ELT Calendar

Sunday, June 26th, 2005

The Seventh Annual International Conference of JSLS (day 2 of 2)
Time: To be announced
Speaker: Keynote Speakers: Dan I. Slobin (University of California, Berkeley)
Organization: The Japanese Society for Language Sciences
Location: Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis
Short description: See day 1 of the Seventh JSLS Annual International Conference. .

SIETAR Japan Year 2005 20th Conference (day 2 of 2)
Time: To be announced
Speaker: Call for papers is due March 24
Organization: The Society for Intercultural Education, Training, And Research
Location: Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis
Short description: This is the second day of the SIETAR conference. SIETAR means The Society for Intercultural Education, Training, And Research.

The Road To Reading (Niigata)
Time: 9:50 AM - 1:00 PM
Speaker: Akiko Seino; Mitsuyo Ohta
Organization: Pearson Japan
Location: Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture
Short description: The Longman Team invites you to participate in their nationwide initiative to promote successful early reading in Japan. From introducing first readers to designing your own Graded Reading Program, join the Longman Summer Skills Tour 2005 for directions to The Road To Reading.

The Road To Reading (Kobe)
Time: 9:50 AM - 1:00 PM
Speaker: Mari Nakamura; Katherine MacKay
Organization: Pearson Japan
Location: Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture
Short description: The Longman Team invites you to participate in their nationwide initiative to promote successful early reading in Japan. From introducing first readers to designing your own Graded Reading Program, join the Longman Summer Skills Tour 2005 for directions to The Road To Reading.

Controversial Content in EFL: What is Justifiable and What is Not?
Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Speaker: Trevor Sargent EdD (Tottori University)
Organization: Kagoshima Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture
Short description: Discussing and debating controversial issues in EFL classes can be part of an effective way to help students improve their English communication skills.

Asia's Bilingual Movement
Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Speaker: Jason Good, Houghton-Mifflin Publishers
Organization: Iwate-Aomori Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
Short description: It seems common these days to say that Japan is lagging behind the rest of Asia with its English education for children, but what exactly is the rest of Asia doing with regards to English education for their kids? What is being taught at the bilingual schools? We'll look at both the bilingual movement across Asia, as well as look at the core of any bilingual curriculum - literacy, and how we teach this to children.

Tech Day
Time: 1:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Speaker: Gordon Wilson (Hannan Univ.), Steve Silsbee (Hannan & Momoyama Univ.), Cameron Romney (Momoyama Univ.), & Marlen Harrison (Momoyama & Doshisha Univ.)
Organization: Osaka Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture
Short description: The presenters will share their experiences and ideas for putting technology to better use in and out of the classroom. This will be a hands-on afternoon with topics including using lesser known features of Microsoft Word to help improve the look of handouts used in class, using Pal-Talk and Skype to get students enjoying speaking with each other in English, using Movie-Maker software, creating free online surveys, and more.

Canadian Studies In Japan
Time: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Speaker: Dave McMurray
Organization: Hokkaido Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Sapporo City, Hokkaido Prefecture
Short description: Dave McMurray has just helped open a Canadian Studies Centre that serves Kyushu from The International University of Kagoshima. Dave will share highlights from the centre's research members investigating Bilingualism, Language Learning in Canada including development of Japanese, Immigration, Identity, Values, and What Japanese students are most interested in learning about Canada.

English through Drama
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Speaker: Miho Moody (Miyagi Gakuin Women's University, Sendai Fukushi University)
Organization: Sendai Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture
Short description: Drama is known to be a practical technique for EFL, as it gives learners an actual reason and opportunity to speak English in a meaningful context. This facilitates language acquisition.

Team-teaching methodologies for High Schools: Two Workshops
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Speaker: Shizuo Tabata and Danny Madjanac
Organization: Nagano Chapter (formerly the Shinshu Chapter) of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture
Short description: For this afternoon event two local presenters, Shizuo Tabata and Danny Madjanac, will give short workshops on teaching methodologies at High Schools.

Engaging Learners in Their Own Learning with a Drama Approach
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Speaker: Steve Brown, National President of JALT
Organization: Hiroshima Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture
Short description: Drama is a classroom activity which encourages students to work together as a group, sharing the responsibility for their own learning. In this presentation, Steve Brown, the National President of JALT, will give a practical demonstration of how drama can work in the classroom as part of a more cohesive approach.

Super Techniques from Super Kids New Edition
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Speaker: Aleda Krause
Organization: Hokuriku Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Fukui City, Fukui Prefecture
Short description: What do we need to remember when we plan our lessons? In this presentation, we'll talk about some "rules" for children's lessons, such as using lots of games and activities and keeping the lesson's focus easy to understand.