Mum & Toddler Class

Well, we are very happy to announce, that our mum & toddler classes are continuing to blossom. Word of mouth is spreading around the city, and things are really taking off. The kids are settling into the classroom environment well, and are becoming more confident with every lesson. The new games we bought, have also proved to be a big hit with students. Saying that, the basic BINGO game is always such a big hit and extremely popular with everyone.

Yeah.. for BINGO!

イースター　ピクニック

４月4日日曜日に浜寺公園にてイースターピクニックを
開催します。お忙しいと思いますが保護者の皆様とご一緒に参加下さいます様よろしくお願い致します。お昼御飯を食べますのでお弁当や飲み物、敷物を忘れずにお持ち下さい！当日は中央の噴水の前で１０時５０分に待ち合わせの予定です。時間厳守でお願い致します。イベント中は、くれぐれもお子様から目を離さないようご注意願います。なお雨の場合は中止をさせていただきますのでご了承下さい。

日時：　４月 4日（日）

時間：午前１１時～午後12:30 時

場所：浜寺公園

参加費：　お一人様　￥５００
　　　　　　　　　　　　

Easter Egg Hunt
宝探しをするようにお部屋の中や庭に隠されたイースターエッグを探す。 
Making Easter Egg
イースターエッグ作り。タマゴはゆで卵、中身を取り出した生卵、またクラフトだったりします。 
Egg Toss
二人づつペアになります。どのペアが一番遠くまでタマゴを投げて割らずにキャッチできるかを競う。 
Egg and Spoon Race
スプーンの上にタマゴを乗せて、タマゴを落とさないで走るレース。 
Egg Roll
丘の上からタマゴを割らずに誰が遠くまで転がせるかを競う。 



Looking forward to seeing you all there.
ダンロイ.

Dublin Bay

On the 13th of December we held our school year end party in the Namba area of Osaka. We met on the forecourt of Nankai namba station and then slowly walked down the covered market to an English themed pub called HUB. There are quite a few HUB bars in the city, and the decor is pretty consistent throughout the chain, with authentic posters and furniture. They serve a variety of pub food, the most famous being Fish & Chips, served with proper Sarson's malt vinegar. After a few drinks we decided to try the new Irish bar across the street. Dublin Bay is a great little bar in the heart of the city, serving some quality draft ales, including my favorite London Pride. Talking with the owner Shinji, I soon discovered that the bar is due to expand onto the riverside over the summer, knocking down the rear wall to take advantage of the renovation works on the Dotonburi river.
This bar is sure to become a favorite on the Osaka entertainment scene and quite rightly too!

Cheers,

Roy.

I bought a play parachute (balloon) from Maude’s sports in the UK last month. It was a bargain at £35, and simply put, such a good buy. I remember using one with a 5-12 year old play-group, during my time as a youth worker at Powis Community Centre in Aberdeen. Luckily, it arrived just in time for our annual school BBQ in Hamadera Park. It had been quite a few years since I had last used a parachute, so I wasn’t quite sure how to incorporate English into the games at first. Other than using the parachute colours themselves, I was quite stuck. Then, a sudden rush of inspiration led me to Daiso ¥100 store, where I bought some plastic balls, fluffy toy fruit & vegetables and was now ready to Rock n’ Roll. On the 27th of Sept we all met in the park at 10:50am, as planned. I had the BBQ gear all set up ready for lunch, with the hamburgers, hot dogs and yaki-soba in the cool box ready to go. I quickly gathered the kids and sat them down on the blue ground sheets and played a few warm-up games, using simple questions like “what’s your name?” and “ do you like .....?”. I use a few toy cell-phones that have beeps & bells do do this. Works really well with the sound effects!
Later, I pulled out the parachute and the kids went wild, running around chasing the coloured plastic balls. Luckily, no one got injured or upset, and the day carried on smoothly for all in attendance. Big thanks to all the parents for lending a hand with the parachute games. Takes quite a lot of effort to control the contraption, getting everyone to lift & drop the parachute in unison, on command. The Halloween party is coming up and it’s sure to come in handy during the party.

check out our events page for details on Halloween!

Tapas Bar

Our next adult event will be held on the 18th of April, at a small Tapas Bar in Shinsaibashi. It's a great venue with heaps of character. The food & drinks are authentic and well priced. There are 15 members confirmed so far. If you would like to join us, then contact our school for further information.

Roy.

Easter Picnic
イースター　ピクニック

日時：　４月１２日（日）

時間：午前１１時〜午後１時

場所：浜寺公園

参加費：　お一人様　￥５００

４月１２日日曜日に浜寺公園にてイースターピクニックを開催します。お忙しいと思いますが保護者の皆様とご一緒に参加下さいます様よろしくお願い致します。お昼御飯を食べますのでお弁当や飲み物、敷物を忘れずにお持ち下さい！当日は中央の噴水の前で１０時５０分に待ち合わせの予定です。時間厳守でお願い致します。イベント中は、くれぐれもお子様から目を離さないようご注意願います。なお雨の場合は中止をさせていただきますのでご了承下さい。

Easter Egg Hunt
宝探しをするようにお部屋の中や庭に隠されたイースターエッグ（最近はチョコレートのタマゴが主流だそうです）を探す。

Making Easter Egg
イースターエッグ作り。タマゴはゆで卵、中身を取り出した生卵、またクラフトだったりします。

Egg Toss
二人づつペアになります。どのペアが一番遠くまでタマゴを投げて割らずにキャッチできるかを競う。

Egg and Spoon Race
スプーンの上にタマゴを乗せて、タマゴを落とさないで走るレース。

Egg Roll
丘の上からタマゴを割らずに誰が遠くまで転がせるかを競う。

Looking forward to seeing you all there to help make this a great Easter.

Roy Dunn

Murphy's

On Saturday, I took a group of students out on a British culture night. We met in the ticket hall of Namba station at 7pm, then made our way to HUB. In keeping with the English theme, we ordered Fish & Chips, Ale, Gin & Tonic and an array of other dishes. Despite our varied abilities, everyone made an effort to chat across the table in English. And, although there were a few mistakes here & there, new friendships were made. After a few photographs, we walked briskly to Murphy's, our next port of call.

Murphy's Irish Pub in Higashi-Shinsaibashi, is a gem of a watering hole! With it's authentic food, drinks & international bar staff, we were guaranteed to have a great time.
As soon as we arrived, the barman helped arrange the tables, and swiftly took our orders.
While chatting, we were entertained by the local musical duo ALSON. They played some classics & many of our requests. Everyone was singing and clapping along. This was the first time for many of our students to experience Irish hospitality, and Murphy's certainly left a great impression with everyone.

A big thanks to all at Murphy's!


英会話に興味のある方やイベントに一度参加したい方は、高石校までご連絡下さい！
Tel: ０７２ー２６１ー７２０１

Mother & Toddler Class
ママ＆子供のクラス

I'm pleased to announce, that we are now offering new Mother & Toddler Classes on Monday mornings at 10:00am. The classes are 40min duration, and incorporate many imaginative games and exercises, designed to stimulate your child's learning experience.
All classes are phonics based, with listening games, flash-cards, exercises and songs, to ensure that your child acquires the necessary pronunciation & listening skills, required to communicate with people in English.

If your interested in observing a class, or wish to talk about your child's education, then please call or email to book an appointment.

Many thanks,

Roy Dunn.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Firstly, I'd like to wish all our students and their families a very Merry Xmas & Happy New Year.
Our 2008 Christmas Party was a complete success and the perfect end to a truly amazing year for me.
A very big thanks! goes out to Warren, Jay, Keiko & Kazuko for all their help on Sunday.
It was a real giggle and the kids had such a laugh at Santa and his merry moments.
There was a great turn out of students, despite the late announcement, illness, fatigue.......etc.
I look forward to seeing you all at our Easter picnic in Hamadera Park on the 12th of April, 2009.

If your interested in attending an event or would like more information on our English Courses, then drop by the school or give us a call.

Best Wishes,

Roy Dunn.

This is a very special year for me, as traditionally we've held our Halloween parties in regular class time.
But, this year will see our first joint Halloween event.
The party is on the 1st of November at あすとホール松之浜駅の前 and will begin at 10:40am and end at 12:20pm.
We are asking that all students make an effort to attend in costume, to help make the event more authentic.
There will be a prize for the best costume, with music, Bingo, face painting, drawing and more .............
So, bring a friend to help make this a very Happy Halloween.

Thanks,

Roy.

Our next event will be held sometime in september at HUB, a very popular English pub, in Namba. The actual date has not been decided yet, and will depend on the number of students available to attend. If you are interested in studying English and would like to take part in this event, then give us a call or send an email to confirm your attendance.

Many thanks,

Roy Dunn.

We will be holding our first school event, on either the 7th or 14th of July at Futaba Bowl in Matsunohama, depending on student availability. Our plan is to meet at 7:00pm, where students can purchase a 3 hour game pack ticket, upon entry. All adult Students & their friends are welcome to attend the event. Students are under no obligation to attend or to participate for the full 3 hours. Let's just get together to have some fun, speak English and relax. If your interested in studying English and would like to attend this event prior to taking a trial lesson, then call or email me to book a place.

Thanks,

Roy.

I popped into Osaka on Sunday, from the newly opened, Matsunohama station. Quite a good view from the new elevated platform. You can see right up to Kurotorri Park, with Katsuragi & other mountains spanning the skyline. In Namba Parks, I had brunch at the New York Bagel shop. Very well priced & great tasting fillings. The smoked salmon and cream cheese number, brought back memories of Brick Lane and the East End of London. Later I had a gander around Next on the second floor. As it's imported, the prices are quite high, but you can see the quality of the material & difference in the colours, to Japanese clothing. If your into British culture, you should drop by Next to check out their stuff.

The heat is on in Osaka. It was 30 deg today and sure to be 35 the next few months, so I had a new air conditioner installed this morning. That's sure to keep the constant influx of students happy and content. We have had 24 students sign-up since the 14th of April. That's pretty good going and a sign that our approach to teaching, and the range of services we offer, are what people want. Almost every student that has come to our school for a trial lesson has joined! If your interested in studying English for the first time or just want to brush-up your conversation skills, then call us or drop by the school, for an informal chat about our services & your aims.

Best wishes,

Roy Dunn.

Trial lesson trilogy. Three young learners & their mums came to our Takaishi classroom this morning. We worked through some colours & fruits, practiced their pronunciation, and then finally, we played a guessing game to round things up. Young learners are always a challenge, as they find it hard to concentrate for more than a few minutes. Therefore, I like to cram a variety of related activities into a 45 minute class. These usually consist of card games, colouring activities, music, actions, arts & crafts. Kids love to make and build things, so the arts & crafts activities always go down well. Who needs Tony Hart?

Cheers,

Roy Dunn.

Yeah, things are going great. New students are joining every week. All the kids are settling in to class & my teaching style. On top of this, I'm seeing clear progress with many of the young learners. Our Ad will be in Pado on Friday the 18th, so keep an eye out for it. If your living in Takaishi and would like to study English, then drop by the school or drop me a line via email.
Cheers,

Roy Dunn.

Went mad yesterday, and painted the whole place white. Looks a little like a clinic at the moment. hope I'm not predicting my own flight over that cuckoo's nest? Once I get the tables and chairs in, a few posters on the walls, it'll look the biz for sure. I bought international flag bunting from a catalogue at Torrishi Junior High School. very bright and colouful, and also very useful for playing games. Having a day off from Takaishi, just to get rid of this cough and re-join the human race.
I'll be at the school Monday & Tuesday for trial lessons, so drop by if your interested.

Roy.

There's a lovely blue sky over Osaka today. The temperature is is rising and I've already seen a few cherry trees starting to bloom. The folkes should arrive to a very warm & colourful Kansai on Monday. We're headin' out for Yaki Nikku later in the week with the Bear. Should be a hell of a do.

Yesterday, saw the completion of the ceiling and the first coat of paint for the edges. I was totally whacked afterward and unable to communicate with my computer. Hence, the absence of any rants on the 26th. Today, I fitted the ceiling light and built a countertop, as desk space and storage. Looks really cool. The worktop was left over from my system kitchen exploits. The Bear knows!

Later, Roy.

I'm all out of steam this evening! Spent the best part of a day at the school, and only managed to paint the shutter, put the stringers in for the ceiling and get a few sheets of ply secured. Where's hany Andy, when you need him? All said, the school looks better day by day, so tomorrows the final push. Should have the ceiling finished and the lights up.
The rest will have to wait, as I've a few trial lessons this week. Looking forward to the new term. The school adverstisment will be in Pado next month. Sent the pictures and write-up to them by mail. If your in Izumiotsu or Takaishi, keep an eye out for our Ad.

Thanks, Roy.

Today, I finally managed to get the main signboard assembled, painted and hung. The frame is made of 25mm poly waterpipe, which I cut and glued on site. Very easy and light. A bit like a puzzle or lego. I then, attached the tarpaulin sign to the frame and secured it to the fascia at the ridge of the roof. I chose this style of sign, as the Nankai train line runs infront of the school and you can see the sign clearly from the train. Great advertising. The tarpaulin print only cost ¥15,000, from this cool office in downtown Osaka, Asida Corporation. If you need any type of printing needs, they are the place to visit. If you use the Nankai Line local service, keep an eye out on the bayside as the train pulls out of Takaishi station bound for Wakayama. You'll see our school.

Cheers, Roy

Picked up the keys to the school yesterday, and the place looks great! The teaching area is spacious and bright, with plenty of room for students to relax. Still a few things to finish off myself, but they are just personal. Dropped off the white board, posters, flyers and Nobori (japanese advertising flags) today. I bumped into a few students, who had came by to check out the location. Which was great. My parents will arrive at the end of March and will be just in time for the opening party. If your free and want to check out Takaishi's newest English school, then keep an eye on this site! Thanks, Roy.

Our new school in Takaishi is almost near completion. I hope to be hanging the final signboard over the weekend. Spent a few days last week riding around Takaishi posting flyers and had lots of calls from potential students. I think the first lesson will be on the 9th of April, as there are still a few interior items to be bought and ofcourse, an opening party to be held. If you live in Takaish and are thinking about studying English. Then, drop by the school anytime, for a coffee and an informal chat about your studies.