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How To Start Writing an Essay: The Five Paragraph Essay Model If you're trying to write an essay, this five paragraph model might help get you started. The sample essay is about computers. The first paragraph introduces the topic. New technology vocabulary Along with each new technological development, whether the development is mobile phones, cars, or computers, comes a new vocabulary. What is notable about the new and not-so-new technological vocabulary is its sheer size and volume. Perhaps that is not so surprising given the impact that computers have had on most of us working and living in the computer world. Consumer-oriented Politics in Japan: What changes are coming? At times, Japan as a nation has vigorously embraced change. Since the 1970s, however, change in Japan has moved at what some see as a glacial pace. Enter the consumer-oriented Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ). Japan will change. The question is how much as the Japanese consumer waits and hopes for a more egalitarian society. Teaching English in Japan: Four mistakes to avoid For both students and teachers, teaching is a learning process. Teachers may make the most progress in the first years of their career, but the learning should never stop. The learning stopping is a dangerous sign indicating that the teacher needs to be doing something new to continue becoming a better teacher. Mistakes are a part of learning. This article will present some mistakes I made in teaching English communication in Japan. Japan and The Holiday Season: Reserve Your New Years Cards and Fried Chicken In Japanese to English dictionaries, definitions of "yoyaku" include reservation, appointment, booking, subscription, and advanced order. Japanese communicating in English almost always use reservation, but advanced order may be the most appropriate of these terms for New Years cards and fried chicken in Japan. This article will discuss why advanced orders are relevant to New Years cards and fried chicken in Japan. The Golden Gate Bridge: The gateway to San Francisco The Golden Gate Bridge is the oldest, longest, tallest single span bridge in the United States. The bridge is a uniquely special bridge because of age and construction. Plus from the bridge, you can see Alcatraz and Angel Island, which makes it even more special. Right? What we're saying is true, right? Japan Christmas: From Zagmuk in Mesopotamia to Colonel Sanders This article discusses Christmas in Japan. December 25 has been a holiday going back to at least the Mesopotamian festival of Zagmuk. Now, thousands of years and thousands of miles later, Japan has its own form of Christmas, shaped by some of the old aspects and some new ones: Kentucky Fried Chicken and Fujiya Food Service Co., Ltd. These two corporations, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Fujiya, have helped to shape modern Christmas in Japan. Four more mistakes to avoid in teaching English communication in Japan In this article, I would like to present four more mistakes for teachers teaching English communication in Japan to avoid. Some are mistakes that I have made and some are mistakes that I have seen in teaching English communication in Japan. Mistakes are inevitable for both students and teachers; mistakes are the diving platforms for teachers to find success. Business and Language Education in Japan: Another Step in the Nova Saga In late August of this year, the Osaka District Court handed President Nozomu Sahashi of Nova a prison sentence of three and a half years for participating in skimming off employee funds. The crime was committed in 2007, a little before October, when the giant foreign language school went bankrupt. Nova was Japan's biggest foreign language school chain and employed more foreign nationals than any other company in Japan. Commercial Dolphin Hunting Causes Suspended Sister City Relationship This article discusses the suspended sister city relationship between Taiji, Japan, and Broome, Western Australia. Today in Taiji, commercial dolphin hunting is a major business. Dolphins are either sold to aquariums or slaughtered and sold to eat. Broome, subject to criticism and pressure concerning the sister city relationship, suspended their relationship with Taiji until commercial dolphin hunting stops. Treating Writer's Block: Six Suggestions Writer's block is what happens to writers when they cannot think of what to write. They are unable to write. Something is blocking them from writing. Some varieties of writer's block are short-term, while some writer's blocks can be longer. Writer's block can be related to an actual writing project or something else. We have six suggestions that may help you to recover from writer's block. Teaching Japanese Students About Alternative American Lifestyles In Japan, students are taught grammar and vocabulary in much the same way as Americans generations ago were taught Latin. Many students who want to learn to communicate in English go outside the normal school system to study languages in private language schools. In this article, we present one topic that we have found of interest to students in Japan who want to practice their English: alternative American lifestyles. Japan: Teaching English as a Living Language In Japan, students are taught grammar and vocabulary in much the same way as Americans generations ago were taught Latin. Many students who want to learn to communicate in English go outside the normal school system to study languages in private language schools. In this article, we present one topic that we have found of interest to students in Japan who want to practice their English: alternative American lifestyles. So you wanna be a proofreader: Ten tips for better proofreading This article provides ten tips to help proofreaders. Follow these ten tips; you will learn and get better. Writing, editing, and proofreading are not mysterious skills that come to us naturally. If we work on them, we will get better. Email messages and finding a job Getting an interview is a major accomplishment in this dismal job market. If you've been looking for a job, I suspect you've sent out dozens of email messages but not received dozens of responses. In this article, I'd like to offer some suggestions based on our experience of screening applicants via email. Tips for improving your life as an expatriate in Japan Japan is an awesome country to live in. In this article, we would like to present our top six tips for living in Japan so you can get the most out of your expatriate experience. Cold Noodles in the Summer in Japan: Ramen, Soba, and Udon This article discusses cold noodles eaten in the summer in Japan. Ramen, soba, and udon may be the three most popular types of noodles that can be served hot with a broth, or cold without one. Most ramen is made from wheat flour, salt, water and kansui. Soba is made by combining buckwheat flour with wheat flour. Udon is made from wheat flour. Soba noodles are probably the thinnest with ramen not that much larger. Udon noodles are thicker. Hachiko, the loyal dog: A new Hachiko movie to be released This article is about Hachiko, the loyal Akita dog, and the Richard Gere movie. Next month a remake of Hachiko starring Richard Gere will be released in Japan. I believe we take to this narrative of Hachiko because Hachiko becomes the symbol of unconditional love and loyalty in a world in which both have conditions. I'll be able to forget the sometimes harsh realities of life and enjoy vicariously participating in Hachiko's world. How to Live a Healthy Life by Taking Twelve Small Steps This article discusses whether or not you live in accordance with your image of the healthy life. If you do not, we would like to suggest taking small steps to move you closer to your definition of the healthy life. Teaching The Handshake to ESL Students American culture, and culture from around the world, fascinates English students in Japan. Many English students around the world share this fascination. In this article, we would like to share two pieces of culture that we teach about in Japan: handshaking and the changing American family. If you teach English in Japan or anywhere else around the world, these two items may be of interest to your students too. Japan and foreign residents: The Immigration Bureau and privacy In Japan, the current Diet session has bills in progress for revising the immigration law. The bills are expected to pass. Human rights groups are concerned that the Immigration Bureau will be able to access the personal information of all documented foreigners in Japan, infringing their privacy. Tanabata: The Story of Orihime and Hikoboshi Much of what we see and experience in Japan has roots in China and farther West to India over the past thousands of years. These roots are the same as the roots and heritage of Western civilization arriving in America after a journey of thousands of years from ancient Greece and Rome across Europe to North America. This article discusses Tanabata, the Japanese Star Festival, an example of this Japanese borrowing from China. Delete the adjective: Mark Twain on better writing Adjectives weaken writing; most writers overuse adjectives. Strong writing comes from strong verbs and nouns. Writers can also use similes and metaphors instead of adjectives. Mark Twain cautions us on using adjectives: "As to the adjective, when in doubt, strike it out." This article will discuss striking out adjectives, writing with strong verbs and nouns, and similes and metaphors, instead of adjectives. The do it yourself legal remedy: What to do when someone owes you This article discusses going to small claims court as a legal remedy if someone owes you money. Corporate Social Responsibility: Profit and PR Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the United States is self-regulating corporate behavior. In theory, the corporation has an ethical responsibility to contribute to the health of the community and avoid harming the community. This article, however, is not about theory, but about practice. Unfortunately many corporations with CSR programs do harm, significant harm. Punctuation: The Rodney Dangerfield of writing We enrich our punctuation the same way we improve our writing. We edit our rough drafts. Editing to include variety in punctuation marks can enrich your writing. This article will discuss punctuation including paragraphing and punctuation marks. Stephen King, Mark Twain, hell, and adjectives Adverbs, like adjectives, can help your writing in moderation, but many writers overuse and abuse them. This overuse and abuse has resulted in today's overly strong reaction against adverbs and adjectives. As King says, ""The road to hell is paved with adverbs." This article discusses editing adverbs out and improving your writing. Understand yourself by noticing: Your six constants Noticing is what we do in our daily lives. We notice the weather and the scowls and smiles on the faces of people we pass on the street. We notice the traffic and the litter and the frisky puppy coming towards us. Noticing is how we learn and how we change, grow and interact. This article will discuss six constants in noticing. Cold ramen, okonomiyaki and takoyaki: Japanese food to try if you can find it Japanese food offers more than sushi, sashimi, sukiyaki, teriyaki, and tempura. This article suggests three Japanese foods to try if you can find them: cold ramen, okonomiyaki and takoyaki. The author had never heard of these foods before visiting Japan. Hybrid is No. 1 in Japan In April, the Insight was Japan's best-selling vehicle. The car accelerates reasonably considering the 30 km per liter mileage and handles just like most other Japanese cars. The Insight is also under the important 2 million yen barrier. All over Japan, people are buying environmentally friendly cars like the Insight. The memory of gas at approximately $6.47 dollars a gallon in 2008 has been a powerful incentive. Stephen King: Read before you write If you want to write, you need to read books on writing; you need to surf the web to see what other writers are doing; you need to look at articles and other resources. In addition to reading on the craft of writing, you need to read. This article will discuss how reading makes you a better writer. Hot Buns in Japan: Pork, Pizza, Curry, and Salty Caramel Hot buns in the winter in Japan include pork, curry, and salty caramel buns. The buns are based on the Chinese pork buns and are a fast food available at convenience stores and other places. Biting into a hot bun on a cold winter day is one of the small pleasures in life. William Safire and Rules for Writing William Safire offers us his Great Rules of Writing. Safire joyfully breaks each rule as he writes them down. This article examines each of these rules. Following rules is not always the best way to write. Breaking the rules can result in better writing. Without rule knowledge, however, breaking the rules rarely results in improved writing. We recommend that you follow Safire's rules unless you know exactly why you are breaking them. Masks, Avian Flu, Swine Flu, Hay Fever, Cosmetics and Japan Visit Japan today and observe a sea of masks. Only some of these masks are due to the swine flu outbreaks spreading around the world. Japanese wear masks for many reasons, some effective and some not. Unemployment and financial problems in Japan Japan is now facing high unemployment, underemployment, and other financial pain. The jobless rate in Japan of 4.8% may seem like nothing to Europeans and Americans, but Jiro and Akiko Sato know that 4.8% in Japan is much higher for structural and cultural reasons. Three tools for learning foreign language vocabulary Accumulating new vocabulary is a challenge in learning a second language. This article suggests three tools for learning and remembering new vocabulary: writing down new vocabulary and creating cohort groups, diagramming, and visual images. The three tools help you to remember new words because you are linking new vocabulary to something else you already know. These tools will help you to steadily progress in your language learning. Tom Martino damages Oregon business Melissa Feroglia called a nationally syndicated talk show to talk about a jet ski she had purchased. She complained and the talk host, Tom Martino, encouraged his listeners to contact the store and the manufacturer. Callers flooded the phone lines and threatened the store owners, who claimed they lost approximately $600,000 in business. The owners sued Martino and lost. Talk show hosts are not responsible for damage, even when they cause it. The Kotatsu: A Warm Cave in Japan A kotatsu kept me warm my first winter in Japan, while bringing me back to my childhood of making caves in the winter. Many apartments in Japan come without heating. The kotatsu, a table with a heat lamp underneath, is one answer. Due to high electric prices, lack of proper insulation, and building codes and laws not requiring heating, people turn to devices like the kotatsu. Japan and Curry Curry rice is one of the most popular dishes in Japan. The curry rice served in Japan differs greatly from the curry and rice eaten in most of the world, tasting more like a curry flavored stew. Curry is also used in other dishes in Japan including curry udon and curry buns. Internet Death Threat Fred receives a death threat via the Internet. English Writing and Nonnative English Speakers For the nonnative English speaker, writing is a challenge. Writing demands that we craft our words, which is the editing process. Nonnative speakers, however, often lack the ear or a sense of the language, complicating the process. Nonnative speakers write by combining their knowledge from English and their first language. Knowing about the influence of the first language can help us to better teach these students. No hands: Taking your shoes on and off Fred's mother visits Fred in Japan and is fascinated by people taking their shoes on and off without using their hands. Even little children seem to do it effortlessly with shoes that have laces. When we live abroad, we can forget what we have adapted to. When visitors comes, we get a fresh look. Women's sports: Transitioning to mainstream Fred, back in the states, is amazed to see women's college ball on TV. Comparing Japan and the states, he considers women's sumo and wonders when it will become mainstream. Japanese municipal governments and garbage philosophy Many Japanese parks and other locations fail to provide garbage cans. Local municipal governments hope that people will take their garbage home with them, but this does not always work. Insensitivity patrol: Don't be English centric Fred is attacked for linguistic insensitivity when he returns to America for vacation. Why we write: Arthur Plotnik and what's burning inside you Arthur Plotnik's quote tells us why we write: "You write to communicate to the hearts and minds of others what's burning inside you. And we edit to let the fire show through the smoke." This article discusses what is burning inside of writers and how we can improve our writing. Another chapter of guns in America: Another useless death Looking for a Halloween party, Japanese exchange student Yoshihiro Hattori went to the wrong home. He rang the bell only to be greeted by a Dirty Harry wannabe with a .44 magnum revolver with a laser sight. Hattori became yet another victim of American gun culture. On language abuse: English, Japanese, and other languages This article details the travails of Fred as he suffers through a Canadian woman abusing the Japanese language and discusses how Westerners abuse Japanese, Japanese abuse English, and people like to announce the languages they can speak. Japanese food and images Japanese cuisine includes a number of dishes combining parent and child together, an image that seems to resonate with the Japanese public. In sushi, eating male and female reproductive organs together does not resonate with the Japanese public, but eating all the different parts of both genders of the same fish does resonate with some. English, Asian languages, and Western faces While many Americans often assume that everybody should be able to speak English if they try, especially for people who have been in America for many years, other views exist in other parts of the world. Japanese and other Asians often assume the opposite - that people from different cultures, especially Caucasians, cannot speak their language and should not be expected to. A strict set of beliefs and rules: on being Japanese Accosted by a drunk Japanese Christian, Fred beats a hasty retreat to discuss what Fred believes is the true religion of the Japanese: being Japanese. Fred may go a little overboard here, but he is right in one respect: being Japanese definitely means subscribing to a strict set of beliefs and rules. Pachinko fatalities in Japan Every year in Japan, gambling parents leave their children in the car or home alone while they go to play pachinko, a modified pinball game. A few of the children die. My friend who eats fermented soybeans My friend Fred eats natto, which is fermented soybeans, just as he does other things for his health. He tries to avoid talking about it with Japanese as natto is just a food, not a topic worthy of such great interest and discussion. Fred's perspective differs from that of many Japanese. Immigration and Indian restaurants: The changing face of Japan The spread of ethnic restaurants can tell us much about a country and immigration. Looking at Japan, we can see Indian restaurants run by Indians spreading across the country. The Japanese are torn between wanting immigrants to work in Japan and wanting to keep their "homogenous" society. The Indian restaurants may be a hint that Japan will one day be a vibrant and energized multi-ethnic country. Which Japanese Diet is the Magic Secret: Natto or Agar? This article examines three Japanese diet fads in recent years: bananas, natto, and agar. The Japanese population now faces problems with metabolic syndrome and obesity due to prosperity and lack of exercise. More and more Japanese are interested in diets every year. When diet fads appear, millions of people try to lose weight with yet another diet scheme. None of the diets have yet provided the magic answer though. What is your job? While Americans generally identify the most strongly with what they do, many Japanese tend to identify more with the organization they work for. This article discusses an American, meeting with a Japanese, who tries to ask what the Japanese does. Black tea or green: Which is healthier? This article looks at teas around the world: black, green, and wasp. Black and green teas both offer many health benefits although research is still in its infancy. For Japanese, green tea is important for cultural reasons too. Americans are interested in tea as a drink and for health benefits, but tea is only a drink to most Americans. Japan, colds, and IVs Japanese with colds usually see a doctor for medical care as this may be cheaper than buying non-prescription medications. Visiting the doctor can be a speedy process or take hours depending on the timing. Many Japanese with colds act differently from most Americans in at least four major ways: masks, gargling, carrying on to show their fighting spirit and not burdening others, and IV (intravenous) cocktails. Japan: Whale for dinner anyone? While pro- and anti-whaling groups feel very strongly about saving or consuming whales, most Japanese do not appear to have strong feelings on this topic. Mercury poisoning from eating whales, dolphin, and large fish is not a major topic of interest either, but it should be. Devil's tongue jelly: the fatal jelly The September 2008 death of a 1-year-old Japanese boy from choking to death on devil's tongue jelly brought the death toll to 17 victims since 1995. Devil's tongue jelly, unlike other jellies, does not melt in the mouth. The Japanese government moved to pressure the manufacturers of devil's tongue jelly to prevent additional deaths. Yet, the government has not taken steps concerning food products with far higher fatality counts.

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