November EVENT

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Date: November 7, 2020

Time: 06:30 -8:00 PM

Join Zoom Meeting : Click on this link

Meeting ID: 977 6432 0264

Passcode: UfUP3W

West Tokyo JALT is happy to announce our 2020 International JALT Conference Preview. Each year, we organize a conference to allow presenters to practice/fine-tune/get feedback on their presentations before debuting them at the International Conference.

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This year JALT International Conference will be held online from November 16-23. Whether your presentation is live via Zoom or pre-recorded, the feedback you can receive from real-time audience members at our preview event could prove valuable.

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The presenters will be happy to hear your feedback on their presentations as well.

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Presentation 1:  A Global Approach in the Eikaiwa Community

Presenter: Tim Andrewartha, The British Council

Abstract:

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While efforts to be more global have been implemented in various English teaching contexts in Japan, the eikaiwa industry seems the least likely place for change to take place. This is because native-speakerism remains a major selling point reflected in the materials and syllabi of most of the English conversation schools in Japan. However, previous research by the presenter (presented at PanSIG 2019) gave important insights into leaner attitudes towards a global approach in eikaiwa. The approach includes listening to global Englishes, based on suggestions by Galloway (2017), and aims to develop cultural awareness, based on suggestions by Yoshida, Yoshiro & Suzuki (2013). The findings showed that while there were some mixed feelings, overall there was a positive tendency. Building on these findings, this approach was implemented in the classroom and a method was designed. This method involves using authentic listening material from the internet as a way to raise awareness of different varieties of English and different cultural perspectives. While it is may take time for major changes to take place in the way English is taught in the eikaiwa classroom, it is felt that this method offers a practical way for teachers to take matters into their own hands, so they can help their learners develop the skills they need to communicate with people from all over the world. Furthermore, if this method is spread throughout the eikaiwa teaching community, and materials are shared and developed together, it may even lead the way to an eikaiwa revolution.

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Presentation 2: Oral presentation skills: A duo-ethnographic study

Presenters: Chhayankdhar Singh Rathore and E Von Wong, Soka University

Abstract:

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One of the possible approaches to building a community of teachers is reflective practice groups wherein teachers come together to make meaning of their experiences and collaborate to create practical strategies based on their insights. Duo-ethnography is a research methodology that can be effectively used for reflective practice as it involves two or more researchers juxtaposing their lived experiences and life histories to analyze and understand a phenomenon (Norris & Sawyer, 2016). In the case of this presentation, two English language instructors teaching at a private university in Japan will analyze the use of oral presentation in English language learning. According to Girard, Pinrar, and Trapp (2011), oral presentation can assist ESL classrooms by increasing students’ learning motivation and prompting participation and interaction. The presentation will begin with an overview of the existing literature on developing oral presentation skills in the English classroom. This will be followed by an introduction to duo-ethnography and then outline the methodology used for this research. The results and findings will be categorized into three areas: the role of oral presentation in the language learning journey of the researchers, the impact of their past experiences on their current teaching beliefs regarding oral presentation, and classroom practices that reflect how the researchers actually focus on developing the oral presentation skills of their students.

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We hope to see you online!

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If you have any questions or comments, you can contact us at