Explaining An Activity

This section helps teachers develop techniques for explaining a game or activity in simple Japanese. Think about the fact that when you are explaining the steps of a game or activity, you are at the same time teaching the language. To make the explanation accessible to students, the golden rules are:

  • Keep it simple!
  • Repeat the same expressions!
  • Use demonstration technique!

Here are three step by step models for explaining games or activities in simple

  1. Making a kabuto (samurai helmet)
  2. Craft activity – making a spinning top
  3. Card game –match the pictures to the word

1. Making a kabuto (samurai helmet)

Step 1: Before the lesson think through the steps of the explanation, and then prepare the simple Japanese language that you need.

You can involve the students in the explanation by asking them to repeat what you say. You may use a technique like chanting. This technique has the added advantage that the whole class is involved and no learner will be left behind.

  • Teacher: さんかくにおって
  • Students: さんかくにおって

さんかくにおって

さんかくにおって

さんかくにおって

さんかくにおって

さんかくにおって

さんかくにおって

もういちどおって

もういちどおって

できあがり

Step 2: Start by stating clearly to the students what activity you will be doing.
おりがみをしましょう

2. Craft activity – making a spinning top

Step 1: Before the lesson think through the steps of the explanation, and then prepare the simple Japanese language that you need.

まるをかいて

いろをぬって

きって

ぼうをさして
できあがり

Step 2: Start by stating clearly to the students what activity you will be doing.
こまをつくりましょう

Useful expressions and words:

  • かみ  paper
  • はさみ  scissors
  • マジック  texta
  • セロテープ  sticky tape
  • のり  glue
  • カッター  cutter
  • いろえんぴつ  colour pencil

Additional Verbs:

かいて​ to write/draw eg. せん（を）かいて draw a line
きって​ to cut​ eg. はさみできって cut with scissors
はって​ to stick eg. のりではって stick with glue
ぬって to colour in eg.　マジックでぬって colour with texta
あけて to open eg. あな（を）あけて make a hole
さして to pierce eg. ぼうをさして to pierce with a stick

3. Card game –match the pictures to the words（カードあわせゲーム)

Step 1: Before the lesson think through the steps of the explanation, and then prepare the simple Japanese language that you need.

カードをおいて

とって

あわせて

たくさんとって かった

Step 2: Start by stating clearly to the students what activity you will be doing. カードゲームをしましょう

Useful expressions:

  • かった​​   I won
  • まけた   I lost​​
  • （　　　）のかち​  (name)won​​
  • （　　　）のまけ​   (name)lost
  • おめでとう​  congratulations​​
  • すごい！​  Awesome!
  • ペアになって​  form pairs​​
  • ３にんグループになって  form groups of three
  • カードをきって  shuffle the cards​
  • うらがえしにおいて  put them face down
  • じゃんけんで、じゅんばんをきめて   decide the order by scissors paper rock, ,
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