Community-Based English Learning

     I started teaching English in Osaka Prefectural Higashi-Mozu Senior High School a month ago.  For a month, I have been wondering how I can motivate my students to study English.  In the mean time, as I have commuted from Doto Bus Stop to the school on foot, I found a mysterious pyramid-like mound half covered with countless tiles in the middle of a park.  One day, on my way to a convenience store in the morning, I dropped in at the park, and walked around the mound out of curiosity.  And I posted my curious experience on a travel review site, with full of enigmatic words.  On another day, on my way back to the bus stop, I found a sign in front of a temple, which accounted for the history of the temple, Ono-ji Temple, and the nearby mound, which turned out to be the ruins of an ancient Buddhism pagoda, Doto.

     The travel review site informed me that Doto is currently ranked #43 out of 156 things to do in Sakai City.  If I post its reviews in English again, with a properly explanatory manner this time, I may be able to promote the pagoda, and attract inbound tourists to it.  I would like to let my students witness Western backpackers looking up to Doto, and Asian travelers strolling around Doto, pulling their suitcases behind themselves.  I would like my students to see learning and using English matters.

     To inform about the surrounding area, I have already listed Ono-ji Temple, to which Doto used to belong, and Doto Shrine on the travel review site, which are currently ranked #141, and #142 accordingly.  I have to wait another three months to post the next review about Doto, observing the rules of the travel review site.