AKITA JALT Officers in 2010

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Wayne Malcolm
President

Suzuki, Takeshi
Program Chair

Okakoi, Yumiko
Treasurer

Kimura, Mio
Membership Chair

Shucart, Stephen
Publicity Chair

AKITA JALT meetings in 2010

December Guest speaker: Claudine Marais Date: December 11th, 2010 Title: Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: Room: Admission:

November this will be a presentation given by the Asian Scholar who will be attending this JALT National Conference this year Guest speaker: Date: November 18th, 2010 Title: Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: Room: Admission:

October Guest speaker: Marc Helgesen Date: October 23rd, 2010 Title: Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: Room: Admission:

upcoming September Annual General Meeting Guest speaker: Date: September 25th, 2010 Title: Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: Room: Admission:

July see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Natsumi Onaka, Associate Professor, Iwate University International Center /尾中夏美（岩手大学国際交流センター准教授) Date: July 10th, 2010 Title: Extensive Reading and ICT contents: guiding university students to be better English readers /多読教材とＩＣＴコンテンツ−大学生の英語 を読む力を伸ばすために Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students Taking the globalization of society into consideration, being able to read English text efficiently is one of the most eligible skills for university graduates. It is necessary for them to read fast with good comprehension. Some of them must learn tactics in order to be better readers. In this presentation, the presenter, Natsumi Onaka, will discuss how she is trying to develop a user-friendly program which combines graded readers with the pre-reading, post-reading, speed-reading, and extra-supporting activities for poor readers. They would be stored as a database in a server, applying the concept of e-learning. Since this program is in the process of production, positive questions and comments are welcome. グローバル化する社会に人材を送り出す大学にとって、専攻のいかんを問わず学生に一定の英語力を付けて卒業させることは重要な使命と言えるでしょう。単に課題が読めたかどうかの確認にとどまらず、長い英文の大意を素早く正確に理 解するという技能は自然に身につくのを待つのではなく、積極的な指導が望まれます。本発表では、多読教材と読書前、読書後、速読、そして読むのが苦手な学生のための特別トレーニングの独自教材をE-ラーニングのシステムのフォーマットに取り入れた現在開発中のプログラムについて解説します。現場の先生方からの建 設的な質問やコメントなど歓迎します。

June see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Joe Sykes Date: June 12th, 2010 Title: Metaphor Elicitation as a Means of Investigating Learner Beliefs and Facilitating Reflection Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place & Room: Akita University, Student Support Center 2nd Floor Meeting Room Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students As part of the research study for his master's thesis, Joseph Sykes explored the beliefs of English language learners by getting them to compose original metaphors. This not only articulated the students' conscious and subconscious thoughts, it also gave them a way to reflect on what it means to be a language learner. Mr. Sykes will take us through the main areas of his study, after which he will conduct a short workshop on metaphor and how using metaphor can articulate our beliefs as learners of language, teachers of language, researchers, etc. Mr. Joseph Sykes is a member of Akita-JALT. Mr. Sykes also teaches at Akita University. He will be deepening our knowledge of metaphors and how they can help language learners express their beliefs. For anyone learning a language this is useful knowledge to understand. Mr. Sykes will be delivering a presentation on this subject at this year's PAN-SIG conference held in Osaka, May 22nd and 23rd.

May see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Peter Ross Date: May 29th, 2010 Title: Understanding Students' Non-Verbal Behavior: What does that silence mean anyway? Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: Joinus (This is near the huge pond at the bottom of Senshu Park on Hirokoji Street) Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students Little classroom research exists on the feedback that students give to language teachers from moment to moment during the course of a lesson, and how teachers respond to such feedback in planning the next steps in their lesson online; i.e. in real-time. Participants in this workshop will have the opportunity to develop their skill at detecting and responding to online student-to-teacher verbal and gestural feedback. Videotaped samples of student feedback will be presented for observation, analysis and discussion.

April see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Marcos Benevides from ABAX Date: April 24th, 2010 Title: Intensively Extensive: How my experience as an ESL learner has contributed to my teaching and writing Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: Sunpal Akita-Gakushushitsu 2, 4th Floor at Akita City Bunka Kaikan*** Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students The speaker will present his personal story as a language learner and demonstrate the impact it has made on his classroom practice as well as on his material writing. He will suggest how all teachers can directly, immediately--and often surprisingly--benefit from a careful autobiographical exploration of their own learning experiences. Benevides is an assistant professor at J. F. Oberlin University in Tokyo, and the co-author of popular ELT titles "Fiction in Action: Whodunit" (ABAX, 2010) and "Widgets: A task-based course in practical English" (Pearson, 2008). ** For a free sample of Marcos' work visit the ABAX website and see his new book "Fiction in Action: Whodunit" (ABAX, 2010). *** Guide to Location: See map. Just for your information, if you know where the Akita City and Prefectural offices are, this place is down the road. It's a 10 to 15 minute bus or taxi ride from the Akita City JR Station.

March see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Takaaki Hiratsuka Date: March 27th, 2010 Title: What Language Should We Be Using In Our Classrooms? Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students Abstract: With the growing English education fever in Japan in mind, it is high time to consider what would be the ideal in-classroom-language for teachers to use in daily English lessons. There is a debate about whether native English-speaking teachers (NEST) or non-native English-speaking teachers (NNET) are best for in-class instruction, as well as the use of L1. This discussion and workshop will talk about this issue, and others, from the perspective of the presenter, who studied Akita high school students and how they reacted to English and Japanese usage in the classroom. It seems that students prefer using L1 and L2 depending on the purpose. What do you think? You thoughts, opinions, stories are welcome with open arms. About the speaker: Takaaki Hiratsuka is a full-time Engish teacher at Futatsui senior high school as well as a graduate student at Akita International University. His current reserach interests include teacher education, World Englishes, and discourse analysis. He plays futsal in his freetime.

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pictures of the meetings in 1998-2000
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AKITA JALT meetings in 2009

December see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Phil McCasland, Director of Programs for JALT Date: December 12th, 2009 Title: Using TV Commercials as Language Teaching Tools Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students Abstract: TV commercials provide a host of pedagogical possibilities for any language class. One 30-second ad brings authentic linguistic and cultural content that can be integrated into various communicative activities. A commercial is not just a 30-second ad; it’s a story, a scene, a cast of characters, a dialogue, an array of emotions and even a bit of humor—the real dynamics of communication. The technology is basic (a computer, MP4 player and TV monitor) but the content delivered through appropriate commercials will bring English to life for your students. They will naturally react to the situation while empathizing with the characters and experiencing an emotional and often humorous side of English. Students are also motivated to improvise and modify the content while using the specific context as a framework for such co-creating and expanding. This technique borrows much from the methodology of using films in language education where listening and observing serve as foundational skills that naturally lead to discussion, critical thinking, role play, and writing activities. In this workshop I will demonstrate several methods for incorporating TV advertising into your class. I will also share some student examples while discussing the benefits, the technology, and a selection matrix. Biographical data for each presenter.: Philip McCasland is an Associate Professor at Fukushima University—Faculty of Economics and Business Administration; has lived and taught English in universities in Japan for more than 12 years; is the National Director of Programs for the Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT); taught in Korea for one year; has research interests that include business English, extensive reading, and administrative structures.

October see the meeting pictures This meeting will be part presentation, part election, and part discussion on the future of the Akita chapter. Date: October 24th, 2009 Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students First, The Presentation - Wayne Malcolm will be giving a short presentation on motivation regarding students, and teachers. He will share some of his ideas on how to keep both parties motivated. Next, The Election - You may or may not know, but long time chapter president, Takeshi Suzuki has stepped down. He, and the other Akita Chapter officers appointed Wayne Malcolm to be Acting President. There needs to be an official election choosing the next president. This is the time for those who might want to be president to put in his/her name. After the new president is chosen, he/she will facilitate a discussion on the future of the Akita Chapter. Please bring ideas to share, as all members have a voice.

September see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: officers and participants Date: September 26th, 2009 Title: My Lesson Plan Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students The main theme is "My Lesson Plan." Each officer will present what he/she does in their classrooms. They will share one or two of their lesson plans with the members at the meeting. The participants are expected to bring some of their ideas and classroom activities to share with everyone. All can certainly learn something from one another.

July see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Alastair Graham-Marr Date: July 25th, 2009 Title: Relating Culture to the teaching of communication strategies Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students Abstract: This workshop will examine the ties between culture and the use of communication strategies in L1 and will look at the extent to which communication strategies employed in a learner L1 transfer naturally to English. It will then look at the two broad categories of communication strategies, affective strategies and management strategies. Participants will be asked to consider the possibility that students from different cultural backgrounds may differ in their need to be introduced to communication strategies. The use of affective strategies may differ between speakers from different cultures and how the use of management strategies may be affected by cultural differences in the employment of politeness strategies. Finally, the workshop will examine whether or not learners of English within an Asian context benefit from the explicit teaching of communication strategies and if so how these strategies might be introduced to learners. Biography: Alastair Graham-Marr, M. Appl. Ling., has been teaching in Japan for over 20 years. He has presented at conferences in Thailand, the UAE, the US, Taiwan, Korea, Brazil and is a frequent presenter in Japan. For the past five years he has been an instructor on the David English House / OUP Certificate in Teaching Japanese Students course. Alastair is also author of Communication Spotlight: Speaking Strategies & Listening Skills, a series of textbooks for Oral Communication classes for high-school and college level students and is a full time teacher at Tokai University in Kanagawa.

June see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Dr. John F. Fanselow Date: June 20th, 2009 Title: Try the opposite! Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students abstract of "Try the opposite!" During the workshop, we will pretend we are teaching at a school with the admonition TRY THE OPPOSITE! displayed in every classroom. Beneath the admonition are these rules: N e v o a s t d w. N a s t u w i a s t i t m. N e g o a s t e g. N a a s q-w q s a “W d t m?” o “W c w s t r t t?” N a s t r o c w o s. N a s t r o a t e a g t t p l. N s w s a “v g, e, w” a s r. N p d l p. N t s w t a g t l d a l. Or Never explain vocabulary or ask students to define words. Never ask students to use words in a sentence to illustrate their meaning. Never explain grammar or ask students to explain grammar. Never answer any student’s question-word questions such as “What does this mean?” or “Why can’t we say this rather than that?” Never ask students to repeat or copy words or sentences. Never ask students to read orally as their eyes are glued to the printed lines. Never say words such as “very good, excellent, wonderful” after students respond. Never prepare detailed lesson plans. Never tell students what they are going to learn during a lesson. During the workshop, we will generate ways to follow the admonition and follow the rules listed below the admonition. To ensure that the alternative practices are related to your day-to-day teaching, please bring one of the textbooks you use to the workshop. One of my central goals will be to illustrate ways you can with much less time and energy generate alternative activities with whatever textbooks you are using. information about the presenter: John has been involved in exploring teaching since 1961 in many countries, including many years in Japan. He believes that the only way to understand teaching is to transcribe short segments of lessons and analyze them in a playful way from many perspectives, much as those interested in drama analyze plays to understand them. Analysis to John means asking how activities we think are good are bad and how activities we think are bad are good.

May see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Jon Dujmovich Date: May 23rd, 2009 Title: From Curiosity to Competency: Intercultural Activities for the ESL/EFL classroom Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students Abstract: Language educators often speak of using techniques and activities appropriate for each stage of language learning. But when it comes to incorporating cultural learning in the language lessons, there is usually very little consideration given to the learners' developmental stage of intercultural learning. The consequences of ill-matched activities can lead to reaffirmed or deeper cultural misunderstandings, and little or no growth in intercultural competency. In this workshop the presenter will demonstrate and discuss how to incorporate culture-based activities into the ESL/EFL classroom according to the learners' intercultural developmental stage, age, language ability, and other factors. All activities and techniques demonstrated are grounded in intercultural communications theory and methodology coupled with ESL pedagogy. The presenter will provide opportunities to experiment with ideas and activities in a participant workshop format while demonstrating how the activities can be adjusted for learning stage appropriateness. Presenter Biography: Jon Dujmovich is an adjunct lecturer in the Department of Comparative Culture at Aichi University (Toyohashi) and Department of International Communication at Shizuoka University of Arts & Culture. He has over 15 years experience as a language teacher and corporate cross-cultural trainer in Japan. Jon is currently involved in developing a multicultural education training program for K-12 teachers in conjunction with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). In 2007 he was awarded a research award from the Suruga Institute for "The World in My Neighborhood Project," an EFL intercultural communications pilot course for 3rd year Junior High School students endorsed by the Shizuoka Prefectural Board of Education.

April see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Colin Graham Date: April 25th, 2009 Title: The Corpus in the Classroom Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students Abstract: In this workshop, the presenter will lead a session to show the possibilities and pitfalls of introducing corpora in a practical way to the classroom. He will discuss aspects of building the corpus, ways to involve students in its creation and materials development. No prior knowledge of corpus linguistics is required or assumed. Bio: Colin Graham has been teaching English in Japan since 1998, prior to which he taught Mathematics and IT in London, as well as spending 10 years in different industries. He is currently the Co-ordinator for JALT’s Teacher Education SIG and Membership Chair for the forming Teachers Helping Teachers SIG. He is interested in learner autonomy, materials writing and professional development. He works for Sumikin-Intercom, a private language school providing English training for business people.

March see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Yasuhiro Imai, Ph.D. Date: March 14th, 2009 Title: Recasting emotions in SLA: Insights from learning as a social transaction Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free for all the participants Abstract: What is the role and meaning of affect in second language acquisition (SLA)? Language practitioners have tackled this important question by exploring various affective factors, such as language anxiety, second language (L2) motivation, and the neurobiological mechanism. Nevertheless, serious discussions of the integral component of affect, emotions, have been rarity. This scholarly attitude reflects particular assumptions to conceive affect and learning, which can be characterized as individualistic, cognitive, dichotomous, and product-oriented. While acknowledging the contribution made by the previous research paradigm, I propose a complementary perspective that calls for more substantial attention to the wide range of emotions in language learning. I take a particular view that emotions are not just a learner's inner, private workings that merely filter cognitive functioning. Rather, emotions--in any forms--can mediate development, especially when learning is considered a fundamentally interpersonal transaction. By presenting actual data from a study, I illustrate how a group of learners discursively manifested, shared, and co-constructed their emotional attitudes toward their group work and how such emotional intersubjectivity pushed the group, in their knowledge co-construction, to challenge assigned tasks and materials. Finally, implications of the proposed perspective will be considered. Biostatements: Yasuhiro Imai is Lecturer at the Centre for the Teaching of Foreign Languages in General Education of Sophia University. His interests include emotions in second language learning, collaborative learning, and discourse analysis. He has taught EFL to Japanese university students.

AKITA JALT meetings in 2008

November see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Bobby Mamoru Takahashi & Stephen Shucart Date: November 22nd, 2008 Title: Content-Based Instruction: A tale with two flavors Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students Summary: Content-Based Instruction (CBI) is a methodology that utilizes a theme-based curriculum rather than focusing on the traditional forms, functions, situations or skills. We will examine two different types of CBI course: one a four-skills practical English course on the theme of global climate change, and the other a conversation course based on science fiction DVDs. Both Bobby Mamoru Takahashi & Stephen Shucart teach at Akita Kenritsu University.

October see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Anthony S. Rausch Date: October 25th, 2008 Title: English Story Cycle: What, Why and How Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students English Story Cycle: What, Why and How 英語ストーリ・サイクル：何を、なぜ、どうやって This presentation will introduce English Story Cycle as an approach to elementary school English in Japan. The presentation will detail what the English Story Cycle idea is, why it is appropriate for elementary school English in Japan, and how to conduct English Story Cycle, either as the basis for the overall curriculum or as a meaningful add-on to any other curriculum. Handouts will be provided, along with materials for a mock English Story Cycle sequence and samples of story books that have been used. この講習は英語ストーリ・サイクルを小学校英語教育への指導方法の一つとして提案するものです。独自のカリキュラムを使うか、あるいは文科省のカリキュラムを基に何か付け加えて使うかを考慮しながら、英語ストーリ・サイクルが何を意図するものか、なぜ小学校英語教育にふさわしいのか、そしてどう指導していくのか。これまで使った教材を共にプリントを準備し、模擬授業を行います。 Note 1: Although the books that will be introduced are published by the major textbook publishing companies in Japan, the presenter has no financial interest in the materials. Note 2: To the degree possible, materials and presentation will be offered bilingually, in English and Japanese. 注１：紹介する本は大手出版会社によるもので、講師は教材などからの利益は一切ない。 注２：教材と講習は英語と日本語のバイリンガルで行われる。 Speaker: Anthony S. Rausch is a member of the English Department of the Faculty of Education at Hirosaki University. He has taught English in a variety of circumstances and at a variety of levels for over 15 years. His current interests are elementary school English education and teacher training.

September see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Carlos Budding Date: September 27th, 2008 Title: An Introduction to American Sign Language Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for one-day members, 500 yen for students This workshop is primarily intended for those individuals who have a desire to learn some basic information regarding American Sign Language (ASL). The workshop will have 2 foci: first to understand a little of the history/theory of ASL, and second to learn some basic signs. In the first part of the presentation, participants will be exposed to some of the basic linguistic theories that apply to American Sign Language (ASL). Ideas of what makes a sign, and what linguistic rules govern how a sign is made will be presented. Participants will also learn a brief history of how ASL came about in The United States and what challenges ASL is facing in a time of globalization. During the second part of the presentation, participants will be exposed to a typical “sign class”, that is a class taught completely in silence and using only ASL, gestures, and some writing. Students will be taught the manual alphabet, numbers, and some signs intended for basic communication. Brief Educational and Professional Biography I began learning ASL at the age of 16. Prior to becoming a teacher, I was a Sign Language Interpreter working primarily in the educational setting for almost 10 years. I earned two Master’s Degrees, one in Linguistics from Gallaudet University, and the other in Education from George Mason University. As a teacher, I taught ESOL to deaf and hearing students in the US and I was also an adjunct instructor at George Mason University teaching assessment for language teachers. Currently, I am a lecturer working at Akita International University where, aside from teaching English to highly motivated and intelligent students, I also co-teach in a club teaching both ASL and Japanese Sign Language (JSL).

July see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Susan Duggan Date: July 26th, 2008 Title: What Do Your Students Really Think of Your Classes? – Achieving More Effective Course Evaluations Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students Description: Do you know what your students really think of your classes? Can you know this from conventional course evaluation forms? Are the course evaluation forms which many colleges and universities make their students fill out giving teachers accurate and meaningful feedback? If not, what can we do about it? This workshop has two parts. In the first part, the presenter will bring up problems of standardized course evaluation forms with evidence from interviews with students. 　As students filled out a course evaluation form, they were asked, “What does this item mean?” and “Why did you choose that number for your answer?” Participants are invited to comment on and discuss the surprising results. In the second part of the workshop, participants will consider how to improve course evaluation forms and how to attain more efficient feedback from students about classes. The presenter will offer models and aids for meaningful course evaluation. Participants may use these to improve on course evaluation forms or think of alternative methods of evaluation. If you have a course evaluation form which you would like to discuss or work on, you are welcome to do so. By the end of the workshop, participants should be able to think more critically about course evaluation, and determine more confidently the best way to elicit their own students’ opinions and observations on their learning. Biodata: Susan Duggan has been an English teacher at Iwate Prefectural University since 2005 and also teaches “Preparation for Study at a University in an English-Speaking Country” at Iwate University, “English Education for Children” at Morioka University and German to the general public. After working as a high school teacher of English and German in Britain, she came to Iwate in 1991, where she worked in public and private high schools for thirteen years, first as an ALT and then as a high school teacher.

June see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Mark Neufeld Date: June 21st, 2008 Title: Debate and Structured Discussions in the EFL Classroom Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students Description: In the first hour of the presentation I discuss the teaching of debate in the college EFL classroom. For those unfamiliar with debate, I examine the format of parliamentary-style debate, along with the vocabulary and methods involved in teaching and conducting debates in an English class. Then I open the discussion up to those attendees who have taught debate so that we can share our experiences and opinions. In the second part of the presentation I describe a technique I've developed over the last six years or so that I call "Structured Discussions". The technique can be taught to high school and college students with high-beginner to advanced English ability, and can be used in oral English or integrated skills classes. It incorporates many of the skills associated with debate, but does not require the learning of specialized vocabulary or debate procedures. It can be done in pairs or small groups, and can be easily tailored to the students' needs and interests. The activities leading up to actual structured discussions include brainstorming, outlining, and practicing conversation management skills. Students get a chance to read, write and speak target vocabulary and grammar in a structured and systematic way, and I've found that by the end of a unit even weaker students are able to handle discussions lasting 15 minutes or longer. Biography: Mark Neufeld has an M.A. in Education (Emphasis in ESL) from the University of Colorado in Denver, Colorado, U.S. He is an assistant professor at Sakura no Seibo Junior College in Fukushima, where he has taught English for 15 years. Before that he taught at Sakura no Seibo High School for two years and at Berlitz Language School in Tokyo for 4 years.

May see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Lesley Ito Date: May 24th, 2008 Title: Lesson Planning: As Easy As Pie! Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students Description: Lesley Ito, owner of BIG BOW English Lab in Nagoya will present a simple and easy-to-use "Pie Chart" system for consistently creating high quality, balanced lesson plans and for keeping a manageable record of what has been taught throughout the year. Teachers who use the "Pie Chart" system will be able to easily create a curriculum that incorporates all four skills and school owners who employ teachers will be able to maintain high quality control in all classes. Lesley Ito's bio: Originally from Florida, Lesley Ito is an EFL teacher, private language school owner and teacher trainer in Nagoya with over 15 years of experience.

AKITA JALT meetings in 2007

November

October see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: James Hobbs (Iwate Medical University) Date: October 27th, 2007 Title: Recipes for success in teaching medical English Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students ABSTRACT Even to native English speakers, a medical case report or research paper abstract can seem like a linguistic minefield of tortured grammar and impossibly complex technical terms. Many teachers, doubting their own ability as well as that of their students to cope with such material, may choose to base courses for medical students on doctor/patient conversations, or on texts written for a non-specialist audience, such as newspaper or magazine articles. This is understandable, and ELT publishers offer many titles based on such content. However, such material, despite often containing relatively little language of use to medical students, can actually be more difficult for students to cope with than authentic medical texts. Drawing on his own experience of teaching second- and third-year medical students, the presenter will show how students can be taught to decipher complex technical terms with ease, and to identify the structure and key content of case reports and research paper abstracts. Participants will try out some simple classroom activities, and there will be ample time for questions and discussion. While the presentation will be of particular interest to those who teach medical students, it will also appeal to anyone who wishes to see how a science-oriented ESP class can be taught by a teacher with limited background knowledge, provided the teacher is willing to invest some time and effort in exploring the subject area.

September see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Mamoru Takahashi Date: September 29th, 2007 Title: Action Log and Topic-Based Instruction Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: Joinus (Joinus is in downtown Akita at the entrance of Senshu Park) Room: No.5 seminar room Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students Action Log and Topic-Based Instruction This presentation will show you how to use Action Log (AL) in your classroom. AL is a kind of action research. It is a tool that enables you to know what students are thinking. The second  theme in this workshop is how to conduct  topic-based instruction in the classroom. We know that merely exposing students to a piece of knowledge only once is not enough to improve their English skills. During the workshop, you will experience how to organize teaching materials under a specific theme or topic. Mamoru Takahashi is teaching English at Research and Education Center for Comprehensive Science, Akita Prefectural University.  His current areas of interest include Content-based Communicative Instruction,  Computer Assisted Language Learning, Autonomous Learning, and Action Research.

July see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Grant Trew (Oxford University Press) Date: July 28th, 2007 Title: The New TOEIC Test : Understanding and Overcoming the Challenges Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free (Oxford University Press sponsored) The TOEIC ® Test is the primary tool for assessing English proficiency in Japan and a good score has become a common prerequisite for job and academic placement and advancement. Because of its importance, TOEIC ® test preparation courses have become a standard part of both College/University and private language teaching curriculums. The change to the test format in May 2006 has significant implications both for students and educators, who will need both an understanding of the changes and appropriate preparation to deal with them. 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. During this workshop 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 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. Grant Trew, an expert in testing and a long-time instructor of exam technique, has recently authored the Oxford Tactics for the TOEIC® Series Speaking and Writing Tests Student Book and the Official Oxford University Press Japan Teacher's Guide to the TOEIC® Test. All participants will receive a free copy of the Teacher's Guide during the presentation written in the language of their choice. Participants are also welcome to fill out inspection copy request forms for a copy of the Student Book.

June see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Michael Todd Fouts Date: June 23rd, 2007 Title: STEP EIKEN: An insider's guide to Japan's national English test Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students presentation summary: Part 1: Who is STEP? What is EIKEN? A crash course in the history, purpose, and content of the EIKEN Test in Practical English Proficiency—one of the world's most widely administered language tests, and yet one of Japan's best-kept secrets. Find out how EIKEN items are developed and who does it, and why it's the scariest job in the world. Part 2: EIKEN goes global Until four years ago, EIKEN was virtually unheard of outside Japan. Now the test is recognized for admissions at hundreds of institutions in North America and Australia. What happened? The growth of EIKEN from domestic test to global qualification, and the potential impact on education in Japan. Bio: Michael Todd Fouts is International Operations Manager and Chief Editor at the Society for Testing English Proficiency (STEP), where EIKEN is produced by a team of 200 writers, editors, and advisors. Fouts has worked in Japan since 1990 as a teacher and test developer.

May see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Martin Pauly (Tsukuba University of Technology) Date: May 26th, 2007 Title: Sign Language in the Language-teaching Classroom Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students abstract: Deaf and hard-of-hearing students are entering mainstream schools and mainstream society. A knowledge of Sign Language may aid teachers and hearing students in communicating with, and creating a more friendly environment for, these students. I am not a specialist in Deaf Education, nor an expert at Sign Language, but I am hoping to introduce the audience to different languages (i.e., ASL and JSL/NS (American Sign Language and Japanese Sign Language/Nihon Shuwa) and a different culture (i.e., Deaf Culture). I will demonstrate some strategies for introducing Sign Language into the classroom and show how they are transferable to a classroom of visually-impaired or older students. I will also explain how I use JSL/NS to introduce ASL and how I have incorporated Sign Language into normal classroom interaction. Biodata Martin Pauly has been at Tsukuba University of Technology, Division for the Visually Impaired, for 15 years. He holds offices in the JALT Ibaraki Chapter, the Bilingualism SIG and the TOL SIG. His current areas of interest include the use of sign language in the language-teaching classroom, children's bilingualism, tai chi chuan and running marathons as a guide runner for blind athletes.

April see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Jarrett Dave, Ragan Jr. Date: April 21st, 2007 Title: The Power of Stories to Teach and Motivate Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM (the time changed!) Place: Yugakusha (next to Akita Red Cross Hospital) 秋田県ゆとり生活創造センター遊学舎：　Tel:018-829-5801 Room: Kenshushitsu #2 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students * It will be the last presentation since Dave Ragan is going to leave Akita on April 23rd. Story telling has been the preferred method of teaching since ancient times. It is still used in many societies as a way to help people understand the world. From the stories we hear and tell we learn right and wrong, and what is deemed useful and wasteful. In socio-cultural terms we construct our identity along with others in our society through the stories we tell. In neuroscience terms stories help us make patterns of neurons in our brains that are used to shape and control our behaviors, thoughts and beliefs about what is possible and impossible for ourselves and for our society. The presenter would like to discuss the effectiveness of motivational stories in the language classroom as both a tool for language learning and for enhancing learning strategies, thus improving the learners’ motivation for language acquisition. He will share one or two of his favorite motivational stories that he uses to help himself and his students construct a more useful way of looking at and hopefully tackling the world of learning English specifically and life in general. The participants will then be asked to share their successful motivational stories in pairs or small groups. I hope the participants will go away with a better appreciation of the power of stories to both teach language, and enhance motivation and practical learning skills.

AKITA JALT meetings in 2006

December see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Terri Lee Nagahashi (Akita University) Date: December 9th, 2006 Title: Fostering Positive Changes in Students' Beliefs about Learning English Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students Abstract Becoming proficient in English as a foreign language (EFL) is a challenging task for many students in Japanese universities. Plagued by negative appraisals, low motivation and an inability to direct and sustain learning efforts, students' progress is often slow. Previous research in this area has found that the university entrance examination system and the role of higher education are two critical factors that impact students' appraisals, motivation and progress. Several key characteristics of this system, and potential strategies for improvement, will be addressed in this presentation. First, an explanation of the Japanese education system will be provided, as well as demonstrating how this system creates negative appraisals and restricts students' opportunities for self-directed learning. Second, the traditional role of higher education and its impact on students’ motivation and progress will be examined. Third, the results and implications of a novel interventional study of learning English in a Japanese university will be presented. The interventional study was designed to foster positive changes in students' beliefs about learning English and to enhance their motivation for learning. The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of allowing students in four EFL classes opportunities to explore various learning resources, identify their personal learning preferences, experiment with language learning strategies, and set short-term learning goals. The participants in this study consisted of 82 students (80 Japanese and 2 Chinese) registered in required and elective courses at Akita University. The students participated in a three-step process designed to bring about a positive change in their beliefs about learning English as a foreign language through enhanced motivation and reduced anxiety. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses of post-intervention student questionnaires revealed that the process produced positive results in terms of increasing students' exposure to English language learning resources, increasing the number of language learning strategies they utilized, improving the ability to set and reach short-term learning goals, reducing anxiety, and enhancing enjoyment for learning. Bio: Terri Lee Nagahashi has been teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) for over twenty-five years in the United States, Mexico, Sweden, and Japan. She is currently a full-time faculty member of the International Communication Studies Department of Akita University.

November Community, Identity, Motivation JALT 2006 Kitakyushu International Conference Centre, Kokura, Kitakyushu, Japan November 2-5, 2006 detailed information

October see the meeting pictures Guest speakers: Christine Winskowski and Susan Duggan Date: October 21st, 2006 Title: "What did you think of the course? - Understanding Students' Course Evaluations" Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students Christine Winskowski, who teaches English and American Studies at Morioka Junior College,(Iwate Prefectural University), has written and presented on the topics of students' course evaluations and the teaching of culture. Susan Duggan, who teaches English at Iwate Prefectural University, specializes in English for medical and health professions. Do you wonder what students are thinking when they fill out those end-of-semester course evaluation forms? Ever wondered why someone picked a 5 instead of a 6? A 4 instead of a 5? Since the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology mandated the administration of course evaluation forms in 1996, their use in Japan has sharply risen. In other countries, use of course evaluation forms is widespread, if still controversial. Since Japan has newly adopted this approach to teacher evaluation, we feel it is important to be clear what such instruments tell us, and what they don't tell us. We decided to find out what students are thinking by interviewing 10 students as they filled out their evaluation forms. Following a recent line of research, we asked students to explain their understanding of the items' interpretation, and the reason for their ratings. While our findings are still at the pilot phase, it is very clear that students interpret items differently from one another, and base their ratings on different criteria (some of which seem only loosely connected to teaching effectiveness). These results reinforce the notion that course evaluation forms are at best low-precision instruments. In this talk, we will offer a little background on issues surrounding course evaluation forms, then present our preliminary findings (in the context of related research). Finally, we look forward to inviting your comments and discussion – please join us!

September see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Mike Plugh Date: September 30th Title: Assisting Learners: One ALT's Experience Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students, free for AIU students Being an ALT means different things for different people. With few standardized guidelines about how an ALT is to be used, schools are left to build relationships with their new foreign staff on their own. For this reason, the range of ALT experiences is vast and varied. In my presentation, I hope to shed light on some of these experiences and the things I've learned about feelings on both sides of the team teaching system. My main focus, however, will be my own experience teaching at a SelHi, or Super English Language High School. Some of the important points that will be covered are: 1. How I got here. 2. I'm not an English teacher... 3. What value do I bring, contrasting the JTE's lessons? 4. Differences in teaching English Course and Regular Course students. 5. Where do I draw my teaching resources from? 6. My thoughts on the future of the JET Programme.

July see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Stephen Shucart Date: July 22nd, 2006 Title: ESP- Adapting a US High School Science Textbook for the Classroom - Redux Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students, free for AIU students This is a talk on how I adapted a high school science textbook for the language classroom based on Neal Anderson's ACTIVE READING series. The original presentation was given before the classes had actually begun. This talk presents the reaction to the classes, plus improvements that have been added, including listening to science essays on an iPod nano. Stephen Shucart has been Associate Professor of English at Akita Prefectural University, Honjo campus for the last 7 years.

June see the meeting pictures Guest Speaker: Mark Cunningham Date: Saturday, June 24th, 2006 Topic: Using a "College Success" textbook for university English students and on ways to use content in general Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students, free for AIU students Info: Mark Cunningham; tel. 0188-86-5968 “College success” courses and textbooks help new students adjust to an environment where they must take more responsibility for their learning while avoiding the many problems that contribute to high dropout rates at many US universities. They are an increasingly common feature in US higher education. This article considers how the language of learning skills and strategies in college success courses textbooks can provide both a useful foundation for integrated-skills, content-based language instruction and valuable opportunities for reflective learning about other cultures, about the distinctive culture of the university, and about learning itself. The presentation describes experience with the use of a college success textbook in an advanced English for Academic Purposes class during five terms in an intensive English program. Student surveys, interviews, classroom video, and student-generated and instructor-generated materials and activities are discussed, along with student’s views of tasks used in conjunction with the text and the extent to which they brought about improvement in specific areas such as vocabulary and reading speed and comprehension. . The remainder of the presentation will focus on practical techniques for using content. *notice: The scheduled speaker, Stan Pederson, cannot come due to a mistake of Akita JALT arrangement. My apologies -- especially to those who had planned to listen to his presentation. Takeshi Suzuki

May see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Taeko Okamoto Date: May 27th, 2006 Title: Using "Kamishibai" in ESL/EFL Classrooms for Students of All Ages Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students This workshop demonstrates how the traditional Japanese art of kamishibai picture storytelling can be implemented in ESL/EFL teaching. Ready-made commercialized kamishibai stories, magazine pictures, hand-drawn pictures, and photos will be used. Reading, listening, speaking, and writing are involved. Live kamishibai storytelling will also be done by the presenter-storyteller. Taeko Okamoto, has supervised practicing teachers with TESOL,Teachers College, Columbia University, and is presently an ESL Consultant and a kamishibai storyteller for local TV, schools, libraries, and other institutions. She has done kamishibai presentations/workshops at Japan Education Center, Japan America Community Outreach, Japan Children's Society, Japan-America Communication Corp., NY, and NYTESOL, State University of New York at New Paltz. Please join us and hear her stories!

April see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Martha Clark Cummings Date: April 22nd, 2006 Title: A writing workshop for teachers with stories to tell Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students This workshop is for anyone who has a language learning story to tell. Through a series of exercises, using the techniques of published writers, the presenters, who write fiction and non-fiction, will guide the participants through the writing and sharing of their stories. The workshop has three goals. The participants will learn how to bring their stories alive through writing and sharing. The participants will learn to help others, including their students, to write their stories. Professor Cummings is a member of the Center for Language Research at the University of Aizu in Aizu-Wakamatsu, Japan. For more information: click here to go to Martha Clark Cummings' website

February see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Steve Brown (current national JALT president) Date: February 25th, 2006 Title: A Drama Approach in an Autonomous Learning Environment Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: Yugakusha (next to Akita Red Cross Hospital) Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students ** Dinner with Steve Brown: After the usual meeting we plan to have dinner at Gokura, a Japanese restaurant in Alve. The cost will be 4,000 yen. If you would like to participate in the dinner, please send email to Takeshi Suzuki by February 18th. Drama in the language classroom is often thought of as just a series of 'techniques' or 'fun activities' aimed to get students actively using the language, but it can be so much more. In this presentation, Steve Brown links the theory and practice of a drama approach to the area of learner autonomy, arguing that the two areas make an extremely effective combination in the language classroom. He will give a practical demonstration of how such an approach has been used at university level, actively aiming to engage learners in the learning process and encouraging them to work together as a group, sharing the responsibility for their own learning. This won't be just a talk: participants should expect to be actively engaged and have fun! Jalt Open Mike The presentation will be followed by an Open Mike session, when everyone can chance to ask questions, suggest ideas and share their concerns, complaints and opinions. Enjoy a no-holds-barred session with JALT's current President, Steve Brown! Brief Bio Steve Brown is a Professor at Konan Women's University in Kobe and is currently JALT's President. He's been teaching in Japan for 21 years and before that in the UK and Kuwait. He's interested in autonomy in language learning and has been Coordinator of the Learner Development SIG, as well as serving as Site Chair and Programme Chair at recent national conferences.

AKITA JALT meetings in 2005

December see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Alastair Graham-Marr of ABAX Publishers Date: December 10th, 2005 Title: two topics (see below) Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 (not in the library!) Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students *Alastair Graham is Contributing Editor to Top-Up Listening and author of Communication Spotlight. 1) Teaching Listening to Low Level Learners: The Importance of Script and of Suprasegmental Phonology Teaching listening effectively means teaching both phonology and knowledge of discourse. That is, giving students a solid awareness and working knowledge of the phonology of natural connected speech - elisions and liaisons, weak forms and reductions - helps develop their 'bottom-up' decoding skills while developing student knowledge of discourse, particularly of scripts (those discourses in English that tend to follow a set pattern) helps develop their 'top-down' predictive skills. 2) Teaching the Strategies of Speaking: Helping Students with Fluency, Involvement and Clarification strategies All of us use strategies when we speak. We use strategies to confirm or clarify what we're saying and what we're hearing. We use strategies to show interest, to maintain and develop conversations. We use strategies that help with fluency. Learners of English in particular use strategies to compensate for their lack of language. This talk introduces a new speaking and listening text, Communication Spotlight, that in addition to giving students practice in talking and helping them with the means to do so, helps students be aware of strategies.

November see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Abdullah Abri Date: November 12th, 2005 Title: English teaching in Oman Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: B-103 (not in the library!) Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students We are delighted to have Akita University graduate student Abdullah Abri present on English teaching in Oman. Included will be an overview of Oman and its culture, as well as Oman's educational system and the role of English in Oman. One special topic will be an overview of the Arabic language and its effect on learning English. This promises to be a fascinating talk! (Mark Cunningham, program chair)

October JALT 2005 Grandship Shizuoka, Japan October 7th - 10th, 2004 detailed information

September see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: AIU Travel Service Club members and advisors Date:September 10th, 2005 Title: AIU Travel Service Club Research Trip to Thailand Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: D-201, the second floor room in the AIU library Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students AIU Travel Service Club will describe their volunteer/NGO research trip to Thailand in March 2005. This description will include: their language, culture, and monetary preparations; their impressions; and what they learned about Thailand and NGOs. The club members and advisors will also comment on the usefulness of this sort of experience for learners of English. After the meeting we will have an election for Akita JALT officers. Please volunteer to work as an officer in 2006 at the meeting.

July see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Jeff Maggard (Assistant Professor, Akita International University) Date:Saturday, July 16th, 2005 (Warning: the date is the third Saturday, not the fourth Saturday) Title: Comparing Japanese, Cambodian, and Thai University Students: How Racial/Ethnic Attitudes, Intercultural Contact, Study Motivation, and English Ability Interact Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: D-201, the second floor room in the AIU library Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students Abstract Research suggests that increasing cultural contacts and financial investments in NE and SE Asia are influencing the people of these regions as a byproduct of globalization. This series of studies investigated English proficiency, attitudes toward “foreigners,” and contact with foreigners among Japanese, Thai and Cambodian university students. Samples were collected from Japan (southern Kyushu). Cambodia, (17 university EFL classes in Phnom Penh) and Thailand (randomly selected university classes in Bangkok). Results from the original study in Japan indicated that the contact variable was a significant factor in obtaining English proficiency. In Thailand and Cambodia this was not found to be the case. Moderate positive significant correlations were found between English proficiency and contact in Cambodia and Thailand but a number of other independent variables played a role and contact was not deemed to be the significant predictor of English ability these countries. Discussion focuses on relating the results to the social contexts of Japan, Cambodia, and Thailand and suggestions are made for future research.

June see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Jason Good Date:Saturday, June 25th, 2005 Title: Bilingual Education in Asia and Content Materials Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: D-201, the second floor room in the AIU library Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students Jason Good (Asia representative for Houghton Mifflin and English Exchange) will give an update on developments in the growing area of bilingual education in selected Asian countries along with a demonstration of content-area materials used in language classes. Summary: It seems common these days to say that Japan is lagging behind the rest of Asia with its English education, but what exactly is the rest of Asia doing with regards to English education, especially for their kids? What is being taught at the bilingual schools? We'll look at both the bilingual movement across Asia, as well as take a closer look at the North American-based reading curriculum and content materials being used by many of these schools. Many of the ideas that will be discussed can apply directly to any age group, whether children, university or adults! Bio: Jason taught English in Japan before becoming Asia representative for Houghton Mifflin. He travels around Asia visiting bilingual schools and English schools that use American-based content curriculums.

May see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Catlin Hanna and Christine Winskowski (Iwate Prefectural University) Date: Saturday, May 28th, 2005 Title: Learning Styles and Learning Cycles Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: D-201, the second floor room in the AIU library Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students Learning happens all the time and in many different settings. While we are always learning, we do not all learn the same way. In this presentation we will explore the idea of the learning cycle and learning styles. Developed by David A. Kolb,, the LSI is a simple questionnaire that allows you to identify your preferred way of learning new information. In addition to interpreting your own scores on the LSI, a　discussion will follow and you will learn practical ways to adapt teaching to the learning cycle and to students with different learning styles.

April see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Thomas Warren-Price Date: Saturday, April 23rd, 2005 Title: DYSLEXIA: I've heard of it. But what really is it? Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) Room: D-201, the second floor room in the AIU library Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students Abstract: Dyslexia and Language Learning (In the UK, self-made millionaires are significantly more likely to suffer from the condition than the rest of the population!) This presentation will help you develop an awareness of DYSLEXIA (and DYSPRAXIA). Dyslexia is a condition that affects people from all educational and social backgrounds. Discovered and acted upon early enough, dyslexia can significantly alter the way we teach or learn. Besides just jumbling letters, any assumptions that dyslexia is a byword for stupidity and laziness will be dispelled as we examine the other fundamental common symptoms. Some dyslexia awareness activities will be included. This talk is applicable to educators, parents, students and - in fact, everybody is most welcome. Profile: Thomas Warren-Price, himself dyslexic and a former recipient of remedial instruction, is an English teacher at Sendai Ikuei Gakuen High School. He has been teaching in Japan for seven years and is currently distance learning for an MA in TEF/SL from the University of Birmingham.

AKITA JALT meetings in 2004

November JALT 4 Corners Meeting see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Susan Barduhn Date: Wednesday, November 24th, 2004 Title: Activating the Lexical Approach and Making Vocabulary Memorable Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) the same campus as MSU-A Room: Room D-201 (AIU Library) Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students *** Susan Barduhn is one of Plenary Speakers for JALT2004 for National Conference. more information Abstract: The Lexical Approach is one of the latest methodologies in ELT. This workshop will explore its theory and execution. The age-old dilemma remains, however, of how to make vocabulary memorable for students. We will be looking at how memory is processed in the brain and considering how we and our students remember things. Biodata: Dr. Susan Barduhn is an Associate Professor at the School for International Training and the former President of IATEFL. She was a teacher trainer at International House London for ten years. She has also taught and trained in Colombia, Portugal, Spain, Kenya, Switzerland and the U.S. Her special interests are teacher development and teacher thinking. Susan is the Past President of IATEFL and an Associate Professor at the School for International Training in Vermont, USA. She was a teacher trainer for many years in England and has also taught in Colombia, Kenya, Portugal, and Spain. Her special interests are teacher development, teacher thinking, and intercultural communication. Susan believes that language learning for life, for responsible global citizens, must include cultural awareness. Her work involves recognizing the cultural baggage that both teachers and students carry. No two people are identical representatives of the same culture. Thus, possible goals for cultural instruction through language include helping students to recognise that all people are different and to develop skills to evaluate and refute generalizations. She also looks at ways for teachers to reflect and develop through dialogue journals.

JALT 2004 30th Annual International Conference on Language Teaching and Learning & Educational Materials Exposition Nara, Tezukayama University Gakuenmae Campus November 19th - 22nd, 2004 For more information click here.

October 1) Mini-Presentation and 2) Business Meeting see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Thomas E. Blair Date: Saturday, October 23rd, 2004 Title: "An Overview of Moodle: Course Management System for Language Teaching" Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) the same campus as MSU-A Room: Library Computer Lab Second Floor (*Please note that we will use the room - not B103) Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students 1) Mini-Presentation Abstract: This will be a brief overview of the various components or "modules" of Moodle, a free, multilingual course management system (CMS) or "virtual learning environment" (VLE) with which colleagues and I have been experimenting over the past 2-3 months. These modules include: assignments; forums; glossaries; journals; lessons; quizzes; resources; surveys A message from Thomas E. Blair: Since time for this meeting's presentation is limited, we will not be able to use a workshop format (maybe we can do this at some future time if enough members are interested). Instead, I will merely take the audience through an informal tour of my current course syllabi, delivered via Moodle, in order to display the capabilities, advantages, and disadvantages of this system. (If some members would like to experiment on their own, I should be able to host an account for them and/or explain how to set up their own accounts.) Biodata: Tom Blair is currently teaching EAP Writing and Freshman composition at AIU. Over the past 25+ years, he has taught ESL writing, composition, argumentative writing, critical thinking, introduction to literature and various other courses in Thailand, Hawaii, and, before coming to Japan in 1995, the San Francisco Bay Area (at San Jose State University, Cal State Hayward, Chabot Community College, and Solano Community College, among others). His current interests include CALL, rhetorical analysis and critical thinking, and the teaching of argumentative writing in an ESL context. 2) Business Meeting *** In the business meeting we will have time to choose Akita JALT officers for 2005. a) Selection of 2005 officers: A case might be that the current officers are willing to continue their services in their current positions if they are so asked with the approval of participating members on the day. On the other hand, feel free to volunteer for any positions if you are interested. There will be an election if more than two would volunteer for the same position. b) Akita JALT monthly meetings: What do you think about the monthly meetings we have had in 2004? Any comments will be appreciated. You are also encouraged to bring up ideas or suggestions on what kind of presentations or workshop you would like to have in 2005. c) Any frank feedback, comments or criticism from you on Akita JALT will be welcomed. JALT is a national wide NPO to help language (English and others) learners and teachers to be more successful. Thanks to your support and active participation Akita JALT has been having a good year in 2004.

September see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Christopher Hoskins Date: Saturday, September 25th, 2004 Title: Using Short Texts for Integrated Skills Practice in Second Language Acquisition Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) the same campus as MSU-A Room: Room B103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students Akita International University faculty member and Associate Professor Christopher Hoskins will present on a topic that will help us understand new and interesting ways to teach all four skills in combination: integrated skills. Abstract This presentation will begin by first presenting a selected list of listening, reading, speaking and writing activities, all of which can be done separately, or in combination with a short text of one to three paragraphs. Participants can then experience the activities from the standpoint of a student using the materials a student would use. Following this experience, teacher's texts will be distributed among participants who will then be asked to comment on activities they experienced as a student in a question and answer session and discuss merits ways to formulate questions and alternative ways to structure and manage the activities.

July see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Michiko Sugita Date: Saturday, July 24th, (2004) Title: Viva! Japanese teachers of English! Theme: Monolingual classes vs Multilingual classes; Native speaker teachers vs Non-native speaker teachers Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) the same campus as MSU-A Room: the library Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students Summary: As a Japanese teacher of English for a high school, I've come to the conclusion that Japanese teachers are better at managing English classes in high school. Given that we have monolingual classes and a big class size, as well as that we spend most of the time being together with our own students as homeroom teachers, the classroom in Japan is quite unique. I videotaped some of our classes, so I might show them to you as a starter of my speech. I will also talk about my day-to-day work, analyze some classes of mine and other teachers, then I'd like to set up my own goal as a teacher at the end of the speech. Biodata: Teach English in high school for 16 years. Chuo Senior High, Akita Technical High and currently teaching at Minami Senior High. Attended teachers' workshops in Cambridge, Canterbury, U.S.Davis, and best of all the first SETS at MSU-A! Interested in Psycholinguistics, especially FLLA (Foreign Language Learning Anxiety) and received a grant by the Ministry of Education to study FLLA at Univ. of Texas at Austin for 6 months in 1996. In 1998, wrote a research paper for STEP (Eiken) on FLLA among English teachers. Cowriter of an authorized textbook, 'English for Engineers' (Jikkyo-shuppan). At the moment, in charge of the first-year students of English Course at Minami Senior High School, which is designated as SELHi (Super English Language High School) project by the Ministry of Education.

June see the meeting pictures Two for One!(Two one-hour presentations) Guest speaker: 1) Mary Brooks 2) Mark Landa Date: Saturday, June 26th, (2004) Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) the same campus as MSU-A Room: B103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students *** The room B103 is not air conditioned. Dress comfortably! *** The room is on the ground floor of the building we used to have our meetings in. *** Please park your cars in the library parking lot. "Online and onsite: the American ESL classroom" with Mary Brooks Mary Brooks will share her reflections on teaching language and educating language teachers in online/onsite environments. While teaching a totally online course is still a bit unusual, designing a hybrid course, using online features in a traditional classroom, has interesting possibilities. The presenter will explore the issues (both challenges and advantages) and good practices of online/onsite language education. There will be time for questions and discussion. BIO: Mary Brooks is Director of the English Language Institute at Eastern Washington University, where she has worked for 16 years. She has taught EFL in Zambia, Korea, and The People's Republic of China. Her background also includes teaching ESL in intensive language university preparation programs in this country. Currently, she is working on online course development with video conferencing components. "A Pronunciation Workout" with Mark Landa English pronunciation is often seen as a major obstacle for Japanese students. Get ready for a refreshing look at pronunciation work with Mark Landa! Mark Landa, in his own words: "I began my career in ESL/EFL at Otaru University of Commerce where I taught for three years. I returned to the University of Minnesota to do an M.A. in ESL and then took an ESL job at the American School of The Hague (Netherlands), a K-12 International School. Four years later I moved back to Minnesota and was hired as the Director of the Minnesota English Center, a job I held for 20 years. During this time, I spent three summers teaching and traveling in China and a one-year leave of absence (1990-1991) to help in establishing MSUA. At the University of Minnesota, I also directed an annual program for teachers from Japan through the Ministry of Education and CIEE. In 1996 I was hired to teach ESL and teacher education courses at Eastern Washington University. In the meantime, I finished my Ph.D. in Second Languages and Cultures Education at the University of Minnesota in 2000. A year later I was hired as, my current job as Program Director at Mukogawa Fort Wright Institute in Spokane, Washington."

May see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Brad Blackstone Date: Saturday, May 29th, (2004) Title: the SETS program Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: AIU (Akita International University) the same campus as MSU-A Room: B103 Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students *** The room, B103, is on the ground floor of the building we used to have our meetings in. *** Please park your cars in the library parking lot. Brad Blackstone, assisted by the multimedia wizardry of David Weaver, will describe the Summer English Teachers' Seminar (SETS) held in Yokote in August 2003 for approximately 60 Akita secondary school English teachers. Topics include program goals, preparation and organization, the innovative methods used for presenting seminar topics, skill areas covered, and participants' reactions. The review of the program will be followed by a panel discussion of SETS trainers and participants.

April see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Dr. Nantarika Chansue Date: Saturday, April 24th, (2004) Title: Using English in Thailand: Is It Different from Japan? Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: Joinus ((Joinus is in downtown Akita at the entrance of Senshu Park) Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students Dr. Chansue will describe English language education in Thailand at all levels and discuss the use of English in commercial and professional life, with a final focus on this question: Why is the use of English in Japan and Thailand - two Asian countries with similar histories - so different? Dr. Chansue has been reported on CNN for her repairs of turtle shells with fiberglass! Dr. Nantarika Chansue is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Veterinary Science at Thailand's leading national university, Chulalongkorn University. Educated in Thailand, Japan, and the United States, and a frequent visitor to Japan, Dr. Chansue is known internationally for her work on aquatic animals. She has developed new techniques in the area of fish surgery and articles on her work on turtle shell repairs with artificial materials have appeared in publications such as Mini World, the English language learners' newspaper. Dr. Chansue also lectures annually at Miyazaki University. She holds a PhD from the College of William and Mary, Virginia. A Masters in Business Administration, and recently completed a graduate degree in law. She also holds a Diploma in Gemological Science, NAUI certified dive instructor and has won trophies for pistol shooting. At present, she is currently enrolling in a Masters of Mass Communication program in Bangkok.

March see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Stephen Shucart Date: Saturday, March 27th, (2004) Title: ESP [English for Special Purposes] - Adapting an American High School Science Textbook for the ESL/EFL Classroom Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: Joinus Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students summary: In this talk I will explore how to use an American science textbook in a university-level English class. I used the ACTIVE READING series of textbooks by Neal Anderson as a basis for my adaptation. I shall first give a detailed explanation his ACTIVE READING methodology, then show how it can be used to generate various exercises for a General English course. I shall also explain how each class will be organized. The talk will be illustrated with handouts of examples from the textbook, and samples of the activities I created based on the ACTIVE READING methodology.

February see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Dave Ragan Date: Saturday, February 28th, (2004) Title: Learning Maps Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: Joinus Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students * Don't forget to bring a set of colored pens or pencils to the workshop. a message from Dave: In this workshop we will learn the basic rules of creating Learning Maps, also known as mind maps. We will create Learning Maps as a group and then discuss how this skill can be used for teaching or learning English. If time permits we will then do a quick small group learning map from a reading about learning maps. Hello, I am pleased to announce the first Akita JALT meeting of the year, which will be a workshop presented by Dave Ragan. "Learning Maps" is an excellent technique. It helps you to learn to think about relevant issues more clearly and identify, organize and display them in rich detail your way. Don't miss an opportunity! Please bring a set of colored pens or pencils with you, which will be necessary to create your own mind maps at the workshop. I am sure you will enjoy it. Takeshi Suzuki

AKITA JALT meetings in 2003

December see the meeting pictures Business Meeting Date: Saturday, December 13th (2003) Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: Joinus 1) What is a JALT national conference? This year we had JALT 2003 in Shizuoka between Nov. 21st and Nov. 24th. Steve Shucart attended the meeting and will talk about what he saw. Dave Ragan will talk about his most recent JALT conference. Any other participants who attended this year or in the past are encouraged to give their accounts about their experiences. 2) An election for Akita JALT officers: It looks that most of the current officers are willing to continue their services in their current positions if they are so asked. With your approval, their positions will be confirmed. On the other hand, feel free to volunteer for any positions if you are interested. There will be an election if more than two would like to volunteer for the same position. 3) Reviewal of Akita JALT monthly meetings: A list of the past monthly presentations will be handed. You will be asked which ones you evaluated most or preferred most. The result will be reflected on our lineup for 2004 and later. You are encouraged to make any ideas or suggestions on what kind of presentations or workshop you would like to have next year. You will also tell us specific ideas on your interested topics or guest speakers if you have any. 4) Any frank feedback, comments or criticism from you on Akita JALT will be appreciated on the day. They will help us to have better Akita JALT. 5) The new institution Akita International University will be formally starting next April with the recent official approval from Ministry of Education. Congratulations from Akita JALT! We would like to maintain a close and friendly relationship with the new AIU from 2004 just like we did with MSU-A. Hope many can come on Dec. 13th. See you. Takeshi

JALT 2003 29th Annual International Conference Keeping Current in Language Education Granship Conference Center, Shizuoka, Japan November 21st - 24th, 2003 For more information click here. Takeo Kawamura, Minister of Education, Culture, Science, and Technology (MEXT), will be one of the panelists in a panel discussion called “JALT Open Forum on English Education Reform” on Sunday, Nov. 23, at the 29th JALT International Language Conference at Granship Shizuoka Convention and Arts Center, Nov. 21-24. Takeo Kawamura, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, and Technology Kiichi Matsuhata, President, JASELE, Okayama University Mamoru Morizumi, Vice President, JACET, Obirin University Morijiro Shibayama, Auditor, JALT, Surugadai University Yasushi Akashi, Former Undersecretary General of the United Nations Hideo Oka, Professor, The University of Tokyo Yoshida Kensaku, Professor, Sophia University Allen Tamai Mitsue, Professor, Bunkyo Gakuin University Tadashi Shiozawa, Professor, Chubu University James Swan, President of National JALT

October see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Christine Winskowski Date: Saturday, October 18th (2003) Title: Integrating Culture into the Language Course Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: Joinus Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students SUMMARY: To integrate culture into the language classroom, where does one start? Culture, after all, is a huge topic. One could conceivably do “holidays and “food,” and then go on to “customs,” “religion,” and “shopping,” and so on. But where does it all end? And how does one know when enough culture topics have been taught, and the course is…well…finished? In this presentation, I propose using a template approach for the teaching of culture in language courses. This involves identifying a limited number (say 6-12) of target country characteristics and values which underlie the customary behaviors and language being taught. These key characteristics and values are then systematically linked to the language being taught. The purpose of this approach is to leave students with a coherent outline (the template) of cultural principles that explain the language and social patterns they are learning, rather than a sequence of disconnected facts and customs. Some illustrations will be provided for integrating culture with English materials. Discussion will follow the presentation and a break. Attendees are encouraged to bring texts or materials to discuss how the template idea might work in their classes. We may also address related issues, e.g. teaching culture of pluralistic countries (like the U.S.), socio-politically sensitive topics, and students’emotional preparedness to understand deep cultural differences. BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT: Christine Winskowski is recent arrival to Japan from the U.S. and teaches in Iwate Prefectural University’s Dept. of International Cultural Studies. She designed and directed the ESL Program at Lewis University in Illinois, and has taught in a number of states (her favorite being Hawaii). She also taught in China in the early 1980s. Her interests include culture and language, discourse analysis, and recently the lexical approach to language teaching.

September see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Mark Cunningham Date: Saturday, September 27th (2003) Abstract: See below Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: Yugakusha (Be careful! The venue is not Joinus today) Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students For those who are not familiar with the location of the venue, click below. Yugakusha is right next to Akita "Sekijuji" (Red Cross) Hospital in Aramaki, Kamikitate. Abstract: Akita JALT member Mark Cunningham will demonstrate texts in Falcon Press's new multiskills illustrated picture process series: English for Everyday Activities (Lawrence Zwier), The English You Need for the Office (Susan Dean and Lawrence Zwier), and The English You Need For Business (Mark Cunningham and Lawrence Zwier). These texts and the accompanying activity books are designed for a wide range of skills levels and can be employed using a variety of techniques. Come and join the fun!

August see the meeting pictures the speaker: John F. Fanselow Date: Wednesday, August 27th (2003) Title: Workshop "Your rapport was great, but. . .!" Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Place: Joinus in Akita City (Joinus is in downtown Akita at the entrance of Senshu Park) Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students Your rapport was great, but. . .! Discussions of teaching usually involve judgments. During the workshop, we will develop ways to look at our teaching practices in non-judgmental ways by analyzing transcribed exchanges from tape recordings of classes. As we analyze the transcripts, we will learn new ways to discuss our teaching practices and new ways to generate alternative practices. In medicine, literature, and many other professions, analysis of data is the norm rather than judgments about practices. (Participants who bring a page of transcriptions from one of their classes will be given a small token of appreciation.) The guest speaker, former TESOL President, is Professor Emeritus of Columbia University and now heads International Pacific College, in NZ. If you would like to know more about the speaker (including his picture), click here.

July see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Takayuki Yoshizawa Date: Sunday, July 27th (2003) Title: Action Research in my classroom: How to develop learner autonomy based on shadowing and extensive reading Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: Joinus in Akita City Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students * We will have a discussion after the presentation about the topic. abstract: As for the teaching of English in Japanese classroom settings, there are several much-disputed questions to be considered. His first concern is how to motivate the students to become active and autonomous learners capable of learning on their own by activating their knowledge and interests outside the classroom than relegate them to the position of passive recipients of language materials solely given by the teacher. In view of this he will introduce what he has done for several years (Shadowing for communication and extensive reading) in his classroom on video and have input into how the teaching of English could be better. The guest speaker would be happy if his presentation could be a start of further discussion at the meeting. bio data: The guest speaker has taught English at junior high school for 14 years, currently working at Omagari Minami JH. He got the 49th Nakamura Eigo Kyouiku Award in 2001. Mr. Yoshizawa has no experience of studying abroad and calls himself a pure Japan made-learner. Also he comments that he is an agonizing person between English and club activity because he is in charge of a club and has to spend a lot of time for it.

June see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Naoto Sato Date: Saturday, June 28th (2003) Title: Think in English and Keeping Journals Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: Joinus in Akita City Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students (Joinus is in the center of Akita City near Senshu Park. The parking lot might be crowded.) Naoto Sato is one of the most successful autodidacts (autonomous or self-learners) in learning English you have ever met. The presenter has acquired extremely high English skills not to mention his famous interpretation ability. No, he has not studied or lived outside Japan. Yes, he has learned it all on his own. Attend his presentation and you will be able to learn how he has done it. the outline of his presentation: 1) demonstration (*) 2) Great interest in English in junior high school 3) Encounters with Dr. Toru Matsumoto, his "Think in English" Method (**), Mr. and Mrs. Billings (an American missionary couple he met at age 16) 4) Keeping journals and monologs and benefits that come out of the habits(***) 5) Interpretation 6) Lifelong pursuit of English ____________________________________________________________________ * At the beginning of his presentation we will have a demonstration of his interpretation. During the period a native English volunteer and a Japanese will be asked to make a short, off-the-cuff speech in English and Japanese respectively. Naoto Sato will translate what they say both consecutively and simultaneously. ** The speaker will talk about his "encounter" with the late Dr. Toru Matsumoto, in particular reference to the impact he got from one of his major works: "THINK IN ENGLISH." For your information Dr. Matsumoto used to be one of the best English educators in Japan and was famous for his NHK radio program "Eikaiwa". *** Naoto Sato will center his talk around his habit of keeping journals (diary) in English. In fact, he formed the habit of doing so when he was in his first year of high school. He has kept the good habit over the past three decades because he is convinced that it's an effective way of improving English. He'll bring some of his journals to the meeting including old ones.

May see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Thorfinn Tait Date: Saturday, May 17th (2003) Title: Why can't Japanese speak English? Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: Joinus in Akita City Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students 11 people attended the meeting.

April see the meeting pictures Guest speaker: Debbra McClintock Date: Saturday, April 26th (2003) Title: Japanese English education observed by an ALT Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: (Room No. 1) Joinus in Akita City Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students Debbra McClintock worked as an ALT in Akita for three years. After her talk we will have discussion. 1: Joinus is in the center of Akita City near Senshu Park. 2: This year most of our meetings will be held at Joinus. 3: Warning: You should expect not much parking space available at Joinus in the afternoon. 10 people attended the meeting.

March see the meeting pictures Guest speaker:John Small Date: Saturday, March 8th (2003) Title: Putting Words in Their Mouths: Dictogloss, Shadowing and Summarizing Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: GH-300, MSU-A (Minnesota State University Akita) Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students Putting Words in Their Mouths: Dictogloss, Shadowing and Summarizing This presentation will cover three activities that give students structured language practice: dictogloss (grammar dictation), shadow talking and summarizing. With dictogloss, students actively recreate the spoken text, discuss differences and missing information with partners, and participate in a review of the grammar of individual sentences. The presenter will also explain some variations on the standard dictogloss method. Finally, the presenter will provide extension activities that involve a picture story that corresponds to the dictogloss narrative. This series of extension activities give students the chance to master the vocabulary, grammatical structures, and pronunciation/intonation of a given narrative. Dictogloss narratives can be easily prepared and tailor made for classes of any level or interest. Shadow talking and summarizing exercises, which are easy to prepare and paperless, will also be explained. Shadow talking, which simply involves the repetition of spoken input, can be done out loud or silently by students. After explaining and demonstrating the basic method, the presenter will provide shadow talking warm-ups that can serve as a supplement to any lesson. Students are provided relevant vocabulary, shadow talk a narrative, summarize for their partners, then may give a similar talk based on their own experiences. Summarizing an article with a mind map will also be covered. Presentation materials come from the presenters self-published, non-profit, global issues textbooks. Bio: I've been living in Japan for almost six years now, first in Nara, then Nagasaki, now in Kumamoto at Kumamoto Gakuen University. Before that I taught composition at colleges in Vermont (northeastern U.S.). Writing is a hobby and I frequently contribute to Kansai Time Out magazine. I self-published Global Stories last year and am working on two more texts, Inspiring Stories and Nature Stories (you can see info about it at <www.karmayogapress.com>). When I get more time I'll resume other hobbies such as learning to play guitar, playing "go," and hiking. Kumamoto Gakuen University 2-5-1 Oe Kumamoto, 862-8680 14 people attended the meeting.

February see the meeting pictures and report Guest speaker:Koki Dobashi Date: Saturday, February 22nd (2003) Title: How can teachers bring about language learning based on learning strategy at junior high school? --- A practical approach for the development of  learner autonomy --- Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: GH-300, MSU-A (Minnesota State University Akita) Admission: Free for members, 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students The guest speaker will talk about 60 minutes. After his presentation the participants will have discussion on the topic. Mr. Dobashi is keenly interested in listening to your frank comments or ideas from the audience during the discussion time.  summary:    Quite a few studies have reported that use of learning strategy is an effective way to develop learner autonomy.  But most of them address adult education in foreign countries. The objective of this study is adjustment of those theories of learning strategy to the reality of English education of junior high school level in Japan.  bio data:   Koki Dobashi holds a Masters of Education Degree from Akita University. He has taught English at junior high schools since 1991. He is currently working at the Akitaken Sougou Kyouiku Center. His research interest includes application of pragmatics to junior high school texts, learning strategies, and the systematic use of classroom English.  19 people attended the meeting.

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pictures of the meetings in 2003
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pictures of the meetings in 1998-2000
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