1997 - Fukuoka JALT Events Archive

Fukuoka JALT's Book Fair 1997
Michael Rost, featured speaker
January 26, 1997.
Aproximately 530 people attended this event. There were 25 publishers, and 25 presentations (6 of which were given in Japanese). Pre-fair publicity included an extensive Internet site, which was taken down in April of 1998 to conserve server space.

Tape Exchange Magic
Ken Hartmann
March 30, 1997
Use the old-fashioned tape recorder to put new magic into your students' lives. By sharing his experiences over several years of conducting tape exchanges, Ken Hartmann will teach you the details about how to set up your own successful tape exchange program so that your investment in time will be minimized and the results maximized.
Ken Hartmann is the President of JALT Hokkaido Chapter and the JALT National Chapter Rep Liaison. He has been teaching in Hokkaido for the past thirteen years. He has his own language school and also teaches at the high school and junior college level in Sapporo. Having been born and raised in New York City, he does not require a microphone. He can be contacted by e-mail.

	NOTE: This presentation was also held:
		in Miyazaki on Saturday, March 22 in Kagoshima on Sunday, March 23 in Nagasaki on Saturday, March 29

Creating Critical Thinking
Keith Miller
April 20, 1997
The presenter will provide the opportunity for participants to engage in the creation of critical and higher level thinking skill in the Japanese ESL classroom. Discussion will include how Bloom's taxonomy, task-based learning, thinking skills and megaskills may be used to engage learners in L2 classrooms.
Keith Miller has taught in both the United States and Japan. For the past ten years he has resided in Fukuoka. He holds three graduate degrees, one in Secondary Education, one in Linguistics and one in Curriculum and Instruction. He has published numerous articles within the field of TESL as well as in other fields. His latest textbook by Sebido is entitled 'American Ideas in Japan', a reader designed for the Japanese market which emphasizes schema activation through the use of topics familiar to Japanese students (the Internet, Apple Computers and Nike to mention a few).

New Paradigms in Education
Chris Chase (e-mail chase@seinan-gu.ac.jp)
Sunday, May 18, 1997
This presentation explores the learner-centered reform movement currently transforming the field of education. In classrooms all over the world, the traditional teacher-centered, text-focused educational paradigm is being replaced by a more cooperative, activity-based and learner-centered approach. An overview of the differences and characteristics of these two paradigms will be given. Several of the theoretical frameworks driving current changes will also be presented.
For example, in the field of psychology there is a related paradigm shift now occurring, from a highly mechanistic "defect" model to a more holistic "competence" model of human learning and development. While the defect model held that human talent and inability are innate, the competence model suggests that high levels of mastery can be developed by most people-- given skilled instructors, the right learner attitude and responsive environmental conditions. This more optimistic conception of human ability is also supported by contemporary motivational and cognitive theories, which emphasize the natural way most children self-construct new skills and understandings, by participating actively in challenging situations that interest them.
What implications do these ideas have for English language education in Japan? Several innovative learner-centered approaches and projects will be described. Participants will also be asked to share their thoughts on (and experiences with) this shift in educational paradigms.
Christopher Chase is a former member of the Accelerated Schools Project, an educational reform program currently being implemented in several hundred schools across the United States. He is an author/illustrator published through Intercom Press.

Mailing Lists as Soap Opera
Alexanne Don
June 15, 1997
As part of her research into text-based interaction and social semiotic indicators of group norms and behaviours as revealed in the use of language, Alexanne Don has been participating in a mailing list for over one year. In her presentation, she will discuss features of the ongoing negotiation of 'meaning' within the group that has formed during this time, with particular attention to what she perceives is the context of this interaction. What specific clues about roles and relationships can be retrieved from such interaction, using only lexicogrammatical features and ongoing participation in such a group? One way of viewing this interaction has been to see the whole saga in the light of a type of soap opera, but with a twist: the actors are real people who you haven't met, and you get a chance to have an effect --play a role-- in the unfolding drama.

Our Lives in Japan (a zero-preparation lesson plan)
Neil McClelland
July 13th, 1997
The speaker will present a model communicative language lesson plan based on an idea originally presented by Mario Rinvolucri, but developed to ideally suit the needs of Japanese students. Requiring absolutely no preparation time, this lesson plan has been found by the speaker to work for any group size, ability level, or age (Junior-high school and above). Mixed classes - no problem. Find out how to give your students a great language lesson while at the same time giving yourself a break. Any extra time left over in this workshop will be devoted to a discussion of what constitutes good practice within communicative language teaching.
Neil McClelland has taught in both ESL and EFL contexts in Britain, Thailand and Japan. He currently teaches English in several universities in the North Kyushu area. He is an executive officer of the JALT 'Learner Development' National Special Interest Group. Neil has published widely within the area of Applied Linguistics and is co-author of several EFL textbooks. His current area of research is motivation within the second language classroom, particularly with reference to defining both long and short term learning goals.

Get Your Children Going with Games and Video!
Karen Fraser
Sunday, Sept 28, 1997
Children are apt to get bored easily and often need a variety of language activities to keep them interested. This workshop will demonstrate a variety of effective games and video activities to engage children and keep them motivated. Come along for a fun, stimulating presentation and for lots of easy to use ideas for your children's classes.
Karen Fraser is Product Manager for Children's Material with Longman Japan. She has extensive teaching and teacher-training experience in the field of children's education in Japan.

LET'S GO: Activities for Kids!
Ritsuko Nakata
Sunday, October 26, 1997
The new course, Let's Go Starter, introduces English to students by focusing on the alphabet (grouped according to Ritsuko Nakata's phonetic method), basic phonics and simple language structures through a carefully controlled syllabus. In this active workshop, Ritsuko Nakata will demonstrate activities from this course. Come along to find out what all the excitement is about.
Ritsuko Nataka, very well-known among teachers of children, is chairperson of AETC, director of IIEEC Teacher Training Center, and co-author of Let's Go (Oxford University Press).

Text Books for Conversation: a Contradiction
Paul Shimizu
Sunday, December 7, 1997
Using text books for conversation is a contradiction in terms. However many of us need a text book to give us and our students some kind of guidance and comfort. This workshop will look at a few texts and attempt to draw the student away from dependency on the text while at the same time using the text as a catalyst for conversation. Sponsored by Intercom Press.
Paul Shimizu, teacher and editor, currently teaches at Futaba High School. He has taught for more than 20 years.