News Topics

This course is aimed at upper-intermediate and advanced students who are interested in improving their English communication skills through reading, watching and discussing current issues in the news. The media is full of interesting topics for reading, listening and discussion. Furthermore, they are reported in the English that native speakers use everyday. Therefore, rather than using texts designed for language learners, we will use authentic newspaper articles, TV news and documentaries. The goals of the course are twofold: first, to develop reading, listening and discussion skills; second, to encourage students to read news articles (or follow the news on TV/radio) so that students can learn to use these as effective study tools for improving their English skills.

1. By the end of the course, participants will be able to expand and widen their knowledge on a variety of current issues concerning Japan and the rest of the world.
2. Course participants will be able to use newly-acquired words/phrases in both spoken and written discourse.
3. Complete one project on a chosen topic/issue (individual choice or instructor's suggestion).

Individuals who are interested in furthering their proficiency in English language listening, speaking, reading and writing. The course will focus on exploring numerous issues with respect to issues surrounding Japan and other countries (including domestic and global issues).

No required textbook

Alexandra Shaitan

Alexandra Shaitan has a Master’s Degree with a focus on TESOL, from Temple University, Japan Campus, and a PhD (ABD) in Applied Linguistics and Communication from Birkbeck College, University of London. Alexandra has lived and worked in the UK and Japan for the past 20 years, teaching numerous academic courses to ESL learners at different educational institutions including pre-schools, high schools and universities. Her current research interests include bilingualism, language and identity, learner autonomy and task-based language teaching. She recently delivered a workshop on “Language and Identity” at the University of West London, the UK, as an invited speaker. Her calling and passion are sharing her teaching experiences with others.