Download PDF of May 2017 Meeting Announcement

Dear all JACET ESP SIG Kanto members,

Welcome back to a new academic year with JACET ESP Kanto! The officers of ESP Kanto wish every member another successful academic year! 春光の折り、益々のご発展を祈っております。本年度もよろしくお願いいたします。

It is with great pleasure that I make the announcement of our chapter’s first meeting on May 28 (Sunday), 2017. We will have two presentations (see details below) followed by a business meeting. Please join us for the two exciting presentations and offer your valuable opinions on how the officers could organize our chapter’s activities better in this academic year.

JACET ESP SIG Kanto (May Meeting)

Date: May 28, 2017 (Sun) 15:00 ～17:00 

Venue:  University of Electro-Communications (UEC Tokyo), Building East 1, Room 705

(UEC Tokyo, 1-5-1 Chofugaoka, Chofu, Tokyo, 182-8585)

Please find the link for the location:

http://www.uec.ac.jp/eng/about/access/  (in English); http://www.uec.ac.jp/about/profile/access/ (in Japanese)

 Program of the May meeting:

１．15:00~15:40  Research Presentation by Paul McBride (Tamagawa University), Charles Robertson (Aoyama Gakuin University)

Title: Pedagogical implications of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) for EAP writing instruction

 Abstract: In an ELF (English as a Lingua Franca) circumstance, users of English are not bound by native speaker (NS) norms; rather, their “success” can be measured by their ability to communicate effectively, and to adapt communication to reflect the diversity and variability of English use in shared contexts. However, what are the implications of ELF for writing instruction? Since, broadly speaking, EAP (English for Academic Purposes) assumes that Non-Native Speakers (NNS) should conform to native forms of language use, how should college English instructors address the issue of writing in EAP? There are divided opinions among ELT practitioners. It is argued that adherence to native English norms in academic and professional writing tasks reflects editorial realities: conventional native norms embody the language, organization, and presentation used for academic discourse. On the other hand, ELF researchers contend that priority in language teaching may be given to nurturing ‘communicative capability’ (Seidlhofer 2011, Widdowson 2003, 2015). Such a capability, it is claimed, would serve learners well when they subsequently needed to or wished to conform to native norms (Seidlhofer 2011). The presenters will examine some of the challenges (and opportunities) posed by ELF research concerning EAP writing instruction. An overview of current ELF research findings will be presented. The importance in L2 academic writing pedagogy of Standard English and a distinction between “correctness” of language form and appropriateness of language use will be explored. Approaches which may assist ELF writing practitioners in a multiple-draft, process writing context will be proposed, and suggestions about conferencing ELF writers will be made. Finally, the presenters will discuss how ELF-informed thinking has affected their instructional practices and interactions with students.

Bio of Speaker 1:

Paul McBride is an associate professor at the Centre for English as a Lingua Franca at Tamagawa University. His research interests include English as a lingua franca, and extensive reading. He assists with editing the JACET Kanto Journal.

Bio of Speaker 2:

Charles Robertson is an associate professor within the College of Science and Engineering at Aoyama Gakuin University.  His research interests include: Second-Language (L2) composition theory and practice, English for Science and Technology (EST), English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) and Computer-assisted Language Learning (CALL).

2．15:40~16:20 Research Presentation by Michael Sharpe (Kochi University )

Title: Dissecting the tests: Commonalities, individualities and predispositions in standardised academic English tests

Abstract: This presentation will report on a study in which analysis of a corpora of TOEFL, IELTS and EIKEN (2008 ~) reading and writing tasks was undertaken. Several aspects of the tasks were examined including

• Commonalities and individualities in task types and topics
• Culturally-related predispositions within tasks
• The nature of the English used to compose tasks

The overall aim of the study was to gain greater insights into these widely-used standardised assessment tools and guidance for EAP curriculum development in a college level context. It will be argued firstly that, while these tests are often treated as discreet entities, it will be both more productive to design curricula that encourage the development of skills and knowledge applicable in multiple contexts.

Bio:

Michael Sharpe has been teaching at university level in Japan for 13 years, and is currently a faculty member and deputy director of the International Education Program at Kochi National University. Interests include English for Academic Purposes, and the origins and evolution of English. He is also Kochi’s only speaker of Welsh.

3. 16:20~17:00 Business Meeting

Announcement of officers; Annual Report of 2016; Confirmation of annual plan, etc.

SHI Jie

Chapter Chair

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JACET ESP SIG Kanto Chapter Chairs and Advisors:

Chair, SHI Jie (shi.jie[a]uec.ac.jp) University of Electro-Communications (UEC Tokyo)

Vice-Chair, Shinichi Hashimoto (shin.hashimoto[a]uec.ac.jp) UEC Tokyo

Advisors: Reiko Fujita (Tokai University) and Charlie Robertson (Aoyama Gakuin University)

Chapter website: https://jacet-esp-kanto.org/

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