T: Now, we are in June. Personally, I like June very much because it is the best fishing season. What month do you like the best?
– What month do you like the best? Why?
T: S1, what month do you like the best? S1:Well, I like September the best. T: Would you tell me why you like September the best? S1: I like September the best because I was born in September.
実は、S1が「9月が好きな理由」として示した答え(S1: I like September the best because I was born in September) は、あまり歓迎すべきものではありません。どうしてでしょうか? このような答えは、それ以上のコミュニケーションを生まないものだからです。このような答えで「逃げる」ことを認めてしまうと、生徒はそれを「逃げる答えも認めてくれる」というメッセージとして捉えます。それを避けるために、このようなときにはさらなる質問をします。
T:Do you have any other reason why you like September? S1:Well, let me see, oh, I like the weather in September. It’s not too hot. T:It’s not humid either. I like September, too.
続く部分を振り返ります。
Then, what do you think of when you hear the word June?
– What do you think of when you hear the word “June?” S2,what do you think of when you hear the word “June?” S2: I think of the rainy season. T: You like rainy weather? S2: Of course, I don’t. T: What does your partner think of when she hears the word “June?” S2: She thinks of “June bride.”
今回は、S2のパートナーのJune brideという答えを「拾って」、さらに対話を展開させます。
T: Ah, we often hear the words. Then, S3, what do you think is the most popular month for Japanese people to get married in? S3: June? T: Actually, no, it’s not. A certain website says, in 2018, November was the most popular month to get married in. June was the seventh most popular month to get married in. Then,S4, what do you think is the most popular month to get married in in New Zealand? S4: In New Zealand? I have no idea. March? T: In New Zealand, January is the most popular month to get married in. January is the peak holiday season in New Zealand, too.
このようなやりとりを即座にやれるようにするためには、What do you think of when you hear the word “June?”という質問に対する生徒の反応を予見しておく必要があります。難しいように思えますが、実はこうしたやりとりは日本語で日常的にやっていることなので、十分可能です。また、インターネットのおかげで、こうしたあまり知られていない事実について事前に調べておくことも簡単です。
続く部分を振り返ります。
T: By the way, how many days are there in a year? Yes, three hundred sixty five days. Then,S5, how many days are there in June? S5: There are 30 days in June.
T: Yes. Then, how do we know which month has 31 days?
– How do we know which month has 31 days?
T: S6, how do we know which month has 31 days? S6: I say “ni-shi-mu-ku-samurai.” T: That’s the famous one. Then, why samurai means November? S6: I don’t know. T: The Chinese character “士” is made up of “十” and “一.” S6: Ah, hah. T: There is a famous rhyme about short months.
30 days has September, April, June and November All the rest have 31 Except February alone Which has 28 days clear And 29 in each leap year
Can you say it in rhythm?
How do we know which month has 31 days? という質問は前回の質問よりも簡単かつ自然かもしれませんね。また、短い月の覚え方は生徒によっても違うので面白いやりとりが期待できます。ここでは、多くの人が使っている「西向く士」を使ってさらに展開してみました。「士」がなぜ11 月を示すのかはあまり知られていません。ライムも紹介してみました。このような海外の「文化」についてふれることもまた、英語の教員が取り組むべきことです。