JALT Event

12/8 Meeting and Bonenkai

On Sunday, December 8, 2024, Tokai University lecturer and Shizuoka JALT member Susan Laura Sullivan will present on The Importance of Names (see abstract below). We will also confirm our 2025 officers. All chapter members are encouraged to attend. Following the meeting we will have our regular end-of-year dinner party, which is always a great time!

RSVP for the meeting and/or dinner party here: https://forms.gle/Yo8kRXKQd66i3RvMA

Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/CWXaXz5HpW6MNmyy8

Title: The Importance of Names
Presenter: Susan Laura Sullivan
Affiliation: Tokai University

This presentation explores the importance of students knowing each other's names in a classroom situation and that this knowledge encourages interpersonal communication, community, a sense of identity, and psychological safety within a class. This knowledge also can be a factor leading towards academic and social success. Drawing on US-based works exploring both identity and the use of "name tents" in establishing a sense of belonging for students, feedback-responses from students in compulsory tertiary English courses have been reviewed. Focusing on responses to activities whereby students remember their classmates' names through the use of mnemonics, the author found a number of student evaluations highlighted a sense that study environments were enhanced in a number of ways due to knowing class member names; a finding which correlates with the results of overseas studies. Time permitting, the presentation will also touch upon notions of identity, taking into account the generational gap between many instructors in Japan and their students. This research is ongoing, and the presentation builds upon prior work presented at CUE 2023.

Bio: Susan Laura Sullivan has a pretty good memory and enjoys learning students' mnemonic nicknames and likes. She is a co-editor of the award winning, Women of a Certain Age (Fremantle Press, 2018), and her research areas include creativity, student autonomy, cultural studies, gender, and communication. A holder of a Master of Fine Arts (University of Wollongong), and a Master of TESOL (University of Southern Queensland), she is an assistant editor for the GALE Journal, and currently works for Tokai University.

Overview:
Meet the Maker is a unique program where materials writers showcase their textbooks, apps, or other creations, followed by an interview led by the MW SIG. The presentation and discussion will explore the materials, the creative process, and the business side of publishing. We hope this event will offer valuable insights for the teaching community and materials creators across various fields. 

Meet the Maker:

Abstract:

The Think Big for Business textbook series, co-authored by Quasha and Mills, follows the entrepreneurial journey of Mirai Takahashi, a 25-year-old Japanese woman navigating the evolving challenges and opportunities within the digital economy. This series is designed to inspire and empower young learners by providing them with essential practical skills needed to thrive in today’s dynamic business environment. Through engaging narratives and interactive activities, students explore entrepreneurship, innovation, personal growth, and informed investment decision-making.

Each unit also includes a shadowing video for practicing target language and a YouTube video to expand vocabulary, offering learners deeper insights into succeeding in the modern business world. This series is an indispensable tool for educators seeking to equip students with the knowledge and confidence to succeed in a globalized economy. 

Bio:

Steven E. Quasha is an associate professor in the Faculty of Modern Management at Sugiyama Jogakuen University in Nagoya. He is the founder of Akebono Press and the author of “A Single Step to English Communication” and co-author of the “Think Big for Business” series. In 2024, he received the “Best Teacher Award” from Sugiyama Jogakuen University.

Daniel J. Mills is a professor in the Faculty of Economics at Ritsumeikan University in Shiga. He holds a doctorate in educational technology and is a certified financial educator who has published extensively on instructional technology and financial literacy education. Daniel is the co-author of the "Think Big for Business" series. 

Example Schedule:

• 00-05 TIME 5 minutes: MW SIG Introductions
• 05-35 TIME 30 minutes: Presenter gives a slideshow about the textbook or other material
• 35-65 TIME 30 minutes: Interview about the textbook/materials, the creative process, and related business issues
• 65-80 TIME 15 minutes: Open Q&A with the audience

Join us on Wednesday, November 20th for an event about Language Learning. Tan Bee will share insights from her two decades of teaching and research.

LEARN

• How to foster creativity
• How to motivate learners
• How to support playfulness
• How to encourage exploration

The event is in person, so if you would like to come, it is at Eikei University.

Tthe East Shikoku JALT Chapter will host an exciting AI and Education research bootcamp at the scenic Kaiyu Conference Center in Kochi, Japan from 11.7-11.8. This immersive event will be led by Professor Blanka Klímová from the Faculty of Informatics and Management at the University of Hradec Králové.

Designed for educators, the bootcamp will focus on providing the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate the ever-changing landscape of AI in education. Engage in stimulating discussions, exchange ideas, and explore cutting-edge research topics at the intersection of AI and education.

We look forward to welcoming you to this enriching experience! Please RSVP by 11/6 using the email contact at https://jalt.org/groups/chapters/east-shikoku.

English language education (ELT) is currently undergoing a transformation because of generative artificial intelligence (AI), especially chatbots, which may function as tools, tutors, partners, and tutees all at once. This presentation delves into the multifaceted applications of generative AI, highlighting its crucial role in customising learning experiences and fostering interactive environments for language learners. Through an in-depth exploration, we will uncover how researchers and practitioners integrate generative AI into language exercises to match individual proficiency levels, simulate authentic conversational scenarios, and provide timely, contextually relevant feedback, improving the overall learning experience.

Moreover, this talk will explore the lesser-known roles of generative AI as a learning mate and a tutee. We will examine how generative AI can facilitate immersive and lifelike dialogues, fostering collaborative and engaging learning experiences. Additionally, we will discuss its remarkable ability to evolve and adapt through user interactions, much like a tutee learning from human input, continuously improving its effectiveness and relevance.

Drawing on contemporary research and practical uses of generative AI in ELT, this talk highlights its innovative potential in language instruction. As we explored the benefits and limitations of its integration into ELT, we paved the way for future strategies to maximise the integration of generative AI in language learning curricula. By broadening the scope of generative AI's use as an adaptable and beneficial component of English language instruction, we may overcome obstacles and appreciate the promises of this revolutionary technology.

Francisca Maria Ivone is an associate professor at Universitas Negeri Malang’s Department of English in Indonesia. She earned a BA in ELT from the same university before continuing to the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. She received an MA and a PhD in applied linguistics from this university. She conducts and publishes research in the fields of ELT, technology-enhanced language learning, extensive listening and viewing, extensive reading, learning autonomy, and collaborative learning.

Shizuoka JALT AGM:

Please join us also for our annual AGM. The President, Programmes Chair, and Treasurer positions are open, but members can also nominate for the membership or publicity officer positions if they want to. If anyone would like to nominate themselves or someone else (with their knowledge) please send an email from the Shizuoka JALT Chapter page. Thank you! We do need members to vote, so please join us on Friday the 22nd!

We are having a picnic in Yoyogi park! Feel free to join us! To RSVP, email us at TokyoJALTEvents@gmail.com. Let us know how many people are coming and your contact info.

Date: Saturday, Nov 2

Time: 11:30 am

Place: Yoyogi park (Near the water scenery facilities in the Central field. Please look at the picture for the exact location)

* Bring your own food and drinks

* Family friendly, all members and their loved ones welcome!

* There will be a sign that says JALT Tokyo chapter

We will have a short talk about Extensive Reading from Norikazu Okuyama on Sunday 27 October 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.

When it comes to implementing ER method in regular classroom settings, it is often a struggle to find time in schedule. In a department, even if it is agreed to spend some of the teaching time for ER, some stubborn teacher would prefer teaching oneself than lettting students read independently. This presentation focuses on the early stage of implementing ER to highlight how this way of teaching was introduced so that teachers would not 'teach'.

Abstract

I will present a study on potential inequalities in Content and Language Integrated
Learning (CLIL) programs in Madrid (Spain), where students from grades 7 to 12 are
divided into two strands to learn school subjects through L2 English, yet with differing
‘degrees’ of exposure (higher or lower) to the L2. Drawing on the appraisal theory
(Martin & White, 2005) within Systemic Functional Linguistics, and the socio-cultural
perspectives on classroom interaction (Mortimer & Scott, 2003), we developed a
mixed methods multi-layered analytical model. It was applied to analyze interactional
practices by the same CLIL teachers teaching the same content (science and
technology) in grade 7. Results show striking differences in both strands in the use of
some pedagogical purposes, with a more frequent use of ‘exploring students’ views’ in
the higher-exposure group, and a wider variety of language resources in the L2 to
express and evaluative language (appraisal). These results raise the question of the
potential academic marginalization or devaluation of students who share the same
majority language and cultural background. The talk will end with an open discussion
and application of these results to the EFL context in Japan.

Bio

Natalia Evnitskaya is a tenure-track lecturer at the Department of Applied Linguistics
at the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona (Spain). Her research interests
are CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning), classroom interaction,
multimodality, EFL/CLIL teacher education, conversation analysis, and systemic
functional linguistics.

A Zoom link will be sent out a few days before the meeting to Akita Jalt members.

All others who would like to join please email us at akita@jalt.org.

***Please note that there will be no chapter meeting in November as the JALT International Conference is taking place***

We hope you will be able to join us on October 26th!

Saturday and Sunday at the 2024 JALT Conference in Shizuoka, PSG will be holding manuscript,  abstract, presentation and research idea consultations at their table in the EME section. Feel free to bring your printed documents or data on a tablet or PC for constructive and friendly advice on your work.

JALT2024 Pre-presentations!
Come see some of what's in store in Shizuoka

Empowering Educators: Disability Rights and Reality in Japan
Teresa Stockwell, Gavin Thomas
This presentation explores the experiences of educators with disabilities in Japan, examining both progress and ongoing challenges.

Examining Accommodations for Learner Diversity With UDL
Heather Suzuki
This presentation discusses accommodations made by Japanese university English teachers for diverse learners including those with disabilities or special learning needs.

I Am Not a Robot: Teaching Soft Skills in Language Classes
Aubra Bulin
In the age of GenAI, what can teachers do to solidify their place in education? In this session, language teachers will reaffirm their roles by considering the importance of teaching soft skills.

Postponed for a future date: Boosting Student Speaking Success with Positive Self-Talk

Finding ways to boost student speaking ability remains a burning issue in Japan. I hope you will join me in this session where I will explore the potential of positive self-talk to improve students’ speaking performance. Since self-talk can mediate students’ emotions and performance during tasks (Tod et al., 2011), it can provide insights into students’ experiences during stressful situations such as speech assessments. In the first part of this presentation, I will discuss the research findings from an experimental study on the effect of positive self-talk on university students’ speaking performance. Then in the second interactive part of the presentation, we will explore methods for promoting positive self-talk in speaking tasks.