Okayama Chapter

(Read the archived description for the Okayama Chapter)

Okayama Chapter Events in 2007

Events archive by year:
2008 [11]; 2007; 2006 [8]; 2005 [12]; 2004 [9]; 2003 [9]; 2002 [12]; 2001 [8];

Sunday, January 21st, 2007

There's a book inside all of us

Speaker: Paul Moritoshi
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sun., January 21st, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 500 yen
Prefecture: Okayama
City: Okayama
Venue: Sankaku A Bldg. 2F near Omotecho in Okayama City
Description: It has been said that "There's a book inside all of us", but how does one go about writing a persuasive publishing proposal for an EFL textbook and seeing the project through to completion? For some, the process seems so intimidating that they don't even start. This presentation very briefly explains the publishing process as a whole then goes into the specifics of writing a strong proposal and finishing the textbook and its supporting components. This will be a very 'hands-on' presentation with audience members forming small groups, each working through the various stages of proposal writing to produce the skeleton of a textbook proposal in a EFL-related area of interest to them (Speaking, Listening, Business English etc.). It is also hoped that this presentation will provide the impetus for those in the audience with an idea for a book to actually start writing their proposal.

Paul Moritoshi has been teaching a wide variety of EFL subjects in Okayama for 10 years. His speech / presentation skills textbook Basic Parts of Speech has been published by Thomson Learning and will be available from early 2007.

Monday, February 12th, 2007

An Afternoon with Arudou Debito

Speaker: Arudou Debito
Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM (Mon., February 12th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): free
Prefecture: Okayama
City: Okayama
Venue: Sankaku A Bldg. 2F near Omotecho in Okayama City
Description: Japan, both as a society and a policy arena, often has difficulty treating non-Japanese residents as equals. The speaker, a prominent human-rights activist and author, believes this is not necessarily a situation you should have to endure. He will offer his views and advice on what you can do to improve your life and work in Japan.

There will be ample time for Q & A.

Sunday, February 18th, 2007

Poetics for autonomous learning and teaching

Speaker: Hugh Nicol
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sun., February 18th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 500 yen
Prefecture: Okayama
City: Okayama
Venue: Sankaku A Bldg. 2F near Omotecho in Okayama City
Description: Autonomous learning and teaching demands a high degree of tolerance for ambiguity among its practitioners, students and teachers alike. The presentation will explore poetics and writings on arts education for theoretical and practical perspectives on creativity, and as source texts for reflecting on learner autonomy in language learning and teaching. It will be in two parts: a theoretical "talk" followed by a workshop where the presenter will introduce possible uses of poetry in university writing classes.

Hugh Nicoll has been teaching in Japan for 23 years, and is currently professor of English at Miyazaki Municipal University. He is active in the Learner Development SIG, and in the Learner Autonomy SIG (IATEFL).

Saturday, April 21st, 2007

The New TOEIC Test

Speaker: Grant Trew
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sat., April 21st, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 500 yen
Prefecture: Okayama
City: Okayama
Venue: Sankaku A Bldg. 2F near Omotecho in Okayama City
Description: This workshop will clarify the changes made to the test in 2006. The presenter will give examples of the new format and use interactive tasks to highlight some of the key challenges Japanese test takers will face. Participants will then be introduced to activities that can be used to prepare students for the test.

Grant Trew authored the O.U.P. Teacher's Guide to the TOEIC Test. All participants will receive a free copy.

Saturday, May 19th, 2007

What You See Is What You Get? Learner Preconceptions of Native-Speaker-Taught University EFL

Speaker: Paul Hullah, University of Miyazaki
Time: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Sat., May 19th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 500 yen for the day
Prefecture: Okayama
City: Okayama
Venue: Sankaku A Bldg. 2F near Omotecho in Okayama City
Description: A questionnaire surveying Japanese student advance expectations of native speaker (NS) taught university EFL courses was developed and extensively administered. Results led the presenter to seek to identify exactly how shared preconceived ideas regarding NS tertiary EFL teachers and classes are formed prior to entry into university education by learners with no first-hand experience of courses taught solely by native speakers. Ongoing findings indicate that, for various reasons, a particular version of NS teachers and classes is being served up to pre-university Japanese EFL learners. It is a version comprising certain disturbing aspects of which we, as responsible educators and cultural-linguistic-educational models, need to be aware and, the presenter will argue, to refrain from perpetuating or adding to in our own actions and approaches. This presentation will be of interest to anyone teaching EFL in Japan at any level.

ELT teaching: A disadvantaged profession in Japanese tertiary education?

Speaker: Peter Burden, Okayama shoka university
Time: 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sat., May 19th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 500 yen for the day
Prefecture: Okayama
City: Okayama
Venue: Sankaku A Bldg. 2F near Omotecho in Okayama City
Description: Japanese tertiary education has entered an epoch-making phase where the shrinkage of the number of college-age students and the decline in the market for academic personnel has resulted in an audit culture expressed through cross-curricular end-of-semester faculty evaluation. Despite universality of access, the centrality of entrance exams still exerts 'washback' in the Japanese high school educational culture. As the tenets of CLT competence used in university are not in concert with the contextual situations of high school, conflict between students' 'experience' and university ELT teachers' 'intentions' lead to culturally determined expectations where teachers may not live up to the students' image of 'good teaching.' This study sought insight from two classes of university "freshmen" (sic) into their beliefs about how English should be taught, and how these beliefs impacted on responses to student evaluation of teaching surveys (SETs). ELT professionals may be disadvantaged and so teacher and learner expectations must be matched to learners' real experiences rather than received understandings. This study will suggest ways to make fairer, more trustworthy evaluation which could then be used to encourage teacher growth.

Saturday, June 9th, 2007

Zen and the Art of Statistics

Speaker: Gregory Sholdt
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sat., June 9th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 500 yen
Prefecture: Okayama
City: Okayama
Venue: Sankaku A Bldg. 2F near Omotecho in Okayama City
Description: For some, reading a correlation matrix is about as straightforward as finding meaning in a Zen rock garden. But for those who regularly walk the path of quantitative reasoning, a deeper beauty can emerge from the carefully arranged columns of coefficients. Within the community of language instructors and researchers, a division emerges when considering the wide range of proficiencies in the ways of statistics. The result is a communication gap that prevents quantitative researchers from fully reaching their intended audience and restricts the availability of valuable information for many of those who want it. Sources of this problem include limited access to formal training in quantitative methods, the complexity of the subject, and the high anxiety that surrounds it. The purpose of this workshop is to equip participants with multiple techniques and resources that encourage deeper understanding, decrease anxiety, and facilitate independent study. In a fun and relaxed environment, the presenter will introduce a series of carefully-worded questions and statements that are loosely modeled after Zen koans and intended to stimulate focused contemplation. While reflecting on these quantitative riddles, participants will engage in short writing, discussion, and visualization activities aimed at demystifying statistics and fostering an appreciation for the beauty behind the numbers. The presentation should be a unique and enjoyable experience and appeal to participants with a range of backgrounds, interests, and statistical proficiencies.

Sunday, July 22nd, 2007

Computer-mediated communication (CMC) in the language classroom

Speaker: Dr. David Mcloughlin & Dr. Jo Mynard
Time: 3:00 PM - 3:50 PM (Sun., July 22nd, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 500 yen
Prefecture: Okayama
City: Okayama
Venue: Sankaku A Bldg. 2F near Omotecho in Okayama City
Description: This presentation will show examples of Computer-mediated communication (CMC) and how it can be used in a language classroom, to promote both language acquisition and higher-order thinking. The presenters draw on their experience of using online discussion forums, blogs and chat rooms and show the results of small-scale research studies.

Using a Student Newspaper to Promote Communication

Speaker: Jason Williams & Chris Creighton
Time: 4:00 PM - 4:50 PM (Sun., July 22nd, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 500 yen
Prefecture: Okayama
City: Okayama
Venue: Sankaku A Bldg. 2F near Omotecho in Okayama City
Description: This presentation will demonstrate how to set-up an English-language newspaper for students in order to increase inter and intra-class English communication. Contributions come from students and involve minimal editing and formatting. The newspaper can be used as material for class discussion, a showcase for class projects, an outlet for student self-expression and

a medium for near peer role modeling.

Saturday, September 1st, 2007

Teaching Listening Skills and Speaking Strategies

Speaker: Alastair Graham-Marr
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sat., September 1st, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 500 yen
Prefecture: Okayama
City: Okayama
Venue: Sankaku A Bldg. 2F near Omotecho in Okayama City
Description: Alastair Graham-Marr, author of Communication Spotlight, will explain why, and what, strategies should be taught.

Part 1 of the presentation will examine how teachers can go beyond giving practice in listening and actually teach listening skills, such as top-down predictive skills and bottom-up decoding skills.

Part 2 looks at teaching speaking strategies: confirming or clarifying what we're saying and what we're hearing, showing interest, and maintaining and developing conversations.

Saturday, October 20th, 2007

Writing reports at Japanese universities

Speaker: Ian Willey, Kagawa University
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sat., October 20th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 500 yen
Prefecture: Okayama
City: Okayama
Venue: Sankaku A Bldg. 2F near Omotecho in Okayama City
Description: Japanese and English expository writing have long been dichotomized. However, unlike in North America, no uniform writing instruction exists at any level in Japanese education, suggesting a complex reality. In order to clarify the implementation of and approaches towards university report tasks, a questionnaire was given to students. Results show a diversity of approaches, and perhaps a need for formal instruction.

Saturday, November 17th, 2007

Unions and You

Speaker: Professor Michael "Rube" Redfield
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sat., November 17th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 500 yen
Prefecture: Okayama
City: Okayama
Venue: Sankaku A Bldg. 2F near Omotecho in Okayama City
Description: Professor Rube Redfield will talk about unions in Japan and what they can, and cannot, do for you.

Topics he will cover include:

1. Rights of union members as opposed to non-union teachers.

2. Case studies of union success stories; his and others.

3a. Case studies of union failures, and the reasons why they failed.

3b. The importance of joining a union before problems occur.

4. The nuts and bolts of joining and forming unions/branches for educational workers in Japan.

Rube Redfield works at three universities in Osaka and has had a long involvement with unions in Japan. He is a member of the IWW (Industrial Workers of the World) and Head of the Trans National Caucus, Educational Workers Amalgamated Union (EWA).

Saturday, December 15th, 2007

Rethinking the relationship between vocabulary and reading

Speaker: Dr Rob Waring, Notre Dame Seishin University
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sat., December 15th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 500 yen
Prefecture: Okayama
City: Okayama
Venue: Nishigawa Ai Plaza 4th Floor, 10-16 Saiwai-cho, Okayama City, TEL: 086-234-5882
Description: This presentation will first review the relationship between the rate of acquisition of vocabulary from reading, by looking at major research from the last 20 years. Recent research shows that acquisition rates may be exaggerated and are far more complex than previously thought. The implications of this new data will be presented in relation to how it affects the amount and type of reading that should be done.

There will be a bonenkai party afterward

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