ELT Calendar

Sunday, April 27th, 2008

Teaching Culture Ethnographically; Study Abroad Programs
Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Speaker: Elaine Gilmour, Miyagi Gakuin Women's University
Organization: Ibaraki Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture
Short description: This presentation examines what an ethnographic approach to teaching culture is, and suggests components for a community based ethnography course. We'll also consider the point of such a course from the students' perspective, by looking at questionnaire response data provided by students who have participated in Study Abroad programs during their university experience.

Teacher Development: Perceptions and Reflections
Time: 10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Speaker: Dr. John Fanselow, Dean Charles, Clair Taylor, Andy Boon
Organization: West Tokyo Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis
Short description: The West Tokyo Chapter of JALT (the Japan Association for Language Teaching), and Tokyo JALT Chapter announces the seventh in a series of micro-conferences, each featuring several presenters exploring a particular topic for a whole day.

Ethnic Disunity and Conflict in Burma
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Speaker: Richard Humphries
Organization: Osaka Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Takatsuki City, Osaka Prefecture
Short description: The world generally focuses on the political struggles in Myanmar, especially with the 2007 crackdown upon the monk-led demonstrations. However, the flip side of the same coin is Burma's ethnic issue, an immense source of suffering in that tragic land.

Teaching Spanish in Japan
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Speaker: Maria Fernandez
Organization: Gunma Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture
Short description: Even though English is the main language taught in Japan, at university level other European languages such as French, German or Spanish are also offered.

ETJ Ishikawa Group Workshop: 'Activities Galore'
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Speaker: Keiko Mutoh
Organization: ETJ Ishikawa (English Teachers in Japan)
Location: Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture
Short description: Ms. Mutoh, an experienced English teacher at a public elementary school, is going to demonstrate some of the most popular activities in her classroom.

Understanding Vygotskyan Theory for Classroom Practice
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Speaker: Deryn P. Verity, Osaka Jogakuin College
Organization: Sendai Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture
Short description: In this workshop, practical applications of sociocultural theory for the classroom will be introduced and practiced. Reflective activities will be used to provide experiential contact with the theoretical concepts involved, and ways of incorporating (1) the theoretical principles of the Zone of Proximal Development, (2) the social origins of cognition, and (3) the notion of self-regulation into ordinary language lessons will be explored.

Actually Teaching Listening
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Speaker: Alastair Graham-Marr, ABAX
Organization: Ibaraki Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture
Short description: Teaching listening effectively means teaching both phonology and knowledge of discourse. A working knowledge of the phonology of natural connected speech, elisions and liaisons, weak forms and reductions helps students with their 'bottom-up' decoding skills.

Considering Themes in Advanced Extensive Reading: The Imperial Sun Never Sets: Young Adult Literature Set in Japan
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Speaker: Jesse Crisler
Organization: Nara Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Nara City, Nara Prefecture
Short description: Jesse Crisler specializes in American Realism, focusing his research and publications on empirical, bibliographical, biographical, and textual criticism of the authors and texts of this period, with particular interest in literary naturalism.