JACET　ESP SIG Kanto
May 2012 Meeting 

Date:　　　May 19th, 2012 (Sat)　15:00 ～17:00 15:00~16:00 Presentation, Q&A

16:10~17:00 Business Meeting

Venue: 　Shibaura Institute of Technology, Toyosu Campus
Main Conference Room on the 5F in Research Building
http://www.shibaura-it.ac.jp/access/index.html
http://www.shibaura-it.ac.jp/access/toyosu_map.html

Presentation: Using and Adapting Authentic Materials
to Help Motivate Students
by
Richard Pinner

Presentation Abstract: Authenticity is often seen as a desirable component in the content we select and adapt for our language learners. It has been shown that authentic materials are more motivating, even for low-level learners, than inauthentic or contrived materials (Peacock, 1997). It is also likely that the increased focus on content rather than the “transm[ition of] declarative knowledge” (Tomlinson & Masuhara, 2010) will make authentic materials more motivating for the teacher as well as the students. Teachers who are motivated in their subject will be more motivating for their students. This course will present various definitions of authenticity and examine ways to select and adapt authentic materials to use with students as a way of exposing them to other cultures and ways of thinking. Special emphasis will be placed on using authentic materials for low-level students. The course will also look at ESP or subject-specific materials. The role between student and teacher motivation will also be examined.

Profile of the Presenter:
Richard Pinner is a PhD candidate at The University of Warwick and holds an MA from King`s College, London. He is currently researching into Authenticity and Motivation in Language Learning. He currently teaches on a part-time basis at Shibaura Institute of Technology, Sophia University and Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. He has been teaching since 2004 and has worked in London and Tokyo. He also works as a teacher trainer, particularly on areas such as implementing technology and materials development. His publications and conference presentations are available on his blog at http://www.engnet-education.com

Reference
Peacock, M. (1997a) ‘The effect of authentic materials on the motivation of EFL learners’ ELT Journal, 5 (12) (pp. 144-156)
Tomlinson, B. & Masuhara, H. (Eds.) (2010) Research for Materials Development in Language Learning London: Continuum

The CEFR in general, the CEFR in  Japan, the CEFR and ESP

This will be followed by an introduction/invitation to the: FLP SIG Kaken project, which will research and develop CEFR-informed materials and textbooks.

Venue: Tokai University, Takanawa Campus, Room 4304

(about a 15 min. walk from Shinagawa station or 7 min. walk from Shirogane-takanawa, see

http://www.u-tokai.ac.jp/international/campus/takanawa.html).

Date: July 7, 2012 (Sat.) Time: 3 to 5:30pm

Schedule: 3-4pm The CEFR and its application to ESP instruction (15 min. break)

4:15 to 5:15pm Introduction/invitation to the FLP SIG Kaken project

 If interested, we may go out for a drink and/or light meal nearby afterwards. Registration by email is necessary. Please send an email indicating your name and affiliation, with a subject line of [ESP FLP event registration] to <espflpevent@gmail.com> by Monday, June 25th

Website with latest information: http://tinyurl.com/CEFRESP

3-4pm The CEFR and its application to ESP instruction

(Morten Hunke, Alexander Imig, Fergus O’Dwyer & Maria Gabriela Schmidt)

This presentation will first outline the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in general. We start to explain its development and implementation in Europe, along with the fundamental principles and practices related to the CEFR. In general it can be said that the CEFR tremendous potential for language learning, and it has had a profound effect on language teaching in the European context and beyond . especially in higher and adult education.

 The next phase of the talk will outline the potential and actual affects on language education in Japan, and refer to specific examples from classroom and institutional contexts. With the great demand of quality assurance (in particular the higher education sector), the considerable influence of the CEFR is expected to increase.

 The final section of the talk will deal with the possible relationships between the CEFR and English for Special Purposes (ESP) pedagogy. Throughout the presentation the presenters will emphasize teamwork, and participants will work together to answer relevant questions regarding this final topic. 4:15 to 5:15pm Introduction/invitation to the FLP SIG Kaken project (Naoyuki Naganuma, Alexander Imig & Fergus O’Dwyer)

Explain about a government-funded research project, conducted by FLP SIG members, that will research and develop CEFR-informed materials and textbook. This will lead onto discussion of possible future participation in the project by interested parties.

The purpose of this research is to develop an English language integrated skills textbooks that suitably adapt and apply the CEFR for the higher education context in Japan. Furthermore, in order to support learner and teacher autonomy and to support the classroom implementation of the text, we will aim to develop supplementary learning materials such as a language portfolio, and autonomy-promoting resources.

In the initial year of the project, in order to assess the need and availability of CEFR-informed resources, we will conduct basic research that analyses texts in relations to the correlations to the CEFR, a survey of teacher needs, and gather examples of actual classroom practices in Japan. In the following year, we will develop the textbook materials, with a piloting of the text to determine effectiveness and to assess the need for revisions in the final year. In the main part of the presentation we will overview current progress, and address some issues related to teacher needs and classroom practices. There will be a chance for interaction throughout proceedings.

Bio of presenters:

Morten Hunke (Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Aoyama Gakuin University) was educated in Germany, Ireland, and Sweden. Before coming to Japan he has been working teaching a number of languages in England, Germany, and Sweden. He is keen to help students improve their communicative skills using the CEFR and helping them to become more autonomous in their own learning.

 Alexander Imig (Chukyo University), has been teaching German as a second language since 1991, with previous positions in Berlin and Prague. He was a lecturer at Aichi Prefectural University from 2001 to 2007 and has been an associate professor at Chukyo University in Nagoya since April 2008. His fields of study include rhetoric and curriculum development, especially in multilingual circumstances.

Naoyuki Naganuma, Ph.D., is a lecturer at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. His research interests are mainly language learning motivation and language testing. He was a committee member of several Super English Language High Schools (SELHi).

Fergus O’Dwyer is currently based at Osaka University. His current interests include assessment, the implementation of the CEFR, cultural conceptualisations, and Dublin, Irish and World Englishes.

 Maria Gabriela Schmidt, MA in Philosophy, Ph.D. in Comparative Linguistics, has taught German in several institutions in Japan since 1998. She is interested in understanding linguistically and pragmatically the culture of spoken language, and is hooked on the CEFR and its useful implications for language teaching. SIG ESP関東

The final section of the talk will deal with the possible relationships between the CEFR and English for Special Purposes (ESP) pedagogy. Throughout the presentation the presenters will emphasize teamwork, and participants will work together to answer relevant questions regarding this final topic.

 4:15 to 5:15pm Introduction/invitation to the FLP SIG Kaken project

(Naoyuki Naganuma, Alexander Imig & Fergus O’Dwyer)

Explain about a government-funded research project, conducted by FLP SIG members, that will research and develop CEFR-informed materials and textbook. This will lead onto discussion of possible future participation in the project by interested parties.

The purpose of this research is to develop an English language integrated skills textbooks that suitably adapt and apply the CEFR for the higher education context in Japan. Furthermore, in order to support learner and teacher autonomy and to support the classroom implementation of the text, we will aim to develop supplementary learning materials such as a language portfolio, and autonomy-promoting resources.

In the initial year of the project, in order to assess the need and availability of CEFR-informed resources, we will conduct basic research that analyses texts in relations to the correlations to the CEFR, a survey of teacher needs, and gather examples of actual classroom practices in Japan. In the following year, we will develop the textbook materials, with a piloting of the text to determine effectiveness and to assess the need for revisions in the final year. In the main part of the presentation we will overview current progress, and address some issues related to teacher needs and classroom practices. There will be a chance for interaction throughout proceedings.

JACET　ESP SIG Kanto October 2012 Meeting

Date:　　October 20th, 2012 (Sat)　15:00 ～17:00 15:00~16:00 Presentation, Q&A
16:10~17:00 Business Meeting Venue: Tokai University, Takanawa Campus 東海大学高輪キャンパス Room 4304

東京メトロ南北線・都営地下鉄三田線「白金高輪駅Shiroganetakanawa」下車、Exit１から左に進み、徒歩約８min 都営地下鉄浅草線「泉岳寺駅(sengakuji)」下車、Exit A２より徒歩約10min JR・京浜急行「品川駅(shinagwa)」下車、高輪口より徒歩約18minMaps:

in Japanese http://www.u-tokai.ac.jp/info/traffic_map/index.html
in English http://www.u-tokai.ac.jp/international/campus/takanawa.html

Presentation: A short-term university ESP exchange program:
Issues and challenges

by
Yo In’nami

Presentation Abstract:
Given the current widespread status of the English language as a lingua franca in the academia and in nearly every science and technology sector, the importance of English skills for engineering students cannot be overstated. Such skills are becoming increasingly indispensable for engineers wanting to stay connected with the latest research and developments in the field. To meet these demands, English for specific purposes (ESP) nurtures capable and dependable engineers who are proficient in English. This presentation reports on an ESP program at Toyohashi University of Technology. This is a short-term exchange program with the Institute of Technology, Bandung, in Indonesia. The presentation starts with the program’s background and outlines, followed by a comparative analysis of students’ comments before and after participating in the program. Issues and challenges are discussed, with the hope that the findings and implications will prove useful for improving ESP exchange programs further.

Profile of the Presenter:
Yo In’nami is an Associate Professor of English at Shibaura Institute of Technology. He is also a PhD candidate’s adviser and an external PhD examiner at Temple University, Japan Campus. As an adjunct lecturer at the University of Tsukuba, Japan, he taught postgraduate courses on structural equation modeling and meta-analysis. Additionally, he is a member of the AILA Research Network on Research Synthesis and Meta-Analysis (conveners John Norris, Lourdes Ortega, and Luke Plonsky). He is currently interested in longitudinal measurement of change in language proficiency. His most recent work is an article coauthored with Rie Koizumi entitled “Statistics for test revisions” for Antony Kunnan’s book “Companion to language assessment” (to be published by Wiley-Blackwell). His website can be found at https://sites.google.com/site/yoinnami/

Contact： Reiko Fujita (Tokai University)
Kayoko Murakami  (Shibaura Institute of Technology)
Charlie Robertson (Aoyama Gakuin University)