ELT Calendar

Sunday, May 25th, 2008

ELT Career and Professional Development Conference (ECAP) 2008
Time: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Speaker: A number of great speakers
Organization: ELT Career and Professional Development Conference
Location: Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis
Short description: A full day of presentations and workshops of interest to all those teaching teenagers and adults -- a chance to reflect on your own classroom efforts and to share those reflections with others.

Identifying and Helping Students with Special Needs
Time: 10:10 AM - 1:00 PM
Speaker: Cynthia Akazawa
Organization: ETJ Kyoto (English Teachers in Japan)
Location: Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Short description: Cynthia Akazawa will share a model for identifying gifted students and students with learning disabilities. Drawing from research and real-life examples, she will discuss how we can better serve these students.

Annual Picnic & Barbecue
Time: 11:30 AM - 2:00 PM
Speaker: none
Organization: Toyohashi Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Toyohashi City, Aichi Prefecture
Short description: Toyohashi JALT will hold its annual May barbecue and picnic at the usual place, in Takashi Ryokuchi Park. Everyone is welcome - members, guests and visitors - and although barbecue will be provided, we would ask you to contribute something to eat and drink.

An introduction to Spaced-repetition Systems (SRS). What's the fuss?
Time: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Speaker: Kent Hill
Organization: Wakayama Chapter of JALT
Location: Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture
Short description: If you haven’t yet heard about SRS and language learning, you surely will soon. It’s time to get up to speed! Spaced-repetition (SR), or “graduated interval” recall research started back in the 1930s and was first put into practice by Pimsleur in the 60s, but is only now coming to fruition as computer technologies make SR manageable for both teachers and students.

Elementary school English education: What can be done?
Time: 1:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Speaker: Machiko Fujiwara (Seigakuin University), Chizuko Aiba (Tokyo Denki University), and Brian Byrd (Seigakuin University)
Organization: Shizuoka Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture
Short description: The presenters have been working together in the field of elementary school English for more than 20 years. Seeking "the development of Japanese who can use English," we have used our original methods for teaching children in kindergartens, private and public elementary schools, and language schools.

Briefing sessions on postgraduate course on teaching Japanese (Fukuoka)
Time: 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Speaker: Teruyuki Zushi, the principal of the Institute of International Education in London
Organization: Institute of International Education in London
Location: Fukuoka City, Fukuoka 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.

Lesson Planning: As Easy As Pie!
Time: 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Speaker: Lesley Ito
Organization: Iwate-Aomori Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
Short description: Lesley Ito, owner of BIG BOW English Lab in Nagoya will present a simple and easy-to-use "Pie Chart" system for consistently creating high quality, balanced lesson plans, and for keeping a manageable record of what has been taught throughout the year.

Using a CALL Classroom to Teach English through Drama
Time: 2:00 PM - 3:45 PM
Speaker: Hitoshi Eguchi, Hokusei Gakuen University
Organization: Hokkaido Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Sapporo City, Hokkaido Prefecture
Short description: The benefits of using drama in language teaching have been explored by many language teachers. The pragmatic aspects of language can be taught with relative ease by putting students in a realistic context for language use in the real world.

Dynamic Presentations
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Speaker: Mike Hood
Organization: Sendai Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Location: Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture
Short description: Last-minute change of venue: Due to unforeseen circumstances, today's meeting will now take place on the 5th floor of the Pal City building, Chou Shimin Centre, close to Yodobashi Camera, at the East exit of Sendai station.