2014 December 13 | Terry Fellner | Pseudoscience in EFL: What is it and "woo" is responsible?

Terry Fellner

This presentation will focus on the use of several practices and methodologies currently found in language teaching that have little or no scientific evidence to support their use. The presentation begins with an examination of what is meant by the terms “pseudo-science” and “woo” and then provides the audience with a fun pseudoscience demonstration to illustrate how these concept can be easily accepted and misunderstood. This talk will examine the efficacy of the following concepts: learning styles, left/right brain learners, multiple intelligences, and neuro linguistic programming as well as question the teaching and utilization of several common TOEIC test strategies. The presentation concludes with a brief discussion about why it can be difficult to get evidence-based results in EFL contexts and yet, why it is important that we try.

Bio: Terry Fellner is Associate Professor at the Center for General Education at Saga University. He has been a teacher, teacher trainer, researcher, for more than 20 years in Africa, Canada, and Japan. Currently he is the section editor of @CUE in The OnCUE Journal, and his research interests include motivation, vocabulary acquisition, outdoor language learning and L2 reading.

Location: Dejima Koryu Kaikan, 2-11 Dejimamachi, Nagasaki

Fee for JALT members: Free

Fee for one-day members: 1,000 yen, free for students

Contact or Queries: Email contact form

2014 November 21~24 | JALT 2014 International | Conversations Across Borders

JALT2014: Conversations Across Borders

JALT2014: Conversations Across Borders

40th Annual International Conference on Language
Teaching and Learning & Educational Materials Exhibition
Friday, 21 November 2014 - Monday, 24 November 2014
Tsukuba International Congress Center (Epochal Tsukuba)
Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan

2014 November 1 | David Gann | A Four-step process for critical thinking instruction

A Four-step process for critical thinking instruction

Date and Time: Saturday, 1 November 2014 - 2:00pm - 4:00p
Speaker: David Gann

David Gann will present on the materials and resources for critical thinking instruction that he has helped develop over the past four years. These include (1) Critically Minded, a fourteen-episode podcast aimed at explicit instruction of critical thinking as a language-based skill set; (2) online text reconstruction exercises (TREs) of two kinds, the first focusing on argument indicators (AIs), and the second focusing on dialectical discourse items (DDIs) commonly used to initiate various modes of communication related to negotiating shared understandings; (3) online asynchronous computer-mediated communication (CMC) in which learners put the recently learned language and metalanguage to use in real communication and collaboration in a content-based learning environment; and (4) in-class group discussion where learners use the same or similar language in face-to-face communication. He will also discuss the assessment tools that he has developed for tracking students’ progress. Attendees will gain an enhanced understanding of critical thinking instruction and a practical understanding of the resources which they are invited to use in their own classes.

2014 October 12 | Cory Koby | Japanese High School English Curriculum Changes...

Cory Koby

Ready or not, here it comes! Japanese high school English curriculum changes under the new course of study

Date and Time: Sunday, 12 October 2014 - 2:00pm - 4:00pm

Speaker: Cory Koby

Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology introduced its once-in-a-decade “Course of Study” in 2009, and the final phase of the mandated changes took effect in April 2013. Cory will outline the changes in high school English language curriculum, with particular attention paid to what has NOT changed. Teacher and student perceptions, attitudes, and practices will be discussed, and empirical evidence will be presented which illustrate the significant obstacles facing the implementation MEXT’s goal of TLEIE (Teaching and Learning English in English).

Summer Gathering | Nagasaki Dejima Wharf | Dragon World | Meet-n-GreetNagasaki JALT and Friends

Come and join us at Dragon World on Nagasaki's famous Dejima Wharf for a Summer Gathering of Nagasaki JALT and Friends!

Here is a chance to come out and meet some of the group who help organize and manage Nagasaki JALT.

It is a good chance to learn about JALT and what it can offer you. Its also a time to relax and enjoy the beginning of the summer holiday.

2014 July 12 | Rawson / Van Deusen | Blending your Classroom with Moodle

A Moodle Workshop: blending your classroom with Moodle

Date and Time:  Saturday, 12 July 2014 - 2:00pm - 4:00pm

Speakers: Thom Rawson /  Brendan Van Deusen

A bilingual workshop on the Moodle learning management system. Hands on instruction will be given on how to make use of this powerful tool, as well as methods and ideas for integrating it in everyday lessons. All levels of computer literacy will be supported.

Location: Nagasaki International University

Fee for JALT members: Free

Fee for one-day members: 1,000 yen, free for students

Contact or Queries: Email contact form

2014 June 8 | Patricia Daly Oe | Many Lives of the Picture Book

In her first visit to Nagasaki, Patricia Daly Oe gave us an excellent lecture on using picture books in the classroom. She's been in Japan for 27 years and has been teaching all of that time. From about 15 years ago, she started making picture stories for her students since the available materials in English were somewhat limited during that time. As a result, she started making her own stories and in the end some of them ended up getting published.

2014 May 17 | Cecilia Salzer | Teaching Phonics to English Language Learners

In May of 2014, Nagasaki JALT visited Nagasaki Junior College and were treated to a lecture by Cecilia "Sash" Salzer on the methodology for Teaching Phonics to ELLs (English Language Learners). The talk included extensive background on the presenter as well as some tips and ideas for introducing phonics to children.

2014 May 10~11 | PanSIG Conference | Miyazaki Municipal University

Karen Masatsugu presents a
short study abroad project.

I had the privilege to attend the annual PanSIG (http://pansig.org) conference which was hosted in Miyazaki City at the Miyazaki Municipal University (May 10th and 11th). In recollection, Miyazaki City is a really nice place with wide stretching avenues and palm tree lined streets. Being in southern Japan, the climate is warm as are the people who often greeted me in various ways using English decrying a population unafraid of internationalization.

This year's PanSIG format involved a plethora of poster-style discussion groups and forums. There were also some interesting plenary speaker sessions. Although I didn't participate directly in the conference as a presenter, the close quarters and discussion-centric style made for thought-provoking discourse - I was able to take in quite a lot over a short period of time. Here enclosed are some notes and images from the weekend.

2014 April 19 | Brendan Van Deusen | Extensive Reading and Task-basedLearning

Presenting on Extensive Reading
and Task-based Learning

This month we moved the venue from Nagasaki City up to Sasebo and Nagasaki International University for a presentation by Brendan Van Deusen. He took us through the concepts of using Extensive Reading and Task-based learning for the focus of this talk. The details of the presentation/workshop as well as the announcements made at the meeting are contained in these minutes.

2014 January 11 | Andy Boon | Instant Messenger: Journeys of Discoveries

Andy Boon from
Toyo Gakuen University

This month, Nagasaki JALT was privileged to have Andy Boon from Toyo Gakuen University as our guest speaker. He gave two presentations which included his doctoral research project on IMCD as well as methods for moving English learning beyond the classroom. Those topics and the monthly Nagasaki JALT announcements will be covered in this post.