JALT Event

Abstract: For most students, the ultimate goal of learning a second or other language is to interact successfully with others using that language. While some may achieve this through reading and writing, the greater majority appear to prefer to develop their listening and speaking skills. In this workshop, I will introduce various interactive activities and tasks designed to enhance students’ listening, speaking, and interaction skills. The workshop will begin with participants engaging in a one-minute speech activity, designed to develop students’ fluency as well as bottom-up listening skills. Participants will also experience the more cognitively demanding two-minute speech activity, which focuses on improving students’ top-down listening skills and ability to interact in the target language. Following this, a dictogloss task will challenge participants to simultaneously call upon their bottom-up and top-down listening skills, topic schemata, and grammatical skills in the target language. Through read aloud practice, participants will be offered an opportunity to improve the natural sound and intelligibility of their spoken English through explicit instruction of pronunciation, rhythm, and intonation. We will then do an unfocused task based on the topic of the dictogloss passage. The workshop will conclude with a brief overview of the activities along with their theoretical underpinnings and anecdotal evidence supporting the lesson structure. This workshop will be highly interactive; those attending will be expected to participate actively with others in the room.

Speaker bio: Adrian Leis is a professor in the Center for Liberal Arts Education at Tohoku Gakuin University with more than 25 years’ experience teaching English in Japan. He earned his PhD in Educational Informatics from Tohoku University and focuses his research on language education, language learning motivation, and computer-assisted language learning. Adrian has published more than 60 research papers in domestic and international journals and has authored several books, including Innovations in Flipping the Language Classroom (2019), Insights into Flipped Classrooms (2023), Mindsets in Language Education (forthcoming, 2025), Screen Media in Language Education (forthcoming, 2025), and the Dictogloss in Action textbook series (forthcoming, 2025).  

Simon Cooke is Associate Professor in the Center for General Education at Tohoku Institute of Technology in Sendai, Japan. He earned his PhD in Information Sciences from Tohoku University. Simon has more than  25 years’ experience teaching English in Japan and is co-author of a number of TOEIC textbooks as well as the Ultimate Listening textbook series (2019) and the Dictogloss in Action textbook series (forthcoming, 2025). His fields of research include motivational dynamics in second language acquisition, autonomous learning, and mobile-assisted language learning (MALL).

Abstract: In the age of technology, we are provided with ever increasing numbers of tools and online practice modes that we can use with our students. However, for best use, these tools must be understood, tailored to our students, modified to match their needs, and push the limits of our imaginations. In this presentation, we talk about multimodal online tools: what they are, and what they aren’t with some advice on how to navigate them. We also invite teachers to discuss and try out some of the multimodal tools that we have created and use at Tohoku University. Furthermore, we present some of our findings and encourage conversations about the future of multimodal online tools in the EFL classroom.

Speakers:

Ryan Spring is an associate professor at Tohoku University where he works with his colleagues to manage and deliver the English curriculum for general education classes. His PhD is in applying cognitive linguistics to second language acquisition and his current research interests include: Objective Measures of L2 Speech and Writing, Curriculum Evaluation, Statistics and Visual Media and Technology in EFL Education.

Jessie Takeda is a lecturer at Tohoku University, where she teaches 4-skill general academic English courses to 1st and 2nd year students alongside colleagues Ryan and Emily. She holds a master's degree in TESOL. In addition to classroom instruction, she specialises in designing educational materials that are both engaging and pedagogically effective, with a strong emphasis on aesthetic quality and intuitive use.

Emily MacFarlane is an experienced English language educator teaching Academic Reading and Writing, and Academic Listening and Speaking at Tohoku University.  She is actively engaged in ongoing research on paragraph writing and fluency with her colleagues and is dedicated to enhancing academic English skills among university students.

Freedom of Speech on the Japanese University Campus

Gerry Yokota, Professor Emerita Osaka University

Too often I hear students complaining that their freedom of speech is being suppressed. I propose a community discussion sharing our sense of the atmosphere on our campuses. Is there robust exchange of views on controversial issues, or is there a sense that risky issues are taboo?  Isn’t support for freedom of speech on campus essential for educating global citizens who are capable of expressing their views? If they do not get this practice now, how will they be prepared to deal with controversy in the real world after graduation? What is the best way to support them?

Google Meet joining info

Date: 28 September, 2024 @14:00

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/zpc-orzr-mkp
Or dial: ‪(JP) +81 3-4545-0450‬ PIN: ‪292 690 489 3932‬#
More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/zpc-orzr-mkp?pin=2926904893932

This year the Yamagata JALT Chapter is happy to host its very first Mini Conference.The theme of this year’s conference is English Teaching and Learning “Hacks”. Presentations and workshops will focus on various aspects connected to this theme. In particular, this year’s talks will highlight practical strategies to teach and learn a language more effectively, efficiently, and enjoyably. Please join us for a day of stimulating professional growth. And a free pizza lunch!

We will have a short talk about Extensive Reading from Adam Ezard on Sunday 29 September 19:00-20:00. The event will involve a short 20-30 minute casual talk from our PresentER, followed by around 20-30 minutes of questions and discussion. PresentERs takes place on the last Sunday of each month online on Zoom. It is free for anyone to attend.

Through trial and error over four years, Adam has introduced, adapted and expanded on an ER component of the English course at the junior high school. He will share his progress, how he has changed various aspects, and how he's linked output tasks to the reading (and listening) that students do. He has been able to track students over this time and there is some evidence of improvement in reading, writing and listening as measured by an outside test (the GTEC test). He's still struggling with the best way to adapt the course to balance motivation and achievement. As far as he's aware, not too many junior high schools are using ER in this way, so he'd like to both share this adventure with teachers who may be thinking about this step, as well as to receive advice and comments from more experienced PresentERs. 

September Akita Jalt Meeting: Can Virtual Reality be Used in the L2 for Positive Transfer of Skills from an Intensive English Environment to Reality?

Abstract
This study meant to add to the literature on virtual reality use in EFL education,
examined the feasibility of using virtual reality in an L2 as a tool to positively transfer
skills from virtual reality to a real-world situation. We modeled our research on the
methods of Michalski et al. (2019) in their work on the positive transfer of sports skills to
practical application. We reinforced the method with ideas from Xie et al. (2021) in their
research on common assessment tests and evaluations of positive transfer
from virtual reality. Our method was mainly qualitative as it encompasses interpretivism,
epistemological orientation, and constructionism as its main driving forces (Bryman,
2006). What we discovered was that the cooking skills taught in the L2
through virtual reality did transfer to a real-world situation. In the short-term skills with
detailed knowledge of the process were retained, while in the long-term, retested volunteers retained most of the cooking processes from virtual reality.

Bio:

Jason Tacker is an Assistant professor at Akita Prefectural University. His research interests
involve technology, specifically virtual reality and mixed reality, cultural studies and
student identity/classroom motivations.

The presentation will take place on September 21st through Zoom from 2pm until around 3pm.

Akita JALT Members will be emailed the zoom info.

All others interested in participating please email akita@jalt.org for zoom info.

Let's kick off the second semester with YoJALT!!

YoJALT presents Heather McCulloch: "Unlocking Learning Potential: A Universal Design for Learning Approach for Inclusive Education"

"In today's diverse educational landscape, English instructors are increasingly challenged to provide inclusive learning environments that cater to the needs of all students, including those with disabilities. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) offers a framework to address these challenges by providing flexible instructional approaches that can be customized to meet individual learner needs. This presentation explores the application of UDL principles in English instruction, with a particular focus on accommodating visually impaired students."

Heather McCulloch, adjunct lecturer in Gunma, navigates her world with resilience despite nearing blindness.  A lover of audiobooks, spicy cuisine, and all things Hello Kitty, she embodies a vibrant spirit and determination.  Through her journey, she champions UDL, inspiring others with her passion and unwavering dedication.

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

When: September 15 (Sunday) 13:00 - 16:00 followed by social

Where: Keio University Hiyoshi Campus (Raiosha Bldg. 2F Conference Room M) 　　Access https://jalt.org/faq/yokohama

To attend on Zoom, please email:yojaltpresident@yojalt.org

Meeting Information

Date: Sunday, September 29, 2024, 9:40 ~ Venue: Ibaraki University, Mito Campus University Library Fee: Members: Free, Non-Members: 500 yen

Meeting Schedule

Morning Session

9:40 AM – 10:00 AM Registration  

10:00 AM – 10:05 AM Opening Remarks

10:10 AM – 11:10 AM Presentation 1: Invited Speaker

Title: Thematic Coding: Looking for Patterns in Survey Data

Presenter: Andy Boon, Toyo Gakuen University

In this presentation, the presenter will describe a qualitative research study he conducted to gather stories about how and why English teachers started in the profession and why they continue to teach (Boon & Yanase, 2023). He will explain the steps of deciding the research theme and tool, creating and piloting the survey, collecting and analyzing the data, and writing it up. The audience will be encouraged to examine an exemplar to see the themes that can emerge through data analysis.

11:10 AM – 11:20 AM Break

11:20 AM – 12:05  AM Presentation 2: Invited Speaker

Title: Designing a Critical Thinking Course

Presenter: Andy Boon, Toyo Gakuen University

The presenter will give an overview of a critical thinking course he developed for 4th-year returnee students that made use of the critical thinking activities from Hadley & Boon, 2023. The presenter will describe the syllabus, the lessons, the activities, and the means of assessment. The aim is to support and inspire ideas for language teachers to foster a critical mindset in our students to help prepare them for an increasingly complex, information-saturated world.

12:05 AM – 1:20 PM Lunch Break

Afternoon Session

1:20 PM – 2:20 PM Presentation 3

Title: Empowering Beginner English Language Writers: Developing CEFR-Aligned Writing Materials for Pre-A1 and A1 Levels

Presenter: Engel Villarreal, Tsuchiura Nihon University Secondary School: This presentation details and action research for developing writing materials and activities for Japanese Pre-A1 to A1 CEFR-level English language learners. Research has shown that Japanese learners said levels need support to address the cognitive load issue associated with writing by promoting mastery of fundamental writing skills required to succeed in higher-level writing tasks. Such support is particularly essential in the areas of orthographic control and graphomotor fluency, underscoring the need to develop scaffolded activities and incorporate deliberate practice into ESL instruction to support learners who are still grappling with basic writing issues. Though a case study, we will go through the process of developing these teaching materials, highlighting the unique challenges developing CEFR-aligned writing materials at this particular level poses, particularly in assessing writing and the lack of detailed descriptors at CEFR levels Pre-A1 to A1. By the end of the session, participants will not only have gained insight into the challenges of developing CEFR-aligned materials, but will also have learned practical strategies and scalable tools for developing teaching materials to empowering even beginner CEFR level learners to write

2:20 PM – 2:30 PM Break

2:30 PM – 3:10 PM Presentation 4

Title: My Teaching—Changing; Evolving? Devolving?

Presenter: Martin Pauly, University of Tsukuba

My methods have changed over the years; stricter, especially organization of the first day.  Influenced by the teachings of Marc Helgesen, I have incorporated physical activities (i.e., One-minute Exercise, Sign Language, individual student tasks).   But in other areas (e.g., evaluations) I feel I may be considered not strict enough. I welcome you, as a student, to join The First Day of Class.  

3:15 PM – 3:55 PM  Presentation 5

Title: Mock Teaching Demonstration

Presenter: Tim Cook, Iryo Sosei University

English instructors sometimes teach in situations where they lack peer feedback on their instruction. This session is to allow me to demonstrate a reading lesson as an example of what he I teach this semester to three different first-year university classes of differing abilities, although all within the CERF A1 or Beginner level. I endeavor to maintain a communicative approach to teaching but typically end up speaking more than I would like. My aim in this demonstration is to receive feedback on how I may improve my instruction as well as to share teaching ideas that others may find useful. Your participation is most appreciated.

3:55 PM – 4:00 PM Closing Remarks

When we teach a foreign language, we teach students from different backgrounds and cultures, and we do that as teachers from different backgrounds and cultures, bringing in our own (first) language and cultural experience from which our learners benefit as often, interaction and communication requires strategies of a lingua franca, i.e. a common language shared by speakers from different linguistic backgrounds.

However, when looking at course materials and testing sheets, we can see that conventions of communication, expressions and politeness are still dominated by a native-speaker model. In this interactive workshop, we will explore to what extent we are moving away and have to move away from those conventions. As language teachers, we need to explore how pluricultural today’s teaching of language is and how important it is to integrate an understanding of the cultural impact factors on both language learning and teaching. We will explore what strategies can help to enable effective communication and collaboration, e.g. the use of questions, demonstrating sensitivity and skills of reflection as well as being able to anticipate certain issues like misunderstandings that might occur. Only awareness of these impact factors will help our learners to interact successfully by taking the sociolinguistic and cultural aspects of their communication and transactions into account. How we can implement such strategies in our language-teaching classroom and how our learners can see that they are making progress will be two key takeaways from this workshop.
Reference:https://rm.coe.int/cefr-companion-volume-with-new-descriptors-2018/1680787989

Bio:

Kirsten Waechter has been a business English trainer since 1998 teaching in-company courses and university students. Today she focuses on teaching business communication, ESP and intercultural courses. She is also a materials writer and translator.

Grading performance tests in large classes can be a daunting task, especially when the assessments involve subjective grading assignments such as essays, projects, or oral presentations. The problems that arise can be divided into two categories: those of objectivity and those of time. 

This presentation will demonstrate a method that uses group-based ranking to overcome these difficulties, while at the same time increasing the amount of actionable feedback students receive.

JOHN LARSON has been actively involved in Gunma JALT for most of his 25-year career teaching English in Japan. At the time of this presentation he works as an assistant professor at Kyoai Gakuen University. 

There is a short drink/snack/rest break midway through the event.

This is a face-to-face event sponsored by JALT Gunma Chapter.