JACET ESP SIG Kanto

March 2014 Meeting

Date:　　March 8th, 2014 (Sat)  15:00 ～17:00  15:00~16:00 Presentation, Q&A   16:10~17:00 Business Meeting

Venue:  Aoyama Gakuin University (Sagamihara Campus) B-Building, Room B-303

http://www.aoyama.ac.jp/outline/campus/pdf/access_sagamihara.pdf (in Japanese)
http://www.aoyama.ac.jp/en/outline/sagamihara_campus.html (in English)

Science Challenge – a novel language-learning project at Kochi National College of Technology

Michael Sharpe

Abstract: This presentation will describe the process of designing and implementing a simple science-based collaborative EFL project for a group (n=80) of 1st-year student engineers at Kochi National College of Technology. The presenter will first examine the main rationales for the course – the apparent disparity between the content of language curricula taught at most junior engineering colleges in Japan and the actual language needs of Japanese engineers. The presenter will then outline how efforts are being made to address these problems at KCT using a project-based language learning approach and describe the main objectives of the course (i.e., to improve general communicative competence, particularly oral communication skills, and to encourage interest in and motivation for learning and communicating in English).  Issues surrounding the practicalities of designing and implementing the course, as well as, observations on what has been achieved so far will be explored. It is hoped that the presentation will act as a catalyst for a productive discussion regarding the design and implementation of practical ESP courses for junior engineers which address their future academic and professional language needs.

Presenter: Michael Sharpe teaches English to junior and undergraduate engineering students, and medical science students. His research interests include: project-based language-learning and the use of text visualisation techniques in the L2 reading classroom. He has a Masters Degree in TEFL from the University of Reading, U.K.