さあ、想像してみてください。- Now, imagine this.

ここは、アメリカ南西部の大自然。- You’re in the vast wilderness of the American Southwest.

Close your eyes and picture this—you’re sitting on the terrace of a historic lodge, perched high above the canyon. The golden hues of sunset stretch across the horizon, casting long shadows over the rugged cliffs. Travelers gather, quietly taking in the vastness before them. A gentle breeze carries the crisp mountain air, blending with the soft murmur of conversation. Every journey has a story, and every story comes to life through conversation.

This is AJ’s Talk Room—where travel, sports, and culture come alive through real conversations and immersive storytelling.

旅には 物語があり、物語は、会話を通してこそ人に伝わるものです。 それが、AJ’s Talk Room です。 旅、スポーツ、文化をテーマに、リアルな会話を通して世界を広げる空間です。

AJ:
Welcome to AJ’s Talk Room.
ホストの AJ です。今日は、素敵なゲストをお迎えしています。 英語教師のミッシェルさん、そして最近英語スクールに通い始めた由美さんです。 AJ’s Talk Room を英語学習にどう活かせるのか、その隠れた魅力を一緒に探っていきましょう。

AJ:
Thank you both for being here today. Yumi, feel free to speak in Japanese if that’s more comfortable for you.

よろしいですね、由美さん。

I believe you’ve seen our latest video, where I talk about my journey through the Grand Circle. How was it?

Michelle:
I really enjoyed it! The storytelling, visuals, and real conversations made it so engaging. I felt like I was on a journey while watching. Did you take all these photos and videos yourself?

AJ:
Yes, I did! Which part did you like the most?

Michelle:
It’s hard to choose just one place. How about you, Yumi? Which part did you like the most?

Yumi:
そうですね、本当に、行ってみたくなるようなおころがたくさんありましたから。でも、レイク・パウエルとコロラド川の川下りが、私には特に印象に残ってます。

Michelle:
I enjoyed the section on Zion National Park, too, Yumi. But more importantly, AJ, I really liked how you edited the video—it was so well done! The storytelling was engaging, and I could vividly picture you visiting those places and feeling the excitement.

AJ:
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed the video and found it engaging. You mean these parts with these pictures?

Michelle:
Yes, the visuals really brought the story to life. Seeing real photos and videos made me feel like I was actually there. It’s one thing to hear about a place, but when you see it like this, it’s much more immersive.

Yumi:
本当に。私も、実際に行ってみたいと思いましたよ。とても、素敵なところみたいですね！

Michelle:
As an English teacher, I also realized how valuable this video could be for my students. The combination of natural conversation and real-life topics makes it an excellent learning tool.

Of course, understanding everything on the first watch might be challenging for my students, but I believe it becomes easier with repeated viewing. In class, we often use newspapers and magazines, but they don’t always reflect real-life English. Also, when it comes to learning conversational English, lessons often end up feeling dull and repetitive. It’s hard to find learning materials like AJ’s Talk Room—where you get engaging, real-life content.

AJ:
Michelle, that’s exactly what I wanted to talk to you both about today.

Michelle:
Your video is incredibly useful for listening practice. But more importantly, they provide real-world exposure to conversational English and topics that people actually talk about in daily life. When learners hear English in context, they naturally absorb phrases and sentence structures without even realizing they’re studying. That’s why I always tell my students that real-world exposure is key, and your videos provide exactly that—in a way that’s both enjoyable and practical.

AJ:
That’s great to hear, Michelle!
由美さん、今のミッシェルさんの言ったことは、だいたい理解できました？

Yumi:
ええ、なんとなくわかりました！単語を拾いながら、だいたいの意味はつかめた気がします。楽しく英語が学べるのが良いって言っていたと思うのですが、そういう意味では、私も動画を楽しく拝見しました。でも、正直、私には ちょっと英語が難しく感じました。

AJ:
そうですよね、最初は 難しく感じるかもしれませんね。多分、字幕を見ていて、英語は あまり耳に入っていなかったんじゃないですか？ でも、この動画を使って英語を勉強してみたいと思いました？

Yumi:
どうですかね。やっぱり、私には、少しレベルが高い気がします。

AJ:
もう一回、はじめから動画を見直したらどうなると思いますか？

Yumi:
字幕を見る頻度が減るかもしれませんね。

AJ：
多分、ストーリーが分かっているから、英語を聞くことにもっと集中できるはずです。それに、わからないところで動画を一時停止して、気になる単語やフレーズを確認するのもいいですね。それに、この動画の会話のテキストが見られるのは 知っていますか？

Yumi:
紙に印刷したスクリプトを見ながら動画を見るということですか？

AJ:
実は、AJ’s Talk Room の動画は ウェブサイトからも視聴できるんです。そのウェブ版をスマホで見るとこんな感じです。これなら、動画を見ながら、その下に表示される英語のスクリプトをスクロールしながら確認できますよね。

Yumi:
会話を聞きながら、テキストをスクロールして、英語のスクリプトを読んで会話の内容を追いかける感じですか？

AJ:
そんな感じですが、わからない単語やフレーズが出てきたら、動画を止めてスクリプトの気になる部分をスワイプ・拡大して、そのまま意味を調べることもできるんです。例えば、"perspectives" という単語の意味がわからなくて、気になったとしますよね？ その場合、この単語を長押しすると 『調べる』が出てきて、こんな感じで意味を確認 できますよ。

Yumi:
すごいですね。そんなことまでできるなんて！ スマホで ワンタップで意味を調べられるなら、すごく便利ですね。わからない単語が出てきても、その場ですぐに確認できるのは いいと思います！これなら、ぜひ 使ってみたいです。

Michelle：
You know, Yumi, I wonder if the key is really in how we use it. With this video system and your smartphone, maybe it’s more than just watching—it becomes a powerful tool for learning.

By listening carefully, reading along, and looking up words instantly, you can actively build your vocabulary. And if you listen repeatedly, almost like an audiobook, you’ll get even more exposure to natural English. The more time you spend engaging with English this way, the more natural it feels—even if you don’t understand everything at first. But over time, you’ll start to grasp the flow of conversations and understand their meaning.

Maybe it’s not just about learning English but about becoming comfortable with real English.

AJ:
由美さん、ここで、お二人が印象に残ったシーンのクリップを一緒に視聴してみませんか？

Yumi:
そうですね！じゃあ、お願いします。

AJ:
では、私がレインボーブリッジへのツアーについて話した後、ゲストの女性がコメントしている場面から見てみましょう。

(Sample Clip 1)

Sarah:
That sounds incredible. Rainbow Bridge is massive and impressive, but it sounds like the journey itself was even more breathtaking. Especially on the way back, you must have enjoyed the views of the clouds drifting across the sky, the shimmering lake, and the towering cliffs surrounding you.

AJ:
Absolutely. The views were unreal—it felt like a completely different world out there. Well, the next morning, we set off on a half-day rafting trip down the Colorado River—a fun and relaxing way to experience the canyon from a completely different perspective.

AJ:
ここで少し動画を止めて、説明しますね。

今の会話では、サラが AJ のある日の出来事について、話と映像を見終わった後にコメントし、それに対して AJ が返答しています。そしてこの後、次の日のコロラド川のラフティング・ツアーの話へと続いていきます。では、続きを見ていきましょう。

(Sample Ckip 2)

AJ:
The next morning, we set off on a half-day rafting trip down the Colorado River—a fun and relaxing way to experience the canyon from a completely different perspective.

We started at a small pier directly beneath Glen Canyon Dam, boarding a rubber raft with an engine along with about 20 other passengers. Drifting away from the towering dam, we entered a world of steep red rock walls, reflected perfectly in the calm river waters.

Not long after we started, our guide—a Native American woman with years of experience leading rafting tours—began sharing stories about Glen Canyon and the Colorado River. She explained how the landscape had been shaped over millions of years, pointing out layers of rock that told a story far older than humans themselves.

Not long after we started, our guide—a Native American woman with years of experience leading rafting tours—began sharing stories about Glen Canyon and the Colorado River. She explained how the layers of rock, shaped over millions of years, held stories far older than humanity itself.She also spoke about the people who arrived in this region during the Gold Rush era, sharing insights into those who ventured here beyond the Native American communities.

Before reaching Horseshoe Bend, we made a brief stop at a riverbank, where a short trail led us to ancient petroglyphs carved into the canyon walls. Left behind by the Ancestral Puebloans centuries ago, these markings were a glimpse into a civilization that once thrived in these remote canyons.

Back on the raft, we continued downstream until we reached Horseshoe Bend, now seeing it from below—the very place where we had stood on the cliff two days earlier. Looking up, the canyon walls seemed even more immense and overwhelming from the river.

Then, our guide had us do something unexpected—she asked us all to scream up toward the people standing on the cliff above. Apparently, this was a long-standing tour tradition. After shouting, we looked up and listened carefully. For a moment, we thought we could faintly see people waving and hear distant voices from above, but it was hard to be sure. I actually recorded a video of this moment, capturing not only our voices but also the echoes bouncing off the canyon walls.

(Voice of the guide):
So, I’ll count to three; we say hello. They can hear us. So everybody, when I count three, wants to say hello? All right. So ready? One - two - three. Hello!

Sarah:
That’s amazing. I love how everyone went for it.

AJ:
From there, we continued our journey downriver. Horseshoe Bend was about halfway to Lees Ferry, and as we moved further, the canyon walls, which had felt impossibly high at the start, gradually began to lower. It was a subtle but fascinating shift, as if the river itself was guiding us out of the deep canyon and into the open desert.

Approaching Lees Ferry, our guide told us about its historical significance. Before Navajo Bridge was built in 1929, Lees Ferry was the only river crossing for hundreds of miles. For generations, Native tribes, pioneers, and traders relied on a small ferry to make their way between northern Arizona and southern Utah. What seemed like a quiet and remote spot now had once been a vital link for survival and trade in this rugged region.

After a journey filled with history, breathtaking scenery, and unexpected moments, we finally reached Lees Ferry, marking the end of an unforgettable experience on the Colorado River.

Sarah:
That must have been incredible—learning all that history while floating through the canyon. If I ever get the chance to visit Glen Canyon, I’d love to experience both the boat tour and the rafting—it sounds so fascinating.

AJ:
Later, we boarded a bus that took us back to Page. As we crossed the Navajo Bridge once more, we retraced our route through the desert landscape, arriving back in Page by early afternoon.

--------------

AJ:
2回目の視聴の感想はどうですか？由美さん、字幕を見る頻度が少なくなって、映像も楽しめたし、英語を聞いて理解することにも集中できたのではないでしょうか？話や映像に引き込まれながら、ネイティブの自然な英語を聴き、理解すること。それこそが、生きた英語を学ぶ上で、大きな効果を生みます。そう思いませんか？

Yumi:
本当ですね！1回目とは 全然違いました。字幕に気を取られずに済んだので、旅をしている気分になれて、とても面白かったです！英語は まだ少し難しく感じましたけど、分かる部分もあったので、この動画システムを活用して英語を勉強してみたいなと思いました。何回か見直して、分からない単語を調べながら見れば、私でも完璧に理解できるようになりますよね？

Michelle:
I think so, Yumi. I’ve been teaching English in Japan, and I’d love to use this video as a teaching material for my students. I know that for students to truly learn, the materials need to be engaging—not boring. And they need to hear real, natural English—not just textbook phrases. When learning is fun and immersive, you’ll stay motivated and keep improving!

AJ:
Thank you, Michelle. I’m really glad to hear that you’d like to use this material in your teaching. I hope it helps your students learn English in an enjoyable and engaging way.

Lastly, I want to mention that this video can also be a great audio resource—something you can listen to while commuting, driving, or even doing daily tasks. Just like an audiobook, hearing natural conversations repeatedly helps you absorb English effortlessly.

Michelle:
That’s an interesting idea—it allows learners to focus entirely on listening comprehension. I’ll definitely recommend it to my students. It’s a great way to fit English study into daily life weather commuting, cooking, working out, or even taking a walk. Listening repeatedly, even without watching, helps train the ear to pick up natural rhythms and expressions.

AJ:
Exactly! The more time you spend with English, the better you’ll get.

みなさん、いかがでしたか？ AJ’s Talk Room の動画は、知らぬ間にストーリーに引き込まれ、ネイティブの英語を聴きながら、自然に理解できるように作られています。この方法で学ぶことで、文法中心の教科書ではなかなか学べない、実際のコミュニケーションに必要な、生きた会話表現を身につけることができます。まさに、革新的な英語教材ですね。

Yumi:
今日はありがとうございました。思いがけず、素晴らしい英語学習ツールと勉強方法を知ることができて、とても嬉しいです！

AJ:
Yumi and Michelle, thank you both for your time today.

それでは、次のエピソードでまたお会いしましょう！