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category archive listing Category Archives: autonomous learning

Japanese Gairaigo.

July 1, 2008 – 1:04 pm

First things first. Several months ago, I was asked (by one of RoaS’s regular readers and a long time friend) to give my thoughts on the issue of garaigo, or loanwords, in Japanese and whether their rapid influx into the language is indeed undermining communication and causing mass concern.
My answer is: yes and no, but […]

By Steven Nishida | Also posted in perspective, human nature, debate, efl, community, language, writing, education, teaching, philosophy, learning | Comments (0)

David Graddol discusses English in the new world order

June 11, 2008 – 1:19 am

You REALLY should listen to this. I might not be in the wrong line of work after all!
Just click the photo and press the play icon [on the British Council podcast site].

I have to say I am pretty stoked that David Graddol will be one of the PAC7 at JALT2008 plenary speakers this November in […]

By Steven Nishida | Also posted in debate, perspective, career, efl, economy, community, education, history, teaching, language, japan, learning | Comments (2)

Without tailoring, all you have is an expensive tablecloth.

April 18, 2008 – 2:17 pm

Dear readers,
 We’re just about ready to get on track with regular posting again, but I need to do something first….
During this first short year, I have come to realize that I am trying to do too many different things with this blog, which is inhibiting my ability to achieve any one of my lofty online aspirations. Don’t […]

By Steven Nishida | Also posted in career, perspective, happiness, self-help, life-coach, human nature, friendship, blogging, personal, writing, education, community, philosophy, rants | Comments (1)

Widgets: A great new EFL textbook

February 2, 2008 – 4:24 pm

Starting in April, I’ll be team-teaching a couple of classes at a local women’s college, and my colleagues and I have decided to go with a new textbook for EFL (English as a Foreign Language) that was co-authored by a friend of mine, Marcos Benevides. I was fortunate enough to have been a sounding board […]

By Steven Nishida | Also posted in efl, life-coach, community, japan, education, teaching, language, learning | Comments (2)

Bill Strickland at TED: Rebuilding America, one slideshow at a time.

January 24, 2008 – 3:05 am

You have to watch this. Touching, heartfelt, educational, hopeful.
Following Bill’s humbling slideshow–accompanied by long-time friend Herbie Hancock–I have a challenge for you.

The challenge:
1. Find a new home for your doubt.
2. Realize that the surest road to happiness is to imagine the world you want to live in and create it around you.
3. Surround yourself […]

By Steven Nishida | Also posted in career, perspective, happiness, life-coach, human nature, community, learning, education, teaching, philosophy, art | Comments (7)

Practical Training for Elementary School English Education (in Japan)

January 20, 2008 – 1:04 pm

Here’s a program I’m currently coordinating at a nearby university. Apart from being surprised at the amazing level of support and cooperation by the university’s staff, it has been incredibly informative to participate in a major educational project hosted at the intersection of private and public institutions. This private university has received a 3-year grant […]

By Steven Nishida | Also posted in career, efl, community, japan, education, teaching, language, learning | Comments (1)

Life-changing opportunities: It’s all about timing…oh, and being ready to catch the ball and run with it.

November 20, 2007 – 4:42 pm

I am often amazed at the number of opportunities that people allow to pass them by, day in and day out. It’s understandable to pass up an opportunity when the timing isn’t right. In fact, that’s where many of life’s most difficult decisions lie. Deciding whether to seize an opportunity and make the most of […]

By Steven Nishida | Also posted in happiness, perspective, self-help, life-coach, human nature, relationship, education, learning, teaching, philosophy, friendship, personal | Comments (0)

Did You Know 2.0? (by Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod)

October 21, 2007 – 2:39 pm

Here’s another thought-provoking video which touches on some of the same themes as my last post and the video contained therein.
Actually Did You Know 2.0 is an official update to the video entitled Shift Happens by Karl Fisch (author of The Fischbowl) and Scott McLeod (author of Dangerously Irrelevant). These guys are always hard at […]

By Steven Nishida | Also posted in community, language, teaching, parenting, perspective, efl, education, web2.0, learning, blogging, media, politics, economics, video, technology | Comments (0)

A Vision of Students Today: Michael Wesch, KSU (and 200 of his students)

October 19, 2007 – 2:50 am

Here is a thought-provoking video I came across over at think:lab:
From the creator, Michael Wesch:
a short video summarizing some of the most important characteristics of students today - how they learn, what they need to learn, their goals, hopes, dreams, what their lives will be like, and what kinds of changes they will experience in […]

By Steven Nishida | Also posted in parenting, psychology, human nature, perspective, life-coach, community, philosophy, video, learning, web2.0, education, teaching, technology | Comments (2)

Defining Anti-Nationalism and Welcoming Americans to the World: Arundhati Roy’s “Come September” (2002)

October 15, 2007 – 5:51 am

I don’t want you to think like me….I just want you to think.
I almost didn’t post this, because it’s more politically charged than my usual fare, and might be perceived as slightly off topic. After lengthy consideration, however, I realized that I needed to clarify where all that anti-nationalism talk was coming from […]

By Steven Nishida | Also posted in human nature, parenting, perspective, debate, baby, community, politics, learning, video, history, teaching, rants | Comments (5)