2014 IIME REPORTCountry [ Taiwan ]School[ Chongming Elementary School ] Teacher [ Hsiu-Wen Chang ] grade (4) student number (28 )JP School [ Sherry English School ] Teacher [ Atsuko Shiwaku ]# Subjects, Activities and Times of the lessons
Subject
Conception of the lesson

Times

Festivals

Festivals in four seasons (Taiwan vs. Japan)

8IT

Use the online forum and video conference

10

Fine art

Draw a mural

6

Fine art

Appreciation and reflection of the whole work

2

# Theme and Message of the mural
Theme

Festivals in four seasons

Message

We researched on Taiwanese and Japanese festivals in spring, summer, autumn, andwinter. We have learned not only Taiwanese festivals but also Japanese ones.

# Effects and the Problems
Effects your students have gained
The students have learned how to introduce
Taiwanese cultures in English. It was their first time
to communicate with international project partner via
video conferences. They also got the chance totouch about Japanese festivals even though they
were in Taiwan. Students also experienced painting
skills through this project and teacher’s instructions.
We had great time doing this project with ourJapanese partner.

Points for further improvement
I got difficulties to log in the online forum while I
using other computer devices. For me, it’s the only
way to successfully log in with my original computerdevice. This made me hard to share the forum
information to my students. I had to do extra workand tried my best to show information and picturesfrom out partner. It’s pity that students could notsee how the original forum look like.

# How has your impression toward your partner country and/or the world changed?
Change in student’s impression
Change in teacher’s impression
Students had deeply impressions on using IT to make Our partner teacher guided me well through thefriends abroad and completing a project with partner whole project process even though it’s my first timefrom different country. Our partner showed to do IIME. It’s not easy to complete this project andconfidence on their first time self-introduction in to fit into our school schedule but our partner wasEnglish. That’s quite impressed to them.
patient to guide me step by step even though I had
been often left behind the schedule.

# Flow of the Activity
ContentMonthIntroduction

Sep.

ResearchOct.

Composition

PaintingWhat you did
We wrote introduction cards
to our partner. We also
introduced ourselves to ourpartner
via
videoconference.
We
researchedtheinformation about Taiwanesefestivals both in Chinese andin English. We also read
information from our partner
on the forum and researchedabout the festivals they
showed online.
We collected the materials
of Taiwanese festivals about
food, activities, and so on.

Your students attitude/reflection
Subject
Students were shy to communicate with
our partner in English. Also, they were
not used to talk via Skype. However, English
they felt excited and interested in thisproject.
Students worked hard to do the research English
on Taiwanese and Japanese festivals infour seasons. They also discussed about
the commons and differences of festivals
between Taiwan and Japan.

Students did a great teamwork. They had their partsand did a great job.

English&Fine Art

Nov.&Dec.

Jan.

Students read the stories of Taiwanesefestivals and decided what they weregoing to draw on the mural. There werefour teams for four seasons’ festivals.
Also, they had a video conference withJapanese partner and knew what ourpartner drew. Because of seeing
Japanese part, we were inspired and got
more ideas to compose our part.
Although they had to make up extra
classes and gave up some rest time tofinish their work, they didn’t complain
and tried to do their best. Each student
had their own work whether they wereresponsible to drawing, painting, orcleaning, everyone enjoyed the processof mural painting.

English&Fine Art

Appreciation
ReflectionMar.

In the new semester, we
hang our mural on our school
front hall and the students
made the mini posters tointroduce what we and ourpartner painted on the mural.
Also we invited school
principal and teachers totake photos with us before
we sent the mural.

Students were so excited to see themural displayed in the school. They wereproud to show parents and students
what they did. They had the sense ofachievement.

English# Aim of the Lessons and Result
Aim: Rank A to C in order you put emphasis on (A: very much/ B: much / C: not so much)
Result: Rank 5 to 1 (5: very effective / 4: effective / 3: so- so / 2: not so effective / 1: not effective at all)

Expected Effect

AimResult

Understanding our owncultures

A5

Understanding theother’s cultures

B4B4C3A5

A

4

Attitude in learningA

5Expression ability

B

3Appreciation ability

A

5Communication ability
in the class/with partners

IT skills
Creating friendshipin the class/with partners

Collaborationin the class/with partners

How your students have reached it
We did a research on the Internet and some storybooks.
Students researched, discussed, and shared their information.
We learned from the online forum which our partner shared theinformation and photos about their festivals through a year. We
also learned from the video conference and did a research onthe Internet.
They didn’t have enough confidence and they were shy to open
their mouths to speak English. I think they need more chances topractice speaking English.
They had basic computer skills; however, they were not familiar
to use IT. They did their best to learn and to practice.
They developed good friendship with their partners throughonline forum and video conferences. They also like theintroduction cards and snacks sent by our partner.
Mostly, they did a great team work in class. They sometimes had
different ideas and argued with it; however, they could finally findup solutions.
They were positive and active in the whole learning process.
They could express their ideas in their mother tongue very well;
however, it’s hard for them to express ideas using different
language. They need more practice to speak English in public.
They did a great job to make mini posters introducing the muralto other students, teachers, and parents.