Japan and USA Student Pen-Pal Project
While working on the JET programme, I organized a pen-pal project between 3rd year middle school students in Nagasaki, Japan with 4th grade elementary school students in the Brownsville Independent School District (BISD) in the USA. The project started in winter 2010 and continued until spring 2011. Students sent letters written using both the Japanese and English languages to communicate, and even sent items that they made or bought as presents.
At first, the 23 elementary students sent detailed self introductions along with pictures of themselves to their potential pen-pals in Japan. The 60 middle school students sent replies to each student as decided by their teachers. The students sent letters on special events and holidays.
I was able to hand deliver the final letters from the middle school students to their pen-pals during a visit to the USA. There I spoke about Japan and the school where their pen-pals attended. They asked many questions and were intrigued by the many differences between Japanese and USA schools, but overall they were mostly surprised by the large number of similarities. It was a very good learning experience for the students.
At first, the 23 elementary students sent detailed self introductions along with pictures of themselves to their potential pen-pals in Japan. The 60 middle school students sent replies to each student as decided by their teachers. The students sent letters on special events and holidays.
I was able to hand deliver the final letters from the middle school students to their pen-pals during a visit to the USA. There I spoke about Japan and the school where their pen-pals attended. They asked many questions and were intrigued by the many differences between Japanese and USA schools, but overall they were mostly surprised by the large number of similarities. It was a very good learning experience for the students.