MyShares are short-format presentations, with a focus on making good connections between teachers. Share your skills, share your feedback, share the experience.

David Gann - Magic as a Means to Dialogical Discourse 
Critical thinking begins with the ability to comprehend and analyze arguments. This involves distinguishing premises from conclusions and evaluating arguments on the strength of the logic linking the former to the latter. This fun and practical four-skills activity treats magic trick as argument with a hidden premise. The presenter will demonstrate how to implement a simple card trick as a collaborative five-skills classroom activity.

David Gann is co-producing of Critically Minded Podcast and JALT Critical Thinking SIG Coordinator. He teaches at Tokyo University of Science.


Joel Laurier – Starting the academic year with the right team building tools
As teachers, we set the tone of the class’ academic and social journey for the year. So often, we set the wrong tone through the choices of activities we present to the students. With the right activities to start the year off, so many classroom management issues can be addressed. Come join me for a short demonstration of social activities that will help your students interact with each other while helping them reach their academic potential. 

Joel Laurier is a lecturer in the Learning English for Academic Purposes at Toyo University. He is a cooperative learning trainer and a firm believer in the flipped classroom concept.
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John Larson – How to pass notes in English class
Do you remember the joys of exchanging notes in class? Risking a heart-pounding dangerous pass... Smiling silently writing the unsayable... Waiting hungrily for the hopeless heartbreaking reply... In this presentation, learn how John incorporates passing notes into his English classes.

John Larson has been experimenting with different EFL techniques at Isesaki High School for over a decade. He has volunteered in various roles in Gunma JALT and currently oversees their websites.

Daniel Hooper / Jacob Reed – Using word lists and MALL for vocabulary acquisition
This presentation centers around the utilization of recently developed high-frequency word lists used in conjunction with mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) to allow for efficient and rapid vocabulary acquisition. We also refer to a study that was carried out with the app 'Memrise' in a university setting and briefly discuss relevant findings.
This presentation will have a largely practical focus with information on the benefits of our chosen app and how this approach can be introduced into a number of different teaching contexts.

Daniel Hooper is a student in the Kanda University of International Studies MA TESOL program and a teacher in a private conversation school in Ota City. 
Jacob Reed is an instructor in the ELI program at Kanda University.

Ray Hoogenboom - Setting Up and Maintaining an Extensive Reading
and ER Journal Project for First-Year University Students
According to Nation (2007), a well-designed language curriculum should contain a balance of meaning-focused comprehensible input (listening and reading), opportunities to produce meaning-focused output (speaking and writing), form-focused instruction (grammar), and fluency development (speed). Of these four, this presentation will focus on input and output. Ray will discuss how he sets up and maintains an extensive reading (ER) and written ER response journal project for first and second year university students.

Ray Hoogenboom is an Associate Professor at the Center for Language Teaching in Gunma University, and is the President of the JALT Gunma Chapter.

 This event will be held on Sunday, January 17th, from 2:00 to 5:00 PM at レンタルスぺース・ホーリィ, 1 minute from Urawa Station.

Annual General Meeting

Saitama JALT will hold executive board officer elections at the Annual General Meeting on January 17th, 2016. We are also looking for members who are interested participating in officer positions for our annual conference, The Nakasendo English Conference, and for editors of the Saitama Journal of Language Teaching. Please come out and get involved in these professional development opportunities at Saitama JALT.


Workshop by Chris P. Madden

​First Class: First Impressions
We only get one chance to make a first impression, and just like any relationship, what happens in that encounter often shapes the outcome. The presenter will share his no-prep activities and team-building techniques that have helped him positively connect with his students for over a dozen years.

Pronunciation Methods and Materials
Techniques and worksheets will be shared and practiced that help your students chip away at fossilization and have fun at the same time.

Teachers will walk away from this session with activities, worksheets, ideas and techniques that they'll want to use on Monday.

The Saitama JALT My Share is an excellent opportunity to come out and share your ideas!  My Share presentations are up to 15 minutes long and are on any topic related to language teaching.

The My Share meeting in Saitama will be held on Sunday, December 13th, from 3:00 to 5:00 PM at レンタルスぺース・ホーリィ, 1 minute from Urawa Station.

Edward Morrow

Title and Short Summary
TOEIC Listening Activity: Answering Yes / No Questions Indirectly - MyShare

TOEIC listening section requires test takers to answer a variety of questions. One type of question that students must be able to listen to and answer correctly are Yes/No questions. In this MyShare presentation, I would like to share an activity that is useful for beginner level students who need to become familiar with alternative ways to answer Yes/No questions without using Yes/No. During the presentation, I will describe the activity and share my experience of using this in a TOEIC class for students who are currently scoring below 500.

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Sandra Wigmore

Title and Short Summary
Question and answer manipulatives

For elementary, Jr High and high school ( can also be used for adults.)
Making Q & A more student centred by using manipulatives and choice. Also using the element of surprise to assist with memory, retention and fun.

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Florence Valderama Ito

Title and Short Summary
It's Christmas time, let's have fun everyone!
Christmas celebrations just around the corner. Are you ready for your school's Christmas party?
My short presentation will talk about new Christmas songs and games applicable for young learners and junior high school students.
Students will play Christmas games happily while developing their creativity and enhancing the ability to cooperate without any hesitation.

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Tyson Rode

Title and Short Summary
2 Practical Applications of Task-based Learning in the Classroom

In this My Share, the presenter will show two ways in which teachers can take advantage of their students' love of smartphones to develop productive language skills.

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Eric Autrey


Title and Short Summary
Creating and Using Bottom-Up Listening Activities

A vast majority of textbooks today contain only top-down listening lessons and activities. Although research has shown that there is merit to include some bottom-up instruction, many books lack those kinds of activities. In this MyShare, the speaker will share his experiences supplementing his lessons with bottom-up listening activities. Attendees will walk away with new ideas (and some examples) of how to use bottom-up listening instruction in their classroom.

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Christine Kim


Title and Short Summary
Using Music to Raise Awareness of Syllable Structure in English

English pronunciation can be a big challenge for Japanese students due to the complex syllable structure (e.g. consonant clusters) of many English words. This MyShare will focus on how music can be utilized as a teaching tool to help raise student awareness and understanding of the syllable structure of English. A multi-step music project in which students practice analyzing syllables in songs and produce their own English songs will be shared.

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Saitama JALT Symposium on Language and Culture

 During the summer a number of our officers participated in the museum’s Junior Bonsai Ambassador Program as part of Saitama JALT’s community outreach efforts. This symposium will gather language education professionals for the purposes of providing the museum with feedback and guidance. The event will include a panel discussion, free tours of the bonsai museum, and small group discussion. After the event the Saitama JALT chapter will provide the museum with the following:

1.      An objective account of the Junior Bonsai Ambassador Program (JBA) that draws on expert perspectives in language education

2.      A set of recommendations for the museum and the JBA program

3.      Considerations of the contribution that Saitama JALT may make in the future regarding the museum

 This event will be the Saitama JALT Symposium on Language and Culture. The event will take place at the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum, located about 5 minutes walk from Toro Station on the JR Utsunomiya Line starting at 1:00 and ending at about 4:00.

 http://www.bonsai-art-museum.jp/en/access/

 Space within the museum’s lecture hall is limited. If you think you would like to attend, please RSVP to president.saitamajalt@gmail.com as soon as you are able to.

 

Yes! The Nakasendo English Conference is coming back.  This year's conference will be held on July 19th at Citizen Hall Urawa in Saitama City.  For anyone interested in getting involved in the planning of this  grassroots conference, please join us at the Nakasendo English Conference 2015 Planning Committee Meeting on June 14th.  We welcome your ideas and participation in this wonderful event.

Access map here  

To submit a presentation proposal for Nakasendo 2015, please use the submissions form on this website. The call for proposals ends July 1st.

Time: 2:00-4:00
Place: Sakuragi  Kouminkan, 6F Kitchen
Access Map: here

About this presentation:

In this presentation Paul will introduce and demonstrate Apps 4 EFL , a website for teachers and learners of English as a Foreign Language, designed to work both on mobile devices and desktop PCs. Apps 4 EFL features a variety of games and activities for English language learners in the form of “web-apps” – apps that run in the browser.

Additionally, it includes management tools for teachers whereby students’ progress in each of the individual apps can be monitored, recorded, and used as an element of assessment in any English course.

Featured apps include the likes of WikiCloze, which allows students to read and study up to 5,000,000 Simple English and Native English Wikipedia by completing dynamically generated cloze tests, listening gap-fills, listening and reading comprehension quizzes, and vocabulary matching activities.

The newest addition to the web-app line up, Word Wiz, allows students to create, share, and study sets of English vocabulary. Students can learn the meanings, spellings, and pronunciations of thousands of essential English words, including those appearing in word lists such as the NGSL (New General Service List) and AWL (Academic Word List)

For the most interactive experience, please bring your own digital device to the meeting.

4/26 “Having a successful year" 

Saitama JALT visits Gunma JALT: Second Dual-MyShare Event. The MyShare meeting in Gunma was  held at Kyoai Gakuen University Sunday, April 26th from 2:00 to 4:30 PM.  

A very special thank you to all of the participants at both MyShare events. We are looking forward to a third Dual MyShare Event in 2016!

3/29: “Starting the year off right”

Gunma JALT visits Saitama JALT: Second Dual-MyShare Event. The MyShare meeting in Saitama will be held on Sunday, March 29th from 2:00 to 4:00 PM at レンタルスパース・ホーリィ, 1 minute from Urawa Station.

The first part of the my share event between Gunma JALT and Saitama JALT is just around the corner, here is the all star line up:

Presentation 1 – Barry Keith

Start the Year Off Right: Getting to Know Students Better with Student Profile Sheets

One problem teachers face is that we often know very little about our students. A student profile sheet can be an effective tool for classroom management that also opens a communication channel between student and teacher. The presenter will share several models of student profile sheets and we’ll consider how they can be used effectively in the classroom.

Presentation 2 – Ray Hogenboon

Getting a good start on an extensive listening audio journal project for college freshmen

According to Nation (2007), a well-designed language course should contain a balance of meaning-focused input, meaning-focused output, form-focused instruction, and fluency development. Of these four, providing ample opportunities for students to produce (speaking and writing) is especially challenging for many instructors. Ray will discuss how he sets up his extensive listening audio journal project and sets forth on maintaining it throughout the semester.

Presentation 3 - Kayvon Havaei-Ahary

Developing active learners

This presentation will discuss the importance of giving students the opportunity to create and ask questions in the classroom. Havaei-Ahary will provide a number of examples of question-centred activities that he has employed in his own teaching context.

Presentation 4 – Taylor Mignon

Surrealist Games: Ice-melting Writing Methods to Inspire

In this hands-on My Share, attendees will partake in three activities recommended to create a facilitating class atmosphere: Definitions, or Questions and Answers, The Exquisite Corpse and Syllogism. These three collaborations come from the book Surrealist Games. These exercises create a sense of humor through unexpected juxtaposition, their absurdity and occasionally and mysteriously, create coincidental seeds of truth. In addition, practical grammatical terms are introduced. What's significant is that even lower-level university students are able to use English like a poet and gain confidence while sharing laughter.

About this presentation: Coaching Competitive EFL Debate

John coaches teams for national and international debate competitions. Including the 2014 quarterfinalists at this year's All Japan High School Debate Competition.

This practical workshop aims to help attendees understand how to coach a debate team to compete effectively in the All Japan High School Debate Competition from scratch. Attendees will receive a comprehensive set of coaching materials.

Click here for access to Sakuragi Kouminkan.


Click here for the debate resources provided by Mr. Finucane.

 About this presentation

Given research documenting genre and style variation in academic writing, can EAP courses adequately prepare students for the challenges of writing at university?  This presentation describes research showing this may be possible. To inform the development of a first year academic writing course, a text bank of proficient undergraduate Arts-based writing was created and interviews with disciplinary experts conducted. Results indicate similar qualities are desired by academics and seen in student texts across three subjects.

The Saitama JALT My Share is an excellent opportunity to come out and share your ideas!  My Share presentations are up to 15 minutes long and are on any topic related to language teaching. 

Presenters and abstracts for the upcoming My Share on December 14th:

1) Sanae Oda-Sheehan - Self-talk: Use yourself as a resource to improve speaking

How often do we hear students say, “I can’t practice speaking English because I have no one to talk to”? If no one is around, why not talk to yourself? The self-talk technique can be a powerful tool to practice speaking, using yourself as a resource and taking ownership of your own learning. This presentation offers several techniques for self-talk and reports how learners explored the new approaches.

2.) Michael Sorey - Warm up activities using pictures

"How was your weekend?" is a common and often perfunctory way to start a class.  The presenter will demonstrate a couple of warm up activities using student generated pictures and graphics that prompt learners to use more language and inject more interest into what is often a routine activity.


3) Rory Banwell - Developing a positive EFL classroom environment in Japan

Both Japanese students and foreign EFL teachers have spent years in differing educational contexts. They have different expectations for classroom norms. There are discrepancies in such things as sense of appropriateness of behavior, displaying emotion, and uses of silence. Successful classrooms are built when participants understand and adjust to each other. How can EFL teachers promote a positive language learning environment? The teacher has an important role. Teachers who attend this short workshop will walk away with concrete ideas, based in both research and experience, of how to promote a positive learning atmosphere as a foreign EFL teacher in a Japanese classroom.

4) Adam Shaw - The crucial first day

First impressions are everything. This is especially true for teachers in the classroom. Studies have shown that the judgements students make about their instructor in the first lesson set the tone for learning for the rest of the year. This presentation will introduce some suggestions for running a first lesson that will contribute to a successful year of teaching and learning. Participants will learn a few simple ways to build student-teacher rapport, increase learner motivation, and create a community of learning in the classroom. 

5) Frankie Lafferty - Using "Kamishibai" in lessons

Elementary school students in Japan are taught using various uniquely Japanese techniques. One of these is "Kami Shibai," or using large picture cards to collaboratively narrate a story with the audience. In this presentation, a technique for teaching basic English patterns using "Kami Shibai" will be introduced.


6) Kathryn Sommerlot & Robert Rowland - Literature circles: Critical thinking in high school reading

This short presentation will look at the benefits and rationale behind modifying an intensive reading course to include a literature circle, discussion-based component. It will include an introduction of materials and concepts currently used in a private SHS in Tokyo.

English literature classes can be very hard for non-natives speakers. One of the reasons why authentic material is so important when teaching language is the culture that is offered within, though these texts are often inaccessible at low-level English proficiency.

The goal for the project was to help a first-grade Japanese high school class through an English novel while giving them the tools necessary to do so easily, by having them build on vocabulary and ideas so that they are free to feel secure in their own interpretations of the text. Scaffolding, as illustrated here, can help non-native English learners to grasp the meaning behind the text better and to continuously build on their own ideas and reactions to the piece being used.

7) Mamiko Hirano- Enhancing language learning and student engagement

This presentation is to share the results of the presenter’s research about effective instructional strategies and student engagement in foreign language class. The research was conducted in the United States through employing a survey for foreign language teachers, class observations, and interviews. It will be intriguing for the audience to know the voices of the foreign language teachers from different backgrounds. 



Access maps and info here:

http://saitamajalt.weebly.com/access.html

This event will be held at 2pm at the Musashi Urawa Community Center known as "South Pier", Room 4. Please see the Access Map for full directions.



Abstract from Stop Motion: Start Learning
The presenters demonstrate how digital storytelling through stop motion animation can lead to various learning outcomes; oral presentations, writing tasks and collaborative learning. The presenters illustrate how these cooperative projects can be used to foster not only student autonomy but also help motivate students by embracing a number of different learning styles. The participants can learn about the process and see results from these stop motion projects in university writing and integrated courses.

Saitama JALT Annual General Meeting (AGM)
After the presentation our AGM will be held.  The election of officers for our executive board will be held and we will start planning for the upcoming year.  It's a great chance to come out and get involved.  We are looking forward to seeing everyone there!

About Promoting Extensive Reading Accountability (Short Format)

       This short lecture will cover one approach to implementing an extensive reading program. Motivation is one of many psychological constructs which is involved with language learning. At times students are unmotivated to read and often unaccountable for doing assigned independent reading. These problems led to the creation of materials aimed at confronting these issues while also promoting extensive reading, letter writing discourse practice, peer to peer interaction, and self evaluation.

About Family Resemblance Glossaries (Opening Act)

This presentation is interested in a practical technique for creating glossaries inspired by Ludwig Wittgenstein's Family Resemblance Principle. The presenter has found this particularly effective for coaching students for debate. It would also be useful for Content based instruction (CBI) contexts.

About Struggles with Extensive Reading (Short Format)

Extensive Reading should be very effective for foreign language learning, but getting students to read is not as easy as it seems. What can teachers do to make the most of extensive reading? Based on his twelve years as a SHS teacher in Tokyo, the presenter will describe what difficulties teachers are likely to face in implementing extensive reading in the classroom. 

About the Annual General Meeting (AGM) Planning Discussion

As understood by the content of JALT Executive Board Meetings, JALT has resolved to raise fees in some form or fashion. (read your TLT for more info about the fee changes) Shall all members see their fees raises the same amount? Should exceptions be made for part-time educators, and those who are home-based, or in primary and secondary education? Tell us your sentiments and concerns regarding this in order that we may better represent you.

Locally, how many meetings should we be having, and what sort of content should be in those meetings? These questions deserve answers, and we find that our best responses come from being informed about what our members are looking for. Join this meeting, and share your opinions for JALT national and local.

Access maps and info here:

http://saitamajalt.weebly.com/access.html

Saitama JALT is proud to present our next event: Technology and Education in the 21st Century. This event features the research of experienced educators who are also grad students at Temple University Japan (TUJ). This workshop will feature practical applications and current theory including Projectors in the classroom, Google Apps for education, Technology for Young Learners, and Web-based Reading Resources. Featuring Andrew Quentin, Joshua Krill, Nicholas Giordano, and Tyson Rode.

Opening Act by Masanobu Sato, A study of Japanese university students' intuitions behind the use of vision verbs in English. This study explored how Japanese learners of English understand the verbs of perception in English with reference to visual verbs.

Access maps and info here:
http://saitamajalt.weebly.com/access.html

@Sakuragi Kouminkan 5th Floor
2:00-5:00pm


Our partners in the Speech, Drama, and Debate Special Interest Group (SDD SIG) are here at your request, we are proud to welcome Eucharia Donnery and Yukari Saiki; our own Rory Banwell, will open up the event with a complementary presentation.

Rory Banwell 
The Sociocultural Aspects of the EFL Classroom

A lot of the time students are ill-prepared to deal with the intercultural encounters they will face using English. Classrooms tend to focus on easy to recognize, tangible things of language (grammar, vocab, functions etc) and tend to not go into the sociocultural aspects of language learning in any depth. It will be argued that more sociocultural awareness in language learning could really enhance the learning process. How can this be done? 


Eucharia Donnery (Speech, Drama, and Debate SIG)
Drama in the Japanese SLA context: The Perfect Match

For cultural and historical reasons, speaking and oral communication are areas which can pose difficulties for many Japanese English language learners. Nevertheless, it is the teacher’s aim to move students from the teacher-led class to learner linguistic independence. Drama can overcome these difficulties, by communicating affectively THROUGH English, rather than FOR English, while simultaneously promoting long-term learning over short-term study. As the learners’ journey into English progresses, learning moves from the physical confines of the classroom with the teacher in a supportive role to outside of the class in physical collaboration with other learners. As well as emotionally engaging with the tasks, learners express meaning through direct dialogue, replicating the second language struggle to communicate. Drama builds confidence in the learners because fluency takes precedence over accuracy, which is the case initially when learning a second language. Drama also incorporates pronunciation, another area that Japanese EFL learners can find challenging. This workshop aims to demonstrate the rationale for using drama in the Japanese EFL context, moving from the realm of the non-verbal, which can help the most unenthusiastic of learners, into verbal communication. The techniques involved are adaptable for all teaching areas.


Yukari Saiki (Speech Drama, and Debate SIG)
Bringing Drama to Your Class

A common problem in university language classes is a tendency for students to be reserved or shy when speaking out in front of people. Students often say they lack confidence when speaking in public. In order to help students overcome this difficulty I use a modified mini drama procedure in my class. Mini drama is similar to improve activities, but in my class students get 8-10 minutes to prepare for the drama. Nearly 90 percent of students who participated in this drama activity reported that they had greater confidence in public speaking and increased participation in class. Students also reported improved language proficiency as a result of the experience. This presentation will reflect on my experiences teaching international students at Tokai University using a modified version of mini drama, which includes a brief reflection and summary of students’ engagement in the activity.

Location: Hong Kong Tei, Nishi Kawaguchi location (香港亭 西川口店)
Time: Sunday, May 11th, from 6pm

In lieu of another large, well-attended, and exciting set of speakers - we present a modest social event. We have a lot to celebrate, so this is kinda past due!

Let your hair down and chat it out - your new students, your new goals, and where and how we'll steer our group over the next few months and years.

See you soon. Yes, ¥1000 pitchers of Sapporo. Yes, piles of cumin lamb and duck.
Just outside the east exit, hugging the left side of the rotary, crossing the street when you have to, and making a 30 meter beeline to the giant ¥500 sign. 

I'll be getting there a little early in case you are too.

-Matt

@Sakuragi Kouminkan 5th Floor
2:00-5:00pm

 




Graham Finch (ETJ Saitama)
Tic Tac Toe

In this presentation the audience will see how the presenter piques students' interest into creating a Tic Tac Toe game and then gets them to drill without realizing they are drilling.

Graham has been teaching for more years than he cares to remember. He teaches at his own language school in Saitama. He is also the ALT at an elementary school in Saitama and at a school for children with special needs in Tokyo.

Coco Okuno (ETJ Saitama)
How to plan the Easter event

Last year, the presenter held Easter and Halloween events in collaboration with Patricia Daly Oe, a picture book writer and English teacher. In this presentation, she’ll show what they did at the Easter event, share the ideas of the songs and games for the different age groups.
They’ll have another Easter event this year too.

Coco Okuno majored in Education at an university in Japan. She took the ESL course at Tulane University in New Orleans. She worked for a famous langage school after graduation, and became a director of one of the branch school in Saitama.　She quit her job as she had her first child, then she started her own school at home when her second child was 1 year old. She’s been teaching there for 18 years.

Allison Imamura (Saitama JALT)
Communicative Presentations

This presentation will explore the idea of transforming student presentations into a communicative activity. We will discuss the meaning of “communicative”, introduce the article, A Framework for Assessing the Communicative Potential of Language Learning Activities, which provides guidelines for assessing and transforming activities into communicative activities and finally introduce an example presentation which meets those criteria. 

Florence Valderama (Saitama JALT)
Yes and.............

A learner's motivation is the primary factor influencing both test performance and success in school. If your students are not motivated, they are not going to learn. The repetition of the word "yes" also helps to create a cooperative and friendly atmosphere in the classroom. In this activity, we use a physical passing activity with the phrase, "Yes, and..." to promote inclusion and idea development.

Samuel Flens (Guest of Saitama JALT)
Inclusive learning for young students

I will present strategies for keeping young learners engaged and involved in English conversation lessons, using picture books, and interactive games. This workshop will feature the beloved classic, "The Hungry Hungry Caterpillar."

Bryan Darr (Saitama JALT)
Effective Writing Feedback: Beyond Red Xs and Os

This presentation explains why oral and written grammar correction is at best ineffective, and at worst discouraging, and provides three solutions to aid teachers from JHS to University in their writing units, all usable tomorrow: a praise-centered key for both form and content comments, peer-review writing processes, and a framework for student-teacher conferencing.

Teigan Babcock (AJET, Saitama JALT)
UNESCO Heritage Sites & Presentation Scavenger Hunts

Reflecting on the needs to find realia and relevance for the globally minded classroom, Teigan Babcock will provide a case for using UNESCO world heritage sites for your student's next group report. Widely accessible to the point of existing in some book form at each school sampled, these presentations provide a link to the larger world around us through recognized places in Japan. Oh, and how might we better train our students to pay attention to their peers' work? Let's try a scavenger hunt!

Tyson Rode and Matt Shannon (Saitama JALT)
Live-Coding a teacher's website with Weebly

 Using the freemium page developer Weebly, we will make a custom website appropriate for a teacher. Everything in this workshop will be free, immediately available to use, and will feature a public website, an easy domain address, photo hosting, page navigation, and contact forms. As stated, this event will be a live-coding event, in which all of the site building is done live with the participation of the audience.

@Sakuragi Kouminkan 6th Floor Kitchen
2:00-5:00pm 
RSVP Recommended

Matt Shannon featuring Brad Semans: The Five Senses Workshop- An Experiential, Learner-Led Event 

Important Note: This event will utilize a kitchen facility to enable its labs. Please RSVP to ensure that your space at the sinks, tables, and fretboards is accounted for. Brad has arranged for a ¥6000 package for those who wish to purchase and use their own ukulele during the workshop. Please contact us before March 10th to take advantage of this opportunity.

Abstract:
Get your hands dirty with Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) in this curated event: we’ll learn better ways to talk about (and enjoy) chocolate, let our nose start a conversation, outsource our brains with wooden blocks and dice, and learn to play the ukulele. It’s ok, there will be elementary and junior high school students helping you along the way. Oh yeah, we’re going to finish with an ice cream lab, toppings and discussion to follow.

CLIL engagements lend themselves to intrinsic motivation, and it is our goal that you may experience this, rather than “learn about it.” In such environments, you will find your job as an educator to be move away from the teacher and towards an enabler of independently-driven learning. 

Bio:
Matt Shannon is an educator, cultivator, and curriculum developer, based in Saitama, Japan. He has helped place student work at the edge of space, given lectures on why we need to think about the ocean when we’re looking for good ideas, and is a long-time fan of Mr. Wizard. He is president of the Saitama chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching.

Brad Semans develops curricula and trainings for the Saitama City Board of Education. He also owns and operates an English teaching service specializing in content based lessons for the purposes of developing functional bilingualism. His interests include application of theory to the classroom and playing ukulele in lessons. 

Hiroya, Haruki, Ayaha, Yu, Ao, Kotaro, and Minato have all studied a variety of subjects through English and are all ukulele enthusiasts.