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Special invitation instructor, Judith Clancy conducted an “Evening Seminar for the Highly Motivated English Speaker” over 11 sessions from October 13, 2009 to January 26, 2010. Instructor at area universities and the NHK Culture Center, Judith Clancy has long persevered in relaying information about Japanese culture to the English-speaking world.
Many KIT undergraduates express an interest in continuing to take English courses even after they have completed all our available English coursework. For their part, graduate students need an opportunity to speak English on a regular basis so they can communicate effectively when they go abroad to present papers at conferences. We wanted to provide an opportunity for these students and for our faculty and staff to revitalize their speaking proficiency.
The interest on the part of undergraduates, graduate students, faculty and staff was even higher than we had expected. In spite of this being the first time for us to hold an evening English class, the 30 available slots filled up in 4 days.
The content of this seminar by Judith Clancy, a specialist in Kyoto, dealt with places of historical interest, applied arts, and explanations on wabi and sabi (aesthetics valuing the humble, imperfect, impermanent and incomplete).
Participants agreed the discussion-centered classes had worked to improve their ability to explain Japanese culture and traditions, something they discovered didn’t come automatically by virtue of being Japanese.
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