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A chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching
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Upcoming Fukuoka JALT events:
Fukuoka Chapter is proud to announce that Fiona Kanemura is presenting at the JALT2022 Conference as our chapter's "First Time International Conference Presenter." Fiona presented for our chapter in April.
What is the First Time International Conference Presenters Program?
The purpose of this program is to encourage first time national presenters. It allows first time presenters to skip the normal vetting process. JALT administers this program through the JALT chapters. The speaker must be someone who has never presented at the Annual JALT Conference before, and someone who has given a presentation at our chapter.
The JALT Annual International Conference on Language Teaching and Learning will be held November 11-14, 2022, at the Fukuoka International Congress Center. Please see jalt.org/conference for full details.
What is the First Time International Conference Presenters Program?
The purpose of this program is to encourage first time national presenters. It allows first time presenters to skip the normal vetting process. JALT administers this program through the JALT chapters. The speaker must be someone who has never presented at the Annual JALT Conference before, and someone who has given a presentation at our chapter.
The JALT Annual International Conference on Language Teaching and Learning will be held November 11-14, 2022, at the Fukuoka International Congress Center. Please see jalt.org/conference for full details.
What's happening around JALT?
With so many JALT events going online, it's possible to participate in chapter events all across the country.
Look at the always-updating list on JALT's website, www.jalt.org/events.
Look at the always-updating list on JALT's website, www.jalt.org/events.
Past Fukuoka JALT events:
(For last year's events, please see our 2021 archive page.)
15 January 2022 (Saturday)
How to write a better abstract for JALT2022
18:00 - 20:00 on Zoom
The room will be open from around 5pm.
Conference presentation proposals for JALT2022 are due February 13th, and, since it will be held here in Fukuoka, it's a great opportunity to present at a major conference without spending a lot of money on transportation. However, getting your submission accepted can be difficult. Here's your chance to learn from seasoned veterans how you can improve your submission. We'll start with analysis of actual submissions and the submission rules, and how to choose the best format for your topic. We'll go over the main "gotchas" that will sink your application immediately, and talk about best practice when it comes to writing. We'll also split up into breakout rooms to do some tasks, such as peer review of your abstracts and brainstorming sessions.
Feel free to bring:
Feel free to bring:
- a new submission you're working on
- a submission that was rejected in a previous year
- your PanSIG 2022 submission, if you hope to revise it for JALT2022
29 January 2022 (Saturday)
Teaching Entrepreneurship Through Experiential Learning
Steve Quasha, Daniel Mills
The rate of women entrepreneurs in Japan is abysmally low compared to other nations. In fact, Japan ranks last among OECD countries, and data indicates that a mere 17% of Japanese women declared to have knowledge about starting or growing their own business. The current situation indicates the need for learning materials that not only introduce the topic of entrepreneurship to all students but also showcase female models of business success. To this end, the presenters have created a series of experiential learning materials centered around a strong female character, Mirai Takahashi, who is in the process of launching a business start-up with the guidance of her mentor, Catherine Sakamoto. Through Takahashi’s successes and failures, students experience the risks and rewards of starting their own company.
This workshop will showcase how to utilize these materials and demonstrate how perceptions of entrepreneurship, gender equality, and digital transformation in business are crucial for students. The presenters will describe their current efforts to gather both quantitative and qualitative data for these studies and share their initial results.
Steven E. Quasha is an associate professor in the Faculty of Modern Management at Sugiyama Jogakuen University in Nagoya. He holds an MA in Asian Studies from San Diego State University and an MA in TESOL from Macquarie University. He also has a teacher trainer certificate from the School for International Training (SIT). His research interests include language assessment, business English, and using technology in the classroom.
Daniel J. Mills is an associate professor at Ritsumeikan University in the Faculty of Economics and holds an MS.Ed. in TESOL from Shenandoah University along with an Ed.D. in Instructional Technology from the University of Wyoming. His research interests include Informal Learning with Technology, Mobile Learning, and Technology Adoption.
This workshop will showcase how to utilize these materials and demonstrate how perceptions of entrepreneurship, gender equality, and digital transformation in business are crucial for students. The presenters will describe their current efforts to gather both quantitative and qualitative data for these studies and share their initial results.
Steven E. Quasha is an associate professor in the Faculty of Modern Management at Sugiyama Jogakuen University in Nagoya. He holds an MA in Asian Studies from San Diego State University and an MA in TESOL from Macquarie University. He also has a teacher trainer certificate from the School for International Training (SIT). His research interests include language assessment, business English, and using technology in the classroom.
Daniel J. Mills is an associate professor at Ritsumeikan University in the Faculty of Economics and holds an MS.Ed. in TESOL from Shenandoah University along with an Ed.D. in Instructional Technology from the University of Wyoming. His research interests include Informal Learning with Technology, Mobile Learning, and Technology Adoption.
26 February 2022 (Saturday)
Narrative Inquiry into ALT Identity
Takaaki Hiratsuka
For over three decades, hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals have set foot on Japanese soil as foreign assistant language teachers (ALTs) through the government-sponsored Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) program. The job of the ALTs is to teach English in elementary and secondary schools, in tandem with Japanese teachers of English (JTEs). Although there is an apparent need for scrutiny of the lived experiences of ALTs in their situated contexts, empirical discussion and research addressing them have been remarkably insufficient, as previous studies have focused primarily on the advantages and shortcomings of individual teachers and the characteristics of their team-teaching practices. Against this backdrop, the study on which this presentation is based explored, via narrative interviews, the identities and their constructions of 25 ALTs in the JET program. It is of critical importance to understand the complexities of ALT identity because how we view ourselves, how we project ourselves to others, and how others perceive us impact all aspects of our professional and private lives, including our beliefs, emotions, development, and practices. The findings revealed that the gestalt of ALT identity is comprised of two primary categories, foreigner identity and dabbler identity, and their six incumbent sub-identities (i.e., celebrity, sojourner, English expert, assistant, greenhorn, and Japanese novice). The presentation concludes with implications for teacher education and identity research.
Takaaki Hiratsuka is an associate professor at Ryukoku University in Kyoto, Japan, where he teaches a range of applied linguistics courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. He received his PhD in language teaching and learning from the University of Auckland, New Zealand. His research and teaching interests lie in the areas of teacher education, teacher research, and qualitative research methods (in particular, narrative inquiry and classroom-based research). His recent publications include: Narrative inquiry into ALT identity in the JET program (2022, Routledge) and Team teachers in Japan: Beliefs, identities, and emotions (forthcoming).
Takaaki Hiratsuka is an associate professor at Ryukoku University in Kyoto, Japan, where he teaches a range of applied linguistics courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. He received his PhD in language teaching and learning from the University of Auckland, New Zealand. His research and teaching interests lie in the areas of teacher education, teacher research, and qualitative research methods (in particular, narrative inquiry and classroom-based research). His recent publications include: Narrative inquiry into ALT identity in the JET program (2022, Routledge) and Team teachers in Japan: Beliefs, identities, and emotions (forthcoming).
12 March 2022 (Saturday)
"Local Practice: Short presentations of practical ideas, approaches, and experiences from local teachers"
Christopher Chase, Lisa M. Hunsberger, and Soren Leaver
In a new initiative for Fukuoka JALT for 2022, throughout the year we plan to hold a two or three events focused purely on the day-to-day practicalities of teaching, with three local speakers each giving a short presentation on something that's worked well for them in the classroom. Hopefully, with a diversity of topics and contexts being discussed, everyone will be able to take something away to try in their own classes right away. Join us for the first in the series on March 12.
Furthermore - if you've got an idea that you could present on, please be in touch. All sorts of teachers in all teaching contexts are welcome! And further still - if you'd like to nominate a colleague or fellow teacher whose teaching ideas you'd like to hear more about, please either suggest the idea to them or let us know.
Managing Group Work Effectively for Writing Classes
Christopher Chase
This presentation will share an efficient teamwork strategy I've used over the last few decades that gives students primary responsibility for correcting drafts and proof-reading each other's work. My experience is that shifting editing tasks to the students helps them sharpen their writing skills and frees up time for the teacher to meet with students individually during class. It also greatly reduces time I spend as a teacher correcting papers outside of class.
Presentation Design Ideas For Maintaining Students' Attention
Lisa M. Hunsberger
Let's explore together a few ideas on how we can design more attractive slides that will help capture and keep our students' attention. I'll share activities that you can incorporate into your presentations that help increase engagement, and I'll show examples of how I've done this in the classroom. I hope to hear about the things you've done too, so come prepared to learn and share. This talk will be ideal for intermediate PowerPoint and Keynote users, but beginners and advanced users are welcome.
Thinking Inside the Box with FlipGrid
Soren Leaver
In this presentation, I will talk about my experience using the video-sharing website Flipgrid with university students in English conversation classes. Primarily, I will discuss how Flipgrid became a platform for my students to speak English outside of the classroom, as well as a tool for them to get to know one another. I will also mention my students opinions about the website, and examine a couple of the its drawbacks.
Furthermore - if you've got an idea that you could present on, please be in touch. All sorts of teachers in all teaching contexts are welcome! And further still - if you'd like to nominate a colleague or fellow teacher whose teaching ideas you'd like to hear more about, please either suggest the idea to them or let us know.
Managing Group Work Effectively for Writing Classes
Christopher Chase
This presentation will share an efficient teamwork strategy I've used over the last few decades that gives students primary responsibility for correcting drafts and proof-reading each other's work. My experience is that shifting editing tasks to the students helps them sharpen their writing skills and frees up time for the teacher to meet with students individually during class. It also greatly reduces time I spend as a teacher correcting papers outside of class.
Presentation Design Ideas For Maintaining Students' Attention
Lisa M. Hunsberger
Let's explore together a few ideas on how we can design more attractive slides that will help capture and keep our students' attention. I'll share activities that you can incorporate into your presentations that help increase engagement, and I'll show examples of how I've done this in the classroom. I hope to hear about the things you've done too, so come prepared to learn and share. This talk will be ideal for intermediate PowerPoint and Keynote users, but beginners and advanced users are welcome.
Thinking Inside the Box with FlipGrid
Soren Leaver
In this presentation, I will talk about my experience using the video-sharing website Flipgrid with university students in English conversation classes. Primarily, I will discuss how Flipgrid became a platform for my students to speak English outside of the classroom, as well as a tool for them to get to know one another. I will also mention my students opinions about the website, and examine a couple of the its drawbacks.
16 April 2022 (Saturday)
Motivating the English Language Learner
Fiona Kanemura
Online, on Zoom.
This presentation will be about motivational strategies EFL instructors can use in the classroom and how to increase EFL learners' confidence in studying English through collaboration amongst English teachers. Research has demonstrated that teacher motivation, cooperative learning, and peer assessment in the EFL classroom can motivate students. Teachers need to give the EFL language learners reasons to excel in English as a foreign language. If students can identify with these reasons, such as recognizing that they will need English to find a job after graduating from university, that it is not impossible to master the English language skill, and it is fun to study, then these reasons will pique their interest in the subject.
My name is Fiona Kanemura. I am a trained teacher and have been teaching for the past 16 years. I currently teach English at Kyushu International University and Shimonoseki City University. In addition, I am currently a doctoral student at Concordia University Chicago. My areas of interest are curriculum design, motivation, teaching methodologies, and motivation.
My name is Fiona Kanemura. I am a trained teacher and have been teaching for the past 16 years. I currently teach English at Kyushu International University and Shimonoseki City University. In addition, I am currently a doctoral student at Concordia University Chicago. My areas of interest are curriculum design, motivation, teaching methodologies, and motivation.
28 May 2022 (Saturday)
Serving Study Abroad in the Japanese Context
Lyndell Nagashima, J. Andras Molnar (from the JALT Study Abroad SIG)
This presentation describes the Study Abroad SIG by the Coordinator and the Treasurer, held by Lyndell Nagashima and Andras Molnar respectively. Lyndell will explain the various SIG functions, the individual officers, and how she offers oversight. Andras will discuss the Treasurer’s role, and how this position supports SIG activities such as the annual conference, publications, and involvement in JALT. Together, we will also discuss our reasons for joining SA SIG, and the different opportunities that have arisen as a result. As a SIG, our members share the same research interest thus making involvement particularly rewarding on multiple levels.
BIOs:
I, Lyndell Nagashima, have been involved in JALT since 2007. This was the first time I attended the JALT conference. I later became more involved through Study Abroad SIG where my research interests lie. After serving as the Social Chair, I became the Coordinator in 2018, and have since learned a great deal from members, events, and leading our capable team of officers. After a second MA, I have continued into a PhD where I hope to understand more about international sojourns and contribute to the academic community in this field.
My name is J. Andras Molnar, the Study Abroad SIG Treasurer. I am working in the Early Childhood Development Department at Kinjo Gakuin University in Nagoya as a full-time (non-tenure) Associate Professor. My students are studying to become future English teachers at the elementary and junior high school level.
I joined the SA SIG to engage in a community of researchers with similar interests. Study abroad has had a huge impact on my like since my first experience as a high school exchange student in Aomori. As a researcher, I am interested in how to maximize the study abroad experience for students by investigating study abroad coping strategies and motivation maintenance.
BIOs:
I, Lyndell Nagashima, have been involved in JALT since 2007. This was the first time I attended the JALT conference. I later became more involved through Study Abroad SIG where my research interests lie. After serving as the Social Chair, I became the Coordinator in 2018, and have since learned a great deal from members, events, and leading our capable team of officers. After a second MA, I have continued into a PhD where I hope to understand more about international sojourns and contribute to the academic community in this field.
My name is J. Andras Molnar, the Study Abroad SIG Treasurer. I am working in the Early Childhood Development Department at Kinjo Gakuin University in Nagoya as a full-time (non-tenure) Associate Professor. My students are studying to become future English teachers at the elementary and junior high school level.
I joined the SA SIG to engage in a community of researchers with similar interests. Study abroad has had a huge impact on my like since my first experience as a high school exchange student in Aomori. As a researcher, I am interested in how to maximize the study abroad experience for students by investigating study abroad coping strategies and motivation maintenance.
29 October 2022:
Fukuoka JALT 2022 Annual General Meeting
UPDATE: 30 October 2022
The results of this year's election process are as follows:
Chapter president: Trevor Holster
Program Chair: Trevor Holster
Membership Chair: Chiaki Lawler
Publicity Chair: Bill Pellowe
Treasurer: Tim Pritchard
Election of Fukuoka JALT officers
As a JALT chapter, we are required to hold an AGM at which we carry out an annual election of officers. Hopefully, this will be the final year in which the exceptional circumstances of having not been running in-person events makes it necessary to strain the wording of our constitution and by-laws regarding the election, and once again we might not be able to follow our own rules and procedures precisely to the letter. However, again, every step of the process will be carried out with transparency, and any and all communications will be addressed as promptly as possible.
Any Fukuoka JALT chapter member may run for any of our five “core” positions. Candidates are welcome to nominate themselves or can be nominated by another member. If you are a Fukuoka JALT member and you'd like to run for any of the core positions, or if you’d like to volunteer to take on an appointed position (assisting an officer, or in another capacity), then please contact Steve Paton (fukuokajaltpresident@gmail.com) as soon as possible, and certainly before October 22 (which we will consider the deadline for nominations).
Core positions and the officers who currently hold them:
Chapter President: Steve Paton
Membership Chair: Chiaki Lawler
Program Chair: Trevor Holster
Publicity Chair: Bill Pellowe
Treasurer: Tim Pritchard
Appointed positions and the officers who hold them:
Member at large: Miki Tokunaga (Assistant Publicity Chair)
Member At Large: Dominic Marini (Assistant Membership Chair)
Member At Large: J. Lake (Assistant Program Chair)
For an overview of what officers do, please take a look at the description of each position in our chapter constitution, http://www.fukuokajalt.org/about.html
In the event that any appointed officer position is contested, we will announce the names of candidates for each office at the October 29 AGM, and then we will send an email to each Fukuoka JALT member on our current membership list announcing the details of an online election.
A new Chapter President is required
Having been in the position since early 2019, Steve Paton is stepping down as Chapter President. Nominations are sought for a replacement.
Volunteer for an assistant officer position
Being in an assistant position entails helping the officer, and possibly occasionally substitute for him/her at a meeting or in the execution of that chair’s duties. You might also take on some of the responsibilities of the position, lightening the burden of the officer. If you can help by becoming an assistant officer, PLEASE do.
Fukuoka JALT doesn’t run itself!
We would very much like to have some more hands on deck. Many hands make light work, and the more input and ideas we get, the better a chapter we’ll have. JALT is run by members FOR members.
You must be a JALT member to be an officer or an assistant chair.
If you’re considering offering your help in this way, please contact Steve Paton at fukuokajaltpresident@gmail.com, or contact the current officer to find out what kind of help they might need.
Fukuoka JALT 2022 Annual General Meeting
UPDATE: 30 October 2022
The results of this year's election process are as follows:
Chapter president: Trevor Holster
Program Chair: Trevor Holster
Membership Chair: Chiaki Lawler
Publicity Chair: Bill Pellowe
Treasurer: Tim Pritchard
Election of Fukuoka JALT officers
As a JALT chapter, we are required to hold an AGM at which we carry out an annual election of officers. Hopefully, this will be the final year in which the exceptional circumstances of having not been running in-person events makes it necessary to strain the wording of our constitution and by-laws regarding the election, and once again we might not be able to follow our own rules and procedures precisely to the letter. However, again, every step of the process will be carried out with transparency, and any and all communications will be addressed as promptly as possible.
Any Fukuoka JALT chapter member may run for any of our five “core” positions. Candidates are welcome to nominate themselves or can be nominated by another member. If you are a Fukuoka JALT member and you'd like to run for any of the core positions, or if you’d like to volunteer to take on an appointed position (assisting an officer, or in another capacity), then please contact Steve Paton (fukuokajaltpresident@gmail.com) as soon as possible, and certainly before October 22 (which we will consider the deadline for nominations).
Core positions and the officers who currently hold them:
Chapter President: Steve Paton
Membership Chair: Chiaki Lawler
Program Chair: Trevor Holster
Publicity Chair: Bill Pellowe
Treasurer: Tim Pritchard
Appointed positions and the officers who hold them:
Member at large: Miki Tokunaga (Assistant Publicity Chair)
Member At Large: Dominic Marini (Assistant Membership Chair)
Member At Large: J. Lake (Assistant Program Chair)
For an overview of what officers do, please take a look at the description of each position in our chapter constitution, http://www.fukuokajalt.org/about.html
In the event that any appointed officer position is contested, we will announce the names of candidates for each office at the October 29 AGM, and then we will send an email to each Fukuoka JALT member on our current membership list announcing the details of an online election.
A new Chapter President is required
Having been in the position since early 2019, Steve Paton is stepping down as Chapter President. Nominations are sought for a replacement.
Volunteer for an assistant officer position
Being in an assistant position entails helping the officer, and possibly occasionally substitute for him/her at a meeting or in the execution of that chair’s duties. You might also take on some of the responsibilities of the position, lightening the burden of the officer. If you can help by becoming an assistant officer, PLEASE do.
Fukuoka JALT doesn’t run itself!
We would very much like to have some more hands on deck. Many hands make light work, and the more input and ideas we get, the better a chapter we’ll have. JALT is run by members FOR members.
You must be a JALT member to be an officer or an assistant chair.
If you’re considering offering your help in this way, please contact Steve Paton at fukuokajaltpresident@gmail.com, or contact the current officer to find out what kind of help they might need.
Special announcement: attendance fees for regular presentations.
Fukuoka JALT meetings have always been free for JALT members, and any non-members have paid 1,000円 at the door for each event. When we began holding our events online in mid-2020 we opened them up to everyone for free. However, this is somewhat unsustainable in the longer term, so we are now asking non-JALT-members to pay 500円 to attend our online presentations. There’s no strict requirement that you do so before the event, so if you’re reading this 10 minutes before the meeting starts, please come along and worry about the details later!
We're doing this on a very simple "honor" system. If you're not a JALT member and would like to attend this or any subsequent online Fukuoka JALT presentation, please pay 500円, via PayPal, to fukuokajalttreasury@gmail.com . JALT members (of any chapter) don’t need to pay anything.
If you don't have a credit card, please contact that address for bank transfer details. And if it's all a bit confusing and complicated - then make a mental note that you owe Fukuoka JALT 500 yen and pay us back at a future in-person event. Easy. We'd like to have as many people as possible at our online events, and want to make it as simple as possible for people to participate at the same time as covering our costs.
Fukuoka JALT meetings have always been free for JALT members, and any non-members have paid 1,000円 at the door for each event. When we began holding our events online in mid-2020 we opened them up to everyone for free. However, this is somewhat unsustainable in the longer term, so we are now asking non-JALT-members to pay 500円 to attend our online presentations. There’s no strict requirement that you do so before the event, so if you’re reading this 10 minutes before the meeting starts, please come along and worry about the details later!
We're doing this on a very simple "honor" system. If you're not a JALT member and would like to attend this or any subsequent online Fukuoka JALT presentation, please pay 500円, via PayPal, to fukuokajalttreasury@gmail.com . JALT members (of any chapter) don’t need to pay anything.
If you don't have a credit card, please contact that address for bank transfer details. And if it's all a bit confusing and complicated - then make a mental note that you owe Fukuoka JALT 500 yen and pay us back at a future in-person event. Easy. We'd like to have as many people as possible at our online events, and want to make it as simple as possible for people to participate at the same time as covering our costs.