Akita Chapter

(Read the archived description for the Akita Chapter)

Akita Chapter Events in 2003

Events archive by year:
2008 [5]; 2007 [6]; 2006 [8]; 2005 [8]; 2004 [9]; 2003; 2002 [8]; 2001 [7];

Saturday, February 22nd, 2003

How Can Teachers Bring About Language Learning Based on Learning Strategy at Japanese Junior High Schools?

Speaker: Koki Dobashi
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Sat., February 22nd, 2003)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen (500 yen for students)
Prefecture: Akita
City: Akita
Venue: GH-300, MSU-A (Minnesota State University Akita)
Description: Quite a few studies have reported that the use of learning strategies is an effective way to develop learner autonomy. But most of these studies address adult education in foreign countries. The objective of Dobashi's study is to adjust those theories of learning strategy to the reality of English education of junior high school level in Japan.

Saturday, March 8th, 2003

Putting Words in Their Mouths: Dictogloss, Shadowing and Summarizing

Speaker: John Small, Kumamoto Gakuen University
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Sat., March 8th, 2003)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen (500 yen for students)
Prefecture: Akita
City: Akita
Venue: GH-300, MSU-A (Minnesota State University Akita)
Description: This presentation will cover three activities that give students structured language practice: dictogloss (grammar dictation), shadow talking and summarizing. With dictogloss, students actively recreate the spoken text, discuss differences and missing information with partners, and participate in a review of the grammar of individual sentences. The presenter will also explain some variations on the standard dictogloss method. Finally, the presenter will provide extension activities that involve a picture story that corresponds to the dictogloss narrative. This series of extension activities give students the chance to master the vocabulary, grammatical structures, and pronunciation/intonation of a given narrative. Dictogloss narratives can be easily prepared and tailor made for classes of any level or interest. Shadow talking and summarizing exercises, which are easy to prepare and paperless, will also be explained. Shadow talking, which simply involves the repetition of spoken input, can be done out loud or silently by students. After explaining and demonstrating the basic method, the presenter will provide shadow talking warm-ups that can serve as a supplement to any lesson. Students are provided relevant vocabulary, shadow talk a narrative, summarize for their partners, then may give a similar talk based on their own experiences. Summarizing an article with a mind map will also be covered. Presentation materials come from the presenters self-published, non-profit, global issues textbooks.

Saturday, April 26th, 2003

Japanese English Education, Observed by an ALT

Speaker: Debbra McClintock
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Sat., April 26th, 2003)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen (500 yen for students)
Prefecture: Akita
City: Akita
Venue: Joinus in Akita City near Senshu Park
Description: Debbra McClintock has worked as an ALT in Akita for three years. Based on this experience, the speaker will talk about English education in Japan, trying to shed light on it from her perspective. After her presentation, participants are invited to discuss this topic.

Saturday, May 17th, 2003

Why Can't Japanese Speak English?

Speaker: Thorfinn Tait
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Sat., May 17th, 2003)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen (500 yen for students)
Prefecture: Akita
City: Akita
Venue: Joinus in Akita City near Senshu Park
Description: Thorfinn Tait will talk about English education in Japan from his perspective as an ALT and explain why it is so difficult for Japanese students to learn to speak English. After his presentation all the participants will have discussion on the topic.

Saturday, June 28th, 2003

Thinking in English and Keeping Journals

Speaker: Naoto Sato
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Sat., June 28th, 2003)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen (500 yen for students)
Prefecture: Akita
City: Akita
Venue: Joinus in Akita City near Senshu Park
Description: Naoto Sato is one of the most successful autodidacts (autonomous or self-learners) in learning English you will have ever met. The presenter has acquired extremely high English skills not to mention his famous interpretation ability. No, he has not studied or lived outside Japan. Yes, he has learned it all on his own. Attend his presentation and you will be able to learn how he has done it.

Sunday, July 27th, 2003

How to Develop Learner Autonomy Based on Shadowing and Extensive Reading

Speaker: Takayuki Yoshizawa
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Sun., July 27th, 2003)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen (500 yen for students)
Prefecture: Akita
City: Akita
Venue: Joinus in Akita City near Senshu Park
Description: The speaker's first concern is how to motivate the students to become active and autonomous learners capable of learning on their own by activating their knowledge and interests outside the classroom than relegate them to the position of passive recipients of language materials solely given by the teacher. In view of this, Yoshizawa will introduce what he has done for several years (shadowing for communication and extensive reading) in his classroom.

Wednesday, August 27th, 2003

Your Rapport was Great, But...

Speaker: John F. Fanselow
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM (Wed., August 27th, 2003)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen (500 yen for students)
Prefecture: Akita
City: Akita
Venue: Joinus in Akita City near Senshu Park
Description: Discussions of teaching usually involve judgments. During the workshop, we will develop ways to look at our teaching practices in non-judgmental ways by analyzing transcribed exchanges from tape recordings of classes. As we analyze the transcripts, we will learn new ways to discuss our teaching practices and new ways to generate alternative practices. In medicine, literature, and many other professions, analysis of data is the norm rather than judgments about practices. The guest speaker is Professor Emeritus of Columbia University and now heads International Pacific College, in New Zealand.

Saturday, September 27th, 2003

Mark Cunningham and His Books

Speaker: Mark Cunningham
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Sat., September 27th, 2003)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen (500 yen for students)
Prefecture: Akita
City: Akita
Venue: Yugakusha
Description: Akita JALT member Mark Cunningham will demonstrate texts in Falcon Press's new multiskills illustrated picture process series: English for Everyday Activities (Lawrence Zwier), The English You Need for the Office (Susan Dean and Lawrence Zwier), and The English You Need For Business (Mark Cunningham and Lawrence Zwier). These texts and the accompanying activity books are designed for a wide range of skills levels and can be employed using a variety of techniques. Come and join the fun!

Saturday, October 18th, 2003

Integrating Culture into the Language Course

Speaker: Christine Winskowski
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Sat., October 18th, 2003)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen (500 yen for students)
Prefecture: Akita
City: Akita
Venue: Joinus in Akita City near Senshu Park
Description: To integrate culture into the language classroom, where does one start? Culture, after all, is a huge topic. One could conceivably do "holidays and "food," and then go on to "customs," "religion," and "shopping," and so on. But where does it all end? And how does one know when enough culture topics have been taught, and the course is�well�finished? In this presentation, I propose using a template approach for the teaching of culture in language courses. Further details can be found on Akita JALT's webpage.

Saturday, December 13th, 2003

Akita JALT Business Meeting

Speaker: Steve Shucart, Dave Ragan
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Sat., December 13th, 2003)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): free
Prefecture: Akita
City: Akita
Venue: Joinus in Akita City near Senshu Park
Description: First Steve Shucart, Dave Ragan and others will talk about their experiences about attending JALT national conferences this year and in the past. After that we will have a business meeting in which we are going to review and evaluate our past monthly meetings in 2002 and 2003. Your ideas or suggestions about Akita JALT as well as its monthly meetings in 2004 will be welcome.

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