Hiroshima Chapter

(Read the archived description for the Hiroshima Chapter)

Hiroshima Chapter Events in 2007

Events archive by year:
2008 [10]; 2007; 2006 [9]; 2005 [11]; 2004 [13]; 2003 [11]; 2002 [10]; 2001 [11];

Sunday, January 21st, 2007

Media and Foreign Image Building

Speaker: Yasuhiro Inoue (Hiroshima City University)
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sun., January 21st, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 500 yen
Prefecture: Hiroshima
City: Hiroshima
Venue: Bluestone, 3-8 Hatchobori (5F above Poplar across the street from Cusco Cafe)
Description: How do we build and hold images of foreign countries? This presentation will explain the effects of media content on foreign image building by taking a Japan-US case as an example.

1. Media content: Necessarily biased.

2. Effects of the media on foreign image building.

3. Results of empirical studies.

4. Can we break stereotypes of foreign countries? (if time allows)

Second hour of meeting is reserved for "My Share". Bring 10 copies of your favorite activities to share at the meeting.

Saturday, February 17th, 2007

"Poetics for autonomous learning and teaching"

Speaker: Hugh Nicoll (Miyazaki Municipal University)
Time: 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM (Sat., February 17th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 500 yen
Prefecture: Hiroshima
City: Hiroshima
Venue: Hiroshima Peace Park, International Conference Center 3F, Seminar Room 2
Description: Autonomous learning and teaching demands a high degree of tolerance for ambiguity. This talk will explore poetics and writings on arts education in order to enhance our understanding of learner autonomy in language learning and teaching. This will be followed by a workshop in which possible uses of poetry in university writing classes will be introduced.

Saturday, April 14th, 2007

The New TOEIC Test: Understanding and Overcoming the Challenges

Speaker: Grant Trew
Time: 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM (Sat., April 14th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 500 yen
Prefecture: Hiroshima
City: Hiroshima
Venue: Crystal Plaza 6F International Center (next to ANA Hotel), 8-18 Nakamachi, Naka-ku Hiroshima
Description: In May 2006, the TOEIC test went through changes in format. 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. 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 TOEIC test 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.

Sunday, May 20th, 2007

Choice by Choice: A Workshop on Curriculum Design

Speaker: Timothy Buthod (Hiroshima Bunkyo Women's University)
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sun., May 20th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 500 yen
Prefecture: Hiroshima
City: Hiroshima
Venue: Hiroshima Peace Park, International Conference Center 3F.
Description: The presenter will walk participants through the decisions he had to make in designing a course on presentation skills. At each step, participants will have the chance to reflect on what they would do in that situation. Come prepared to discuss various considerations involved in setting goals, designing a syllabus and dealing with unforeseen events. The course in question was a university class on giving presentations in English, but the process involved should be applicable to a variety of courses.

Sunday, June 17th, 2007

Can we communicate without using strategies? -- Pedagogical implications of studies on communication strategies (CS)

Speaker: Chiaki Iwai (Professor, Faculty of International Studies, Hiroshima City University)
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sun., June 17th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 500 yen
Prefecture: Hiroshima
City: Hiroshima
Venue: Hiroshima Peace Park, International Conference Center 3F, Seminar Room 2
Description: We cannot "not-communicate", but we cannot communicate without using strategies.

This presentation/workshop will focus on strategies for language use, communication strategies (CS) in particular. First, a brief research background of CS studies and theoretical/pedagogical issues that have been argued in them will be presented. Second, some practical and useful strategy-measurement tools that can be used both for research and teaching purposes will be touched upon. Finally, some recent attempts of strategy-based instruction by the speaker as well as with his colleague will be demonstrated.

Following these, the speaker is hoping to have a discussion with the participants about what we could do to raise Japanese English learners' strategic competence and whether such instruction attempts are meaningful, and to share practical teaching ideas with the participants.

Sunday, July 8th, 2007

There's a book inside all of us

Speaker: Paul Moritoshi
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sun., July 8th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 500 yen
Prefecture: Hiroshima
City: Hiroshima
Venue: Hiroshima Peace Park, International Conference Center 3F.
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? 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. 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.

Biographical information

Paul Moritoshi has been teaching a wide variety of EFL subjects in Okayama for 10 years. His high beginner level speech/presentation skills textbook Basic Parts of Speech was published by Thomson Learning at the start of this year.

Sunday, September 2nd, 2007

Part A: Actually Teaching Listening: The importance of script and of supra-segmental phonology. Part B: Teaching the Strategies of Speaking

Speaker: Alistair Graham-Marr (Abax ELT Publishers)
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sun., September 2nd, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): free
Prefecture: Hiroshima
City: Hiroshima
Venue: Hiroshima Peace Park, International Conference Center 3F.
Description: Part A SYNOPSIS: This talk looks to examine how you can go beyond giving practice in listening and actually teach listening skills. Knowledge of script is something that can be taught that helps students with their top-down predictive skills. Teaching supra-segmental phonology helps students with their bottom-up decoding skills.

Part B: SYNOPSIS: We all use strategies when we speak: to confirm or clarify what we're saying and what we're hearing, to show interest, to maintain and develop conversations, to help with fluency, to compensate for language we don't have. Communication Spotlight is a new text that teaches students how to use these strategies.

Sunday, October 28th, 2007

Cultural and International Activities Foster Student Motivation

Speaker: Fumiko Itakura
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sun., October 28th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 500 yen
Prefecture: Hiroshima
City: Hiroshima
Venue: Hiroshima Peace Park, International Conference Center 3F.
Description: Based on the presenter's own experience as an exchange student in the United States and as a coordinator of international programs, she will introduce some activities that promote communication between people of different cultures. There will be a hands-on activity where participants will form pairs and interview each other in their target language. The presenter hopes that this type of simulation will show that it is important to incorporate activities about the target culture as well as the language. Suggestions and ideas from participants are welcome.

In the second hour we will have a "My Share". This is an opportunity for us to share our teaching ideas. We will have a few short presentations by local teachers about successful activities etc. from their classes. If you have any ideas that you would like to share please feel free to tell us about them. If you have any handouts, please bring about 15 copies to share.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Hiroshima JALT at (082) 224-3816.

Thursday, November 29th, 2007

Project-based Learning in ESL

Speaker: Dr. Arifa Rahman (Dhaka University, Bangladesh)
Time: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM (Thu., November 29th, 2007)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 500yen
Prefecture: Hiroshima
City: Hiroshima
Venue: Bluestone, 3-8 Hachobori, #502, 5F (In Popura building, across the street from Cusco Cafe)
Description: Encouraging learners to undertake projects in the English classroom on a variety of topics while using a range of resources provides opportunities for experiential learning. It puts the cognitive and the affective aspects of the learning process into gear. There is learner engagement, interaction and collaboration, and more importantly, self-directed action. This leads to the development of inquiry and the facilitation of autonomous learning, engaging the learner at a higher level of cognitive development.

Dr. Arifa Rahman is Professor of English Language and Teacher Education at Dhaka University, Bangladesh. With experience in course design, materials development, teaching, administration and research, she has several publications to her credit. Her interests are teacher development, materials writing and classroom-based research. Dr. Rahman has a PhD from the Institute of Education, University of London and is currently serving a second term as President of the Bangladesh English Language Teachers Association (BELTA).

Find Events

By chapter or SIG
By month
By prefecture

Front page