Back to School 2023 - Presenters and Abstracts
Plenary
Tamara Swensen & Steve Porritt
- A Brave New Era Educating with Generative AI
Benjamin Bailey & Jerry Huang - A Discussion of English and LOTE Study in Japanese Universities
How many languages have you studied? Most Japanese University students will study mandatory English, and select an additional Language Other Than English (LOTE). The presenters will explore the history of LOTE research with a focus on the Japanese context, while explaining their past research and future areas to explore.
Benjamin Bailey is from Seattle, USA. He has been teaching at Japanese universities for over 10 years and has over 20 years of teaching experience in various settings. He is currently teaching at Kansai University and is researching English and LOTE study.
Jerry Huang is from Los Angeles, USA and holds advanced degrees in various fields. He has been teaching at Japanese universities for over 10 years and is currently teaching at Kansai University and researching English and LOTE study.
Zoe Barber - Accessibility in EFL: Incorporating universal design for the inclusive classroom
Increasingly, students with a variety of special educational needs (SEN) are being included in mainstream Japanese EFL classrooms (MEXT, 2017; NICE, 2017). Despite this, the majority of EFL teachers have limited training on how to support students in SEN programs (Russak, 2016; Wire, 2005). This presentation introduces Universal Design for Learning (see CAST, 2018) principles to remove common barriers in the EFL classroom and provide a more accessible and enjoyable learning experience for all students.
Zoe Barber is from Australia. She currently teaches at Konan University CUBE. Her research focus has been on supporting student participation and engagement, with a particular focus on students with additional/special educational needs.
TJ Boutorwick - ESL Speed Readings: A free mobile app (and LMS)
Speed reading is an important language-learning skill. Increasing reading speed can lead to increases in reading comprehension and enjoyment towards reading. This presentation introduces the mobile app titled ESL Speed Readings. The app is free for Android and iOS devices. There is also a learner management system, meaning teachers can monitor their students' progress. The presenter will demonstrate the app and its learner management system, as well as discuss implications for pedagogy.
Thomas (TJ) Boutorwick is an Associate Professor at Sanyo Gakuen University in Okayama. His research focuses on vocabulary development through reading. He also develops educational software.
John Campbell-Larsen - It serves him right and other critical stances: Teaching negative expressions
Teaching materials usually present conversations that are supportive, affiliative, and generally positive in tone. Spoken language is not always so positive. In this presentation, I will outline some common expressions for expressing a negative or critical stance (e.g., ‘I can’t be bothered’, ‘nothing to do with me,’ etc.) and describe an activity to teach students some useful negative expressions. I will provide handouts for classroom use.
John Campbell-Larsen is from the UK and teaches at Kyoto Women's University. He is interested in spoken language, pragmatics and cognitive linguistics
Ma Wilma Capati - How to Support University Students Effectively Prepare for a Persuasive Speech
This presentation will show the preparation process for a persuasive speech among Japanese university students in English communication classes. The discussion will mainly focus on scaffolding methods such as weekly practice and brainstorming for the students to familiarize themselves with the language of persuasion. In addition, the worksheets and rubrics will be presented. The final point will focus on the students' improvement and their reflections on this project.
Ma Wilma Capati is currently an assistant professor at Kanazawa Institute of Technology. Her research interests include translanguaging, anxiety, and motivation of EFL Students. She ensures active learning by improving EFL learners' presentation skills.
John Carle - The future of independent publishing: Creating educational materials with technology
This presentation focuses on using technology to help independent publishers and authors create engaging, interactive materials for students. The presenter will showcase various digital tools, including AI-generated text/art, text-to-speech, website builders, audio/image editors, gamification tools, and digital workbook tools. Real-world examples will demonstrate how technology can streamline the creative process and bring content to life for students.
John Carle is the author of The English Gym series, written under the pen name, Jon Charles. He owns and operates Oak Hills Press, which helps independent writers and institutions publish textbooks.
Conan Chi - Building a Self-access Language Center: extracurricular resources and language advising
This presentation will introduce some insights drawn from a restructured self-access learning center (SALC) at a Japanese university. Through examining the inaugural year of the SALC, the session will provide a brief overview of the center, outline its user demographics, and discuss the role of a learning advisor. Then, it will touch on the difficulties encountered and propose solutions. Finally, I will compare the SALC to its counterparts and conclude with plans for the future.
Conan Chi - “Employee” status under Japanese labor law: implications on adjunct faculty members
A recent decision by the District Court of Tokyo dealt great impact to adjunct faculty members, particularly affecting those in language teaching as many of them are specifically hired as part-time instructors to staff English language programs. (Huang, 2018; The Japan Association of National Universities, 2019). This presentation will review the court’s decision, compare the labor policy to similar cases in other jurisdictions, and discuss implications and caveat for adjunct educators working in Japan.
Conan Chi teaches part-time at several universities. He is enthusiastic about language and rhetoric, and focuses on critical thinking in his discussion classes. He is also a graduate student at Temple University Law School.
Peter Chu - Peer feedback: give and take for improved presentations
This presentation addresses the apparent lack of uptake of teacher-given feedback on presentations (both on materials submitted before a presentation and the assessment of its delivery) and details the results of surveys and action research examining students’ attitudes regarding feedback from the instructor and from peers, as well as the process of students’ peer feedback. The findings indicate that students prefer peer feedback and appreciate the opportunity and process of sharing feedback with each other.
Peter Chu is a Canadian graduate of the University of New England (Australia) and teaches primarily at Kansai University. He is interested in how to promote motivation and engagement in the classroom.
Guy Cihi - How to Help Your Students Score Higher on Standard Tests
Practical strategies to help your students score higher on standard tests including: TOEIC, TOEFL, IELTS, EIKEN, and GTEC.
Guy Cihi is an EdTech entrepreneur who has produced a number of popular ELL programs including WordEngine, Words & Monsters, and Disney’s World of English. His company provides ELL software applications to JHS, HS and universities.
Clint Denison - A longitudinal investigation of lexical development in EFL learners’ argumentative writing
I discuss the development of lexis in EFL writing through an analysis of single- and multi-word measures. The study included 297 participants from 19 intact classes at four Japanese universities, representing a wide range of instructional contexts and proficiency levels. Four waves of longitudinal data were collected over an academic year. Exploratory factor analysis and linear mixed-effects models revealed that Concreteness and Directional N-Gram Association were the most useful in tracking development for these learners.
Clint Denison is a lecturer in the School of General Education at Mukogawa Women's University and a Ph.D. candidate at TUJ Osaka. He is interested in vocabulary, writing, and relevant approaches to teaching and assessment.
Michael Furmanovsky - Redefining the Role of TBLL in the Face of Transformative New Technology
This presentation looks at the ways that Task-Based Language Learning can refine and adapt itself to the challenges of rapid technological changes. Its premise is that while AI-based innovation may transform what students do outside the class, in-class learning can and should remain grounded in the same core principles that have made it the foundation of intrinsically motivating language learning since its inception as arguably the most effective tool in the language teacher’s repertoire.
Michael Furmanovsky is a Professor of Cultural Studies at Ryukoku University. He teaches both language and culture classes with a focus on Extensive Reading. He coordinates JALT's Teachers Helping Teachers SIG programs for Vietnam and the Philippines.
Jerrylen Giva, Kimberly B. Aguilan, Charise R. Fortich, and Sheila Mae F. Paet
- Sources of Exposure to English: Avenue to Language Acquisition
This study aims to identify the sources of English language exposure, the degree of contact with these sources, and also their impact on language acquisition. This research focuses on the different types of sources that the learners engage with in learning English. Students' exposure to English-subtitled films, reading materials, audio-visual materials, audio materials, and people who speak English fluently leads to successful language acquisition and the enhancement of vocabulary, speaking, and effective communication skills. However, the research also reveals that the respondents have low exposure to English at home. Thus, it is recommended to utilize the use of English at home and to have regular exposure to quality and reliable language sources.
Jerrylen Giva is a graduating student from Rizal Technological University in the Philippines taking a Bachelor's degree in Secondary Education with a major in English.
Kimberly B. Aguilan, Charise R. Fortich, and Sheila Mae F. Paet are undergraduate students at Rizal Technological University in the Philippines taking up a Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in English.
Paul Goldberg - Xreading: What’s New and What’s Next
Xreading is an online library that gives students access to thousands of graded readers and allows instructors to track their students’ reading progress. Since its launch in 2014, the system is being continuously being updated and improved with new features and more books. In this presentation, the founder of Xreading will explain the new features and improvements, and review what is planned for the future.
Paul Goldberg has taught English for over 20 years, and is the founder of the online system, Xreading, which he developed to make extensive reading more accessible for students and easier for teachers to manage.
Tim Green - The Cognitive Neuroscience of Deep Learning
The principles of learning are universal across our entire species & transcend ALL types of learning. Language, contrary to popular belief, is no exception. This talk is based on cutting-edge & decades of previous research into learning, memory & its relationship to language learning in particular. It's very likely many members of the audience will be shocked by some, even most of these scientifically validated strategies.
Timothy Brent Green: 16 years ESL in Japan. Education, B.Sc. Psychology / Neuroscience. 35 years of personal study & book research focused on learning excellence. He listens to an average of one academic book / week.
Takaaki Hiratsuka - The fundamentals of research and publication in the field of applied linguistics
This workshop will provide a platform at which participants engage in active discussion—among themselves as well as with the coordinator—on a subject of research and publication, specifically in the field of applied linguistics. Working together in a collaborative manner, it is expected to cover a variety of key topics such as the basics of different types of research designs, data collection methods, analysis techniques, academic writing, and addressing feedback from reviewers, among others.
Takaaki Hiratsuka is Professor of Applied Linguistics at Ryukoku University. He is also the Conference Chair for JALT 2023. His most recent book publication is: Team teachers in Japan: Beliefs, identities, and emotions (2023, Routledge)
Julia Ito - Dipping Students’ Toes into the Reading Pool - Supported In-Class Reading
While the benefits of extensive reading are widely known, motivating our students and setting them on the path to unattended extensive reading can prove to be a challenge for many teachers. This presentation will outline a supported in-class reading activity, sustained silent reading, that promotes reading fluency in the EFL junior high school classroom. This presentation also discusses the challenges of finding appropriate reading materials, matching said materials to the individual learners, and maintaining motivation.
Julia Ito is an English teacher and sub-homeroom teacher at Shukugawa Junior and Senior High School in Kobe. She currently teaches first-year junior high school English Oral Communication and Reading courses.
Miyuki Izuo - Online Cultural Exchange Class with Taiwan at a Japanese high school of arts
I will talk about how to conduct a class in which students gave a presentation of their own art works in English to Taiwanese students. After the exchange class, all the students responded that they wanted to speak English better than they do now. These results indicate that the ESP approach and the use of ICT devices can significantly contribute to motivating students to learn English in art high schools.
Miyuki Izuo is a graduate of Kansai Gaidai University and currently teaches at Osaka Prefectural Konan School of Design and Fine Arts.
Barry Keith - A Love-Hate Relationship: My Journey Learning Chinese
As language teachers, what insights can we gain from learning another language? The presenter will share his 30-year history of learning Chinese, the study methods and materials used amid motivational peaks and valleys, including a study tour to China in 1995 and to Taiwan in 2023. Bonus: participants will get a tip to master the second tone (rising) during the presentation!
Barry Keith is from Oklahoma, USA. An avid language learner, he currently teaches at the University of the Ryukyus, in Okinawa, Japan.
Joseph Kelley - Communicative Context and Specific Language Difference Speakers
Learning and communicating in a second language can be challenging for learners with specific language differences (SLD). One of the more challenging aspects can be the communicative setting. In this presentation, I will present findings from my master's dissertation showing SLD learners and speakers prefer a casual setting, tolerant of mistakes, where personal compensatory strategies can be employed. I will end with how this can inform classroom implementation.
Joseph Kelley has taught in Japan and Korea for 14 years. He completed his Masters at the University of Leicester with his dissertation focusing on post-classroom learning and usage of specific language difference learners.
Samia Khan- Active learning methods to make teaching more meaningful
I would be talking about active learning methods to make lessons more interactive and student-centric.
Samia Khan is from Osaka, a graduate of Osaka University, and currently teaches at high schools and other various ages of learners.
Owen Kozlowski - Building a Better Burn Bag on a Budget
What's in your bag? Returning to classrooms, many instructors need to reassess the physical items, resources, and materials they bring daily. For some, less is more. Others prepare and pack for every contingency. This presentation will look at building compact, light, and cost-effective “burn bags”, suitable for facilitating activities and exercises in classes of (almost) every level, age, and type. Practical, academically-sound, and easily adaptable suggestions will be provided for groups from University to Elementary.
Owen Kozlowski currently teaches at Ritsumeikan University. A former teacher trainer and curriculum designer, he has coached hundreds of instructors and crafted courses for every context. He hates schlepping unnecessary materials, but loves practical activities.
Thomas Legge - English Online: University Students' Experiences of a Multinational Online English Programme
This presentation takes a preliminary look at data from two cohorts of university students who took part in British Council online English classes. The data comprises both quantitative data (before/after TOEIC scores) and qualitative data (student questionnaires). Each group of students took over 100 online classes in a 4-5 month period, studying with students from a wide range of countries. The project was trialed as an alternative to traditional forms of study abroad.
Thomas Legge is a graduate of the London School of Economics and the Open University, and currently teaches at Momoyama Gakuin University. His main research and professional interests are currently Study Abroad and IELTS.
Abram Leon - Investigating factors contributing to L2 identity in a short-term study abroad program
In this presentation I describe a short-term international training program for Japanese students of English, focusing on affordances for second language (L2) identity development. After reviewing relevant literature and describing the program, I discuss factors that mediate students’ development of L2 identity. Drawing on observations from the field, I argue that short-term study abroad programs can promote participants’ L2 identity development so long as there are sufficient chances for interaction with locals.
Abram Leon is originally from New York, a graduate of Temple University Osaka Center, and currently teaches at Osaka International University. His research interests include vocabulary acquisition, multilingualism, translation, and study abroad.
Gabi Lipede - Resurrecting Superman in the Age of ChatGPT
I argue that a rereading of Peter Elbow's Vernacular Eloquence (2012) from the perspective of peak human performance reveals Elbow's methodology to be a blueprint for high-performance academic writing. As an example, I provide a speculative psychobiography of a high-performance academic for whom Elbow's method of choice, speaking onto the page, would have likely played a decisive role, albeit over a century ago. Furthermore, I maintain that Elbow's method draws upon non-computational cognitive powers that are categorically outside the purview of ChatGPT or any present or future strictly computational approach to reproducing intelligent behavior. The implications for andragogy are then discussed.
Gabi Lipede is currently living in Osaka, is a graduate of École Normale Supérieure and École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in Paris, and currently teaches at Osaka University.
Peter Lutes - Project-based learning: Addressing the needs of non-English majors at Japanese universities
Project-Based Learning (PBL) has the potential to increase student engagement and interest in the classroom by requiring students to complete a project in the target language, rather than solely on language tasks. However, designing a PBL curriculum can be challenging. This session will provide practical guidance on classroom and time management, grading, and a step-by-step model for developing a 15-week PBL course, enabling participants to create effective PBL courses for their own classes.
Peter Lutes, an associate professor at the Faculty of Agriculture, Kagawa University, holds a doctorate in communication and a master's degree in applied linguistics. His research focuses on curriculum development, Task-Based/Project-Based Learning, and learner beliefs.
Paul Lyddon - Putting the “Demand” in “On-Demand” Learning
The recent advent of emergency remote teaching saw a rise in popularity of various online pedagogies, including asynchronous, or “on-demand,” learning, whereby learners can freely access the relevant learning materials whenever and wherever they like. However, simply providing learners with access to materials is no guarantee of their even viewing, much less actually learning anything, from them. This presentation will demonstrate the adaptation of face-to-face teaching materials to ensure comparable learning experiences under asynchronous conditions.
Formerly on the faculty at Osaka Jogakuin, Paul Lyddon is now Professor of Global Communication in the School of International Studies at the University of Shizuoka. His professional interests include educational technology and learner assessment.
William Marcus - Assessment Strategies for Large Numbers of Writing Students
Collaborative writing projects utilizing cloud documents and focused project management skills are effective in managing and assessing large numbers of writing students. This presentation will offer clear-cut guidance for instructors managing many writing courses.
William Marcus currently teaches at Kansai University and Osaka Jogakuin. He has been a writing coordinator at Kwansei Gakuin and has led FD and workshops in CALL with an emphasis on writing courses and assessment strategies.
Harmony Martin - Don't talk over me! (aka: Respect talking students so students will listen)
Students are chatting off topic. The teacher says, "I'll wait until you're ready to listen" or "Be quiet!" or they simply talk over the students... Sound familiar?! I had this problem until I discovered what I call "5-4-3-2-1-Listen." This method lets students finish saying their sentence and then prepare to listen to you. When you respect their right to talk and be listened to, they will also respect your right to the same.
Harmony Martin has worked at a number of public and private elementary, junior high, and senior high schools. She currently teaches both junior and senior high in Kobe. She uses 5-4-3-2-1-Listen numerous times every day.
Steve McCarty - Bilingual Perspectives on Language Teaching: The View from the Goal
A goal for language learners is to function in plural languages according to their own purposes. A bilingual perspective starts from that attainable goal. Learners often idealize L2 mastery or being bilingual, so it becomes other people’s business. Monolingual teachers tell students by their example, “Go where I have not gone,” whereas a bilingual teacher says, “Come to my state of functioning.” This presentation details a paradigm shift from monolingual SLA to a bilingual paradigm.
Steve McCarty teaches Bilingualism and Intercultural Communication classes at Osaka Jogakuin University (former full Professor). He was President of the JALT Bilingualism SIG for several years. Links to relevant publications: https://japanned.hcommons.org/bilingualism or https://japanned.hcommons.org/chosaku (in Japanese).
Conrad Miller - The Personal Academic Website for Professional Advancement
In a competitive world, academics must have an online presence and a personal brand. This presentation will explain how having your website will open doors to further opportunities. The presentation will go over the basics of creating a website and some examples from others who already have theirs in Europe, North America, and Japan.
Conrad Miller is from Kobe and is a student at Canadian Academy. He has been a website master for numerous conferences and NGOs and created content for different organizations.
Richard Miller - A Leadership Program at a Japanese University
This presentation will introduce a leadership program at a women's university. The presentation will explore the background to the discipline of leadership and how it is taught to the undergraduates, and how the concept of leadership is prevalent throughout the university and college. The presenter will also explain the results of the graduates of the program and how they have found success from their studies in leadership.
Richard Miller is a professor at Osaka Jogakuin University. He has master's degrees in education and business, a doctorate in political economy and is currently completing a PhD in leadership and management.
Annie Minami - Student-selected topic-based dictogloss as a tool for L2 speaking acquisition
As teachers, we are always looking for ways to inspire our students. What if we build lessons around our students’ interests? Using the instructional tactic of dictogloss, we will explore student-selected topic-based activities as a tool for increasing L2 speaking acquisition. First, we will examine dictogloss as a whole and then look at the findings of a research project that investigated its use. Finally, we explore practical ways to apply these findings to the classroom.
Annie Minami received her master’s from Temple University (M.S.Ed) and has been teaching throughout Japan for 16 years. She currently teaches at Kamakura Women’s University Junior and Senior High School in Kanagawa.
Margaret Kim & Wade Muncil - Student Startups: The What, Why, And How
As educators, we strive to create a future for our students. This presentation shows how a startup assignment could provide all the ingredients to do just that while addressing academic requirements. We will share some best practices and offer a startup kit with links to assignment templates, a list of Japanese startup organizations, and an invitation to join our online group. Our mission is to inspire, to connect, and to collaborate.
Margaret Kim is an associate professor at Otemae University. She earned her MA in TESOL from the School for International Training. She has taught in Cambodia, Malaysia, S. Africa, the United States, and Japan. Her current research interests are in social justice, intercultural communication, and training.
Wade Muncil holds a Master of Arts in Teaching from the School for International Training and is presently teaching at Osaka Jogakuin University/College after spending nine years teaching in the Western Region of The United Arab Emirates. His interests are hiking, documenting and preserving the great cultures of our planet, and promoting service learning.
Emi Nagai - 自身の解釈に基づく英語歌詞翻訳アクティビティ
洋楽の歌詞を使ったタスクベースのアクティビティを紹介したいと思います。このアクティビティは英語で書かれた歌詞の意味の本質を理解し、それを自分の言葉で書き換えることを目標としています。生徒は歌詞の意味を正確に理解し、それらを自分の納得のいく言葉に落とし込みます。次にその曲の意味に沿った自分だけの歌詞を書き、それをまた英語に書き換えます。歌詞解釈の正解は一つではなく、自分の考えや感じたことも反映されるためどのような歌詞となっても間違いではありません。時には歌の背景のリサーチも必要とするでしょう。このアクティビティは生徒の自律性を養いながらL１L２両方の言葉の使い方について楽しみながら学べる構成となっています
Emi Nagai is a Master’s student at Temple University, and an English teacher at a technical college in Osaka, Japan. She is interested in TBLT activity design and CALL.
Thi Dieu Ha Nguyen - The Interface of Words and Images in Vietnamese and English Children's Picture Books in Depicting Children Characters
Due to the great role that comic books and children's images portrayed in comic books play in the formation and development of children’s personalities, this study uses the Appraisal Theory of Martin and White (2005) and Kress and Vanleeuwen's Grammar of visual design framework (2006) to study how English and Vietnamese children picture books use words and images to create a coherent, communicative story, depicting the image of children in modern life.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Dieu Ha is currently a lecturer at the University of Languages and International Studies (ULIS), Vietnam National University (VNU), Hanoi. Graduated with a Bachelor's degree in TESOL before being offered the lecturer position, she then gained her Master's degree in Applied Linguistics at the University of Hogskolan Darlana, Sweden. She has been the first author and co-author of the English textbook series in the national curriculum.
Yosuke Ogawa - Tapped Language in Online Chat
There are numerous studies on the differences between literal and oral styles taught in L2 classrooms. However, pragmatic usage of actual spoken/written language does not precisely fit this notion of a clear binary distinction. This presentation gives a recognition of the language of tapped interactions like Instagram or LINE as being neither typically spoken nor written. Moreover, the pragmatic appropriacy of tapped language will be illustrated for keeping up with our young digitally advanced students.
Yosuke Ogawa teaches EFL at Kobe University and teaches JFL to overseas students at Kansai University. His current research interests include shifting participation constellation in L2 triadic interaction from multimodal Conversation Analysis viewpoint.
Megumi Ohsumi - OpenAI and ChatGPT in Essay Composition
This paper explores the possibilities and challenges of ChatGPT, which was newly developed and introduced by Open AI in late 2022, as it pertains to academic essay composition. It discusses how some teachers strictly prohibit the use of ChatGPT, while others encourage its incorporation. The presentation aims above all else to provide an opportunity for those engaged in language pedagogy to share their ideas and opinions.
Megumi Ohsumi teaches English language and literature at Kobe University.
Michael Parrish - Edutourism: conducting educational research while traveling in Africa
Drawing from personal experiences in Kenya, Rwanda, and Burundi this presentation will explore ways to make vacation travel socially and professionally impactful. Key activities discussed include study abroad, student volunteerism, basic networking, peer observation, online exchange, research opportunities, student projects and others.
Michael Parrish (M.A., M.B.A.) is originally from Florida in the United States. He currently teaches English at Kwansei Gakuin University in Nishinomiya. He is a lifelong language learner and his outlook and career were changed by several trips to East Africa over the past 7 years.
Mark Pileggi - A.I. Assistance for ESL Teachers Improves with Good Prompts!
Implementing tech into ESL teaching and keeping up with new tech can be more than just helpful, but perhaps essential, to keep up with the competition in the field of educational work. This is a beginners' course to learn about using prompts for the various A.I. engines out there including Chat GPT4 (language generator) and DALL-E2 (graphics generator).
Mark is from Massachusetts, studied computer graphics in Florida, moved to Japan in 1997 and has been teaching ever since. He took his Masters in Curriculum, instruction and Technology.
Timothy Pollock - Guiding Students Through the Process of Semiosis of an EFL Textbook
This presentation will feature a semiotic analysis of the hidden curriculum in two different EFL textbooks, Ready to Present and Academic Encounters. Taking a semiotic approach means seeing meaning as being constructed in the classroom through the interaction among teacher, students, and text, with the teacher strongly guiding the process of semiosis. This process will be demonstrated with sections taken from both aforementioned textbooks.
Timothy W. Pollock has taught CLIL classes in film studies for more than a decade at university in Japan. He has presented papers on film in Japan, the US, and England.
Jesse Reidak - 10 Sets of Course-Based Takeaways From Postgraduate Studies in Second Language Acquisition
Have you been considering whether Second Language Acquisition (SLA) at the master’s level is worth the investment of your time and finances? After spending a decade in Japan, I finally decided to apply for graduate studies. I will outline 10 sets of course-based takeaways which I gleaned from my Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.) certification. The aim of my presentation is to help you decide if postgraduate studies in SLA will benefit your context.
Jesse Reidak hails from Toronto, Canada. In 2008 Jesse arrived in Japan and has taught from kindergarten to university levels. He has been employed by a private elementary school located in Kyoto since 2011.
Philip Riccobono - Returnee Practitioner: EFL to ELL Pechakucha
This PechaKucha-style presentation will highlight an instructor’s transition from working with EFL university students in Japan to teaching high school and university language center adults in the United States. The presentation will offer insight into student motivation, differences in workplace culture (including career options within organizations), adaptations to student needs, and variations in pedagogical approaches and expectations for the instructor, including research and publishing.
Philip Riccobono hails from the U.S. and has lived on both coasts, and now claims Nevada as his home state. He has taught English for more than 20 years in the U.S., Thailand, S. Korea, and Japan. He currently teaches at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV). His research interests include Corpus-based Technical Vocabulary, vocabulary acquisition, and ESP.
Cameron Romney - One point communication skills lessons from the English Café (SLLP) at UMDS
Many universities have opened extracurricular Social Language Learning Programs (SLLP). Many of these programs feature short “one-point” lessons to help students participate in the free-form communication activities offered in the SLLP. Often these lessons have a grammar or other language focus that is not always useful for social communication. In this presentation, the presenter will share some of his communication-/interaction-focused “one-point” lessons that he created for the SLLP at his previous university.
Cameron Romney is currently an associate professor in the English Department at Kyoto Women's University. Previously, he was the director of the English Café program at the University of Marketing and Distribution Sciences in Kobe.
Chris Ruddenklau - Assist and Grow THT Laos
In this short video the presenter will outline how you can gain from and support Teachers Helping Teachers Lao Program, from your living room in Japan or on the ground in Laos. Present at Lao TESOL. Support high school and teachers training college lecturers and teachers and students at the National University of Laos. Your time will be more than well spent.
Chris Ruddenklau - THT Laos Post COVID Adventures
The presenter will speak about this years successful THT Lao Program and its continuing support for LaoTESOL, The National University, Teachers Training Colleges and High Schools in Laos. Interested in how you can connect with Lao teachers and have a meaningful visit to this amazing country or in how you can offer support while in Japan please come.
Chris Ruddenklau is a trained teacher from New Zealand, teaching at Kindai University. He has supported over 200 teacher visits to Laos, has a Lao family there, and looks forward to meeting you!
This presentation proposes a study to explore how participation in an SA program affects Japanese students’ linguistic ability, and if improved linguistic ability affects attitudes towards cross-cultural communication and internationalization. The presentation proposes a sequential exploratory mixed method design consisting of pre-and post-departure qualitative interviews, and quantitative language tests. Through the use of a mixed methods research design, it is hoped that the proposed study would offer a greater insight into the student’s lived experiences, while also generating quantifiable test data.
Christopher Samuell has been teaching English in Japan for the past 12 years. He is a doctoral candidate, and holds an MA in TESOL. He currently teaches classes in academic English, English debate, Modern British Culture, and global English for use in study abroad programs at Hannan University.
Bob Sanderson, Janine Berger, Laura G. Holland, Julie Kimura, Kalina Papadimitriou, Marty Pilott, & Kevin Ryan
- Introducing the Teachers For Ukraine Initiative
This session will introduce the all-volunteer Teachers for Ukraine Initiative, which connects English language teachers and speaking partners from around the world with adult Ukrainians affected by the war (most of whom are evacuees in the UK and elsewhere in Europe) for one hour per week of free, one-on-one, online language instruction and practice and moral support. The presenters will share some of their experiences and information about how to get involved. www.teachersforukraine.org/
Bob Sanderson (MA-TESOL from SIT) is from Minnesota in the US, teaches at Kindai, Osaka Jogakuin, and Hannan Universities, and is president of Osaka JALT. He recently began volunteering with the Teachers for Ukraine Initiative.
Janine Berger is a Canadian EFL teacher and teacher trainer working at Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador.
Laura G. Holland is Senior Instructor II Emerita of the American English Institute at the University of Oregon. Though retired, she continues to work online with teachers, students, and other language institutes around the globe.
Julie Kimura earned her PhD in Applied Linguistics through Temple University. She is now a lecturer in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Mukogawa Women’s University, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate students.
Kalina Papadimitriou (MA-Applied Linguistics from U of Montana) is from Bulgaria, has taught English internationally, and now lives in Quebec, Canada. She started the Teachers for Ukraine Initiative in March, 2022.
Dr. Marty Pilott has taught ESL since 1977 and has managed language schools in Wellington, New Zealand. He is a life member of TESOLANZ and his doctorate researched the acceptability of migrant pronunciation.
Erika Tavesa - A Case Study for the Effectivity of PEEL in Writing Academic Essays
This study examines the effectiveness of the PEEL (Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link) structure and the underlying skill of genre analysis in teaching academic essay writing to a Japanese university student. Through a four-session course, the student was introduced to the PEEL structure and taught about hint expressions and moves in genre analysis. Results showed that the student was able to recognize the roles of moves and hint expressions and apply their knowledge of genre analysis to the PEEL structure, resulting in increased confidence in organizing ideas for academic essays. This study highlights the usefulness of genre analysis in improving writing skills and the practicality of the PEEL structure for organizing ideas.
Erika is a Temple University Japan student based in Osaka. Her interests lie in EAP, and has experiences teaching younger learners. Currently, she seeks to broaden her horizons and improve EAP for college-level students.
Gabriel Toma - Kansai’s universities’ “learning commons” as foreign language study facilities
The shapes and purposes of “learning commons” facilities have changed during the past decades. Some of the common patterns and their applications will be shown. I believe that they play critical roles in how students can use them for homework and study. Universities may improve their students’ performance by upgrading and improving them.
Gabriel Toma is a lecturer working at Ritsumeikan University, who got his PhD from Kyoto University. He studied and worked in the Kansai area for the past 20 years.
Anthony Walsh - An Overview of Facilitating International Fieldwork and Intensive Study Abroad Programs
This presentation provides insights into international fieldwork and reviews a five-week study abroad program. In the summer of 2022, students from The University of Fukuchiyama attended the intensive Deakin University English Language Institute (DUELI) in Melbourne, Australia. The before, during and after details will be discussed. In addition, a one-week international experience in Melbourne for cultural development will also be explored. This information intends to reduce nervous trepidation about going overseas.
Anthony Walsh is from Melbourne, Australia. He is an associate professor at the University of Fukuchiyama in northern Kyoto. His current research focus is on study-abroad programs.
Joseph Wood - Student-recommended topics as writing warm-ups
Keeping students engaged and interested in English writing classes can be a challenge. One way to help overcome this is to get students more involved in the process of selecting writing topics. This presentation will examine survey data and written comments from 20 university students in Japan who recommended topics to use for weekly warm-up writing activities. It will also give teachers an outline for how to do the activity in their classes.
Joseph C. Wood is an associate professor at Nanzan University and is currently president of JALT’s Nagoya Chapter. He can be contacted at josephcharleswood@gmail.com
Junko Yamamoto - Use of Machine Translation in English Education
I will explore the role that machine translation (MT) can play in helping English language instructors improve their students' writing skills. MT can be a valuable tool if used appropriately. For example, we can have students translate a short passage from their native language into English using MT, and then have them rewrite it in their own words to make it sound more natural and fluent. Other ways of MT usage will be introduced as well.
Junko Yamamoto has been with Osaka Jogakuin University since 2019. Her research interests include pre-service teacher training, CALL, and learners’ motivation. She can be contacted at yamamoto@wilmina.ac.jp.
Thursday, March 2, 2023 at 8:39PM