Click here for video Welcome to my home page. For your convenience, it is divided into the following sections: How to use this home page About me: from car baby to EFL teacher Message to those having interest in a teacher association Message to members of KCUFS writing course Message to past members Message to educators in Japan (Click here) Message to my parents and others (Click here) How to use this home page The text under the heading, "About me....", is intended for general audience. The other sections are special messages intended for special audiences. This arrangement will help find that part of my home page of most interest to you. If you see something interesting, please do not hesitate to contact me at <rich_porter@yahoo.com>. About me: from car baby to EFL teacher Somehow I was born in the back seat of a car as my father sped toward the hospital at 80 MPH. This event occurred in Walla Walla, Washington, USA. My father, because he felt so embarrassed, wanted our late arrival kept secret, even from his mother. But to his chagrin, the local newspaper reported this unusual event the next day on the front page. Then for several months, the locals often referred to me as the "car baby." My life continued in the Walla Walla area until I finished high school in 1962. Academics, sports, and farm work occupied most of my time. After graduating from two universities in the Seattle Washington area, I worked mostly for the government. Then I decided to change careers. Thus, I attended University of Arizona's Teaching of English as a Second Language (TESL) graduate program. As I was graduating, I arrived in Japan 12 years ago to teach English. Currently, I am teaching three courses at Mie University, two at Nagoya University of Foreign Studies (NUFS), four at Kobe City University of Foreign Studies (KCUFS), four at Sugiyama Jogakuen University and two at Aichi Women Junior College. Two of the courses (KCUFS) relate to the writing of English with computers. Two more relate to the use of the four language skills in the computer room (NUFS). The remaining courses relate to English Conversation. My free time includes reading, acquiring new skills relating to computers and the Internet, and involving myself with a teacher association -- Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT). This latter includes attending Nagoya Chapter presentations, giving a presentation on intrinsic motivation of students, and attending national conferences and meetings. You can read more information about JALT in the next section. To those having interest in a teacher association During most of my years in Japan, I have been a member of the Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT). The presentations, publications, and networking with members have helped substantially. Now that computer technology constitutes part of approaches to education, this association is becoming even more useful and interesting. More information is available here. A recent interest relates to lifelong learning of English in Japan. I am directing my interest toward the notion that English education, beginning in elementary schools, should stimulate the students' interest in the learning of English. And that educators should track this interest from about K3 through to the workplace. For now, we need a special project to facilitate a track that clears a path to this end. Please let me know if you have a similar interest. To members of KCUFS writing course--1st Period Since about last April you have been experiencing a writing process by using: - mindmaps - journal writing - double spaced typing - kaizen - grammar / spell checking But why? Many writings fail to communicate well with their audience. One example relates to computer error messages--we all get them, right? Why is it that millions of computer users do not understand these messages? The answer is that many computer programmers type in notes that are reminders for themselves. Nevertheless, millions of users read these messages and say, "What does this message mean?" To make the message more clear, many of the computer programmers need to use a writing process that includes an effort to think about their audience. Message to past members If past members of my workshops wish to contact me, please do. You can send a message to me at <rich_porter@yahoo.com>. Especially, how did you make English interesting to you. For example, maybe you saw a movie in English. Also okay, would be details, such as, about the way you saw the movie. For example, maybe you saw the movie first in Japanese and then watched it in English. And if it was a great movie, maybe you saw it many times in English. If so, did you watch it once a month? Once every six months? Did spacing your watching, such as every 6 months help? In addition, information that relates to travel would also be good. If you went to London, for example, did you stay at an unusually good hotel? Did you meet people that were friendly and if so, where? |
Rich Porter |
Click here for video Welcome to my home page. For your convenience, it is divided into the following sections: How to use this home page About me: from car baby to EFL teacher Message to those having interest in a teacher association Message to members of KCUFS writing course Message to past members Message to educators in Japan (Click here) Message to my parents and others (Click here) How to use this home page The text under the heading, "About me....", is intended for general audience. The other sections are special messages intended for special audiences. This arrangement will help find that part of my home page of most interest to you. If you see something interesting, please do not hesitate to contact me at <rich_porter@yahoo.com>. About me: from car baby to EFL teacher Somehow I was born in the back seat of a car as my father sped toward the hospital at 80 MPH. This event occurred in Walla Walla, Washington, USA. My father, because he felt so embarrassed, wanted our late arrival kept secret, even from his mother. But to his chagrin, the local newspaper reported this unusual event the next day on the front page. Then for several months, the locals often referred to me as the "car baby." My life continued in the Walla Walla area until I finished high school in 1962. Academics, sports, and farm work occupied most of my time. After graduating from two universities in the Seattle Washington area, I worked mostly for the government. Then I decided to change careers. Thus, I attended University of Arizona's Teaching of English as a Second Language (TESL) graduate program. As I was graduating, I arrived in Japan 12 years ago to teach English. Currently, I am teaching three courses at Mie University, two at Nagoya University of Foreign Studies (NUFS), four at Kobe City University of Foreign Studies (KCUFS), four at Sugiyama Jogakuen University and two at Aichi Women Junior College. Two of the courses (KCUFS) relate to the writing of English with computers. Two more relate to the use of the four language skills in the computer room (NUFS). The remaining courses relate to English Conversation. My free time includes reading, acquiring new skills relating to computers and the Internet, and involving myself with a teacher association -- Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT). This latter includes attending Nagoya Chapter presentations, giving a presentation on intrinsic motivation of students, and attending national conferences and meetings. You can read more information about JALT in the next section. To those having interest in a teacher association During most of my years in Japan, I have been a member of the Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT). The presentations, publications, and networking with members have helped substantially. Now that computer technology constitutes part of approaches to education, this association is becoming even more useful and interesting. More information is available here. A recent interest relates to lifelong learning of English in Japan. I am directing my interest toward the notion that English education, beginning in elementary schools, should stimulate the students' interest in the learning of English. And that educators should track this interest from about K3 through to the workplace. For now, we need a special project to facilitate a track that clears a path to this end. Please let me know if you have a similar interest. To members of KCUFS writing course--1st Period Since about last April you have been experiencing a writing process by using: - mindmaps - journal writing - double spaced typing - kaizen - grammar / spell checking But why? Many writings fail to communicate well with their audience. One example relates to computer error messages--we all get them, right? Why is it that millions of computer users do not understand these messages? The answer is that many computer programmers type in notes that are reminders for themselves. Nevertheless, millions of users read these messages and say, "What does this message mean?" To make the message more clear, many of the computer programmers need to use a writing process that includes an effort to think about their audience. Message to past members If past members of my workshops wish to contact me, please do. You can send a message to me at <rich_porter@yahoo.com>. Especially, how did you make English interesting to you. For example, maybe you saw a movie in English. Also okay, would be details, such as, about the way you saw the movie. For example, maybe you saw the movie first in Japanese and then watched it in English. And if it was a great movie, maybe you saw it many times in English. If so, did you watch it once a month? Once every six months? Did spacing your watching, such as every 6 months help? In addition, information that relates to travel would also be good. If you went to London, for example, did you stay at an unusually good hotel? Did you meet people that were friendly and if so, where? |
