JALT President Kevin Cleary

With great sadness we announce that Kevin Cleary passed away peacefully in the early morning on January 16 in Kyoto in the presence of family.

Kevin was an exemplary teacher, author, leader, and most of all, friend.

Many of you have already offered to help in any way that you can. As soon as we know how you can be of assistance to Kevin's wife and children, we will let you know.

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Below is a short digest. You will find abstracts following this numbered list.

1. Next Event: Feb 9th, Harigaya Kominkan. John Fincuane - Teaching in the Private Sector: A Workshop; Allison Imamura - Communicative Presentations; Tianyi ‘Dani’ Zong, How Target-Language Achievement in an Extended Study-Abroad Experience Relates to Perceived Identity. In order to provide the best quality, please RSVP to this event in fully participate in the workshop.

2. Thanks for December and January! Last Month’s MyShare presentation with Saitama City Educators yielded 12 quality presentations, 37 total participants, and several publications. January 19th Joel Laurier brought Cooperative Learning to Omiya, and our new member Bryan Darr reviewed methods and theory for writing correction. 

3. Name Change Following deliberation from Annual General Meeting, the Omiya Executive Board passed a motion to change from the Omiya Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT Omiya) to Saitama JALT (埼玉 JALT) in recognition of our membership and scope. This motion will be heard as a formal amendment at the JALT National EBM this weekend, 2/1-2/2, at which point the change will be reflected on all national documents. 

4. JALT 2014 National Meeting in Tsukuba: Call for Presentations deadline is 2/11. Just what it says - the call for papers for the JALT 2014 meeting in October is quite early. http://jalt.org/conference/jalt2014/call-presentations

5. March 16th, Sakuragi Kominkan (Kitchen, 6F) - Matt Shannon, Curated Sensory Workshop, featuring Brad Semans, and a sweet ending. Curious? Great, that’s the point. Read on for the full abstract below.

6. April 13th, Sakuragi Kominkan: Sai no Kuni Event with ETJ Our partners in education, ETJ, will continue the annual Sai no Kuni series in April. 

7. Calls for presentations are open! We’d like to see more presentations from higher learning, school-owners, Japanese Teachers of English, and student presentations. Contact our experienced program director Jun Harada (haradajun@hotmail.com) with your ideas who will help turn that into reality. 

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Abstracts and Discussion

1. Next Event

Teaching in the Private Sector: A Practical Workshop by John Finucane

Date: February 9th, 2014

Time: 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Place: Harigaya Kouminkan

 Featured Speaker: John Finucane

Abstract: This practical workshop aims to help attendees understand what expectations private schools have of their employees and the challenges these expectations create. Attendees will learn one method to be effective, efficient private school employees.

Bio: John Finucane is an EFL Professional. He is the President and co-founder of さいたま市教育家会 (SCE). He edits the Journal of Saitama City Educators (JSCE). His interests are writing, teacher training, event planning, debate, critical thinking and LEGO. Find out more at: John-Finucane.com.

Note: The workshop requires reservations to be the most effective. It is intended for educators who want to work in a private junior or senior high school or educators who currently work in a private junior or senior high school. RSVP to membership@jaltomiya.org

Short Format Presentations: 

Presenter: Allison Imamura

Title: Communicative Presentations

Abstract: This presentation will explore the use of communicative activities in the classroom. Based on the article “A Framework for Assessing the Communicative Potential of Language Activities” by Leander S. Hughes, we will discuss the criteria for determining if an activity is truly communicative or not. From this starting point, an activity called Communicative Presentations will be introduced, which has been built around this framework and involves all of the students in listening and speaking in the target language.

Presenter: Tianyi ‘Dani’ Zong

Title: How Target-language Achievement in an Extended Study-abroad Experience relates to Perceived Identity

Abstract: This presentation reports the results of a study of the ‘perceived identity’ of International students (Chinese, n = 72) studying at a Japanese university. Results indicating that Japanese, or any other language in a target society is not only a tool for communication, but a mirror for helping international students clergy their own perceived identity will be presented. Such findings will be supplemented with the presenter’s own narrative data.


2. MyShare Presentation Schedule from December

A specific and gratious thanks to all the talent we saw. The presentation order was as follows:

Daniel Worden - an Introduction to Extensive Reading

Die Hu - You are more than a language teacher – how to improve students’ self-esteems?

Rebecca Quinn - Speak all about it - Effective ways to use the news in oral communicaiton

Faye Quinn - Using a Journal Style Activity to Encourage Student-ALT Interaction

Teigan Babcock - UNESCO World Heritage Sites as subject material for HS Students

Larry Cisar - An activity using Algebricks/Woodblocks and Game Design

Florence Valderama - “Yes, and...!” - Theater Games from SDD SIG

Lee Ann Genovese and Zach Keesey - An Introduction to TIU@Kawagoe featuring 

Weebly and Google Forms

Lee Ann Erickson - Extensive Reading Experiences for Introductory Readers featuring Book Bingo 

Shaun Iwasawa - A Pair Speaking Test and Presentation Rolled Into One

Alexander Procter - The Talkative Classroom

3. Name Change

The following is taken straight from the January 3rd EBM

“1. Motion: The Omiya Chapter of the Japan Association of Language Teachers shall change its name and be recognized formally as the Saitama Chapter of the Japan Association of Language Teachers, commonly referred to as Saitama JALT. In accord with this motion, the chapter will present an amendment at the National Executive Board Meeting where upon ratification, the chapter will be recognized by JALT National and in all documents proceed under its new name. In the Annual General Meeting, the respective chapter will amend our constitution in line with constitution and bylaws.

Discussion: I have had discussions with all current officers, our chapter Parliamentarian Larry, and several other long-standing members; in short, we all know it is a good opportunity to properly represent our existing members, and to simply no longer confuse possible members in the Saitama area. All of national exec supports it, following a letter I sent them a month or so ago. I would be happy to provide that letter for you. It is not only good for us, but this move by us is seen as a smart and responsible move by National, and one worth following by others. 

Here are some things that would be affected by a name change:

-Website would need to be updated. Tyson has prepared a functional website already ( http://saitamajalt.weebly.com ) that can be tuned upon vote.

-The Saitama Journal of Language Teaching would be better associated with the chapter

-We'd need an updated logo

-We'd need to amend the constitution at our AGM”

4. JALT 2014 National Meeting in Tsukuba: Call for Presentations deadline is 2/11. Nothing else to report

5. March 16th, Sakuragi Kominkan (Kitchen, 6F) - Matt Shannon with Brad Semans

This is a three-part workshop. The first is a round-robin, followed by a workshop with Brad, and then a surprise.

5.1 Matt Shannon’s Sensory Workshop - Subject to some change and secrecy

This round-robin style workshop is going to help you provide examples of multi-sensory inputs for language learning and use, and will conclude in a practical CLIL (Content and Language integrated learning) module that’s indeed a sweet surprise. Currently on the round-robing list are Smell-based writing and discussion prompts; Outsourcing your memory / Physically Realized Brainstorms; Double-Dutch; Tactile Writing; Coffee, Chocolate, Dashi, and Graphic Organizers.

5.2 Brad Seman’s Ukulele Workshop

This workshop will explore the rational and methods for implementing short ukulele lessons into classroom routines. Participants will have the opportunity to learn to play a basic chord progression on the ukulele while experiencing a wide range of pedagogical bases ukulele can be used to cover. Participants owning ukuleles are encouraged to bring them. Participants interested in buying a ukulele at cost (￥6,000 or under) should tell Matt Shannon by March 1st 2014. 

6. April 13th, Sakuragi Kominkan: Sai no Kuni Event with ETJ

Calls for Presentations open. (Program Director: haradajun@hotmail.com)

7. Calls for presentations are open! We’d like to see more presentations from higher learning, school-owners, Japanese Teachers of English, and student presentations. Contact our experienced program director Jun Harada (haradajun@hotmail.com) with your ideas who will help turn that into reality. 

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Let's keep in touch. You can reach Tyson Rode, Publicity Director by using the contact form on this site. 

Have something pressing that needs the chapter's attention?
Contact Chapter President Matt Shannon at mailmatt@gmail.com

December 8th, 2013: MyShare - a joint event with the Saitama City Educators

Time: 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm, to be followed by our year-end Bounenkai 

Place: Sakuragi Kouminkan 5F, in Omiya

Given an open stage and an audience of your peers, what will you say? MyShare is an event for educators who wish to share a technique, material, procedure, story, or other useful tool or experience with the general membership, and do so in the span of three to fifteen (3-15) golden minutes. Multidisciplinary, intense, and personal, it is not an event to be missed.

Saitama City Educators (SCE) will be contribute six presenters whose abstracts can be found below. For Omiya JALT members, the call for MyShare presentations is open. Please contact our program chair Jun Harada at haradjun@hotmail.com or Matt Shannon at mailmatt@gmail.com if you have previously been in contact with him.
Following the MyShare, members of the Omiya JALT chapter are invited to join the presenters for good company and beverages, location TBD (in Omiya.)

Presentations from the Saitama City Educators (SCE):

Shaun Iwasawa 
Title: A Pair Speaking Test and Presentation Rolled Into One

Bio: Shaun has been working in Japan as an ALT for the past 10 years. He began teaching at a public high school through the JET Program. Since then, he has worked at a girl’s school, five elementary schools, and is currently at Kaichi Gakuen, a private Jr./Senior high school.

Abstract: This speaking test activity is aimed at students in middle and high school. It can be used as a one-time activity or as a portion of each class over a term. It allows students to receive immediate feedback and focuses on problem comprehension, writing, memorization and speaking skills. It also allows students to work at their own pace while at the same time keeping all class members working actively.

Die Hu 
Title: You are more than a language teacher – how to improve students’ self-esteems?


Bio: Die Hu holds a Bachelor of Education from the University of Sydney, majoring in second language teaching as well as visual arts teaching. During her degree, she completed two professional experiences with two different high schools. She is currently an Assistant Language Teaching at Wako International High School, teaching debate and communication. Prior to that, she worked in an Interpreting and Translating agency, and also did English tutoring.

Abstract: As language teachers, we often spend a large amount of time designing and planning fun and engaging learning activities in order to improve students’ language abilities. However, we rarely consider the fundamental determinator of students’ success – self-esteem. Whether or not a student is successful in learning is determined by whether or not he/she believes in his/her ability to learn. This workshop aims to provide more information about the impact of self-esteem on language learning as well as suggest practical strategies teachers can implement in order to improve students’ self-esteems.

Alex Procter  
Title: The Talkative Classroom

Bio: Procter has over 13 years of EFL teaching experience in Japan. He holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Education and is therefore qualified to teach in schools in

England and Wales. He currently teaches at Kasukabe Kyoei Junior High School. His interests include collaborative learning and CALL.

Abstract: This presentation will offer advice on how to create an atmosphere in which students feel motivated to give their opinions through the use of appropriate questions, primer activities, and transparent evaluation criteria.

Daniel Worden 
Title: An Introduction to Extensive Reading

Bio: Daniel has been a JET Program ALT working in Saitama Prefecture since 2009.
He recently received a MA TESOL from the University of Auckland. His areas of interest include extensive reading, materials development, vocabulary acquisition, and academic writing.

Abstract: Extensive reading is an approach to ESL/EFL reading instruction which aims to develop learners` overall reading ability through reading large quantities of engaging and level-appropriate material. This presentation will explore the basics of extensive reading and suggest how it can benefit learners, particularly in the Japanese EFL learning context.

Faye Quinn 
Title: Using a Journal Style Activity to Encourage Student ALT Interaction


Bio: Faye came to Japan from England as an ALT in July 2011. She teaches English at Shiraoka High School and also has weekly visits to high schools in Kurihashi and Hasuda. Before coming to Japan she studied Mathematics at Durham University where she completed her Masters. Faye has a passion for playing sports, especially football, and enjoys studying languages, particularly Japanese and British Sign Language

Abstract: A presentation about creating and introducing a ‘journal style’ scheme within English classes and the benefits it can have on the student’s motivation, as well as helping to build relationships and encourage communication between students and the ALT.

Rebecca Quinn 
Title: Speak all about it – Effective ways to use the news in oral communication

Bio: Rebecca Quinn graduated with a degree in French and English Literature before moving to Japan to teach English at Wako International High School in 2012. She spent a year in France as an English language assistant and worked as a Press & PR Officer for an Edinburgh theatre while finishing her Masters. In her free time she writes travel articles and attempts to play the piano.

Abstract: Despite the perceived difficulty of news English, useful texts, easily accessed both in print and online, provide a thought-provoking platform for student discussions and in-class presentations. Articles can be exploited in a variety of innovative ways, not only to develop student’s communication skills but also to expand their knowledge of international current affairs. This article offers ideas on how to use news articles effectively in the classroom.

January 19th, 2014: What’s on the Test?
Time: 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm 
Place: Sakuragi Kouminkan 5F, in Omiya

For most members of JALT, we are directly affected by some form of testing. Whether it is teaching TOEIC to our college students, STEP Eiken to our young ones, Center tests for those in-between, or TOEFL for our own friends and family, we can inform ourselves of the scope and differences of these tests, to whom they apply, what they assess, and for what purposes they are used. 

Are you an educator teaching in the field of test-preparation? Are you preparer of tests looking to educate others? Please contact us and help shape this event into the best two hours it can be via Matt at haradajun@hotmail.com 

*This event may be rescheduled to make room for a member-submitted event*
Also, from our partners in other JALT Chapters and Special Interest Groups:


Learner Development SIG's 20th Anniversary Conference: Exploring Learner Development: Practices Pedagogies, and Research
Date: Saturday, November 23rd and 24th, 2013 Time: 1:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Speaker: Invited speakers Kensaku Yoshida (Sophia University), Richard Smith (University of Warwick), Naoko Aoki (Osaka University). Special Guest Speaker: Phil Benson (Hong Kong Institute of Education)
Day 1 Link: http://www.eltcalendar.com/events/details/6431
Day 2 Link: http://www.eltcalendar.com/events/details/6432

Description:
You are warmly invited to join us to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the JALT Learner Development SIG and to explore current and future directions in the learner development field. The conference will offer many opportunities and spaces for teachers, researchers, students and NGOs to engage with each other on a rich and challenging range of issues to do with learner development and learner autonomy in formal and non-formal (language) education.
One-day registration: 2500 yen
Two-day registration: 4000 yen
Free registration for students.

Yokohama JALT-December 21 – My Share and End-of-year party
Time: 1pm-4.45pm
Location: YOKOHAMA Kyoiku Kaikan Dai2 Kenshushitsu(第二研修室）(1F). Ten mins from Sakuragicho (JR/underground) or Hinode (Toyoko)
Directions: MAP
Details: Calls open for 10-20 minute practical presentations. In association with the Saitama City Educators. Presenters will have the opportunity to submit an article about their presentation to the Saitama City Educators Journal *Omiya JALT member will be presenting, so you'll be among friends.
http://yojalt.org

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Employment Opportunity
Waseda's Tokorozawa campus is looking for the right person. Is that you?

From member Robert Gray:
"I am a tenured faculty member of Waseda's School of Human Sciences. The location of the campus is designated as 'Tokorozawa', however the closest railway station is 'Koteisashi', two stops past Tokorozawa, on the Seiby Ikebukuro line. There is a direct bus from the station to the campus -- no charge.

Part of my job description is to liaise with Non-Japanese P/T instructs of ESL. At this very late point in time, I am attempting to invite qualified candidates to contact me. The position is 3 coma, 'Academic Listening', and 'Academic Reading', on any day of the week.

A preferred candidate would have a Master's in hand (TESOL etc,), a few publications, experience at teaching university students, and be recommended. Age? 30s/ 40s, with energy and professional purpose in the classroom. Visa etc. appropriate for such a P/T position.

Does anyone come to mind?

I would be grateful if you would encourage any person who may come to mind to contact me, e-mail address below, with CV and related information as a Word attachment, ASAP.

It is necessary that any interested person meets all of the following criteria:

1) Be presently employed (F/T or P/T) at a Japanese University;
2) Be aware that this position is at Waseda's Tokorozawa campus (The School of Human Sciences). the closest station is Kotesashi, Seibu Ikebukuro sen. Bus direct to the campus.
3) Have a visa which allows Teaching;
4) Be a NS of English. We have many Japanese P/T instructors of English. At this time, our program requires a NS, to replace a NS, P/T instructor who is required to retire, having turned 70.
5) Has some publications; and,
6) Has a Master's degree in hand.

I am hoping to introduce some 'fresh blood' and some creative energy. the courses available for 2014 are 3 90-minute classes, on any day of the week, M ~ F. The classes are designated as 'Academic Listening', and 'Academic Reading'. Please encourage any person who meets all five of the above criteria to get in touch with me, attaching a Word document of their CV, attention Professor Robert Gray, at <robgray@waseda.jp>. "
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Got something to ask, or something to say? contact the president, Matt at mailmatt@gmail.com, or Tyson, Publicity Chair, at publicity@jaltomiya.org

October Newsletter for the Omiya Chapter of JALT
http://www.jaltomiya.org
Find us on Facebook
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Regarding Executive Officer Elections held in September:
This weekend JALT members from all over the country (and world) will convene in Kobe for the annual conference. It is at this time that the unanimous results of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) election will be ratified, and the incoming officers will serve officially.

 The incoming officers are as follows:

President: Matt Shannon

Programming: Jun Harada

Treasurer: Robert Rowland 

Publicity: Tyson Rode

Recording Secretary: Todd Berozsky

In the next month, you will be introduced to our new Membership chair. In the meantime, Matt Shannon will continue to serve in that function. 
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Upcoming Events and Call for Presentations:
November 10th, 2013:  The Greatest Group Presentation Story Ever Told

Time: 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Place: Harigaya Kouminkan 
Presenters: Todd Berozsky, Tyson Rode, Robert Rowland

Three curriculum developers of Saitama City’s Uruoi no Jikan program present next-day-teachable lessons in group presentations. Starting with a blank sheet of paper, we will brainstorm, mind-map, order, divide, practice, present with aides, actively listen, respond with reference to the speaker, and self-assess. Why is it that entire classes of third-year JHS are able to talk about what they would do if they met an alien, or what you should do when you visit Brazil? Find out in this workshop, where learning is doing.

Bios: Todd Berozsky (ALTI, Saitama City BOE), Tyson Rode (AET, Tokorozawa BOE) and Robert Rowland (Head ALTI, Saitama City BOE) have developed the communicative-skills enrichment program known in Japanese as 潤いの時間 (Uruoi no Jikan), also known as ECAD (English Communication Abilities Development), a nationally-backed research program now in its eighth year at Saitama City. In their roles as ALTIs (ALT Instructor), they are responsible for the education of students, teachers, and the public with regards to this special program that enables students to foster relationships with the international community, increase their ability to deduce and understand a situation and its appropriate response, and develop the attitudes and abilities necessary for self expression. They are active in the English teaching community, with significant contributions to the Nakasendo English Conference, JALT, and the Saitama City Educators.

December 8th, 2013: MyShare - a joint event with Saitama City Educators
Time: 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm (to be followed by the year-end Bounenkai)
Place: Sakuragi Kouminkan 5F, in Omiya

MyShare is an event for educators who wish to share a technique, material, procedure, story, or other useful tool or experience with the general membership - and do so within 20 minutes. While previous events have been fixed to 20 minutes only, we welcome any and all time frames up to 20 minutes. Yes, a three minute MyShare can be just great. At this point, we are expecting at least four quality presentations from our partners in SCE. Who’s ready to rise to the occasion?

Following the MyShare, members of the Omiya JALT chapter are invited to join the presenters for good company and beverages, location TBD (in Omiya.)

The call for MyShare presentations is open. As our programming chair is enjoying the sunny isles of Hawaii, those wishing to present should please contact Matt Shannon at mailmatt@gmail.com 

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Message from incoming President, Matt Shannon

To all friends and members of the Omiya Chapter of JALT, 
I have to say that I’m really excited to be in what is clearly the right place and the right time. In the next year, I’m looking at a terrific slate of quality programs; a push towards creating educator resources via video production of meetings, activities, and discussions; community service plans as members engage in the enrichment of speech, debate, mentoring, and English education awareness; continued collaboration with our partners like ETJ, SCE, and other JALT Groups; and new opportunities for professional development within the Saitama Journal of Language Teaching.

Personally, I want to enjoy with you the highest-quality presentations in the nation, and be. In order to reach that goal, I have surrounded myself with apt, able, and intelligent officers. Jun Harada has a plan to re-engage the Japanese English education community,  Robert Rowland is going to keep us on the right path and just be as razor-sharp as he always is, Tyson Rode will demand all of us to engage on a personal level while keeping transparency of all our workings, and Todd Berozsky is set to make the difference between being a chapter has a YouTube account and being a chapter the educates people online.  

I hope to be your ear, and when the time is right at national meetings or the executive board, your voice. Within our chapter constitution is the line that myself and the officers “will consider any suggestion or proposal submitted in writing by a JALT Omiya member”, and I think this is a beautiful thing that all our members are made aware of from the start. This is our organization, the product of its experiences and the result of the strangely rich environment that Saitama is able to afford. 

Finally, my thanks to the outgoing cabinet, appointed officers, and members who have put in their time and effort in to this organization. I look forward to seeing you all again this year, as well as your friends and colleagues. Bring two. 

Regards,
Matt Shannon