Welcome to Tokyo JALT
Recent Events in 2024
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Speaker Event: Judit Kormos and Shungo Suzuki: Investigating Second Language Fluency

Date: September 29th, 2023

Time: 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Location: Zoom

RSVP: https://forms.gle/Kzh7HoK4q3heh5SQ8

Facebook: https://fb.me/e/2SHas1y1K

Investigating second language fluency among Japanese university students: Predictors of performance and task-related variability

Abstract:

In the context of the learning and teaching of second language (L2) speaking skills, oral fluency is commonly regarded as one of the major learning goals, due to its important role in real-world communication. A certain level of fluency is necessary to maintain the interlocuter’s attention in oral communication and to be able to save speakers’ own face (Lennon, 2000), and oral fluency is also a significant factor in the comprehensibility of L2 speech (Suzuki & Kormos, 2020). Fluency constitutes an important aspect of the assessment of speaking skills in a variety of high-stakes oral proficiency tests and is also a robust indicator of L2 proficiency (Tavakoli et al., 2020). Therefore, it is essential to better understand L2 oral fluency as a construct particularly in the Japanese higher education context where learners need to develop spoken language proficiency for use in future workplace contexts.

In this presentation, we report two studies forming part of a larger project that has investigated predictors and variability in L2 oral fluency among 128 Japanese university students. Speech data were elicited using four speaking tasks: argumentative task, picture narrative task, and reading-to-speaking, and reading-while-listening-to-speaking task. We assessed utterance fluency (observable temporal features of speech) using measures of speed, breakdown and repair fluency. We measured cognitive fluency, which is defined as speaker's ability to manipulate L2 knowledge efficiently (see Segalowitz, 2010), by means of vocabulary size and grammaticality tests and lexical retrieval, sentence construction and articulatory speed. In the first study, we examined the relationship between the utterance and cognitive fluency, and in the second study we analysed variations in temporal features of fluency across tasks. Our findings yield insights into what L2 skills and knowledge areas learners need to develop to become fluent L2 speakers and how cognitive demands of different types of task can exert an impact on the fluency of students’ performance. The findings can assist in syllabus and curriculum design for university-level language teaching as well as inform the assessment of Japanese university students’ oral communication skills.

References:

Lennon, P. (2000). The lexical element in spoken second language fluency. In H. Riggenbach (Ed.), Perspectives on fluency (pp. 25–42). University of Michigan Press.

Segalowitz, N. (2010). Cognitive bases of second language fluency. Routledge.

Suzuki, S., & Kormos, J. (2020). Linguistic dimensions of comprehensibility and perceived fluency: An investigation of complexity, accuracy, and fluency in second language argumentative speech. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 42(1), 143–167.https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263119000421

Tavakoli, P., Nakatsuhara, F., &amp; Hunter, A.-M. (2020). Aspects of Fluency Across Assessed Levels of Speaking Proficiency. The Modern Language Journal, 104(1), 169–191.https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12620

Bios:

Judit Kormos works as a Professor in Second Language Acquisition at Lancaster University. Her research interests include the psycholinguistic aspects of second language acquisition, reading comprehension and speech production. She is also the author of several research papers that have investigated the accessibility of language tests for young learners. She was a key partner in the award-winning Dyslexia for Teachers of English as a Foreign Language project sponsored by the European Commission and is a lead educator in the Dyslexia and Foreign Language Teaching massive open online learning course offered by Future Learn. She is the author of the book Speech production and second language acquisition and The second language acquisition processes of students with specific learning difficulties. She has published a large number of research articles in international journals on the role of cognitive factors in second language learning and fluency in second language speech.

Shungo Suzuki is an Assistant Research Professor in the Perceptual Computing Laboratory at Waseda University, Japan, and currently is a Principal Investigator of the project, Development of Online Language Learning Assistant AI System that Grows with Humans, funded by New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).

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State of the Chapter event + EdTech event - MALL applications and games: Tools that can be used in Japanese EFL classrooms

Date: July 30, 2023

Time: 12:45 pm - 2 pm

Location: Zoom

RSVP: https://forms.gle/pKjKZKWPSDJBnRjM8

Facebook: https://fb.me/e/2JXtlO0ot

As part of our annual State of the Chapter event, we are very happy to welcome Christopher Saarna and Yukiko Yoshihara as our featured speakers. Following a brief chapter meeting, during which we will announce officer election results, there will be an EdTech workshop on MALL applications.

These EdTech practical workshops are for language teachers who want to know more about EdTech and look for different ways to implement new ideas in their teaching. Each presenter will demonstrate an EdTech tool and give the audience some hands-on experience.

Abstract:

Faced with an ever advancing environment of technology in the classroom, research on mobile assisted language learning (MALL) has been lacking, particularly in a Japanese EFL context. The present study surveys 189 Japanese non-English majors in two women’s universities in Japan. The study finds that although most participants had little motivation to study English outside of the classroom, they had generally favourable views on learning language via MALL applications and games. Additionally, more than half of participants reported engaging in autonomous learning via MALL applications outside of the classroom. However, most students did not engage with the applications for a long period of time.

Bios:

Christopher Saarna is a graduate of the Temple University Japan TESOL program. He has been working for 8 years in universities and vocational colleges in Japan. His research interests include CALL, Content and Language Integrated Learning, and vocabulary acquisition.

Yukiko Yoshihara obtained the Master's degree in TESOL from Temple University Japan. She has taught English at several universities. Her areas of interest include Content and Language Integrated Learning, coaching in teaching, extensive reading/listening, shadowing, Communicative Language Teaching, and learner motivation and autonomy.

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EdTech: Technology-mediated peer feedback for improving students’ writing skills

Date: May 28, 2023

Time: 6pm-7pm

Location: Zoom

RSVP: https://forms.gle/52P9CAkzchk3vP2v6

Facebook: https://facebook.com/events/s/edtech-technology-mediated-pee/1483747348826133/

EdTech practical workshops are for language teachers who want to know more about EdTech and look for different ways to implement new ideas in their teaching. The presenter will demonstrate an EdTech tool and give the audience some hands-on experience.

Abstract:

Peer feedback can be one of the most useful activities for improving learners’ writing skills, learning autonomy, and critical thinking skills. However, especially in the Asian context, students are struggling to give honest feedback to their peers, mostly for cultural reasons (Nation and Carson, 2016). This issue can be solved using several websites and applications that transform peer feedback into an anonymous and easier-to-handle activity. In this webinar, we will explore technology-mediated peer feedback and propose several approaches and tools to implement it effectively in your courses.

Bio:

Panagiota (Penny) Tzanni is an EAP Lecturer and Course Designer at the University of Nottingham Ningbo, China. After completing her MA in Applied Linguistics at the University of Birmingham in the UK, she worked as an EAP Tutor at various universities around the world, including Coventry University and UCL (University College London. Panagiota (Penny) is now reading her PhD at Lancaster University on Technology-enhanced Learning and e-research.

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Back to Moodle: Getting ready for the next school year

Date: Mar 27, 2023

Time: 6pm-8pm

Location: Zoom

RSVP: https://forms.gle/5MuQJebtxnFaZjRY7

Facebook: https://fb.me/e/2HR1yR0ng

EdTech practical workshops are for language teachers who want to know more about EdTech and look for different ways to implement new ideas in their teaching. The presenter will demonstrate an EdTech tool and give the audience some hands-on experience.

Abstract:

Test drive your own Free Moodle: In this hands-on workshop, participants will be guided through setting up a test-drive Moodle and then how to design a Moodle course to enhance classes. Setup is simple: access the URL https://SOMETHING.demo.wisecat.net and replace “SOMETHING” with a word of your choice. Then follow the on-screen instructions to make your user account and give your new Moodle a name. Note: these test-drive Moodles will be open from the day of the workshop and deleted two weeks later.

Participants will then be guided through applying the SDCE model to scaffold Moodle use and augment F2F teaching effectively. Several modules will be covered, followed by some tips on how to reduce teacher labour including grading the easy way. Finally, the floor will be opened for questions.

Bio:

Adam Jenkins is an educator at the Shizuoka Institute of Science and Technology where he created and is the administrator for the iLearn@SIST e-learning platform. In his role, Adam oversees nearly 500 online courses taught by more than 80 professors and delivered to over 1,600 students university-wide.

Adam also has a pair of YouTube channels (WiseCat), in English and Japanese, with videos to help teachers and administrators use educational technology, especially Moodle.

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How to get published

Date: Mar 11, 2023

Time: 7pm-8pm

Location: Zoom

RSVP: https://forms.gle/abKEFVV7VjsPhPQq6

Facebook: https://fb.me/e/RvrMhE0t

Abstract:

Join us for a panel discussion of the basics of getting published in the journal format, with a specific emphasis on JALT-related publications. It will be followed by a Q&A session and end with an introduction to the new format of the Tokyo JALT Journal.

Bios:

Paul Lyddon is Co-editor of The Language Teacher (TLT), a position he has held since late 2020. Before that he served for 7 years as a TLT manuscript reviewer. Since 2011, he has also reviewed manuscripts for a number of other academic publications, including The Modern Language Journal, CALICO Journal, and Language Learning & Technology. In addition to several articles in the JALT Proceedings/Post-Conference Publication as well as book reviews in JALT Journal, he has published his own work in venues such as The Modern Language Journal, Foreign Language Annals, and English for Specific Purposes. Paul teaches in the School of International Relations at the University of Shizuoka. He has been a JALT member since 1997.

Dennis Koyama has been the editor of the JALT Journal (JJ) since early 2022 after serving as associate editor of JJ for two years. He has been a manuscript reviewer for JJ and the JALT Post Conference Publication as well as other internationally peer-reviewed research journals, such as Language Testing, Language Assessment Quarterly, The International Journal of Educational Research, Journal of Second Language Writing, CALICO Journal, Language Learning & Technology, and IEEE Transactions on Emerging Topics in Computing. He has experience publishing research in edited volumes in addition to being the editor of a book, and he has published in several of the journals for which he has been a reviewer. Dennis has been a JALT member since 1998 and currently teaches in the Faculty of Liberal Arts at Sophia University.

Jeremie Bouchard is associate editor of the JALT Journal. He has reviewed manuscripts for a number of academic publications, including Asian Englishes, Current Issues in Language Policies and Planning, Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, and Asian Studies Review. He has published two monographs and co-edited three volumes for Springer, Routledge, and Palgrave Macmillan. He has also published four peer-reviewed articles in venues such as JALT Journal, Asian Englishes, and Journal of Critical Realism, and two more articles will be published this year as well. Jeremie is professor in the Faculty of Humanities, Hokkai-Gakuen University, Sapporo, Japan. He has been a JALT member for approximately twenty years.

Student Presentation for the 2022 Tokyo Showcase:

Ryota Okano

Is sleep duration associated with academic performance?: A review of 15 studies that used statistical analyses

The purpose of this research is to investigate whether there is a relationship between sleep duration and academic performance and to enlighten students on the importance of sleep duration if there is such a relationship. A PubMed search retrieved 23 papers comparing sleep duration and academic performance, 18 of which concluded there is a relationship between sleep duration and academic performance and the rest of the papers reported either no relationship or inconclusive results.

Is there really a relationship between sleep duration and academic performance? We compiled the data from the above studies into a table and compared their purposes, methods, numbers of participants, regions, gender, and confounding elements in order to investigate the true nature of the reported relationship between sleep time and academic performance.

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TYL event - Teaching English to Young Learners Today: The Singapore Experience

Date: Feb 18, 2023

Time: 2pm-5pm

Location: Zoom

RSVP: https://forms.gle/GH39Z6Fvv3vEBHu57

Facebook: https://fb.me/e/3eEbYqOgq

This event, sponsored by Tokyo JALT and the TYL SIG, is for teachers of kids to young adults, so teachers of preschool, kindergarten, elementary school, junior high school, and senior high school, are all encouraged to come! As always, there will be great presentations and lots of time for discussion and networking.

Abstract:

The presentation will first begin with an overview of some of the widely accepted principles for teaching English to young learners. There is general agreement among ELT experts and practitioners that young learners seem to learn best when they are immersed in highly interesting and accessible language, when they get to practice the language in a fun and engaging way and when they get to use the target language for meaningful interactions. They also believe that while some attention to language forms may be needed, the bulk of classroom instruction should be used to expose young children to rich and meaningful language.

The second part of the presentation will illustrate how these language learning principles play out in a national English language curriculum for young learners in Singapore. Typically starting with receptive skills (e.g., listening to and/or reading highly interesting stories), the learning sequence then extends to productive skills (i.e., speaking and writing), all the while couching the learning in a rich language environment that aims to build greater fluency and enjoyment.

Bios:

Dr Willy A Renandya is a language teacher educator with extensive teaching experience in Asia. He currently teaches applied linguistics courses at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He has given numerous presentations at international ELT conferences and has published extensively in the area of second language education. His publications include Language Teaching Methodology: An anthology of current practice (2002, Cambridge University Press) and Student-centred cooperative learning (2019, Springer International). He maintains a large teacher professional development forum called Teacher Voices: https://www.facebook.com/groups/teachervoices/.

Website: Willy’s ELT Corner https://www.willyrenandya.com

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com.sg/citations?user=gHW1fVIAAAAJ

Dr Donna Lim is a lecturer with the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. She specialises in primary English Language (EL) methodology courses. Her interest area is in developing literacy with a focus on teaching writing. She has considerable teaching experience with young learners and finds it fulfilling to work with schools to enhance EL teaching and learning.

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EdTech Gamification Workshop

Date: Jan 29, 2023

Time: 11am-12nn

Location: Zoom

RSVP: https://forms.gle/esCVMwZ8FMZfKSQd8

Facebook: https://fb.me/e/Hb8W4qP2c

Abstract:

These EdTech practical workshops are for language teachers who want to know more about EdTech and look for different ways to implement new ideas in their teaching. Each presenter will demonstrate an EdTech tool and give the audience some hands-on experience.

Oliver Rose - Three web apps for ‘live’ in-class games

The presenter will introduce the following web apps which he designed, with input from Paul Raine, who also programmed them:

a) LingoMatchLive: In this communication game, players are divided into pairs who have to describe a list of target words to each other without saying the actual word (similar to the well-known ‘taboo’ game). A leaderboard shows the progress of the pairs, adding some fun pressure to communicate more quickly and fluently. It can be accessed free with no registration required here: https://lingomatch.live

b) LingoBingo: This is a bingo game in which the game host describes the target item and can see the progress of players as they respond on their smartphones. Game contents can be customized to use pictures or text. Students can also host a game with their group from their phone. It can be accessed free with no registration required here: https://lingobingo.live

c) LingoLabLive: This game has students competing with each other to create target sentences from given prompts. The prompts can be a combination of text, picture and audio. The answer can be set to one of 3 difficulty modes. It can be accessed free with no registration required here: https://lingolab.live

In this session the games will be demonstrated and their design and use will be discussed.

Adam Kardos - Digital Gamification for Young Learners

In recent years we have seen a proliferation of digital learning resources. Many of these make use of gamification in order to keep learners motivated. But are simple digital games and points enough to keep young learners fully engaged and putting in the extra work they need to learn a language? How exactly do digital gamified learning resources motivate young learners? This presentation will use Self Determination Theory to examine the effects of fun, points trophies and other features of gamification on the motivation of young language learners.

Bio:

Originally from Australia, Oliver Rose has taught EFL in Japan for 18 years and currently teaches at Kwansei Gakuin University in Hyogo, Japan. His special interests are in TELL (Technology Enhanced Language Learning) and materials design, especially for providing intensive productive language practice.

Adam Kardos, founder of AAS Press, is a teacher trainer and curriculum writer based in Hyogo. He has published textbooks and readers for young learners including Spring Country and Here Come the Unicorns, winners of the Language Learner Literature award. He has also produced the Gamerize Dictionary, a gamified learner dictionary app.

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EdTech 201: Language Labs & ZenGengo

Date: December 9, 2022

Time: 7-8 pm

Location: Zoom

RSVP: https://forms.gle/m5YMMY8ze5PHMJ5e6

Facebook:

Abstract:

EdTech 201 is a practical workshop for language teachers who want to know more about EdTech and look for different ways to implement new ideas in their teaching. In EdTech 201, each presenter will demonstrate an EdTech tool and give the audience some hands-on experience.

Erin Noxon: Make your own free LL using Google Docs, Classroom, Forms, and Videos

Monitored read-aloud practice, listening to different speakers, answering questions... All things you would love for your students to be able to do in the language lab. But, do you have the time, the budget, and can you find the right software? And how do you even begin to get feedback on how they are learning? What if you could do it all for free, with equipment that you already have lying around, and, after the initial set up time, the class took care of itself? Over the past years I've created my own curriculum out of spare parts, using G Suite tools for voice recognition, Forms-based grading and more. I'll teach you how to do it.

Paul Raine: Nation’s Four Strands and Digital Language Pedagogy with ZenGengo

In recent years, the move toward blended and hybrid forms of language learning has led many teachers to re-evaluate their digital toolsets. Language teachers in particular need not only a reliable set of tools but also a solid pedagogical framework within which these tools can be put to use. Renowned linguist Paul Nation argues that a well-balanced language course should consist of “Four Strands”: meaning-focused input, meaning-focused output, language- focused learning, and fluency development. In this presentation, the speaker will demonstrate the effectiveness of ZenGengo (www.zengengo.com), a web-based language teaching and learning platform, in creating activities that correspond to Nation's Four Strands.

Bio:

Dr. Erin Noxon teaches at Sagano High School in Kyoto, Japan. She has taught EFL English, science, and Tech & Media skills during her 20+ years of teaching in public schools in the US and Japan. She is a Google Certified Innovator and is currently researching global learning with EdTech, ALT training, and public school blended learning environments.

Paul Raine (MA TEFL/TESL, University of Birmingham 2012) is an award-winning teacher, presenter, author, and developer. His books include the best-selling 50 Ways to Teach with Technology and the innovative multi-path graded reader Journey to Mars. He has helped design and develop several websites for teachers and learners of EFL, including abaxlms.com and zengengo.com. He has published numerous research articles on the teaching and learning of English as a second language, and is particularly interested in Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL). He currently teaches at universities in the Tokyo area.

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Spelling the foreign: A few observations on katakana and beyond

Date: October 15, 2022

Time: 7-8 pm

Location: Zoom

RSVP: https://forms.gle/WRZZAkuxgo67YXiD9

Facebook: https://fb.me/e/75QJYNUP0

Abstract:

In this talk I will deal with the (ortho)graphic representation of Western loan words in Japanese. I start with a brief overview of katakana spelling rules and the phonemic principles behind them. Next I will discuss other available script options for writing loan words, which include not only hiragana and, where available, kanji, but also the roman alphabet. In a third step, I will speculate about how these unaltered roman spellings of loan words are starting to leave their mark on the romanization of domestic Japanese vocabulary, as witnessed by many innovative spellings based on English orthography rather than Hepburn or kunrei rules. These are particularly common in the commercial domain, with examples such as Cocolo for kokoro, Benry for benri, and, most impressively perhaps, alc for aruku.

Bio:

I am a linguist with special interest in sociolinguistics, pragmatics, and stylistics. I have done research on multilingual signage in central Tokyo, communication in Japanese eldercare, the language of dating spam mails, and, most recently, address terms in American literature. I am also a regular contributor to the Japan Times’ “Bilingual” column. I teach English language and linguistics at Waseda University.

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Multi-word expressions in second language learning and processing

Date: September 25, 2022

Time: 5-6 pm

Location: Zoom

RSVP: https://forms.gle/yBp3mW7Fbvs7Zi5i6

Facebook: https://fb.me/e/20ErTQUyx

Abstract:

Recent years have seen growing interest in multi-word expressions (MWEs) and their role in second language learning and teaching. MWEs encompass a large set of sequences above the word level, such as collocations (strong tea), binomials (fish and chips), multi-word verbs (put up with), idioms (tie the knot), and so on. These sequences differ in a number of ways; however, what they have in common is that proficient language speakers recognise them as highly familiar and use them extensively.

MWEs are important because they constitute a large proportion of authentic spoken and written discourse, and are considered an essential component of mature linguistic performance. The abundance of MWEs puts them at the forefront of vocabulary teaching and learning. In addition, research suggests that using MWEs can be a quick way of developing fluency, particularly, in the early stages of language learning.

In the present talk, I will introduce MWEs and review some empirical evidence attesting to an important role they play in second language learning and processing.

Bio:

Anna Siyanova-Chanturia is Senior Lecturer in Applied Linguistics at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Anna’s research aims to answer important theoretical, practical and methodological questions pertaining to how humans learn and use a second language. In particular, her interests include bilingualism, psychological aspects of second language acquisition, usage-based approaches to language acquisition, vocabulary teaching and learning, multi-word expressions, and quantitative research methods.

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Becoming Ideal Classmates (BIC) Research: 10 years of Becomings

Date: July 31, 2022

Time: 10.30-11.30 am

Location: Zoom

RSVP: https://forms.gle/ErXys4idC3FhiF3i6

Facebook: https://fb.me/e/2zhdA2O3V

Abstract:

We (Yoshifumi Fukada, Tim Murphey, Joseph Falout, and Tetsuya Fukuda) as a research team have conducted studies on group dynamics (GD) and group-framing of motivation since 2008 (almost 15 years). Through conducting various studies on these topics, we have explored how we as EFL instructors can facilitate our students’ positive group dynamics and strengthening their English-learning motivation as well as their engagement in English-mediated socializing.

As outcomes of those studies, we were able to introduce some new GD-related concepts or pedagogies, one of which is Becoming Ideal Classmates (BIC). We introduced Ideal Classmates as a way to provide cognitive and emotional scaffolding that fosters students’ interactive learning and well-becoming. The pedagogy involves first asking students to describe the kinds of helpful behaviors for language learning that they would like to see in their classmates. Then by sharing these ideas, students start to co-construct images of their ideal classmates, and these images can become meta-cognitively understood, potentially creating a turn toward group-caring and altruism through self-transformation; an effect called reciprocal idealizing (i.e. the more I want others to do x for me, the more I myself seem to do x for others.)

We started working on the Ideal Classmates research in 2012 and kept working with it for approximately 10 years. In this presentation at Tokyo JALT, we would like to share some research work on Ideal Classmates, its outcomes, well-becomings, and its recommended continuation through PACE ACTS (a condensed form of many of their ideals).

Bio:

Yoshifumi Fukada (Ed.D., University of San Francisco; Ph.D. candidate, University of Tokyo) is a Professor at Toyo University in Tokyo, Japan. His research interests involve L2 learners’ situated learning, dynamic identities, and agency and motivation in language learning and TL-mediated socializing (both in and out of class). His recent publications include ‘An ethnographic case study of one Korean international student’s TL-mediated socializing in affinity space of the host country,’ (Internationalisation and Transnationalisation in Higher Education, Peter Lang, 2018), ‘Whole language approach.’ (The TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching, Wiley-Blackwell, 2018), and L2 learning during study abroad: The creation of affinity spaces (Springer, 2019).

Tim Murphey (PhD Université de Neuchâtel, Switzerland,) TESOL’s Professional Development in Language Education series editor, co-author with Dörnyei of Group Dynamics in the Language Classroom (CUP/2003), author of Music and Song (OUP/1991), Teaching One to One (Longman/1992), Language Hungry!(Helbling/2006), a novel about Japan’s entrance exam system The Tale that Wags (Perceptia/2010), Teaching in Pursuit of Wow! (Abax/2012), co-editor with Arnold of Meaningful Action: Earl Stevick’s Influence on Language Teaching (CUP/2013), and author of Voicing Learning (2021 Candlin&amp; Mynard). He is presently a semi-retired visiting professor at the Research Institute for Learner Autonomy Education (RILAE), Kanda University of International Studies.

Joseph Falout is associate professor at College of Science and Technology, Nihon University. Awarded five times by Japan Association for Language Teaching for publications and presentations, he edits for OnCUE Journal and EFL International Journal. Falout authored or co-authored 60-plus works on psychology in language learning and teaching. Notable contributions: (1) Past self-images with learning, particularly demotivation, affect remotivation, future self-images, and long-term motivation. (2) Classroom-based motivational interventions such as ideal classmates priming affect group dynamics and individual-level motivations, improving past and future self-images and prosocial engagement. (3) Critical participatory looping integrates teaching and researching, involving students themselves as collaborators.

Tetsuya Fukuda (Ph.D. from Temple University Japan) is currently Lecturer at English for Liberal Arts Program of International Christian University in Tokyo, Japan. He teaches reading and writing courses at the undergraduate level as well as academic writing courses at the graduate level. Tetsuya’s research interests are in psychological issues in language learning including L2 motivation, school belonging, school engagement, and group dynamics. Tetsuya is also actively involved in research about test scores and learning strategies. He has co-authored ten book chapters mainly on educational psychology, published four workbooks, and translated an OECD report into Japanese.

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Tokyo State of the Chapter event with featured speaker Averil Coxhead (Vocabulary in instructional materials: Taking a good hard look)

Date: July 03, 2022

Time: 10.20-11.30 am

Location: Zoom

RSVP: https://forms.gle/ZPmiykXEyQKfZ1vE6

Facebook: https://fb.me/e/1ElWk0fAo

As part of our annual State of the Chapter event, we are very happy to welcome Averil Coxhead as our featured speaker. Following a brief chapter meeting, during which we will announce officer election results, Dr. Coxhead will speak about Vocabulary in Instructional Materials. We hope you can join us!

Abstract:

Instructional materials (e.g. textbooks, teachers’ handouts and even teacher talk) are important sources of input for learners in any context. This talk reports on three studies on the vocabulary of each of these kinds of input and provides practical suggestions for carrying out similar studies of such materials. Finally, we will consider two approaches to evaluating popular textbook exercises for vocabulary.

Bio:

Professor Averil Coxhead teaches undergraduate and postgraduate courses in vocabulary, EAP, TESOL and Applied Linguistics in the School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, Victoria University of Wellington, Aotearoa/New Zealand. Her research interests include general and specialised vocabulary for English for Academic Purposes and English for Specific Purposes. Her recent books include Connecting corpora and language teaching (in press; Foreign Language Teaching and Research); a volume on language in trades education (Coxhead, Parkinson, Mackay & McLaughlin (2019, Routledge); Vocabulary and English for Specific Purposes research (2018; Routledge), and a series of textbooks called Reading for the academic world with Professor Paul Nation (2018, Seed Learning). Averil is currently researching specialised vocabulary, including multiword units, in spoken and written English in the trades and higher education.

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Mind, Brain, and Education Series Part 4: Stories in the Brain . . . and in the Classroom

Date: June 03, 2022

Time: 7-8 pm

Location: Zoom

RSVP: https://forms.gle/ZCr1LT2roG949ygr7

Facebook: https://fb.me/e/3fd0osTIA

The Tokyo chapter of JALT and the Mind, Brain, and Education SIG are happy to be co-sponsoring this 4-part series. We hope to expand your knowledge of the interaction of psychology (the 'mind' part) and neuroscience (the 'brain' part), and their application to teaching (the 'education' part).

Abstract:

Storytelling and education have a long and flourishing partnership. From antiquity to the present day, the power of stories has been recognised. It is the power to deliver a lesson and make sure it is not only remembered but learnt.

This presentation examines stories in the classroom from a Brain Science perspective and explores what lies behind their power to educate: they engage the emotions; they facilitate the sharing of meaning; they engage the mechanisms of social learning (learning from and for others); they provide patterned slices of experience; and this in turn support predictions based on past experience. In other words, stories play to many of the learning strengths of the human brain.

After a theoretical examination of the factors that lend stories their power, we will then exchange ideas for harnessing that power in all levels of foreign language learning. Bring your story-based learning ideas and I will bring mine.

After all, who doesn’t like a good story? And that, my friends, is the point.

Bio:

Stephen M. Ryan teaches at Sanyo Gakuen University, in Okayama, and is active in JALT’s Mind, Brain, and Education SIG. His growing understanding of the power of stories has seen him incorporate storytelling into practically every lesson he teaches.

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EdTech 301: Mark Pegrum - What have Digital Literacies got to do with Digital Wellness?

Date: May 20, 2022

Time: 7-8 pm

Location: Zoom

RSVP: https://forms.gle/JgF3bLsvNCdH2GtTA

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1408394456299036

Abstract:

The technological, informational and sociopolitical developments of the last decade have led to a changed landscape for language teaching and learning. New educational possibilities have opened up, but new demands are also being made of education. As teachers, we are called on to help our students deal with a social and educational context of digital disarray, characterised by digital distraction (due to competing attentional demands), digital disorder (due to the proliferation of misinformation, disinformation and fake news), and digital disconnection from the self and others (due to superficial and antagonistic interactions with otherness).

This seminar charts the kinds of changes that have taken place, examines the ways in which digital literacies can help to deal with these changes, and suggests that improving digital literacy skills can be a way of beginning to promote digital wellness for both teachers and students.

Drawing on the Framework of Digital Literacies, first proposed by Gavin Dudeney, Nicky Hockly and Mark Pegrum in 2013, now used in a range of language learning initiatives in Europe and elsewhere, and subsequently revised in 2018 and 2022, we will look at a series of key literacies of major relevance to language teaching and learning, including information literacy, intercultural literacy, ethical literacy, attentional literacy and critical literacy.

The time has come for language teachers to promote digital literacies – and digital wellness – alongside the teaching of language itself.

Bio:

Associate Professor Mark Pegrum is a Lecturer in Digital Learning in the Graduate School of Education at The University of Western Australia in Perth, where he is also the Deputy Head of School (International). In his courses, he specialises in digital technologies in education, with a particular focus on mobile learning. He is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and his teaching has been recognised through Faculty and University Excellence in Teaching Awards, as well as a 2010 national Australian Learning & Teaching Council (ALTC) Excellence in Teaching Award. His current research focuses on digital literacies and especially attentional literacy; mobile and emerging technologies, including extended reality (XR); and the forms digital learning takes in diverse contexts across the Global North and South. His books include: Brave New Classrooms: Democratic Education and the Internet (co-edited with Joe Lockard, 2007); From Blogs to Bombs: The Future of Digital Technologies in Education (2009); Digital Literacies (co-authored with Gavin Dudeney & Nicky Hockly, 2013); Mobile Learning: Languages, Literacies and Cultures (2014); Mobile Lenses on Learning: Languages and Literacies on the Move (2019); and Digital Literacies (2nd ed.; co-authored with Gavin Dudeney & Nicky Hockly, 2022). Further details can be found on his website at https://markpegrum.com/about-mark-pegrum/biodata/.

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Mind, Brain, and Education Series Part 3: Music in the brain and how it can aid language learning

Date: May 14, 2022

Time: 7-8 pm

Location: Zoom

RSVP: https://forms.gle/eAB7LjnwBy8roMbU9

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/349044180504460

The Tokyo chapter of JALT and the Mind, Brain, and Education SIG are happy to be co-sponsoring this 4-part series. We hope to expand your knowledge of the interaction of psychology (the 'mind' part) and neuroscience (the 'brain' part), and their application to teaching (the 'education' part).

Abstract:

Music is found in all cultures worldwide. It is an international language that communicates emotion across other language barriers. Importantly, listening to music involves the whole brain. We will explore how music is processed not only through our ears and auditory cortex, but also through our senses of touch and sight, and how we can recall music through visual and tactile stimuli as well as an audio stimulus. We will experience how instrumental music activates areas of the brain associated with language. And understand why motor areas of our brain are activated automatically when we hear music, even when we are sitting or lying still. These phenomena explain why using music in a classroom is especially stimulating and conducive to learning. Participants will be invited to share the ways in which they use music in their classrooms and the positive outcomes they have experienced. The presenter will also introduce additional suggestions for using music to stimulate language learning both in the face-to-face classroom and when teaching online.

Bio:

Amanda Gillis-Furutaka is a professor in the Department of English at Kyoto Sangyo University. She has an MA in TESOL from the University of Birmingham and a PhD in music from the University of London Goldsmiths College. She has taught in a variety of countries and researched in a variety of fields but her main interest these days is how to apply the latest findings in brain science to the language classroom. She is an active officer, writer, and presenter for the JALT Mind, Brain and Education SIG.

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Mind, Brain, and Education Series Part 2: The Role of Different Types of Memory in the Learning Process

Date: April 16, 2022

Time: 7-8 pm

Location: Zoom

RSVP: https://forms.gle/A15d6C2DS352gqFR8

Facebook: https://fb.me/e/2iD3gUt71

The Tokyo chapter of JALT and the Mind, Brain, and Education SIG are happy to be co-sponsoring this 4-part series. We hope to expand your knowledge of the interaction of psychology (the 'mind' part) and neuroscience (the 'brain' part), and their application to teaching (the 'education' part).

Abstract:

This session will take an introductory look at the three main kinds of memory--sensory, working, and long-term--and look at how they work together during the learning process. In addition, we'll explore how the memory types interact in Cognitive Load Theory, one of the major theories of learning today. With this theory in mind, we'll end by discussing and reflecting on the implications for teachers and practical ways to apply these ideas in our classrooms.

Bio:

Julia Daley currently teaches English writing and conversation at Hiroshima Bunkyo University. Prior to that, she taught writing in the USA at the secondary and tertiary levels. When she isn't diving down neuroscience-related rabbit holes, she's busy being bossed around by her very demanding cats.

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Mind, Brain, and Education Series Part 1: The C Factor: The Overlooked Dynamic in Successful Language Classes

Date: March 11, 2022

Time: 7-8 pm

Location: Zoom

RSVP: https://forms.gle/R8RRLPbnnaFBM6VB7

Facebook: https://facebook.com/events/s/bowyer-kelly-mind-brain-and-ed/321515086587965/

The Tokyo chapter of JALT and the Mind, Brain, and Education SIG are happy to be co-sponsoring this 4-part series. We hope to expand your knowledge of the interaction of psychology (the 'mind' part) and neuroscience (the 'brain' part), and their application to teaching (the 'education' part).

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The C Factor: The Overlooked Dynamic in Successful Language Classes

Abstract:

Every teacher knows that some classes click and some don't. Those that do are more likely to engage, more likely to stay on task, and more likely to produce a positive energy. They are a pleasure to teach. Those that don't are a labor. In those classes, speaking activities erode into silence, exercises get only minimally completed, absence rates are high, and sometimes there is an ether of negativity. We know some factors that cause these class conditions, such as: whether it is after lunch or not, appropriacy of materials, teacher attitude, but we'd like to explore another cause, the C factor, rarely mentioned in the literature, but extremely important in aiding student learning, achievement, and even mental health.

Neuroscientists like Lieberman have recently identified how this key factor is a part of the Default Mode Network, and psychologists like Cozolino explain that in overlooking it, Western psychology has put forward a wrong definition of “human.” We consider it the most important factor in getting students into the right “brain state” for learning, borrowing an expression from Terry Small.

To find out what the C Factor is, and how you can strengthen it, come to this workshop. (Expect lots of interaction)

Bios:

Scott Bowyer is a lecturer in English conversation at Nagoya Gakuin University. He is also a PhD candidate at Nagoya University of Foreign Studies, where he is exploring links between classroom speaking activities and interactional competence. He has also co-authored two English textbooks and is currently the treasurer for the JALT BRAIN SIG because he loves neuroscience and money. Contact him at: scottybowyer1@gmail.com

Speaker, writer, and professor at Kansai University, Curtis Kelly (EdD.), is a brain nerd. He is one of the founders of the JALT BRAIN and producer of the MindBrainEd Think Tanks. He has written over 30 books including the Cambridge Writing from Within series, and given over 500 presentations. His life mission is “to relieve the suffering of the classroom.”

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Gerry Yokota: Teaching Diversity and Equity with the SDGs

Date: March 4, 2022

Time: 7-8 pm

Location: Zoom

RSVP: https://forms.gle/rN3E6zGCqNFTYFhJA

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/446370793890368

Abstract:

Whether we are obliged to use a designated textbook or have freedom of choice in the selection of either commercial textbooks or authentic materials, the perfect text is a holy grail. We must nearly always customize, adapting our materials to suit the needs of our students. In this session, I will first introduce a basic course description that can easily be modified to fit circumstances, and then provide examples of how to adapt various materials to promote awareness of issues such as racism and sexism in an engaging way. Recommended activities include music breaks linked to skills such as writing media reviews, analyzing advertisements to build media literacy skills, and designing public service announcements. Participants will then be invited to share their own ideas in breakout rooms, and finally regroup and share their findings.

Bio:

Gerry Yokota spent her entire full-time teaching career in the School of Language and Culture at Osaka University until semi-retiring in March 2020. She continues to teach part-time in the International College and at Kansai University. Building on her experience as chair of her university’s sexual harassment committee and director of the harassment counseling office, she has also served on the JALT Code of Conduct Committee and is currently a member of the JALT DEI Committee for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She also serves on the executive board of the GALE SIG for Gender Awareness in Language Education.

Website: https://gerryyokota.academia.edu/

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Model United Nations Simulations and English as a Lingua Franca: New Perspectives on Best Practices

Date: February 26, 2022

Time: 7-8 pm

Location: Zoom

RSVP: https://forms.gle/NyuSYd6QFgZ1Yfsv9

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/s/donna-tatsuki-model-united-nat/661102898566481/

Abstract:

One of the most important 21st century skills is the ability to negotiate constructive resolutions. Negotiation is a form of communication that requires more than just language ability. It requires being able to listen to, and communicate with, others within a milieu of diverse language abilities, academic, professional and cultural backgrounds in an increasingly global society. Added to this is the reality that the majority of English spoken globally is English as a Lingua Franca (ELF). Model United Nations (MUN) simulations are uniquely positioned to help students develop their language ability and their global competencies, as well as being ideal opportunities for participants to experience ELF in an intensely communicative context. A common goal in MUN simulations is to prepare students to solve complex problems that are associated with living in a technological, competitive, and globally connected world. This presentation will introduce some insights drawn from research on ELF in MUN simulations and will summarize some of the best practices in MUN event and delegate preparation.

Introduction: Contextualizing New Perspectives: ELF in MUN Simulations

Part 1 ELF, GLOBAL EDUCATION, AND LEARNING IN MUN

Part 2 BEST PRACTICES IN MUN EVENT PREPARATION

Part 3 BEST PRACTICES IN MUN DELEGATE PREPARATION

Q&A followed by Informal Discussion

Bio:

Donna Tatsuki was awarded both an M.Ed and Ed.D degrees in Applied Linguistics from Temple University Japan. She has been teaching courses in English Language Teaching Methodologies and other related areas at Kobe City University of Foreign Studies since 2001. For three years (2007–2009) she was the Director of the International Exchange Program at KCUFS. In 2007 she was promoted to Professor and has thrice been visiting professor/visiting researcher in Italy (Sapienza University, Rome). From 2002–2004 Professor Tatsuki edited the JALT Journal. Besides publishing numerous articles in scientific journals, Professor Tatsuki is also the author, editor/co-editor for several Journal Special Issues including: (2019) Language Policy, Innovations and Practices: A Tale of Two Countries, Journal of Research Institute 59; (2018) Global Negotiation: Perspectives on Teaching and Learning, Journal of Research Institute 58. She convened the World Storytelling Conference in 2012, and has hosted the Global Negotiation Symposium every year since 2017.

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Berger, Mack, Pattison & Sevigny: Assurance of Learning in a university EFL Program: Mapping a quality culture

Date: February 19, 2022

Time: 6:30-8 pm

Location: Zoom

RSVP: https://forms.gle/7XSj8sBeoZtNEioeA

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/918532772195551

Abstract:

In this event, the panel of four colleagues from Asia Pacific University in Oita will share their experiences aligning their English courses with Assurance of Learning (AOL). This event will start with an overview, defining AOL, followed by a demonstration of how the presenters and their colleagues have mapped the goals and objectives of an English curriculum. Next, an overview of the recent aims of the AOL project will be introduced with reports focusing on three specific areas. One purpose of this will be to show how the AOL framework encourages accountability, systematicity, and rigour. Additionally, this framework is as much for a broader curriculum as it is for an individual course. This event will be of interest to language program coordinators, administrators and teachers who are concerned with a quality culture but perhaps not sure where to begin or how to incorporate AOL in their programs and their classrooms.

Bios:

Maiko Berger has taught English at university over the past 14 years. Her research interests include independent learning, extensive reading, and study abroad.

Lindsay Mack is an Associate Professor of English at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University. Her research interests include academic writing, vocabulary acquisition and critical pedagogy.

Steven Pattison is an Associate Professor in the Center for Language Education at Ritsumeikan APU. His research interests include L2 pragmatics, including cross-cultural pragmatics, L2 reading, stylistics, and irony studies.

Paul Sevigny is an Associate Professor at Ritsumeikan APU. His research interests include L2 vocabulary learning, extensive reading, and text-based discussion.

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Teaching Younger Learners in Tokyo

Date: February 6, 2022

Time: 2-5 pm

Location: Zoom

RSVP: https://forms.gle/h48ypEUCWj6vBrR87

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1977568035746390

This event, sponsored by Tokyo JALT and the TYL SIG, is for teachers of kids to young adults, so teachers of preschool, kindergarten, elementary school, junior high school, and senior high school, are all encouraged to come! As always, there will be great, short presentations and lots of time for discussion and networking.

Here is the line-up of presenters:

Session 1

Presenter: Martin Sedaghat

Title: From Phonological Awareness to Phonics: Beginning Literacy Skills in Preschool

Abstract:

Digraphs. Alliteration. Onset-rime. What are they and how can they be taught? This presentation will explore the introduction, instruction, and challenges of beginning literacy skills in a Japanese preschool English program. The differences between phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, and phonics will be discussed, along with the sequencing and progression of these skills. Practical and easily made activities and resources for pre-literacy learners will also be shared.

Bio:

Martin Sedaghat is an English teacher and curriculum designer for the Niigata University of Health and Welfare International Preschool. Originally from California, USA, he has lived in Niigata Prefecture since 2003. Martin is currently studying for his MA in TESOL, and is particularly interested in the use of picture books, board games, and art projects in second language acquisition. He is also serving as the Program Chair for the JALT Teaching Younger Learners Special Interest Group.

Session 2

Presenter: Namiko Tsuruta

Title: Raising Curious and Confident Readers from the Bottom Up

Abstract:

Reading is a skill which most of our EFL learners will hone for the rest of their lives. Rather than worrying about their graded reader homework compliance at the tertiary level, why aren’t we engaging them more in reading many years before that?

Based on my own EFL experience with literacy in the US and my 23 years of EFL teaching experience in Japan, I have found that reading in English is an important but complex process that needs to be encouraged and monitored, and well before our primary school learners pick up a textbook in the 5th grade. Listening to and engaging with picture books as toddlers fosters a love of language that, if nurtured, can develop into independent reading fluency.

Please join me as we review some of the fundamental processes in L2 literacy development. Come ready to discuss what we can do as foreign language teachers to foster our learners’ love of reading. We hope all our learners will succeed in passing the English section of their university’s entrance examination; more importantly, though, we should focus on helping our learners develop more advanced literacy skills, so they can stay current and remain relevant in this ever-evolving global and digital world.

Bio:

Since 1999, Ms. Tsuruta has been teaching English in nursery, primary and secondary schools as well as working in private language schools and teaching business English in the Kanto area. She has also trained ALTs and JTEs in team-teaching and group learning environments in Ibaraki, Nagano and Tokyo for many years. Ms. Tsuruta is currently Program Director of Global Language Institute (GLI) and Creative Director of thetokyolife.jp. Her most recent presentation was at the 2021 international JALT conference where she shared GLI’s one-year virtual exchange project with students in Japan and Nepal. Her research interests include learner identity, autonomy, performance in education, sustainable learning and education, and diversity and inclusion.

Session 3

Presenter: Lawrence Hong

Title: Three Keys to a Successful Phonics Program

Abstract:

It seems like everyone is teaching phonics these days. In a recent unofficial facebook poll between phonics and sight words, roughly 90% of respondents reported using phonics as their main focus when teaching reading. And why not? Phonics gives students the necessary skills to deconstruct and reconstruct words.

While most reading programs in private language schools focus on phonics, you can be sure that no two programs are the same. So how do you design an effective phonics program? By making sure that learning is achievable, motivating, and meaningful. Just like phonics can break down large words into achievable parts, Lawrence will show you how to deconstruct and reconstruct an effective phonics program that will transform your students into motivated readers.

Bio:

Graduating in 2006 from the University of California (LA), Lawrence has been teaching English in Japan since 2007 in a variety of contexts, including large eikaiwa chain schools, small private English schools, private kindergartens, and public elementary schools. For the past eight years, he has been running AES Eikaiwa, a private children’s English school in beautiful Tarui, Gifu. As the sole teacher, he has been able to focus on the many different types of personalities of his students and on creating a successful curriculum to serve them all. While his degree in mathematical economics has allowed him to effectively systematize many aspects of his business, he believes that because each child is different, learning within a rigid system is ineffective.

Lawrence is involved with ETJ, JALT, and numerous unofficial professional development groups. He stands on the shoulders of giants, and wouldn't be where he is today without the help and encouragement from countless amazing teachers and mentors. He enjoys snowboarding and bouldering in his free time, but his recent dad bod will make you question that.

Teaching Younger Learners in Tokyo

Date: February 21st

Time: 2-5 pm

Location: Zoom

Fee: Free for everyone

Contact: tokyojaltyl@gmail.com

Event flyer: https://drive.google.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/230039791967592

This event, sponsored by Tokyo JALT and the TYL SIG, is for teachers of kids to young adults, so teachers of preschool, kindergarten, elementary school, junior high school, and senior high school, are all encouraged to come! As always, there will be great, short presentations and lots of time for discussion and networking. Here is the line-up of presenters:

Eric Kane: Boom Chicka Boom Boom - Rhythm and Melody Basics in the Classroom

COVID-19 has affected families, friends and all professions, including teachers. Especially teachers! Our school found ourselves leaning a lot on online resources, and as we primarily teach children, most of those resources were chants and songs. Why is that? Rhythm and melody are core components in a child’s path towards English language acquisition. Understanding and using these concepts frequently can increase the depth and pace in which our students acquire language. The best part? It’s pretty easy. Bonus!

In this online seminar, we will look at how and why the human brain absorbs language easier and better when funky beats are a part of the curriculum. We will look at practical ways of incorporating this into our classrooms and hopefully have a darn good time doing it.

Bio: Eric has spent the past 25 years in Japan as a student, teacher, school owner, YouTuber, and founder of ELF Learning. In his free time he enjoys barbecuing, craft beer, spending time in Nagano, and tickling penguins when the opportunity arises.

Ben Shearon: From Torture to Bliss: How a focus on fluency made JHS English better for teachers and students

Teaching junior high school students in an eikaiwa setting is a challenge for many schools. Often students and parents choose to move to a juku to focus on 'academic English' and even students that remain can feel their studies are not helping them much with their school classes.

In this presentation I will describe the evolution of a medium-sized eikaiwa's English classes for junior high school students, and how they went from the least enjoyable to most enjoyable to teach. Student engagement, achievement, recruitment, and retention went through the roof after implementing these changes. For teachers at public and private junior high schools it should be possible to implement the same principles in regular school English classes.

Bio: Ben Shearon was born in Germany and grew up in Spain but is saddled with a British passport. He's been teaching for 21 years, 20 of them in Japan and has taught in public elementary, junior, and senior high schools as well as universities. He helps his wife run an English school, blogs infrequently at sendaiben.org and writes about personal finance on his other website.

Lesley Ito: Teaching grammar to children: What's the best way?

People often mistakenly think that methods used to teach grammar to adults , such as explicit teaching of grammar rules using meta-language or consciousness-raising, will work well with children.

The presenter will share what current literature says on this matter, as well as the results of her own action research. Methods that are effective for teaching grammar to children will be demonstrated, such as storytelling and extensive reading, as well as grammar triggers, a method developed by the presenter in her own classroom.

Bio: Lesley Ito is a well-known teacher, teacher trainer, school owner, and award-winning materials writer based in Nagoya. She has taught in Japan for over twenty-five years, won “Best of JALT” in 2011, and has presented professionally throughout Japan, and at the ER World Congress in Dubai, UAE. Winner of the 2015 LLL Award in the Young Learner Category for Backstage Pass, her ELT writing credits include teacher’s guides, workbooks, graded readers, and the e-book Fifty Ways to Teach Young Learners: Tips for ESL/EFL Teachers.

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EdTech 201 - Workshops - Bringing EdTech Tools to the F2F Classroom

Date: Friday, March 19th, 2021

Time: 19:00 - 20:00

Fee: Free for all

Location: Zoom

Questions: TokyoJALTEdTech@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/176091397639069

EdTech 201 is a practical workshop for language teachers who want to know more about EdTech and look for different ways to implement new ideas in their teaching. The theme of this workshop is ‘Bringing EdTech to Face-to-face Classroom.’ In 2021, we are transitioning out of online class and back to campus. Some of us might be teaching f2f or hybrid classes. We are hoping to help instructors with the change. In EdTech 201, each presenter will demonstrate an EdTech tool that can be used in f2f or hybrid settings and give the audience some hands-on experience.

Presenters & Topics:

Chris Mattson - Google Classroom & G Suite

Jason Pipe - Kahoot!

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Teaching Younger Learners in Tokyo

Date: June 20, 2021

Time: 2-5 pm

Location: Zoom

Fee: Free for everyone

Contact: tokyojaltyl@gmail.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/events/215874200323634

This event, sponsored by Tokyo JALT and the TYL SIG, is for teachers of kids to young adults, so teachers of preschool, kindergarten, elementary school, junior high school, and senior high school, are all encouraged to come! As always, there will be great, short presentations and lots of time for discussion and networking. This time, our presenters will address the overarching theme of Collaboration.

Session 1

Presenter: Barbara Hoskins Sakamoto

Title: Adventures in Global Collaboration

Abstract:

Once upon a time in the late 1980s, a publisher thought there might be enough demand to maybe justify the risk in creating a different kind of textbook for children learning English – a book specifically designed to teach English as a foreign language. With authors in different countries and editors in yet another country, and no Internet, collaboration was an adventure! In this session, Barbara will share how collaborative methods have changed since those early days of fax machines, conference calls, and hotel meetings. In addition to some (hopefully) entertaining stories, she will share some of the factors that she believes are essential in creating and sustaining a long-term collaborative team.

Bio:

Barbara Hoskins Sakamoto came to Japan in 1985 with an MATESOL and a plan to teach for two years. While she has left the country since then, she always seems to return. Barbara is a co-author of one of the world’s best-selling textbook series for children learning English, Let’s Go (Oxford University Press), co-author of the online course, English for Teachers (International Teacher Development Institute), and author of the chapter, The role of technology in early years language education, in Early Years Second Language Education (Routledge, 2015). She is an English Language Specialist with the United States State Department and is Course Director for International Teacher Development Institute (iTDi.pro).

Session 2

Presenter: Mari Nakamura

Title: Promoting Young Learners’ Core Skills Through Intercultural Collaboration

Abstract:

In this increasingly complex society, promoting young learners’ core skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, digital literacy, and collaboration must be considered indispensable. The importance of these skills was emphasized in the MEXT 2017 Course of Study, and as of the 2019 academic year, efforts to integrate these elements into English language instruction in elementary schools have begun. In this practical session, Mari will share her two most recent projects for students of different age groups, showing how developmentally appropriate intercultural exchange projects can help young learners attain these essential skills. By joining this session, participants will be able to explore the applicability of such projects to their own teaching contexts.

Bio:

Mari Nakamura teaches young learners at her language school in Kanazawa while managing MELEP, a professional development community for teachers of young learners, and teaching part time at Kanazawa University. Her main interests are literacy education and intercultural exchange projects. Besides teaching young learners and collaborating with professionals, she loves listening to music and is always on the lookout for new up-and-coming artists.

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State of the Chapter with featured guest Zoltán Dörnyei: Long-term motivational persistence in language learning

Date: July 2, 2021

Time: 6:45-8 pm

Fee: Free for everyone

Location: Zoom

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/events/502529167448703

As part of our annual State of the Chapter event, we are very happy to welcome Zoltán Dörnyei as our featured speaker.

Following a brief chapter meeting, during which we will announce officer election results, Dr. Dörnyei will speak about long-term motivational persistence in language learning. He would also like to engage with as many attendees as possible during the Q&A portion of the event, so please have a think about questions you'd like to ask!

Abstract:

Motivation concerns the choice and direction of a particular action, the effort expended on it and the long-term persistence with it. However, the last motivational dimensions – long-term persistence – has received far less attention in past research than the other components, even though student motivation is known to display continuous ebbs and flows as well as a steady ‘leak’, that is, a tendency to peter out with time. This paper will describe the main components of motivational persistence, and will offer several strategies to promote it in language learners.

Speaker Bio:

Zoltán Dörnyei is Professor of Psycholinguistics at the School of English, University of Nottingham. He has published extensively on second language acquisition and language learning motivation, and he is the author of over 25 books, including Research Methods in Applied Linguistics (2007, Oxford University Press), The Psychology of the Language Learner Revisited (2015, Routledge, with S. Ryan), Innovations and Challenges in Language Learning Motivation (2020, Routledge) and Engaging Language Learners in Contemporary Classrooms (2020, Cambridge University Press, with S. Mercer).

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Art and Creativity online social event

Date: July 21, 2021

Time: 7-9 pm

Location: Zoom

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/events/345757353716204

Drop by for conversation about Art and Creativity, inside and outside of the classroom.

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Teaching Entrepreneurship Through Experiential Learning

Date: October 9, 2021

Time: 7-8 pm

Location: Zoom

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/981889565976338

Poster: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Qagb1C8q9OahRBW5Uq0qbChMpT0KtP_m/view?usp=sharing

At this year's PanSIG, Steven Quasha and Daniel Mills did a poster presentation on Teaching Entrepreneurship Through Experiential Learning. We are happy to welcome them for an extended discussion and workshop on the topic and hope you'll be able to join us.

Abstract:

The rate of women entrepreneurs in Japan is abysmally low compared to other nations. In fact, Japan ranks last among OECD countries, and data indicates that a mere 17% of Japanese women declared to have knowledge about starting or growing their own business. The current situation indicates the need for learning materials that not only introduce the topic of entrepreneurship to all students but also showcase female models of business success. To this end, the presenters have created a series of experiential learning materials centered around a strong female character, Mirai Takahashi, who is in the process of launching a business start-up with the guidance of her mentor, Catherine Sakamoto. Through Takahashi’s successes and failures, students experience the risks and rewards of starting their own company.

This workshop will showcase how to utilize these materials and demonstrate how perceptions of entrepreneurship, gender equality, and digital transformation in business are crucial for students. The presenters will describe their current efforts to gather both quantitative and qualitative data for these studies and share their initial results.

Speaker bios:

Steven E. Quasha is an associate professor in the Faculty of Modern Management at Sugiyama Jogakuen University in Nagoya. He holds an MA in Asian Studies from San Diego State University and an MA in TESOL from Macquarie University. He also has a teacher trainer certificate from the School for International Training (SIT). His research interests include language assessment, business English, and using technology in the classroom.

Daniel J. Mills is an associate professor at Ritsumeikan University in the Faculty of Economics and holds an MS.Ed. in TESOL from Shenandoah University along with an Ed.D. in Instructional Technology from the University of Wyoming. His research interests include Informal Learning with Technology, Mobile Learning, and Technology Adoption.

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Teaching Younger Learners in Tokyo

Date: October 24, 2021

Time: 2-5 pm

Location: Zoom

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1287359025014354

This event, sponsored by Tokyo JALT and the TYL SIG, is for teachers of kids to young adults, so teachers of preschool, kindergarten, elementary school, junior high school, and senior high school, are all encouraged to come! As always, there will be great, short presentations and lots of time for discussion and networking.

Here is the line-up of presenters:

Session 1

Presenter: Kim Takeda

Title: Adapting and Developing Teaching Strategies to Meet the Challenges and Innovations of Teaching English in Japan

Abstract:

Back in 1988, I was one of the 848 participants selected to become an Assistant Language (English) Teacher in the second year of the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme. Having taught elementary school for 8 years in Los Angeles, I felt well-prepared and ready to teach English to my new students. Well, much to my surprise, English Education in Japan was not exactly what I expected. I had to quickly adjust and revise my teaching strategies to best meet the needs of my students and the Japanese school system. Five prefectures, 50 plus schools, and 33 years later, it’s been interesting watching how English Education in Japan has evolved. I think most of the changes have been extremely positive, but change also brings about new challenges. So, what can teachers of English do to level up their game and prepare themselves for these challenges and innovations? In this presentation, let’s take a look at some of the biggest challenges and innovations in English Education in Japan today. I will be sharing some tips and ideas about how any teacher of English can adapt their current teaching styles and/or develop strategies to meet these challenges.

Bio:

Kim Takeda is from Los Angeles and has taught for over 40 years, 33 of them being in Japan. She is now teaching English for Global Communication at Keio Yokohama Elementary School which is an affiliate school of Keio University. Before coming to Japan, she taught elementary school for 8 years in Los Angeles and earned her Master&#39;s degree in Humanistic Education. After teaching high school for 13 years in Tottori prefecture, she returned to teaching elementary school and has taught at various elementary schools, including 2 English immersion schools, in Osaka, Shizuoka, and Gunma prefectures. In her free time, Kim enjoys hanging out with her dog Sinbad, live streaming, and watching her favorite shows and movies. She is probably best known at school as the teacher with the most unusual Halloween costumes.

Session 2

Presenter: Satomi Miura

Title: The importance of incorporating more hands-on activities into our upper level primary school English classes

Abstract:

After a two-year transition period, a foreign language (English) became a formally assessed subject in primary schools in Japan from April 2020 alongside new textbooks for Year 5 and Year 6. Consequently, the amount and content of English to be learned in upper primary school has increased, resulting in some confusion amongst both teachers and children. Some children even seem to have become demotivated at this early stage of learning an additional language. Amidst all this, educators have become keenly aware of the importance of hands-on or experiential activities. These types of activities allow children to become more engaged with the topics and content being studied while helping them retain knowledge by stimulating multiple areas of the brain. In this presentation, I will introduce some of the activities that have been effective in my classes, including “Let’s Fetch Water!” and “Lap Book Project: Food Chain.”

Bio:

Satomi Miura has been involved in foreign language activities as a JTE and ALT at elementary schools in Iwate since 1999. Between 2005 and 2006, Satomi studied at Camosun College in Canada, focusing on ESL, psychology, and counseling. She received her Canadian TESL certification in 2006 and was a recipient of that year’s International Student Award. In 2007, Satomi opened her own English conversation school, IE TreeHouse. She is currently an ALT at Hanamaki Board of Education in Iwate, and teaches at four public primary schools. She is also a J-SHINE Trainer and a part-time lecturer at Iwate University.

Session 3

Presenter: Nicholas J. Wilson

Title: Exploring the World through ICT in Elementary School

Abstract:

The new English textbooks for elementary schools include units and sections dedicated to foreign countries and cultures. However, these are limited in both content and variety. What if we could empower students with the autonomy to explore the world, and give them the opportunities and skills to research, discover and share the tales of their virtual trips with their classmates? In this presentation I will discuss how a digital approach to foreign language education can help teachers switch roles with their students, and let their curiosity become the fuel for creating engaging and entertaining classes.

Bio:

Nicholas J. Wilson teaches English in public elementary schools in Nagano. He is also a Google Certified Educator, focused on fostering student’s 21st-century skills through foreign language education. An active JALT officer, Nicholas organizes independent professional development opportunities for ALTs including Agorà, a monthly interactive live event as part of the ALT Training Online grassroots initiative.

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Jill Hadfield: Constraints and Creativity in Online Teaching

Date: Saturday, November 27, 2021

Time: 10-11 am

Location: Zoom

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/899280327415888

Abstract:

How can you overcome the constraints of teaching without a physical classroom or the appropriate materials, in order to teach live online in a way you feel is best ELT practice? This interactive talk will answer that and show how, paradoxically, these constraints can lead to creative and novel activities for language teaching.

Bio:

Jill Hadfield has worked in France, China, Tibet and Madagascar and was until last year Associate Professor in Language Teacher Education, Unitec, New Zealand. She is currently working freelance, writing and editing ELT materials. She has published 40 books for language teachers including the Communication Games series, Classroom Dynamics, Introduction to Language Teaching and Motivating Learning. She has also written two travel books and a novel. She is currently interested in bringing research into practice through the Research and Resources in Language Teaching series, creativity in language teaching and online interaction. Her book Interaction Online, with Lindsay Clandfield (CUP) was shortlisted for the Ben Warren Prize and the ELTons Award for Innovation in Teacher Resources. Her latest book Live Online Teaching co-authored with Lindsay Clandfield was published this year by Pavilion Publishing.

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Chiyuki Yanase: Enhancing Language Teacher Well-being

Date: Saturday, December 4, 2021

Time: 6:30-7:30 pm

Location: Zoom

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1327149631070467

Abstract:

In the language classroom, the teacher’s state of mind can affect the mood, emotions, and motivation of learners (Mercer & Gregersen, 2020). Despite the importance of teacher wellbeing, educators tend to prioritize the wellbeing of their students and neglect to focus on their own physical as well as psychological health. In this workshop, I will explain why teacher wellbeing matters and share activities that can enhance teacher wellbeing during these uncertain and stressful times.

Bio:

Chiyuki Yanase is a lecturer at several universities including Keio and Chuo University. She has been teaching English for over 30 years at various institutions and holds an MSc in TESOL for Young Learners from Aston University in the U.K. Her current research interests focus on developing autonomy, creativity, and self-efficacy of learners as well as teacher wellbeing.

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Tokyo JALT Showcase

Date: Friday, December 10, 2021

Time: 7-9 pm

Location: Zoom

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/3014119545507365

Guy Smith & John Peloghitis: The Future of Critical Thinking – Countering Cognitive Bias

Abstract:

Cognitive bias is emerging as one of the key challenges for future critical thinking instructional approaches. One of the key objectives of critical thinking courses and materials is to teach students how to think in a clearer, more rational, and more open-minded manner. Research from psychology, economics, cognitive science and other fields shows that in order to achieve this it is important to mitigate or forestall the effects of distorted and flawed reasoning that can emerge as a result of cognitive bias. Cognitive bias has received significant attention in regards to practical considerations in fields such as medicine, business, leadership, and economics as it has been shown to play a powerful role in negatively impacting clear thinking. As yet, it has received limited attention in most educational critical thinking instruction and most teachers are unaware of how cognitive bias works, its implications for the classroom, and what they can do to mitigate the negative impact of cognitive bias. This presentation first provides an overview of cognitive bias. It looks at some of the more common biases that can appear in classroom tasks and suggests some strategies for teachers to address the negative effects that biases can have on the development of critical thinking skills in language learning contexts and other areas of learning. Debiasing refers to teaching and activating thinking or behavioral habits that prevent, mitigate, and control the negative effects of cognitive biases, leading to an enabled and enhanced ability to practice and develop critical thinking skills. Based on the body of research regarding debiasing, this presentation explains practical ideas for how language teachers of all levels and also those who teach in other areas can introduce debiasing into their critical thinking teaching through close discussion of some actual lesson plans.

Bios:

Guy Smith – My teaching and research interests are understanding cognitive bias in education and critical thinking, self-determination theory, and teacher and student well being.

John Peloghitis - I teach academic reading and writing, debate, and research writing. I am interested in second language writing, metacognitive strategies, syllabus design, and critical thinking.

Deborah Maxfield: Impact of Online Teamwork on Anxiety and Group Cohesion

Abstract:

Research has suggested that forming cohesive ingroups can increase self-esteem (Tajfel & Turner,1978; Dovidio et al., 2009) and reduce anxiety (Lee & Robbins,1998) as well as foster motivation (Dornyei & Murphey, 2003; Deci & Ryan, 2000). However, whether these relationships exist for online contexts remains under-researched.

In 2020, two new courses (Presentation and Debate) were made compulsory for all first-year students at a major university, and were taught entirely online. Based on previous psychological and EFL research, students were assigned to regular groups for 3-4 weeks to encourage peer support and, thereby, (a) decrease anxiety and (b) foster motivation. At the end of the term, over 200 students were surveyed about their experiences with online teamwork using a 6-point Likert scale survey. Their perceptions of online group work, including cohesion and efficacy, impacts on social and state anxiety, effects on motivation, and other concerns were analyzed.

Initial analysis suggests that the overwhelming majority of students found teamwork helpful and enjoyable during the course and reported feeling less language learner anxiety overall due to teamwork, yet some still reported language learner or social anxiety. These results and more will be explored in greater detail in this presentation.

Bio:

As a Lecturer in English Education at Rikkyo University, Tokyo, I am conducting research on how psychology is mediated by L2 learning environments.

Keiko Nakamura: Analysis of Junior HIgh School English Textbooks Focusing on Cross-Cultural Understanding

Abstract:

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology issued the latest Course of Study for junior high schools and its new explanatory guide in 2017. One of the goals the new educational guideline is ‘to develop an understanding of the culture behind a foreign language’. In addition, the explanatory guide aims learners should acquire a spirit of tolerance, acceptance of others, peace, and international contribution through the study of foreign languages, and also requires that learners should be able to think in many different ways. In accordance with the new guideline, new government-approved English textbooks were published by six different publishers. Those newly published textbooks are fully used from April 2021. As learners who learn English in the EFL environment, they rely on textbooks in English classes as well as their teachers. Thus, it is worth examining how newly published textbooks deal with ‘cross-cultural understanding’. This study conducted a quantitative analysis of cross-cultural materials which appeared in the new textbooks, as compared to older versions of the textbooks. Referring to previous studies, the number of times which the materials related to ‘global issues (including race issues)’, ‘foreign cultures (including the way of living and foods)’, ‘Japanese cultures (including furoshiki and how to celebrate events)’ and ‘comparative cultures (including the way learners address teachers, the differences between student life in Japan and the U.S.) appeared in the textbooks are recorded. It was found that there are more appearances of the materials which related to ‘global issues’ and ‘foreign cultures’ in the newly published textbooks than older ones. However, these materials do not provide learners an immediate understanding of different cultures. It is hoped that the effective use of these materials by the instructors in the classroom will enhance the learners' communication skills.

Bio:

Keiko Nakamura has previously worked as a part-time teacher at a Junior High School, and now teaches at several universities in Kanto area.

Sanduni Sarathchandra: How to implement a CLIL lesson in a university academic speaking course to teach critical thinking skills

Abstract:

Coyle, Hood & Marsh (2010) define that the “Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) is a dual-focused educational approach in which additional language is used for the learning and teaching of both content and language” (p.1). CLIL is an influential and evolving learning approach. It encourages language learning by understanding the authentic communication and training skills in the course of active participation. Teachers play important roles as trainers, supporters, monitors, assessors and guides. Similarly, learners act as receivers, risk takers and innovators. Through CLIL, learners are able to practice how to make the maximum use of one’s own communicative skills to move from L1 to L2. It provides a chance for students to learn helpfully and also it triggers learners’ apparent aptitudes to use and deal with the target language in a proficient way. Because language learners try to learn the content using a foreign language, they have a good chance to communicate with their peers via listening and speaking. It is this collaboration that is presumed to comfort language acquisition where learners are willing to understand each other and to present their individual thoughts. Language teachers in foreign language context can effectively employ CLIL in order to offer learners with a natural background for language application. At the same time teachers can provide a productive input of L2 for students, upsurge their skills to interact efficiently, and to boost students’ enthusiasm to the lesson.

In this Practice-oriented presentation, I show teachers how to effectively integrate the content and language via a CLIL lesson and implement it in the university sophomore language classroom to teach academic speaking, and thus enabling students to state their opinion in a logically structured way based on their learning from the class. A detailed CLIL lesson plan will be explored in this presentation.

Bio:

Sanduni Sarathchandra is a Lecturer in English Communication at Reitaku University. Her research interests include Material Development for Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), Test Preparation in Language Assessment, Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT), and Language Learners in Classroom Research.

Yuka Masda & Kana Watanabe: Can aerobic exercise be used as a strategy to reduce Test Anxiety? (short student presentation)

Abstract:

Yoshida and Masda (10, November, 2020, Tokyo JALT) examined literature and concluded aerobic exercise may be an effective method to alleviate test anxiety in college students. Test anxiety is defined as excessive worries about taking tests and is believed to have negative impacts on students’ test performance. In recent years, reports of the cognitive function-enhancing effects of aerobic exercise have attracted attention (Hillman, Erickson &amp; Kramer, 2008 et al.). Aerobic exercise has been associated with academic performance in students in high-school and younger. Acute aerobic exercise is also thought to influence our emotions including anxiety (Ekkekakis &amp; Petruzzello, 1999). Despite such evidence, the amount and frequency of aerobic exercise drastically decreases in college students compared to high school students, while test anxiety tends to increase. This suggests the lack of exercise may be the cause of increased test anxiety in college students. However, while past research demonstrates positive effects of aerobic exercise on general anxiety, only one study has focused on test anxiety.

In this study we investigated the relationship between exercise habits and test anxiety using an online survey with 100 college students. For this we translated the Cognitive Test Anxiety Scale Questionnaire (Cassady &amp; Johnson, 2002) into Japanese and compared the results with their reported exercise habits.

Our main interests were the two questions as below:

Did the degrees of test anxiety vary depending on their exercise habits?

Did the exercise timing - exercise performed before or after the tests - affect test anxiety?

This paper reports the results from the survey above.

Bio:

Kana Watanabe is a 5th year student at Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences. She studies the relationship between test anxiety and aerobic exercise.

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Teaching Younger Learners in Tokyo!

Share Your Best Ideas and Questions for Discussion

Date: Sunday, February 16th, 2020

Time: 1-5 PM (followed by pizza nearby for those who want to keep on talking)

Location: Tokiwamatsu Gakuen

Cost: 1,000 (Free for JALT members) OR Join Tokyo JALT for 3,000 yen (JETs / ALTs 1,500)

RSVP: http://bit.ly/TJALTrsvp Or apply to share your ideas:http://bit.ly/TJALTandYLevent

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/events/610579479760399/

Queries: tokyojaltyl@gmail.com

Flyer:http://bit.ly/TYLinTokyoFlyer

Essential Tips on Building Confidence as a High School ALT Justine McCabe

She will cover essential tips for teaching English as a second language for high school students based on what she has learnt while working as an ALT.

Justine is a high school teacher from Australia, but currently works in Tokyo as an ALT on the JET Programme at a private sports-focused senior high school.

Encouraging Mindfulness and Emotional Literacy in Younger Learners Monika Sadkiewicz

In this presentation, Monika will share with us the methods she has used to help her young charges toward greater self-control and empathy for classmates.

Monika is a multi-lingual preschool and kindergarten teacher skilled in using empathy and other emotional intelligence skills to effectively manage classroom behaviors. She is a trained children's fitness instructor promoting a healthy lifestyle and the importance of self-expression through movement.

**TBLT Input-based tasks for EFL Beginners in Japan Daniel George Dusza & Marina Goto (Kanda Institute of Foreign Languages)

Learn how to implement Task Based Language Teaching from elementary school beginner level, with scaffolding to make up for students’ deficiency in both language and communication skills. Participants in this workshop will leave with a clear understanding of how to implement Task-Based Language Teaching for beginners. Input based TBLT for beginners requires scaffolding to make up for the deficit in both language and communication skills. From the research presented in this workshop, we are convinced that TBLT is possible with early beginners and is therefore applicable to elementary school beginners, college, and business English learners.

A Grassroots Initiative Providing On-Line ALT Training - AND - Comparing Monolingual and Bilingual Approaches in Junior High Nathaniel Reed

ALTs' receive little to no training, although they have incredible potential to meet MEXT goals and make a noticeable dent in the quality of education students receive. With no other parties openly intending to support ALTs in supporting the growth of their students, and themselves, I outline a grassroots initiative aiming to do this. I share the ongoing needs analysis that gave rise to this teacher training initiative and how it is being put together.

By 2020 junior high school English teachers are to teach English in English "according to the level of understanding of students" (MEXT, 2015). This presentation reports on a yearlong study in two junior high schools; in one school, I spoke only English (whilst teaching and outside of class), and the other; both English and Japanese. Rich findings from student and co-teacher questionnaires, interviews and observations are put forward. Audience viewpoints are encouraged.

Nathaniel Reed is a British sixth-year ALT for the Niigata City Board of Education and father of two.He received an MA in Applied Linguistics in 2015 and since then worked to develop an open access teacher training site for ALTs (ALT Training Online). Dedicated to improving the quality of education in public schools he has published and presented on this site in addition to conducting classroom based research. In January 2020 he became Regional Professional Development Activities Chair (RPACC), and aims to bring more JALT groups together as well as open awareness of the potential JALT offers to more people.

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CANCELED Eli Hinkel: Effective Teaching Techniques for L2 Speaking and Conversations CANCELED

Date: March 16th, 2020

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CANCELED Hanami (West Tokyo and Tokyo JALT)

Date: March 22nd, 2020

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Zoom Emergency Remote Teaching Webinar: Best Practices

Date: Sunday, May 3, 2020

Time: 02:00 PM Osaka, Sapporo, Tokyo

Speaker: José Domingo Cruz

Flyer:https://bit.ly/TJALTwebinar05032020

Please register in advance for this webinar:

https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_VZN-y4hFSAOyIqpHCNIfKw

Special thanks to the Niigata Chapter of JALT for their support in planning this event.

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State of the Chapter: Officer Elections and special guest presenter Fiona Mauchline

Date: July 17th, 2020

Time: 6:45-8 pm

Location: Zoom (link will be provided)

Fee: Free for all attendees

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/events/288456382589473/

At our annual State of the Chapter event, we celebrate all that our members have accomplished and conduct chapter business, such as elections. Each State of the Chapter features a presentation from an esteemed presenter as well, and this year we are happy to have Dr. Fiona Mauchline, a freelance teacher trainer, ELT author and short story writer based in Oxford, England.

Screenplays for ELT: A Language Bootcamp Episode 1: From prompts to pen & paper

This workshop looks at the parts of the film-making process related to ‘finding’ ideas, planning the plot and writing the script. Screenwriting techniques provide excellent opportunities to learn and review vocab, practise scripting dialogues, focus on function, appropriacy and informal language (eg phrasal verbs), work on present tenses and description, and generally increase motivation and speaking in the classroom. It is like a language bootcamp that engages, can be part of a PBL approach, and has a tangible, ‘I’m proud of this’ product. Come along and start writing!

Speaker Bio:

Fiona Mauchline is a freelance teacher trainer, ELT author and short story writer based in Oxford. She has particular interests in neuroscience and language-learning, cognitive development in adolescents, and story and screenplay writing, and her publications include Tales for Adventurous Girls (Penguin Readers), Dive in! (summer course, Delta Publishing) and ETpedia Vocabulary (Pavilion ELT), all published in 2019. She is also the co-founder of EVE: Equal Voices in ELT.

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Kimberly Klassen - Vocabulary in the L2 reading classroom: Theory and practice

Date: August 21st, 2020

Time: 18:00 to 19:00

Location: Zoom

This webinar will present one approach for handling vocabulary in the second language (L2) reading classroom. The session will begin with a brief presentation of research which demonstrates the importance of vocabulary knowledge to reading comprehension. Then, teachers will be introduced to various tools that will enable them to: test the vocabulary level of their students; assess the appropriateness of their reading materials in terms of vocabulary load; choose target vocabulary for their learners; and encourage learner revision of vocabulary through regular testing.

Presenter bio:

Kimberly Klassen completed her PhD in Applied Linguistics (Lexical Studies) at Cardiff University, Wales. Her research interests include second language reading and vocabulary acquisition. She has published articles in Reading Psychology and The Curriculum Journal. She is currently an adjunct instructor in the English for Liberal Arts program at the International Christian University, Tokyo.

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Jill Hadfield - How to create tasks for online contexts

Date: August 30th, 2020

Time: 14:00 to 15:00

Location: Zoom Webinar

Fee: Free for all

In the current worldwide situation, we are having to teach increasingly online. In this webinar I will give participants a number of instantly useable online activities plus a toolkit for designing their own online tasks . We will discuss principles of task design and explore how the nature of task design for online contexts differs from that of classroom contexts. We will look at five categories of online tasks: Critical, involving an exchange of opinions, Personal, involving an exchange of personal information, Factual, involving sharing information, Fanciful, involving entering into an imaginary scenario and Creative, involving the creation of a ‘product’ and seven types of online interaction: Confetti, Pass the Parcel, Poker, Breakout, Postal Ballot, Writers’ Group and Creative Commons which teachers can use as templates for designing their own materials.

References:

Clandfield,L. and Hadfield, J. ( 2017) Interaction Online: creative activities for blended learning. Cambridge University Press.

Presenter bio:

Jill Hadfield has worked in France, China, Tibet and Madagascar and was until this year Associate Professor in Language Teacher Education, Unitec, New Zealand. She is currently working freelance, writing and editing ELT materials. She has published over 30 books for language teachers including the Communication Games series, Classroom Dynamics, Introduction to Language Teaching and Motivating Learning. She has also written two travel books and a novel. She is currently interested in bringing research into practice through the Research and Resources in Language Teaching series, creativity in language teaching and online interaction. Her latest book Interaction Online, with Lindsay Clandfield (CUP) was shortlisted for the Ben Warren Prize and the ELTons Award for Innovation in Teacher Resources.

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Chris Carl Hale - Facilitating Self-Assessment in the Remote-Learning Context

Date: September 13th, 2020

Time: 14:00 to 15:00

Location: Zoom Webinar

Fee: Free for all

This presentation will provide an overview of how student self-assessment can be utilized both for formative assessment (ongoing) as well as for summative assessment (major assignments). There has been much interest in using self-assessment as a means of involving students more in the learning process, which is thought to lead to more responsibility on the part of the learner. While self-assessment is often conflated with “student reflection,” in the research presented here, students’ assessments were given equal weight as their teachers and their ratings were reflected in their formal grades. Using research conducted in university writing courses in Japan, the presenter will illustrate how the procedure can be incorporated into the curriculum of both face-to-face and remote-learning contexts.

Presenter Bio:

Dr. Chris Carl Hale is Associate Professor in the Graduate School of Global Communication and Language at Akita International University (AIU) where he teaches in the English Language Teaching Practices program.

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Ed Tech 101 - Show and Tell

Date: September 18th, 2020

Time: 19:00 to 20:00

Location: Zoom

Fee: Free for all

The aim of Ed Tech 101 is to create a casual and fun environment for teachers to take away practical ideas that can be implemented in their own classrooms. Each presentation is less than 10 minutes long and each presenter will show a piece of Ed Tech such as an application or an online platform that they have experienced. It is a great platform for beginner presenters to start with. Both Ed Tech beginners and experts are extremely welcome to take away ideas and to share idea