About Japan: tofugu.com

Documentaries about Japan, available online. Most are free, perhaps one or two you have to pay for. I recommend you check out all the documentaries that are free, and decide which one is interesting.

https://www.tofugu.com/japan/documentaries-about-japan/

The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe

http://www.onestopenglish.com/skills/listening/serialized-macmillan-readers/macmillan-literature-collections/crime-stories/the-tell-tale-heart/

• The Tell-tale Heart: Part 1

  Author: Daniel Barber
  Part 1 of this crime story introduces us to the storyteller, who describes how he patiently waited for the right moment to kill. In this lesson, the students will: briefly discuss the topic of murder; listen to a short extract in order to find out why the storyteller decides to commit murder; study the meaning of some key vocabulary; listen extensively for gist; examine the author’s use of assonance and onomatopoeia; predict the ending.

• The Tell-tale Heart: Part 2

  Author: Daniel Barber
  Part 2 of this crime story concludes with the police paying a visit to the cold-blooded killer. Can he stay calm long enough to avoid suspicion? In this lesson, the students will: listen to various predictions about the story’s ending; listen for gist to check the predictions; listen for detail; explore stress timing; discuss aspects of the story in detail; debate the storyteller’s state of mind.

MOOCs

Massive Open Online Course

Poster, entitled "MOOC, every letter is negotiable", exploring the meaning of the words "Massive Open Online Course"

A massive open online course (MOOC /muːk/) is an online course aimed at unlimited participation and open access via the web. In addition to traditional course materials such as filmed lectures, readings, and problem sets, many MOOCs provide interactive user forums to support community interactions between students, professors, and teaching assistants (TAs). MOOCs are a recent and widely researched development in distance education which was first introduced in 2008 and emerged as a popular mode of learning in 2012.

Early MOOCs often emphasized open-access features, such as open licensingof content, structure and learning goals, to promote the reuse and remixing of resources. Some later MOOCs use closed licenses for their course materials while maintaining free access for students.

Reference: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massive_open_online_course

LINKS:

Infographic: http://moocs.com/index.php/the-rising-power-of-moocs-infographic/

What is a MOOC?  http://youtu.be/eW3gMGqcZQc

Recommended MOOCS

If you are interested in self-study, here are some MOOCs to consider:

IELTS Review

English Composition

Preparing for a Job Interview

LGBT Marriage: Pros and Cons

On June 26, 2015, the US Supreme Court ruled that gay marriage is a right protected by the US Constitution in all 50 states. Prior to their decision, same-sex marriage was already legal in 37 states and Washington DC, but was banned in the remaining 13. US public opinion had shifted significantly over the years, from 27% approval of gay marriage in 1996 to 60% in 2015, according to Gallup.

Proponents of legal gay marriage contend that gay marriage bans are discriminatory and unconstitutional, and that same-sex couples should have access to all the benefits enjoyed by different-sex couples.

Opponents contend that marriage has traditionally been defined as being between one man and one woman, and that marriage is primarily for procreation. 

Read more on: 

http://gaymarriage.procon.org/#Background

Nagoro Town Video

Dolls Replace People

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/short-film-showcase/dolls-replace-people-in-this-deserted-town

Welcome to Nagoro, Japan. Human population: 37. Doll population: 350. Ayano Tsukimi lives in this small village on Shikoku, one of Japan's four main islands. When villagers die or move away from Nagoro, Tsukimi makes a life-size doll and places it in a spot that was meaningful to that person. Now the doll-scattered town has started attracting tourists. Journey through Nagoro in this short film by filmmaker Fritz Schumann.

The Cove: Documentary on Dolphin Hunting in Taiji

The movie may be accessed on YouTube. 

http://youtu.be/P08ay4y-gE0