JALT Events by Month

Below you see an overview of JALT's events for January 2008. (Also see next month.) For other views of event information, see the search menu.

January 2008

Saturday, January 12th, 2008

How Japanese and Germans can understand each other better through English

Sponsor: Yamagata Chapter
Speaker: Reinhold Grinda
Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM (Sat., January 12, 2008)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 800 yen
Prefecture: Yamagata
City: Yamagata
Venue: Yamagata Kajo Kominkan Sogo Gakushu Center, Shironishi-machi 2-chome, 2-15, Tel. 0236-45-6163
Description: The proximity of England makes it much easier for Germans, compared with Japanese people, to get thoroughly trained in everyday English. In both countries training in the English language is very different; but this is ... read more

How Does Language Play Promote Language Learning?

Sponsor: Okayama Chapter
Speaker: Scott Gardner
Time: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Sat., January 12, 2008)
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 introduce and put to use ideas that language play (puns, rhymes, riddles, metaphor, etc.) should not be seen as a distraction from classroom learning but rather as a central part of it, ... read more

Effects of task repetition in 'Poster Carousel'

Sponsor: Okayama Chapter
Speaker: Eiko Nakamura
Time: 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sat., January 12, 2008)
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 begins with an introduction to 'Poster Carousel' as a type of tasks that provides learners opportunities to repeatedly use the knowledge they already have. Then we will examine how learners' language output changes ... read more

Themed Tasks for the Communicative Classroom

Sponsor: Kitakyushu Chapter
Speaker: Marcos Benevides
Time: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM (Sat., January 12, 2008)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): free
Prefecture: Fukuoka
City: Kitakyushu
Venue: Kitakyushu International Conference Center (a 5-minute walk from the Kokura train station for shinkansen, JR train)
Description: Benevides will demonstrate a 'strong' task-based approach to communicative teaching. This will be based on his co-authored title, Widgets (2008 Longman), but will also be relevant to teachers seeking to develop their own task-based materials. ... read more

Sunday, January 13th, 2008

Prepare Your Students for Academic Studies (Publisher Presentation)

Sponsor: Himeji Chapter
Speaker: Ms. Eri Okuda (Oxford University Press)
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Sun., January 13, 2008)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): free
Prefecture: Hyogo
City: Himeji
Venue: Hanakita Shimin Hiroba (Located directly across from Nozato Station on the Bantan Line. Plenty of free parking.) Bantan Line train leaves Himeji Station at 13:46
Description: Students need preparation to enable them to enter a college or university armed with the strategies they need to listen, take notes and discuss ideas independently and confidently. 'Lecture Ready' is the only video-based series ... read more

Lessons from MAYA: Practical ideas for introducing, implementing, and sustaining autonomy in language classrooms

Sponsor: Omiya Chapter
Speaker: Eric M. Skier
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sun., January 13, 2008)
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: In this presentation, participants will have the opportunity to learn about practical ways of introducing student-centered teaching practices into their own classrooms. MAYA, More Autonomy you Ask! (2006) was published by the Learner Development SIG ... read more

The Development of English Grammar

Sponsor: Matsuyama Chapter
Speaker: Kiyoshi Shioiri, Matsuyama Shinonome College
Time: 2:15 PM - 4:20 PM (Sun., January 13, 2008)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen
Prefecture: Ehime
City: Matsuyama
Venue: Shinonome High School Kinenkan 4F
Description: English grammar owes a great deal to the development of Greek grammar in ancient Greece. The presentation will cover the development of eight word classes in ancient Greece and the incorporation of those word classes ... read more

Tuesday, January 15th, 2008

ELT and the Science of Happiness

Sponsor: Teacher Education SIG
(the Teacher Education Special Interest Group)
Speaker: Marc Helgesen
Time: 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM (Tue., January 15, 2008)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): free
Prefecture: Chiba
City: Makuhari
Venue: Kanda University of International Studies
Description: Positive, motivated students -- engaged in what they are studying and with each other -- learn more. As a teacher, you already know that. But how do we facilitate that positive attitude in the classroom? ... read more

Saturday, January 19th, 2008

Comined Iwate JALT & morioka Cricket Club New Year's Party

Sponsor: Iwate Chapter
Speaker: various
Time: 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM (Sat., January 19, 2008)
Fee (JALT members): 3000 yen
Fee (One-Day members): 3000 yen
Prefecture: Iwate
City: Morioka
Venue: Tex-Mex Restaurant, Oodori, Morioka
Description: Join us to celebrate the new year and all the changes in our groups!

Sunday, January 20th, 2008

STEP EIKEN: An inside look at Japan's national English test

Sponsor: Nagoya Chapter
Speaker: Michael Todd Fouts
Time: 1:30 PM - 4:00 PM (Sun., January 20, 2008)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen
Prefecture: Aichi
City: Nagoya
Venue: Nagoya International Center, 3rd Fl, Lecture Room # 2
Description: With 78 million examinees since 1963, EIKEN is one of the world's most widely administered language tests. The presentation will cover how EIKEN is designed and administered, what role it plays in Japanese education, and ... read more

A Treasure Chest of Songs, Chants & Games!

Sponsor: Toyohashi Chapter
Speaker: Kim Horne
Time: 1:30 PM - 4:00 PM (Sun., January 20, 2008)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 500 yen
Prefecture: Aichi
City: Toyohashi
Venue: Aichi University, Bldg 5 - room 543
Description: Ahoy there! Come one and all to explore songs, chants, dialogue games and other activities that will bring language and laughter to young learners. Experience many techniques to draw your students in and hold their ... read more

Teaching the strategies of speaking

Sponsor: Chiba Chapter
Speaker: Alastair Graham-Marr, Tokai University, ABAX
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM (Sun., January 20, 2008)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 500 yen
Prefecture: Chiba
City: Chiba
Venue: SATY Bunka Hall, Room 1 (4th Floor), 1 min. walk from Inage Station east exit on JR Sobu Line. map
Description: This workshop will discuss the whys and hows of teaching communication strategies. Although communicative competence consists of grammatical competence, sociolinguistic competence and strategic competence, communication strategies are often neglected and left to develop as a ... read more

The Learning Cyclone: Web 2.0 Assisted Recycling Curriculum Design

Sponsor: Shinshu Chapter
Speaker: David Ockert
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:45 PM (Sun., January 20, 2008)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen
Prefecture: Nagano
City: Matsumoto-shi
Venue: Matsumoto M-Wing, Room 4-2, across from PARCO
Description: The speaker will introduce an innovative curriculum system which integrates a reading, communication, and listening course into a self-reinforcing cohesive pedagogy. Furthermore, the system will take advantage of several Web 2.0 technologies to free up ... read more

Reasons Why Experienced EFL Teachers Stay Positive and Motivated

Sponsor: Hiroshima Chapter
Speaker: Neil Cowie, Okayama University
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sun., January 20, 2008)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 500 yen
Prefecture: Hiroshima
City: Hiroshima
Venue: Hiroshima Peace Park, International Conference Center 3F.
Description: EFL teaching is, according to some people, a marginal profession, with no clear career progression or much material reward. In such circumstances it can be difficult to remain upbeat and motivated about one's work, and ... read more

Saturday, January 26th, 2008

Looking at Changes in the Center Shiken - Now vs. Then/Studies on Japanese EFL learners' demotivation.

Sponsor: Nagasaki Chapter
Speaker: Michael Guest, Miyazaki University and Keita Kikuchi, Waseda University.
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Sat., January 26, 2008)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen
Prefecture: Nagasaki
City: Nagasaki
Venue: Dejima Koryu Kaikan, 4F (this is the large white building next to Dejima Wharf and Nagasaki Prefectural Art Museum; take #5 streetcar to Shiminbyoinmae stop, or take #1 streetcar to Dejima stop.)
Description: For our first meeting of 2008, we are pleased to host two different but complementary presentations. Michael Guest of Miyazaki University will outline some important but often disregarded facts, features and practical circumstances regarding the ... read more

A Hands-On Approach to Teaching Young ESL Learners

Sponsor: Okinawa Chapter
Speaker: Elizabeth (Liz) Yoshikawa
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sat., January 26, 2008)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen (students free)
Prefecture: Okinawa
City: Nago
Venue: Meio University Research Center, Nago, Okinawa
Description: Liz Yoshikawa, who was born in England and raised in South Africa and Canada, has taught in Thailand, the U.K. and Okinawa, Japan. Her presentation, in workshop format, is highly motivational, with innumerable hand outs, ... read more

Professional Peer Development: Teacher-directed classroom observations

Sponsor: Kobe Chapter
Speaker: Robert Croker and Juanita Heigham
Time: 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM (Sat., January 26, 2008)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen
Prefecture: Hyogo
City: Kobe
Venue: Kobe YMCA (2-7-15 Kano-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe. tel: 078-241-7204)
Description: Teachers at all stages of their professional journey benefit from having another teacher come and observe them teaching. However, many teachers shy away from observations, as they feel that they will have little control over ... read more

Job Hunting for Teachers

Sponsor: Osaka Chapter
Speaker: Cameron Romney and Kent Hill
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM (Sat., January 26, 2008)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 500 yen
Prefecture: Osaka
City: Osaka
Venue: Namba Shimin Gakushu Center (Osaka City Municipal Lifelong Learning Center - Namba branch), (O-CAT 4F, 06 6643-7010) http://www.osakademanabu.com/namba/
Description: Recent instability in the Japanese job market for English teachers has many teachers looking for work or considering changing positions. While there is no one surefire technique for getting a job, there are many things ... read more

Sunday, January 27th, 2008

Teacher Immediacy & Teacher Efficacy (two different presentations)

Sponsor: Fukuoka Chapter
Speaker: Keita Kikuchi & Quint Oga-Baldwin
Time: 1:00 PM - 3:45 PM (Sun., January 27, 2008)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen
Prefecture: Fukuoka
City: Fukuoka
Venue: Nakamura Gakuen University, 5-7-1 Befu, Jonan-ku, Fukuoka-shi (Higashi 2 Building, Room 105) map
Description: Our January event will feature two 50-minute presentations followed by a round table dissusion. Please note the different event day, time, and venue. A social dinner will follow this event. 1st Presentation: Studying English Teachers' ... read more

Creating and Maintaining Student Autonomy

Sponsor: Gunma Chapter
Speaker: Tomomi Katsuki
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM (Sun., January 27, 2008)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen
Prefecture: Gunma
City: Maebashi
Venue: MIT: Maebashi Institute of Technology (Maebashi Koka Daigaku), 460-1 Kamisadori, Maebashi
Description: Most students' English learning time is a few hours a week with their teacher. As learners of language ourselves, we know this is never enough to reach a good level of competence. How can we ... read more

1. Actually Teaching Listening 2. Teaching the Strategies of Speaking

Sponsor: Hokkaido Chapter
Speaker: Hugh Graham-Marr
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Sun., January 27, 2008)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): free
Prefecture: Hokkaido
City: Sapporo
Venue: Hokkai Gakuen University - Subway Building 6, 3rd floor
Description: 1. 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 ... read more

Dyslexia: What is it? What is it not? And how to help our students overcome its effects.

Sponsor: Sendai Chapter
Speaker: Thomas Warren-Price
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sun., January 27, 2008)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen
Prefecture: Miyagi
City: Sendai
Venue: AER Building, 28th floor, kensyuusitu 2 map
Description: Order of Presentation: 1.What is dyslexia? What is it not? Some basic background information 2.Intelligence quotient 3.The weaknesses dyslexia brings on 4.Descriptions of the subtests to test for dyslexia 5.A look at the profile of ... read more

Kagoshima JALT Shin Nen Kai

Sponsor: Kagoshima Chapter
Speaker: JALT Members
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sun., January 27, 2008)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): 1,000 yen
Prefecture: Kagoshima
City: Kagoshima
Venue: Seminar Room 117, Ground Floor Kousha Biru, Shinyashiki opposite the Shinyashiki Tram Stop
Description: Welcome to 2008. Come out and meet with the new officers and help us plan this year's program.

Shizuoka JALT yearly planning meeting.

Sponsor: Shizuoka Chapter
Speaker: Everyone
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Sun., January 27, 2008)
Fee (JALT members): free
Fee (One-Day members): free
Prefecture: Shizuoka
City: Shizuoka
Venue: Kyouiku Kaikan (across from Shin-Shizuoka) in the basement (5-minute walk north from JR station)
Description: This is our officers and annual planning meeting. We will be brainstorming, planning and confirming the presentations and events for 2008. All officers should attend. Everyone else is welcome to attend. Please come and bring ... read more

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