Tag: English

  • 2015 MEES Conference – 2015みちのく英語応用サミット @八戸学院大学

    10403355_1518863631712992_4516237316012140592_n

    全国語学教育学会岩手県地方支部＆八戸学院大学主催
    第２回目みちのく英語応用サミット

    2015 Michinoku English Education Summit

    Co-sponsored by the Iwate Chapter of JALT and Hachinohe Gakuin University

    Sunday, May 31, 2015

    Conference theme:

    “Why can’t we be friends?”
    Reuniting Linguistics and Language Education

    Despite the merits that it can offer language teachers, linguistics often seems divorced from EFL education. The 2015 Michinoku English Education Summit (MEES) aims to provide opportunities for English educators to explore the dynamics between linguistics and EFL education. In doing so, teachers will gain a wealth of new language insights as well as practical teaching ideas. This MEES conference will appeal to any English language educator interested in the relationship between language and language teaching, regardless of their teaching context.

    10903931_1518861335046555_6675990747229926559_ohttps://www.facebook.com/MichinokuEES

  • April 20 meeting with Peter J.Collins from the Foreign Language Center at Tokai University.

    IMG_1528 (1)

    Iwate JALT met on April 20 to discuss “Supplemental Reading Material for Secondary Textbook Lessons.” Our guest speaker was Peter J. Collins, and he had plenty to say about using and making supplemental reading material to complement high school and junior high school textbooks.  He has an extensive background in developing readings for high school students as well as working with textbook makers.

    IMG_1498

    His talk focused on ways English teachers in Japan can move away from the traditional ‘translate and memorize’ method  of doing reading assignments, and introduced a new process for which students get a richer background on optional reading assignments through additional readings that are created by JTEs and give more meaning and context to the material the students are trying to learn. Instead of simple grammar and pattern practice, this method challenges the students to comprehend the passages without the weight of previous ‘yakudoku’ learning to hold them back. Additional supplemental readings can be adjusted for the skill level of each classroom.

    IMG_1482IMG_1487

    While the talk was designed for teachers and ALTs who work with high school and junior high school students, the information could also be useful for those who teach college and private lessons as well. The meeting had participants from all walks of English education, from private teachers to university lecturers.

    IMG_1488

    We want to thank Peter for taking the time out of his busy schedule and sharing his research with us.

     

    Reported by Jason Hill

    All photography ©2014 Jason Hill

  • 1st Annual Michinoku English Education Summit 第１回目北東北英語応用サミット

    Iwate JALT is co-sponsoring this event on May 31 -June 1. If you are interested in joining, it’s 500 yen for JALT members and 1000 yen for non-members. See the link below if you are interested. We hope to see you all there.

    https://www.facebook.com/events/302288609923479/