JALT Talk Newsletter

Hello, and welcome to another monthly edition of JALT Talk, the announcements newsletter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching.

JALT has awards for teachers and researchers at various stages of their careers: Early Career Excellence Award, Mid-Career Scholar Award, and Lifetime Achievement Award. Any member is welcome to nominate another JALT member for an award—simply complete the Google Form in English or Japanese by 23:59 on Monday, October 7, 2024.

ART Gallery (the annual publication of the Art, Research, and Teaching SIG) announces an open call for articles and artworks that explore the intersection of visual arts and language-learning.

Our previous issue of ART Gallery focused on Teachers (the 'T' in ART). For our upcoming issue, we're interested in Art and Research ('A' and 'R').

We're looking for articles that are colorful and unusual. The ART Gallery selection process emphasizes readability and engagement. Suggested length is 1,000 words. Please submit Word.doc documents.

We're also looking for artworks (pictures, paintings, photos, etc) that are at the intersection of art and language. These artworks can be from teachers, students, artists, or non-artists. Please submit small JPEGs for initial review.

JALT2024 International Conference News

JALT2024 logo Basic details:

Title: 50th Annual International Conference on Language Teaching and Learning & Educational Materials Exhibition
When: November 15 – November 18, 2024
Where: Shizuoka Granship, Shizuoka, Japan
Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/y1mPSU5HMebciAxXA
Theme: Moving JALT into the Future: Opportunity, Diversity, and Excellence

Accepted? Check your email for schedule details!

If your proposal was accepted, please note that the first round of individual schedules for the JALT2024 conference should be sent out this week. People should keep an eye on the inboxes for a message from conf-program@jalt.org

Curious about how we decide whose proposal is accepted? Watch this video for details: https://youtu.be/6zFiWk4wj8g?si=mfxioH95SZlwcEsW&t=423

The JALT2024 Plenary Speaker Sessions:

JALT is pround to have the following distinguished plenary speakers for JALT2024! Here is a list of the plenary sessions; further details about these sessions are available on the JALT2024 Conference website.

50 Years of JALT – And a Journey of More Than a Century (Opening Plenary Session)
Dr. Andy Curtis & Dr. Liying Cheng (Joint Opening Plenary Session)
We Are All Diverse: Celebrating Diversity in English Language Teaching (Saturday afternoon plenary session)
Dr. Avril Haye-Matsui
Justice-Affirming Language Teaching: From Envisioning to Engagement of Praxis (Sunday morning plenary session)
Dr. Ryuko Kubota
Transform Education: Embrace Diversity and Excellence (Sunday afternoon plenary session)
Janina Tubby

JALT2024 Tips and Historical information:

Shizuoka Granship is a popular venue for JALT conference-goers. We've been here seven times before: 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2015, and 2018.
When we've been here before, a popular area for many attendees to stay is on the north side of Shizuoka Station. It's never too early to book your hotel.
The venue is at JR Higashi Shizuoka Station, which is just one train stop away from Shizuoka Station. It takes about 3 minutes on the train and another 5 minutes on foot to the Granship.

Call for Presentations: Hokuriku JALT My Share due July 4 (Kaga City, Ishikawa, July 7)

This is an opportunity for you to meet with local language teachers in the Hokuriku Region. The focus is classroom activities for beginner or lower level English learners. Please come and share your ideas to the group. Please send an email to wamalcolmjalt2008@gmail.com if you would like to attend or present. We look forward to seeing you.

Call for Presentations: Extensive Reading Summer Seminar due July 12 (Online, August 3rd)

On August 3, 2024, the Extensive Reading SIG will sponsor a 1-day online event featuring a plenary speaker, Dr. Mintra Puripunyavanich, and a featured speaker, Dr. Kazuma Fujii, as well as short presentations by a variety of speakers from around the ER community.

We would love to have you present for us at this special event! Secure your spot soon!

ER オンラインセミナーのお知らせ
2024年8月3日にオンラインERイベントを行います。基調スピーカーとERコミュニティーの様々なスピーカーによるショートプレゼンテーションを行います。現在、ショートプレゼンテーションの発表者を募集しています。皆様の経験をシェアしませんか。

Call for Presenters: Yamagata JALT Mini-Conference: Language Learning and Language Teaching "Hacks" due July 19 (Yamagata, September 21)

The Yamagata JALT Chapter welcomes submissions of presentations/workshops in English or Japanese on various aspects of language learning and teaching. In particular, this year's theme will highlight practical strategies to teach and learn a language more effectively, efficiently, and enjoyably. Presenters are encouraged to submit proposals related to teaching strategies, classroom management, evaluation, second language acquisition, or any other topics of interest to those in the language teaching community including elementary school through tertiary education. Click here for details.

Critical Thinking in the Classroom 2024 Conference (CTC 2024) Announcement (August 3)

The JALT Critical Thinking SIG, in association with the JALT Tokyo Chapter and Ludic Language Pedagogy, is hosting Critical Thinking in the Classroom 2024 (CTC 2024), a conference to be held on August 3rd, 2024, from 9:00 to 16:00 in the Learning Square on the Izumi Campus of Meiji University located near Meidaimae Station on the Keio and Inokashira Lines in Tokyo, Japan.

The aim of this conference is to provide an opportunity for researchers and educators to share their research, methods, approaches, materials, and activities for encouraging critical thinking and the use of higher order thinking skills in the language learning classroom. Areas of interest may include, but are not limited to, higher-order thinking skills, evidence-based thinking, problem solving, logical thinking, evaluating sources, thinking dispositions, viewpoint-taking, debate and argumentation, academic writing, and of course, critical thinking.

The conference program features nineteen presentations given by twenty-three presenters, and the presenters come from three different countries, which promises that a wide variety of perspectives on critical thinking in language education will be offered.

If you have any questions about the conference or the submission process, you can contact the conference organizers at program@jaltcriticalthinking.org.

30 June 2024, 10:00am
The Ins and Outs of Getting a Job in ELT in Japan (A Panel Discussion on secondary and higher education, about strategies and expectations for those entering the ELT job market for 2025) (Hybrid)
Kyoto Chapter

30 June 2024, 2:00pm to 5:00pm
Let's Play: Games and Game Design for Young Learners
Sendai Chapter

30 June 2024, 2:00pm
Empathy in Intercultural Communication「異文化コミュニケーションと共感力」
Tottori Chapter

30 June 2024, 4:30pm to 6:30pm
Efficient Material Development for CLIL
Hiroshima Chapter

30 June 2024, 7:00pm to 8:00pm
PresentERs--Travis Past & Jose Camino: Running an ER Podcast
Extensive Reading SIG

05 July 2024, 3:00pm to 6:00pm
TBLT in Asia 2024 Conference
Task-Based Learning SIG

07 July 2024, 2:30pm to 4:30pm
My Share Event in Kaga (Theme: Beginner & Lower-Level Learners)
Hokuriku Chapter

13 July 2024, 5:30pm to 7:30pm
Pragmatics - What our language classes need more of!
Fukuoka Chapter

21 July 2024, 2:00pm to 4:00pm
Developing an English speaking anxiety questionnaire: Face-to-face vs. Online
Matsuyama Chapter

27 July 2024, 2:00pm to 4:00pm
Maximize the Success and Joy of Your Family's Bilingual Journey
Shizuoka Chapter

27 July 2024, 3:30pm to 5:00pm
Diane Nagatomo: From EFL Materials to Academic Books and Papers to Novels: The Art of Balancing Different Writing Genres (hybrid event)
Tochigi Chapter

28 July 2024, 2:00pm to 5:00pm
Profanity, EFL Learners, and the EFL Classroom
Sendai Chapter and the JALT Mind, Brain and Education SIG

28 July 2024, 7:00pm to 8:00pm
PresentERs - Jeff Peterson: Language Proficiency Development Through Three Modes of ER
Extensive Reading SIG

30 July 2024, 8:00pm
JALT ZPD in July (online)
JALT Zoom for Professional Development
Preregister: http://bit.ly/ZPDRSVP

31 July 2024, 7:00pm
Introduction to Slovak language
Other Language Educators SIG

03 August 2024, 9:00am to 4:00pm
Critical Thinking in the Classroom 2024 (CTC 2024)
Critical Thinking SIG in association with the JALT Tokyo Chapter and Ludic Language Pedagogy

03 August 2024, 10:00am to 5:00pm
Extensive Reading Summer Seminar (online)
Extensive Reading SIG

23 August 2024, 12:00am to 11:55pm
2nd Annual PIE-on-Lake-Nojiri Conference
Performance in Education

Reminder: Presentation proposals due August 31 for the JALT Global Englishes SIG Conference 2024 (December 14, online)

The Global Englishes SIG would like to announce that its second conference will be held online on 14th December 2024. Also, the call for proposals to present at the conference is now open. All topics related to Global Englishes are welcome.

Reminder: Presentation proposals due April 17th for 21st Century Language Teaching Conference 2024 (October 26-27, Okinawa)

JALT's Okinawa Chapter and the JALT Teaching Young Learners SIG (https://jalt-tyl.net/) are pleased to announce the 21st Century Language Teaching Conference 2024, to be held October 26-27, 2024, in Naha, Okinawa. The conference provides a platform for language educators, researchers, and professionals from around the world to share their insights, experiences, and research findings in the field of language teaching and learning. Full details: https://okijalt.org/call-for-papers-21st-century-language-teaching-conference-2024

Reminder: Presentation proposals due July 27 for JASAL2024 (October 26, Tokyo and online)

The Japan Association for Self-Access Learning (JASAL) has opened a Call for Papers for JASAL2024, the annual National Conference. JASAL is a domestic partner of JALT.

We are looking for reviewers for The PanSIG Journal. With a blind and detailed peer review process, dedicated reviewing and editing committees, and motivated and professional authors, our journal is a comprehensive and robust representation of the work presented at the PanSIG conference on a diverse range of topics.

That's all for this month. You can subscribe and / or access back issues here. Alternatively, if you'd rather not receive more information from JALT, you can unsubscribe here: https://hosted.jalt.org/membermail/unsubscribe-success.php?c=183