JALT Event

Registration: Send your name so we can get an accurate count of people for the event. Please include if you are JALT
member or not. Please send to Wayne Malcolm at wamalcolmjalt2008@gmail.com

Join us for a morning of thought-provoking presentations from. All bases are covered from writing for beginner-level
college students to those learning language in different ways to service learning. If you are curious about
how AI is involved in language learning, we have that covered as well. If you are curious about poster
presentations and what that may entail, we have that covered.

Emi Hennessy will be starting our program with a preview of her JALT2024 presentation. Following will be Dale
Jeffery will be doing a poster presentation that he recently gave at a conference in New York City at Columbia
University. Closing out the trio of presenters is Kelly King who will discussing service learning and engaging
local immigrant/migrant communities. All these topics resonate with either our current or collective situations.
Each presenter will present for 25-minutes. After, there will be 5 minutes for immediate questions and answers.
There will also be 15-minutes after all three presentations are complete for further discussion. We are looking
forward to having you in attendance for this great event!!!!

PROGRAM
09:35AM – 10:00AM – Emi Hennessy: Enhance L2 Writing?: AI for Beginner-Level College Students
10:10AM – 10:35AM – Dale Jeffery: Traditional vs. AI-Driven Translation Sources in Language Learning
(Poster Presentation)
10:45AM – 11:10AM – Kelly King: Reflections on Creating a Service-Learning Curriculum to Connect University
Students and Local Immigrant/Migrant Youth

Featuring talks on TBLT by
Dr. Shoko Sasayama (Waseda Univ.)
Designing effective language lessons: Insights from TBLT research
Prof. Marcos Benevides (J. F. Oberlin Univ.)
From learner needs to task outcomes: Practical tools for the classroom
October 20 (12:45~17:00) @ Toyohashi Arts Theatre PLAT
https://maps.app.goo.gl/SCXinVojQ65cGAeN7

Local speakers:
Dr Alan Thompson (Gifu Shotoku Gakuen University)
ELF, or English rejigged
Diverse users in diverse settings have rejigged English in just about every dimension—prosodic, syntactic, pragmatic, etc. It’s an ecosystem of repertoires, improvisation, competition, and selection, but it is still thought of—by its users, learners, and teachers—as a thing. This short presentation will show a few samples of the variation, explore some of its sources, and grapple with the question, ‘How do we teach it?’

Alan Thompson (PhD Toronto) teaches at Gifu Shotoku Gakuen & digs language contact, translation, literature in learning.

Erik Tsuchiya (Nagoya University of Foreign Studies)
The impact of introducing CLT with conversation strategies to young learners
The main purpose of this research was to determine what impact conversation strategies (CS) have on 4th grade public elementary school students (N=28) English speaking and conversation talking time. The research was conducted through a survey, reflection log, and an informal video recording assessment. The pre/post survey showed that students liked English class more from April to July, enjoyed talking with classmates in English, wanted to speak and write more in English, and thought that English was important for the future. Most students reported that they could use openers and closers. Reflection sheet data was mixed, some categories improved, and some did not. Video recording assessment revealed that all students used openers, most used closers, few students used rejoinders, and fewer than half could ask the unit question in English. Results of the research are inconclusive and this Research is ongoing so this presentation focuses on teaching practices and research methods.

Erik is an assistant language teacher for city of Kitanagoya. He is also MA TESOL student at Nagoya University of Foreign Studies

Phil Nguyen (Chukyo University)
Canva for Lively Poster Presentations in Your Classroom
This presentation will show how powerful Canva is in designing a poster presentation event for your classroom, which remains invaluable in both the academic and professional world. Poster presentations are a great way of expressing different ideas and topics, and they offer a more collaborative and less anxious atmosphere. With its easy-to-use design features, students can use Canva to help make various designs and templates to create their very own posters.
This presentation will identify the benefits of using poster presentations.
I will demonstrate how Canva's templates and customization options can support students and professionals in designing posters that not only look professional but communicate their ideas powerfully and effectively. This workshop is open for anyone who is new to Canva or poster presentations or those who want to see a case study of how to use it in their classrooms.

Phil Nguyen teaches at Chukyo University in Nagoya. When he's not teaching, he's almost too active in JALT, holding positions such as JALT Niigata Treasurer, JALT PanSIG Conference Treasurer, JALT TASC Committee, JALT Web Admin Services Committee, SPIN Committee, and JALT International Conference Site Chair & Senior Chief Technical Support Analyst.

SPIN Student Forum @ the Grand Forum

SPIN Student Presentations Handbook

Presenters and abstracts:

Saki Suzuki (Graduate School of Intercultural Communication, Rikkyo University)
Proposing the Online Learning Environment to Maintain Learning Motivation
Due to the rapid shift to online learning during COVID-19, concerns arose over declining motivation, especially with the postponement or cancellation of study abroad programs. This study uses Zoom interviews and SCAT analysis to explore factors affecting motivation in online environments, aiming to design a learning space that promotes autonomy and sustains Japanese language learning.

Saki Suzuki is the master student of Intercultural Communication, specialising in Japanese Language Education.

Noor, Meezab e (Gifu Shotoku Gakuen University) 
The Different Selves I Express as a Plurilingual Person 
Plurilingual individuals may express different aspects of their personality in their different languages. In this poster presentation, a student explores her English, Urdu and Japanese selves, presenting extracts from her diary in which she reflects on her language experiences alongside examples of her language production (e.g. poems, social media posts, and video clips). She discusses how her demeanor, movements, eye contact, and subject matter changes according to the language she is speaking.  

Meezab eNoor is a  third-year undergraduate student at a Japanese university. She is from Pakistan. She intends to go to graduate school. 

Ryoya Shoji (Graduate School of Nanzan University)
Analysis of English Synonyms, Meaning “Extremely Happy”
The research explores the differences between four English expressions: “over the moon,” “on top of the world,” “on cloud nine,” and “in seventh heaven.” It provides illustrations of these expressions and proposes a more effective guideline for English learners. This study analyzes the expressions from the next perspectives: their origins, example sentences, encyclopedic meanings, and questionnaire data. This research will help advanced English learners sound more like native speakers.

Ryoya Shoji is a second-year graduate student at Nanzan University. He works part-time at a high school. 

Saki Matsuura (Nagoya University of Foreign Studies)
Teacher Experience and Teacher Identity
Even if they teach the same course subject, individual teachers have their own teacher identity. Those teacher identities may be based on their personalities or their learning experience, or perhaps they have also re-formed those while teaching and interacting with their students. The presenter, as a student majoring in English Education, will examine how teachers from their teacher identities that best fits themselves and their students from the perspective of a teacher student.

Saki Matsuura is a second-year student at Nagoya University of Foreign Studies.

RSVP
https://forms.gle/TSh6biW1sq1VdQ9w9

Presenter Lily Thukral introduced participants to the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework, showing us how it can be an effective tool for pedagogical reflective journaling. The focus was on the CoI's three core elements—cognitive presence, social presence, and teaching presence—and how they can be used to enhance reflective practice and improve language teaching. We had an active group of seven participants (not a bad number for our small chapter!), and Lily guided us to share and reflect on our teaching experiences in group discussions. We learned to apply the CoI framework to analyze our teaching experiences, identify areas for improvement, and develop strategies to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. The CoI framework is a tool we can use going forward to help us reflect more consistently and concretely.

Bio: Lily Thukral, MA, is an English educator and intercultural specialist based in Tokyo. Her recent research examines the Community of Inquiry framework to enhance language teaching through reflective practice. Lily lectures at various universities and conducts workshops on cultural competency, regularly integrating CoI principles into her language education approach.

Abstract

How does academic publishing influence the career capital of foreign language teachers in Japan? In this workshop, we will explore how academic publishing shapes our career paths and share strategies to become more productive and engaged writers.

In this workshop, participants will discuss the importance of publishing and explore tools to enhance productivity and enjoyment in writing. I will share my favourite productivity tips and tools, including the Pomodoro Method and Focusmate. The Pomodoro Method and Focusmate help combat lack of focus. I will then introduce applications including Write-or-Die and Scrivener. Write-or-Die provides rewards for continually writing and consequences for slowing down. Scrivener is a word processor that can help writers of all kinds, including academics and fiction writers.

This workshop will most benefit foreign language teachers who seek to enhance thwart writing productivity and discover new ways to find ways to let the academic writing process spark joy.

Speaker's Bio

Julia Kimura earned her Ph.D. in Education through Temple University, where she researched a community of practice comprising female foreign language teachers. She is a lecturer at Mukogawa Women’s University, where she teaches undergrads and graduate students in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Her research interests include communities of practice, gender, and pedagogy, specifically extensive reading. Recent publications include “Enthusiastic volunteers. Reluctant feminists.” GALE Journal (2023) and “Publish or perish? Publish and flourish!” OnCUE (In press). Dr. Kimura is a proud JALT member and is thoroughly enjoying her term on the Board of Directors as Director of Membership.

Pre-registration is required here.

Overview:
Meet the Maker is a program where materials writers showcase their textbooks, apps, or other creations, followed by an interview conducted by the MW SIG. The discussion highlights the materials, creative process, and business aspects of publishing.

We hope this event will be both informative for the teaching community and insightful for a wide range of materials creators and educators.

Meet the Maker:

Abstract:

Read to Write attempts to address the challenges of teaching English writing to large classes of low-level students. The main features of the book are that it offers Japanese instructions on the basic rules and norms of writing English at the sentence level, and provides extensive models of writing on a range of common topics that students can adapt to create their own sentences and paragraphs. The third edition of the book, due to be published early in 2025, will also offer additional Japanese explanations of common errors that all Japanese students are likely to make when they speak or write in English. In this presentation, I will be happy to answer questions on how this book can be (and has been) adapted for use in any educational environment, from a single class to a coordinated program with thousands of students. 

Bio:

Originally from North Wales in the United Kingdom, David has been teaching English for more than 30 years. He is currently a professor in the faculty of education at Gifu University. He is the author of many books and articles in both English and Japanese for Japanese learners of English. Two of his books, published by ALC Press, made national bestseller lists. He set up BTB Press in 2009 in order to share his materials with other teachers who liked his approach and wanted to use his books with their own students. 

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

Overview:
Meet the Maker is a program where materials writers showcase their textbooks, apps, or other creations, followed by an interview conducted by the MW SIG. The discussion highlights the materials, creative process, and business aspects of publishing.

We hope this event will be both informative for the teaching community and insightful for a wide range of materials creators and educators.

Meet the Maker:

Abstract:

Teaching a TOEIC class is a tough challenge. Naturally, students want to achieve the highest score they can in the TOEIC test, and by going to a TOEIC preparation class they expect their teachers to make that happen. Yet this places a huge (and rather unreasonable) weight on teachers’ shoulders. How can teachers boost the TOEIC scores of their students? Classes can become a spiral of endless practice tests, with teachers frustrated they are not 'teaching' and students dissatisfied at their lack of progress. 

That's exactly the dilemma that Pass the TOEIC Test addresses head-on, by focusing on the key skills and test-taking strategies students need on the test. Using content that accurately reflects the format and style of the test, Pass the TOEIC Test develops, practices and crucially tests students' ability across a wide range of language skills. Together with a thorough and systematic approach to essential strategies, this allows students to feel they are learning something special, gaining insights they wouldn’t otherwise have, and developing the key skills they need. In these ways, Pass the TOEIC Test successfully addresses the challenges faced by both students and teachers.

Bio:

Miles Craven has worked in English language education since 1988, teaching in schools, colleges and universities around the world. From 1997-2000 he worked at Nihon University in Japan. Since leaving Japan, he has been a full-time textbook writer. He is the author or co-author of over thirty textbooks for adults and young adults, writing mainly for Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, and Macmillan. His courses include English Grammar in Use Extra, Cambridge English Skills, Q, Listening Extra, Reading Keys, Breakthrough Plus, and Wide Angle. He has also self-published Pass the TOEIC Test, through his own company, First Press ELT.

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

October 20 (12:45~17:00) @ Toyohashi Arts Theatre PLAT
https://maps.app.goo.gl/SCXinVojQ65cGAeN7

RSVP
https://forms.gle/hNenjqKRnhRZ5iSY8

Featured talks on TBLT

Dr. Shoko Sasayama (Waseda University)
Designing effective language lessons: Insights from TBLT research
Designing effective language lessons depends on careful and creative planning. This presentation will explore key principles of lesson design that optimize L2 acquisition, drawing on research from Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT). A critical first step towards effective language lessons is to establish clear learning outcomes based on an in-depth needs analysis of who the learners are and where they are in their language learning journeys. Following TBLT principles, these outcomes can be expressed in terms of target tasks—real-world tasks that learners should learn how to perform. With these goals established, pedagogic tasks are then designed to scaffold students towards developing the language required for accomplishing these target tasks. Effective lesson design also involves assessing students’ learning through tasks to ensure meaningful progress. The presentation will include examples from actual English classrooms to illustrate these important lesson design principles.

Dr. Shoko Sasayama is Associate Professor at Waseda University. Through her research on task-based teaching, learning, and assessment, she aims to promote the use of research for improving L2 education.

Prof. Marcos Benevides (J. F. Oberlin University)
From learner needs to task outcomes: Practical tools for the classroom
This presentation introduces practical tips and tools to improve TBLT in the classroom. First an awareness raising and self-assessment questionnaire helps learners to identify their own language learning needs. This process is crucial in TBLT because it sets clear targets when language-forms assessment must be avoided. Next is a way to guide teachers in task planning for lessons that prioritize meaning over language forms practice. This easy-to-use framework helps to avoid the "synthetic syllabus trap" that can lead to lessons that are not fully compatible with TBLT. Finally, the speaker will demonstrate a practical rubric to help teachers consider "functional adequacy" as the primary consideration when grading task performance and giving feedback. The rubric is also useful for learners as a peer-assessment pre-task preparation activity and contributes to their ongoing learning needs analysis.

Marcos Benevides is Associate Professor at J. F. Oberlin University, and founder of Atama-ii Books. His ELT coursebooks have received many top awards, most recently the 2019 British Council ELTon.

Short Presentations

Dr. Alan Thompson (Gifu Shotoku Gakuen University) 
ELF, or English rejigged
Diverse users in diverse settings have rejigged English in just about every dimension—prosodic, syntactic, pragmatic, etc. It’s an ecosystem of repertoires, improvisation, competition, and selection, but it is still thought of—by its users, learners, and teachers—as a thing. This short presentation will show a few samples of the variation, explore some of its sources, and grapple with the question, ‘How do we teach it?’

Alan Thompson (PhD Toronto) teaches at Gifu Shotoku Gakuen & digs language contact, translation, literature in learning.

Phil Nguyen (Chukyo University)
Canva for lively poster presentations in your classroom
This presentation will show how powerful Canva is in designing a poster presentation event for your classroom, which remains invaluable in both the academic and professional world. Poster presentations are a great way of expressing different ideas and topics, and they offer a more collaborative and less anxious atmosphere. With its easy-to-use design features, students can use Canva to help make various designs and templates to create their very own posters. 

Phil Nguyen teaches at Chukyo University in Nagoya. When he's not teaching, he's almost too active in JALT, holding positions such as JALT Niigata Treasurer, JALT PanSIG Conference Treasurer, JALT TASC Committee, JALT Web Admin Services Committee, SPIN Committee, and JALT International Conference Site Chair & Senior Chief Technical Support Analyst.

Erik Tsuchiya (Nagoya University of Foreign Studies)
The impact of introducing CLT with conversation strategies to young learners
The main purpose of this research was to determine what impact conversation strategies (CS) have on 4th grade public elementary school students (N=28) English speaking and conversation talking time. The research was conducted through a survey, reflection log, and an informal video recording assessment. The pre/post survey showed that students liked English class more from April to July, enjoyed talking with classmates in English, wanted to speak and write more in English, and thought that English was important for the future. Most students reported that they could use openers and closers. Reflection sheet data was mixed, some categories improved, and some did not. Video recording assessment revealed that all students used openers, most used closers, few students used rejoinders, and fewer than half could ask the unit question in English. Results of the research are inconclusive and this Research is ongoing so this presentation focuses on teaching practices and research methods.

Erik is an assistant language teacher for city of Kitanagoya. He is also MA TESOL student at Nagoya University of Foreign Studies

SPIN Student Forum

Saki Suzuki (Rikkyo University Graduate School of Intercultural Communication)
Proposing an online learning environment to maintain learning motivation
Due to the rapid shift to online learning during COVID-19, concerns arose over declining motivation, especially with the postponement or cancellation of study abroad programs. This study uses Zoom interviews and SCAT analysis to explore factors affecting motivation in online environments, aiming to design a learning space that promotes autonomy and sustains Japanese language learning.

Saki Suzuki is a master student of Intercultural Communication, specializing in Japanese Language Education.

Meezab e Noor (Gifu Shotoku Gakuen University)
The different selves I express as a plurilingual person
Plurilingual individuals may express different aspects of their personality in their different languages. In this poster presentation, a student explores her English, Urdu and Japanese selves, presenting extracts from her diary in which she reflects on her language experiences alongside examples of her language production (e.g. poems, social media posts, and video clips). She discusses how her demeanor, movements, eye contact, and subject matter changes according to the language she is speaking.  

Meezab eNoor is a third-year undergraduate student at a Japanese university. She is from Pakistan. She intends to go to graduate school. 

Ryoya Shoji (Nanzan University Graduate School)
Analysis of English synonyms meaning "extremely happy"
The research explores the differences between four English expressions: “over the moon,” “on top of the world,” “on cloud nine,” and “in seventh heaven.” It provides illustrations of these expressions and proposes a more effective guideline for English learners. This study analyzes the expressions from the next perspectives: their origins, example sentences, encyclopedic meanings, and questionnaire data. This research will help advanced English learners sound more like native speakers.

Ryoya Shoji is a second-year graduate student at Nanzan University. He works part-time at a high school. 

Saki Matsuura (Nagoya University of Foreign Studies)
How do teachers form "teacher identity"?
Even if they teach the same course subject, individual teachers have their own teacher identity. Those teacher identities may be based on their personalities or their learning experience, or perhaps they have also re-formed those while teaching and interacting with their students. The presenter, as a student majoring in English Education, will examine how teachers from their teacher identities that best fits themselves and their students from the perspective of a teacher student.

Saki Matsuura is a second-year student at Nagoya University of Foreign Studies.

At Kemby's October 20th, from 14:00-16:00,

We are happy to announce that in October, after no event in August or September, we have a very special different event for you.

We are having an open mic experience with live music, and we are hoping you will join us.

Entry is 2000 yen - and with that you can get up and sing yourself, recite some poetry, share something you have written, we would love to hear it. We also offer a raffle with an array of prizes that everyone who comes will be entered into!

Please invite people you know, and let's make this a new experience that we all can enjoy together.

Overview:
Meet the Maker is a program where materials writers showcase their textbooks, apps, or other creations, followed by an interview conducted by the MW SIG. The discussion highlights the materials, creative process, and business aspects of publishing.

We hope this event will be both informative for the teaching community and insightful for a wide range of materials creators and educators.

Meet the Maker:

Marcos Benevides, Widgets Inc.

Abstract:

Widgets Inc. is the first commercial course to successfully apply a "strong" approach to task-based language teaching (TBLT). It features a themed syllabus organized by task complexity, highly contextualized and interconnected tasks and projects, and an engaging real-world-like simulation. Self, peer, and teacher assessment is based on the appropriate completion of tasks, rather than on language forms practice.

Widgets Inc. differs from other courses in its focus to create a life-like English-speaking scenario in the classroom. That is, students simulate being interns at a technology startup, where they work together in small groups to perform workplace and business related tasks. All classroom activities are realistically connected; all discussions, presentations, video calls, and interviews have a contextual purpose, and build from one to the next. This approach recycles useful language and situations, makes the course well-suited for mixed-level classes, and is highly motivating for students. 

The second edition of Widgets Inc. was the 2019 winner of the ELTon Award for Course Innovation. A third edition is currently under production, and will launch in 2025. 

Bio:

Marcos Benevides is an associate professor in linguistics at J. F. Oberlin University, the founder and publisher of Atama-ii Books, and the co-author of a number of international award-winning ELT textbooks. He has published with Pearson, Abax, McGraw-Hill, Compass, and Atama-ii Books. His work received the Duke of Edinburgh Book Award in 2010, the ELTon Award in 2011 and 2019 (and a short-listing in 2015), plus several Extensive Reading Foundation graded reader medals. Marcos is currently working on the 3rd edition of Widgets Inc.: A task-based course in workplace English, to be released in 2025.

Example Schedule:
Times and content are flexible and can be adjusted based on the presenter’s requests.

• 00-05 TIME 5 minutes: MW SIG Introductions, Sponsor/Publisher talks about their services
• 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

With the end of summer approaching, it's time to get back into the teaching mindset. Before things truly start, though, why not join us for an end of summer hike up Takasakiyama, Oitas famous Monkey Mountain! 

This is a pretty gentle hike suitable for the whole family, usually taking around 5 hours including plenty of time for breaks and, hopefully, monkey spotting. It's also a great chance to connect with other JALT members and find out more about what JALT offers. Let's face it though, most of us will be attending purely for fun and work chat will likely be quite minimal...

CHANGE OF PLANS! We will meet at 9am at the Minami Tosanguchi - please follow this link - https://maps.app.goo.gl/1BYhgkr2j83vuazt6

This route is a little shorter and shadier than our original route, so it should make the hike even more easy going!

This event is open to all - kids, non JALT members, friends, relatives and pets are all welcome! We look forward to seeing you there!