ELT Calendar

Sunday, May 13th, 2007

6th Annual JALT Pan-SIG Conference (day 2 of 2)
Time: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Speaker: Call for papers due Feb 9
Organization: JALT PanSIG Conference
Location: Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture
Short description: The Second Language Acquisition: Theory and Pedagogy conference will be co-hosted by JALT'S Other Language Educators SIG, Materials Writers SIG, Pragmatics SIG, Teacher Education SIG, Testing and Evaluation SIG and the Sendai JALT Chapter.

The Texts We Use - And Why
Time: 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Speaker: Group Discussion
Organization: ETJ Ehime (English Teachers in Japan)
Location: Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture
Short description: We all have textbooks that we like to use and some that we just will not touch. Most of us have looked at a book with only a superficial eye and, for better or worse, quickly come to a conclusion about it.

Developing and Implementing Simple Class Websites
Time: 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Speaker: Robert McLaughlin
Organization: Shizuoka Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture
Short description: Despite time constraints, lack of familiarity with available 'user ready' technology, or even hesitation or aversion to the idea of 'webpage construction' nearly anyone can easily build a class website.

Mission Impossible? Teaching Debate to Large, Multi-level Japanese EFL Classes
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Speaker: Maggie Lieb
Organization: Himeji Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture
Short description: Teaching debate skills to Japanese EFL students presents a unique set of challenges. Aside from the fact that debate is a sophisticated form of interactive discourse, often posing challenges even for native English speakers, teaching debate in Japan could be construed as 'mission impossible' from a cultural perspective.

Kids Pier: A Space for Children and Teachers
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Speaker: Yuco Kikuchi and Naoko McLellan
Organization: Chiba Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture
Short description: Unlike most teacher training programs, Kids' Pier offers on-the-job training through team-teaching and observing experienced teachers' lessons. For children, Kids' Pier is an anchorage, a place to promote positive attitudes toward learning and to raise self-esteem using English as a tool.

Brazilian or Japanese: choosing the best education for children
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Speaker: Toshiko Sugino (National Defense Academy)
Organization: Yokohama Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Short description: According to a 2004 Immigration Control Office survey, Nikkei-Brazilians account for nearly 300,000 of the 2 million registered foreign nationals in Japan.

Extensive Reading
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Speaker: Daniel Stewart / Richard Ascough
Organization: Saitama Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture
Short description: Will be added soon. .

Briefing sessions on postgraduate course on teaching Japanese (Nagoya)
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Speaker: IIEC
Organization: Institute of International Education in London
Location: Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture
Short description: The Institute of International Education in London will hold briefing sessions on a postgraduate program on teaching Japanese as a foreign language that the organization offers in the British capital.

Sendai ETJ Round Table Discussion
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Speaker: Roundtable
Organization: ETJ Sendai (English Teachers in Japan)
Location: Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture
Short description: Sendai ETJ will have a second round table discussion regarding any problems or questions that are related to teaching children. Please come prepared to share a children's activity or game.

ETJ Kobe May Meeting: Teach your students to read the right way!
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Speaker: Jeff Lewis
Organization: ETJ Kobe (English Teachers in Japan)
Location: Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture
Short description: Please note the NEW central Kobe location! KRAC Sannomiya Kobe Regatta Athletic Club. Teach your students to read the right way! How do students learn to read English? Is learning to read a "natural" process? Is there a method of instruction that is better than others? English is confusing for both those trying to teach it and those trying to learn it, but with a little background information and some simple activities, your students can be on their way to automatic decoding and reading fluency (and we 'll even throw in writing as a bonus).

Entry Level L2 Critical Thinking: Clear Communication
Time: 2:15 PM - 4:20 PM
Speaker: Lawrie Hunter, Kochi University of Technology
Organization: Matsuyama Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture
Short description: Second language learners need certain linguistic background knowledge and a number of foundation language skills before they can embark on the study of critical thinking.