[mesmark]

It's I-my-me-mine time again at the JHS here in Japan.

Do people in other areas teach kids to remember pronouns like this? Just chanting over and over again.

I my me mine,
You your you yours,
he his him his,
she her her hers
it its it
Ken Ken's Ken Ken's
we our us ours
you your you yours,
they their them theirs

Given the ball to run with, I tech them as separate groups (my, your, her, his ...) and later (me, you, her, him ...) It just seems so confusing to try and memorize the chart in the chant method. By confusing, I'm talking about translating that chant into actual language when needed. Many of them can't remember what the order actually means. "he-his-him-his but which one do I use?"

Anyway, I'm wondering if people teaching in other places do this. If so, do you see the benefit of it? If so, help me to see it.

[simplyesl]

I have never taught this, although i don't really teach jhs on a consistent basis...

[emile]

lol, I remember learning Latin this way. My teacher would have us chanting amo, amas, amat, amamus, amatis, amant. To this day, I remember that damn chant, so this technique must have some kind of lasting effect.

[mesmark]

Quote emile

To this day, I remember that damn chant, so this technique must have some kind of lasting effect.

It definitely works. Many Japanese adults can still remember it. I guess it's like a song.

Anyway, the chanting is almost over ...

[smy2brazil]

My latin teacher did it with Porto... SAY YOUR PORTO'S she yelled every time I used the wrong conjugation. I remember the rhythm of the chant, but now in my memory it's more like Porto Portas Portant Portantis Portamus Portanst... in other words... I don't remember it.

The problem with those chants, out of context, is that when I am speaking (now latin based Portuguese) I don't have time to go back and think which word from which column I should use. I need to feel the word.

[mesmark]

Hey, smy2brazil! Welcome over here.

I like the avatar.

[Manuela]

Hi Mark,
I don't see any use in teaching students such chants either.
I do the same groupings you do. And I teach him, her, them in a sort of by the way way, while teaching other things. For example:
(after inviting a student in front of the class.
Look at him! What does he look like? (He is tall, with short, brown hair and blue eyes). or Look at him. What is he wearing today? or Look at them. What are they doing? (when students have been asked to mime doing something.) Look at him! What's his name?
Look at her! What's her name! etc.
or whatever else I am teaching. So they simply get to use those pronouns without me saying that those are pronouns.
I really don't think that chants help you to actually use the words you remember with their help.
Such mnemonics may come in handful for let's say remembering the order of adjectives before a noun, for example. I remember this OSASHCNM (for opinion, size, age, shape, colour, nationality, material) but of course this kind of thing is only useful when taking exams when you have to tick the correct answer. So basically even this is useless when you actually speak. It may help you when writing a composition to check things out before handing it in, maybe.
Well the Beatles were sort of remembering this chant too, weren't they? Didn't they have a song entitled I my me mine ? or something like that?
Well, happy teaching
manuela

[ziamcmia]

my partner teacher wanted to teach the chant since that is how she memorized the forms. (she recited them for me in a sing song manner). i agree that chanting doesn't tell you how to use each word though. so we modified the chant with a little added japanese.
we also went around a circle, with one student saying "I" then the class shouting "ha"
and continued with
my/no, me/wo, mine/nomono.

apparently there is also a jpop tune called "i, my, me, mine" by polysic that could be used in japanese classes. i haven't heard it myself though, so i'm not sure if it ichinensei friendly.

[mishiki]

I was wondering if learning these pronouns has ever been made into a song (Not the Polysics song. Here it is if you're curious.)
YouTube - polysics - i my me mine

Y'know, taking a popular melody and somehow inserting all of these pronouns and how they're used, to make a new song out of it.

When I was learning Japanese, my teacher taught us how to remember the ~te form by using the melody from "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town". Maybe some of you know this.
It sounded odd at first, but it's stuck in my head.

If not, it might be my new project for the rest of the year.

Does Japan have something similar to the School House Rock educational tunes?

- Michelle