FALL 2019

Dec 16
Greta
1. Did you know about Greta before today? If yes, when did you hear about her?
2. Why do you think Greta's speeches are so powerful?
3. Do you think climate change is as serious a problem as she makes it?
4. Do you think it is possible to stop climate change? Why or why not?
5. If climate conferences are ineffective, what do you think the world should do?
6. Do you know anyone with Aspergers?
Free talk about Greta

Nakamura
1. Did you know this story before today? If yes, when did you hear about it?
2. What did Dr. Nakamura do in Afghanistan? Why was it important?
3. Why do you think he was killed? What did people in other rooms say?
4. Can you imagine going abroad to help others? Why or why not?
Free talk about Dr. Nakamura

Dec 9
These two stories are interesting because they show the good points and bad points of SNS. Therefore we will discuss these stories together.

1. What kind of SNS do you think the elementary school student used, and why?
2. How would you protect children from meeting bad people through SNS? Do you have any good ideas?
3. Have you ever mistakenly sent any messages? What happened?
4. Have you ever met anyone bad through SNS? How could you tell?
5. What about bullying or hate messages through SNS? Have you ever experienced this?
6. Have you ever made new friends through SNS? What happened?
7. Do you think SNS in general is good or bad? Why?
8. One good way of making friends through SNS is to join an interest group. What do you think of this?
9. Free discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of social media.

Dec 2
1. Did you see Frozen 1? What did you think of it?
2. Will you see Frozen 2? Why or why not?
3. Do you like Disney movies? Why or why not?
4. Which is your favorite? Why?
etc. etc. etc.

1. Have you ever heard of art therapy?
2. Why do you think art therapy helps people heal?
3. What other kind of therapies are there? What kind of therapy is helpful to you?
4. Why do people need therapy after traumatic events like an earthquake, death, etc.?
etc. etc. etc.

Nov 25
1. What did you think when you heard about Erika Sawajiri?
2. Do you know other entertainers who have been arrested for drugs? Who?
3. It seems like entertainers use drugs more than normal people. Do you think that is true?
4. Have you heard that is it easy to get drugs online? What do you think about that?
5. Do you know anyone yourself who has taken drugs?
6. Do you think cannabis (marijuana) is harmful or not? Why?
7. Is it a crime to smoke cannabis in Japan? What about possession?

EVERYONE, PLEASE DO NOT USE DRUGS!!!!!

1. Have you ever found money?
2. What would you do with 100 yen if you found it? What about 10,000 yen?
3. Have you ever lost money?
4. Do you think Blackhall Colliery is a rich town or a poor town? Why?
5. Who do you think would leave money around like this article? And why?
6. Is it crime to pick money up and bring it home?

Nov 18
1. What is the difference between reduce, reuse and recycle? explain.
2. What is the difference between reuse, upcycle and downcycle? explain
3. What examples can you find of upcycling? What do you want to do?
4. Have you ever reused anything? What and how?
5. What was the word of the year for last year? If you didn't find it, research!
FREE

1. Do you think the Japanese government is doing enough to fight against floods?
2. Do you remember when the Shirakawa river flooded 5 years ago?
3. What more do you think the government can or should do?
4. What kind of disaster is scariest for you and why?
FREE

Nov 11
1. Do you know what happens if you cheat on a test at KGU?
2. Have you ever cheated? (be honest)?
3. How would you feel if you had to wear a box?
4. What did you think about this story?

1. When did you hear about the fire at Shurijo? What did you think?
2. Have you been to Okinawa? Why is Shurijo important?
3. When did Kumamoto Castle burn down, do you know?
4. What can people do to prevent fires?

Oct 28
1. Did you watch the enthronement ceremony last week? Why or why not?
2. Have you ever seen an emperor in person? Would you want to? Why or why not?
3. What foreign dignitaries attended the ceremony?
4. Do you think women should be allowed to become empresses? What about women from the mother's side? Why or why not?
5. Why do you think the former emperor and empress were not at the ceremony?
6. What do you think of the English word "Emperor"?
7. I heard some international news stories criticized PM Abe saying "Banzai" because it reminded them of the war. What do you think about that?
8. What do you think of Mako-sama and Kako-sama?

1. What do you think of this new food technology?
2. Do you think the coating is really safe for us?
3. Do you waste food yourself? Why?
4. Many students said they see food wasted at their part time jobs. Can you think of any solutions for this?
5. Do you watch the expiration date when you eat food?
6. Have you ever gotten sick from eating bad food? When and what did you eat?

Oct 21
1. Do you know anyone who was premature?
2. What do you think of this artificial womb?
3. Are there any moral problems with this womb?
4. Do you want this research to continue in Japan? Why or why not?
Free

1. Have you heard of the Kurds before today? What did you hear?
2. Why is Turkey attacking the Kurds?
3. What is the connection between the US and this situation?
4. What do you know about ISIS? What is the connection between this and ISIS?
5. What do yu think about President Erdogan cancelling his trip to Japan?
FREE

Oct 14
1. Did you watch any of the rugby games? Why or why not?
2. Do you know any rules of rugby? What do you know?
3. Why did the players have a silent period 黙祷 before the game? Did you watch the typhoon news?
4. What sports do you like the most? Why?
5. Free questions

1. What do you think of impeachment? Is it important? Why?
2. What presidents have been impeached before?
3. Is there impeachment in Japan? Has anyone been impeached in Japan?
4. What emoji do you like to use? Why?
5. Do you know any emoji that have evolved in meaning like this?
6. Free questions

Oct 7
About consumption tax
1. What do you think about 10% consumption tax?
2. What did you buy before the consumption tax increased?
3. Have you bought anything since the tax increased?
4. Do you use any cashless methods?
5. One student heard from her mother that Japan's tax will increase 26% in the future. What would you do in that case?

About Bulgarian population
1. What do you think about this article? Why is the population in Bulgaria shrinking?
2. Are the reasons that the Japanese population is decreasing the same as those for Bulgaria? Why or why not?
3. Why is the population in some countries growing but some countries shrinking?
4. What can the Japanese government do to help increase the population?
5. What is the connection between the two stories we are talking about today?

SPRING 2019

July 22
Which of these news stories was most interesting for you? Why?
Which was the least interesting? Why?
Which do you think is most important for Japan now? Why?
Which do you think is most important for the world now? Why?
Which do you think is least important now? Why?
How do you usually get news?
Which news did you hear about most? How did you hear about it?
Which news did you hear about least?

１． Did you know this story before today?
２． Did you laugh when you saw this video? Why?
３． Have you ever been to the DMZ, or do you want to go?
４． What do you think Moon Jae-In thought of Trump visiting Kim?
５． Have you ever seen Abe’s Instagram account? Do you follow Trumps twitters? Why?

1. What hospital were you born in?
2. What are some famous hospitals in Kumamoto?
3. What do you think of the Singing Doctor?
4. Do you think being born in a good hospital has influence on your life? Why or why not?

ABOUT NEWS
1. How do you get news? (internet, line, paper, TV, etc.) Why?
2. What kind of news do you like best? (front page, sports, entertainment, etc.) Why?
3. Do you read or watch news in English? Why?
4. Do you think news is reported equally in every country in the world? Why?
5. Do you think news may be slanted or biased in Japan? Why? Give some examples.

ABOUT GAVIN
1. Have you seen this boy before? When, if yes?
2. Why do you think he is so popular in China?
3. Who are some youtubers or "internet stars" that you know or like?
4. What are some internet memes that you know or like?

April 15
About REIWA
1. Do you have a good impression of Reiwa? Why or why not?
2. What is your favorite era name and why?
3. How would you like to write Reiwa?
4. Which do you like better, gengo or western calendar? Why?
5. I was surprised that the last three eras have all had 平 or 和 in them. What do you think about this?

About black holes
1. Did you know this news before today?
2. Are you interested in astronomy? Why or why not?
3. Do you think we will meet people from other worlds soon? Why or why not?
4. What other things do you think will be possible in the future?

April 23
About SNS
1. What SNS apps do you use?
2. Have you ever experienced facebook or instagram being down? How did you feel?
3. Have you ever been without a cell phone signal? When? How did you feel?
4. Can you live without your cell phone?
5. How do you think SNS has changed you?

About "Florida Man"
1. Did you hear of this before today?
2. When you search florida man and your birthday, what do you find?
3. Is there anything like this in Japan? If so, what?
4. Have you ever searched for your name on internet? What did you find?
5. What is the "florida sunshine law"? Explain it.

May 6
About smoking packages
1. Do you like the smell of cigarettes, everyone?
2. Which do you think is worse, cigarettes or alcohol? Why?
3. Which do you think is worse, cigarettes or marijuana? Why?
4. Do you think the packaging will help reduce smokers? How? Why?
FREE QUESTIONS

About Notre Dame
1. What did you think when you heard this news?
2. Did it remind you of Kumamoto castle? What did you feel when you heard that news?
3. What do you think caused the fire?
4. Have you ever been to Europe? Or to any world heritage site?
5. Do you know world heritage sites in Kumamoto? (there are two!!)
FREE QUESTIONS

June 3
1. What did you write in (the room that you were not in)? What did other people write that was interesting?

About the trade war
1. How do you think the trade war is affecting China? the US? Japan?
2. Do you think Trump might impose more tariffs on Japan in the future? Why or why not?
3. Do you think this economic "cold war" could develop into a hot war? Why or why not?

About Mcdonalds and the US Embassy
1. What do you think of this article? Why Mcdonalds?
2. Do you think Mcdonalds in Japan would provide this service? Why or why not?
3. If you went abroad and lost your passport at night, where would you go to get emergency help?
4. Where would you want to go? Why?

About the language in the Guardian
1. What do you think of this article? Do you agree with using stronger language?
2. Do you think "global heating" is stronger than "global warming"? Why or why not?
3. What is the difference between the opinions of Democrats and Republicans on global climate crisis? Why do you think this is?
4. Are you worried about global warming? Why or why not?

June 17
About plastics
1. Do you think it's a good idea for Japan to ban single use plastics? Why or why not?
2. Can you live without plastic? Why or why not?
3. What can be used instead of plastic bottles? cutlery? plastic wrap?
4. Do you recycle? Or do something else to help the environment?

About G20
1. Where in Osaka will the G20 be held?
2. Did you hear about the meeting in Fukuoka before today? How?
3. Where has the G20 been held before?
4. Who will come to G20 and what will they talk about?

June 24
Hong Kong
1. Why were people in Hong Kong demonstrating?
2. What is the extradition law?
3. Are there extradition laws in Japan?
4. Would you join a demonstration in Japan? Why or why not?
5. Recently, several Japanese people have been tried in China. Please tell me who (research!)

KUTOO
1. What do you think of this petition?
2. Do you think women should be able to wear any shoes they want? Why or why not?
3. What about uniforms?
4. What about men?
5. What about recruit suits? What do you think of them?

July 15
Korea Japan row
1. What do you think about the lawsuits for war compensation in Korea?
2. Why is Korea boycotting Japanese products?
3. Do you think the Japanese trade limitations to Korea are in retaliation for the war compensation boycotts? Why or why not?
4. What do you think can be done to help Japan-Korea relations?

Equal Pay
1. At your part time jobs, do men and women get equal pay? Should they?
2. Why do you think the pay is not equal between the soccer teams?
3. Should the pay be equal? Why or why not? How should it be changed?
4. Should sports salaries be based on equality, popularity or success in the sport? Why?