JALT Event

This event is open to all teachers, from experienced to newbie! It is an excellent opportunity for instructors to get some advice or offer suggestions on language teaching and learning. We have put together four excellent teachers who will share with you some of their experiences (see details below).
Schedule
2:30 - Registration
2:45 - 3:15 Thoughts on Teaching Large Classes, Julian Pigott
Abstract: In this presentation, Pigott will suggest techniques for teaching large classes in high school and university. He will focus on social aspects of learning and teaching such as teacher-student rapport, group-cohesion, classroom management, and the Japanese context. Finally, he will present examples of lessons he feels work particularly well.
3:15 - 3:45 Using Cell Phones for ESL Learning, Paul Evans
Abstract: All students have cell phones, and use them with great enthusiasm, every day, all day. Evans will outline the work he has done on cell phone use in the EFL classroom, share his vision for where and how he thinks it can be carried further, and explain his ideas for how other people might join him.
3:45 - 4:00 Break
4:00 - 4:30 Methods for Successful Group Work, Ted Bonnah
Abstract: Unsatisfied with group work in your classes? Bonnah will explain the methods for getting the most from group activities. Based on experience in university and junior and senior high classes, this presentation is for all teachers grappling with large class sizes, demanding syllabi, and evaluation requirements.
4:30 - 5:00 Wringing the Text, Carl Nommensen
Many teachers use textbooks containing written texts. Most classroom manipulation of those texts ends with follow-up exercises outlined in the text itself. In this presentation, Nommensen will introduce two classroom activities in which students enthusiastically engage with a written text in review, developing familiarity and productive competence with the vocabulary, while practicing syntax, writing, speaking, and listening, and having fun.

Presented by digital artist and English teacher, Gary McLeod, PRIVILEGE is a photography project that bridges artistic and academic practices. Having photographed and interviewed 97 English teachers around Japan, McLeod will present the collection of photographs and read aloud samples of his participants' words. Followed by Q&A / Discussion Circles.

This talk looks to examine what elements in a communicative classroom can be taught and what elements can only be developed through enough exposure and practice and then at how these two groups of elements should be introduced/emphasized. It will then look at how learning materials should perhaps be structured in order to take these emphases into account.
In cooperation with the Nagoya and Gifu chapters of JALT, we are pleased to be part of this "Three Corners Tour of Chubu" by well-known and respected speaker, Alastair Graham-Marr.

1. Introduction
2. Eigo note teaching experience with year 5 and 6.
3. Activities - using Eigo note resource materials.
4. Conclusion.
5. Meeting about future Himeji events

*Unfortunately this location is not close to a train station. (20-30 mins walk) The closest train station is Tegara (Sanyo Line). This location is next to the Himejishi Sougou Sports Kaikan with free parking around it. Since the meeting will be on a sunday parking may be difficult, but there is also a 200 yen parking area near the baseball grounds or behind the park.
*Meeting Room 5 is on the 3rd Floor directly opposite the elevator.

Three University of Shizuoka teachers give three presentations on classroom teaching techniques: Jonathan deHaan will show us how to run a Strategic Interaction program, including using video to record student roleplays, posting said recordings to an online WIKI, and having students write and correct transcriptions afterwards for further teaching and learning opportunities. Chris Madden will then present the results of his ongoing research with the ‘communication equation’: C=S+R and “Katakana de Asobo”, used to improve speaking fluency and listening skills. Finally, Kent Rhoads will demonstrate the Fishbowl technique for utilizing peer feedback in speaking activities, including a rubric for pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar points, and other categories.

Does student output enhance language learning? Although
most teachers would answer affirmatively, research results in support
of output have not been unanimous. This talk will go over current and
past teaching practices and look at how the related research in the
field of Second Language Acquisition has evolved. This talk will
examine how output not only aids fluency but also helps develop
language accuracy.
Finally, all participants are welcome to join in and discuss how we
can achieve needed balances between input and output in our classrooms
to maximize learning opportunities for our students.
Bio: Alastair Graham-Marr is a Junior Associate Professor at Tokai
University. He holds a Masters in Applied Linguistics from Macquarie
University and has presented extensively through Japan and abroad. His
current research interests are communication strategies and output. He
has taught in Japan for over 20 years.

This presentation will focus on a study where the researchers investigated the cause of communication breakdowns during conversations between Japanese and native speakers of English, and the means of repair initiated. It was hypothesized that the majority of breakdowns would occur due to incomprehensible pronunciation. The findings indicate that there were a number of other factors that caused the breakdowns. In addition, students used a wide variety of repair tactics, rarely involving adjustments in pronunciation.

What makes a song interesting? There are some hidden tools that song writers use, such as rhythm, rhyme, alliteration, consonance, and other elements to catch the listener's attention. The presenter will first explain each of the "tools," using examples from well-known songs. We will play with the language tools through some games. Then, in groups we will try our hand at writing our own lyrics to a song. Finally after a little bit of practice, the group will perform the "handmade" songs at the end of the session. No previous song writing experience is necessary!

A growing importance of and dependence on the Internet in language learning requires today's language teachers to acquire the skills necessary to tap into the vast resources available to both educators and students. Though computer-assisted language learning (CALL) remains an intimidating area thought to be restricted to younger, tech-savvy professionals and curriculum developers, there are very basic tools available that allow teachers to easily exploit Internet-based English resources and turn them into useful classroom materials.

At Iwate University, we have increased the number of programs where our students can spend a year
abroad, which is a part of the internationalization of our education. However, due to the lack of reading
volume in English, many of the students still read English paragraphs very slowly, sentence by sentence .
As a result, it becomes extremely difficult for them to obtain a high enough score on TOEFL iBT, which is
required for acceptance as an exchange student by our partner institutions. It is necessary for students to
read fast and efficiently.
In this presentation, the presenter will discuss how she is trying to develop a user-friendly program which
combines graded readers and the pre-reading, post-reading, and speed-reading activities which are stored
as a database in a server, applying the concept of e-learning. Since this program is in the process of production, positive
questions and comments are welcome.
タイトル：多読教材とＩＣＴコンテンツ－大学生の多読力向上
のための試み
発表者：尾中夏美（岩手大学国際交流センター准教授）
発表概要：
岩手大学では教育の国際化の一環として海外派遣プログラムの 充実を図ってきました。しかし、
多読の量的不足や一文ずつゆっくり読むという習慣のため、派遣留学に必要なTOEFL試験で
十分なスコアが出せません。このような基礎力不足の改善のた め、本発表では、多読教材と読書前、
読書後、速読の独自教材をE-ラーニングのシステムのフォーマットに取り入れた現在開
発中のプログラムについて解説します。現場の先生方からの建 設的な質問やコメントなど歓迎します。