Kitakyushu JALT:

Immersion and Immediate Conversation Techniques

Date: Friday, September 1st, 2006 Time: 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Speaker: Lynda Batty

Description:
It is fascinating to watch bilingual children transfer from one language to another so easily and fluently. From birth the children are regularly exposed to a wealth of fascinating information in both languages. They are spoken to as often as possible but are not expected to respond by using perfect grammar. They are corrected by example rather than being told they are using incorrect grammatical structures. They are totally immersed in the language. Do they understand everything spoken to them? Of course not! Through this regular immersion in language they acquire the skills to be able to communicate the spoken words fluently. Even though the skills of reading and writing are not seemingly acquired as easily, amazingly, the spoken words simply flow!!

Does the reverse work equally as efficiently? Do students who learn a grammatical and written approach to language acquire good speaking skills? Research shows this is not the case.

In this presentation, the immersion and immediate conversation techniques being used at Seinan Junior and Senior High Schools to encourage students to become more confident speakers, will be discussed. Of course cultural issues have to be considered, but hopefully some excellent results will be shown. Some of the resources used will be displayed, some video clips will be shown and examples of the careful but creative planning will be given.

Organization: Kitakyushu Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching (Kitakyushu JALT)

Cost: JALT Members: free
Non-members: 1000 yen

Venue: Kitakyushu International Conference Center, room 31 (a 5-minute walk from the Kokura train station for shinkansen, JR train)

Location: Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan

Contact Kitakyushu JALT

Website: hosted.jalt.org/chapters/kq/