peers and online

On October 10th, third-year students from Kamakura Gakuen Junior High School interacted online with young Filipinos of the same age, as opportunities for international exchange decreased due to the corona crisis.The students were able to communicate with each other using the English skills they had cultivated in class, and witnessed social problems in the Philippines.

Every year, Kamakura Gakuen has been unable to implement an overseas exchange program for third-year junior high school students to second-year high school students that visits Australia, Vietnam, Europe, and North America due to the effects of the new coronavirus.As an alternative, this special class was planned for the first time to create opportunities for conversation using English.

On the first 30th, 86 people, half of the third-year junior high school students, participated.Through the service of With the World Co., Ltd. (Hyogo Prefecture), which is engaged in online international exchange classes, students interacted with Filipino children from their school or home through computers.Despite having a hard time speaking in English, Kohei Kijima said with a smile, "I knew about the anime 'Attack on Titan' and so on, and it was fun to talk with him."

"Looks happy" even in poor areas

In the class, local young people introduced live images of poor areas in the Philippines.

Students are surprised at the "garbage pile" where the garbage incineration system does not work and the waste piles up in the residential area.Still, Yuji Takahashi, who saw people living with hope, said, "I'm happy." I thought aboutNozomi Sonoguchi also pledged to never litter.

Naoki Iizuka, a 34-year-old English teacher at the school, said, "I hope it will be an opportunity to improve my English skills and reconsider myself." A similar exchange will be held on November 11th.

Internet article:https://www.townnews.co.jp/0602/2021/11/05/598689.html