2000 – More to come!
During these years, I was asked to write a children’s English program for KDDI using the Sesame Street characters. Children whose parents subscribed to its broadband were able to go on line and learn English with Elmo, and get feedback. This was at first a one-year project, but it was extended to two years. Another project that came up shortly afterwards was the Pizza Hut English program. This CD-ROM was distributed to families with children who ordered pizza! Children were able to study English with “Cheese-kun” and his family. Writing for a CD-ROM and website was an interesting experience.
Then came the second edition of Let’s Go and the new addition, Let’s Go Starter for younger children. Starter is an alphabet and phonics book for pre-schoolers with alphabet practice and vocabulary, as well as topical sentences and short dialogs. This is a great introduction to the alphabet, sounds and basic English sentences, which leads smoothly into the Let’s Go series.
As if we weren’t worn out from writing the second edition, my co-authors, Karen Frazier and Barbara Hoskins Sakamoto and I were asked to start thinking about the third edition of Let’s Go! This was quite a challenge, since the market said teachers were asking for more features to add to the contents. But working hard and fast, the third edition was written and published. With it came a new level, Let’s Begin, which can be used for pre-school or first grade levels, after Let’s Go Starter. It was added to the already huge series of Let’s Go components.
We have reached many thousands of teachers through our seminars and workshops throughout Japan and Asia. We are now getting inquiries from other countries throughout the world. I hope that the MAT METHOD® will spread, not only for teaching English, but for teaching other subjects as well. Many school teachers have used MAT with their other subjects and have found that the students perform very well with it. I hope teachers everywhere will get to know and use the MAT Method® in all their lessons!