Omiya Chapter

(Read the archived description for the Omiya Chapter)

Omiya Chapter Events in 2007

Events archive by year:
2008 [9]; 2007; 2006 [10]; 2005 [10]; 2004 [9]; 2003 [5]; 2002 [11]; 2001 [11];

Sunday, January 14th, 2007

(1) Reading and young learners: Song lyrics for reading content with young learners; (2) Intensive Reading in the EFL classroom

Speaker: (1) Richard Barber; (2) Hugh Graham Marr
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sun., January 14th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen
Prefecture: Saitama
City: Omiya
Venue: Sakuragi Kominkan (near Omiya Station, west exit, see map).
Description: Using song lyrics for reading content words with young learners by Richard Barber, Toyo Gakuen University. This activity uses song lyrics as reading material for young learners. After getting to grips with the meaning of the song, the learners do various activities to read the form. Step-by-step, they work together to build up to reading the content words in the lyrics. Specifically, the learners focus on reading the onset letters (the letters representing the initial consonant sound of a word) as an essential sub-skill of phonics.

This activity encourages peer interaction and collaborative dialogue as the learners help each other in putting the mixed-up lyrics in order. It�fs kind of like solving a puzzle. The teacher is always present to answer questions and act as a guide as the learners work out, for themselves, the order of the lyrics.

Each learner can quickly find their own ability level and degree to which they can contribute to completing the task. Arguably, this enables them to quickly get into their zone of proximal development. The interaction which is created in this activity also provides an example of how participation, as well as acquisition, is a strong metaphor for understanding the way in which young Japanese learners develop their EFL ability (Pavelenko & Lantolf, Sociocultural Theory and Second Language Learning, 2001, p.156). Helping young learners learn to read is very satisfying and gives them a great sense of accomplishment. It�fs great fun, as well!

Hugh Graham-Marr

Intensive Reading in the EFL classroom:

This presentation seeks to contrast extensive and intensive reading and examine their relative merits and their relative places within a reading program. It also seeks to examine some of the textual features that can be looked at in an intensive reading program - reference, ellipsis. word choice, the use of discourse markers, organization.

Sunday, February 11th, 2007

Understanding and adapting to the changes to the TOEIC

Speaker: Grant Trew
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sun., February 11th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): free
Prefecture: Saitama
City: Omiya
Venue: Sakuragi Kominkan 5F (near Omiya Station, west exit,see map).
Description: The recent changes to the TOEIC have significant implications both for students, and educators running test preparation courses.

The first half of this workshop will walk participants through the new test format of the TOEIC (Listening and Reading) test, clarifying the main changes and highlighting the implications for test takers and teachers. It will also present some approaches to overcoming the problems Japanese learners are likely to face.

The second part of the presentation will give an overview of tasks included on the soon to be introduced TOEIC: Speaking and Writing test. The presenter will focus on the challenges these are likely to present, and the skills students will need to score well on these components.

The seminar will give participants hands-on experience of the new test items, in order that teachers may understand the specific knowledge/skills/language that students need to get the correct answers.

This will be followed up by proven practical classroom techniques to help develop these.

He will also touch on areas related to course design, handling mixed ability classes and factors to consider when choosing class materials.

Sunday, March 11th, 2007

Eiken STEP test

Speaker: Michael Todd Fouts International Operations Manager and Chief Editor at the Society for Testing English Proficiency (STEP),
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sun., March 11th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): free
Prefecture: Saitama
City: Omiya
Venue: Sakuragi Kominkan 5F (near Omiya Station, west exit,see map).
Description: This will be an opportunity to hear about the STEP test first hand. There will be an opportunity to ask questions.

The presentation will be followed by a friendly gathering at a local izakaya.

Presentation

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.

Presenter

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. He also coordinates partnerships between STEP and foreign institutions. Fouts has worked for 17 years in Japan as a teacher and test developer.

Sunday, April 8th, 2007

Who Puts the Play in the Role-play?

Speaker: Mitch Goodman
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sun., April 8th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1000Y
Prefecture: Saitama
City: Omiya
Venue: Sakuragi Kominkan 5F (near Omiya Station, west exit,see map).
Description: The presenter will give a short background narrative showing what has led him to the extensive use of role-play in the classroom. We'll talk about what a role-play is, and its applicability to diverse language learning objectives. Some difficulties that teachers and students might have in using role-play effectively, its various manifestations in textbooks, its place in a curriculum, and how to evaluate it will be some of other the discussion themes. Participants will also have a chance to try out some role-play learning techniques, as well as watch some videos of the presenter's students in action. The structural, multi-intelligent, dramatic, and motivational aspects of using role-play will be the focal points of interest in this presentation. At the conclusion, we will contemplate the answer to the presentation title. Who puts the play in the role-play?

Sunday, May 13th, 2007

Indispensable... but how do you do it?

Speaker: Daniel Stewart / Richard Ascough
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sun., May 13th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1000Y
Prefecture: Saitama
City: Omiya
Venue: Sakuragi Kominkan 5F (near Omiya Station, west exit,see map).
Description: Extensive reading(ER) is becoming more and more popular in Japan. A few years ago many people agreed it was a good idea to have students do ER. Now, ER Guru Rob Waring, calls ER �ga completely indispensable part of any language program, if not all language programs�h (Waring, 2006). The speakers for this presentation agree.

This presentation will start with a brief introduction to ER before showing how ER is done at Kaisei Academy (�J��w��) in Tokyo. The presentation will then go on to show the nuts and bolts of setting up a programme and how to get the most out of existing programmes.

Daniel Stewart is Head Foreign Teacher at Kaisei Academy and Director of the ER programme. He has set up and run ER programmes at the junior high, senior high and university level.

Richard Ascough has been teaching in the ER programme at Kaisei and was instrumental in incorporating drama into the programme. This has proved to be an extremely successful and popular activity. He is a full-time teacher at Wayo University and teaches part-time at Aoyama Gakuin University.

Sunday, June 10th, 2007

My Share -

Speaker: Ricardo Kuma, Masa Tsuneyasu, Chikahiko Okada, Abdel Ibrahim.
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sun., June 10th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1000Y
Prefecture: Saitama
City: Omiya
Venue: Sakuragi Kominkan 5F (near Omiya Station, west exit,see map).
Description: The Art of teaching - applying creativity.

Ricardo Kuma

This presentation will examine creating customized activities. Creativity can be broken down to 8 steps: connect; relate; experience; analyze; transform; and explore. It is not necessary to be creative to create.

Encouraging Active Listening

Masa Tsuneyasu

The presenation will demonstrate practical techniques for improving student listening.

Chikahiko Okada

Improve your language skills, using pictures

We are surrounded by good pictures, in books, newspapers, magazines, cataloges, and brochures.

Why don�ft you make use of them for learning foreign languages. This presentation will show you how.

Abdel Ibrahim

Algorithm March:Using translations of popular childrens song lyrics and TPR to help young learners understand stress timing in spoken English.

The June meeting will be preceded by the JALT Omiya AGM with officer elections. The meeting will be followed by dinner at a local izakaya. Members and guests welcome.

Sunday, July 8th, 2007

(1) Picture Books, Storytelling and Imaginative Learning; (2) Native English Teachers - ideas for self introductions at elementary school

Speaker: (1) Patricia Daly Oe; (2) Irina Babanova
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sun., July 8th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen
Prefecture: Saitama
City: Omiya
Venue: Sakuragi Kominkan 5F (near Omiya Station, west exit, see map).
Description: Picture Books, Storytelling and Imaginative Learning

Patricia Daly Oe

In this presentation author and teacher, Patricia Daly Oe, will discuss the value of using picture books and storytelling when teaching English to children (mainly from the pre-school to early elementary age groups but there will be some examples for older students as well). Following on from this, she will show practical examples of how to use picture books and storytelling techniques in small and large classes and for a range of linguistic levels. Themes covered will include: using stories for vocabulary development, creative activities inspired by picture books, rhythm and rhyme, making your own picture stories (students and teachers), famous Japanese stories in English and using stories for special events such as Halloween, Christmas or school performances. Patricia will use many examples of books by a number of different authors as well as her own materials and interactive activities to illustrate her talk.

Native English Teachers - ideas for self introductions

Irina Babanova

An important problem in early foreign language teaching is what a foreign language is for the children themselves. Unless they live near a border or in a place attracting foreign workers or tourists, or holidays abroad, it is difficult for young children to grasp the reality of people who speak another language. One of the first steps in reducing the strangeness of a language is the self-introduction, letting students know something about us-their teachers, our country and culture. It is important teachers make students trust them from the very beggining. I will demonstarte a selfintroduction lesson, giving a lot of practical ideas for your first lesson at school.

Sunday, September 9th, 2007

Grading Rubrics: An interactive assessment tool

Speaker: Paul Rowan
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sun., September 9th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen
Prefecture: Saitama
City: Omiya
Venue: Sakuragi Kominkan 5F (near Omiya Station, west exit, see map).
Description: A grading Rubric is a scoring guide designed to identify overall strengths/weaknesses in a student�fs task. In this presentation, I will discuss four key points that make Rubrics an effective tool for student assessment and peer feedback. First, I will discuss how I direct students into improving their tasks through guided self-discovery. I guide my students to identify their successes or problems and what they might do to fix or to improve their work. Second, I show how the Rubric can be used by students to provide peer feedback by having them use a Rubric to assess their classmates�f work. This effective exercise deepens their understanding of what constitutes success. Thirdly, I will discuss the usefulness of including students in the design phase of the Rubric. Student involvement here is empowering for the student and facilitates a sense of ownership of the marking criteria and this enhances their understanding of how to make their task successful. Lastly, I will show how the Rubric is also useful as a process guide. The students are encouraged to use the rubric as a checklist of benchmarks to be achieved. After my presentation on the pedagogical functions of Rubrics, participants will take part in a workshop to learn how to make their own Rubrics.

(210 words)

Sunday, October 14th, 2007

Using Pictures and Sound Files in the Classroom

Speaker: Lawrence Cisar
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sun., October 14th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen
Prefecture: Saitama
City: Omiya
Venue: Sakuragi Kominkan. 5F (near Omiya Station, west exit, see map).
Description: This presentation shows one way to use your computer to set up your classroom exercises. This includes 1) Recording voices using Audacity; 2) Writing exercises using ExamView; 3) Adding photos/movies to exercises; 4) Setting up the appropriate file configuration for your needs. Delivery of the material may be via paper, LAN, or the Internet.

Material sources include what you produce, what is found on the Internet, and making use of material from publishers. During this workshop, usable material will be produced.

This workshop is aimed at all users of computers especially those who do not know much about computing. The tools to get started at a very low level are the emphasis. It does not matter what type of computer is used ?- Windows and Macs can both create these exercises.

The presentation will be followed by a gathering at a local izakaya.

Sunday, December 9th, 2007

JALT Omiya MyShare & Bounenkai

Speaker: The talented members and guests of JALT Omiya
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sun., December 9th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1000Y free if presenting
Prefecture: Saitama
City: Omiya
Venue: Sakuragi Kominkan 5F (near Omiya Station, west exit,see map).
Description: The chapter welcomes short presenations - 25 minutes or less. Please contact the Program Chair if you are interested in presenting.

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