"GENKI" English education homepage by T. Suzuki

MSU-A was closed in the spring of 2003 paving the way for Akita International Univesity, which opened in the spring of 2004.

Summer Seminar 2002 at MSU-A

Takeshi Suzuki, like many others, supports MSU-A, its faculty, staff and students! MSU-A has provided one of the best English education in Japan over the decade.

What is MSU-A?

MSU-A or Minnesota State University-Akita campus was established to bridge the physical, intellectual, social and economic distances between Japan and the United States and to further cultural diversity initiatives within the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. The Akita experience, both in and out of the classroom, provides students, faculty and staff with educational opportunities not only encompassing the liberal arts and sciences, but also incorporating a global perspective that fosters and enhances intercultural understanding. And MSU-A offers a living/learning experience which encourages the appreciation of cultural and other differences.

MSU-A, an associate degree-granting institution, provides quality educational programs and a sound educational environment for further personal and intellectual growth, emphasizing the development of linguistic skills and cultural awareness. MSU-A is located at Yuwa-machi, Akita pref.
(quoted from MSU-A's official page)

------------------------------------------------------------------

AKITA INTERNATIONALIZATION  PREFECTURAL GATHERING
Town Meeting
in support of
the new International University for Akita

Ceremony Hall "Heian"
Saturday December 1, 2001

Thank you, everybody, for your support.
The meeting was a great success!
more news on the meeting: pictures and others (in Japanese)


in Japanese

Sakigake ad about internationalization of Akita, Nov. 24, 2001

***(a message from Provost Nilson)

Dear friends,

I would like to ask your assistance in support of an important event that will take place in Akita City on Saturday, December 1.  This event I have previously described to you as a Town Meeting in support of the new International University for Akita project.  It will be a Town Meeting-style event, but it's scope in now defined even more broadly, to the theme:

"SHAPING INTERNATIONALIZATION :  THE NEXT STEP FORWARD"

The event, the AKITA INTERNATIONALIZATION  PREFECTURAL GATHERING is scheduled to be held at "Ceremony Hall - Heian" (not "Heian-kaku")

Time :  4:00 PM  to 6:30  PM  -  Saturday, December 1, 2001

Charge : FREE

Sponsors : Akita Internationalization Prefectural Gathering Organization Committee

Hyokichi Tsuji  (Committee President) (also member of MSU-A Board of Trustees)
Keiichi Kishibe  (Committee Chair)


The program will include a speech and a panel discussion, all addressing the vital topic of the internationalization of Akita.

Program:

*Opening Remarks  :  Hyokichi Tsuji

*Speech on Internationalization : Yoshimi Ishikawa (President, Akita Prefectural College of Art)

*Panel Discussion :

TOPIC : "Opening Up Akita in the New Century through Internationalization"

Chair of panel :  Hyokikchi Tsuji
Coordinator of panel :  Hiroshi Nara (also member of MSU-A Board of Trustees)

Panelists :  Hiroki Miura
(President, Akita Nissan ; World Games Organization Committee - Chairperson)

             Jun Nakata
(President - Akita Airport Internationalization Promotion Committee)

             Mizuho Nakajima
(Akita University Medical College Laboratory Center; also MSU-A & Minnesota State University Mankato  graduate)

Advisor to Panel :  Yoshimi Ishikawa

(snip)

**************************************
Don Nilson, Ph.D.
Provost    &
Professor of Humanities
Minnesota State University - Akita
193-2 Okutsubakidai, Yuwa-machi
Akita  010-1211  JAPAN

 Tel.in Japan: ( 018 ) 886-5000  Fax: ( 018 ) 886-5011
 e-mail:  nilson@msua.ac.jp

(my email to Akita JALT list on November 14, 2001)
Hi,

A message (***) from from MSU-A Provost Nilson on a town meeting with famous Yoshimi Ishikawa and others, which is vitally important for the creation of a new international university in conjunction with MSUA. You are a supporter of MSUA and internationalism in Akita. Come join us at the meeting and show your support. Spread the word, will you?

Please let us know by November 27 if you can come and also the names of your friends (or at least how many) you can take with you. You can write to me or send an e-mail to Hiroko Akiyama at MSUA (hakiyama@msua.ac.jp) or telephone her (886-5000).

Thanks.
Takeshi
__________________________________________
Takeshi Suzuki
Akita JALT president


あきた国際化県民大会 in Japanese (日本語)

魁新聞１１月２４日一面広告より抜粋　「国際化、次の一手は」

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


MSU-Aについての私の考え
go to Japanese

MY THOUGHTS about MSU-A

As Akita chapter president of JALT (Japan Association of Language Teaching, the largest professional organization in Japan) and as a professional English language teacher with my own private language school in Akita Prefecture, I'd like to talk about how MSU-A faculty has helped English teaching in Akita for the past decade.

As the chapter president of Akita JALT I have developed a close working relationship with many of the faculty members of MSU-A. This is because it was through the efforts of several MSU-A English language faculty that the Akita Chapter of JALT was founded and has been maintained. I would name first of all two individuals: Prof. Dave Ragan has been involved in JALT over a decade and Prof. Mark Cunningham has worked with me to plan invited lectures and programs by very famous, in some cases, internationally famous professionals in English Language teaching for Akita Area JALT meetings.

For the past 4 years we have had 37 meetings. To name some of the guest speakers between 1998 and 2000, they were Mr. David McMurray (former JALT national president), Dr. J. D. Brown, Father John Nissel, Dr. Kirby Record, Dr. Hannah Pillay, Dr. Erika Vora, Dr. Anna Uhl Chamot, Prof. Kensaku Yoshida, Dr. Kimberly Adams, Dr. Inga Sorenson, Dr. Nantarika Chansue, Dr. Pat Darling. more detailed information about these and other meetings. This year we welcomed Dr. Sean Izumi, Prof. Kensaku Yoshida, Dr. Yoshinori J. Watanabe, Dr. Charles Adamson, Dr.Thomas Simmons (JALT national president) and others. look here for further details about 2001 meetings

I must add that it is not only Dave Ragan and Mark Cunningham, who are important for Akita JALT, it is practically the entire MSU-A faculty who have had a positive impact on us. MSU-A faculty themselves frequently serve as presenters at Akita-Area JALT meetings. Through the presentations of each of these well-trained and creative professionals, I and my fellow language teachers have benefited incredibly through learning a great deal in the various lectures, presentations and workshops offered at MSU-A.

In addition, I have attended special workshops for language teachers held at MSU-A. Theory as well as concrete methodology for English language teaching was provided in the workshops, which were excellent opportunities for English teachers in Akita. Not only school teachers, but private teachers like me also participated in them. These workshops were a rare treasure shared with all of us by the MSU-A teachers as colleagues. They provided me with materials and methods for teaching that I could use on a daily basis in my class. I know the same was true for other teachers who participated as well.

"Participated" is a key word here, because that is absolutely central to what I have learned to appreciate about the language teaching methods presented by these gifted teachers. The student must participate in order to learn, and this is where Japanese teachers of English fall way behind American, European and other areas of the globe in English language teaching according to my observation. Even if we are good at teaching verbs and tenses, in general we do not know how to teach communication well. But no student can succeed to get through MSU-A unless they learn how to communicate in English. And our society now needs more young people who are equipped with such an ability.

In addition to these seminars, I continue to attend Community Education at MSU-A on a regular, weekly basis. I do this to improve my command of English while learning about people, cultures and the world. This spring I learned intercultural communication and understanding from Jon Gordon. Earlier in 1999 and 2000 I took Pat Darling's classes, which were quite good. Currently I enjoy Helen Korengold's class. I equally study in these classes to observe and learn from the superb teaching techniques that I can watch the MSU-A teachers using. I never attend without learning something new.

I have visited MSU-A many times to observe classes and have talked to many students in Japanese and English. I must say that I am very impressed by what I have seen. It is very rare for Japanese university students to have the level of English language competence that I saw among MSU-A students. How do they do it? By having the best, most practical methods for teaching communication in English that I know of. They are also good at motivating their students to study hard. Most students work about 4 hours or more outside their classroom. It is only natural that they begin to be able to express themselves in English only 6 months after they were admitted to MSU-A.

According to the resume's of the MSU-A faculty we find that they are very well trained (all have Master's degrees in language teaching) and highly skilled language teaching professionals comparable to the best faculty that one finds elsewhere. The faculty also has an excellent ESL Program. In my opinion, it is one of the most outstanding ESL programs currently operating in Japan.

This should not be surprising, for while dozens of other American Branch universities in Japan have closed often only after 2 or 3 years of operation, MSU-A has continued, developed more and more and has maintained its high standard for over 10 years. When MSU-A closes in March 2003, it will be a major loss for Akita, unless something is done to preserve at least part of it as a legacy for Akita.

Takeshi Suzuki (November 10, 2001)



MSU-Aについての私の考え
(in English)

ミネソタ州立大学秋田校（MSU-A）は２００３年の春をもって、その役割を閉じようとしています。その後MSU-AFacultyがどのようになるのか、国際系大学に発展するのか秋田県立大学の一部の学部となるのか、又は全く消え去ってしまうのが大いに注目されます。

秋田県本荘市にて２０年間、英語を教えてきた経験を持つ教師として、またJALT全国語学教育学会秋田県支部長として、ミネソタ州立大学秋田校（MSU-A）が秋田県の英語教育にどのように役立ってきたのかについて私の意見を述べさていただきます。

JALT（全国語学教育学会）は英語その他の語学習得の研修、研究における日本で最大の規模を誇るプロフェショナルな機関ですが、私自身は秋田JALTの支部長として過去４年間、県内英語教育の発展のために微力ながらお手伝いしてまいりました。その間MSU-A　Facultyに所属する多数の教授陣の皆様と親しくお付き合いをさせていただいております。私にとって、この経験は非常に貴重なものです。

JALTの秋田支部を４年前に立ち上げた時、MSU-A Facultyの皆さんから多大の尽力をいただきました。もしMSU-A Facultyが存在していなかったなら、秋田支部も誕生出来なかったでしょう。特に名前を挙げさせていただきたいのは、デーブレーガン氏とマークカニングハム氏の両氏です。

レーガン氏は10年前からJALTに関わっておられた方で秋田支部の立ち上げ時から大変お世話になり現在もメンバーシップ担当オフィサーとして活躍していただいております。またカニングハム氏にはプログラム担当オフィサーとして毎月の例会にお呼びするゲスト（国内及び国際的に著名な言語学者、英語教育の実践者）の人選、招待の計画にご苦労いただいております。下の段落はお呼びしたゲストの一部です。詳しくは２００１年分はここをクリック、又１９９８年より２０００年分はここをクリックしてください。

For the past 4 years we have had 37 meetings. To name some of the guest speakers between 1998 and 2000, they were Mr. David McMurray (former JALT national president), Dr. J. D. Brown, Father John Nissel, Dr. Kirby Record, Dr. Hannah Pillay, Dr. Erika Vora, Dr. Anna Uhl Chamot, Prof. Kensaku Yoshida, Dr. Kimberly Adams, Dr. Inga Sorenson, Dr. Nantarika Chansue, Dr. Pat Darling. more detailed information about these and other meetings. This year we welcomed Dr. Sean Izumi, Prof. Kensaku Yoshida, Dr. Yoshinori J. Watanabe, Dr. Charles Adamson, Dr.Thomas Simmons (JALT national president) and others. look here for further details about 2001 meetings

私たち秋田JALTにとって重要なのはこの両氏だけではなく、まさにMSUA Facultyの教授陣全体です。と申しますのは毎月の例会におきまして過去４年間数多くのFacultyの先生方にゲストとしてご出席いただき、様々のレクチャー、プレゼンテーション、ワークショップを担当していただいております。例会出席の英語教師達は私も含めまして、このように優れた先生方から直接お話を伺い、ご指導いただく機会を持つことを大変感謝申し上げております。この事はJALTに限らず、秋田県内の英語教育のレベルアップにも役立っているの事は周知の事実です。

MSU-A Facultyでは日本人英語教師のために特別のワークショプを開いていますが、その一つである夏季セミナーに私自身２年前参加させていただきました。それは中学高校の英語教師のためのもので、５日間MSU-Aで開催されました。毎日Facultyの数人の先生方から、英語教育の理論及び具体的な方法論をワークショプ形式で指導を受けました。

５日間を通して参加教師の間のコミュニケーションを含めすべて英語で実践されました。大半の参加者にとってこうした経験はめずらしいもので、参加者はただ受動的に英語教育論の講義を受けるのではなく、自ら積極的に質問し、自分の考えを主張し、意見交換を通じて、お互い刺激し指導技術を高めあうものでした。

セミナー終了５日後、全参加者は疲れきってしまいましたが、充実感、満足感一杯の全員の顔は今でも忘れられません。私自身２年経った現在でもそのセミナーで学んだ多くの方法論等を実際に授業に役立てております。このようなMSU−A Facultyと日本人英語教師との間の協力、連携により生まれるメリットは数知れず、その意味でFacultyは秋田及び日本の英語教育界にとってかけがえのない宝物と言えます。

このセミナーの例からも分かる事ですが英語の習得には生徒が授業に主体的に参加する事が極めて重要であります。生徒が自ら学びたいがために授業をリードし、生徒間のcommunicationを活発にする。多くの日本人の教師は細かな文法規則を説明するのには長けているかも知れません。しかし、それだけで十分でしょうか。日本の典型的な英語の授業においては先生と生徒の役割を分担、区別します。英語教師は３０人から４０人の生徒の前でいわゆる一方通行の授業を行います。生徒はただ教師の話を聞き、ノートをとるだけです。

こうした伝統的なteacher oriented的なスタイルは真に効果的でしょうか。もっと生徒が自ら積極的に参加する student oriented的なものも取り入れるべきではないでしょうか。英語が言葉を習得する学問であるなら、この問題は重要です。文部省のガイドラインを読んでも、中学高校の英語教育においてcommunicative approachを実践をせよとあります。しかし実際どのように実践出来るのでしょうか。多くの英語教師はこの事で悩んでおります。この点、秋田の英語教師は幸せです。何故ならMSU-A Facultyがすぐ傍にあり、望むなら立派なお手本を何時でも目にすることが可能だからです。

さてMSU-Aの生徒の場合、英語でのcommunicationを習得し、自分の考えを英語でしっかり話せる事、また書ける能力が最重要であり、その能力なしには進級する事も不可能です。私自身MSU-Aのキャンパスには数多く足を運び、実際のクラスも見学し、また多くの生徒達とも、日本語、英語双方で話しを聞く機会を過去４年間持ってきました。そしてその経験は非常に感銘深いものでした。生徒達の英語力、またcommunication能力は私の知る限り、他の日本の大学生には見られないものであり、少なくとも劣ることは絶対にないと思います。

MSU-A生徒達の入学時の英語力は他大学の学生と大差ありません。しかしながら半年後にはネイテイヴが話す普通の速さの英語を聞き取り、自分の意見も発信出来るようなレベルまで進歩します。彼らは教室以外でも、毎日平均４時間ほど英語を勉強しているようです。そして彼らの指導にあたるFaculty ESLの先生方は私の知る限り英語でのcommunicationを教える真のプロ達です。１年２年経った頃の生徒達の実力は他の大学生では考えられないレベルとなっているのも当然といえば当然かもしれません。

更に、私が特筆したいのはMSU-Aのcommunity education社会人講座です。この講座は秋田県民全ての人々を対象に提供されているもので、年２回春季と秋季に分けてそれぞれ１２週間かけて行われています。様々のコースがあり、英語の初心者から上級クラスの学習者を対象に素晴らしい内容の教育を行っています。私自身も２年前の秋、昨年の春、秋、そして今年の春と連続４回講習を受けており、毎週一回、１時間４０分の中身の濃いクラスに参加出来ました。現在秋季のヘレンカレンゴールド氏のクラスを楽しんでいるところです。

今年の春から夏にかけてはジョンゴードン氏によるintercultural communicationでは多くの貴重な考え方を学ぶことが出来ました。講座を担当なさる先生方はすべてFacultyの教授陣ですが、生徒達を積極的に英語でcommunicateしたい気持ちにさせる彼らの能力には非常には驚かされます。英会話学校とは異なり、ただ単に決められた英文を暗記するpattern practice等の活動を主とするクラスとは全く異なります。自分の英語力を高めると共に、Facultyのこうした卓越した指導法を少しでも身に付けたいと思い、私自身はcommunity educationを受けております。

MSU-A facultyの先生方の経歴を見てみると、全ての方が高度のトレーニングを受けておられる事、又全ての先生が専門の言語教育分野において修士号を取得されている事が分かります。これだけのfacultyを持つ大学は日本ではそんなに多くはないではないかと思われます。１０−１３年前多くのアメリカの大学が日本での活動を始めましたが、その多くが２，３年でクローズせざるを得なかった事を考えると、MSU−Aが、そのFacultyの質を全く落とすことなく、1１年にわたり価値ある教育を続けておられる事に関係者全員に感謝申し上げると共に平成１３年春MSU-A終了後、このFacultyが新たに新国際系大学の基礎部分となり、秋田県に存続し続ける事を切に祈るものです。

平成１３年１１月１０日
鈴木　驍（たけし）


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
「あきた国際化県民大会」開催概要



平成１３年１２月１日に開催された「あきた国際化県民大会」は
お蔭様で大盛会に終わりました。
引き続きMSU-Aのご支援をよろしくお願いいたします。
more news on 県民大会；大会の写真、その他


秋田の国際化を考える日
入場無料　自由参加

（１）主催　［あきた国際化県民大会］実行委員会

　　「あきた国際化県民大会」実行委員会　大会会長　　　　辻　兵吉　（秋田県商工会議所連合会会長）
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　大会実行委員長　岸部　恵一（国際系大学設置促進協議会会長）
（２）開催日時
　　　平成１３年１２月１日（土）　16：00〜18：30　

（３）開催場所
　　「セレモニーホールへいあん」　秋田市川尻町字大川反233-75　TEL・018−823−1181

（４）大会テーマ
　　「国際化、次の一手を形にしよう」

（５）大会プログラム
　　
　　* 基調講演：　石川　好　氏　公立秋田美術工芸短期大学学長
　　* パネルディスカッション　テーマ　



テーマ新世紀　あきたを拓く国際化
　　　　
コーディネーター：奈良　洋　氏（秋田県青年海外協力隊を支援する会会長）
　　　　
パネリスト：



三浦　廣巳　氏（ワールドゲームズ組織委員会事務総長）
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
中田　潤　氏　（秋田空港国際化推進協議会会長）
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
石川直人氏（御所野学院高等学校PTA会長）

中島　瑞穂　氏（秋田大学医学部付属実験機器センター）

アドバイザー：　　　石川　好　氏




    　* 大会決議文採択

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


あきた国際化県民大会

魁新聞１１月２４日一面広告より抜粋



テーマ「国際化、次の一手は！！」



21世紀幕開けの本年、私たちは秋田県が新しい世紀を力強く拓いて行くための鍵が「国際化」にあることを確信しました。



第一弾は、「ワールドゲーム秋田大会」の成功です。



異文化との交流が、県民一人ひとりの価値観を豊かで幅広いものにすることを体感し、更には、秋田県のポテンシャルに誇りと自信を持ち、世界に情報発信すること、世界から評価を得ることが、いかに重要であるかを認識させられました。



第二弾は、10月29日に開設された念願の「国際定期航空路線（ソウル線）」です。外貨コンテナの活発な動きに加え、国際社会への空のアクセルが東京や



仙台を経由することなく可能になりました。国際社会の中で生きることの重要性を知り、国際社会へのアクセスが充実した今、次に図るべきは、



「国際社会で活躍する人材を輩出する仕組みをつくること」



「国際社会における交流拠点と情報授発信拠点を確立すること」



であろうと考えます。



飛躍のチャンスが訪れている今こそ、この潮流を断ち切ることなく、本県の優位性を確固たるものにするために次に何が必要かを考える機会を設けるとともに、「国際化」に向けての県民総意を結集する場として、ここに「あきた国際化県民大会」を開催するものであります。
多くの県民の皆様のご参加を、お願い申し上げます。



1．問題提起



20世紀は私たちに豊かさをもたらしましたが、一方で、秋田には過疎化や少子高齢化といった重い課題が残されました。そして今、先の見えない不況の中で雇用不安が広がり、日本全体が大きな閉塞感に包まれています。
秋田の将来は、どうなるのでしょうか。このまま何も手だてを講じなければ、ただ、大波に飲み込まれるだけです。世の中が大きく変わろうとしている今こそ、私たち県民一人ひとりが、過去の枠組みに捕らわれることなく、新しい世界観や歴史観に基づいて、何をなすべきか真剣に考えなければなりません。



2．国際化という現実



　大変ショッキングな米国の同時多発テロに対して世界の金融市場が即応し、その影響は全世界に及んでいます。身近なところでは、TDKが秋田から部分撤退するという衝撃的なニュースがありました。製造拠点が移される中国の賃金は日本の10分の1〜20分の１と言いますから、大変な脅威です。秋田の産業経済も、こうした厳しい国際経済関係の中にあります。このように、今や私たちの生活は日用必需品をはじめ、政治、経済、社会などあらゆる分野で世界との相互依存関係の中で成り立っています。



3．小泉内閣の構造改革



小泉内閣が推し進める構造改革。これも国際化という現実に対し、日本の産業、経済、技術、教育等あらゆる分野で国際的な競争力を高めなければ日本の将来は無いとの危機感に基づくものです。国際化の潮流が、新たな社会システムの構築までも迫っています。これがいかに困難であっても、しつかりと向き合わない限り、問題の解決はありません



4．世界との直接交流を可能とするボーダレス化



　これまでのように、何事も東京とのつながりの中で考えている限り、秋田の現状改革には限界があります。国際化はボーダレス化をもたらし、秋田が東京を介すことなく独自に世界との交流ネットワークに連なることを可能にします。



5．秋田から国際舞台への道筋



ワールドゲームズでの実体験や、長年の悲願であったソウル定期便の就航によって、秋田に国際社会へのゲイトが大きく開かれました。しかし　これで終わりではありません。こうした成果を生かし、一過性に終わらないためには、次のステップが極めて重要です。それは、世界のネットワークに連なる恒常的な国際交流拠点を秋田に確立することですが、これを初めから積み上げるとすれば大変なことです。幸い本県には、10年間にわたりミネソタ州立大学秋田校が果たした国際社会で通用する人材の育成、本県英語教育や国際交流に対する貢献という蓄積があります。



6．秋田に東西交流の拠点を



21世妃の主役と目される環日本海地域に対して、本県は地政学的な優位性を存分に発揮し、交流の実績を積み重ねてきました。一方では、ミネソタ州立大学秋田校を通じた北米との交流の実績があります。この二つをつなぎ合わせることによって、秋田に、人、モノ、情報などを呼び込む東西交流拠点を形成することが可能になります。このことは、新たなビジネスチャンスが生まれるだけではなく、若者や子供たちに対し大きな刺激を与え、大志を抱く人材を輩出するきっかけにもなるのです。



7．米百俵の精神



何事も新たな取り組みにはリスクが伴います。しかし、いつの時代にも未来を見据えた備えが重要であり、厳しい状況にあってこそ勇気ある決断が求められます。今こそ「米百俵」の精神を発揮する時です。

平成１３年１２月１日に開催された「あきた国際化県民大会」は
お蔭様で大盛会に終わりました。
引き続きMSU-Aのご支援をよろしくお願いいたします。
more news on 県民大会；大会の写真、その他

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------




Takeshi Suzuki's Keynote speech
at Winter 2001 Honors Convocation
on Feb 22, 2001 at MSUA

My special thanks to Prof. Mark Cunningham(MSU-A)
for his great work of editing my speech

Good afternoon, everyone:

I would like to thank Provost Nilson, distinguished guests, the faculty, staff, and students of MSU-A for inviting me to speak before you. I am honored, thrilled and excited to have a chance like this speaking to you at this highly auspicious occasion. I will try to be sincere and honest in whatever I am going to say in this speech. Remember, students, I try to communicate with you heart to heart.

I've done a lot of thinking on my mind on what to talk about today. There were so many things I wanted to tell you, but selected only one message out of the many.

Prof. Mark Cunningham kindly introduced me. I will add this to his introduction. I AM a lucky person. I was born in 1944 on the day between the Japanese Emperor and Jesus Christ. Can you guess my birthday? Yes, it is December 24, and I was born on the Christmas eve, 57 years ago. It's easy for my friends to remember my birthday, which is a lucky thing for them.

Another lucky thing happened to me at the beginning of this year. All of you must know "otoshidama" or a prize for a New Year postcard. Each postcard has a different number on it. After the lottery, occasionally you get postage stamps if you win. In my case a second prize! Its probability is one in 100 thousand. I've chosen a digital camera. This year is a lucky year for me. Maybe you will get lucky, too because you are hearing from a person who is really lucky.

As I said, I had difficulty choosing only one message for you.

My message is this!:

You, MSU-A students are lucky. You will have more chances and better chances, and broader opportunities for success and satisfaction in your lives. You are luckier than the students at the University of Tokyo. I believe this for two reasons: The first reason is the special environment you are in. The second reason is that Japan is changing.

First, you are learning English harder and more willingly than any other students in Japan in a far more effective way. You are getting the best possible English education today's Japan can offer you. You've exposed yourself to real English and its multi-cultural, diverse thinking.

Moreover you are receiving a good general education and a good specialized education for your major here and in Minnesota. These will help you develop your personality, character, and humanity as well as your professional knowledge and expertise, all of which are necessary for your future success.

What's really urgent and important for you is to keep developing your English skills and your openness to learning. It helps you with your career. Why? We know for a fact that more and more Japanese companies are beginning to use English more and more. Some as an official language in the company.

You know the case of the Nissan car company. Sony and many other companies need people who speak English well. You can't get a promotion or a raise without a good command of English in the future. This change will work favorably for you.

Do you realize how fortunate you are in learning English so effectively here? I can explain. I have been seriously worried about ineffective English education in Japan for many years. Many people can tell you that.

According to my observation, English education in Japan has not been so different from the one I received over 40 years ago. To convince you I will talk a bit about my experiences. I went to junior and senior high school in Honjo, Akita 40 years ago.

I studied English, like other students, according to what they called the grammar- translation method. What about now? The same thing! Very little progress has been made over the past 4 decades! It's the same "juken-eigo" type of education which is only effective for a paper test, but not much for anything else. Well, this is Japan, famous for its "too little, too late change" if it takes place.

Why do I speak English, then? Luckily I went to Sophia University in Tokyo, where English was taught in English. No grammar for the sake of teaching grammar. No translation for paper tests. I know a lot about differences between the two because I experienced both as a youth. Now you see you are getting the best education here in Japan. Better than anybody else.

Just imagine this. Many of your peers now learn English ineffectively at other colleges or universities. They are studying English they can't use.

How can you expect them to listen to English and comprehend while they are not exposed to hearing a lot of English? How can you expect them to read fast while they are translating each sentence into Japanese? How can you expect them to write while they're rarely encouraged to write? How can you expect them to speak while they are afraid of making grammatical mistakes?

Here I'd like to introduce you an interesting concept about learning English that came from a friend of mine, Prof. Kensaku Yoshida of Sophia University. He says that Japanese learners are studying English in a fishbowl. Yes, "Kingyo-bachi" in Japanese, English in a fishbowl.

Just imagine you are a fish in a fishbowl. You are well taken care of. Clean water, food, right temperature, light. You have security and protection. It's safe. He is talking about English education at Japanese schools.

Prof. Yoshida encourages learning English more in the open sea instead of the fishbowl. If you go and swim out into the sea, there will be many dangers waiting for you. The water will be rough. You may be eaten by a bigger fish.

You have to protect yourself. You must be strong to survive. I believe MSU-A is the open-sea - not a fishbowl. You have to be strong to survive in the open sea getting your general education entirely in English!

Now my second reason: Japan is changing. Why must Japan change?

There are many reasons: Japan has financial problems - a slow economy, a big national debt, the banking system

So far 1 trillion dollars has been spent to save the banking system. Well, I thought like everybody else, it was an incredibly huge amount to save the banking. Many were resentful, angry about it. But, at least, the banking crisis would be over for Japan, we thought.

Well, actually the crisis is NOT over. I heard an American journalist say Japan would need another 1 trillion dollars to save the Japanese banking system. There is no open discussion of these problems in Japan. The need for change is real and obvious.

Japan has no choice but to become a more open society. We have wonderful traditional virtues, such as working hard and "Seijitsu-ni" or with sincerity - carrying out your duties faithfully and discreetly.

I love Japan and I appreciate Japanese traditional values and virtues. But a changing world will change Japan, whether we like it or not. I believe you - our internationally educated young people and the perspective they get from teachers and fellow students from overseas - could be the answer to how Japan changes.

The world is now definitely becoming a global village as McLuhan predicted many years ago. It's not good enough to stay in Japan and study. There are so many things you can't see if you stay inside Japan. You can learn a lot of different views on how Japan is doing and how it looks from outside.

Some Japanese leaders insist Japanese should pay more attention to loving their own country. You know, nationalism can go together with what's called internationalism. All the countries in the world are interdependent on one another for prosperity. We can't change the trend.

I am not saying the US is a better country. I am not saying English is better than Japanese. I am saying that, considering how Japan needs to change, it is important for you to know Japan from the outside.

You can help solve Japan's problems in the future. You can do a good job, because you will cultivate and develop your sense of looking at Japan both from inside and outside. Japan will need your help, a lot of help from you. And you will be appreciated.

Finally before I conclude, I'd like to repeat what I said at the beginning: You have more opportunities than your peers from the University of Tokyo because you are needed to help Japan change. So work hard and take chances. Being a risk taker if necessary. You are very special and lucky students. Good luck to each and every one of you.

Thank you for listening to me.

Takeshi Suzuki
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Radio Interview
I enjoyed being interviewed for a radio program aired on Sunday, Nov. 12th
between 5:30-6:00PM and Monday Nov. 13th from 3:30-4:00PM on ACR 76.5 FM.
The program was all in English on how to enjoy learning/teaching English
and on JALT (Japan Association for Language Teaching)
and its activities in Akita.

A letter from Al requesting me to be interviewed on a radio program

Hello Takeshi,
We are doing a radio program at MSUA and I would like to ask if I can interview you for the program.

The interview would last about ten minutes and would be on the subject of how Japanese people can improve their English. Specifically, I would like you to present two or three common problems/errors, explain them briefly, and then give advice on how to improve or methods on how to avoid these errors. The interview would be in English, but our target audience is the English learner of average ability. So, English with some support Japanese would be suitable. For example, you might describe a problem in English, then say something like "in Japanese, we describe this situation as."

How about it?

We record on several upcoming dates. November 7, 21, and December 5. Ideally I'd like to interview you on the 7th (this Tuesday) or the 21st. We record at MSUA between 4 and 6PM, but your interview would be between 5 and 6PM. We would NOT record you for one hour. We would record you probably for 12 minutes, and with additional microphone checks it would take about 15 minutes total. However, due to the schedule, you'd probably be with us for about 45 minutes.

The program would be broadcast twice. On Sunday, Nov. 12th 5:30-6:00PM and Monday Nov. 13th from 3:30-4:00PM on ACR 76.5 FM.

I really appreciate it if you could join us. And if you have any other suggestions for interview, I'd like to hear from you too.

Albert Evans


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Good News about MSU-A from Hiro Yunome:
(the following was written in the early summer of 2001)

Learners in Akita can take a TOEIC test at MSU-A from now. You don't have to travel to Sendai.

Suzuki sensei,

Since this January, MSU-A has talked to Prefectural International Exchange Division and TOEIC officials about possibility of being an officials in charge of TOEIC examination for Akita folks.

Last Friday, TOEIC officials came to MSU-A to check our operational function, facilities and availability.

And today, through Prefectural International Division, we learned that TOEIC officials agreed to entrust MSU-A who would operate TOEIC examinations for Akita folks from FY 2001.

Therefore, Akita folks who would like to take TOEIC examination, would not have to go to Morioka or Sendai, or other else.

So, detail information about this progressing will be discussed with TOEIC HQ. We, however would like to share this news with you and your students ! I am sure that we let you know further information.

Thank you !

Hiro Yunome

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Takeshi Suzuki was asked to give a keynote speech for Winter 2001Honors Convocation　held at MSU-A on February 22, 2001. You can read　the full script of the speech
Read My Diary 4(from January 1, 2003)

other pages:

MSU-A
Akita JALT
My Message
My MSU-A Speech
Hi! We are PALS students
My thoughts about MSU-A

home go back to "genki" homepage index