After a long hiatus during COVID19, Gunma JALT will be returning to in-person meetings in style with our 6th Annual MyShare.
This year our speakers will share their valuable insights spanning a wide variety of teaching contexts and rich experiences, from elementary school education to university teaching and self-study language learning. Abstracts for the respective presentations can be found below. We hope you'll join us for this fantastic opportunity to get together and theorize, philosophize and socialize.
On conclusion of the MyShare, we will then conduct our Annual General Meeting (AGM). This is the time when we look for and vote on new chapter officers. At Gunma JALT, we are always looking for help, so if you are interested, this is your chance although you are welcome to join us at any time during the year.
MyShare #1
Designing Lesson Flow for Efficiency and Stamina - Jeff Contreras
This presentation will introduce an original approach for teachers to organize the primary set of instructional materials to be efficient with time-on-task, permit appropriate interaction time, and consider student and teacher stamina. Through this approach, more content can be comfortably covered in the same time frame of a standard 90-minute lesson by increasing student productivity. When considering the integration of the task and activities, the comfort level of both the teacher and students can be factored into lesson content.
JEFF CONTRERAS is an Associate Professor in the Center for Language Teaching. He has been teaching at Gunma University for 26 years. He holds an MA in Educational Administration from University of Arizona and specializes in Classroom Management and Cooperative Learning. Additionally, he is the manager for the Moodle system for a university-wide coordinated curriculum.
MyShare #2
A Pronunciation Activity to Foster Cooperative Autonomous Learning - Matt Potter
Pronunciation can be taught through the teacher providing a model for students to listen to and repeat. Nevertheless, activities that equip students with the skills they need to improve pronunciation while reducing dependence on teacher modelling can foster autonomous lifelong learning. This presentation will demonstrate a fun and co-operative activity that encourages learners to understand, process and produce pronunciation focused language independent of the teacher and on a deeper level than the “listen and repeat “methodology.
MATT POTTER teaches at several universities in Kanto and holds an MATESOL from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. His interests include constructivist teaching and learning.
MyShare #3
Methods of Managing Classroom Energy and Student Focus - David Garwood
While teachers plan lessons around the content they are required to teach, underlying every good lesson plan is a consideration of how students will respond to and engage with each activity. Being aware of the energy present in a classroom and knowing how to manage this improves student focus and, consequently, their retention of studied material significantly. This presentation, focusing on the context of elementary grade learners, is concerned with basic methods of managing this energy; methods that will (ideally) improve both the teacher and learner experience during lessons.
DAVID GARWOOD has had several years of experience as an ALT in Gunma Prefecture and holds an MA in History from Massey University, New Zealand.
MyShare #4
More Than a Tape Recorder: The ALT and Meaningful Input - Raymond Hoogenboom
In primary and secondary school English education in Japan, the non-Japanese assistant language teacher (ALT) is often an underappreciated and underexploited wealth of cultural knowledge and meaningful linguistic input. This experimental activity is aimed at English teacher training and explores ways for teacher trainees to comprehend the socio-cultural depths from which ALTs can share their lives and countries.
RAYMOND HOOGENBOOM is an associate professor at Gunma University, where he is involved with program development and materials creation.
MyShare #5
“0-A2 in 90 Days?” - Heather McCulloch
How fast can I learn French? Is it possible to go from zero to a high beginner in three months? In this presentation I will reveal the answer. If I am successful, I will explain how it was done. I will admit to what I did right and where I went wrong. Finally, I will share how this fun experience has reminded me of the feeling of learning a new language. Bienvenue!
HEATHER McCULLOCH has lived in Japan for 20 years where she has been immersed in the language every day. Before that, she received a BA in Spanish literature and culture. Upon receiving her BA, she had studied Spanish for 10 years. She went on to study both Chinese and Korean. At present she is learning French and hopes to widen her language knowledge by learning more languages in the future.
We will take a short rest break midway or so through the event and light refreshments will be provided for attendees.
Link to venue location: https://goo.gl/maps/RaKWnMHfkKN1CLnD8
