Akita Chapter

(Read the archived description for the Akita Chapter)

Akita Chapter Events in 2007

Events archive by year:
2008 [5]; 2007; 2006 [8]; 2005 [8]; 2004 [9]; 2003 [10]; 2002 [8]; 2001 [7];

Saturday, April 21st, 2007

The Power of Stories to Teach and Motivate

Speaker: Jarrett Dave, Ragan Jr.
Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Sat., April 21st, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students
Prefecture: Akita
City: Akita
Venue: Yugakusha
Description: Story telling has been the preferred method of teaching since ancient times. It is still used in many societies as a way to help people understand the world. From the stories we hear and tell we learn right and wrong, and what is deemed useful and wasteful. In socio-cultural terms we construct our identity along with others in our society through the stories we tell. In neuroscience terms stories help us make patterns of neurons in our brains that are used to shape and control our behaviors, thoughts and beliefs about what is possible and impossible for ourselves and for our society.

The presenter would like to discuss the effectiveness of motivational stories in the language classroom as both a tool for language learning and for enhancing learning strategies, thus improving the learners�f motivation for language acquisition. He will share one or two of his favorite motivational stories that he uses to help himself and his students construct a more useful way of looking at and hopefully tackling the world of learning English specifically and life in general. The participants will then be asked to share their successful motivational stories in pairs or small groups. I hope the participants will go away with a better appreciation of the power of stories to both teach language, and enhance motivation and practical learning skills.

Saturday, May 26th, 2007

Sign Language in the Language-teaching Classroom

Speaker: Martin Pauly
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Sat., May 26th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students
Prefecture: Akita
City: Akita
Venue: Room B103 at AIU (Akita International University)
Description: abstract:

Deaf and hard-of-hearing students are entering mainstream schools and mainstream society. A knowledge of Sign Language may aid teachers and hearing students in communicating with, and creating a more friendly environment for, these students. I am not a specialist in Deaf Education, nor an expert at Sign Language, but I am hoping to introduce the audience to different languages (i.e., ASL and JSL/NS (American Sign Language and Japanese Sign Language/Nihon Shuwa) and a different culture (i.e., Deaf Culture). I will demonstrate some strategies for introducing Sign Language into the classroom and show how they are transferable to a classroom of visually-impaired or older students. I will also explain how I use JSL/NS to introduce ASL and how I have incorporated Sign Language into normal classroom interaction.

Biodata

Martin Pauly has been at Tsukuba University of Technology, Division for the Visually Impaired, for 15 years. He holds offices in the JALT Ibaraki Chapter, the Bilingualism SIG and the TOL SIG. His current areas of interest include the use of sign language in the language-teaching classroom, children's bilingualism, tai chi chuan and running marathons as a guide runner for blind athletes.

Saturday, June 23rd, 2007

STEP EIKEN: An insider's guide to Japan's national English test

Speaker: Michael Todd Fouts
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Sat., June 23rd, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students
Prefecture: Akita
City: Akita
Venue: Room B103 at AIU (Akita International University)
Description: Part 1: Who is STEP? What is EIKEN?

A crash course in the history, purpose, and content of the EIKEN Test in Practical English Proficiency-one of the world's most widely administered language tests, and yet one of Japan's best-kept secrets. Find out how EIKEN items are developed and who does it, and why it's the scariest job in the world.

Part 2: EIKEN goes global

Until four years ago, EIKEN was virtually unheard of outside Japan. Now the test is recognized for admissions at hundreds of institutions in North America and Australia. What happened? The growth of EIKEN from domestic test to global qualification, and the potential impact on education in Japan.

Bio:

Michael Todd Fouts is International Operations Manager and Chief Editor at the Society for Testing English Proficiency (STEP), where EIKEN is produced by a team of 200 writers, editors, and advisors. Fouts has worked in Japan since 1990 as a teacher and test developer.

Saturday, July 28th, 2007

The New TOEIC Test : Understanding and Overcoming the Challenges

Speaker: Grant Trew, sponsored by Oxford University Press
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Sat., July 28th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): free
Prefecture: Akita
City: Akita
Venue: Room B103 at AIU (Akita International University)
Description: The TOEIC Test is the primary tool for assessing English proficiency in Japan and a good score has become a common prerequisite for job and academic placement and advancement. Because of its importance, TOEIC test preparation courses have become a standard part of both College/University and private language teaching curriculums.

The change to the test format in May 2006 has significant implications both for students and educators, who will need both an understanding of the changes and appropriate preparation to deal with them.

This workshop aims to clarify the changes to the test, highlight the impact and implications for both test takers and teachers and present some approaches to overcoming the problems Japanese learners are likely to face.

During this workshop the presenter will give examples of the new format and use interactive tasks to highlight some of the key challenges test takers will face. Participants will then be introduced to activities that can be used to prepare students to improve their scores. An overview of the format and implications of the new Speaking and Writing tests will also be included.

It is intended that participants will leave the workshop with a better understanding of the changes and how these are likely to affect their students and programs, and also with a stock of techniques to better deal with these changes.

Grant Trew, an expert in testing and a long-time instructor of exam technique, has recently authored the Oxford Tactics for the TOEIC Series Speaking and Writing Tests Student Book and the Official Oxford University Press Japan Teacher's Guide to the TOEIC Test. All participants will receive a free copy of the Teacher's Guide during the presentation written in the language of their choice. Participants are also welcome to fill out inspection copy request forms for a copy of the Student Book.

Saturday, September 29th, 2007

Action Log and Topic-Based Instruction

Speaker: Mamoru Takahashi
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Sat., September 29th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students
Prefecture: Akita
City: Akita
Venue: Joinus (at the entrance of Senshu Park)
Description: This presentation will show you how to use Action Log (AL) in your classroom. AL is a kind of action research. It is a tool that enables you to know what students are thinking.

The second theme in this workshop is how to conduct topic-based instruction in the classroom. We know that merely exposing students to a piece of knowledge only once is not enough to improve their English skills. During the workshop, you will experience how to organize teaching materials under a specific theme or topic.

Mamoru Takahashi is teaching English at Research and Education Center for Comprehensive Science, Akita Prefectural University. His current areas of interest include Content-based Communicative Instruction, Computer Assisted Language Learning, Autonomous Learning, and Action Research.

Saturday, October 27th, 2007

Recipes for success in teaching medical English

Speaker: James Hobbs (Iwate Medical University)
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Sat., October 27th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students
Prefecture: Akita
City: Akita
Venue: Room B103 at AIU (Akita International University)
Description: Even to native English speakers, a medical case report or research paper abstract can seem like a linguistic minefield of tortured grammar and impossibly complex technical terms. Many teachers, doubting their own ability as well as that of their students to cope with such material, may choose to base courses for medical students on doctor/patient conversations, or on texts written for a non-specialist audience, such as newspaper or magazine articles. This is understandable, and ELT publishers offer many titles based on such content. However, such material, despite often containing relatively little language of use to medical students, can actually be more difficult for students to cope with than authentic medical texts. Drawing on his own experience of teaching second- and third-year medical students, the presenter will show how students can be taught to decipher complex technical terms with ease, and to identify the structure and key content of case reports and research paper abstracts. Participants will try out some simple classroom activities, and there will be ample time for questions and discussion. While the presentation will be of particular interest to those who teach medical students, it will also appeal to anyone who wishes to see how a science-oriented ESP class can be taught by a teacher with limited background knowledge, provided the teacher is willing to invest some time and effort in exploring the subject area.

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