The Japan Association for Language Teaching

Nara Chapter

(Read the archived description for the Nara Chapter)

Nara Chapter Events in 2006

Events archive by year:
2008 [5]; 2007 [5]; 2006; 2005 [6]; 2004 [5]; 2003 [2]; 2002 [4]; 2001 [5];

Saturday, January 14th, 2006

Tenri University - Nara JALT Chapter Joint Event

Speaker: Various Speakers
Time: 12:45 PM - 5:40 PM (Sat., January 14th, 2006)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): free
Prefecture: Nara
City: Nara
Venue: Tenri University
Description: Tenri University - Nara JALT Chapter Joint Event (Also joined by KELES Nara and NET Forum)

  • Comprehensive Theme: Let's Speak the Same Language!
  • Sub-themes:
    1. Use more English in Class!
    2. Promote Collaboration between Native and Nonnative Teachers!
  • Opening Addresses 12:45-1:15
  • Presentation 1) 1:15 - 1:55 From Chants to Speaking Activities Noriko Hisa (Sango Junior High School)
  • Presentation 2) 2:00 - 2:50 A Report from a Super English Language High School Toshimi Yoshikawa, Masako Sakai (Ichijyo Senior High School)
  • Symposium 3:00 - 4:10 NETs and NNETs - Do they speak the same "language"? Mark Sheffner, Rodney Dunham (Tezukayama University), Hidetami Nakai (Tenri University)
  • Lecture 4:20 - 5:40 Strategic and Spiral Ways of Developing Students' Speaking Abilities Goro Tajiri (Higashi Izumo Junior High School)
  • Snack Party 5:50 - 7:00

Saturday, March 11th, 2006

Juggling and EFL.

Speaker: Andrew WOOLLOCK
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sat., March 11th, 2006)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): free
Prefecture: Nara
City: Nara
Venue: Tezukayama University, Gakuenmae Campus (At Kintetsu Gakuenmae Station, on the Nara Kintetsu Line)
Description: Whilst at first juggling and the study of English may seem unlikely bed-fellows, the former is a great tool in stimulating and facilitating the latter. For approximately four years, I have been teaching students how to juggle (as the core of a wider project) and have found from university to senmon gakkou it to be a hugely successful exercise. Henceforth, I would like to teach other educators how to juggle so that they too may use it to good effect in their classrooms.

Why juggling?

Points;

1) Encourages students to follow detailed instructions in English - if they don't listen and follow they simply won't be able to do it.

2) Stimulates the area of the brain associated with learning new skills (which may or may not be the same part stimulated whilst learning new languages - next research project).

3) As an early term activity it facilitates team building because once students become proficient you assign them to help a weaker student.

4) Motivates the students when they realise they can learn reasonably quickly, and they did it all in English.

5) Introduces the concept of chronology and time-lines to the students (follow-up writing activity/homework/black-board exercise)

Sunday, May 28th, 2006

Two implementations of extensive reading.

Speaker: Co-Presenters: Clive Lovelock and Jim Swan
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sun., May 28th, 2006)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): free
Prefecture: Nara
City: Nara
Venue: Tezukayama University Gakuenmae Campus (JALT2004 Conference Site) Facing South Exit of Gakuenmae Station on the Kintetsu Nara Line
Description: Extensive Reading has attracted increasing attention over the past few years. Clive and Jim will discuss and demonstrate their own approaches to conducting Extensive Reading classes, paying attention to the rationale and objectives of ER as well as its limitations. They will also suggest considerations for those who may be interested in starting up an ER program themselves.

Free samples of graded readers will be distributed thanks to C.U.P., Longman, Macmillan & O.U.P.

Monday, July 17th, 2006

(Kid Friendly) Idea Exchange and Materials Swap Meet

Speaker: Various
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Mon., July 17th, 2006)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): free
Prefecture: Nara
City: Nara
Venue: English Masters - Communication Center (KM Building 2F, North of Gakuenmae Station on the Kintetsu Nara Line)
Description: Nara chapter will be holding informal poster sessions and a swap meet on Monday, July 17 for teachers of young learners. Bring in your ideas and activities and also give away, sell and/or trade books and teaching materials no longer needed for your own classes or children. Good way to purge, restock, socialize and get new ideas for Monday all in one day. Children are also welcome to spend the day with us!

Where: English Masters - Communication Center, Nara Kintetsu Line Gakuenmae Station

Map here:

http://englishmasters.jp/index/access (Japanese only)

Please contact Steven Nishida with questions or to receive an English version of the map.

Sunday, September 10th, 2006

The TKT and How it can Improve Your ESL Career

Speaker: Matthew Reynolds, Director of Studies, English-Please!
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sun., September 10th, 2006)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): free
Prefecture: Nara
City: Nara
Venue: Tezukayama University Gakuenmae Campus (JALT2004 Conference Site) Facing South Exit of Gakuenmae Station on the Kintetsu Nara Line
Description: Do you know the difference between:

scanning and skimming?

demonstrative adjectives and demonstrative pronouns?

diphthongs and monophthongs?

Do your staff?

How does familiarity with ESL terminology and practice help us do our jobs better on a daily basis?

The TKT is a cheap, efficient way for you and your coworkers to produce more professional lessons and work together better.

In this presentation and workshop, we'll be doing a few light-hearted quizzes to find out what you do and don't know about ESL and talk a bit about how a new test from Cambridge ESOL, which is coming to Nara from this fall, can help you fill in the gaps! If you are interested in learning more about entry-level, low cost ESL training, come check out this workshop!!

For more details or directions to the site, please contact Nara Publicity Chair, Steven Nishida: steven.nishida@gmail.com

Sunday, October 29th, 2006

"Wine, Cheese, & The New TOEICR"

Speaker: Lin Lougheed, representing Pearson Longman, and Grant Trew, representing Oxford University Press
Time: 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM (Sun., October 29th, 2006)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): free
Prefecture: Osaka
City: Osaka
Venue: The Dawn Center, near Keihan/subway Tenmabashi station (06-6910-8615), Seminar Room 2 on the fifth floor. See http://www.dawncenter.or.jp/english/contact.html#how_to_access for map and directions.
Description: Osaka JALT, in conjunction with Nara and Kyoto chapters, welcome two experts to tell us about the new TOEICR test, brought to us by Pearson Longman and Oxford University Press.

1:30 Doors Open

2:00-3:00 Lin Lougheed: "Preparing for the new TOEICR"

The new items types and expanded length of TOEICR conversations, talks, and reading passages require revised teaching procedures and careful classroom management in order to prepare students for the new TOEICR. The presentation will provide strategies for students taking the new TOEICR and for teachers preparing these students.

3:00- 3:15 Break. Book display for Oxford University Press & Pearson Longman

3:15-4:15 Grant Trew: "New TOEICR: New Challenges, New Skills"

The recent changes to the Listening and Reading test, and the forthcoming introduction of the TOEICR Speaking and Writing tests at the end of this year, introduce an entirely new set of challenges for test takers. The presentation will highlight the more important changes to the current test, outline the types of tasks that will be faced on the new Speaking and Writing tests, and look at some ways of developing the new skills necessary to score well.

4:15-5:00 Wine and Cheese reception and book displays from Pearson Longman & Oxford University Press.

Lin Lougheed started his EFL career in 1968 as a Peace Corps volunteer in Turkey and has been teaching, teacher training, writing, and presenting at conferences ever since. He earned his doctorate at Teachers College, Columbia University and has received two Fulbright awards: a scholar grant in Sri Lanka and a professor grant in Tunisia. In 1983, he founded Instructional Design International, Inc. to develop English teaching materials in all media. Lin Lougheed is a past member of the TESOL Executive Board and has also served the organization as Chair of two special interest groups: Teaching English Internationally and Materials Writers. He is an acknowledged leader in TOEIC and TOEFL preparation and has written over 35 EFL/ESP texts.

Grant Trew has been working in the field of EFL for nearly 20 years in the UK, the Middle East and Japan. For more than 15 of those years he has had a special involvement with the TOEIC test, including teaching, materials writing, course design and planning/running large scale teacher training courses. He is an ETS trained item writer for both the current TOEIC (Listening and Reading) test, and the soon to be released Speaking and Writing components.

Sunday, December 10th, 2006

My Share/Annual Christmas Party

Speaker: n/a
Time: 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM (Sun., December 10th, 2006)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): free
Prefecture: Nara
City: Nara
Venue: English Masters - Communication Center (KM Building 2F, North of Gakuenmae Station on the Kintetsu Nara Line)
Description: Greetings Nara JALT Members and friends,

Nara JALT will be holding a 'family friendly' My Share event combined with our annual Christmas Party. Come along to pick up some fresh teaching ideas and to meet the new slate of Nara JALT officers. We'll also be talking about next year's event schedule, so don't miss it!

Again, this is a 'family friendly' event. We look forward to enjoying a cozy afternoon and evening with you and your kin.

Food/Drink: Snacks and Soft drinks will be provided. Alcohol and food will be arranged once guests arrive (there are plenty of take-out and supermarket options nearby).

Looking forward to seeing you there!

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The Japan Association for Language Teaching
Urban Edge Bldg 5F, 1-37-9 Taito, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-0016, Japan
Tel: 0352885443