breakfast: Fried egg on bread
• Australian Tapioca
• Rice (egg and bacon)
• Rice (sausage, broccoli, carrots, mashed potatoes)
• Whole roasted lamb
• Breakfast cereal
• Yogurt and fruit for a late-night snack
• Last Supper Meat Pie



In-flight meals

• I was surprised to see Haagen-Dazs
• They also served bread and rice, and fruit was always served, which was delicious.

quiz

• What was the snack you had after school?
  1. Sushi 2. Tempura 3. Ramen 4. Pickles

thoughts

Sakura Kosuge

"When I went to Australia this time, I was able to have many valuable experiences and learn a lot, such as living abroad, experiencing the atmosphere at school, and meeting new people.

Before going to Australia, I was full of anxiety, but when I got there, I found that the people there were very cheerful, energetic, and fun, and time passed by in the blink of an eye.

I once again realized that you never know anything until you try it. From now on, I would like to make use of this experience in my daily life.

I was able to have this experience thanks to the teachers who helped me with the preparatory studies and the members of the Board of Education who planned it. Thank you very much."

Kokoro Fukase

"For me, this short-term study abroad was a very good experience. By actually going abroad, I was able to get a feel for the climate and atmosphere of a foreign country.

On the first day, I couldn't understand English and had a hard time communicating, but after a week, I think I was able to communicate effectively.

What made me happiest was being able to see my own growth right then and there. I'm glad I decided to participate in this short-term study abroad program.

I was able to have such a fulfilling short-term study abroad experience thanks to the support of the Board of Education, my teachers, and my parents who gave me this opportunity.

I will treasure this experience and put it to good use in the future. Thank you very much."

About the Eiken Test

"Usually it costs 4,000 yen to take the Eiken test, but in Hokuryu you can take it for just 500 yen. In this way, you can take the test from level 5 to level 1 for just 500 yen.

In Hokuryu Town, if a student passes the Level 3 exam by the time they reach the third year of junior high school, they can receive a grant from the town and study abroad.

Taking the Eiken test will help you understand your English ability. The test consists of reading and listening, and from level 3 onwards, writing.

You can find out how much you have mastered the vocabulary and things you learned in school classes. I encourage everyone to try it out."

Video screening

Flame Experiment

Waves washing up between the rocks

park

In this way, short-term study abroad allows you to learn many new things through experience. Everything is a challenge!
Why don't you try studying abroad?
Thank you very much for watching until the end.

Question Corner

Question 1: What was the most enjoyable and difficult part?

• What I enjoyed the most was going to a school in Australia and taking classes. Everyone there was cheerful and eager to understand me, so it was really fun.
• The hardest thing was that the bathroom at my host mother's house had a lot of gaps and was very cold.
• The most enjoyable thing was going to various places in Australia with my host mother on holidays. We went swimming in the ocean and walking through the forest. My host mother cares about the environment, so I enjoyed being in contact with nature a lot.
• The hardest part was getting homesick on the plane

Question 2: What did you do on the plane?

• On the flight there, I met other people who were going to study abroad for the first time, so we talked about the attractions of the town we live in (such as being able to ski). On the flight back, I slept.
• I also enjoyed talking with my friend sitting next to me, watching movies and playing games on the plane. I also slept on the way back.

Question 3: What was your favorite Australian food?

• The most delicious dish was the chicken my host mother made, filled with herbs and cheese and baked in the oven.
• My favorite dish was the lamb dish that my host mother made.

Question 4: Was it difficult to study?

• Yes, it was very difficult. The math classes were easier than the classes in Japan, but it took me a while to understand because everything was being said in English.
• I was in a different class from Nijiko-san. In my science class, the teacher did experiments and took impressions of my teeth, so compared to classes in Japan, it was much more cheerful and fun.

Question 5: Was there anyone who was scary?

• When I went to a hamburger restaurant, there was a scary looking guy who called out to me and I was scared.
• In Australian schools, there is freedom in clothing and hairstyles, so it wasn't scary, but some people felt the atmosphere was a little dangerous.

Question 6: What did you do during your homestay?

• I had a lot of homework to do, so I was busy completing it. I also had a lot of conversations with my host family, so time just flew by.
• My host mother had a dog, so I would take walks with her and the time passed by quickly. I never had any free time.

Question 7: How much money did you spend there?

• I spent about 30,000 yen on souvenirs and shopping.

Question 8: What is the most scenic place in Australia?

• When I was taking a walk with my host family, the sunset in the evening was very colorful and beautiful.
• I went to the beach with my host family, and the white waves were beautiful and impressive.

Impressions from elementary and junior high school students

Elementary school student

• I was impressed to hear that school rules in Australia are more liberal than in Japan and that students can get their ears pierced. I'm glad I learned about various things about Australia today.

junior high school students

• Today, I learned about things that can only be experienced in Australia, and I'm now interested in them. I learned about traditional things, foods that are only found in Australia, and many other things. I would like to actually go and experience them.

The many inspiring experiences of studying abroad are precious treasures in life!
Thank you so much for all the wonderful emotions!

A courageous and strong spirit that challenges anything!
We aim to be able to come into contact with different cultures around the world and forge precious and wonderful connections with people from around the world.
With boundless love, gratitude, and prayers for this wonderful short-term language study abroad program for junior high school students...

YouTube videos

Other photos

Click here for photos (166 photos) from Shinryu Elementary School Soba Making Experience 2023 >>

Hokuryu Town Website "Hokuryu Public Relations November Issue (No. 699)"

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◇ Interview and text: Ikuko Terauchi (Photography and editing assistance: Noboru Terauchi)