Tag: talk

  • Upcoming Event: TILES2022 – Sunday September 25

  • Upcoming – Daniel Newbury – Google Education Suite

    Event Speaker: Daniel Newbury
    Fee for JALT members: free
    Fee for non-JALT members: 1000 yen (500 yen for students)
    Contact or Queries: iwatejalt@hotmail.com
    Date and Time: Sunday, January 27, 2019 – 1:30pm to 4:30pm
    Location: AIINA in Morioka Rm 809 – View Map

     

    Note: The speaker will be referencing Google during their talk. Participants are encouraged to bring a smartphone, tablet or laptop with cellular connectivity. There is no reliable Wi-Fi connectivity at the presentation site.

    Abstract:

    Do more with less by leveraging Google Education productivity tools to support improved learning outcomes while reducing your workload. Google’s search engine is the world’s most used search engine, but it’s lesser known Google Classroom suite provides a set of tools for fostering engagement and productivity in the classroom. Everything from testing, content delivery, and collaboration can be streamlined and improved through this free Google-driven toolbox. In this presentation I will provide hands-on lessons in maximizing this powerful tool so that you can provide superior results in your teaching.

    Units of study in speaking textbooks often culminate in a cumulative end-of-unit task. These tasks are valuable to learners in both their preparation and performance. As useful as these tasks are, their complexity can result in disappointing outcomes that leave both learners and the teacher befuddled. I will explore different ways to get the most out of these tasks and turn them into tools for supporting learning in the oral communication classroom.

    Bio:

    Daniel Newbury’s research interests are integrating technology with language learning and designing tasks that balance fluency and accuracy. Dan is associate professor at Fuji University.

     

  • Upcoming: Sept 25- David Gann – Sustainable Language-based Critical Thinking Instruction

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    Date and Time: Sunday, 25 September – 1:30pm – 4:30pm
    Speaker: David Gann
    Location: AIINA Rm 817 (map https://goo.gl/maps/kEQo5UV2jPr)
    Fee for JALT members: Free
    Fee for one-day members: 1,000 yen (500 yen for students)

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    I hope everyone had a great summer. I’m back from a short sojourn to  Canada and the U.S. Now that I’ve returned, we can get down to business for the fall season. Here is our September event. I’m looking forward to this one.

     

    Sustainable Language-based Critical Thinking Instruction

    The presenter will report on the first in his multi-step course design for aiding students in the development of critical thinking competence and dialectical discourse. These steps include (1) intake of explicit instruction in argument analysis delivered via podcast; (2) completion of two types of online text reconstruction exercises specially designed to facilitate noticing of (a) salient textual features associated with various premise-conclusion constructions; and (b) dialectical discourse items used in professional, academic and civil discourse; (3) online discussion threads concerning either (a) issues raised in the textbook during Freshman English; or (b) problem solving, hypothesis testing and data interpretation during subsequent Integrated Skills courses; and collaborative writing via online documents; (4) speaking tests, during which students draw upon their recent discussion thread communications; (5) assessment based on the use of the aforementioned language items, followed by meaningful feedback; and (6) how a technological solution helped the course design and approach reach sustainability. The presenter will explain the rationale behind the various steps; pedagogical considerations that informed various technological aspects of production and delivery; how the podcast material was connected to in-class activity; and how well the course design was received by our students.

     

    Bio

    Originally from the U.S., David Gann moved to Japan and began teaching in 1996, after earning an M.A. in English literature. In 2010, he began co-producing Critically Minded Podcast. That same year he also co-founded JALT Critical Thinking SIG. Since 2012, he has taught as Assistant Professor at Tokyo University of Science, where he has continued to develop materials for critical thinking instruction. In 2013, he completed a second M.A. in Educational Technologies and TESOL at the University of Manchester. His main interests include critical thinking instruction, CALL and learner autonomy.