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Next Meeting - Saturday, June 4th 2016 Update

Date: Saturday, June 4th, 2016 Place: Ibaraki Christian University, Hitachi Time: 11:00~17:00 (10:30 Doors open.) Morning Presentation -  (11:00~11:40) Applicability of the Silent Way Method: Evaluating in terms of Foreign Language Anxiety and Conversation Analysis by Hidenori Kuwabara, Tokiwa University & Yosuke Ogawa, Kansai University Abstract: Since the Silent Way fell out of use in the 80s, it has not been examined by any of the modern pedagogical methodologies. Nevertheless, this unique method could have the potential to be applied to current language classrooms, especially with focus on form and fluency activities. This study attempts to investigate the applicable features of the Silent Way from the Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) perspective along with a qualitative analysis of its interactional sequence. Data from video recordings and pre/post-questionnaires was analysed to assess how learners’ affective filters (i.e. FLA) were processed and how the interactional architectu

Sayonara Services for Our Friend Bob Betts.

This is to announce the date and time of cremation and memorial gathering (SHINOBU-KAI =偲ぶ会) of Betts-sensei. Please share this information with anyone who might be concerned. 1) Cremation:  May 7 (Sat) 13:50 -  (at Mito City Crematorium)   火葬:  5 月 7 日(土)  13:50 ~ 場所: 水戸市斎場  住所: 茨城県水戸市堀町2106-2     Please gather at 13:00 if you would like to attend.   お立会を希望される場合には、現地、 13 時集合となります。 2) Memorial Gathering (SHINOBU-KAI): May 8 (Sun) 15:00 - (at FUJISAITEN Mito Station South Exit Hall)     ロバート・ベッツ先生を偲ぶ会:  5 月 8 日(日)  15:00 ~  富士祭典セレモニア富士水戸駅南館 住所: 水戸市桜川 2-5-11    http://fuji-saiten.jp/facilities/ekinan.html   ★ Please be advised that people can gather in casual dress for SHINOBU-KAI.         偲ぶ会へのご参加は平服にてお願いいたします。     ★ If there is anyone who wishes to send a flower for the hall of SHINOBU-KAI, please request him/her to make contact directly with FUJISAITEN's office at 029-251-7235. 会場へのお花の提供を希望されている方がいらっしゃいましたら、直接富士祭典の事務所( 029-251-7235 )にお電話いただくよう、おつたえください。   ★ We have prepared this

The Next Ibaraki JALT Meeting!

Date: Saturday, June 4th, 2016 Place: Ibaraki Christian University, Hitachi Time: 11:00~17:00 (10:30 Doors open.) Morning A reconsideration of the Silent Way in terms of Foreign Language Anxiety and Conversation Analysis (11:00~11:40) by Hidenori Kuwabara , Tokiwa University &  Yosuke Ogawa , Kansai University Afternoon Language Instruction through Cultural Participation: The Peculiar Case of Shape Notes (14:00~16:10) by Tim Cook , Chiba University, Mejiro University, & Seikei University Business Meeting (16:20~17:00) Details to follow …
Ibaraki Chapter March Meeting  Saturday, March 5th, 2016, 9:30~17:00 全国語学教育学会 The Japan Association for Language Teaching -JALT- Abstracts for these presentations are below. Presentations: Morning Corpus linguistic analysis of NESTs’ informal online discourse (9:50~11:00) by Hugh Kirkwood, Ushiku Elementary School, Hitachinoushiku Elementary School Acoustic Impedance : how it impacts language learning (11:10~12:20) by Bruno Jactat, The University of Tsukuba Afternoon Featured Presenter DIY NeuroELT: 7 keys for making your textbook more brain-friendly (14:20~16:30) by Marc Helgesen, Miyagi Gakuin Women's University Business Meeting (16:30~17:00) Click on the address for a Google Map Tsukuba Gakuin University (Meeting Room 2) Azuma 3-1 Tsukuba-shi Abstracts: Morning Corpus linguistic analysis of NESTs’ informal online discourse (9:50~11:00) by Hugh Kirkwood, Ushiku Elementary School, Hitachinoushiku Elementary School Abstract: Teachers may use informal online discourse to share info
Ibaraki JALT December Meeting Saturday, December 12th 13:00 – 17:00 Co-sponsor : Ibaraki University 1. Featured Speaker Presentation ( 13:30~ 14:30)        English Pronunciation Instruction:   Considering Phonological Differences between English and Japanese     Abstract: Intelligibility is considered an important goal of L2 pronunciation. However, many second/foreign language learners find it difficult to acquire intelligible pronunciation. This presentation focuses on phonological differences between English and Japanese. I will discuss the pronunciation problems faced by Japanese learners of English and factors contributing to the problems. I will also introduce teaching materials designed especially for Japanese students learning English pronunciation. by Yuko Koike    ( Ibaraki University)  (University Education Center/The College of Humanities) Yuko Koike teaches English as a part-time instructor at Ibaraki University. She received her MA in education with a concentration in TE
The Japan Association for Language Teaching   全国語学教育学会 Next Meeting:  Saturday, September 12th, 2015, 09:30 – 17:00 Tsukuba Gakuin Daigaku Morning Presenters:   Mayu SHINTANI (University of Tsukuba)  Image Schema-Based Instructions on English Grammar (10:00 ~10:50): Cognitive linguistics has been devoting to reveal the very nature of language since the last few decades. One of their most fruitful results is the abstraction of the general patterns, the “image schemata,” underlying the grammatical entities. In this presentation, we will propose the grammar teaching method adopting the image-schema theory and show its strong potential in language teaching areas. As the instruction is more visible to learners than the ordinary character-based ones, it could offer them a clearer (and probably less boring) way to understand the grammar. We will also give the data collected in the experiment with native Japanese speaking students at several universities to prove the effectiveness of our metho
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The Japan Association for Language Teaching 全国語学教育学会 Next Meeting  Saturday, May 23rd, 2015, 10:00 – 17:00             Featured Morning Speaker: Joyce Cunningham Tokiwa University Professor (Ibaraki University Professor Emerita) Morning presentation (10:30 - 11:45): Anne of Green Gables in the Language Classroom You will be invited to participate in a short introduction to the much-loved novel,  Anne of Green Gables.  Most Japanese students seem to enjoy this story and engage in the activities with enthusiasm.  Eastern Canada will be described and you will gain an initial understanding of the people, attitudes and values that form this part of Canada.  Above all, we will focus on Prince Edward Island and the story of its popular heroine, Anne.  A few key scenes in the movie will be viewed and accompanied by worksheets for classroom use.  You will also become acquainted with the author, L. M. Montgomery, and learn more about the details of the story that is now so well-known throughout
Next Ibaraki JALT Meeting Saturday, February 14th, 2015, 09:30 – 17:00 at Tsukuba Gakuin Daigaku  Azuma 3-1, Tsukuba The Japan Association for Language Teaching          全国語学教育学会         (Ibaraki Chapter) Featured Morning Speaker: Maria Gabriela SCHMIDT  University of Tsukuba--Associate Professor Morning presentation (10:00 - 11:45): Listening and Pronunciation - Keep an eye on the mother tongue Maria Gabriela Schmidt To combine listening and pronunciation in language teaching is not that simple. Each belong to the opposite side of the sound, but listening is mostly invisible to us, and pronunciation is on the surface. When a student cannot understand the listening part, we will not be aware immediately, but if the sound of spoken language does not fit, it is obvious. - The approach will begin with the influence of L1 our mother tongue and then will switch to listening and pronunciation in the classroom and what we should consider important for the exercises.  Bio: Since Sept. 201
     The Japan Association for Language Teaching  -JALT-   Sunday, Sep, 28th, 13:30 – 17:00   Presentations:   1. Popular Songs in the Language Learning Classroom   (13:30-14:15) by Robert Betts (Tokiwa University)   This workshop demonstrates the use of popular songs in the classroom to practice reading, writing, listening, and speaking in the language classroom. The use of songs in the practice of language teaching is well documented in foreign language learning research. Songs selected from popular music motivates learners to explore language outside the normal structure for language learning activities in the classroom. In addition, the use of popular songs encourages students to listen to and sing songs in the target language.  The criteria for selecting popular songs are based on the following ideas: a) purpose – the purpose for using a song in the classroom (learn vocabulary/practice skills/content or message), b) length – the time allocated for the activity (long
Previous Meeting - Saturday, May 17 全国語学教育学会      The Japan Association for Language Teaching  -JALT-  Co-sponsor : Ibaraki University 
 Presentation:
 1. Featured Speaker Presentation (14:30~ 16:00) Vocabulary and textbooks: What textbooks do, what they don't, and what you can do by Dale Brown (Osaka University) The commonsense view of vocabulary learning is that learning a word means learning its meaning. Vocabulary researchers, however, have established that there is a lot more to learning a word than this. Full 
mastery of a word includes, among other things, knowing its spoken and written form, knowing the concepts it can refer to and what other words it is related to, and knowing the grammatical and collocational patterns 
it occurs in. Classroom observation studies appear to show that teachers, for the most part, take the commonsense view and focus on word meaning. This presentation will begin by reporting on a study which 
aimed to find out whether the same is true of textb

First Meeting in 2014 - Sunday, Feb, 9th

Aloha, The meeting has NOT been cancelled but expected attendance will be low with highways and local roads closed. Enjoy the snow! 全国語学教育学会      The Japan Association for Language Teaching  -JALT-   Sunday, Feb, 9th, 10:00 – 17:00 Meeting   Presentations:   1. University Accreditation: It's Impact on EFL Teaching (10:00-12:00) by Bern Mulvey ( Iwate University)  As of 2004, all universities in Japan must submit to an external accreditation evaluation, to be repeated every seven years. The universities receive written assessments in multiple categories from one of four official accrediting agencies. These assessments are intended to provide detailed evaluations of curriculum appropriateness and teacher effectiveness, not to mention school/program effectiveness in meeting mission objectives. All reports are publicized. The universities also receive grades: pass, probation, or fail. In other words, at least in theory, university accreditation represents an unparalleled oppor
October Meeting Saturday, Oct, 5th, 13:00 – 17:00 
Presentations:
 1. Older students as both teachers and learners by Tadashi Ishida (13:00-14:00) The presenter will discuss possible reasons Japanese older learners have for being interested in studying English. He will also report on his activities to help them study English by demonstrations of certain aspects of Japanese culture and a program that matches up non-Japanese visitors with volunteer tour guides. The presentation will end with a case study illustrating what happened at a festival where international students from Waseda University carried a portable shrine with the help of residents of a downtown Tokyo community through the medium of English. BIO: Tadashi Ishida has been teaching English to senior citizens at community centers in Tokyo, sponsored by the Taito Ward Board of Education for the past 30 years. He is the Founder and Coordinator of JALT Lifelong Language Learning SIG. 2. English Rakugo and English teaching by Tat