Blog Posts - Saitama JALT

8/19: Joel Laurier presents "Teaching Beyond Tests Through Cooperative Learning"

9/19/2018

This event will be held on Sunday, August 19th from 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at Holly Creative Space, less than a 1-minute walk from the east exit of Urawa Station.

On behalf of Saitama JALT, it is our great pleasure to host an interactive workshop with Mr. Joel Laurier, Assistant Professor in the Centre for English for Global Communication at the University of Tsukuba. His research covers the importance of cooperative learning in Japanese language education. Details of his presentation can be found below:

Teaching Beyond Tests Through Cooperative Learning

With the introduction of English as a mandatory course of instruction in 2020, teachers will be asked to meet new educational standards. For teachers of English this will be a daunting task, especially when according to the MEXT: “50% of junior high school and high school students attain the goals defined according to the Course of Study - Grade 3 of the Eiken Test or higher by the time of graduation from junior high school; Grade Pre-2 or 2 of the Eiken Test or higher by the time of graduation from high school (http://www.mext.go.jp/en/news/topics/detail/1372625.htm).

With a renewed sense of urgency, schools are asked to help develop proficient English speakers. The key to achieving these goals is not in finding the perfect textbook or giving more homework. Rather, it is building new mindsets and new supportive learning environments. We must present our students with a sense of learning that goes beyond tests and assessments.

This two-part workshop will introduce cooperative learning as a successful approach to learning. This first part of the workshop will help clarify the difference between teamwork and cooperative learning. Attendees will be shown practical and easy-to-implement structures to get more out of their learning teams. The focus of this part will be on classroom dynamics and how to properly develop an appropriate culture of learning though class building and team building structures.

The second part of the workshop will focus on assessment techniques. Strategies like Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development that are effective tools for developing student motivation can also build teacher confidence. Here we will look at effective strategies to plan lessons that help measure learning. Things like reward systems and supportive feedback. We will also look at the use of rubrics to bring about desired learning results.

As always, please plan to make time to join us after the event for drinks and refreshments and one of the nearby establishments.

7/22 - Richmond Stroupe presents "Meeting the needs of a diverse international student population"

7/11/2018

This event will be held on Sunday, July 22th from 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. at Holly Creative Space, less than a 1-minute walk from the east exit of Urawa Station.

It is our great pleasure to host Richmond Stroupe, President of JALT, with a presentation on his groundbreaking research on the changing demographics of international students and their needs in Japan. The abstract for the presentation can be found below:

Meeting the needs of a diverse international student population: The response of a Japanese graduate program

Increasing student mobility has far-reaching implications for the global education market. Because of the increased competition between institutions due to the shrinking population and the deregulation of establishing new private universities and programs in Japan, institutions increasingly are attempting to attract international students to supplement their enrollment numbers, often encouraged by the Japanese Ministry of Education. However, institutions cannot view international students from diverse regional and educational backgrounds simply as one homogeneous group. They must also be considered based on their cultural and educational backgrounds. This study evaluated the extent to which a pre-service Masters in TESOL Program provided in a Japanese context addresses the needs of a multicultural student body. Current students, alumni, faculty members, and administration evaluated the graduate program including changes made in response to a preliminary evaluation and a categorization scheme used to identify potential challenges based on the students' cultural, educational, and linguistic backgrounds. Data analysis indicated trust and a positive atmosphere have increased in the program after various changes were made, yet also revealed that actual student needs are more complex. Recommendations are made as to how to effectively address these diverse needs, not only for this specific graduate program, but also for similar programs that cater to a diverse multicultural student population.

As always, please plan to make time to join us after the event for drinks and refreshments and one of the nearby establishments.

6/24: Satomi Miura presents "From Elementary English Onward"

6/8/2018

This event will be held on Sunday, June 24th from 12 p.m. - 2 p.m. at Holly Creative Space, less than a 1-minute walk from the east exit of Urawa Station.

It is our great pleasure to host an event this month featuring Miss Satomi Miura, a J-SHINE Trainer and a Japanese Teacher of English (JTE) in Shizukuishi Town in Iwate, and also a JTE at Morioka Municipal Tsukigaoka Elementary School. The full abstract for her presentation can be found below:

From Elementary English Onward

From 2020, MEXT—The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology—will roll out their new curriculum for English education. It is therefore imperative that all educators, from elementary school to university programs, move forward in the same direction to achieve success with the curriculum. During the presentation, the presenter will introduce some of their lesson plans for the new auxiliary teaching materials “We Can!” and “Let’s Try!”, which have been designed to complement MEXT’s reform, and explore how educators can transition from memory-based lessons to experience-based active learning.

In addition, the presenter will introduce J-SHINE, NPO 小学校英語指導者協議会 and how the organization’s trainers/leaders function in elementary schools, specifically.

Following the presentation, we plan to go out for food and drinks for a late lunch, so if you have a bit of extra time, please plan to join us!

05/13: Mike Matsuno presents "Why Studying Abroad is 'Life-Changing!'"

4/27/2018

This event will be held on Sunday, May 13th from 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. at City Terrace Koshigaya Laketown, about a 5-minute walk from Koshigaya Laketown Station. If you will be late to the presentation, please contact us before hand as you must be let in to the venue site.

Saitama JALT is excited to host Mike Matsuno, all the way from the Osaka area, to present about the benefits of studying abroad and how influential those experiences are in developing language capabilities in Japanese students. Mr. Matsuno is a consultant for Dublin-based Haddington International Education (HIE) and Vice President for the Japan Study Abroad Foundation (JSAF). The full abstract for the presentation can be found below:

Why Studying Abroad is “Life-Changing!”
The biggest challenges for Japanese university/high school students and the future of Japan are English language training and global success skills. Studying abroad in western countries is one of the best ways to acquire both competent language and global life skills of critical thinking, problem solving, assertiveness, leadership, active communication, and other “soft skills.”

This will be an interactive presentation that will focus on the global success skills and what Japanese students need to be aware of and to prepare for to maximize their study abroad experience. For most westerners, these “soft skills” are expected to have been acquired when students are between K-12 grades. In Japanese schools, the focus is usually on memorizing facts and important information for the tests, and the study of English is focused primarily on learning the grammar and construction of the language, leaving very little opportunity for the development of intercultural and global soft skills needed to successfully compete in today’s world. Study abroad in western countries offers the quickest and most effective way to learn and acquire these skills. These skills are what globally related businesses require for future success and competitiveness in the world. This presentation will hopefully, be eye-opening and useful for Japanese university and high school students, parents of students interested in study abroad, and faculty or staff who want to teach these soft skills as well as advise and prepare students to be successful from the very first day on study abroad.

Following the event, and if the presenter has time, we would love to go for drinks and refreshments at one of the many fantastic restaurants or izakaya that Laketown has to offer. If you are in no rush that day, please make plans to join us for an hour or so following the event!

04/22 Keiko Yuyama presents "Metrolingualism and English as a Global Language"

4/15/2018

This event will be held on Sunday, April 22nd from 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. at City Terrace Koshigaya Laketown, about a 5-minute walk from Koshigaya Laketown Station. If you will be late to the presentation, please contact us before hand as you must be let in to the venue site.

Saitama JALT is thrilled to host Ms. Keiko Yuyama (Waseda University) with a presentation on how English as a global language is influencing various job sectors in Japan and what implications this has for educators. The full abstract for the presentation can be found below.

Metrolingualism and English as a Global Language
While English as a global language is increasingly gaining significance within labor markets to facilitate international business (Tan and Rubdy, 2008), this can be particularly conspicuous among tourism and hospitality sectors (Heller, 2010). With a record-breaking number of international tourists visiting Japan last year (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, 2017), this qualitative research critically investigates dynamics between metrolingalism (Pennycook and Otsuji, 2015) and English as a global language in six areas of Tokyo (Tokyo, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Omotesando, Nippori, and Mitaka). Semi-structured interviews are conducted with six newly-graduated young workers (3 hairdressers and 3 make-up artists) to explore their perceptions toward English as a global language. Also, the current research attempts to shed light on multilingual turns in Tokyo. Finally, pedagogical implications for educators will be discussed.

Following the presentation, we hope that attendees will join us for drinks and refreshments at one of the nearby restaurants. Laketown certainly has a wide assortment to choose from!

02/18 Robert Rowland presents "A Perfect Introduction to Paragraph Writing"

2/10/2018

This event will be held on Sunday, February 18th from 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. at Holly Creative Space, less than a 1-minute walk from the east exit of Urawa Station.

Saitama JALT is proud to host one of its own with a presentation by Rob Rowland (Seigakuin University). For those who do not know Rob, his presentations are always incredibly engaging and attendees are sure to walk away with much to consider. Please find the abstract for the presentation below.

A Perfect Introduction to Paragraph Writing

Teaching academic writing skills to EFL learners can be challenging. Fortunately, the literature offers many suggestions for developing strong EFL writing curricula. Hyland (2009) described writing as a cognitive endeavor in which the process is just as important as the product. Development of the learner's voice happens best over multiple drafts with effective global and specific feedback. Prior to writing, Hawkins (2006) suggests learners engage in activities such as note-taking and discussion to develop a deeper line of thought about a topic prior to writing. Shin (2002) offered clear guidelines for effective feedback that helps learners develop writing skills without damaging learner affect by being overly critical. To document teacher-learner dialogue and record learning over multiple drafts, Nunes (2004) suggested compiling student work in a writing portfolio, which a learner can revisit and update over the course of a unit or class term.

This workshop will introduce a well-tested writing curriculum that employs the principles mentioned above. Materials and procedure were developed at a private high school in Tokyo, but are appropriate for learners at both high school and university. The first half of the workshop will be an interactive discussion of the research-based design principles behind the curriculum. In the second half of the workshop, participants will work together to develop and share materials relevant to their own specific contexts. All participants will take home materials developed in this workshop, ready to use on day-one of the upcoming academic year.

Following the presentation, we plan to go out for food and drinks, so if you have a bit of extra time, please plan to join us!

01/21 Dave Gann presents "Sustainable Language-Based Critical Thinking Course Design"

1/14/2018

This event will be held on Sunday, January 21st from 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. at the Urawa Community Center on the 10th floor of the Parco (Room 9/第９集会室), less than a 1-minute walk from the east exit of Urawa Station.

On behalf of Saitama JALT, we would like to wish you a Happy New Year. For this month, we have a wonderful presenter in Mr. Dave Gann, an English professor from the Tokyo University of Science.

The presenter will discuss and show a course design for aiding students in the development of critical thinking competence and dialogic discourse. These steps include:

(1) Intake of explicit instruction in both argument analysis and the expression of critical dispositions delivered via the presenter’s own Critically Minded Podcast Network.

(2) Completion of two types of online text reconstruction exercises designed to facilitate noticing of (a) salient textual features associated with various premise-conclusion constructions and structures common to conditional statements and hypothetical premises; and (b) discourse markers associated with critical dispositions used in professional, academic and civil discourse.

(3) Online forum threads concerning either (a) issues raised in the textbook; or (b) problem-solving, hypothesis-testing and data interpretation; and collaborative writing via online documents

(4) Text-chat speaking tests, during which students draw upon their recent forum thread communications

(5) Assessment based on the use of the aforementioned language items, followed by meaningful feedback

(6) How a technological solution helped the course design reach sustainability. The presenter will explain the rationale behind the various steps; pedagogical considerations that informed various technological aspects of production and delivery; how the podcast material was connected to in-class activity; and how well the course design was received by our students.

This event should be an exciting one, so we look forward to seeing you!

12/17 Japanese Instructor MyShare and Year-End Party

11/27/2017

This event will be held on Sunday, December 17th from 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. at Holly Creative Space, less than a 1-minute walk from the east exit of Urawa Station.

We will once again be holding our annual Japanese Instructor MyShare event. This event puts the spotlight on our Japanese members and fellow teachers, instructors, and lecturers with presentations done in Japanese, English, or via a bilingual presentation that uses a mix of the two. For those unfamiliar, MyShares are 15-minute, short-style presentations, which make them perfect for new presenters as well as experienced presenters that want to introduce a topic as a set up for a longer presentation in the future.

次回の予定は日本人の先生方によるMy Share発表会です。12月17日（日）１４：００－１７：００　浦和駅から徒歩1分以内のレンタルスペースホーリィで、日本人の先生方によるMyShare 発表会を開催いたします。日本人会員の皆様やその同僚の先生方に脚光を当てて、日本語、英語あるいはその両言語で発表をしていただくことが可能です。MyShareとは１５分ほどの短いプレゼンテーションで、初めて発表をされる方にも、今後本格的な発表を検討されている先生方の手始めとしても、いい機会となるはずです。

Below you will find the presentation titles and abstracts for this event:

Ayako Nogami presents "The Drama Method in English Classes

This presentation is about a research proposal to investigate the effectiveness of the Drama Method in regard to English proficiency tests in Japan. The drama method refers to using acting out, role plays, games, gestures and so on in language classes. These activities are not commonly used in Japanese schools outside of speaking classes. However, in my experiences, I find the method engages students, and helps them with vocabulary retention and question comprehension. As such, pursuing research of the benefits of the method is worthwhile. Dr. L. Athiemoolam's DRAMA-IN-EDUCATION AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS IN ENGLISH SECOND/FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSES is also overviewed in this presentation.

Miori Shimada presents "What Are We Wearing?"

This is a warm-up activity for beginner students. The activity introduces the names of clothes and shoes including some confusing words such as sweatshirt, scarf, dress, slippers, and so on since Japanese learners tend to replace these words with 'katakana' words by mistake. We stand up and do this activity repeatedly in pairs. Therefore, it will be effective when students feel that the lesson is dull. This is also a good exercise for the brain since participants need to memorize more words every time new ones are introduced.

Mayumi Fujita presents "Metalinguistic Awareness and English Proficiency"

Recent researches have shown an interest in the roles of metalinguistic awareness measured in the mother language on foreign language proficiency. It has been demonstrated by Lasagabaster (1998, 2001) and others that metalinguistic awareness correlates to foreign language proficiency in bilingual foreign language learners. Additionally, Nagai (2012) first reported similar results in monolingual foreign language learners. The purpose of this study is to investigate the cause-effect relationship between metalinguistic awareness and foreign language proficiency.

Yohei Nameki presents 「グローバル人材の政策過程」―計量テキスト分析による質的カテゴリーの形成と言説的制度論の理論を用いて―

2007年に国会において、「グローバル人材」という用語が初めて登場して以来、政界や教育界、経済界、学界に至る多様な領域で、様々なバックグラウンドを持つ発言者によってこの用語は使用されているが、外国語教育政策研究では、「グローバル人材」の表象を捉えるに至っていない。このような問題意識から、本研究では、テキストマイニングツールであるKH coderを用いて計量テキスト分析を行うことで質的分析の中立性と客観性を担保しつつ、「グローバル人材」の政策過程についての通時的分析を試みた。

Jun Harada presents "Degawa English and Communication Strategies"

Strategies to overcome communication breakdowns are considered to be an important part of communicative competence (Canale & Swain, 1980). Moreover, learners can get more of the second language input that they need out of their attempts to keep an interaction going. They are also likely to notice some linguistic features from the feedback they receive when communication becomes awkward (Long, 2015).

Saitama JALT Bounenkai (さいたまJALT忘年会)

Following the MyShare event, we will have our annual Saitama JALT Bounenkai (Year End Party) at Hana no Mai (Urawa East Exit). Please plan on staying for food and drinks as we celebrate our many successes over the past year. We would love to have a large and merry group, so please join us if you have the time! We have reserved 14 seats without a course (seat only), so feel free to RSVP without worry; however, we cannot increase the number of reserved seats this year, so please RSVP as soon as possible to the below email address:

MyShareの後にはJALT さいたま支部忘年会を、浦和駅東口「はなの舞浦和東口店」にて予定します。この１年の我々の成功を祝う集いのです。ご予定ください。大人数で盛り上がりたいと考えておりますので、お時間がありましたら是非ともご出席お願いします。コースなしの席を１４名分予約していますので、遠慮なくご連絡ください。座席数は増やせませんので、できるだけ早めに以下のメールアドレスにご一報をお願いします。

president.saiatamjalt@gmail.com

We hope to see many of you at what is sure to be an excellent event!

11/12 Dr. Stefanie Pillai (University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur) presents "Learning English Outside the Classroom"

10/22/2017

This event will be held on Sunday, November 12th from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. at Holly Creative Space, less than a 1-minute walk from the east exit of Urawa Station.

We are very honored and excited to host Dr. Stefanie Pillai from the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur as part of the Four Corners Tour. Dr. Pillai is traveling to Japan for the JALT international conference in Tsukuba as the Bill Balsamo Asian Scholar, and has graciously allotted time during the Sunday before the conference for a presentation for us and our members. The time is earlier than our usual scheduled meetings, so please take note of the 9 a.m. start time, but it also let's us have Dr. Pillai for lunch following the event. Please find the abstract for the presentation below.

Learning English Outside the Classroom

One problem that many tertiary institutions face in relation to English language education is that students’ use of English may be limited to their English language classes. The Language Unit of the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, University of Malaya conducts compulsory English language proficiency classes to all undergraduates at the university. In order to create more opportunities for students to use English beyond the classroom, and to motivate students who are not very proficient in English, two signature programmes for English language have been initiated by the Language Unit. The first programme is ‘English is Awesome – Let’s Perform’, aimed at students who are at CEFR A1-A2 levels. The second is, ‘English is Awesome – Let’s Write’ for students at CEFR B1 level. The aim of these programmes is to provide guided out-of-classroom opportunities to use English. Both programmes have a competitive element with prizes for the best play and essay. In this presentation, I will explain how these programmes are carried out. I will also provide samples of the output of these programmes, and discuss the feedback on these programmes by participants and their mentors.

Following the presentation, we have a 12:30 reservation at Shabu Shabu Gyuu-ta located on the 5th floor of the Parco mall that is just across from the site of the presentation. We currently have a reservation for 16 people. We ask that anyone who wishes to join us for lunch should RSVP via email to: president.saitamajalt@gmail.com

We hope to see many of you bright and early on Sunday, November 12th for what is sure to be a fantastic presentation!

10/22 Shaping Global Standards to Meet Global Needs + Saitama JALT Annual General Meeting (AGM)

10/18/2017

This event will be held on Sunday, October 22nd from 2pm-5pm at Holly Creative Space, less than a 1-minute walk from the east exit of Urawa Station.

We have a great presentation lined up as we welcome Patrizia M. J. Hayashi and our very own treasurer, Tyson Rode, who will be presenting for us this weekend.

Shaping Global Standards to Meet Local Needs: A Workshop

This workshop will present techniques for adopting a global framework of language learning standards to meet the needs of local educational institutions. The presenters will provide an example of how they successfully implemented a CEFR-based curriculum using the Global Scale of English (GSE) developed by Pearson to align with EIKEN targets. Workshop participants will use materials provided by the presenters and gain experience with elements of backward design by selecting learning objectives for various contexts.

Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Officer Elections

After the presentation, we will hold our Annual General Meeting (AGM) where we discuss the state of the chapter as well as hold officer elections for our executive board. Those who are elected will take over their positions following the close of our international conference in November. If you are interested in becoming an officer and helping to lead our great organization, please attend and put your name forward! The positions up for a vote our President, Vice President, Membership Chair, Publicity Chair, Program Chair, and Treasurer. Please reach out to me at president.saitamajalt@gmail.com if you have any questions about what any of the positions entails. We need as many of our current members to attend the AGM as possible, so please join us for this very important event.

As always, we plan to go out for some food and drinks following the event, so we hope you will set aside time to join us for some post-presentation socializing.

9/24 Adapting Kagan Structures for Japanese Secondary Schools

8/18/2017

This event will be held on Sunday, September 24th from 2pm-5pm at Holly Creative Space, less than a 1-minute walk from the east exit of Urawa Station.

We are very excited to come off of the summer holidays with a presentation from Kayvon Havaei-Ahary and Lee Thomas of TEFLpies. For those interested in cooperative learning and its application within Japanese education institutions, this will be an event you will not want to miss! Below you will find the full abstract for the day's presentation and workshop.

Adapting Kagan Structures for Japanese Secondary School English Classes - Part 1: The Three-step Interview

Most Japanese secondary schools have had difficulty implementing the communicative methods of English instruction endorsed by MEXT. This presentation offers an overview of the literature which has explored these difficulties, and responds to calls from some of the local JALT community to explore cooperative learning as a potential means to meet the MEXT guidelines. It argues that Kagan structures offer a base for teachers to draw upon in designing group work activities that engage students in extended periods of uninterrupted interaction, by providing a social structure which develops the social skills required for effective communication. There are video and practical demonstrations of three separate activities which we have built around a single Kagan structure (the three-step interview) for varying purposes and levels, and we reflect upon the effectiveness of the activities within the PIES framework. It aims to encourage other secondary school teachers to develop activities around the PIES framework and share them within a community. This is a step towards developing a context-appropriate communicative methodology, and providing MEXT with the teacher resources necessary to successfully reform English education nationwide.

After the event, we will go out for some food and drinks, so if you have some extra free time, please plan to join us for a bit of socializing!

6/11 Gunma x Saitama MyShare Part 2

6/3/2017

This event will be held on Sunday, June 11th from 2pm-5pm at Rental Space Holly, less than a 1-minute walk from the east exit of Urawa Station.

We are fortunate to have a number of presenters coming from the Gunma chapter of JALT, who kindly hosted our presenters from Saitama last month, joining us to present on a wide variety of topics. Below you will find the abstracts for each presentation, which will be between 20-25 minutes in length including time for questions.

Harry Meyer presents "A Short Workshop for Intercultural Relations"

As the world is becoming more globalized, the importance of intercultural education in Japan continues to increase. This very short workshop will focus on something that most of us take for granted - personal space. We will start with an examination of our own personal space, followed by a look at personal space in different cultures, and finish with a discussion. The goals of the presentation are to:

make participants aware of various cultural perspectives regarding personal space.
make participants aware that foreigners are not one monolithic block, but are culturally diverse and may seem strange to each other.
make Japanese aware that their own behavior may be strange to people of other cultures.
have participants consider the importance of their own use of space in the classroom and its impact in intercultural.

Yoko Kamo presents "Using Kobanashi in a Beginner Level English Classroom"

This is a report of a short project to use kobanashi in a beginner level English class of 6th grade students. Kobanashi, are short jokes that rakugo performers tell to warm up the audience before launching the main story of rakugo. Performing kobanashi in English could be one of the excellent ways to learn English regardless of age. This presentation will explain its educational effects by showing students' performance movies as well as some kobanashi stories.

Daniel Hooper presents "Self-access Learning in eikaiwa: Attitudes, Reflections, and Challenges"

This presentation is based upon two recent studies concerned with the need for and viability of self-access language learning among adult students in the under-researched private English conversation school (eikaiwa) sector. Language learning in eikaiwa schools is unique within Japanese ELT in many ways and, therefore, any instructor needs to be aware of these context-specific affordances, constraints and ideological hurdles if they are to create realistic and sustainable provisions for self-access learning that will engage students. This presentation will address potential contextual constraints, highlight relevant findings, and present practical ideas for teachers interested in promoting self-study in eikaiwa schools.

Yoko Miyazaki presents "An Activity Exploiting L1"

I believe students’ L1 can be positively integrated into teaching methodology for lower-level adult classes in Japan, where often more than 90% of students share the same L1. I would like to share an activity which utilizes L1, or Japanese, to help learners establish the linkages between pragmatic functions expressed in L1 and those in L2. The learners are encouraged to grasp the meanings of the English sentences and by chunking them and applying equivalent Japanese to them. They are also encouraged to be aware of the form of the English sentences through repeating and shadowing exercises.

*After the event, we will have a social gathering at a nearby location (TBD). We would love for all presenters and attendees to join us, so if you can set some time aside for food and drinks following the event, please plan to do so.

4/16 Cameron Romney presents From curriculum to handout: Considerations for teacher-made ELT materials

3/12/2017

This event will be held on Sunday, April 16th from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. at Rental Space Holly, less than a 1-minute walk from the east exit of Urawa Station.

We are very excited to have Cameron Romney to Saitama JALT for a presentation dealing with teacher-made ELT materials. Cameron has presented on topics related to material design at conferences across the globe and he is bringing his expertise to us in April. No matter what level of students you are teaching or the teaching context you are in, if you are creating materials for your students to use or learn from, you NEED to be at this presentation. The full abstract for the presentation can be found below:

From curriculum to handout: Considerations for teacher-made ELT materials

To some extent, all teachers are materials writers. For some, it is just an occasional review worksheet or a homework assignment. For others, their self-made materials are the bulk of their coursework; most teachers of course, fall somewhere in between. Making great materials presents a number of challenges for teacher-writers in two main areas: coming up with the content of the materials and the actual materials themselves. This workshop seeks to address some of these challenges to help teacher-writers produce the best materials they can.

The first half of the workshop will discuss two aspects related to the content of teaching materials. First participants will learn about a systematic approach developed by the presenter for creating supplementary handouts to compliment commercially published textbooks. Next, participants will explore Japanese copyright law as it applies to adapting authentic language sources for self-made materials. After a short break the second half of the workshop will focus on making handouts; specifically by exploring ways that visual design is part of the materials creation process.

Participants should come away from the workshop with a greater understanding of some of the challenges involved in making their own materials and with concrete suggestions, in the form of best practices, to improve their own materials.

Presenter Bio:

Cameron Romney has taught ESL/EFL in both the United States and Japan for the last 20 years. He holds an MA in Applied Linguistics from the University of Colorado at Denver and a graduate certificate in Instructional Design from the University of Wisconsin Stout. His primary research interest is how the visual elements of language learning materials contribute to, or detract from, learning. Currently, he is an assistant professor in the Global Communications Faculty of Doshisha University in Kyoto.

3/12 Chris P. Madden presents Motivation Boot C.A.M.P.

2/25/2017

This event will be held on Sunday, March 12th from 2:00 - 4:30 p.m. at Rental Space Holly, less than a 1-minute walk from the east exit of Urawa Station.

We are welcoming Chris P. Madden back to Saitama JALT for a presentation dealing with learner motivation that is perfect as a lead in to a new academic year. Chris has been making the rounds presenting Motivation Boot C.A.M.P. at chapters and events around Japan. No matter which age groups you teach, this presentation will give you some wonderful ideas for keeping your students motivated. Please find the full abstract of the presentation below:

Motivation Boot C.A.M.P.

The term C.A.M.P. comes from collaboration, autonomy, mastery, and purpose, and together we will examine how to weave them into our classrooms. Firstly, ignore intrinsic motivation. Act as though everything you do (and don’t do) in the classroom (and beyond) effects your students’ extrinsic motivation. In this workshop, I will show you two short videos with accompanying worksheets that I use to stimulate motivation. The first, Steve Jobs talking of collaboration, challenges Japanese people to examine their stratified society. The second, Daniel Pink examining autonomy, mastery, and purpose as they relate to motivation, will enhance your (students’) understanding of the true roots of inner drive. In the second half of this workshop, we will discuss the personal and professional factors influencing our motivations, and I will explain the steps to facilitating the most motivational classroom I have created.

*After the event, we will have a social gathering at a nearby location (TBD). We would love for Chris and all of the attendees to join us, so if you can set some time aside for food and drinks following the event, please plan to do so.

2/26 Meikai University Lecturer Showcase @ Urawa

2/11/2017

This event will be held on Sunday, February 26th from 2pm-5pm at Rental Space Holly, less than a 1-minute walk from the east exit of Urawa Station.

We are fortunate to have a number of lecturers from Meikai University joining us to present on a wide variety of topics. Below you will find the abstracts for each presentation, which will be about 25 minutes in length including time for questions.

Will Simpson presents "Ascriptions of Native Speaker Identity"

This study qualitatively investigates how 11 in-service ELT teaching staff perceive and ascribe "native speaker of English" identities, the native/non-native speaker of English distinction in relation to English language teaching. The findings of this study suggest that there is a significant variety with which native speaker of English identities are perceived and ascribed, and that the native/non-native speaker of English teacher distinction was paradoxically seen as both meaningful and meaningless.

Roy Morris presents "The Classroom as a Stage"

This presentation discusses the benefits of treating not only large-scale tasks but also small-scale language performance as a mode of dramatic performance using examples of theatre practitioners such as Johnstone (1979) and Stanislavsky (2008) as a rationale. Three examples of small-scale dramatic tasks that can be applied to a classroom will be introduced.

Patrizia Hayashi, Sarah Holland (Toyo University), and Tyson Rode present "Transforming Students’ Experience of Language Learning Through Podcast Projects"

In this presentation, three university educators will explain how implementing a task-based learning framework in an intensive English program has transformed the learning experience for students and has brought the program to life. The focus of this presentation will be on one task-based project in particular, student created podcasts - a multi-faceted, yet relatively simple project to engage students in their own language learning.

*After the event, we will have a social gathering at a nearby location (TBD). We would love for all presenters and attendees to join us, so if you can set some time aside for food and drinks following the event, please plan to do so.

12/4 Annual Winter MyShare + Bounenkai

12/4/2016

See us @ Bessho Kouminkan, Sunday December 4th 2-5pm; Bounenkai following

On the first Sunday in December, we will hold our biggest MyShare event of the year at the Bessho Kouminkan (10 minutes from Musashi Urawa station). We are still looking for some presenters for the event. If you have something to share with your fellow educators, this is the event for you! MyShares are 15-minute, short- style presentations, which make them perfect for new presenters as well as experienced presenters that want to introduce a topic as a set up for a longer presentation in the future.
Please use the following link below for presentation submissions. Please enter "December 4th" as the preferred date and "MyShare" as the presentation format. http://www.saitamajalt.com/present.html

Immediately following the MyShare will be our Bounenkai at Chidoritei Musashi Urawa.

Sunday, December 4th (5:00~) @ Jidori-Tei Musashi Urawa / ぢどり亭武蔵浦和

Following the MyShare event, we will have our annual Saitama JALT Bounenkai (Year End Party). Please plan on staying for food and drinks as we celebrate our many successes over the past year. We would love to have a large and merry group, and hope to see you enjoy it as well. We have reserved 12 seats without a course (seat only), so feel free to attend without worry of being in for the whole evening.

Japanese Teachers MyShare Event and Saitama JALT Annual General Meeting (AGM) @ Rental Space Holly

10/16/2016

This event will be held on Sunday, October 23rd from 2pm-5pm at the Rental Space Holly, less than 1 minute from the east exit of Urawa Station.

A number of Japanese teachers with a wide variety of experience, ranging from young learners to university students, will be presenting at this event. Below you will find the abstracts for each presentation, which will be about 15 minutes in length.

Jun Harada presents "Language Learners? No, They Are Little Shakespeares"

Second language writing is such a cognitively demanding process that learners can hardly move beyond the level where they merely “choose the right word to fill in the blank”. This presentation will discuss difficulties Japanese learners typically face and how to empower them to be confident writers.

Patrizia Hayashi and Tyson Rode present "EIKEN: Skills and Strategies for Success"

The EIKEN test is a popular form of language assessment for junior and senior high school students in Japan. Two educators from Meikai University will give a practical workshop on the Eiken Interview Test. The purpose of this workshop is to serve as an introduction to the Eiken Interview Test contents and procedures. In addition, the presenters suggest strategies, activities, and assessment methods to develop EIKEN skills and abilities in students.

Satoru Sakaki presents "Building a Conversational Relationship with Your Students"

Building a conversational relationship with your students will help you draw their attention to what you say in class. It seems just "imparting knowledge" sometimes doesn't work. Through my experience in teaching at several middle schools, high schools and universities, I have found it works. Let's share some skills in developing a conversational relationship with the students in class.

Saori Kaji presents "Halloween Craft and Easy Games in a Small Kids Class"

Children love "Go Away Monster". Let's get some face parts at a store and make an original monster. The presenter will introduce a shopping-style craft that is aimed at kindergarten-aged students and some easy games using Halloween characters for elementary school students.

Shunsuke Suto presents "Masculine and Feminine Expressions Exist in English Too? - An Introduction to a Sociolinguistics Class (＜女らしい/男らしい＞言葉遣いは英語にもあるか－社会言語学の授業への導入)

日本語では役割語がとくに発達しているが、英語においても女性による使用頻度が高い表現がいくつかあることがRobin Lakoffにより指摘されている。この発表では、生徒が触れたことがあるであろう文学作品を題材に、英語の「女言葉」について考える機会を与える。言語に普遍に横たわる共通点について生徒に気付かせる授業について議論を行いたい。

Saitama JALT Annual General Meeting (AGM)

Saitama JALT will also be holding its Annual General Meeting, or AGM, at the start of this event (2 p.m. sharp). We urge all Saitama JALT members to attend this meeting if at all possible as this is where we choose our executive board members for the coming year as well as discuss other important chapter business. All current Saitama JALT members are eligible to participate in the voting process and also nominate themselves for a position on our executive board.

Cengage presents Dr. Andy Boon @ Bessho Kouminkan

9/11/2016

This event will be held on Sunday, September 25th from 2pm-5pm at the Bessho Kouminkan, a new location just 10 minutes from the east exit of Musashi Urawa Station.

Dr. Boon will be speaking on two topics at this event, which is being sponsored by Cengage Learning.

Inspire or Perspire? Getting Students Speaking

This presentation will introduce the audience to a number of strategies that can help break the silence in the Japanese classroom and get students engaging in meaningful communication. Audience members will be asked to try out a number of tried and tested speaking activities and also be encouraged to share their ideas for getting students talking to one another in the L2. Inspire is a listening and speaking course with additional content reading designed to create a richer speaking experience. The spectacular National Geographic photos and video provide enduring images that inspire learners to discover the world in all its brilliance.

Instruction-giving: Effective Procedural Instructions

Providing students with effective procedural instructions is important for facilitating understanding and encouraging successful learning outcomes in our classes. This presentation examines the communication process between teacher and students during instruction-giving and describes a number of classroom instances where miscommunication took place. After analyzing the nature of these misunderstandings, different methods of issuing task directions in lessons are suggested.

Biography of the Presenter:

Andy Boon is an associate professor in the faculty of humanities at Toyo Gakuen University, Tokyo. He has been teaching in Japan for over 17 years. He holds a PhD in Applied Linguistics from Aston University. He has been an active member of JALT since 2004, has presented at numerous conferences, and has published several articles on teacher development, motivation, and methodology. He is also co-author of Inspire; a 3-level listening and speaking course book (Cengage Learning, 2013-14).

As Cengage Learning is sponsoring this event, they will have a display of materials in the presentation room and give a short introduction (15-20 mins) to new and key titles that they have for 2016/17.

7/31 ABAX presents Alastair Graham-Marr @ Omiya Shimin Kaikan

7/10/2016

This event will be held from 2pm-5pm at the Omiya Shimin Kaikan (Meeting Room 2), a new location just 12 minutes from the east exit of Omiya Station.

Mr. Graham-Marr will be speaking on two topics at this event, which is being co-produced with ABAX ELT Publishing.

Why Teaching Listening is Vital

Learners coming from syllable-timed or mora-timed languages (i.e. Japanese) often lack an understanding of how English is actually spoken, impeding comprehension. Japanese learners are often unable to hear words that they know and this seriously hinders learning! Presented is a look at how listening should be taught.

Flipping the Class Through Literature Circles

Flipping the classroom through literature circles is an effective mechanism for maximizing student talking time and giving your students effective study time at home. This presentation reports on a second year required course in a university in Japan that used literature circles with short stories read outside of class to facilitate language development in class. This presentation reviews the procedures of the class and how flipping the class might optimize learning.

5/29 - Saitama-Gunma MyShare @ Kyoai University

5/9/2016

This event will be held from 11am-2pm @ Kyoai University (10 minutes from Komagata Station)

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

Saitama is happy to present Jonathan DeNardis, Florence Ito Valderama, and Sandra Wigmore.

Ms. Valderama and Wigmore will be presenting several practical activities for younger learners of English.

Mr. DeNardis will be present A Replacement for the Be-Verb/Auxiliaries. Short summary as follows:

"Logical Directives are a new way of teaching the hard to teach helping verbs. By using a combination of simple techniques and theories, watch your students opinions of class change from helpless to confident. Applies to Jr.High school and up."