Homestay

A typical homestay house.

This page is general information about home stay for kids in Japanese schools.

A sample Curriculum

The majority of this sample curriculum was summarised from the JET Programme web site (here)

The children at a course for a Homestay course probably come from different schools, so introduction activities are a good way to break the ice.

• Self-introductions of the ALT and JTE
• Students' self-introduction - use the String Game
• Greeting expressions in the target country

Using realia from the target country can be a good way to help the students appreciate the reality of what they are about to do. The currency of the target country, stamps, passports are good examples.

• Target currency: coins and notes, counting in English.
• Shopping games: conversations in the shop
• Target country slang
• Teacher's introduce their town (using photos)

A day in the life of a home stay student:

• In the morning, in the house of your host family
• Before going out and when coming home
• Before going to sleep
• Meeting new friends
• Eating out/in (including manners of the Target Country)

One off events for home stay students:

• Going through customs (The New Horizon 2nd year texbooks have a lesson on this)
• Meeting your host family at the airport
• Saying goodbye to your host family

Communication with home

• Using the internet (and Skype)
• Using the phone
• Writing a letter, sending a post card.

Attempt to get a previous year's homestay student (or teacher) to come along and dispense some advice. General advice that is useful:

• Useful things to take with you
• Commonly used English expressions
• Situation of the target counties schools
• Difficult situations
• Information about money, food, farewell parties

Suggested Skits

Sample Script for Restaurant

Skits are a fun way for the students to practice the things they are going to do. It is common for Hometay preparation courses to teach in this way. You can make any situation into a skit, but here are some examples:

• On the Airplane,
  • Sample Menu: Qantas Economy Menu.
• Going through customs,
  • Sample Passport: Australian.
• Eating at a Restaurant,
  • Sample Menus: Drinks Menu, Dessert Menu, Australian Pizza Menu, Simple Dinner Menu.
  • Sample Script
• Eating at home,
• Shopping

Suggested Activities

• Show and Tell - students talk about something to do with Japan.
• Gambling game for facts about the target country. This is also a good way to practice using the foreign currency.
• Bingo and the Typhoon game for vocabulary review.
• Give a certificate at the end. It is fun.

Region Specific

Australia

Facts

See page 160 of Team Taught Pizza (6th Edition) for a page full of Australian facts. These were intended for a True/False quizz, but could be used in a self introduction lesson too. For example; Ularu ('Ayres Rock') is taller than Tokyo Tower. (True: U; 348m, TT; 333m).

Slang

Australia has sine unique slang. These slang words can be used as part of the Gambling game. Here are some:

• G'Day
  • (Hello) Good Day --> Good Day to you --> I would like to wish you a good day.
  • こんにちは。
• Mate
  • Friend
  • 友だち
• Brekkie
  • Breakfast
  • あさごはん
• Dunny
  • Toilet
  • お手洗い
• Howzit Goin?
  • How are you?
• Ozzie
  • Australian
  • オーストラリア人。
• Good on ya!
  • Well done!
• Cheers!
  • Thanks!
  • ありがとう。
• No worries!
  • That's OK.
  • 大丈夫。

See Also

• Homestay
  • Essential English for Homestay
  • Useful English for Homestay
  • Interview Questions for Homestay
  • Scenarios for homestay students

External Links

• JET Programme American Home Stay Activity Report
• 10 tips for a fun home stay

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