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Volume 3, Issue 2 [August, 2007]
Conference Report—PAN SIG 2007
"Energize Your Students with Power"
By Eric Skier
In May, I attended and presented at the PAN SIG conference in Sendai. It was a good-sized conference with over 100 teacher-researchers in attendance. A conference sponsored by SIGs for SIGs, the LLL SIG was able to have a table and some space to advertise who we are and what we are all about. It was here that I used the new LLL SIG banner to catch the attention of passers-by. Many people commented positively on the banner and asked a few questions about us. The following day, I presented a paper, “Energize Your Students with Power,” which was well-received by a small group of people interested in pragmatics and the teaching of language to lifelong learners. Using sample dialogs from mass-produced textbooks, I spoke about the need to raise learners’ awareness about pragmatic concerns in interaction to help them understand that effective communication is more than knowing grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary. In short, when learners understand the need for polite English, manners, and timing, and to consider the relationship between the speaker and listener, they will have the “power” to decide what language to use. In conclusion, I was able to report that my adult learners at an NHK Culture Center and my university students were intrigued by and appreciative of this teaching approach with many saying that they had learned about polite forms of English for the first time.
A discussion ensued at the end of my presentation about the need for pragmatic competence in communication and some of the teacher-researchers in attendance said that they had never considered raising their students’ awareness of such matters. They were curious as to why some of the example dialogs I presented, especially those from a junior school text I use, used language that was so inappropriate to the situation. I answered that I had no idea. However, I pointed out that the inclusion of inappropriate language in a textbook provided an opportunity to teach students appropriate English. In all, I felt it was a productive trip to Sendai and I am happy to announce that the LLL SIG will be an integral part of Pan SIG 2008 to be held in Kyoto at Doshisha University (actually I volunteered to be the conference chair for next year’s Pan SIG conference!). Stay tuned for more details in the coming months! And if you are interested in helping out, please feel free to contact me.
5月に仙台で開かれたPAN SIG大会に参加し、発表を行った。100人以上の参加者があり、LLLの活動を宣伝するテーブルを用意することができ、新しいバーナーを披露し、みんなの注意を引くことに成功した。多くの人がバーナーを褒めてくれ、LLLに興味を持ってくれたようだ。
翌日行なった私の発表は、語用論や生涯語学学習に興味を持つ聴衆には好評であった。市販の教科書から具体的な対話を例示することにより、効果的なコミュニケーションとは単位言語を知っているだけでなく、相手とどのように対話するか、その語用論的な側面に気づく必要性を話した。つまり、学習者が敬語、マナー、タイミングを理解すると、対話する二人の関係を考慮し、どんな言葉を使うかを決める力を持つことができる。最後に、NHKカルチャーセンターと大学で教えている学生が、初めて英語の敬語表現を習うことができたと感謝してくれたことを報告した。
参加者から、今まで語用論的な観点で教えることの重要性に気づいていなかったというコメントがあり、中学校で使用する英語の教科書の対話文に何故語用論的に適切でないものが多いのか、質問があった。それには答えることはできなかったが、不適切な対話を逆に利用して、適切な対話を教えることが可能であることを説明した。
来年度は、京都の同志社大学でPanSIGの大会が開催予定となっている。LLLの代表がそこでの大会委員長を務めることになっている。LLL会員の積極的な参加、お手伝いを大いに歓迎する。