□ Nugent 教授による授業紹介
In the Kids Communication class, students in the English as a Global Language (EAGL) Department learn how to teach English to children through games, songs, and interactive activities. The goal of this course is to help students discover that teaching and learning English can be creative, enjoyable, and a lot of fun!
The Kids Communication class prepares students not just by teaching them about English education, but by giving them real experiences that will help them to grow as teachers. Throughout the course, class members work together to design and make games and activities that help children use English in a realistic and exciting way. These materials aren’t just for practice—they’re ready-to-use resources that students can take with them when they begin teaching in schools or community programs themselves.
Developing confidence is one of the most important goals for trainee teachers. Many students start the course feeling nervous about standing in front of a class or explaining English in simple terms. But through teamwork, demonstrations, and practice lessons, class members gradually gain the confidence to teach. By the end of the semester, students not only understand how to plan an English lesson, but also how to make language learning more like an exciting adventure!
The format of the Kids Communication course is that topics and concepts are introduced, games and activities supporting these ideas are tried, and then students get a chance to make their own mini-lessons or games. For example, after playing a variety of language learning board games and card games, student groups have two workshop sessions to make their own language learning game. In the following class these student-made games are played and evaluated by other class members.
The Kids Communication class helps students see that teaching and learning English can be a joyful experience. When children learn English by playing games with their classmates, not only do they learn faster and remember better, but they develop a positive attitude about studying which importantly fosters a love of learning. Here are some comments made by the Kids Communication class members. I hope they encourage you to take a more fun approach to learning English.
□ 受講生の声（Students' Voices）
I think the Kids Communication skills class helped me to improve my English knowledge. People will think this is a class for kids, but actually, it’s useful for us by thinking from the kids’ side. When we make a game, we have to think of things such as ‘How can I explain with more simple English’ or ‘To make it more interesting, how can I change it?’ Through these activities, I can feel my English has improved. We also learn about ages for learning English. As a part-time job, I have to teach English to kids. So, this class helps me to think about how I should teach English to them. If you like kids and are interested in English I really recommend you to take this class. (H.C.)
一番楽しかったことは、クラスの仲間と一緒に英語のゲームを作って遊んだことです。子どもたちが楽しみながら英語を使えるように工夫するのがとても面白かったです。私たちは「Fruit Shop（フルーツショップ）」というボードゲームを作りました。子どもたちは “Do you have any apples?” や “How much is it?” などの表現を使いながら遊ぶことができます。この活動を通して、楽しさの中に英語を自然に取り入れることや、子どものレベルに合わせて内容を調整することの大切さを学びました。このクラスを受ける前は、英語で子どもに教えることに不安がありました。でも、実際に活動を考えたり発表したりする中で、簡単な英語やジェスチャーでもしっかり伝えられることを実感し、自信がつきました。英語だけでなく、教え方や子どもとの関わり方も学べます。子どもが好きな人や、楽しい活動を考えるのが好きな人にぴったりの学科だと思います。とても楽しくて実践的なクラスです。子どもがどんなふうに英語を学ぶのかを知ることができ、自分でも教える経験ができます。英語を使って笑顔でコミュニケーションできる力がつくクラスだと思います。(A.N.)
The most enjoyable part was creating and playing English games with my classmates. It was really fun devising ways for the children to use English while having fun. We created a board game called “Fruit Shop.” Children can play while using expressions like “Do you have any apples?” and “How much is it?” Through this activity, I learned the importance of naturally incorporating English into fun experiences and adjusting content to match children’s levels. Before taking this class, I felt anxious about teaching children in English. But through actually planning activities and presenting them, I realized even simple English and gestures can communicate effectively, which boosted my confidence. You learn not just English, but also teaching methods and how to interact with children. I think this program is perfect for people who love children or enjoy planning fun activities. It’s a very enjoyable and practical class. You learn how children actually learn English and gain hands-on teaching experience. I believe this class builds the ability to communicate with smiles using English. (A.M.)
What I enjoy the most in the Kids Communication class is that we can learn by doing—actually playing games, creating our own, and experiencing how children learn English in a fun way. The game I created is called “Detective Game.” Students are divided into detectives and witnesses, and they try to find the criminal by following clues. We use words and phrases related to daily life, such as appearance, jobs, and age. It was a little difficult to make sure the words and phrases were useful in everyday situations, but I learned a lot through the process. Through this class, I realized again how enjoyable learning English can be. Many people feel nervous or have a negative image about studying English, but I believe that if teachers themselves enjoy teaching, that positive feeling will naturally spread to their students. EAGL classes are mainly conducted in English, and because they are small in size, we can listen to everyone’s ideas and expand our own perspectives. Some people might think that taking classes in English sounds difficult, but in fact, it gives us more chances to use English and greatly improves our language and communication skills. (M.S.)
I think this class is useful not only for kids but also junior or senior classes. This is because I’ve learned many things about how to teach English. I especially learned using simple English or simple rules. I believe that it inspires children to learn English and reduce awareness of weaknesses. I believe that continuing to enjoy learning English is a good way to learn English. (A.Y.)
I am enjoying playing the games which are created by my classmates! This activity can not only be enjoyed, but we can learn how we can create games that are enjoyable and easy to understand. This is just the thing for little children learning English. I actually created a detective and witness game. This not only improves our ability to explain things clearly, but also includes English phrases useful for self-introductions, allowing us to naturally acquire useful English expressions as we learn them. This class not only teaches us how to make games, but also allows us to learn what to pay attention to during lessons from the teacher. This helps to recall actual lessons, giving us confidence. (H.K.)
このクラスでは、みんなでゲームをしながら楽しんで英語を学べるところが良いと思います。座学ではなくいろんな友達と交流することでたくさん英語を話したり、英語が苦手な生徒は得意な生徒から教わることもできるので、教える力も身につくと思います。サイコロを転がして、自分のマスに止まったアルファベットから始まる言葉の説明をするゲームをつくりました。それらは、質問を英語で話したりターゲットラングイッチがあるので英語をアクティブに学ぶことができます。これらの活動で、英語をゲームなどでグループのみんなで楽しみながら英語が苦手な生徒も教え合える環境で授業をすることが大切だと感じました。(Y.T.)
What I like about this class is that we can enjoy learning English together through games. Instead of just sitting and studying, interacting with various friends lets us speak English a lot. Students who struggle with English can learn from those who are good at it, so I think we also develop teaching skills. We created a game where you roll dice and describe a word starting with the letter on the space you land on. These activities involve asking questions in English and having target language prompts, so you actively learn English. Through these activities, I realized how important it is to conduct lessons in an environment where everyone in the group enjoys learning English through games and other activities, and where even students who struggle with English can teach each other. (C.H.)
