Date & Time:
Thursday, 5.23.2013
18:00~19:30

Place:
Univ. of Tokushima Josanjima campus
Faculty of IAS, Bldg. #1 Meeting Rm. #2

Title:
Puzzling about classroom language learning: an Exploratory Practice approach

Abstract:
In recent years, Exploratory Practice has developed as a form of ‘inclusive practitioner research’ (Allwright, 2001, 2009; Allwright & Hanks, 2009; Hanks, 2009, 2013; Miller, 2009). Arguing that working for understanding(s) should be put before problem-solving, EP includes teachers and learners as researchers of their own language learning lives. In this interactive workshop we will discuss the principles of Exploratory Practice: what is EP and why does it emphasize puzzlement as an approach?

Participants are invited to consider what puzzles them about their language teaching (and learning) lives. We will then discuss ways of investigating classroom language learning and teaching, using our normal pedagogic practices as tools.

Allwright, D. (2001, May 1999). Three major processes of teacher development and the design criteria for developing and using them. Paper presented at the 1st International Conference on Language Teacher Education. Research and Practice in Language Teacher Education: Voices from the Field, Minneapolis, USA.
Allwright, D. (2009). Inclusive Practitioner Research: Why we need it and what Exploratory Practice offers. In T. Yoshida, H. Imai, Y. Nakata, A. Tajino, O. Takeuchi & K. Tamai (Eds.), Researching Language Teaching and Learning: An integration of practice and theory (pp. 15-31). Bern: Peter Lang.
Allwright, D., & Hanks, J. (2009). The Developing Language Learner: An introduction to Exploratory Practice. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Hanks, J. (2009). Inclusivity and collegiality in Exploratory Practice. In T. Yoshida, H. Imai, Y. Nakata, A. Tajino, O. Takeuchi & K. Tamai (Eds.), Researching Language Teaching and Learning: An integration of practice and theory (pp. 33-55). Bern: Peter Lang.
Hanks, J. (2013). Inclusivity and trust in Exploratory Practice: A case study of principles in practice. In E. Tarone & D. Soneson (Eds.), Expanding our Horizons: Language teacher education in the 21st century. Minneapolis: CARLA.
Miller, I.K. (2009). ‘Puzzle-driven’ Language Teacher Development: The contribution of Exploratory Practice. In T. Yoshida, H. Imai, Y. Nakata, A. Tajino, O. Takeuchi & K. Tamai (Eds.), Researching Language Teaching and Learning: An integration of practice and theory (pp. 77-93). Bern: Peter Lang.

Bio:
Judith Hanks has more than twenty years of experience in teaching English as a Foreign Language, in Europe, Asia and the UK. She currently teaches in the School of Education, University of Leeds. Her research interests lie in the areas of practitioner research, and teacher/learner development. Judith is co-author of The Developing Language Learner: An Introduction to Exploratory Practice (Allwright & Hanks, 2009).

*For inquiries, contact Steve Fukuda at
stevefukuda110277@gmail.com

Date and time: Saturday, May 11th (11:00 – 17:00), Economics/Law Campus, Kagawa University

Download the Conference Program.

Matsuyama JALT Featured Speaker:
Ian Isemonger – Kumamoto University (Doing Quantitative Research)

East Shikoku JALT Featured Speaker:
Chiaki Iwai – Hiroshima City University (Communications Strategies)

Oxford University Press Featured Speaker:
Junko Yamanaka – OUP author / Extensive Reading Foundation (Extensive Reading & Reading Strategies)

Short papers/presentations:
To be announced in early March

After the featured speaker talks, the latter part of the programme will include sessions for 30-minute presentations/short papers (20 minutes + 10 min Q&A). We invite presentation proposals from JALT members as well as non-members.

(CLOSED) The deadline for proposals is Friday, February 22nd, 2013. Presentation proposals will be vetted by the Conference committee. Decisions on presentation proposals will be sent out in mid to late March.

Please submit your proposal for a short paper to: shikokujalt@gmail.com

Submission Guidelines:
Presentation submissions should include the following information in the text of the email message:
Name: (please include any co-presenters along with the main speaker)
Affiliation:
Presentation title: (no longer than 60 characters/letters including spaces)
Abstract: (maximum: 150 words)
Teaching context: (eg. university, high school/jhs, primary school)
Research/Content area: (eg. Reading, Motivation, TBLT, Listening, Testing, CALL, Materials, etc.)
Equipment requests: (eg. projector, DVD)

Fees:
1. Any JALT member may attend the Conference free of charge
2. There is no presentation fee for JALT members with accepted proposals
3. One-day membership for non-members: 1000 yen
4. There will be a presentation fee of 2000 yen for accepted proposals from non-members (in addition to the one-day membership)
5. Co-presenter submissions are welcomed but the main speaker shall be responsible for any payment of presentation fees for non-member co-presenters one month prior to the Conference.

We hope you will consider sharing your language teaching research or practical classroom ideas at the 4th Shikoku JALT Conference at Kagawa University. Please inform your colleagues and friends about this Conference. The 2013 Shikoku JALT Conference is sure to have something of interest for everyone.

Darren Lingley & Gerardine McCrohan
Conference Co-Chairs
4th Annual Shikoku JALT Conference (2013)

Date: December 8th
Location: University of Kochi, Eikokuji Campus, CALL Lab
Time: 5:30 – 7:00
Fee: Free for JALT members & 500 yen for non-JALT members.
Description:
This Learning & Technology panel discussion will offer the opportunity for members from the audience to discuss problems and solutions to common educational technology issues with leading educational technology teachers from the Kochi area. Each panel member will briefly introduce a topic followed by discussion.

Panel Members
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1. Davey Leslie
Using Google Docs in a Collaborative Learning Writing Environment

While Google Docs is an effective tool for collaborative writing projects, its effectiveness is somewhat limited by the wide range of computer literacy that I’m finding in my classes, specifically at Kochi University’s EPIC program where “International Communication” major students often have very minimal computer literacy.
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2. Loren Waller
Challenges of Using Moodle to Encourage Discussion in Japanese and English-Language Literature Classes

Facilitating discussion in classes can be a difficult task for the instructor. A number of factors make it difficult for students to contribute ideas about difficult texts in class. Having students read and prepare their ideas in advance on an online class forum such as Moodle can motivate them to think in advance about some topics that interest them, contributing to the creation of a student-centered learning environment. I will share some of my experiences of using Moodle to facilitate discussion in Japanese literature classes conducted in both Japanese and English.
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3. Paul Daniels
Learner-centered verses teacher-directed classrooms- a wavering act.

Student-centered language activities, often involving the use of technology, are an essential ingredient for autonomous learning. While the rational for developing learner-centered activities is well documented, conflicting expectations between learners and teachers of the learning process can sometimes shroud the most visible path.
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4. Craig Delaney
Tech support for teachers

What types of support do teachers want or expect? What do teachers do when they have tech-related problems or require help using software or IT resources?
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Original Call for participation

Are you interested in sharing how you use technology to support student learning? We are currently looking for educators to submit short proposals for a ‘Digital Showcase’ for the event. The event will *not* feature formal presentations, but instead will allow time for teachers to informally discuss how technology is helping or hindering student learning. The focus should not be on the ‘wow’ effect, i.e. how a *new* technology can be used to do ‘this or that’ activity or project in the classroom, but rather on specific problems, tribulations, outcomes and/or concerns with using technology in education. We have all used technology to some extent, i.e. publishing learning content online or recording student presentations, and we have all most likely wondered at times if technology is helping or hampering the teaching/learning process. If you have used, are using, or are planning to use technology in the classroom and would like to join our discussion, please email Paul (daniels at kochi-tech.ac.jp) with a brief description of your topic for discussion by December 1st. Also, if you have any classroom activities/projects that you have completed in the past, please feel free to prepare a few slides/images to explain how technology has helped and/or hampered the teaching/learning process.

Date: November 18, 2012
Time: 2 PM
Location: Room 811, Faculty of Education, Saiwai Campus, Kagawa University, Takamatsu.

Abstract: This presentation will introduce a commercially-available word prediction system and describe a very preliminary investigation into whether the use of such systems may offer benefits to L2 writers of English.

Word prediction systems attempt to predict what word a user is trying to write, or what word they might want to write next. The user is typically presented with a list of predictions that is updated as they type, and given the option of selecting any of the predictions for insertion into the text. Such systems have been widely used for people who have learned English natively but still struggle with writing, and have been used in mobile devices where typing can be difficult and users can benefit from using fewer keystrokes. Word prediction has not been widely used for L2 writers, though it is reasonable to suspect that certain systems may offer some benefits. In this talk, I will explain the motivation for believing that word prediction may benefit L2 writers, as well as explain some of the reasons for believing that its benefits may be limited. Lastly, I will offer some initial impressions on recent, informal trials of word prediction software with Japanese university students.

Speaker Bio: Robert Swier is a lecturer in English as a foreign language at Kagawa University. His background is in computational linguistics, and he holds degrees in computer science from the University of Rochester and the University of Toronto.

Date: Saturday, May 12, 2012 (1:00-5:30)
Venue: Kochi University, Humanities/Jimbun Bldg, 5th Floor, Meeting Room 1
Sponsors: East Shikoku JALT & Matsuyama JALT
Website: http://esjalt.org
JALT Members and students: free
One-Day Member Fee: 1000 yen
Download the conference handbook here.
Keynote Lecture: Mike Guest (Miyazaki University)
Deculturizing language for communication – Can it be done?
Although most teachers are aware that cultural baggage may be attached to language, explicit ‘culture learning’ in the EFL classroom may actually serve to distance learners psychologically from the target language by presenting yet another communicative hurdle, one that is particularly susceptible to ‘othering’. Perhaps we can relieve students of this burden by taking some leads from the emerging analysis of ELF (English as a Lingua Franca) and – of all things – modern approaches to teaching grammar.
Matsuyama JALT Featured Speaker: Jim Ronald (Hiroshima Shudo University)
Bringing Pragmatics to the Classroom
Pragmatics is in the air we breathe – in how we express what we say or write, in how we catch each other’s meanings or feelings, in how we respond… Except in our language classrooms, where, very often, meaningful language use is filtered out, leaving only sterile, context-free language practice. This English many of our students experience is an alien language: direct, grammar-bound, and unsociable. Through this presentation we will explore various ways to increase real, pragmatics-sensitive communication in the classroom.
OUP Featured Speaker: Grant Trew – (Oxford University Press)
Business English and the TOEIC
Courses for practical workplace English are usually taught separately from test preparation courses, and there is the perception that the skills, language and classroom activities required by each are significantly different.This presentation will look at these two types of courses and show that they are much more similar and complementary than many teachers and students believe.
Presentation sessions:
Jennie Kern: The Effects of Planning and Task Type on Narrative Evaluation
Sean Burgoine: Incorporating Pronunciation Activities into Conversation Classes
Harry Carley & David Paterson: The past, present and future of a Travel English course
Samuel Barclay: Do we have an accurate picture of our students’ vocabulary knowledge?

The annual East Shikoku Tech event brings together local experts in the field of language learning and technology to offer hands on workshops in the following areas:

• The process genre approach to EFL composition
• Creating language learning content for mobile devices
• Using PowerPoint to supplement textbooks
• Introduction to mapping software

Date: December 10, 2011
Location: University of Kochi, Eikokuji Campus.
Time: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM (Year end party to follow at Amigo).
Cost: Free for JALT members, 500 yen for non-JALT members.
Workshop Coordinator: Paul Daniels, Kochi University of Technology
Schedule:
2:00 – 3:00 Davey Leslie: The Life in Kochi Project: Real writing and the process genre approach to EFL composition.
3:00 – 4:00 (electronic poster sessions & mini workshops)
4:00 – 5:00 Paul Daniels: Creating mobile content for language learning
Mini Workshops & Electronic Poster sessions:
Lawrie Hunter: (Workshop) Mind the Map: an introduction to the richness of mapping technology for education
David Grant: iPods in the classroom
Takahiro Ioroi: PowerPoint for developing simple materials for English language teaching
Paul Daniels: A mobile course manager
Davey Leslie: Blogging and EFL Writers
Michael Sharpe: Student Sideshows in Moodle
We are still accepting proposals for electronic poster sessions. Please send a title, short description or your technology enhanced lesson, activity or content to Paul Daniels (paul at hokulele dot us. The proposal deadline is December 7.

Dr. Fred Davidson (http://www.linguistics.illinois.edu/people/fgd), Professor of Linguistics at the University of Illinois, will be giving a workshop on Practical Classroom Language Assessment.
Title: Practical Classroom Language Assessment
Date: Sunday, 30 October
Time: 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Location: University of Kochi Eikokuji Campus, Campus Meeting Room, 2nd floor
Handouts:
Main Workshop Handout (Copies available onsite.)
Supplemental handout of test specs (No copies available onsite. Please download and print or view this PDF file electronically.
Follow up documents are here:
Davidson_Kansai_Kochi_report_Oct2011.pdf
pre-pub_Davidson_Blackwell_Encyclopedia_of_Applied_Linguistics.pdf

Speakers: Gerardine McCrohan and Paul Batten, Kagawa University.
Title: Teaching and Testing communicative strategies.
Date: June 30, 2011
Time: 2pm-3.30pm
Location: Room 411 Education Campus, Kagawa University, Saiwai-cho 1-1, Takamatsu.

Speaker: Mike Byram
Title: Purposes and approaches to foreign language education: universalism or particularism?
Details: The main focus of this talk will be whether language teaching can be ‘universal’ or has to be ‘particularistic’ i.e. with the purposes and aims /objectives specific to each country. This will lead onto dealing with the model of intercultural communicative competence (Byram, 1997). The talk will include a question and answers section.
Date & time: June 28 (Tuesday) – 6:45pm – 9:00pm
Location: Lifelong Learning Center in Umeda (OSAKA)
Main sponsors:

• Framework & Language Portfolio Special Interest Group (FLP SIG), see http://tinyurl.com/CDSLEJB%5D
• East Shikoku Chapter, see https://esjalt.org/eastshikoku/
• Osaka Chapter, see http://osakajalt.squarespace.com/)

Alex Kerr, the author of ‘Lost Japan’ (1994) and ‘Dogs and Demons’ (2002) will talk about his activities at Iya in Tokushima and in other places. This talk is part of the Department’s Japan Studies Program and will be in Japanese.
June 18 (Sat.)
18:00
Room 203