Category: Uncategorized

  • Back to School 2011 — Call for participation — Deadline for submissions extended to April 10

    Due in part to the horrific earthquake and tsunami disasters and relief efforts in Tohoku, we have decided to extend the submission deadline for our Back to School event until April 10. We already have a relatively full slate of submissions but have plenty of room for more. We welcome submissions on a broad range of topics of relevance to language teachers and learners.

    JALT’s Osaka Chapter, in collaboration with the Framework and Language Portfolio SIG and Task Based Learning SIG, invites submissions for this year’s Back to School event, to be held April 24 at Osaka Gakuin University.

    Our goal is to exchange a wide range of ideas of practical application on a wide range of topics. Submissions for poster presentations and 25-minute presentations are invited on any topic related to the theory and/or practice related to Task-Based Learning, the Common European Framework (CEFR) and related pedagogical practices, or any topic of interest or practical application to classroom language teachers. Some double time-slots will likely be possible, space permitting.

    Submissions should be emailed to back2school2011@gmail.com by March 20 April 10, and should include a title of 12 words or less, a summary of 60 words or less, a brief bio blurb including background and place of employment of presenter of 30 words or less, and the type and time of presentation preferred (ie poster presentation, or 25- or 50-minute presentation time-slot).

  • Two Publisher Events

    In April this year (2011) elementary schools across Japan will begin teaching compulsory English classes for 5th and 6th graders. In order to help prepare teachers for these new classes, this coming Sunday (February 20, 2011) there will be two teaching children events in Osaka, both sponsored by publishers.

    2011 Pearson Kirihara Teachers Conference in Osaka

    Date: Sunday, February 20, 2011
    Time: 10:00 – 16:00
    Location: Shin-Umeda Kenshu Center

    For more information please see the Pearson Longman website HERE.

    Oxford Teaching Workshop Series 2011: A New Start for English in Japan

    Date: Sunday, February 20th, 2011
    Time: 10:00 AM – 4:15 PM
    Location: Shin Osaka Brick Bldg. 3F, Room A-D

    For more information please see the Oxford University Press website HERE.

  • The 13th Annual Temple University Japan Campus Applied Linguistics Colloquium

    Date: Sunday, February 13th, 2011
    Time: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
    Location: Temple University, Japan Campus, Osaka Center (Umeda: Osaka Eki-mae Building #3, 21F)
    Fee: ¥1,500

    The 13th Annual Temple University Japan Campus Applied Linguistics Colloquium is an exploration of current research into second language acquisition and pedagogy. The primary goal of this event is to provide a venue for both new and experienced researchers to present their work in a supportive atmosphere. The second goal of the event is for researchers to be able to discuss research-related issues with one another in order to learn more about conducting high-quality educational research.

    For more information, including a map and directions, please the the Temple Univerisity Japan Campus website HERE.

  • The 4th Annual Extensive Reading in Japan Seminar

    Date: Sunday, February 13, 2011
    Time: 11:00 am to 4:00 pm
    Location: Okayama University, Tsushima campus, Foreign Language Center (General Education) Buildings A and B, Okayama-City, Okayama-Prefecture

    This conference will focus on the various aspects of Extensive Reading with presentations in English and Japanese.

    The conference is sponsored jointly by JALT’s Extensive Reading Special Interest Group, Okayama JALT, and the Foreign Language Center of Okayama University.

    For more information, please visit the conference site at http://erjseminar.org/

     

     

  • Nellie’s ELT Festival

    Date: Sunday, January 30th
    Time: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
    Venue: TWIN21 MID Tower 4F & 20F, Osaka-shi, Chuo-ku Shiromi 2-1-61

    Nellie’s English Books will be holding an ELT festival in Osaka on January 30, 2011. Several publishing companies will have books and other materials on display. There will also be presentations from authors and publishing representatives. Admission is free, but an advanced registration is required.

    Please see Nellie’s English Books website for more information (Japanese) HERE.

  • TUJ Distinguished Lecturer Series

    Date: Saturday, January 22, 2011
    Time: 2 pm – 5 pm
    Location: Temple University, Japan Campus, Osaka Center (Umeda: Osaka Eki-mae Building #3, 21F)

    Dr. Jean Wong (College of New Jersey, USA)
    Conversation Analysis and Pragmatics: From Research to Practice

    Nine times a year, Temple University Japan‘s Distinguished Lecturer Series brings three internationally-recognized TESOL scholars to Osaka for intensive weekend seminars.

    The first three hours of each seminar (Saturday from 2 – 5 p.m.) are free and open to the public. TUJ TESOL alumni are welcome to attend the entire weekend without charge; the weekend auditing fee for others is ¥12,500.

    For more information please see the TUJ website HERE.

  • Pecha Kucha Night and Bonenkai

    Date: Saturday December 18, 2010
    Time: 16:00 – 18:00 (Bonenkai at 6:30)
    Location: Konan University, Nishinomiya Campus, 8-33 Takamatsu-cho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo

    Osaka JALT, in association with the Kobe, Nara, and Kyoto Chapters, will co-sponsor a Pecha Kucha Night at Konan University, Hirao School of Management (CUBE) in Nishinomiya, followed by a bonenkai at the highly acclaimed Busy Bee Cafe.

    Here’s the url for a great write-up of the Busy Bee Cafe that was in the Kansai Scene:  http://www.kansaiscene.com/2004_01/html/food.shtml

    Presenters include James Crocker, Mike Riffle, Mayumi Asaba, David Kolf, Ted Bonnah, Steve Cornwell, John Campbell-Larsen, Matthew Walsh, Brent Jones, and Greg Rouault.

    What is Pecha Kucha? Pecha Kucha is a short presentation style originating from Tokyo that has strict time limits. Presenters show 20 slides for 20 seconds each, so each speaker has just six minutes and forty seconds for their whole presentation. For more information about Pecha Kucha click here.

    The venue for this event is just south of Hankyu Nishinomiya Kita-guchi station.The bonenkai, at the Busy Bee Cafe, is a short 8 min walk from Hankyu Nishinomiya Kitaguchi Stn, Northwest exit. There will be reserved seating for 30 people. The bonenkai cost will be ¥1,500 for food only, and a cash bar.

    Please contact osakajalt@yahoo.com  if you’d like to make a presentation, sign up for the bonenkai, or for more information.

     


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  • Introduction to Second Life: Virtual Worlds for Language Teaching

    Date: Saturday, December 4, 2011
    Time: 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
    Location: Digital Hollywood Graduate University (Near Umeda)

    Jean-Paul DuQuette of Ritsumeikan University will give a hands on workshop about teaching English in Second Life (an online virtual world).

    For details, including directions, please see the Cypris Society website HERE.

    Presented by: the Cypris Society Virtual World Language Learning Group
    Co-sponsored by: Digital Hollywood University and Osaka JALT