Hello, and welcome to another monthly edition of JALT Talk, the announcements newsletter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching. Of all the great announcements we have this month, the one I really want to highlight for you is that the JALT2024 conference call for VETTED presentation proposals closes on March 10th (find out more here). In addition, there are seven (yes, 7) other calls for presentations herein as well as several other opportunities.
In this issue:
Job listings
JALT receives a number of job advertisements each month. If you're looking for a new position, please check out our job posts on our JALT Publications site: https://jalt-publications.org/tlt/departments/career-development-corner/jobs
JALT EBM Highlights
JALT held its February Executive Board Meeting (EBM) on February 17-18, 2024 in Ogaki, Gifu Prefecture and also on Zoom. In attendance that weekend were the members of the JALT Board of Directors (BoD) as well as representatives from all of JALT's chapters and SIGs.
Soon, JALT Director of Records, Samantha Kawakami will post a report about this hybrid weekend on the JALT website, but in the meantime, here are some highlights:
Essential details:
JALT2024 Call for Presentation Proposals
There are two major deadlines for JALT2024 submissions. For most conference attendees, the relevant deadline is March 10th.
Abstract writing workshop: online March 6
Struggling to write your abstract? Our expert mentors are here to guide you step by step. Seize this last opportunity to refine your work before the JALT 2024 call for proposal deadline. Let's ensure your abstract is impactful and inviting! Click here for details and Zoom link.
Abstract writing workshop: video
If you missed February's online workshop on "How to write a better abstract for the JALT2024 Conference call for presentation proposals" by Trevor Holster, the JALT2024 Vetting Committee Chair, there is still time to watch it on YouTube before the March 10th deadline. This event was co-sponsored by the Fukuoka JALT chapter, the JALT CUE SIG, and the JALT Writers' Peer Support Group.
JALT2024 Tips and Historical information:
Photos from past JALT conferences in Shizuoka:
Nominations for the 2024 JALT Board Of Directors and Auditor elections
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2024 JALT Board Of Directors and Auditor elections. The nominations period shall be open from February 15th, 2024 to March 15th, 2024. Any JALT member in good standing may nominate any JALT member in good standing, including themselves. Details: https://jalt.org/main/nominations-2024-directors
On February 18th at the JALT Executive Board Meeting, Oana Cusen (the JALT National Elections Committee Chair) asked the members of the current board whether or not they intended to run for re-election. Director of Treasury, Michael Mielke and Auditor, Robert Chartrand both indicated that they would like to step down. All other members of the BOD stated their intention to run for re-election.
Call for presentations for Osaka JALT's 14th annual spring Back to School conference due March 15
Back to School 2024 is Osaka JALT’s 14th annual spring conference aiming to share ideas on a wide range of topics related to language teaching and learning to help everyone in the new academic year. This year's conference will again be in person at Osaka Jogakuin University, near Tamatsukuri station on the JR Loop Line and Nagahori Tsurumi-Ryokuchi Metro line. For the past several years, this conference has been a very low-key but great medium-sized conference, and we expect something similar this year. It will also again be an Open Campus day at OJU, so there will be additional presentations, more students, parents, and high school teachers on campus than otherwise.
Call for presentations for ETA-ROC 2024 (Taipei, Taiwan) due May 1st
ETA-ROC is the English Teachers' Association-Republic of China, an international affiliate organization of JALT.
Call for presentations for the 6th JANET Conference on English Nursing due March 15
JANET is the Japan Association for Nursing English Teaching, a domestic affilate organization of JALT.
Call for presentations for the 9th Annual Michinoku English Education Summit (Hachinohe, Aomori) due March 31st
JALT's Iwate-Aomori Chapter and Hachinohe Gakuin University is holding the 2024 MEES Conference on June 16th. This year’s conference will focus on feedback involving the language learner: teacher-to-student, student-to-student, and student-to-teacher.
JALT Listening SIG Announces "Members Meet Up: LS369"
JALT's Listening SIG is proud to present their next quarterly meet up for members, LS369, aimed at Listening SIG members and potential members.
All sessions start at 7pm and last one hours. LS369 is designed for attendees to join us for a few minutes or stay for the whole one-hour session
PanSIG is an annual conference usually held in May, and organized by many of the Special Interest Groups (SIGs) of JALT. Information about past PanSIG conferences (including photos, conference handbooks, etc.) can be found in the PanSIG Archive.
Conference fees have been announced:
| PanSIG 2024 Conference in Fukui | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pre-registration | On-site registration | |
| JALT members | 9,500 yen | 11,500 yen |
| Non-JALT members | 12,000 yen | 15,000 yen |
| Students & Seniors (JALT members) | 2,000 yen | 2,000 yen |
| Students & Seniors (non-JALT members) | 2,500 yen | 2,500 yen |
Pre-registration for PanSIG 2024 will open in mid-March, and remain open through April.
Join a SIG Forum
Each SIG participating in PanSIG can hold a forum. Joint forums are encouraged, either for those SIGs wishing to create new relationships or for SIGs that already have agreements. The way these forums are created varies by SIG, as each SIG has its own requirements and plans. Information about submitting forums was sent to each SIG Coordinator on or around January 15th.
If you have an interest in joining your SIG's or another SIG's forum at PanSIG, please contact the SIG(s) directly to ask for the relevant submission details.
PanSIG Plenary Speakers
Accessibility in Language Learning SIG call for articles
ALL Review, the official newsletter of the Accessibility in Language Learning SIG, announces an open call for articles. Accepted articles will be scheduled for publication in issues slated this year. For details on how to submit, please access https://jalt.org/news/accessibility-language-learning.
Pre-registration opens March 1st for the JALTCALL 2024 Conference
The annual conference of JALT's Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) SIG promises to be a groundbreaking event this year with its focus on the impact of AI in language education.
Basic details:
Registration details:
Pre-registration opens March 1st for KOTESOL 2024
KOTESOL is the Korea Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, an international affiliate organization of JALT.
JALT Members: Win a Complimentary Membership to TESOL
Seven (7) lucky JALT members will win one-year complimentary memberships to the TESOL International Association! You can see what kind of benefits are offered for TESOL members here: https://www.tesol.org/about-tesol/membership/membership-benefits
Contest applicants must be active and current JALT members, and not a TESOL member now or in the past five years.
To sign up for your chance to win, please follow this link to our contest application survey: https://forms.gle/QJsdMU4GXpvzrBedA
The deadline to sign up is April 30th, 2024. Seven names will be chosen at random from the pool of eligible applicants. The seven lucky winners will be announced in early May. Good luck!
Recent JALT Publications
For a full list of all of JALT's publications (including SIGs, chapters, and conferences), please see https://jalt.org/main/publications
Upcoming JALT Events
Event details: https://jalt.org/events
02 March 2024, 1:00pm to 4:40pm
SPIN Student Research Symposium 2024 (online)
JALT Student Peer Interaction Network (SPIN) Committee
03 March 2024, 1:30pm
Double Presentation by Adam Murray
Co-sponsored by JALT Iwate-Aomori Chapter and the IAEE (Iwate Aomori English Education Research Group)
05 March 2024, 2:30pm to 4:00pm
CEFR Reflection Meeting (online)
JALT CEFR and Language Portfolio SIG
06 March 2024, 8pm to 9pm
Last-minute JALT Conference Abstract Assistance on Zoom
Co-sponsored by the JALT Writers' Peer Support Group (PSG) and Fukuoka Chapter
09 March 2024, 6:00pm
Peer assessment: Two Practical Examples of Students Learning by Assessing
* The presenter will be online. Attendees have the option of gathering in Tenjin, or attending online.
JALT Fukuoka Chapter
10 March 2024, 9:00am to 11:00am
Ludic Language Pedagogy: How to Teach with Games and Play (online)
JALT Niigata Chapter
16 March 2024, 2:00pm
Language in the Field site: Producing Qualitative Research Data from Local Poetry (online)
JALT Akita Chapter
17 March 2024, 12:00am to 4:00pm
Ibaraki JALT March 2024 All-day Face-to-Face Meeting
JALT Ibaraki Chapter
17 March 2024, 10:00am
Maximize the Success and Joy of Your Family's Bilingual Journey (online)
JALT Nagoya Chapter
17 March 2024, 2:00pm to 4:00pm
Hidden Connections: Relationships, Neuroscience and Language Teaching (online)
JALT Matsuyama Chapter
25-27 March 2024
The 2nd World Immersive Learning Labs Symposium
JALT Mixed, Augmented, and Virtual Realities SIG
https://worldlearninglabs.com
26 March 2024, 3:00pm
Materials-Making March | 教材作り三月 (online)
JALT College and University Educators (CUE) SIG
26 March 2024, 8:00pm
ZPD in March
JALT ZPD (Zoom for Professional Development) Event Committee
30 March 2024, 2:00pm to 5:00pm
Women's Mini Film Festival
SIETAR Kansai, JALT Osaka and Nara Chapters
31 March 2024, 2:00pm
AI Tools for teachers and students
JALT Sendai and Tohoku Chapters
31 March 2024, 7:00pm to 8:00pm
PresentERs - Liling Kurakane: Challenges and Adaptations in Implementing Extensive Reading: A Case Study of a Japanese University (online)
JALT Extensive Reading (ER) SIG
Reminder: the JALT Apple Store Discount has ended
We are very sorry to announce the end to the Apple On Campus program. The original agreement between JALT and Apple stated that Apple could cancel the program at any time. Unfortunately, Apple ended the On Campus program in December, 2023. This affects not only JALT, but all organizations who were part of the On Campus program.
Apple is now using a company called Unidas to verify educator status for their education discount. JALT has no knowledge of or control over this new Apple education discount program.
Reminder: Request from the Technology Advisory and Support Committee (TASC)
The TASC needs your help! The TASC is seeking people who are interested in joining server management teams. These teams will work as part of the web services committee to manage servers that host websites for JALT chapters and groups. Experience hosting WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, Moodle, or other websites is helpful but not necessary (we're a friendly bunch, we'd be thrilled to help you help us!). If you are up for this challenge, contact the TASC team (tasc@jalt.org), or join us at the ZPD for more information. (Please note you would need to be a JALT member to join the server management teams.)
Reminder: Call for presentation proposals for Task-Based Language Teaching in Asia 2024 (due March 15th)
The JALT Task-Based Learning SIG announces that the call for presentation proposals for the TBLT in Asia 2024 Conference will end March 15th.
Reminder: Call for presentation proposals for the 16th Annual NEAR Conference (due March 31st)
JALT Niigata is now accepting presentation proposals for the annual NEAR Conference.
Reminder: Call for presentation proposals for the Listening Conference 2024 is now open (due March 31)
The JALT Listening SIG, in affiliation with the Kyoto JALT Chapter, is delighted to announce their third conference, the Listening Conference 2024 - Learning, Teaching, and Research, a free one-day event. Our call for presenters is now open. We are looking for 20-minute presentations on topics related to listening and teaching, pedagogy, assessment, and resources. Presentations will be followed by a five-minute Q&A session. In addition to these areas of research, we welcome other projects who mesh listening with other research areas. Submissions are limited to one presentation (as lead presenter) per person. An individual presenter can present a total of two times to allow for a diverse selection of presenters.
If you have any questions about the forthcoming conference, please email us at listening@jalt.org.
Reminder: JALT Research Grants winners
Congratulations to the 2023 JALT Research Grant Winners!
The application for the 2024 JALT Research Grants will be posted on the JALT website in August with a submission deadline in October.
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=167
Best regards,
Bill Pellowe
JALT Director of Public Relations
pr@jalt.org
https://jalt.org