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1. What prompted you decide to participate in the "JSPS Science Dialogue" program?
The "Science dialogue" is an excellent way to introduce basic scientific ideas to high school students and to get the students familiar with daily and scientific English vocabulary.
2. To what did you give greatest attention in preparing and giving the lecture?
Every Science dialogue is different, depending on the teacher's requests. Considering that 60 students were present in the room, it became impossible to demonstrate experiments, so I tried to prepare y presentation using simple vocabulary and trying to point out the main ideas through examples taken of the daily life.
3. Did you find it difficult to give a lecture in English to Japanese students? Could you give some advice to future lecturers on how to facilitate communication with Japanese students?
Giving a lecture in English to Japanese students was a very interesting experience. The most difficult part was to get the attention of 60 students for more that one hour. Maybe if the number was limited to 20 students it would have been easier. However, Ms. Noriko Hiroi prepared a vocabulary list that the students received a few days before the talk. It seemed to make the dialogue easier.
4. Could you give your impression with regard to participating in this program?
Participating to the Science dialogue was very interesting. After the lecture many students came to talk to me. I learned a lot of things about Japanese high school education and I could enjoy sharing my passion for Science with them.
5. Was it meaningful in terms of your fellowship activities?
Definitively yes, being a scientist is not limited in working in a laboratory, it is also sharing the few things we know with young students and in a general manner with non-scientists.
6. In what ways do you think the students benefited from the program?
It is difficult to say, there would a different answer for each and every student.
7. Could you give some overall advice or comments to future participants in the program?
It would be interesting to give the lecture to a limited number of students at the time. Preparing some vocabulary in advance is helpful. I still think that every lecture is unique and depends on the student's level, on the scientific equipment o the school and on the request of the teacher. Getting in contact with the School is the best way to prepare the lecture. Nara Super Science School and Mr. Morita ? the organizing teacher- have been extremely helpful and kind and I really would like to thank them for that.
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