JALT Event

For our third JALT meeting, Sue Sullivan, who works in Keiwa College, is going to present to us about the best presentations she saw at the Japan Writers Conference being held in Na-goya this month. This should be a good chance for us to discover some new, practical and creative ways of bringing writing into our teaching. After this, we would like to propose a small Christmas party in the assembly room, especially for the children of our members. They can spend the first hour in David Coulson’s apartment on the fourth floor and come downstairs to enjoy a Christmas tree, some treats and… Santa Claus will be making an appearance to give a goody bag to each child. If you would like to attend with your child or children, please reply to this email as soon as possible. After the meeting, there will also be a group of us going on for dinner to continue the fes-tive spirit. If you would like to join us, please also reply to this email in good time.
The meeting will be held in the assembly room (2F) of EIR Manshon, less than 10 minutes walk from Niigata station. Come out on the south side of the station (not the bandai side) and walk past the Plaka buildings. Within 5 minutes you will come to a large intersection, where you can see Don Quixote on the other side, which has a large videoscreen. Cross the road and walk on the other side of the road from Don Quixote. After a couple of minutes you will come to a restaurant called Rococo. EIR Manshon is directly next to Rococo. This is a private building, so if there is no one there to let you in when you arrive, just call David Coulson on 09065040192.
Check the map here. (Look for a restaurant called Rococo just south of the station.)

Arudou Debito, activist, author, and Japan Times columnist, will be speaking at Iwate JALT on Sunday, November 30, on human rights in Japan (what else?). He won't just be talking about his old chestnuts of racial discrimination, but also how other groups and minorities in Japan, including the Koreans, Ainu, Burakumin, Brazilians, etc. are also trying to raise awareness of just how diverse a society Japan is. Stop by and see why people are taking issue with the "monocultural, monoethnic Japan" image, and trying to prepare Japan for a future as a multicultural society.
BIO
Arudou Debito (43) is an associate professor at Hokkaido Information University and a board member at JALT PALE SIG. His books include "Handbook for Newcomers, Migrants, and Immigrants, and "Japanese Only -- The Otaru Hot Springs Case and Racial Discrimination in Japan).
有道　出人と話し合いましょう
日本は単一民族と思いますか。そう思わない人もいます。帰化した日本人の有道　出人（あるどう　でびと）は国内人種差別と戦う立場から日本社会の将来多文化共生と多様化について講演いたします。有道氏は単行本「ジャパニーズ・オンリー　小樽入浴拒否問題と人種差別」
と「ニューカマー定住ハンドブック」（２つとも明石書店出版）を共著し、英字新聞「ジャパンタイムズ」のコラムニストと共に北海道情報大学准教授を勤めています。４３歳、２１年間日本在住。

Our final scheduled gathering in 2008 for Nagasaki JALT is a celebration of the year past, and a chance to look forward to a new year to come. Yes, it is our Winter Holiday/Year End Party! The location is the newly-renovated Zenzero Cafe and Restaurant in Nagayo, just minutes from downtown Nagasaki. The cost is 3000 yen (* drinks cost extra). Seating is limited; if you would like to join us, please reply to Melodie Cook at m.cook@sun.ac.jp by December 13, one week before the event! Looking forward to seeing everyone.
For more information about us and contact details, you can also see our websites at http://www.jalt.org/groups/Nagasaki and http://www.kyushuelt.com/jalt/nagasaki.html as well as our Nagasaki JALT and Friends Facebook Group site. We also have a monthly e-mail newsletter signup site at http://www.kyushuelt.com/jalt/nagamail.php3

During the first hour, Andre Boyer will describe African-American Vernacular English, where it came from, and how it is used. Boyer holds a Doctorate in Education, and has his own Learning Center in Iwakuni, Japan.
During the second hour, everyone present is welcome to speak for 5 to 15 minutes about any interesting teaching ideas.

In this presentation the speaker will discuss viewpoints based on cross-cultural experience in Japan over the past 19 years of residence in Japan. The speaker would like to offer his opinions with the goal of highlighting how our own culture’s hidden values and norms color our viewpoints of nearly every aspect of our behavior leading to ethnocentric interpretations. Discussion topics shall include:
• Culture based educational system differences between US-Japan
• Culture-based communication differences in Japanese and English speakers
• How our learned cultural knowledge colors our viewpoints
Why do we interpret the same event differently?
• Assumptions of being part of the group in Japan
It is hoped that participants will contribute actively to the discussion.

In this workshop, the presenter plans to facilitate a lively discussion of the pros and cons of controversial topics in our language classrooms. Are these topics useful for teaching language skills and critical thinking skills? How can teachers deal with administrations which might not approve of hot topics? Should teachers express their own opinions? Attendees will share their concerns, approaches, successes and failures with controversial topics. The presenter will also introduce materials from his new textbook Stimulating Conversation: Thinking Critically about Current Issues. Everyone will leave with a better understanding of integrating controversial topics into the language teaching context, and, if the attendees decide to introduce controversial topics into language classes, they will have more ideas on how to do it.

Since 2005, Seinan Jo Gakuin has been designated as a SELHi (Super English High School) by the Ministry of Education and Science. For the last three years, our task has been to try and improve students’ English skills within the remit of a SELHi research and development project entitled: "Research for developing students’ integrated ability for self- expression: The development of a step-by-step teaching and evaluation method for communication and writing ability."
In this research project, we aimed to improve students’ ability of self-expression and communication. To this end, our main focus was on the following aspects:
The development of a step-by-step teaching method for improving students’ ability in oral self expression and communication.
The development of writing ability by using a process-writing approach as a means of self-expression, and creation of an evaluation method for this.
The development of reading ability as an input for self-expression.
The results have been much more successful than expected. The increase in students’ motivation through the integrated teaching of four skills was outstanding and the GTEC (graded test of English Communication) scores have improved considerably.
We will explain how we practically improved our classes over the three years, and how our students have changed as a result.

Matsushita Norie and Chiba Atsuko teach English at Seinan Jo Gakuin Junior & Senior High School in Kitayushu.

What is the true meaning of the mean? During this unique and fun workshop designed for those who don't like numbers, the presenter will guide participants in an exploration of statistical concepts and reasoning. The primary goal is to deepen participants' understanding of statistics and demonstrate techniques for self-study. During the workshop, participants will solve quantitative riddles that are loosely modeled after Zen koans and carefully designed to lead participants to higher levels of quantitative clarity.
The presentation will be followed by a bonenkai, all are welcome to join us at the amazing Pasha Turkish restaurant < http://r.gnavi.co.jp/c675400/ >. The set menu with nomihodai is 5000 yen for men and 4300 for women. Space is limited to 24, so please contact kobejalt@gmail.com soon to reserve yourself a place!

This presentation will help participants become aware of issues in inter-language pragmatics (nonnative speakers' comprehension and production of speech acts and how their English and/or Japanese language-related speech act knowledge is acquired), focusing on cross-cultural differences in the use of language, as well as teaching pragmatics through consciousness-raising tasks while attempting to increase students' learning motivation.
First we will cover theoretical considerations, then we will talk about practical applications.

Join us for a day of fun on the slopes of one of Nagano prefecture's many scenic ski and snowboarding venues.
More information will be made available as it is decided by the members, family, and friends who commit to making this exciting event possible.
All are welcome to join. Please come!
(Please note that the day and/or time may change depending on slope and weather conditions.)