Location: On Zoom (To register, please contact yojaltpresident@yojalt.org)
Glenn Magee – Promoting Harmony and Well-Being for both Teachers and Students
Abstract: The teacher curates the emotional life of the classroom and forges closer relationships with the students. As a result, emotional intelligence is developed through the development of connections that contribute to a calm and safe learning environment. It is optimal to develop a relationship (attachment style) between teachers and students that is both secure and healthy (Cozolino, 2014). As a result of providing models of behavior, promoting harmony, and helping learners form habits of excellence, teachers can achieve this. I will introduce ideas on how teachers can promote harmony, well-being, and use routines that support both learners and teachers in the classroom.
Bio: Glenn is a Lecturer in English Education at Aichi Prefectural University. He has an M.A. in Applied Linguistics (TESOL/TEFL) from the University of Birmingham and is a founding member of JALT BRAIN SIG. His main research interest is Mind, Brain, and Education – researching how biological processes intersect with educational practice with a specific focus on student well-being in the English as a Foreign Language classroom. His research is focused on promoting healthy relationships that foster optimal learning conditions and draws on the latest findings from positive psychology, educational psychology, and the neuroscience of learning and motivation.
Ian Willey – Promoting International Posture in Japanese University Students
Abstract: The presenter will discuss two studies in a project aiming to develop a university English curriculum grounded in International Posture-building, using a survey designed by Yashima (2009). In the first study, the International Posture scores of students in first and second-year English courses were assessed, and a relationship between International Posture and gender, English proficiency, and major was examined. In the second study, pre-/post-course surveys were conducted to determine if “speaking to the world” activities, in which students expressed and shared their opinions about diverse topics, boosted students’ International Posture scores. Attendees will then have a chance to share their own methods of promoting International Posture in their students.
Bio: Ian Willey has an MA in TESL from Kent State University and a PhD in second language writing from Hiroshima City University. He is currently an associate professor at Kagawa University. His research interests include English for Specific Purposes, Medium of Instruction, and International Posture.
