ELT Calendar

Sunday, July 13th, 2008

Elementary English Symposium
Time: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Speaker: Keynote by Kensaku Yoshida; many other speakers
Organization: Sendai Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture
Short description: With reforms in Japanese Elementary education just around the corner, this symposium, featuring a keynote address from Dr. Kensaku Yoshida, workshops from other renowned academics and teachers, and a panel discussion featuring many of the presenters, will gather key speakers in children's education to present a variety of challenging and provoking speeches and workshops, followed by a debate of key points that have emerged during the day.

ETJ-Aichi July 2008 workshops for teachers of children
Time: 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Speaker: Bob Jones and Vick Ssali
Organization: ETJ Aichi (English Teachers in Japan)
Location: Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture
Short description: ETJ-Aichi is a group for teachers of children up through middle school. In Bingo and other games for spelling, grammar, and vocabulary, Bob Jones will share ideas on various games and activities for teachers of junior high school students and other levels.

Learning Styles in the EFL classroom
Time: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Speaker: Jack Ryan
Organization: Toyohashi Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Toyohashi City, Aichi Prefecture
Short description: This presentation will outline the history of research into learning styles and explain the most commonly recognized learning styles. The practical application of current research to the English language classroom in Japan will also be discussed.

Students' Voices on Learning a Foreign Language
Time: 1:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Speaker: Student volunteers
Organization: Hamamatsu Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture
Short description: Students, both of Japanese descent and other nationalities, will share their experiences learning foreign languages. Teachers will learn from students' actual experiences, challenging assumptions about the best ways to teach foreign languages.

Oyako Net First Conference on the Visitation Rights of Non-Custodial Parents
Time: 1:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Speaker: Paul Wong, Yuki Misuzu, Mitsuru-san, Tanase sensei (Lawyer)
Organization: The Oyako Net
Location: Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis
Short description: Oyako Net, a nationwide network for realizing visitation in Japan, will hold their first Tokyo conference on Japan's laws concerning the rights of parents and children in divorce or separation.

When should we use Japanese? And when should we use English?
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Speaker: Michael Critchley, Josai International University
Organization: Hokkaido Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Sapporo City, Hokkaido Prefecture
Short description: This presentation will focus on issues of Japanese support in the English class. In the first part of the session, we will discuss the pros and cons of first-language (L1) support within the framework of recent research on student learning and motivation, as well as from the teacher's perspective of classroom management.

My Share
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Speaker: Various speakers
Organization: Saitama Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture
Short description: The chapter welcomes short presentations of 25 minutes or less. Please contact the Program Chair if you are interested in presenting.

Creative Activities for Teaching about Countries and Cultures
Time: 2:15 PM - 4:20 PM
Speaker: Kip Cates, Faculty of Regional Sciences, Tottori University
Organization: Matsuyama Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture
Short description: This workshop will introduce EFL classroom activities designed to promote knowledge, awareness and curiosity about the countries and cultures of the world.

Making Our Teaching More Effective
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Speaker: Shirley Leane
Organization: Hiroshima Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture
Short description: Please note the change of date. The meeting will be held one week earlier than originally scheduled.