Saitama JALT:

Let's Delve into the Minds of "BAD" Students: Alternative TESOL

Date: Sunday, February 8th, 2009 Time: 3:30 PM - 4:50 PM

Speaker: Jun Harada

Description:
In this presentation, Jun Harada will discuss how to deal with students who "hate" English. Just like other teachers, Harada was tormented by such students who came to class to daydream, sleep or just fool around. Recently, however, Harada started interviewing and private-teaching a bunch of unmotivated students and found their unique characteristics. Their ways of thinking are so different that teaching them seems to be out of the conventional TESOL wisdom. First the presenter will describe the "bad " students' mindsets and their learning (or fooling) styles. Then we will discuss if there are any good ways to deal with them. The attendants are welcome to participate in group talks and discussions.

After studying TESOL in New York, Jun Harada taught ESL at a public school in a poverty-stricken area of Bronx, teaching English to Spanish-speaking kids. After returning to Japan, he taught at alternative schools for high school dropouts. The students there were mostly two types of students: hyperactive or inactive. Now, he teaches full-time at Dokkyo Junior and Senior High School, and part-time at Rikkyo University. His students now are generally decent, but not too enthusiastic about learning.

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

Cost: JALT Members: 1000 yen for the afternoon
Non-members: free

Venue: Sakuragi Kominkan, 5th Fl

Location: Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan

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