Interview: Maverick English teacher with a TikTok following Part 1

印刷用画面を開く

Posted

Category: Human Interest

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. engaging / ɛnˈgeɪ dʒɪŋ / (adj.) – pleasing or enjoyable enough to keep one’s attention
    Example:

    The game was so engaging that the players requested another round.


  2. take off / teɪk ɔf / (phrasal v.) – to suddenly improve or become more successful
    Example:

    After introducing its newest product, the company’s profits took off.


  3. metamorphosis / ˌmɛt əˈmɔr fə sɪs / (n.) – a major change in one’s character, appearance, etc.
    Example:

    I witnessed Emily’s metamorphosis from an inexperienced new hire to a confident team leader.


  4. register / ˈrɛdʒ ə stər / (v.) – to be recalled or remembered
    Example:

    I saw a high school classmate at the mall, but it took a few minutes before her name registered.


  5. come to terms with (something) / kʌm tə tɜrmz wɪθ / (idiom) – to accept a situation or condition
    Example:

    George finds it difficult to come to terms with the idea that his only daughter is getting married.


Article

Read the text below.

Many Japanese say they hated sitting through English classes in school. Yes, grammar lessons can be boring, textbooks can be difficult and teachers may not be engaging enough. High school English teacher and TikTok English coach Kengo Tateishi is no exception.


“Back in school, baseball was my passion. I wasn’t interested in English at all,” says Tateishi, whose TikTok account has about 40,000 followers. “But when I studied English literature at university, everything changed. My English skills took off. I got a near-perfect score on TOEIC. I passed Grade 1 in Eiken.”


The man responsible for Tateishi’s metamorphosis was his professor, who taught him a read-aloud method that was systematic and scientific.


“By reading out loud, the sentences start registering in your brain. It’s an organic process that lets you understand how phrases work and sentences are structured. The grammar starts to make sense, and in the process you learn a lot about the culture of English-speaking countries, and Japanese culture as well.”


Upon graduation, Tateishi got a job with a trading company but quit when he realized that his enthusiasm for English linked directly to a love of teaching it.


“I reentered university to get a teaching license and come to terms with why I wanted a teaching career so much in the first place.” (Kaori Shoji)


To be continued…


This article was provided by The Japan Times Alpha.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • Tateishi got a job with a trading company but quit so he could teach English. Do you think he made the right decision? Was reentering university to get a teaching license a good move? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • The man responsible for Tateishi’s metamorphosis was his professor, who taught him a read-aloud method that was systematic and scientific. Tateishi said that by reading out loud, the sentences start registering in your brain. Do you think this method works? Should it be recommended to beginner English learners? Why or why not? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Many Japanese say they hated sitting through English classes in school. Grammar lessons can be boring, textbooks can be difficult, and teachers may not be engaging enough. Do you think learning English now is much easier than before (ex. 5 years ago, 10 years ago)? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Tateishi said that his English skills took off when he studied English literature at university. In your opinion, what’s the best way to learn English (ex. watching shows with English-speaking characters, having a discussion in English)? Why? Discuss.