LEE SARAH E

Date(From)

2024/04/01

Date(To)

2024/06/26

Subjcet

Critical Thinking Course

Summary

The critical thinking course is one which prepares students to critically analyze and interrogate language, arguments and premises. The course includes fundamentals of logic, with an overview of how logic applies to analyzing rhetoric and framing arguments in rhetorical writing. In addition, the course includes practical exercises in digital media literacy designed to heighten students' awareness of problems like disinformation or false information, as well as skills to research sources and images in order to verify their validity. Students learn how to research organizations and authors, how to trace information shared on social media and verify its origins, and how to access fact-checking sites which can offer more context and analysis. As a final project and exam, students collaborate on presentations in which they teach selected skills as a way to reinforce their understanding and review skills covered in the course.

Date(From)

2023/04/01

Date(To)

2024/06/25

Subjcet

Second Year Research Writing

Summary

In this course, students write in a variety of academic registers aimed to prepare them for three different tracks in the English department. For the first writing assignment, students read about and select one of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's SDG goals to analyze respond to in essay form. This essay invites critical engagement with the topics and is a preparation for "professional English". In the second essay, students choose from a selection of short American fiction. In groups, students discuss and analyze the stories guided by discussion questions and help each other to identify key themes. They then write a literary analysis of the short story based on their discussions. This assignment is aimed to prepare students for literature and cultural studies. Finally, students select and read articles about cross-cultural communication as it relates to language learning and teaching. They formalize a response to the article in outline form and then write their response in class as a final essay exam. Throughout the course students learn the basics of how to use MLA format, how to document sources, how to structure an academic essay, and how to revise their work using peer and teacher feedback.

Date(From)

2023/04/01

Date(To)

2024/06/26

Subjcet

Third Year Research Writing

Summary

In this course, students engage with texts and other sources to reinforce their understanding of topics discussed in their Third Year Seminars and apply these ideas in academic writing and research. Assignments have included journals, summary and synthesis, reaction essays, semiotic analysis, and annotated bibliographies. Students are introduced to the fundamentals of database and online research, MLA style, and academic citations. Students produce 3-5 long-form written projects throughout each semester in preparation for their graduation thesis.