Thomas Mach
Konan University
I am a professor of English and Intercultural Studies at Konan University in Kobe, Japan. This site links to my courses and other things that I am involved in.
The links for freshmen students who are taking my spring EIC (留P) combined Speaking/Listening course.
The links for sophomore students who are taking my spring EIC (留P) Intermediate Speaking course.
The website for freshmen students who are taking my fall EIC (留P) Intermediate Presentation course.
The website for Konan students who are taking my fall 国際理解 English course.
The website for international students and Konan students who are taking my fall Joint Seminar course.
I live in the countryside of Japan (丹波篠山) near both Kobe and Osaka. I spend most of my free time making pottery and taking care of my vegetable garden. My pottery is mostly stoneware made with wild clay that I dig, mix, and process. They are fired in a single-chambered, down-draught woodfired kiln (薪窯) with a sprung arch. My wares are functional -- some glazed and some not. Most of the glazes I use are natural ash-based ones derived from my woodstove ashes and also plant-based ashes gathered from garden waste. Everything grown in my garden is completely organic.
This is the website that I manage for our part-time staff of native-speaking English teachers. "Genbun" is the nickname for Konan's Institute for Language and Culture where I work -- It is an abbreviation derived from Gen (言 = language) and Bun (文 = culture).
This is main Japanese site for the entire university. A simpler English site is also available.
This is the Japanese site of the institute which is responsible for foreign language education for all Konan students here on the main Okamoto campus. In Japanese, the institute is known as 国際言語文化センター, or simply 言文センター (Genbun Center).
I serve as a faculty advisor to our International Exchange Center (KIEC). This English site provides an overview of Konan's programs and activities targeting international students. KIEC's Japanese site provides more in-depth information, including study abroad programs for Konan students.
Konan's Global Zone Porte, mainly managed by KIEC, is a large learning space encompassing a self-access center for English learning (known as Language LOFT) as well as other zones designed with cross-cultural communication and other intercultural opportunities in mind.
Language LOFT is the name of our English self-access center here on Konan's main campus, and this English site is mainly used by students to access online materials while visiting LOFT.