The Language Teacher - JALT Publications

TheLanguageTeacherDon’t forget . . . the deadlinefor submissions to presentat PAC7 at JALT2007closes on April 25!Visit our website for moreinformation onsubmitting.Be quick!Special Issue: My Share ActivitiesISSN 0289-7938¥950• A collection of lessons from language teachers, contributed by:David Leaper................................... 3Annie Menard .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Laura Bean .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5David Ockert. ............................ 6Takeshi Ishikawa. ......................... 7David Chapman........................... 9Azzeddine Bencherab .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Kathi Emori. ............................ 11Ian Willey. .............................. 12Patrick Foss .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Thom Rawson.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Stephen Pihlaja .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17• Book Reviews. . . by Simon Handy and Pino Cutrone.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19April, 2008 • Volume 32, Number 4The Japan Association for Language Teaching全 国 語 学 教 育 学 会THE JAPAN ASSOCIATION FOR LANGUAGE TEACHING

April 2008 • volume 32, number 4 1CONTENTSMy Share Activities}}David Leaper ................3}}Annie Menard ...............4}}Laura Bean..................5}}David Ockert ................6}}Takeshi Ishikawa..............7}}David Chapman ..............9}}Azzeddine Bencherab .........10}}Kathi Emori ................11}}Ian Willey..................12}}Patrick Foss ................14}}Thom Rawson ..............15}}Stephen Pihlaja ..............17Resources}}Book Reviews ..............19}}Recently Received ...........21JALT Focus}}JALT Notices ...............23}}Showcase..................26}}Grassroots .................28}}Outreach ..................31Columns}}SIG News .................33}}Chapter Events..............35}}Chapter Reports.............37}}Job Information .............39}}Conference Calendar .........41}}JALT Contacts ..............44}}Submissions ................46}}Staff List ...................47}}Membership Information.......48}}Old Grammarians............49In this month’s issue . . .Special issue: My Share activitiesGr e e t i n g s, a n d welcome to a special issue of The LanguageTeacher, one devoted to My Share activities. In this issue,you will find twelve articles covering ideas for teachingthe four basic skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing.In addition, there are lesson plans designed to practice other aspectsof English, such as grammar awareness, presentation skills,and vocabulary acquisition. Several of the activities cover morethan one basic skill, whereas others make use of drama, music,or free online Web 2.0 resources.So, whether your need is to get your students to talk more inclass, improve their writing skills, or make use of the Internet forenhancing study, there is bound to be something in this collectionfor you. Most activities are applicable to a wide range of levelsin a variety of classroom settings. And while some are shortand sweet, others are semester long projects. As always withMy Share activities, the lesson plans presented here represent acollection of the best of what the authors have done in their respectiveteaching practices. I hope they inspire imaginative andcreative thinking on your part.One final note: This special issue marks the end of my tenureas My Share editor. I’ve been grateful for this opportunity, notonly for the satisfaction of having introduced teachers to academicpublishing, but in the knowledge and techniques I’vegained from all of the submissions I've edited. Myles Groganwill be taking over from the May issue. Please wish him the bestof luck!Jerry Talandis Jr.My Share EditorTLTの My Share 特 集 号 にようこそ! 今 月 号 では,スピーキング・リスニング・リーディング・ライティングの4つのスキルを 教 えるためのアイデアが 詰 まった12の 記 事 をご 紹 介 します。これに 加 えて, 文 法 ・プレゼンテーションスキル・ 語 彙 獲 得 などに 関 するレッスンプランも 用 意 しています。複 数 のスキルに 関 連 するアクティビティもあれば,ドラマ・ 音 楽 ・ 最 新 の 無 料オンラインサイトなどを 利 用 したアクティビティもあります。皆 さんが 今 必 要 としているものが,クラスの 中 で 学 生 のスピーキング 量 を増 やすことであろうと,ライティング 能 力 を 伸 ばすことであろうと,インターネットを 使 って 学 習 促 進 を 図 ることであろうと, 今 月 号 の 中 できっと 何 かが 見 つかるはずです。ほとんどのアクティビティが 多 様 な 学 習 環 境 のあらゆるレベ}}Advertiser Index ..............2}}Online Access Info ............2TLT Co-Editors:Ted O’Neill &Theron MullerTLT Japanese-Language Editor:Sachiko TakahashiTHE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

2 Foreword & InformationJALT Publications Online}} More information on JALT Publications can be foundon our website:April 2008 Online Access}} To access all our online archives:[ login: april2008 / password: isp996 ]Contact}} To contact the editors, see the Staff List at the back ofthis issue or use the contact form on our website.ルの 学 生 に 対 して 適 用 可 能 です。お 手 軽 で 楽 しいものから, 学 期 を 通 して 長 期 的 に 使 えるものまであります。いつもの 通 り,My Shareのレッスンプランは,それぞれの 投 稿 者が 実 践 してきたことの 中 で 最 高 のものを 紹 介 しています。これらのプランが, 皆 さん 自 身 の 新 しいレッスンプランを 作り 出 すきっかけになれば 幸 いです。最 後 に, 私 は,My Shareの 編 集 者 を 長 く 続 けてきましたが, 今 月 号 が 最 後 の 担 当 となることをお 知 らせいたします。 教 師 の 皆 さんの 出 版 をお 手 伝 いできたことに 充 実 感 を味 わうと 共 に, 皆 さんの 投 稿 から 私 自 身 がたくさんの 知 識や 技 術 を 学 ぶことができて, 感 謝 しています。5 月 号 からはMyles GroganがMy Share を 担 当 します。どうぞ,よろしくお 願 いいたします。Jerry Talandis Jr.My Share EditorAdvertiser Index}}EFL Press ..............outside back cover, 22}}Cambridge University Press.....inside front coverPlease support our advertisersCopyright NoticeAll articles appearing in The Language Teacher are copyright2008 by JALT and their respective authors and maybe redistributed provided that the articles remain intact,with referencing information and a copyright messageclearly visible. Under no circumstances may the articlesbe resold or redistributed for compensation of any kindwithout prior written permission from JALT.Visited TLT’s website recently?Moving?Make sure The Language Teacher moves with you.Send the following information to the JALT CentralOffice, Urban Edge Building, 5th Floor,1-37-9 Taito, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-0016tel: 03-3837-1630; fax: 03-3837-1631; Name:New AddressAcademicPapersJALTTLTTelEmailFaxNew EmployerTHE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

My Share • Activities 3Using group discussions for selfand peer-assessmentDavid LeaperTokyo Woman’s Christian University,Quick GuideKey words: Speaking assessment, self-assessment,peer-assessment, group discussion activityLearner English level: Intermediate and aboveLearner maturity level: Senior high school andabovePreparation time: Part of one class for familiarization,plus homework to make discussionquestionsActivity time: 60-90 minutesMaterials: HandoutsThe following activity provides an efficientmethod for motivating your students to speakmore in class.PreparationStep 1: In the class before the discussion takesplace, decide upon a topic your students feelcomfortable discussing. This can be accomplishedby having students vote on their favorite topicfrom a textbook.Step 2: Familiarize the students with the peer andself-assessment sheets in Appendix B and C, aswell as the rating system described in Steps 5 and6 below.Step 3: For homework, students should writefour questions about the topic that they wouldlike to ask other students.ProcedureStep 1: Put the students into small groups tocheck the questions they prepared for homework.Each group should select the four most interestingones.Step 2: Elicit about ten questions from the classand write them on the board. These questionswill guide their group discussions.Step 3: Set the classroom up for the group discussiontask by rearranging your classroom so thatone group of four sits in the center of the roomwith the rest sitting around them. Each seat in thecenter should be labeled A, B, C, or D (see AppendixA for a sample classroom arrangement).Step 4: Put the students into new groups of three orfour for the discussion task. These groups can be decidedby allocating students a number. This numberbecomes their group name, and other studentsshould use this on their peer assessment sheet.Step 5: The peer-assessment phase: explain thateach group will take a turn having a discussion inthe center of the room while being observed andassessed by their classmates.Step 6: Hand out the peer and self-assessmentsheets and explain how students should markthem (see Appendices B and C).Step 7: Students begin discussing the chosentopic. They are free to choose any question tobegin with, and if a conversation runs out, theyshould ask another one to keep things going.Step 8: When one group finishes their discussion,provide time (3-5 minutes) for the observers to finishwriting their comments. While they do this, have thestudents who did the discussion fill out their selfassessmentsheet (see Appendix C). It is important tokeep to the scheduled time, so be sure to get the nextgroup started as soon as possible.Step 9: If necessary, students can complete theirself-assessment sheet for homework. You can alsoeither collect the peer assessment forms and tallythe scores and comments, or get the students to dothat using the feedback form (see Appendix D).ConclusionThis activity provides feedback on each studentfrom three different sources: yours, observingstudents, and self-assessments. Additionally, youcould video the discussion group and get studentsto analyze their own performances. If thisactivity is used for assessment, it is an excellentway of generating washback that encouragesstudents to use English in class. This alone makesit a worthwhile exercise.THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

4 My Share • ActivitiesUsing a deck of playing cards topractice using the future tenseAnnie MenardTokai University Shonan Campus, Quick GuideKey words: Game, future tense, grammarLearner English level: AllLearner maturity level: AllPreparation time: Before class: none. In class: afew minutes of explanationActivity time: As long or as short as you wantMaterials: Four or five decks of playing cards(minus the jokers). One deck can be divided between3-4 pairs of students. The final number ofdecks will depend on your class size.One of my favorite activities to do with thestudents when practicing the future tense is toplay the card game Fortuneteller. It is a good wayto trick your students into using all the grammarpatterns you have taught them (in this case thefuture tense) and keeps them from using the samepattern over and over again as students tend todo. Because this is a game, it makes it fun for thestudents to practice even the more difficult patterns.The playing cards help the students in decidingwhat to say and how to say it while lettingthem use their imagination at the same time.ProcedureStep 1: Write on the board what the lengths oftime the numbered cards represent: in 2 days, in 3weeks, in 4 months, in 5 years, etc. The in prepositionis often unfamiliar to the students, so this isa good way to make sure they use it.Step 2: The suits also have a meaning, so writetheir definitions on the board. For example, heartsmean the fortuneteller has to tell the customerabout their love life. Some other examples couldbe as follows: spades equal bad news, clubsrepresent health, and diamonds stand for work.Choose definitions that suit your students.Step 3: Assign an equal number of fortunetellersand customers.Step 4: Give the fortunetellers some playing cards(a lot or a few, depending on how many you haveavailable).Step 5: Tell the students how many fortunetellersthey must visit and explain how to make thetransition from one to the next. You may decideto line them up or use a specific moving patterndepending on where the students have chosen tosit in the classroom.Step 6: Instruct the customers to go to their firstfortuneteller.Step 7: The customer picks a card from the deckon the fortuneteller’s desk and shows it to thefortuneteller.Step 8: The fortuneteller then proceeds to tellthe customer their fortune based on the card thecustomer picked. For example, if the customerpicks the queen of spades, this means the fortunetellermust tell the customer that somethingbad (spade) will happen in 12 (queen) hours or12 days or 12 weeks or 12 months. The studentacting as the fortuneteller decides what the badnews is, and when exactly it will transpire.VariationsMake this game as light or as thorough as youlike, depending on the level of your students. Forexample, you could add more rules such as: blackmeans they have to use will, while red indicatesthey must use the be + going to + verb pattern.You can also use cards when practicing patternssuch as I love, I like, I don’t like, I hate, me too, meneither, or I can, I can’t. They also work with yes/noanswers (black means no, red means yes).ConclusionI personally use playing cards a lot in my speakingclasses because they force the students to usenew forms or patterns they would not use otherwise.Using cards also takes some of the stress offthe students, since the answers have already beenpartly decided by the card. Because the cardshave a suit, a color and a number, the possibilitiesare endless. Use your imagination and have fun!AppendicesThe appendices may be downloaded fromour website THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

My Share • Activities 5When students becometeachers: Textbook teachingwith a twistLaura BeanDoshisha University & Doshisha Women’s College,Quick GuideKey words: Collaborative learning, student motivationand leadership, public speakingLearner English level: Intermediate to advancedLearner maturity level: High school and upPreparation time: 1 hourActivity time: 90 minutesMaterials: Textbook and unit answer keyThe answer key to a video-based textbook Irecently used included Japanese translations ofnews broadcasts. To use them as a teaching tool,I decided to photocopy and hand the translationsout to my students. For each unit of the textbook,one group of students was assigned the role ofstudent facilitators for the day, which meant helpingother students complete the vocabulary andlistening exercises and assisting them to understandthe broadcast. I found assigning studentfacilitators to be a very effective teaching method.PreparationStep 1: At the beginning of a course, explain toyour students that they will have to act as facilitatorsthroughout the year and explain the responsibilitiesthis task will entail.Step 2: Review helpful classroom English expressionsto use when facilitating, ones primarily forasking questions and encouraging discussions(see Appendix).Step 3: Divide the class into groups of four or six,and assign each group a unit of the textbook.Step 4: Announce the schedule with each groupfacilitating once during the term.Step 5: Distribute a master copy of each unit’sanswer key to the designated groups.Step 6: Explain that each group is responsible forphotocopying, distributing, and bringing theiranswer key on their facilitation day.ProcedureStep 1: Begin a unit in your text as you normallydo, making sure the students are clear about whatthey will be learning.Step 2: Lead pronunciation practice of key unitvocabulary.Step 3: Divide the class into small groups andassign a student facilitator to each one. Make surethe facilitators have their prepared definitions,example sentences, and answer keys.Step 4: Have the facilitators read definitions andexample sentences for ten to fifteen vocabularywords, and ask their group members to guess thewords.Step 5: After the vocabulary practice, instruct allthe students to work in pairs on any remainingexercises. The facilitators should conduct any fillin-the-blankexercises.Step 6: During the last half-hour of class, facilitatorsshould give short presentations. Thesecould include summarizing web-site informationrelated to the topic, or expressing their opinionsto jump-start group discussions. More advancedstudents could create and act out role-plays, followedby a discussion.Step 7: During the discussion stage, facilitatorsshould encourage each group member to participate,act as a spokesperson for their group, andsummarize opinions to the class. For lower-levelstudents, this could simply consist of putting twoor three ideas on a brainstorming map on thechalkboard.Step 8: For homework, facilitators should write aresponse paper detailing what they learned fromtheir experience.ConclusionThe idea of doling out the answers to studentsstands the traditional image of the teacher as thefount of all knowledge on its head. Rather thanTHE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

6 Bean / Ockert My Share Special Issue • Activitieslooking to the instructor for the right answers, astudent only has to turn to the designated facilitatorin their group. This change in the powerdynamic puts students in a more confident, andtherefore, pro-active position, both as leader andas participant.Learning pro-actively and making mistakesmay be cornerstones of contemporary westerneducation, but in Japan such learning environmentsare rare. The student facilitators projectcompels students to take a significantly moreactive role in their instruction. Giving studentsthe opportunity to try on the role of the teachersparks enthusiasm for learning and strengthenstheir sense of identity. The inter-active nature ofgroup facilitation also gives students a chance tohone their communication and presentation skillsin a more intimate and relaxed context, wherethey can receive immediate feedback about theirefforts. As one inspired student remarked, “Iknew this way improved my English language,because I thought myself, I spoke myself. And themost important difference was pleasure of learning!!”6 My Share • ActivitiesDialogue dictations as fourskillscommunicative activitiesDavid OckertQuick GuideKey words: Group work, communicative, dictation,four-skillsLearner English level: AllLearner maturity level: AllPreparation time: 10-15 minutesActivity time: Depends on number of studentsand materialsMaterials: Text printoutsThis activity works great with large groupsbecause it requires the use of all four languageskills in an exciting, interactive, and low-pressurecompetition, and is best in a classroom with movabletables and chairs.PreparationStep 1: Choose a short reading text, preferably asa review lesson before a quiz. This activity recyclesvocabulary, grammar, reading, and listeningskills.Step 2: Make student groups and make enoughcopies so that each group gets one.ProcedureStep 1: Divide your class into teams of three. Eachgroup should consist of one reader/speaker (RS),a listener/speaker (LS), and a listener/writer(LW). If it is not possible to have exactly threestudents per team, double up the LW role.Step 2: Review phrases necessary to carry out theactivity. For example:• How do you spell that?• What does that mean?• Would you say that again?• Huh?!• Slow down.• You’re talking too fast.Step 3: Instruct the teams to stand up and arrangethe room to have the same number of desks andchairs along opposite walls as there are teams.For example, for nine teams, place nine desksand chairs on one side of the room and nine desksand chairs on the other.Step 4: Have the students position themselvesaround the room as follows: The RS sits at a desk,the LW sits at an opposite desk, and the LS waitsin the center of the room between them.THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

My Share Special Issue • Activities Ockert / Ishikawa 7Step 5: Have all of the LWs get a piece of paper,an eraser, and a pen or pencil.Step 6: Distribute the reading print to the RSs andassign each team a different part of the text. Thisprevents each team from working on the samematerial.Step 7: Explain and demonstrate what the activityinvolves: It is the LS’s job to listen to the RS, andas quickly as possible get to the other side of theroom and repeat what he remembers to the LWs,taking as many turns as necessary to completethe task. Remind the students that the LS may notread the material that the RS reads from. It is thetask of the RS to read clearly so as to be understood,and the task of the LS to remember andrepeat to the LR as accurately as possible. Anycommunication problems must be worked out atthe place where it occurs. For example, the LWscannot communicate directly with the RS if theydo not understand; instead, they must work withthe LS (and yes, they will shout across the room,especially if they see their classmates movingalong quickly). The goal of the task is for the LWsto complete the process of getting an accuratetranscription of the text.Step 8: Once all of the teams have transcribedtheir section of the text, it is time to change roles:the LS becomes the RS, and the RS changes placeswith the LW.Step 9: After the roles have been rotated, assigneach team a new part of the text to transcribe.Step 10: Repeat the activity as described in Step 7.Step 11: Continue rotating group roles and textsections until each group has transcribed itcompletely. For classes that require two LW rolestudents, role change as necessary to completethe activity.ConclusionThis activity works great with managing largegroups of false-beginners. Japanese learners ofEnglish like to work in groups and particularlymale students prefer moving about the classroomwhile completing tasks. By taking advantage ofstudents’ natural desire to be active and intellectuallyengaged human beings, this activity harnessesthat innate energy and directs it toward aclear goal utilizing solid pedagogical foundations:the four skills, pragmatic speech acts, fluency,pronunciation, some time pressure to completethe task, and an exciting, boisterous “real world”atmosphere. Give it a try; your students will loveit!My Share • Activities 7Empty hands: An activity toinitiate conversationTakeshi IshikawaTokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Science,Quick GuideKey words: Rock-paper-scissors, initiating a conversation,do-verbs, be-verbsLeaner English level: Low-intermediate to advancedLearner maturity level: Junior high school toadultPreparation time: 10 minutesActivity time: 20-30 minutesMaterials: (Optional) An explanatory poster orhandoutIt is often said that Japanese learners of Englishhave sufficient amounts of grammaticalknowledge but lack ability to make good useof it during conversation. However, I’ve oftenencountered students who cannot use simple doand be-verbs properly. If our students do not haveaccurate knowledge of these basics, how can weexpect them to speak fluently? If fluency meansmaking the best use of what you already know,then review of sentence patterns using do and beverbs is important since they appear in almostall English sentences. This activity is designedTHE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

8 Ishikawa My Share Special Issue • Activitiesto help students use these in a meaningful way.It does not require any special materials. Allstudents need are their “empty hands” to play“rock-paper-scissors.”ProcedureStep 1: Pair up the students and have them decidewho will be A and B.Step 2: Have them play rock-paper-scissors threetimes and remember who the winner was eachtime (e.g. A-A-B = A won in the first two times,and B won the final one).Step 3: Write the possible letter combinationson the board, or refer to a previously preparedposter or print:AAA BAAAAB BABABA BBAABB BBBStep 4: Point out that each combination correspondsto a sentence pattern that will be requiredto start a conversation. The first letter indicatesthe subject, the second determines the verb, andthe third indicates the tense:• 1st letter: subject (A = “I” / B = “the thirdperson”)• 2nd letter: verb (A = do verb / B = be verb)• 3rd letter: tense (A = present / B = past)Step 5: If need be, list some example phrases associatedwith each combination on the board (oron your poster or print):• AAA (I play tennis every day.)• AAB (I played tennis yesterday.)• ABA (I am a Yankee’s fan.)• ABB (I was a Yankee’s fan when I was little.)• BAA (My sister plays tennis every day.)• BAB (My sister played tennis yesterday.)• BBA (My sister is a Yankee’s fan.)• BBB (My sister was a Yankee’s fan when shewas little.)Step 6: The first winner says a sentence accordingto the three-letter combination pattern to theirpartner, and the other person responds. Havestudents refer to the board, poster, or handout forthe pattern they need to start with.Step 7: Each pair keeps their conversation goinguntil you say stop. Remember that students arerequired to make the specific sentence patternonly as the conversation opener. For the rest ofthe discussion, they can use any sentence patternthey like.Step 8: Have them play another three sets of“rock-paper-scissors” and talk about new topics.Here is a typical scenario: Partner A wins the firstround, B the second, and A the third. Partner Awill need to use an A-B-A (I + be verb + presenttense) pattern to begin:A: I am hungry. (A-B-A pattern)B: Oh really? What do you want to eat forlunch?A: Maybe pasta. How about you? Are youhungry now?B: Yes! I feel like eating pasta too.ConclusionIn this activity, students can initiate a conversationwith a phrase relevant to their experienceand thus review usages of do and be verbs inmeaningful ways. The necessity of continuingthe conversation provides additional fluencytraining. Finally, the random nature of whichsentence pattern is used adds an element of fun.For advanced classes, introducing communicationstrategies to enhance the flow of interactionis recommended. Phrases that provide clarification(What do you mean?), comprehension checking(Are you with me?), requests (Could you repeatthat?), fillers (Hmm… let me see), and turn taking(Sorry to interrupt, but…) can be added to the mixquite easily.What’s your thread?THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

My Share • Activities 9Culture cardsDavid ChapmanJapan Women’s University Jr. High School and ObirinUniversity, Quick GuideKey words: Making and giving hints, makingand drawing inferences, pairwork, writing, selfevaluation,recycling vocabularyLearner English level: AllLearner maturity level: Jr. high school and abovePreparation time: 10 - 15 minutesActivity time: 50 - 90 minutesMaterials: Copy of question cards handout, cutinto sixteen piecesThis activity uses cards that give students practicein drawing inferences. It’s a fun way (evenfor first year junior high school students) to applyEnglish that has been studied in short, simple,structured sentences. There are two phases ofplay: first with cards you make, and then withstudent-made cards. Each card follows a set pattern:four hints followed by an answer.Hints:• It’s a Japanese food.• It’s round.• You eat it with a brown sauce.• Osaka and Hiroshima are famous for it.Answer: OkonomiyakiProcedureStep 1: Prepare a series of cards for the studentsto use (see Appendix A). Grade them to yourstudents’ level or a little below so they can understandthe cards without having to use dictionariesor concentrate too hard on grammar.Step 2: Explain the activity rules. Starting with aneasy card, demonstrate what to do by reading oneor two cards to the class and having them guessthe answer. You will need to give additional hintsif the answers cannot be guessed after the fourprovided.Step 3: Put students into pairs and have them sitface to face to prevent inadvertent peeking.Step 4: Give each student two cards. One studentstarts by reading the hints off her card. Again,if four hints are not enough, remind students tomake up their own hints. Each pair should finishone card before starting another one. When bothpartners have finished their cards, they shouldraise their hands to get some new ones.Step 5: Walk around, monitoring student performanceand answering any questions they mayhave.Follow-up and expansionAfter the students have played the game and youfeel they are ready, have them write their owncards.Step 1: Pass out a culture card worksheet (see AppendixB) and the culture card resource questionsprint (see Appendix C) to each student.Step 2: Demonstrate how to produce hints forthe culture cards. Show both good (detailed andprecise) and bad (too vague) examples. Remindstudents about comparatives that can help makethe examples more concrete.Step 3: Encourage students to think of their answerfirst. Knowing the answer enables studentsto use top-down processing when making hints.Step 4: Have students read over their hints andthen exchange their papers with a partner toreceive some feedback. If their ability allows forit, students can comment on words that do notmake sense, cards that are too hard or too easy, orthings that need more explanation.Step 5: After finishing the first edit, have studentsrefine their cards by trying them out with eachother.Step 6: Collect the final draft and provide feedback.Step 7: (Optional) Have students type up theirhints and put them together in card form. Aftereverything is finished, make copies for the studentsto cut apart and practice with their fellowclassmates.THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

10 Chapman / Bencherab My Share Special Issue • ActivitiesConclusionTo motivate students I tell them that the bestcards will be used on an examination. Studentswho make the best cards will have a better chanceto get a higher score. You can put whatever restrictionon the types of answers that the studentscan use to increase variety.AppendicesAppendix A: Sample culture cardsAppendix B: Culture card worksheetAppendix C: Resource questionsThe appendices may be downloaded fromour website 10 My Share • ActivitiesFrom reading to hummingAzzeddine BencherabUniversity of Saida, Algeria,Quick GuideKey words: Teaching aid, textbook routine, unitfunction, picture text, team up, tapLearner English level: Lower intermediate toadvanced learnersLearner maturity level : High schoolPreparation time : 1 hourClass time: Two 90 minute sessionsMaterials : Song printUse of songs in foreign language classes constitutean invaluable teaching aid to cover languageareas such as listening, speaking, reading, andvocabulary acquisition. In addition, songs sustainmotivation and bring enjoyment and relaxationto a class. They also provide a break from thetextbook routine while involving a large numberof students in the learning process. The followingactivity consists of incorporating illustrations orstick figures into a song that enable a variety oflanguage tasks to be performed.ProcedureStep 1: Select a song that that fulfills the followingcriteria (see Appendices):• Fits the general purpose of your lesson, such asnarrating past events• Has discernable lyrics and is free from loudinstruments• Carries a message or raises students’ awarenessof an issue such as peace, tolerance, orpovertyStep 2: Remove key words from the song, suchas words you want to reinforce or new wordsyou want to teach. Replace the key words withpictures or stick figures.Step 3: Hand out a print with your song in textplus picture format and have learners team up toidentify each picture.Step 4: Move around the class, helping studentsas needed.Step 5: Assign graded and varied tasks to reinforcethe reading and writing skills, ensure thatlearners are really reading, and to motivate differenttypes of learners. Such activities could be:• Fill-in missing words• Re-order a list of words as they appear in thelyrics• Put a list of song events in chronological order• Formulate appropriate questions from answersprovided in the song• Look for synonyms or antonyms to givenwords• Complete a chart such as the one below, wherethe aim is to enable students to distinguish betweensudden events (stem + ed) and continuousevents (stem + ing) when narrating.THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

My Share Special Issue • Activities Bencherab / Emori 11Sudden eventsclimbedContinuous eventswas crossingStep 6: Engage learners in further discussionthrough more difficult open-ended questions thatpertain to the lyrics of your chosen song.Step 7: End the lesson by asking students to writea summary of the lyrics.ConclusionWhen I devised this technique, I had in mindthose teachers working in areas where Englishis not spoken outside the class, where teachingaids are limited to a blackboard and textbook.The techniques described in this activity providea purpose for reading, heighten learners’ motivation,and arouse interest. This interest is doublyaroused when learners realize that the text theyput their effort into learning can be hummedenjoyably outside of class.AppendicesThe appendices may be downloaded fromour website My Share • Activities 11Using props and acting skillsto create meaning-focusedlearningKathi EmoriNagoya Women’s University, Quick GuideKey words: Drama, prop usage, fluency, meaning-focusedlearning, script writingLearner English level: Beginner to advancedLearner maturity: AllPreparation time: NoneActivity time: One 90-minute lesson (adjustable)Materials: Index cards, props from students’ ownpossessionsA problem I have found in my drama classesis that students read directly from the script anddo not easily break free from the text to enjoyactual acting. They focus so much on accuracythat the activity becomes form focused, with toomuch time spent on corrections. Worse still, froman acting point of view, students overuse theirdictionaries when creating a script and end upwith dense, lengthy sentences that are difficult tounderstand and memorize. As a result, studentsdo not have an opportunity to act out scenescomfortably with adequate comprehension. Thefollowing activity addresses this situation andaims to help students write a drama script inEnglish, act it out, and improve overall fluencyand comprehension. This final aim is the primarybenefit of meaning-focused learning.ProcedureStep 1: Divide the class into groups of three orfour students each. Give each group one indexcard.Step 2: Each member of the group decides on onething they have in their possession right then andthere, such as a cell phone, hairpin, lunch box,iPod, or handkerchief. It can be anything.Step 3: On the index card, each student writes theitem they possess.Step 4: Next, on the same index card, have thestudents create a list of characters, one for eachgroup member. They should decide the age,gender, job, fashion style, hobbies, family background,residence, and any other details theyTHE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

12 Emori / Willey My Share Special Issue • Activitiesthink are necessary about each character. Commonly,ideas center on family members, school,and part-time job colleagues.Step 5: After the characters have been created, thenext task is to decide a setting. This can be anywhere:a park, a certain character’s living room,or even “the Hawaiian restaurant in the shoppingcenter next to Kanayama Station.”Step 6: Once the location has been set, a timeperiod and time of day should be decided, eitherin the past, present, or future.Step 7: Next, the students create a plot centeredon the three or four props they wrote down inSteps 2 -3, the characters from Step 4, the settingfrom Step 5, and the time period from Step6. Depending on the level of the students, theymight work this out in English. Do not let themuse a dictionary at this stage to encourage thecreation of text within their ability levels.Step 8: Once each group has a rough idea of theirplot, they should act out the scenario withoutspeaking. They must decide their stage directionsand reactions without dialog while acting out thescene several times in pantomime.Step 9: After observing your students act outtheir scenes in silence for a while, help them putlanguage to their movements. Students shouldnot write anything down at this point. They mustset language to their actions, using words and expressionsnatural to their scenario. Give supportand advice as needed.Step 10: Once students have run their scene a fewtimes with spontaneously created dialog, theyshould write it all out. This will help them retainthe language even more.Step 11: Finally, the groups act out their scenesin front of everyone. Follow up with appropriatequestions regarding story line or prop usage.ConclusionThis activity is quite flexible and can be used inany language classroom as a supplementary activityor roleplay. Feel free to conduct it entirely inEnglish, or allow the students to work out the detailsin their native language. An important roleof form-focused learning is to have the languageinput build up explicit knowledge of the targetlanguage, while meaning-focused activities drawupon that base and formalize the language implicitlyso the learner can draw on it quickly andmore accurately. This activity helps the studentsbreak down these two processes and hopefullyencourages a creative and fun atmosphere in theclassroom.12 My Share • ActivitiesMiss Manners says, Mind yourtopic sentence!Ian WilleyKagawa University, Quick GuideKey words: Paragraph writing, topic sentence,adviceLearner English level: Intermediate and aboveLearner maturity level: UniversityActivity time: About 60 minutesPreparation time: 15-30 minutesMaterials: Advice column handoutThe new writing sections on the TOEFL andTOEIC mean that the ability to write well-developedparagraphs is more important than ever. Butfor many Japanese university students, paragraphwriting in English is a challenge. One problem isthat many students do not receive formal instructionin writing in Japanese in secondary schools(Hirose 2003). The concept of the paragraph, as aunit containing a topic sentence and supportingsentences, may not be the same here. Studentsoften write sentence by sentence rather thanTHE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

My Share Special Issue • Activities Willey 13paragraph by paragraph, and as a result tend towander from the main point. Here I’ll describean activity that helps students write solid paragraphsthat stay on topic.PreparationStep 1: Find an advice column in English, such as“Miss Manners.” The topic of proper conduct inmodern situations, like what to do when a datetalks constantly on his cell phone over dinner,tends to spark discussion. Miss Manners’ columncan be found online at .Step 2: Prepare a handout that includes thecolumn’s question on the front, with space forstudents to write. On the back, include MissManners’ advice (see Appendix). Paraphrase theletter or advice if the language used is above yourstudents’ proficiency level.Step 3: Make one copy (front and back) for eachstudent.ProcedureStep 1: Introduce the topic by asking students ifthey seek advice when they have a personal problem.Do they ever read advice columns?Step 2: Pass out the handouts. Tell students not tolook at the “advice” side yet.Step 3: Read the letter aloud yourself, or ask oneor two students to do so.Step 4: Instruct students to imagine they are advicecolumnists. Their task is to write one paragraphin which they give advice to the writer. Theparagraph should begin with an assertive topicsentence, such as “You should tell him to payyou back immediately.” Four or more supportingsentences should follow. Remind students to linksentences so that the paragraph has a true paragraphshape.Step 5: Give students 15-20 minutes to write.Students in more advanced classes may prefer towrite by themselves; in lower level classes havingstudents write in pairs may work better.Step 6: When students are finished, have themform groups of four or five and join desks.Step 7: In each group, students should read theiradvice aloud to their group members.Step 8: When finished, each group should nominateone person to stand and read their paragraphto the class.Step 9: Tell students they can flip over theirpapers and see what Miss Manners had to say.Either students or the instructor can read thisadvice aloud.Step 10: If the class atmosphere or proficiencyallows it, have a discussion about Miss Manners’advice. Is it sound? Is it somehow…American?Step 11: To finish, collect each student’s paper.Step 12: Read each paper, add your own comments,and return them in the next class.ExtensionStep 1: Ask each student to write a letter to MissManners about one of their own real or imaginedtroubles. Students should use a pseudonym, nottheir own name.Step 2: Collect the papers, mix them up, and passthem back to students.Step 3: Each student now takes the role of MissManners and writes one or two paragraphs ofadvice (without writing their names).Step 4: Collect both letters and pass them back tothe original advice seekers. Read and grade theseif you like, giving students time to find each otherand write their real names on both papers.CautionBe mindful of copyright laws; disseminating publishedmaterial in a classroom falls into the “fairuse” category, provided use does not become toofrequent. For reference see .ReferenceHirose, K. (2003). Comparing L1 and L2 organizationalpatterns in the argumentative writing of JapaneseEFL students. Journal of Second Language Writing, 12,181-209.AppendicesThe appendices may be downloaded fromour website THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

14 My Share • ActivitiesYouTube.com video reviewsPatrick FossKwansei Gakuin University,Quick GuideKey words: Video, movie reviews, writing,computer-based learningLearner English level: Low-intermediate and upPreparation time: VariesActivity time: At least 90 minutesMaterials: Computers with high-speed Internetconnections, model review handoutPossibly the most talked about website in recentmemory, YouTube offers Internet users the opportunityto upload and watch short videos for free.The site has millions of videos available in variouscategories, such as news, entertainment, andanimation. The following lesson plan details oneof the easiest and least technically demandingways to use youtube.com in the classroom: havingstudents write and share reviews of videos onthe site.PreparationStep 1: Find several videos appropriate for thelanguage and maturity level of your students asfollows:• Go to www.youtube.com and click the tablabeled “Videos.”• Browse videos by category, views, or ratingsfrom other users. The “Film & Animation”category, sorted according to “Most Viewed” of“All Time,” is highly recommended for teachersof low-intermediate level students. Thiscategory has a number of short (2-5 minute),original cartoons produced by university andgraduate students to fulfill their thesis requirementsfor Masters and other degrees inComputer Art or Animation. Many of thesecartoons have stories told completely visually,or with very little dialogue, making them idealfor a low-intermediate level class.• For classes with students at different levels,find simpler videos for lower-level studentsand more challenging ones for higher-levelstudents.• Collect your videos by bookmarking pages orcopying and pasting URLs to a blog or Worddocument.Step 2: Prepare a model review of one of the videos(see Appendix):• Introduction: Provide basic information aboutthe video clip, including its title, URL, creators’names, and genre.• Two body paragraphs: Summarize the plot, andthen provide your opinion of the clip.• Conclusion: Final recommendation—is the clipworth seeing or not?ProcedureStep 1: Introduce YouTube. Have your studentsheard of it before? What do they know about it?Emphasize the number of original videos on thesite that can’t be seen in movie theaters or rentedfrom video stores.Step 2: Show the students a sample video ordirect them to the location so they can watch itindividually. Ask them about the main points ofthe story and find out their opinions of it. Didthey like or dislike it? Why?Step 3: Show the students your model review ofthe video and have them read through it. Identifyor have them identify the various parts.Step 4: Tell the students they are going to writea review of their own about a different video onYouTube. Distribute URLs at random or based onstudent level.Step 5: Have the students watch their videosthree times. The first viewing should be casual;afterwards, students should write their generalimpressions of the video. The next two viewingsshould be more careful: students should takenotes on the story and what they feel are the goodor bad points of the film. Stress that a reviewgenerally summarizes only the main points of amovie’s story.Step 6: Have the students write their reviews inTHE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

My Share Special Issue • Activities Foss / Rawson 15class or for homework.Step 7: Have students print and distribute theirreviews to others in the class or post the reviewson a blog.Step 8: Tell students to watch one or more of thevideos reviewed by their classmates. Do theyagree with their classmates’ opinions? Why orwhy not?Variation for classrooms without studentcomputers• Idea 1: Follow the above steps in the schoollibrary or computer room.• Idea 2: Have the students watch the videos athome or on their own in a library or computercenter. Use class time to focus on the writingelement of the activity.ConclusionWhereas feature-length movies are usually toolong and too difficult to use in an average EFLclassroom, short, student-friendly videos onYouTube can fit any number of lesson plans. Inparticular, using YouTube as a means to generatestudent movie reviews is a high-interest wayto work on essay skills and promote discussion.This activity has been used successfully with classsizes of 20 to 34.AppendicesThe appendices may be downloaded fromour website My Share • Activities 15Video news casting in English:Using video to promote EnglishcommunicationsThom W. RawsonNagasaki Commercial Senior High School,Quick GuideKey words: Internet, technology, English, newscasting, storyboarding, script writing, video editing,multimedia, skits, acting, English communicationprojects, group projects.Learner English level: Intermediate and advancedLearner maturity level: Senior high school 2ndyear and abovePreparation time: About 2-3 hours initially, withongoing preparations continuing throughout theprojectActivity time: Length of one semester, dependingon class size and project ambitionsMaterials: At least one high-powered computerfor video editing, video editing software, digitalvideo cameras, reusable blank video tapes, microphones,handouts for scripts and storyboards,materials for making props, example clips ofEnglish news broadcastsThis activity provides an entertaining groupchallenge in which students design and developEnglish newscast programs in teams of 3-4students. Students use English to present news(fictitious or factual) in a 5-10 minute program.There are a wide variety of themes from whichto choose, including commercials, short dramas,or crime solving mysteries, so teachers shouldn’tfeel limited to just one idea. As a term projectthat spans the length of a semester, count on twoclasses for script development, one for storyboardcreation, three for shooting raw video footage,two for editing and retakes, and one for reviewand student evaluations.THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

16 Rawson My Share Special Issue • ActivitiesPreparationStep 1: Make one master sign-up sheet for theclass in order to organize students into groupsof three or four programs (see Appendix A). Thesign-up sheet should contain the members’ namesand the name of their newscast.Step 2: Make a script handout for each teamexplaining the task and the goal (see AppendixB). This sheet will also used to write the newscastscript dialogue.Step 3: Make a newscast team evaluation handoutfor use in the video review portion of theclass including each team’s name and members(see Appendix C).Step 4 (optional): Make a storyboard handoutcontaining 6-8 blocks suitable for sketching apicture of how the newscast will be filmed (seeAppendix D). The storyboard is essentially a“comic strip” of the newscast and should containthe newscast characters (members) and some ofthe dialogue.Step 5 (optional): Make a video camera signuphandout divided into 10-15 minute intervalsin order to keep things organized and movingsmoothly (see Appendix E).Step 6 (optional): Make a pre-film checklist forstudents to complete. Use questions to help focusstudents on getting the most out of the filming inthe least amount of time (see Appendix F).ProcedureStep 1 (1st class): Introduce the concept of anewscast by showing students a demo video ofeither a prerecorded English news program orone made by students in a prior year. Ask studentsto make teams, decide on the content oftheir newscast, and report to you by the end ofclass. Teams signing up early should begin collectingideas and information through discussionsand Internet research.Step 2 (2nd – 4th classes): Students develop topics,scripts, storyboards, and props for the newsprogram. Assist each team as needed. At the endof the third class, students should submit scriptsfor review. By the end of the fourth class, studentsmust resubmit scripts and the storyboards forgrading. Teams finishing early can jump ahead tothe filming process.Step 3 (4th – 6th classes): Students film raw videos.Use the video camera signup handout to keepthings organized, running smoothly, and evenlydistributed. The pre-film checklist is helpful inclarifying the steps leading up to filming. Helpthe students understand the concept of gettingboth good quality video and good quality audiothrough careful placement of the camera and/or microphone. After each class video session,facilitator should capture the raw video to theediting computer. Teams that finish filming earlycan jump ahead to the editing process.Step 4 (7th – 8th classes): If possible, studentsshould edit the video. Facilitate your students’work as needed. Complete any time consumingprocesses (such as video rendering) outside ofclass on your own.Step 5 (9th – 10th classes): View all of the newscastprojects. Using the team evaluation sheet,students rate the quality of the news, English,and originality of the production. Awards can begiven for best English, best acting, best team, andso on.ConclusionCreating videos allows students to explore theircreativity and add their own style to an Englishskit activity. It also gives them a chance to workin a team environment on an English production,analyze their English abilities, interact in a differentway with both you and other students outsideof a normal “lecture and learn” class, and mergetechnology with English learning. If time andresources are available, making English videoswith your students is interactive, rewarding, andjust plain fun.AppendicesAppendix A: Video news casting signup sheetAppendix B: Assignment overview & scripttemplateAppendix C: Student evaluationAppendix D: Storyboard templateAppendix E: Video camera schedulingAppendix F: Pre-film checklistThe appendices may be downloaded fromour website THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

My Share • Activities 17Enhancing classroomexperience through a class blogStephen PihlajaKeiwa Gakuen College,Quick GuideKey words: Blogs, handouts, video, audioLearner English level: Beginner and aboveLearner maturity level: From upper-levelelementary schoolPreparation time: 1 - 2 hours weeklyMaterials: Internet connection, personal computer,digital camera, web cameraFor some EFL students, time spent studyingEnglish is often limited to class hours only. Evenif students seek out educational opportunitiesoutside the classroom (such as television and radio),they are often unrelated and uncoordinatedwith content presented during classes. Internetbasedjournals known as “blogs” are websitesthat are easy to set up and use. They can bequickly updated and maintained with informationrelevant to classroom activities and can helpincrease student-teacher interaction time. Theyalso help steer students towards online informationthat can answer their own questions aboutEnglish.ProcedureStep 1: Set-up a blog using a blog provider suchas WordPress or Blogger (see Appendix). Almostall these sites offer free accounts. You can registerquickly and be live on the Internet within minutes.Sites that allow you to sort posts by categoriesknown as “tags” are especially useful becauseone blog address can be used for more than oneclass. Entries can be cross-tagged and made availableto all students, or tagged for one particularclass.Step 2: Decide on content. Blog content should beinteresting, relevant, and diverse. Simply typingclass notes or making long grammar explanationswill not hold student attention. Posts mustbe short, concise, and include (when possible)pictures or video. What is interesting to onestudent might not be interesting to another, socontent must also include different media. Video,which can also be produced easily and uploadedfor free (see Appendix), can be a particularlyengaging, especially if the content is related toclassroom discussions. Teachers can also findEnglish language television clips on popular sitessuch as YouTube. Handouts and worksheets canalso be made accessible. Simply, the more topicsaddressed, the better.Step 3: On your class blog, create an environmentof engagement. By hyper-linking words withinposts and to other online English sites, you canhelp students find their own answers to questionsabout grammar and vocabulary. Similarly, bylinking confusing words to their definitions, youhelp students quickly and easily read throughtext that might otherwise be seen as too difficult.Linking also helps one “bury” content: posts canbe kept simple and interesting on the surface, yetsimultaneously richer for students who are curiousabout learning more. In addition, providinglinks to easy English sites (such as or ) givesstudents a chance to find manageable Englishinformation unrelated to classes.Step 4: Integrate the blog with your class. If youcreate and update the blog for a week or twobefore telling students, you are much more likelyto retain readers. Students can access the site andget an idea about course content immediately.When they have questions that do not relatedirectly to class topics, you can answer them fullyonline. Better yet, show your students where theycan answer their own questions online. By keepingclass plans and notes on the blog, studentscan prepare for lessons as well as review themafterwards. Encourage students to comment onblog entries and address these comments andtopics in class.Step 5: Have fun. Blogs give you a place to becreative and develop your own voice and onlinepersonality.THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

18 Pihlaja My Share Special Issue • ActivitiesConclusionBlogging introduces students to a more manageableworld of English on the Internet, and encouragesthem to seek out their own answers ina simple, controlled environment. It also enablesyou to connect changing content outside of theclassroom with ideas and topics addressed inunchanging textbooks. If students are able toconnect with classroom topics and language morethan once a week, the opportunities for improvedretention and classroom experience are immense.AppendixA list of useful links to free online resourcesBlog hosting sites:• • • • Video hosting:• • • • Image hosting:• • Text and document hosting:• Hosting for any type of digital media:• THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

Resources • book reviews 19…with Robert TafernerIf you are interested in writing abook review, please consult the listof materials available for review inthe Recently Received column, orconsider suggesting an alternativebook that would be helpful to ourmembership.BOOK REVIEWS ONLINEA linked index of Book Reviews can be found at:Th i s m o n t h’s column begins with a thoroughreview of Bookworms Club Stories forReading Circles, by Simon Handy. Pino Cutronethen provides an evaluation of EncountersAbroad, a false beginners to upper intermediateESL/EFL textbook with an emphasis on listeningand speaking skills.Bookworms ClubStories for ReadingCircles[Edited by Mark Furr, Oxford UniversityPress, 2007. Bronze book, pp. 90, ¥870. ISBN:978-0-19-472000-7; Silver book, pp. 90, ¥870.ISBN: 978-0-19-472001-4; Gold book, pp. 113,¥870. ISBN: 978-0-19-472002-1; Teacher’s book,pp. 32, ¥1,290. ISBN: 978-0-19-472003-8.]Reviewed by Simon Handy, KyotoUniversity of Foreign StudiesMost teachers and students have heard of gradedreaders now and most are aware of their manybenefits. Christine Nuttall (Nuttall, 1996) exhibitsthese in what she calls a victorious circle in whichthe learner enjoys reading, which leads to fasterreading, then reads more, therefore understandsbetter, and thus completes the circle by enjoyingreading. Day & Bamford (1998, p. 123) illustratethe basic points of graded readers: reading isextensive; the goal is to read fluently; the purposeof reading is enjoyment; the focus is on meaning;the material is easy and entirely up to the student;and the student can stop if s/he doesn’t like it.All are very realistic elements of a native reader’sapproach to reading for pleasure.Many teachers have thus begun using gradedreaders with students, as most schools and universitieshave a wide selection of these, and oncestudents get going, they often become passionatereaders. Bookworms Club is an attempt to helpteachers and students go even further with theirreaders and have constructive in-depth discussions.The Bookworms Club comes in three levels:Bronze (stages 1 & 2, 400-700 headwords), Silver(stages 2 & 3, 700-1000 headwords), and Gold(stages 3 & 4, 1000-1400 headwords). All threebooks contain seven short stories specificallyselected for the Reading Circles. The stories comefrom a variety of cultures, such as the UK, Turkey,USA, and Finland in the Bronze edition. The topicscovered are also just as diverse: marriage, ritesof passage, drug companies, and toys. On the titlepage of each story there is a scene-setting paragraphto help students into the narrative.All the stories are followed by a specific WordFocus section including a range of tasks on thespecific vocabulary of the story. This is then followedby a Story Focus that checks comprehensionin various imaginative ways. As this standsit is all well and good. Furr has gone further,however, and developed six highly specific rolesfor each student to take in order to help facilitatediscussion of the story. These are DiscussionLeader, Summarizer, Connector, Word Master,Passage Person, and Culture Collector. All theroles and their requirements are clearly explainedat the back of each book.Each student thus has important and interestingelements of the story to report back to their groupas well as their ideas and questions on these. Ofcourse discussion is not guaranteed, but these roleshelp to make each student responsible within theirgroup. The fact that there are seven stories butonly six roles allows every member of the groupto complete every role. If groups do not consist ofsix students, one role can be left out—often the roleof Culture Collector. The teacher’s book providesfurther explanations of the roles that the studentstake and very useful and clear examples of thewritten work expected of each student. There arealso other tasks and activities that can be exploitedwhich generate plenty of subsequent interest.The initial setup and explanation took approximately40 minutes but much less in subsequentlessons. Students were able to read and prepareTHE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

20 Handy / Cutrone Resources • book reviewstheir work in about an hour, whilst the discussionthat was generated lasted over 40 minutes.As might be expected, the first time the studentsstarted, the discussion process was a little slowand tentative as they found their way into theirroles, but gained pace and interest quickly aseach student found that their input to the discussionwas necessary and much sought after by theother members of the group.Students felt that they were really discussingthe literature and its connection to them in a waythat many had never encountered before, especiallyin a foreign language. The style also combinesuseful aspects for Japanese students in thatthere is a focus on detail and overview. Studentstend to gravitate to detail, having been focusedon grammar translation at school, while somestudents neglect overview for the same scholasticreasons. Students were also naturally drawn intogiving their personal experiences in relation tothe actions of the characters in the story.Bookworms Club Stories for Reading Circles is athoroughly thought out framework especially forstudents of university age and above to enjoy anddiscuss.ReferencesDay, R., & Bamford, J. (1998). Extensive reading in thesecond language classroom. Cambridge: CambridgeUniversity Press.Nuttall, C. (1996). Teaching reading skills in a foreignlanguage. Oxford: Heinemann English LanguageTeaching.Encounters Abroad[Michael P. Critchley. Tokyo: Nan’un-do,2007. pp. 96. ¥2,200.ISBN: 978-4-523-17567-4.]Reviewed by Pino Cutrone,Siebold University of NagasakiEncounters Abroad has many appealing qualities foruse in EFL and ESL contexts. While the book maybe designed specifically for Japanese students inan EFL context, it seems best suited for studentswho aspire to travel as the situations and languageused in the book take place in an ESL context. Fourthings particularly impressed me about this book.First was the clear and coherent manner in whichthe lessons were structured, which makes this auser friendly book for teachers and students alike.Second, as this book is available in both Englishand Japanese, teachers have the flexibility to use itwith multiple proficiency levels ranging from falsebeginners to upper intermediate students. Twentyonelow-intermediate level university students thatparticipated in a pilot study of the English versionof this book responded well. Third, the 10 unitsand 2 review units are designed to be covered in 36hours; thus, the time structure of this book wouldseem to fit in well with the time frame that manycolleges and universities offer for a class duringthe academic year (i.e., 90-minute classes that meettwice a week for a 15-week semester or classes thatmeet once a week for 30 weeks). Fourth, illustratingwith photos, diagrams, and cartoons, all incolor, Critchley has managed to achieve the perfectbalance in making this book fun for students,while at the same time producing a serious andpedagogically sound course book for teachers.The units in EncountersAbroad graduallyincrease in difficulty,and the languagepresented in each unitis recycled throughthe text, giving thestudents the reinforcementthat is essentialfor SLA to occur(Kinoshita, 2003). Eachunit begins with thestatement of an explicitcommunicative function.Subsequently, students are shown a modelconversation of how an advanced speaker mightachieve this objective. Students then have an opportunityto become more familiar with the unit’starget language by practicing language patternsand communication points in a range of exercisesthat directly support this objective. The goal ofeach unit is to have the students, on their own,ultimately create and carry out a conversationthat achieves the unit’s objective. While there issome focus on grammar in each unit, lessons donot rely on rote learning to achieve their objective.Rather, consistent with current trends inELT methodology, the negotiation of meaningin personalized and authentic situations is seenas the most important factor in helping studentsdevelop their proficiencies (Cutrone, 2004).Each unit in the book is centered on a modelconversation, which allows students to seehow the unit’s language focus, vocabulary, andcommunication points might look when as-THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

Resources • book reviews Cutrone 21sembled and used in a complete conversation.The model conversations used in this book areespecially effective due to the authentic andrealistic nature of the language and situationspresented. For instance, in the first conversationin unit 1, a Japanese vacationer is sitting next toan English-speaking person on a trip to Canada,and a conversation between the two ensues. Thisis the type of situation that can actually occur instudents’ lives, and as my pilot study of this bookrevealed, students’ realization of this will go along way towards increasing their motivation,which has long been documented as a problemarea in Japanese universities (Shimizu, 1995).Other situations in this book that students willlikely experience in their travels include orderinga meal, renting a car, getting directions, hotel situations,and dealing with immigration issues.This book is supported in every way imaginable.Each book has an attached mini-phrasebookand CD, on which all of the dialogues in thebook are recorded. Listening transcripts for thesedialogs can be found at the back of the book.This textbook is available in a Japanese and anEnglish version. This allows a teacher to use thesame textbook in multi-level classes; the Japaneseversion provides extra support for beginners,while the English edition would be the choice forhigher level students. There is a teacher’s manualthat can be used with either version of the book.For further assessment tools, quizzes, and otherteaching resources, teachers can access the Encounterswebsite .In conclusion, Encounters Abroad is ideal foruse in the introductory English Communication(i.e., speaking and listening) and travel coursesthat are widespread in the private sector and inuniversities and colleges in Japan. In my opinion,teachers will find this book to be a good alternativeto the usual EFL texts because it presentsthe material in a different way, which is sure toenergize EFL classes in Japan.ReferencesCutrone, P. (2004). Designing and implementing a taskbasedsyllabus for a business EFL class. The Journal ofNagasaki University of Foreign Studies, 7, 57-67.Kinoshita, C. Y. (2003). Integrating language learningstrategy instruction into ESL/EFL lessons. The InternetTESL Journal, 9(4). Retrieved September 24, 2007, fromShimizu, K. (1995). Japanese college student attitudestowards English teachers: A survey. The LanguageTeacher, 19(10). Retrieved August 17, 2007, from Resources • Recently Received...with Scott Gardner A list of textbooks and resource books for language teachersavailable for review in TLT and JALT Journal.RECENTLY RECEIVED ONLINEAn up-to-date index of books availablefor review can be found at:.* = first notice; ! = final notice. Final notice items will beremoved 30 Apr. For queries please write to the appropriateemail address below.Books for Students (reviewed in TLT)Contact: Scott GardnerCover to Cover: Reading Comprehension and Fluency1. Day, R., & Yamanaka, J. Oxford: Oxford UniversityPress, 2007. [Incl. CDs, teacher’s book].Different Histories. Mack, J., Iwamasa, S., et al. Tokyo:Kinseido, 2008. [Multi-skills text on American history;incl. CD, Japanese teacher’s manual].! For Your Information 1: Reading and VocabularySkills (2nd ed.). Blanchard, K., & Root, C. WhitePlains, NY: Pearson Longman, 2007. [Incl.teacher’s manual].! Helbling Readers (The Spring Cup, Red Water, TheGarden Party and Sixpence, The Happy Prince andthe Nightingale and the Rose, Daisy Miller). Cleary,M. (Series Ed.). Crawley, UK: Helbling Languages,2007. [Five beginning and intermediatereader titles, classics and original, each with CD].* Oxford English for Careers: Commerce 1. Hobbs,M., & Starr Keddle, J. Oxford: Oxford UniversityPress, 2006. [Incl. teacher’s resource book,CD, website assistance].* Well Read 1: Skills and Strategies for Reading.Blass, L. New York: Oxford, 2008. [Incl. instructor’spack].Books for Teachers(reviewed in JALT Journal)Contact: Yuriko Kite* English Language Teaching in China: New Approaches,Perspectives and Standards. Liu, J. (Ed.).London: Continuum International, 2007.! Literature, Metaphor, and the Foreign LanguageTeacher. Picken, J. Houndmills, UK: PalgraveMacmillan, 2007.Tasks in Second Language Learning. Samuda, V., &Bygate, M. Houndmills, UK: Palgrave Macmillan,2008.THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

JALT Focus • From JALT National 23…with Marcos BenevidesJALT Focus contributors arerequested by the column editor tosubmit articles of up to 750 wordswritten in paragraph format andnot in abbreviated or outline form.Announcements for JALT Noticesshould not exceed 150 words. Allsubmissions should be made by the15th of the month, one and a halfmonths prior to publication.JALT FOCUS ONLINEA listing of notices and news can be found at:JALT FocusHello everyone, I’m your new JALT Focus correspondent.My job is to gather relevant news andannouncements of national interest from withinthe organization, and present them to you herein under 750 fun-packed words. This month welook forward to the big November elections. Willchange pull through? Will experience carry theday? Who will rally the base? Just how far can Icarry this joke?Perhaps I’ll just pass you over to JALT’s NationalElections Committee Chair Tim Gutierrez, withthe official call for nominations in the 2008 JALTnational elections. Is it your turn to get involvedin JALT?JALT CalendarListings of major upcoming events in the organisation.For more information, visit JALT’s website , orsee the SIG and chapter event columns later in this issue.}} 25 Apr 2008: Deadline for submissions to present atPAC7 at JALT2008 in Tokyo.See for more information.}} 31 May – 1 Jun 2008: JALTCALL 2008 “New Frontiersin CALL: Negotiating Diversity” at Nagoya University ofCommerce & Business, Nagoya.}} 28-29 Jun – JALT Executive Board Meeting. Venue: OsakaGakuin University}} Jun 2008: Kagoshima TEYL Conference (joint chapter andTC SIG event) at Kagoshima University.}} 1-3 Nov 2008: PAC 7 at JALT2008 at the NationalOlympics Memorial Youth Center, Tokyo.See for more information.Call for nominations:2008 JALT National ElectionsElections for the following positions will takeplace in November. You are invited to nominateJALT members in good standing who have suitableexperience.• President: The president has general responsibilityfor coordinating the activities of the executiveboard and for directing and publicizingthe affairs of JALT. He/she presides at ExecutiveBoard and Board of Directors’ meetings.The president, with the approval of the ExecutiveBoard, appoints the heads of committees,subcommittees, and boards not specified inthe constitution and bylaws. The president isa member of all committees. Voting status isdesignated by the Bylaws.• Vice President: The vice president presides atmeetings in the absence of the president andshares the duties and the responsibilities ofthe president. The vice president chairs theAdministrative Committee and supervises therunning of all aspects of JALT Central Office.• Director of Membership: The director ofmembership is responsible for overseeingJALT membership records, coordinating theformation of new affiliates, chapters, and SIGs,formulating and implementing policies governingtheir relationship to JALT, and assistingin membership drives. The director of membershipchairs the Membership Committee.• Director of Program: The director of programis responsible for supervising the arrangementsfor the Annual Conference and for planningspecial programs and workshops which willTHE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

24 JALT Focus • JALT NOTICESbe made available to the various chapters andSIGs. The director of program chairs the ProgramCommittee.• Director of Public Relations: The director ofpublic relations is responsible for coordinatingJALT publicity nationally and internationally;promoting relations with educational organizations,media, and industry; finding and developingnew associate members, commercialmembers, and institutional subscribers; coordinatingassociate/commercial member relationswith the business manager and the director ofprograms; liaising with the Publications Boardon all matters related to publications. Thedirector of public relations chairs the ExternalRelations Committee.• Director of Records: The director of records isresponsible for recording and keeping the minutesof Executive Board Meetings and GeneralMeetings, and for keeping the chapters andSIGs informed of the activities of the nationalorganization. The director of records chairs theRecords and Procedures Committee.• Director of Treasury: The director of treasurymaintains all financial records, is responsiblefor collecting and disbursing all funds of theorganization, and presents an account of thefinancial status of the organization at a GeneralMeeting. The director of treasury chairs theFinance Committee.• Auditor: The auditor's duties include the following:inspect the status of business conductedby the directors; inspect the status of assetsof this incorporation; report to the GeneralMeeting or the concerned governmental authorityif, as a result of the inspection specifiedin the preceding items, improper conduct orimportant facts indicating violation of laws,regulations, or the Articles of Incorporationwith regard to the business or assets of JALTis discovered; convene the General Meeting, ifnecessary, to submit a report as specified in thepreceding item; present opinions to the directorson the status of business conducted by thedirectors or the status of assets of this incorporation.Term of Office: All terms are for 2 years startingimmediately after the Ordinary General Meetingat PAC7 at JALT2008 in Tokyo (31 Oct – 3 Nov).You can nominate yourself or someone else. Ineither case, the person must be a current memberof JALT. Please clearly indicate membershipnumber(s), affiliation(s), and contact information.Nominations can be sent by post or email to TimothyGutierrez , JALT Nominationsand Elections Committee Chair, Tokai UniversityForeign Language Center, 1117 Kitakaname,Hiratsuka-shi, Kanagawa-ken, 259-1292. Pleasesubmit nominations and include brief details ofqualifications by May 15, 2008.2008 年 JALT 全 国 選 出 役 員 選 挙— 推 薦 者 募 集以 下 の 役 職 の 選 挙 が11 月 に 行 われることを 公 示 します。これらの 役 職 に 適 任 と 思 われる 会 員 をご 推 薦 ください。• 理 事 長 : 理 事 長 は 執 行 役 員 会 の 活 動 を 統 括 し、 本 学 会の 事 業 を 指 導 し 周 知 させる 全 般 的 な 責 任 を 有 する。 理事 長 は、 執 行 役 員 会 及 び 理 事 会 の 議 長 となる。また 執行 役 員 会 の 承 認 をもって、 各 種 委 員 会 、 小 委 員 会 および 定 款 と 定 款 細 則 に 記 載 されていない 役 員 会 の 委 員 長を 任 命 する。 理 事 長 はすべての 委 員 会 の 構 成 員 となるが、 投 票 権 については 細 則 に 明 示 される。• 副 理 事 長 : 副 理 事 長 は 理 事 長 不 在 の 際 に 会 議 の 議 長 を務 め、 理 事 長 の 責 務 を 補 佐 する。 理 事 長 、 副 理 事 長 ともに 不 在 の 場 合 は、 理 事 長 の 指 名 により 執 行 役 員 会 のその 他 のメンバーが 会 議 の 議 長 を 務 める。 副 理 事 長 は、総 務 委 員 会 の 議 長 を 務 める。• 会 員 担 当 理 事 : 会 員 担 当 理 事 は、 本 会 の 会 員 の 記 録 を管 理 し、 新 しい 準 支 部 ないし 準 分 野 別 研 究 部 会 、 支 部および 分 野 別 研 究 部 会 の 設 立 のための 調 整 をはかり、これらのグループと 本 会 の 全 国 組 織 との 関 係 に 関 わる方 針 を 定 め、 実 施 する 責 任 を 持 つ。またこれらのグループの 会 員 の 獲 得 を 支 援 する 責 任 を 持 つ。 会 員 担 当 理 事は、 会 員 担 当 委 員 会 の 議 長 をつとめる。• 企 画 担 当 理 事 : 企 画 担 当 理 事 は、 年 次 大 会 の 準 備 を 監督 し、 支 部 や 分 野 別 研 究 部 会 のために 特 別 なプログラムやワークショップを 企 画 する 責 任 を 持 つ。 企 画 担 当 理事 は 企 画 委 員 会 の 議 長 をつとめる。• 広 報 担 当 理 事 : 広 報 担 当 理 事 は 下 記 の 任 務 を 有 する。(1) 本 学 会 の 国 内 外 の 広 報 活 動 を 統 括 する。(2)他 の 教 育 団 体 、 報 道 機 関 、 産 業 界 との 交 流 を 促 進 する。(3) 新 たなビジネス 会 員 、 法 人 購 読 会 員 を 獲 得 する。(4) ビジネス マネージャー・ 企 画 担 当 理 事 とビジネス会 員 間 の 調 整 役 をつとめる。(5) 出 版 関 連 の 事 項 で、 出版 委 員 会 との 連 絡 役 をつとめる。 広 報 担 当 理 事 は、 渉外 委 員 会 の 議 長 をつとめる。• 書 記 担 当 理 事 : 書 記 担 当 理 事 は 執 行 役 員 会 会 議 及 び総 会 の 議 事 録 を 作 成 、 管 理 し、 本 部 の 活 動 について 支部 と 分 野 別 研 究 部 会 に 周 知 をはかる 責 任 を 持 つ。 書 記担 当 理 事 は、 記 録 管 理 委 員 会 の 議 長 をつとめる。• 財 務 担 当 理 事 : 財 務 担 当 理 事 は、すべての 経 理 記 録 を管 理 し、 本 会 のすべての 資 金 を 収 集 し、 配 分 する 責 任を 負 う。また 総 会 において 本 会 の 財 務 状 況 の 報 告 を 行う。 財 務 担 当 理 事 は、 財 務 委 員 会 の 議 長 をつとめる。• 監 事 : 監 事 は、 次 に 掲 げる 職 務 を 行 う。(1) 理 事 の 業 務執 行 の 状 況 を 監 査 すること。(2) この 法 人 の 財 産 の 状 況THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

JALT Focus • JALT NOTICES 25を 監 査 すること。(3) 前 2 号 の 規 定 による 監 査 の 結 果 、この 法 人 の 業 務 又 は 財 産 に 関 し 不 正 の 行 為 又 は 法 令 若 しくは 定 款 に 違 反 する 重 大 な 事 実 があることを 発 見 した場 合 には、これを 総 会 又 は 所 轄 庁 に 報 告 すること。(4)前 号 の 報 告 をするために 必 要 がある 場 合 には、 総 会 を招 集 すること。(5) 理 事 の 業 務 執 行 の 状 況 又 はこの 法 人の 財 産 の 状 況 に 就 いて、 理 事 に 意 見 を 述 べること。任 期 :すべての 役 職 において 任 期 は 東 京 の 年 次 総 会 (2008 年 10 月 31—11 月 3 日 開 催 ) 直 後 より2 年 間とする。推 薦 は 自 薦 、 他 薦 を 問 わないが、いずれもJALT 正 会 員である 事 。 連 絡 時 には 推 薦 する 者 、 推 薦 される 者 の 会 員 番号 と 支 部 名 を 明 記 。 以 下 の 連 絡 先 ティモシー・グティエレズに 手 紙 またはEメールで 推 薦 文 を5 月 15 日 までにお 送りください。ティモシー・グティエレズ選 挙 管 理 委 員 会 委 員 長住 所 〒259−1292神 奈 川 県 平 塚 市 北 金 目 1117 東 海 大 学 FLCティモシー・グティエレズ 行Eメール Announcement from JALT Central Officeand the JALT Database CommitteeWe are very pleased to announce that the newdatabase is ready to begin testing its renewalreminder system. The Renewal Reminder systemis a “push one button” function which sendsoff a letter to members reminding them of theirupcoming renewal or a letter advising them thattheir membership has expired within the past 30days.As this will be the first time for us to use thisfunction, we are very conscious of the fact thatthere may still be bugs in the system and we askfor everyone’s patience as we work to perfect thesystem.Initially we will be sending out reminders forApril and May renewals. Should you receive a renewalreminder which is not correct, please sendus an email so that wecan have a clear idea of any issues that need to beclarified or modified.We hope that if this test is successful that it willhelp to further automate systems and keep incontact with our members.Ann MayedaDirectory of MembershipCynthia KeithVice PresidentAnnouncementsCall for papers: Task-based languageteachingThe Language Teacher is seeking papers related totask-based language teaching in Japan for an upcomingspecial issue. Papers may focus on theory,research, curriculum development, or classroompedagogy, and may be in English or Japanese.If you are interested in writing a paper or havea suggestion, please contact the guest editorsat . The deadline formanuscript submissions is 1 Jun, 2008. Selectedmanuscripts must be complete and ready forreview by 3 Aug, 2008.The Language Teacherで は, 特 集 号 のために, 日 本 におけるタスク 中 心 言 語 教 育 に 関 する 原 稿 を 募 集 しています。理 論 ・ 調 査 ・カリキュラム 開 発 ・ 教 授 法 などを 主 な 内 容 とし, 日 本 語 又 は 英 語 で 執 筆 してください。 投 稿 に 関 する 問い 合 わせや 要 望 は, 特 集 号 担 当 の 編 集 者 までメールにてご 連 絡 ください。 原 稿 の 締 め切 りは2008 年 6 月 1 日 です。 採 択 原 稿 は 必 要 に 応 じて 修 正し, 再 審 査 のため2008 年 8 月 3 日 までに 提 出 することになります。JALT Journal Book Reviews EditorPositionThe JALT Publications Board invites applicationsfor the position of JALT Journal Book ReviewsEditor. Duties include: processing requests to review,selecting appropriate reviewers, communicatingreview guidelines, working with reviewersto help them improve their reviews, coordinatingbook reviews as needed with The Language TeacherBook Review Editor and others, and attendingPublication Board meetings.Qualifications include: the ability to meet deadlinesand handle correspondence, a sound backgroundin language education, a master’s degreein language education or related field, experiencewith JALT publications, 5 or more years languageteaching experience, editorial experience, residencyin Japan, and current JALT membership.Please submit the following application materialsby email attachment by 30 May 30, 2008: aresume/CV and complete list of publications, astatement of purpose and qualifications, and electroniccopies of recent publications. Applicationswill be accepted until the position is filled.Submit materials to both Kim Bradford-Wattsand Ian Isemonger at and respectively. Applicants will be notified by midTHE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

26 JALT Focus • JALT NOTICES2008.JALT Hokkaido JournalThe JALT Hokkaido Journal is a refereed onlinejournal that appears once a year. The journal featurestheoretically grounded research reports anddiscussion of central issues in foreign languageteaching and learning with a focus on Japanesecontexts. We especially encourage investigationsthat apply theory to practice and include originaldata collected and analyzed by the authors. Thoseinterested in submitting a paper should visit and follow the journal link atthe bottom of the page. The deadline for submissionsis 30 Jun 2008.Publications positions availableThe Language Teacher and JALT Journal…are looking for people to fill the positions ofEnglish language proofreaders and Japanese languageproofreaders.For more information, job descriptions anddetails on applying for these position are postedon our website .26 JALT Focus • Showcase…with Damian RiversShowcase is a column wheremembers have 250 words to introducesomething of specific interestto the readership. This maybe an event, website, personalexperience or publication.Please address inquiries to theeditor.In t h i s month’s Showcase Steve McCarty ofOsaka Jogakuin College previews the futureof Web 2.0 in 3D for language teaching.SHOWCASESteve McCartyOn the heels of Web 2.0 for education, authenticactivities characterized as free and easy touse and share, Web 3.0 is rapidly emerging inthe form of 3D virtual worlds. Before long, Webbrowsers will give most users this experience.Currently, provided one’s computer has powerfulenough graphics capacity, a free program such asSecond Life can be downloaded,or in Japanese , allowingpeople to interact in 3D by configuring their owncharacter, or avatar.At the Wireless Ready 2007 conference atNagoya University of Commerce and Business, the author’s openingkeynote address pioneered 3D hybrid realityfrom Japan by being conducted simultaneouslyin Second Life. Communication with participantsabroad included some sound, text chat, and gesturessuch as bowing to the other avatars. PowerPointslides had been converted earlier to .jpgimages and uploaded into a player with a screenand control stand visible in the first screen shotbelow. The first six illustrations show keynoteaddress slides representative of Web 2.0 technologiesfrom the author’s vantage point withinSecond Life.World Association for Online Education ,networking for professional development.THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

JALT Focus • Showcase 27Flying above a slide of an online presentation embedded ina blog with its podcast, which wasrecorded in Sydney, for listening while clicking through theslide show.Representative Web 2.0 site < www.mypopstudio.com>where the author's Computer Communication students dragand-dropclips to mash up reality TV shows and make songs.In this slide the singer is actually the author's other avatar.Coursecasting, that is, podcasting the lectures of a wholecourse on Bilingual Education.Homemade meishi including QR Code whereby cameraequippedmobile phones in Japan can access the author’smobile phone site, a new interface between the materialand digital worlds.The avatar faces his creator in a YouTube video that wasplayed during the keynote presentation.Scene from a YouTube video taken by Gavin Dudeneyin Barcelona during the same keynote presentation, withanother participant abroad also visible.Today Web 2.0 technologies, mobile learning,or 3D affordances can be selected or combinedaccording to learning objectives. For fuller detailsread the keynote address in the conference e-proceedings or see (and hear) the author's online library.THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

28 JALT Focus • Grassroots…with Joyce Cunningham &Mariko MiyaoThe co-editorswarmly invite 750-word reports onevents, groups, orresources withinJALT in English,Japanese, or acombination ofboth.Th i s m o n t h, Anthony Robinsexplains how you can receivea JALT research grant.Then Jim Smiley questions receivedwisdom about the dos anddon’ts of conference planning.JALT researchgrants: An offeryou might not wantto refuseAs someone who has been in Japan for 20 years,I have seen many changes in the country. Notleast are attitudes to money. Long gone for mostpeople are the extravagant or at least mildlyextravagant bubble days, replaced by 100 yenshops, television programs on people who scrimpand save, and even budget priced four-litre PETbottles of whisky! Many know only too well thattheir remuneration has often been heading, evenspiralling, downwards or at best has remainedstatic. The same may be true with research funds,but one solution is available again now—a JALTresearch grant.Open to all JALT members with limited accessto other sources of research funds, there are threeseparate JALT research grants annually, each offeringa successful candidate ¥100,000 to pursuean interesting and stimulating idea. As well asthe money, two additional kinds of support areoffered. If you wish, a member of the TeacherResearcher Network will mentor and advise you,while members of the research grants committeewill offer feedback on reports you submit detailingthe progress of your research.Past and current recipients have found theirgrants to be invaluable. As Mami Ishikawa, a2005 awardee, wrote: “Each time I completed thequarterly report for the research grant, I felt I wasable to sharpen my aims and research focus. Itwas a great honor to be chosen as a JALT grantrecipient. I recommend interested teachers to applyfor future grants; they represent a great learningopportunity.” You can read more about herexperiences in the April 2007 issue of TLT, whilethe April 2006 issue of TLT featured all of the 2005awardees.So, now is the time. The closing date is 31May and successful applicants will be officiallyannounced at this year’s PAC7 at JALT2008conference in Tokyo (31 Oct-3 Nov). Interestedin being one of the lucky three? I do hope so andreally look forward to hearing from you duringthe period of applications: 1 Apr to 31 May. Fullinformation on how to apply can be accessed at. JALT research grantsoffer a great opportunity to pursue your researchplans and ideas and provide to you what is oftenmissing these days, the finances to do that.Anthony RobinsAichi University of EducationJALT Research Grants Committee ChairJALT 研 究 助 成 金 :絶 対 見 逃 せないものです20 年 間 日 本 に 住 んできて, 私 は 多 くの 変 化 を 眼 にしてきました。その 中 でも,お 金 に 対 する 人 々の 態 度 はずいぶん変 わってきました。 贅 沢 品 はほとんどの 人 にとって 昔 のものとなり,バブル 時 代 の 少 々の 贅 沢 も100 円 ショップに 取 って代 わられ,テレビ 番 組 では,なんとか 節 約 して,お 手 軽 価格 の4リットルのペットボトル・ウィスキーにまで 予 算 を 落 とす 人 たちを 取 り 上 げています。 報 奨 金 があっても 下 向 き 傾向 にあり,よくっても 前 と 同 じ 状 態 であると 多 くの 人 たちが思 っています。 研 究 費 に 関 しても 同 じです。ところが, 一 つ解 決 策 があります。それがJALT 研 究 助 成 金 です。他 の 研 究 資 金 を 得 ることが 限 られているJALT 会 員 全 員に, 毎 年 3 件 のJALT 助 成 金 が 準 備 されています。それぞれの 受 賞 者 には 有 望 なアイデアをさらに 膨 らませていくために10 万 円 が 授 与 されます。 助 成 金 と 同 様 に,2 種 類 の 支 援制 度 が 用 意 されています。 受 賞 者 が 希 望 すれば,TeacherResearcher Networkのメンバーが,アドバイスをしてくれます。また, 研 究 助 成 委 員 会 のメンバーが 提 出 されたレポートに 対 して, 研 究 の 進 み 具 合 について 詳 しいコメントをしてくれます。これまでの 受 賞 者 は,この 助 成 金 制 度 が 計 り 知 れないほど 貴 重 なものであったと 述 べています。2005 年 度 の 受 賞 者THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

JALT Focus • Grassroots 29である 石 川 真 美 氏 は, 次 のように 述 べています。「 研 究 助成 の 年 4 回 の 報 告 を 仕 上 げるたびに, 自 分 の 目 的 と 研 究 焦点 を 絞 っていくことができました。JALT 助 成 金 の 受 賞 者 になれたことは 大 変 名 誉 なことでした。 関 心 がある 教 師 の 方たちは, 是 非 , 応 募 されることをお 勧 めします。 素 晴 らしい学 習 機 会 になります。」 石 川 氏 の 経 験 は,2007 年 のTLT4 月号 に 掲 載 されています。その 前 年 のTLT4 月 号 のGrassrootsでは,2005 年 の 受 賞 者 全 員 の 特 集 をしています。さあ , 今 が チャン スで す 。 応 募 の 締 め 切 りは ,5 月 3 1 日です。 受 賞 者 は, 東 京 で 開 かれる 本 年 度 のJALT 国 際 大 会(10 月 31 日 ~11 月 3 日 )で 発 表 されます。さあ, 皆 さん,この 幸 運 な3 人 の 中 に 入 りませんか。 応 募 期 間 に 皆 さんからの 応 募 が 多 数 あることを 願 っています。 応 募 期 間 は,4月 1 日 から5 月 31 日 です。 応 募 方 法 については,で 知 ることができます。JALT 助 成 金 は,あなたの 研 究 計 画 とアイデアを 膨 らませ, 最 近 少 なくなっている 財 政 的 援 助 を 提 供 します。Anthony Robins愛 知 教 育 大 学JALT Research Grants Committee ChairConferenceplanning factoids:True or false?In 2006 I was asked to chair the 2007 Pan-SIGconference. Never having chaired an event likethat, I was unsure of many conference organisingaspects. Already in its 6th year, the Pan-SIGhad a body of experience, so I asked many peoplemany questions. However, the advice garneredwas contradictory, leaving me no wiser. AlthoughI always find my own place to stay, I was toldto "include a hotel package. Folks don't want tofind their own accommodation." Another personimpressed upon me the importance of theconference theme: without a good one, abstractswouldn't be submitted and attendance wouldbe low. Personally, I couldn't remember the thencurrent JALT conference theme. I offered my ownadvice: most folks attend conferences only whenthey're presenting. How true was any of this? Ineeded to find out.InstrumentI prepared and sent a 12-item questionnaire() to the ETJ Teachers inJapan discussion list (N=45). With these numberswe can't bust any myths, but they can suggestrules of thumb and help to identify areas of concernto conference organisers. In three sections,I asked about respondent demographics, aboutconference attendance, and about those hand-medownfactoids.Results39 respondents regularly attended conferences,but as the other six offered opinions about thequestions, no one was excluded.Table 1. Respondents’ institutionsPrimarySecondaryUniversityAdultLanguageSchool11% (5) 38% (17) 40% (23) 11% (5)The wide distribution in institutions and educationmade this an excellent vehicle to find outabout conferences in general.Table 2. Respondents’ education levelBachelor’s Master’s Doctorate42% (19) 47% (21) 11% (5)More people attend two or three rather thanonly one conference a year.Table 3. Number attended annually1 2 or 3 4 or 5 morethan 529% (13) 42% (19) 9% (4) 11% (5)There is a correlation between this and whether ornot attendees receive funding to attend conferences.Table 4. Relationship between conferenceattendance and research budgetConferencenumbersReceivefinancialsupportReceiveno financialsupport1 2 or 3 4 or 5 morethan 51 12 2 111 6 2 4THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

30 JALT Focus • GrassrootsHaving no research budget limits conferenceattendance, but for over four conferences, itbecomes irrelevant. For the five addicts, moneydoesn't seem to be an issue. Two of them "useconferences to see Japan" (Q12).Only 13 people answered the question aboutthe importance of the conference theme.Table 5. Conference themes’ importance11. How important is the conference theme?1-not 13% (6)5-extremely 16% (7)This 50/50 split hints that a theme is important.Half don't care, but the other half values it tremendously.Most of those who cared worked insecondary education. Possibly, university teachersare more blasé about conference themes. Interestingly,three of the non-attendees rated conferencethemes very highly, suggesting they don't attenddue to a paucity of strong themes.A big issue facing SIG organisers is whetherto spend a lot of SIG money to bring in an influentialfigure, sometimes from overseas. Are bignames also crowd-pullers?Table 6. The attraction of the famousConclusionWith only 45 respondents, the survey cannothope to answer questions comprehensively. Yetthe beginnings of answers can be seen, and if Iwere ever asked to chair a conference again, Iwould be in a position to understand the dynamicsfar better.Reported by Jim SmileyTohoku Bunka Gakuen University, SendaiAppendix: The questions1. What kind of institution do you teach in?2. What is your age group?3. What is your education level?4. Do you attend conferences?5. How many in a typical academic year?6. Do you receive funding?7. Do you only attend when you present?8. Do you attend because of friends?9. Do "big names" entice you to attend conferences?10. Is your choice of attending influenced bythe existence of a conference preparedhotel package?11. How important is the conference theme?12. Do you "use" conferences to see Japan?9. Do “big names” entice you to attendconferences?yes 33% (15)no 60% (27)The result indicates a small, but significant proportionof attendees are attracted to a conferenceby famous ELT names.Finally, my own pet rule of thumb that mostattendees turn up just to present was squashedwith hardly a thought.Table 7. Jim’s supposition7. Do you only attend when you present?Yes 4% (2)No 96% (43)What’s your thread?THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

JALT Focus • Outreach 31…with David McMurrayOutreach is a place where teachersfrom around the world can exchangeopinions and ideas about foreign languagelearning and teaching. It providesoutreach to classroom teacherswho would not otherwise readilyhave access to a readership in Japan.The column also seeks to provide avibrant voice for colleagues whovolunteer to improve language learningin areas that do not have teacher associations. Up to1,000 word reports from teachers anywhere in the worldare welcomed. Contributors may also submit articles inthe form of interviews with teachers based overseas.Ou t r e a c h i n t e rv i e w sprofessors and poetsfrom all over India. RamKrishna Singh is a universityprofessor of English at the IndianSchool of Mines in Dhanbadto the northeast of India. Fromher home in Chandigarh inthe northern Punjab, AngeleeDeodhar translates Japanese andEnglish poetry into Hindi. RebbaSingh lives in Lucknow, a city incentral Uttar Pradesh where sheuses English to train young salespeople whose first languageis Urdu. After obtaining hispost-graduate degree in Englishliterature, A. Thiagarajan was alecturer in English as a ForeignLanguage at several colleges inthe western port city of Mumbai.His language expertise includesthe study of Tamil poetry, but hecurrently teaches bank employeesat the training colleges ofmajor banks. These four teachertrainersspeak different first languagesbut all work in English.Their stories come together inthis article because of their lovefor literature and poetry fromJapan. Language and literatureconferences were held in citiesfrom north to south along thecenter axis of India this year: inNew Delhi, Chennai, and Bangalore.Languageprofessors andpoets in IndiaThere are two major English language teachers’organizations in India. The English LanguageTeachers’ Association of India, ELTAI is an associateof IATEFL headquartered in London. ELTAI’s39th annual conference and third internationalconference, Learning to Teach: A Life-Long Journeywas held from 8-10 Feb, 2008 at the SatyabhamaUniversity in Chennai. Chennai is popularlyknown as the southern gateway city to India.The Forum for Teachers of English Language andLiterature, FORTELL was officially recognizedas a TESOL affiliate this year. On 13 and 14 Feb,2008, TESOL International President Sandy Briggsvisited the American Centre in New Delhi andthe Ram Lal Anand College of the University ofDelhi to extend her organization’s welcome to themembers of the developing professional association.Briggs also gave a teacher training lecture ondeveloping as an ELT professional.Language and literature conferences are popularamong professors and poets in India duringFebruary when the weather is good and there is abreak between semesters. For students hoping toenter college it is a time for intensive study andprayer, according to A. Thiagarajan. A few weeksbefore entrance examinations take place, studentsreceive hall tickets and examination admissionidentity cards showing the test taker’s name andpicture. While sitting for an exam the studentmust have this identity card at hand. In manyhomes students will safeguard the hall ticket byplacing it in front of the family deity, a kitchengod for example, and asking for heavenly guidance.Many students also visit temples to praybefore Saraswathi, the goddess of learning orGanesa, the god who can remove all obstacles.Exam dawnchild with an admit cardbefore the deityAt the 9th World Haiku Festival, WHF, held23-25 Feb, 2008, in the southern city of Bangalore,professors and poets met to share their Indianperspective on literature and poetry from Japan.WHF is headquartered in London. At the en-THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

32 JALT FOCUS • OUTREACHcouragement of the president of the haiku club’schapter in India, the international conference wasconvened in India for the first time. Thiagarajanwrote the above haiku and gave a keynote lectureon Tamil literature and languages.At the conference Angelee Deodhar presentedher latest book, 100 Poems by 110 Poets, a Hinditranslation of the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu. Sheclaims that the language for the study of haiku inIndia will have to be English so that Indian poetscan communicate and share haiku with poetsworldwide. Few books in Japanese have beentranslated into Hindi according to Deodhar (2007:p. 36) “For any literary genre to be understoodthere has to be knowledge of the socio-culturaland historical background in which it was written.”Deodhar’s mountain home is snow coveredin winter. She keeps a diary in which the firstwords she wrote this year were about snow-coveredEast Indian cedar trees. Deodar is a Hindiword that literally means the timber of the gods.First diary entryjust as the sun topssnow-covered deodarsSingh spoke on the cross cultural dimensions oflanguage and haiku at the conference. EighteenIndian languages are officially recognized in India.The Indo-Aryan languages evolved from Sanskrit.Tamil developed independently from Sanskrit.Tamil is the official language of the state of TamilNadu. Hindi is the official language of six statesand is the official language of the government.English is considered as an additional official languagethat binds the nation’s people together andallows them to communicate with the world.For the past 30 years Singh has lived inDhanbad, the heartland of India’s coal miningregion. He has authored over 150 academicarticles, 160 book reviews, and 30 books includingtextbooks on grammar and composition. Hedecided to teach seminars on fiction in English,believing that his students could be motivated todevelop a sense of literature and criticism. Despitehis encouragement, however, he found thathis students couldn’t be motivated to write theirown poetry in English. He instructs his studentsin every class that their ideal should be to speakas Indians, intelligible English, but not like a nativespeaker from Britain, America, Canada, orAustralia. Singh’s students are eager to learn touse a practical form of English, perhaps to helpthem land a job. They are also likely inspired bythe poetry from Singh’s latest book (2006: p. 5).At the rivershe folds her arms and legsresting her headupon the knees and sitsas an islandRebba Singh reveals that when she was newlymarried, every time she opened her mouth herin-laws would open their dictionaries. She acknowledgesthat many students make mistakes inwriting English, but she made so many mistakesin English that she gravitated toward shorterforms of communication. As a sales coordinatorfor a pharmaceutical company, Singh uses a cellphone from her home in Lucknow to communicatepithy English sentences to motivate her salesforce in the field. The official language in the stateis Urdu, but she is neither able to speak, read, orto write it. Similar to her three colleagues, she isan accomplished haiku poet in English. Her namemeans the morning mist in Persian.Call menot a poetbut a verseReferencesDeodhar, A. (2007). Ogura hyakunin isshu, 100 Poems by110 Poets. Chandigarh: Azad Hind.Singh, R. K. (2006). The river returns. Bareilly: PrakashBook Depot.´ New Dehli´ Lucknow´ MumbaiBangalore ´ ´ ChennaiTHE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

Column • SIG News 33…with James HobbsJALT currently has 16 SpecialInterest Groups (SIGs) availablefor members to join. This columnpublishes announcements ofSIG events, mini-conferences,publications, or calls for papers andpresenters. SIGs wishing to printnews or announcements shouldcontact the editor by the 15thof the month, 6 weeks prior topublication.SIGs at a glanceKey: [ = keywords ] [ & = publications ] [ ó =other activities ] [ ô = email list] [ ^ = online forum]Note: For contacts & URLs, please see the Contacts page.Bilingualism[ bilingualism, biculturality, international families, childraising,identity ] [ & Bilingual Japan—4x year ] [ ómonographs, forums ] [ ô ]Our group has two broad aims: to support familieswho regularly communicate in more than onelanguage and to further research on bilingualismin Japanese contexts. See our website for more information.当 研 究 会 は 複 数 言 語 で 生 活 する 家 族 および 日 本 におけるバイリンガリズム 研 究 の 支 援 を 目 的 としています。どうぞホームページのをご 覧 下 さい。Computer Assisted Language Learning[ technology, computer-assisted, wireless, online learning,self-access ] [ & JALT CALL Journal Newsletter—3xyear ] [ ó Annual SIG conference, regional events andworkshops ] [ ô ] [ ^ ]The CALL SIG 2008 conference, with the themeNew Frontiers in CALL: Negotiating Diversity, willbe held Sat 31 May-Sun 1 June (with possible preconferenceworkshops on Fri 30 May). The 2008conference will be held at the Nagoya Universityof Commerce and Business Administration. Forfurther information, check .College and University Educators[ tertiary education, interdisciplinary collaboration, professionaldevelopment, classroom research, innovative teaching] [ & On CUE —2x year, YouCUE e-newsletter ] [ ó AnnualSIG conference, regional events and workshops ]CUE’s refereed publication, OnCUE Journal (ISSN:1882-0220), is published twice a year. In addition,members receive the email newsletter YouCUEthree times a year. Check the CUE SIG website for news and updates aboutCUE SIG events.Gender Awareness in LanguageEducationGALE works to build a supportive communityof educators and researchers interested in raisingawareness and researching how gender playsan integral role in education and professionalinteraction. We also work with other JALT groupsand the wider community to promote pedagogicaland professional practices, language teachingmaterials, and research inclusive of genderand gender-related topics. Co-sponsor of Pan-SIG 2008. Call for papers for Gender and Beyondconference in Nagoya, Oct 2008. Visit our website for details.Global Issues in Language Education[ global issues, global education, content-based languageteaching, international understanding, world citizenship ][ & Global Issues in Language Education Newsletter—4xyear ] [ ó Sponsor of Peace as a Global Language (PGL)conference ] [ ô ] [ ^ ]Are you interested in promoting global awarenessand international understanding throughyour teaching? Then join the Global Issues inLanguage Education SIG. We produce an excitingquarterly newsletter packed with news, articles,and book reviews; organize presentations for local,national, and international conferences; andnetwork with groups such as UNESCO, AmnestyInternational, and Educators for Social Responsibility.Join us in teaching for a better world!Our website is . Forfurther information, contact Kip Cates .Junior and Senior High School[ curriculum, native speaker, JET programme, JTE, ALT, internationalization] [ & The School House—3-4x year ] [ ó teacherdevelopment workshops & seminars, networking, open mics ][ ô ]The JSH SIG is operating at a time of considerablechange in secondary EFL education. Therefore,we are concerned with language learning theory,teaching materials, and methods. We are also intenselyinterested in curriculum innovation. Thelarge-scale employment of native speaker instruc-THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

34 Column • SIG Newstors is a recent innovation yet to be thoroughlystudied or evaluated. JALT members involvedwith junior or senior high school EFL are cordiallyinvited to join us for dialogue and professionaldevelopment opportunities.Learner Development[ autonomy, learning, reflections, collaboration, development] [ & Learning Learning, 2x year; LD-Wired, quarterlyelectronic newsletter ] [ ó Forum at the JALT national conference,annual mini-conference/retreat, printed anthologyof Japan-based action research projects ] [ ô ]We are planning a retreat on 15 Jun at NanzanUniversity in Nagoya for those who want to stayovernight following the JACET/JALT conferenceTowards a Synergistic Collaboration in English Education.The retreat will offer a chance to talk aboutautonomy-related issues in a relaxed atmosphere.See TLT conference calendar for details of theJACET/JALT event. For information about theretreat, contact Martha Robertson or Jan Taniguchi .Lifelong Language Learning[ lifelong learning, older adult learners, fulfillment] [ & Told You So!—3x year (online) ] [ ó Pan-SIG, teaching contest, national & mini-conferences ][ ô ] [ ^ ]The increasing number of people of retirementage, plus the internationalization of Japanese society,has greatly increased the number of peopleeager to study English as part of their lifelonglearning. The LLL SIG provides resources andinformation for teachers who teach English toolder learners. We run a website, online forum,listserv, and SIG publication (see ).For more information orto join the mailing list, contact Amanda Harlow or Eric M. Skier.成 人 英 語 教 育 研 究 部 会 は 来 る 高 齢 化 社 会 に 向 けて 高齢 者 を 含 む 成 人 の 英 語 教 育 をより 充 実 することを 目 指 し、昨 年 結 成 した 新 しい 分 科 会 です。 現 在 、 日 本 では 退 職 や子 育 て 後 もこれまでの 経 験 や 趣 味 を 生 かし 積 極 的 に 社 会に 参 加 したいと 望 んでいる 方 が 大 幅 に 増 えております。 中でも 外 国 語 学 習 を 始 めたい、または 継 続 を 考 えている 多 くの 学 習 者 に 対 してわれわれ 語 学 教 師 が 貢 献 出 来 る 課 題は 多 く、これからの 研 究 や 活 動 が 期 待 されています。LLLでは 日 本 全 国 の 教 師 が 情 報 交 換 、 勉 強 会 、 研 究 成 果 の出 版 を 行 い 共 にこの 新 しい 分 野 を 開 拓 していこうと 日 々 熱心 に 活 動 中 です。 現 在 オンライン 上 でもフォーラムやメールリスト、ニュースレター 配信 を 活 発 に 行 っております。 高 齢 者 の 語 学 教 育 に 携 わっていらっしゃる 方 はもちろん、 将 来 の 英 語 教 育 動 向 に 関 心 のある 方 まで、 興 味 のある 方 はどなたでも 大 歓 迎 です。 日 本人 教 師 も 数 多 く 参 加 していますのでどうぞお 気 軽 にご 入 会ください。お 問 い 合 わせは Amanda Harlow 。または Eric M. Skier までご 連 絡 ください。Materials Writers[ materials development, textbook writing, publishersand publishing, self-publication, technology ] [ & Betweenthe Keys—3x year ] [ ó JALT national conference events ][ ô ] [ ^ ]The MW SIG shares information on ways to createbetter language learning materials, coveringa wide range of issues from practical advice onstyle to copyright law and publishing practices,including self-publication. On certain conditionswe also provide free ISBNs. Our newsletterBetween the Keys is published three to four times ayear and we have a discussion forum and mailinglist .Our website is .To contact us, email .Other Language Educators[ FLL beyond mother tongue, L3, multilingualism, secondforeign language ] [ & OLE Newsletter—4-5x year ][ ó Network with other FL groups, presence at conventions,provide information to companies, support jobsearches and research ]Besides ample information on the upcoming Pan-SIG 2008 conference, the recently issued OLE NL45 contains multilingual information for you andyour colleagues on JALT2008: the convention announcementin short in French, in full in Spanish,and with detailed submission advice in German,besides the complete Japanese and English versions.For submissions to the French, German,and Spanish workshops and the SIG and multilingualismforums please contact the coordinatoras soon as possible at .Pragmatics[ appropriate communication, co-construction of meaning,interaction, pragmatic strategies, social context ] [ &Pragmatic Matters ( 語 用 論 事 情 ) —3x year ] [ ó Pan-SIGand JALT conferences, Temple University Applied LinguisticsColloquium, seminars on pragmatics-related topics,other publications ] [ ô ]The Pragmatics SIG will join six other SIGs insponsoring the 7th Annual Pan-SIG Conference.This year it will be held on 10-11 May at DoshishaUniversity, Shinmachi campus in Kyoto. Thetheme is Diversity and Convergence: Education withTHE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

Column • SIG News 35Integrity. Your presence will help to add to theinterest and diversity of this great annual event.For further information, check .Professionalism, Administration, andLeadership in EducationThe PALE SIG welcomes new members, officers,volunteers, and submissions of articles for our journalor newsletter. To read current and past issues ofour journal, visit . Also,anyone may join our listserv . For information on events,visit .Teaching Children[ children, elementary school, kindergarten, earlychildhood, play ] [ & Teachers Learning with Children,bilingual—4x year ] [ ó JALT Junior at nationalconference, regional bilingual 1-day conferences ][ ô ] [ ^ ]The Teaching Children SIG is for all teachers ofchildren. We publish a bilingual newsletter fourtimes a year, with columns by leading teachersin our field. There is a mailing list for teachersof children who want to share teaching ideas orquestions .We are always looking for new people to keep theSIG dynamic. With our bilingual newsletter, weparticularly hope to appeal to Japanese teachers.We hope you can join us for one of our upcomingevents. For more information, visit .児 童 教 育 部 会 は、 子 どもに 英 語 ( 外 国 語 )を 教 える 先 生方 を 対 象 にした 部 会 です。 当 部 会 は、 年 4 回 会 報 を 発 行しています。 会 報 は 英 語 と 日 本 語 で 提 供 しており、この 分野 で 活 躍 している 教 師 が 担 当 するコラムもあります。また、指 導 上 のアイデアや 質 問 を 交 換 する 場 として、メーリングリストを 運 営 しています。活 発 な 部 会 を 維 持 していくために 常 に 新 会 員 を 募 集 しています。 特 に 日 本 人 の 先 生 方 の 参 加 を 歓 迎 します。 部 会 で開 催 するイベントに 是 非 ご 参 加 ください。 詳 細 についてはをご 覧 下 さい。Testing & Evaluation[ research, information, database on testing ][ & Shiken—3x year ] [ ó Pan-SIG, JALT National ][ ô ] [ ^ ]To help those who are conducting languageresearch find more volunteers, we have starteda new Research Participants Wanted: Be a GuineaPig! column which you can find in our newsletteror online at .Also, the Mar 2007 issue of our newsletter is nowindexed and online at . Finally, a special thanks to David Ockertfor offering to become the new treasurer for ourSIG.Column • Chapter Events 35…with Aleda KrauseEach of JALT’s 36 active chapterssponsors from 5 to 12 events everyyear. All JALT members may attendevents at any chapter at memberrates—usually free. Chapters, don’tforget to add your event to the JALTcalendar or send the details to theeditor by email or t/f: 048-787-3342.CHAPTER EVENTS ONLINEYou can access all of JALT’sevents online at:.If you have a QRcode-capablemobile phone, use the imageon the left.Ar e y o u interested in teaching other languagesbesides English? Study abroad?Communicative language ability? Learnertraining? Teacher development? Then you’re sureto find something interesting this month. If yourlocal chapter isn’t listed, or for further details, goto the online calendar. There may be newly addedevents and updates.Gifu—Brazilian education in Tokai by Claudioda Silva, Escola Comunitaria Paulo Freire, andCraig Alan Volker, Gifu Shotoku Gakuen University.The Tokai region has experienced a rapidincrease in the number of foreign residents, especiallyBrazilians, now the largest ethnic minorityin the region. Many Portuguese-speaking childrenin public schools often have problems. Thispresentation discusses the challenges of establishinga school in Toyota that provides a high levelof education and bilingualism in both Japaneseand Portuguese. Sat 19 Apr 19:00-20:45; HeartfulTHE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

36 Column • Chapter ReportsSquare (southeast section of Gifu JR Station), GifuCity; one-day members ¥1000.Gunma—Teaching Spanish in Japan by MariaFernandez. Even though English is the mainsecond language taught in Japan, at universitylevel other European languages such as French,German, or Spanish are also offered. The speakeris eager to share her experience teaching Spanishin Japan and will describe the university’s curriculum,the students’ background, profile, needs,and objectives as well as the materials mostlyused by Spanish teachers. Sun 27 Apr 14:00-16:30;MIT: Maebashi Institute of Technology (MaebashiKoka Daigaku), 460-1 Kamisadori, Maebashi; one-daymembers ¥1000.Hiroshima—Three Parts: Oral presentations,Podcasts, and My Share by Joe Lauer, HiroshimaUniversity, and Everyone! Joe Lauer will first leada discussion on how Japanese students can giveeffective and professional oral presentations inEnglish. Then Lauer will explain about the bestpodcast sites for learning English. Finally, everyoneis welcome to talk for 5-15 minutes aboutany interesting language learning topic. Sun 20Apr 15:00-17:00; Hiroshima Peace Park, InternationalConference Center 3F; one-day members ¥500.Ibaraki—All-day Meeting. 1) 10:00: Cultureethnographically / Study abroad programs byElaine Gilmour, Miyagi Gakuin Women’s University.This presentation examines an ethnographicapproach to teaching culture. We’ll also look atquestionnaire response data from students whohave participated in study abroad programs. 2)14:00: Actually teaching listening by AlastairGraham-Marr, ABAX. Teaching listening effectivelymeans teaching both phonology andknowledge of discourse, including bottom-up decodingskills and top-down predictive skills. Info:. Sun 27 Apr 9:30-17:00;Ibaraki Christian University, Hitachi Omika; free forall.Kitakyushu—A three-dimensional understandingof communicative language ability by YosukeYanase, Hiroshima University. Despite theunquestioned acceptance of the term, communicativelanguage teaching would be disorientedwithout a good understanding of the concept ofcommunicative language ability. In this presentation,which is an extensively enlarged version ofthe JACET 2007 symposium presentation. Yanasewill present a three dimensional understandingof communicative language ability. Sat 12 Apr19:00-21:00; Kitakyushu International ConferenceCenter (a 5-minute walk from the Kokura train stationfor shinkansen, JR train); one-day members ¥1000.Kobe—Preparing for a university year abroad:Insights of Japanese returnees by Teresa BrunerCox. What challenges do Japanese universitystudents face when participating in study abroadprograms in English-speaking countries? Howwell are sponsoring institutions preparing ryugakuseifor the intercultural academic experience?In-depth debriefing interviews with studentswho had returned from a year abroad yielded awealth of insights which have been compiled intoa training video featuring nine strategies for academicsuccess. Sat 26 Apr 16:00-18:00; Kobe YMCA(2-7-15 Kano-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, t: 078-241-7204);one-day members ¥1000.Matsuyama—The Active Learner: A classroomteacher’s perspective by Paul G. Batten, KagawaUniversity, MacMillan Languagehouse. Battenwill discuss how he used The Active Learner inclasses of varying levels. This text focuses oncommunicative strategies to help learners becomemore independent and confident in English. Hewill include using the text, how it went, testingit, and students’ reactions to the focus on their L2strategies and not their knowledge of the language.Sun 13 Apr 13 14:15-16:20; Shinonome HighSchool Kinenkan 4F; free for all.Nagasaki—April news. Spring greetings fromNagasaki JALT! We are looking ahead to our nextmeeting, tentatively planned at press time forSat 17 May 14:00-16:00. Please see our websiteand newsletter for more information later. In themeantime, best wishes for the new school year toeveryone, and good luck to those people who aresubmitting presentation proposals by April 25 forthe PAC7 at JALT2008 Conference. Websites are and ;email newslettersignup site is .Please feel free to join our NagasakiJALT and Friends Facebook Group!Toyohashi—Learner training for the Japaneseuniversity classroom by Juanita Heigham. In Japaneseuniversities, students are rarely given thechance to participate in activities that can directlyhelp them improve their learning skills. However,THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

the knowledge and skills gained through suchactivities can dramatically improve students’learning success both in the language classroomand beyond. In this workshop, the presenter willexplain the benefits of providing learner trainingfor students and share some learner trainingmaterials and activities. Sun 20 Apr 20 11:00-13:00;Aichi University, Bldg 5, Room 543; one-day members¥500.West Tokyo—Teacher development: Perceptionsand reflections by John Fanselow, Dean Charles,Clair Taylor, and Andy Boon. The West Tokyoand Tokyo chapters announce the seventh in aseries of micro-conferences, each featuring severalpresenters exploring a particular topic for a wholeday. The theme of this conference is teacher developmentthrough neuro-linguistic processing,action research, reflective practice, and transcriptanalysis. Map and details . Sun 27 April 10:00-17:30; Tokyo KeizaiUniversity, Daiichi Kenkyuu Center, Kokubunji,Room 1310; one-day members ¥2000.Yamagata—Communicative teaching methodologiesby Nicholas Gromik, Tohoku University.Gromik will provide insights into recent teachingmethodologies that are used to help studentscommunicate in English. Sat 19 Apr 13:30-15:30;Yamagata Kajo Kominkan Sogo Gakushu Center,Shironishi-machi 2-chome, 2-15, t: 0236-45-6163; onedaymembers ¥800.Column • Chapter Reports 37…with Heather SparrowThe Chapter Reports column is aforum for sharing with the TLT readershipsynopses of presentationsheld at JALT chapters around Japan.For more information on thesespeakers, please contact the chapterofficers in the JALT Contacts sectionof this issue. For guidelines on contributions,see the Submissions pageat the back of each issue.Gunma: October—Sign language in the language-teachingclassroom by Martin Pauly. Paulyshowed a video about his workplace, TsukubaCollege of Technology, a university for the visuallyand aurally impaired, and a documentary on hisstudents’ situation in mainstream society aftergraduating, challenging the audience to rethinkthe importance of understanding sign languageand the culture of those who use it.Pauly explained that knowledge of Sign Languagemay not only aid teachers and hearingstudents in communicating with visually andaurally impaired students, but also create afriendlier environment for these students. Withthis in mind, he introduced both American SignLanguage (ASL) and Japanese Sign Language (JSL).He conducted a workshop on ASL, and all participantswere given some time to practice howto introduce themselves in sign language andcount from one to ten. Participants enjoyed selfintroducingusing sign language and the activityseemed to deepen the interest in sign languageand the culture of the visually impaired. It wasfound by many that introducing sign language inEnglish lessons could be a beneficial way to buildstudents’ tolerance to cultures which are differentfrom their own.Reported by Natsue NakayamaHiroshima: January—Exploring reasons whyexperienced teachers stay positive and motivatedby Neil Cowie. Cowie aimed his presentation atthose native language teachers who have been inJapan for a minimum of 10 years and who are stillhighly motivated. Cowie’s talk revolved aroundthe emotions of teachers and explored the keytopics of satisfaction and dissatisfaction.The speaker emphasized that talking aboutteaching is important and this was supportedby the audience. Networks that teachers involvethemselves with engage us socially and have aripple effect as much as the students, colleagues,and the institutions that we work directly with.Satisfaction stems from our own goals and attitudesas much as those we come into contactwith.However, incoherent and untrustworthy employercontact was found to be highly unsatisfactory.Resistant students and negative colleagueswere acknowledged to be a common challenge.Yet, Cowie intimated that reading these challengesin advance was essential. Being concerned withTHE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

38 Column • Chapter Reportsone’s own cyclical rejuvenation was preventativemedicine and led to a longer shelf life for us asteachers.Cowie orchestrated a positive workshop andproposed that a genuine, original approach infusedwith practicality and open-mindedness wasthe key to staying motivated.Reported by Ewen FergusonKitakyushu: February—Dichotomies and issuesin Japanese elementary school English education:A tale of two teachers by David Latz and JamesBurdis. Latz introduced a retrospective timelineof MEXT’s policy reforms for English educationin elementary school, an interesting recapitulationof Tom Merner’s projection of the plans hepresented to the Kitakyushu Chapter in September2004, two years after the “Period of IntegratedStudy” became compulsory for primary grades.As anticipated then, the program still leaves thecontent of activities up to the individual schoolsand does not appear to have much to do withteaching English per se. Speaking and listeningcontinue to be the main focus of EFL offered, withno attention to reading or writing.Burdis explained his work as a native-speakingEnglish teacher at a local private elementaryschool—a program which appeared more extensiveand intensive than Latz’s public schoolsituation.Group discussions of some of the dichotomiesand issues associated with English in elementaryschools followed, such as native vs. nonnativeteachers, team-taught vs. solo lessons, and dispatchteachers vs. teachers as faculty.These accounts of initial English exposure forJapanese students should prove helpful for secondaryand tertiary instructors.Reported by Dave PiteNagasaki: January—1) Looking at changes inthe Center Shiken: Now vs. then by Mike Guest.Guest spoke about changes in the Center Test overthe last 25 years, arguing that the 2006 version ofthe test, when compared to its 1981 counterpart,stands up to scrutiny and could have positivewashback in the language classroom. 2) Studieson Japanese EFL learners’ demotivation by KeitaKikuchi. Kikuchi discussed research in JapaneseEFL learners’ demotivation. Highlighting anumber of studies, Keita pointed out that demotivationis mainly due to such factors as teachers,characteristics of classes, learners’ experiences offailure, class environment, class materials, andlearners’ interests, while students are motivatedby test results, experiences with English-speakingpeople, teachers, finding future goals, and beingable to solve difficult test questions. Kikuchi offeredsome recommendations to teachers to helpmotivate their students.Reported by Melodie CookNagoya: January—STEP EIKEN: An inside lookat Japan’s national English test by Michael ToddFouts. Fouts is international operations managerand chief editor at the STEP foundation, wherehe has worked since 1999. The Society for TestingEnglish Proficiency (STEP) was established in1963 in cooperation with the Japanese Ministry ofEducation. The EIKEN test has been Japan’s mostwidely administered English assessment for 45years. Its purpose is to promote internationalawareness and encourage the study of practicalEnglish in Japan by providing an authorizedstandard for English assessment. Test fees arerequired. Test scores are used for admissions andadvanced placement credit at more than 1000schools in Japan and for international admissionsat a growing number of colleges and universitiesin the USA, Canada, and Australia. EIKEN gradesare administered in two stages: reading, listening,and writing skills in Stage 1, and speaking in aface-to-face interview in Stage 2. Candidates mustpass both stages to receive the certification. Alltest items are made public after the test day andnot reused. STEP is accountable to the public forevery single item, which must be fair and validfrom a testing standpoint.Reported by Kayoko KatoOmiya: January—Lessons from MAYA: Practicalideas for introducing, implementing, and sustainingautonomy in language classrooms by Eric M.Skier. Skier summarized the definition of autonomy:to foster students’ learning responsibility.Fielding questions throughout his presentation,he and the participants agreed that fostering autonomyis sometimes difficult due to institutionalreluctance and common misunderstandingsabout autonomous language teaching methods.However, he shared a number of student-centeredteaching approaches that were researchedand written about in the LD SIG anthology, MoreAutonomy You Ask!, which he co-edited with MikiKohyama. They included: 1) reflective journals, 2)peer-teaching, 3) collaborative shadowing, 4) extensivereading and listening, 5) class newsletters,and 6) self- and peer-evaluation. Skier concludedwith a question and answer session that allowedTHE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

Column • Chapter Reports 39all participants to share their thoughts and feelingsabout autonomy.Reported by Masa TsuneyasuSendai: December—JALT 2007 reports, planningnext year, bonenkai by Chapter Members.December’s meeting usually takes a differentform for Sendai JALT. This year reports we givenabout JALT 2007: Jim Smiley, Tony Crooks, MarcHelgesen, and Peter Connell presented highlightsand impressions of the conference.Attendees voted on the Best of Sendai JALT 2007won this year by Ben Shearon for his presentationon High school English in Miyagi. A brainstormingsession of potential presenters for the 2008-9year took place, and requests for specific topicsmembers would like to see on the program werealso accepted. A great response means that thecommittee will have plenty to work with whenthey meet to decide the program.After the meeting, Sendai JALT moved to theMitsui Urban Hotel, where they were joined byfriends and family members for an evening offood, drink, and entertainment. Highlights ofthe evening included a poetry/recorder recitalby David Gilbey and Jim Smiley, magic by PeterConnell and Dan Ross, and Christmas carols tofinish off the evening.Reported by Ben ShearonShinshu: December—Christmas party. Nearly 50people attended this family-friendly event whichincluded a Christmas tree and visit from SantaClaus. Attendants enjoyed getting to know eachother over potluck dishes and sharing teachingideas as well. The children had the chanceto create their own ornaments with which theythen decorated a “human tree,” a kind volunteer,and passed around presents to music. This eventprovided a chance to spread the word about JALTas well as good cheer to people who do not normallyattend our meetings.Reported by Mary ArugaColumn • Job Information Center 39…with James McCrostieTo list a position in The LanguageTeacher, please submit online ator email James McCrostie, JobInformation Center Editor, .Online submission is preferred.Please place your ad in the bodyof the email. The notice shouldbe received before the 15th ofthe month, 2 months beforepublication, and should contain thefollowing information: location, name of institution, title ofposition, whether full- or part-time, qualifications, duties, salaryand benefits, application materials, deadline, and contactinformation. Be sure to refer to TLT’s policy on discrimination.Any job advertisement that discriminates on the basis ofgender, race, age, or nationality must be modified or will notbe included in the JIC column. All advertisements may beedited for length or content.Job Information Center OnlineRecent job listings and links to other job-related websites canbe viewed at A match made incyberspaceFor teachers looking to fill gaps in their schedulesand students searching for a qualified instructor,a plethora of teacher/student matching websitessimplify the process of bringing people together.On these matching websites, teachers typicallymake a free online profile by submitting theirprofessional and personal details including,but not restricted to: nationality, age, gender,qualifications, experience, availability, preferredtextbooks, rates charged, hobbies, and a photo.Students look at the profiles, pay a fee to geta teacher’s contact details, arrange a trial lesson,and hopefully agree to meet the teacherfor regular tuition. Teachers are usually free tocharge their own prices, though the going rate forprivate lessons arranged through these online servicesis around ¥3,000. These sites are not limitedto native English-speaking teachers and manyJapanese teachers of English also use them to findstudents.THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

40 Column • Job Information CenterThere are now so many of these matchingwebsites that both potential teachers and prospectiveteachers can be equally overwhelmed withchoices. Senseibank, , is a matching service made free for bothteachers and students following Nova’s flameout.Another popular website, , has profiles for thousands of instructorsteaching over 50 different languages. While limitedto the Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, and Saitamaareas, allows instructors ofany foreign language (except Japanese it seems)to register. As well as providing the standardteacher/student matching service, also allows translators, businessinstructors, and speaking partners to registertheir profiles. The site matchesteachers and students for English classes aswell as lessons in almost everything else includingmusic, art, and cooking. Matching teachersof English, French, Italian, Spanish, and otherlanguages across Japan, is also the website with the moniker perhapscharitably described as the most interesting.There are more matching websites than youcould shake a copy of Interchange at and someothers include:, ,, ,, , , ,, , ,, and .If that still isn’t enough, you can browsethrough a list of nearly 40 matching websites at:.For those interested in teaching or learningJapanese there are websites, of varying degreesof technical sophistication, aimed at you including:,, and . The biggest difference between theEnglish and Japanese teacher matching websitesis that while most matching services are freefor English teachers, some of the ones aimed atJapanese teachers charge the instructor as well asthe student for introductions.Of course both teachers and students who usethese websites need to exercise caution. It goeswithout saying, first meetings should occur in apublic place. Annoyingly, while the number ofteacher/student matching websites is extensiveto say the least, many websites come and gowith startling speed. In researching this articleI quickly came across more than a dozen deadlinks. More disturbingly, operators of certain sitesappear ethically challenged. For example, at leastone is run by a so-called doctor with MA Ed. andEdD degrees that come from an online degreemill. Caveat emptor.Job OpeningsThe Job Information Center lists only brief summariesof open positions in TLT. Full details ofeach position are available on the JALT website.Please visit to view the full listings.Location: Tokyo-toSchool: Keio UniversityPosition: Full-time instructorStart Date: 1 Apr 2009Deadline: 22 Apr 2008Location: BruneiSchool: Brunei state schoolsPosition: Full-time primary and secondary schoolteachersStart Date: Teachers start at different timesDeadline: OngoingIs your JALT membershiplapsing soon?Then be sure to renew early!Renewing your membership earlyhelps us to help you! Your JALTpublications will continue to arriveon time, and you’ll be able toaccess membership services atJALT events and online.It’s easy! Just follow the links to“Membership” at , oruse the form at the back of everyissue of TLT!THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

Column • Conference Calendar 41…with Alan StokeNew listings are welcome. Pleaseemail information, including a websiteaddress, to the column editoras early as possible, preferably bythe 15th of the month, at least 3months before a conference inJapan, or 4 months before an overseasconference. Thus, 15 April isthe deadline for a July conferencein Japan or an August conferenceoverseas. Feedback or suggestions on the usefulness ofthis column are also most welcome.Upcoming Conferences12 Apr 08—Fourth Asian EFL Journal Conference:Innovation and Tradition in ELT in theNew Millennium, at Pukyong National U., Pusan.Contact: 3-4 May 08—2008 International Conference onEnglish Instruction and Assessment: Changefrom Within, Change in Between, at NationalChung Cheng U., Taiwan. Contact: 10 May 08—First Conference on English for SpecialPurposes: Exploring the ESP Paradigm: Theoryto Practice, at Himeji Dokkyo U. To discuss:the use of technology in ESP; cultural considerationswithin ESP; ESP research; ESP resources;classroom applications; and interdisciplinaryimplications. Contact: 10-11 May 08—Seventh Annual JALT Pan-SIGConference 2008: Diversity and Convergence:Educating with Integrity, at Doshisha U., Shinmachi,Kyoto. Plenary speakers will be TimMurphey and Junko Yamanaka. To be hosted byJALT Pragmatics SIG, Testing and EvaluationSIG, Teacher Education SIG, Materials WritersSIG, Other Language Educators SIG, GenderAwareness in Language Education SIG, LifelongLanguage Learning SIG, and Kyoto chapter. Contact:31 May-1 Jun 08—JALT CALL SIG Annual InternationalConference: New Frontiers in CALL:Negotiating Diversity, at Nagoya U. of Commerceand Business. Keynote speaker: Phil Hubbard;plenary speaker: Gavin Dudeney. Contact:6-8 Jun 08—Fifth National Conference of JapanAssociation for the Study of Cooperation inEducation, in Nagoya. Contact: 14 Jun 08—First Chubu Region JACET/JALTJoint Conference 2008: Toward a SynergisticCollaboration in English Education, at ChukyoU., Nagoya. To focus particularly on collaborationbetween NESTs and Japanese EFL teachers.Hosted by JACET Chubu and JALT Gifu, Nagoya,and Toyohashi chapters. Contact: 18-20 Jun 08—Language Issues in English-Medium Universities: A Global Concern, at U.of Hong Kong. Contact: 21 Jun 08—Nakasendo English Conference:Making Connections—Working Together to BetterOur Teaching, at Seigakuin U., Saitama. Topromote cooperation, sharing and support amongthe full variety of EFL organizations active inKanto. Contact: 22 Jun 08—Sixth Annual Teaching Englishto Young Learners Conference in KagoshimaCity: Bridging the Gap Between Elementary andJunior High School English—Exchanging Ideas,at Kagoshima U., Korimoto Campus. Sponsoredby JALT Kagoshima chapter and the TeachingChildren SIG. Contact: 25-28 Jun 08—30th Language Testing ResearchColloquium: Focusing on the Core: Justifying theUse of Language Assessments to Stakeholders,in Hangzhou, China. Contact: 26-28 Jun 08—Building Connections with Languagesand Cultures, at Far Eastern National U.,Vladivostok. Contact: THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

42 Column • Conference Calendar26-29 Jun 08—Ninth International Conference ofthe Association for Language Awareness: Engagingwith Language, at U. of Hong Kong. Contact:1-3 Jul 08—Second International Conferenceon Language Development, Language Revitalizationand Multilingual Education in EthnicMinority Communities, in Bangkok. Contact:3-5 Jul 08—Fifth Biennial Conference of the InternationalGender and Language Association,at Victoria U. of Wellington, NZ. Contact: 4-5 Jul 08—National Language Policy: LanguageDiversity for National Unity, in Bangkok. Contact:4-6 Jul 08—Applied Linguistics Association ofAustralia: Critical Dimensions in Applied Linguistics,at U. of Sydney. Contact: 5-6 Jul 08—CUE2008: Language Education inTransition, at Kinki U., Osaka. Sponsored byJALT College and University Educators SIG andOsaka chapter. Contact: 9-12 Jul 08—ACTA2008: Pedagogies of Connection:Developing Individual and CommunityIdentities, in Alice Springs. Contact: 10-11 Jul 08—CADAAD2008: Second InternationalConference of Critical Approaches toDiscourse Analysis Across Disciplines, at U. ofHertfordshire. Contact: 16-20 Jul 08—11th International Conference onLanguage and Social Psychology, in Tucson,Arizona. Contact: 21-26 Jul 08—18th International Congress ofLinguists, at Korea U., Seoul. Contact: 31 Jul-3 Aug 08—PROMS 2008: Pacific RimObjective Measurement Symposium, at OchanomizuU. To promote the use of Rasch measurementmodels to analyze data from assessments,including educational measurement. On one daythe symposium will focus on language learningand assessment, including development ofquestionnaires. Participants will have an opportunityto consult with a researcher on how to applythe Rasch model. There will also be workshopsto demonstrate Rasch-based software. Contact:5-6 Aug 08—WorldCALL2008: Third InternationalConference, in Fukuoka. WorldCALL is aworldwide association of teachers interested inCALL. Contact: Come on! Get involved!A JALT membership is more than just a product! It’s anopportunity to make a difference. JALT is an organisationcommitted to the development of professionalism inlanguage teaching and learning. As a JALT member, youcan play a part in that by becoming involved. At your localchapter level, there is always a need for speakers, officers,and volunteers. JALT Special Interest Groups need help withevents, mini-conferences, and publications. Our annualconferences require a vast team for doing everything fromprogramming to cleaning up. JALT’s publications are alwayson the lookout for committed writers, editors, readers, andproofreaders. So come on! Make a difference!Get involved! See the JALT Contacts column in every issue of The Language Teacher!THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

Column • Conference Calendar 4324-29 Aug 08—15th World Congress of AppliedLinguistics: Multilingualism: Challenges andOpportunities, in Essen. So far, about 950 papersand 130 symposia have been confirmed, and over2,000 participants are expected. Pre-register as follows:standard, by 30 Jun 08; latecomer, after 30Jun 08. Applications are currently invited to chairsessions. Contact: 30 Aug-2 Sep 08—Antwerp CALL2008: 13thInternational CALL Research Conference:Practice-Based and Practice-Oriented CALL Research,at U. of Antwerp. Contact: 11-13 Sep 08—BAAL 2008: British Associationfor Applied Linguistics: Taking the Measure ofApplied Linguistics, at Swansea U., Wales. Contact:23-26 Oct 08—NCYU 2008 Second InternationalConference on Applied Linguistics: Globaland Domestic Perspectives, at National ChiayiUniversity, Taiwan. Contact: 29-30 Nov 08—Second Annual Japan WritersConference, at Nanzan U., Nagoya. Contact:25-28 Mar 09—TESOL 2009, in Denver. Contact:Email addresschanged?Don’t forget to letus know...Calls for Papers or PostersDeadline: 15 Apr 08 (for 17-19 Oct 08)—31st AnnualSecond Language Research Forum: ExploringSLA: Perspectives, Positions, and Practices,at U. of Hawaii, Manoa. Contact: Deadline: 25 Apr 08 (for 31 Oct-3Nov 08)—PAC7 at JALT2008: SeventhConference of the Pan-Asian Consortiumof Language Teaching Societies,held concurrently with the 34thJALT International Conference onLanguage Teaching and Learning:Shared Identities: Our InterweavingThreads, and the Asian Youth Forum,at National Olympics MemorialYouth Center, Tokyo. Contact: . PAC is a series ofconferences, publications and researchnetworks, founded in 1994, and motivatedby a belief that teachers ofEnglish around Asia have much toshare and learn from each other. Currently,seven associations of EFL/ESLteachers are members, representingKorea, the Philippines, the RussianFar East, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand,and Japan. Previous PAC conferenceshave been held in Bangkok (1997),Seoul (1999), Kitakyushu (2001), Taipei(2002), Vladivostok (2004), and Bangkok(2007). Contacts: Deadline: 31 May 08 (for 4-7 Dec 08)—ThirdCLS International Conference (CLaSIC 2008):Media in Foreign Language Teaching and Learning,at National U. of Singapore. Contact: Deadline: 19 Jul 08 (for 8-10 Dec 08)—InauguralConference of the Asia-Pacific Rim LSP and ProfessionalCommunication Association: Partnershipsin Action: Research, Practice and Training,at City U. of Hong Kong and Hong Kong PolytechnicU. Contact: THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

44 Column • JALT ContactsFor changes and additions, please contact the editor. More extensive listingscan be found in the annual JALT Information & Directory.National Officers}}President — Steve Brown; }}Vice President— Cynthia Keith; }}Director of Treasury— Kevin Ryan;}}Director of Membership— Ann Mayeda;}}Director of Programs— Philip McCasland;}}Director of Public Relations— SayokoYamashita; }}Director of Records— Donna Tatsuki;}}Auditor— Tadashi Ishida; AdvertAppointed Officers}}Business Manager— Andrew Zitzmann;}}Central Office Supervisor— Junko Fujio;}}Chapter Representative Liaison— SteveQuasha; }}SIG Representative Liaison— Megumi Kawate-Mierzejewska; }}JALT2008 Conference Chairs— CarolineLatham; ; AlanMackenzie}}JALT2008 Programme Chair— Aleda Krause;}}JET Liaison— Marcos Benevides; Publications Officers}}Publications Board Chair— Kim Bradford-Watts; }}JALT Journal Editor—Steve Cornwell;}}TLT Staff—See the back of this issue}}Conference Proceedings Editor— KimBradford-Watts;Chapter Contacts}}Akita— Takeshi Suzuki; t: 018-422-1562;;}}Chiba— Fiona MacGregor; t: 047-555-8827;;}}East Shikoku— Lawrie Hunter;;}}Fukui— Takako Watanabe; t/f: 0776-34-8334;;}}Fukuoka— Jack Brajcich; ;}}Gifu— John Gunning;;}}Gunma— Michele Steele; ; }}Hamamatsu— Greg O’Dowd; ; Gregg McNabb; ;}}Himeji— William Balsamo;t: 0792-54-5711; ;}}Hiroshima— Caroline Lloyd; t: 082-228-2269;; }}Hokkaido— Ken Hartmann; t/f: 011-584-7588;;}}Ibaraki— Dan Waldhoff;;}}Iwate— Mary Burkitt; t/f: 019-663-3132;;}}Kagoshima— Takako Matoba; t: 099-216-8800;f: 099-216-8801; ;}}Kitakyushu— L. Dennis Woolbrightt: 093-583-9997 (h); t/f: 093-583-5526(w);;}}Kobe— David Heywood;heywood@smile.ocn.ne.jp;kobejalt.bravehost.com/}}Kyoto— Heidi Evans; ; THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

Column • JALT Contacts 45}}Matsuyama— Kiyoshi Shioiri;;}}Miyazaki— Paul Hullah; 0985-58-7449 (w);;}}Nagasaki— Melodie Cook;;}}Nagoya— Katsumi Ito; t: 070-5642-3339;f: 0569-34-2489; ;}}Nara— Steven Nishida;; t/f 0742-51-1702;}}Okayama— Shirley Leane; ; }}Okinawa— Caroline Latham;t: 090-1945-5224 ;}}Omiya— Ruth Kambartel;;}}Osaka— Robert Sanderson; ; }}Sendai— John Wiltshier; ;}}Shinshu— Fred Carruth; t: 0263-36-3356;; Mary Aruga;t: 0266-27-3894; ;}}Shizuoka— Masahiko Goshi;;}}Tokyo— Stan Pederson; ;}}Toyohashi— Simon Sanada; t: 0532-46-6299;;}}West Tokyo— Alan Stoke; ;}}Yamagata— Fumio Sugawara; t/f: 0238-85-2468;;}}Yokohama— Renata Suzuki; t: 045-759-4136;;SIG Contacts}}Bilingualism— Bernadette Luyckx;t: 046-872-3416; ;}}College and University Educators— MatthewApple; 0774-65-7070 (w);; }} Computer-Assisted Language Learning—Paul Daniels (Coordinator); ; Journal editorial team ;}}Extensive Reading (forming)— Daniel Stewart;}} Gender Awareness in Language Education—Salem Hicks; ;}}Global Issues in Language Education—Kip Cates; t/f: 0857-31-5148 (w);; }}Japanese as a Second Language— Hiroko Sato;t: 0475-23-8501; ;}}Junior and Senior High School— WilliamMatheny; t: 052-624-3493; ; }}Learner Development— Hugh Nicoll;; }}Lifelong Language Learning— Eric Skier;;}}Materials Writers— Jim Smiley;t. 022-233-3268; ;}}Other Language Educators— Rudolf Reinelt;t/f: 089-927-6293(h); t/f: 089-927-9359(w);}}PALE— Robert Aspinall;;}}Pragmatics— Megumi Kawate-Mierzejewska;;}}Study Abroad (forming)— Todd Thorpe;}}Teacher Education— Paul Beaufait;}}Teaching Children— Naoko McLellan;;}}Testing and Evaluation— Jeff Hubbell;;THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

46 The Language Teacher • SubmissionsThe editors welcome submissions of materials concerned with all aspects of language education, particularly withrelevance to Japan. If accepted, the editors reserve the right to edit all copy for length, style, and clarity, withoutprior notification to authors. Materials in English should be sent in Rich Text Format by either email (preferred) orpost. Postal submissions must include a clearly labeled floppy disk or CD-ROM and one printed copy. Manuscriptsshould follow the American Psychological Association (APA) style as it appears in The Language Teacher. Pleasesubmit materials to the contact editor indicated for each column. Deadlines are indicated below.日 本 国 内 での 語 学 教 育 に 関 わる 投 稿 をお 待 ちしています。できるだけ 電 子 メールにリッチ・テキスト・フォーマットの 添 付 ファイルでお 送り 下 さい。 郵 送 の 場 合 には、フロッピーディスクかCD-ROMにラベルを 張 り、プリントアウトしたものと 一 緒 にお 送 り 下 さい。 書 式 はアメリカ心 理 学 協 会 (APA)スタイルに 基 づき、スタッフリストページにある 各 コラムの 編 集 者 まで 締 め 切 りに 留 意 して、 提 出 してください。 提 出 されたものにつきましては 編 集 者 に 一 任 していただくことになります。Feature ArticlesEnglish Features. Submissions should be well-written,well-documented, and researched articles. Analysisand data can be quantitative or qualitative (or both).Manuscripts are typically screened and evaluatedanonymously by members of The Language Teacher EditorialAdvisory Board. They are evaluated for degreeof scholarly research, relevance, originality of conclusions,etc. Submissions should:• be up to 3,000 words (not including appendices)• have pages numbered, paragraphs separated bydouble carriage returns (not tabbed), and subheadings(boldfaced or italic) used throughoutfor the convenience of readers• have the article’s title, the author’s name, affiliation,contact details, and word count at the topof the first page• be accompanied by an English abstract of up to150 words (translated into Japanese, if possible,and submitted as a separate file)• be accompanied by a 100-word biographicalbackground• include a list of up to 8 keywords for indexing• have tables, figures, appendices, etc. attached asseparate files.Send as an email attachment to the co-editors.日 本 語 論 文 : 実 証 性 のある 研 究 論 文 を 求 めます。 質 的 か、 計 量 的 か(あるいは 両 方 )で 追 究 された 分 析 やデータを 求 めます。 原 稿 は、 匿名 のTLTの 査 読 委 員 により、 研 究 水 準 、 関 連 性 、 結 論 などの 独 創 性で 評 価 されます。8,000 語 ( 資 料 は 除 く) 以 内 で、ページ 番 号 を 入 れ、段 落 ごとに2 行 あけ、 副 見 出 し( 太 文 字 かイタリック 体 )を 付 けて 下 さい。 最 初 のページの 一 番 上 に 題 名 、 著 者 名 、 所 属 、 連 絡 先 および 語彙 数 をお 書 き 下 さい。 英 文 、 和 文 で400 語 の 要 旨 、300 語 の 著 者 略 歴もご 提 出 下 さい。 表 、 図 、 付 録 も 可 能 で す。 共 同 編 集 者 まで 電 子 メールの 添 付 ファイルでお 送 り 下 さい。Readers’ Forum articles are thoughtful essays on topicsrelated to language teaching and learning in Japan.Submissions should:• be of relevance to language teachers in Japan• contain up to 2,500 words• include English and Japanese abstracts, as perFeatures above• include a list of up to 8 keywords for indexing• include a short bio and a Japanese title.Send as an email attachment to the co-editors.読 者 フォーラム: 日 本 での 言 語 教 育 、 及 び 言 語 学 習 に 関 する 思 慮的 なエッセイを 募 集 しています。 日 本 での 語 学 教 師 に 関 連 していて、6,000 字 以 内 で、 英 文 ・ 和 文 の 要 旨 、 短 い 略 歴 および 日 本 語 のタイトルを 添 えて 下 さい。 共 同 編 集 者 まで 電 子 メールの 添 付 ファイルでお 送 り 下 さい。Interviews. If you are interested in interviewing a wellknownprofessional in the field of language teachingin and around Japan, please consult the editors first.Lengths range from 1,500-2,500 words. Send as anemail attachment to the co-editors.インタビュー: 日 本 国 内 外 で 言 語 教 育 の 分 野 での「 有 名 な」 専 門 家にインタビューしたい 場 合 は、 編 集 者 に 最 初 に 意 見 をお 尋 ね 下 さい。3,600 語 から6,000 語 の 長 さです。 共 同 編 集 者 まで 電 子 メールの添 付 ファイルでお 送 り 下 さい。Conference Reports. If you have attended a conferenceon a topic of interest to language teachers in Asia, writea 1,500-word report summarizing the main events.Send as an email attachment to the co-editors.学 会 報 告 : 語 学 教 師 に 関 心 のあるトピックの 大 会 に 出 席 された 場合 は、4000 語 程 度 に 要 約 して、 報 告 書 を 書 いてください。 共 同 編 集者 まで 電 子 メールの 添 付 ファイルでお 送 り 下 さい。DepartmentsMy Share. Submissions should be original teachingtechniques or a lesson plan you have used. Readersshould be able to replicate your technique or lessonplan. Submissions should:• be up to 700 words• have the article title, the author name, affiliation,email address, and word count at the top of thefirst page• include a Quick Guide to the lesson plan orteaching technique• follow My Share formatting• have tables, figures, appendices, etc. attached asseparate files• include copyright warnings, if appropriate.Send as an email attachment to the My Share editor.マイシェア: 学 習 活 動 に 関 する 実 践 的 なアイデ アに ついて、テクニックや 教 案 を 読 者 が 再 利 用 できるように 紹 介 するものです。1,000字 以 内 で 最 初 のページにタイトル、 著 者 名 、 所 属 、 電 子 メールアドレスと 文 字 数 をお 書 き 下 さい 。 表 、 図 、 付 録 なども 含 め ること が できますが、 著 作 権 にはお 気 をつけ 下 さい。My Share 担 当 編 集 者 に電 子 メールの 添 付 ファイルでお 送 り 下 さい。Book Reviews. We invite reviews of books and othereducational materials. Contact the Publishers’ ReviewCopies Liaison formaterial listed in the Recently Received column, andthe Book Reviews editor if you wish to review unlistedmaterial, including websites or other online resources.Review articles treating several related titles are particularlywelcome. Submissions should:• show a thorough understanding of the materialreviewed in under 750 words• reflect actual classroom usage in the case ofclassroom materials• be thoroughly checked and proofread beforesubmission.Send as an email attachment to the Book Reviews editor.書 評 : 本 や 教 材 の 書 評 です。 書 評 編 集 者 に問 い 合 わせ、 最 近 出 版 されたリストからお 選 びいただくか、もしwebサイトなどのリストにない 場 合 には 書 評 編 集 者 と連 絡 をとってください。 複 数 の 関 連 するタイトルを 扱 うものを 特 に 歓迎 します。 書 評 は、 本 の 内 容 紹 介 、 教 室 活 動 や 教 材 としての 使 用 法 に触 れ 、 書 評 編 集 者 まで 電 子 メール の 添 付 ファイルでお 送 り 下 さい。JALT Focus. Submissions should be directly related to recentor upcoming developments within JALT, preferablyon an organization-wide scale. Submissions should:• be no more than 750 words• be relevant to the JALT membership as whole• encourage readers to participate more activelyin JALT on both a micro and macro level.Deadline: 15 th of the month, 1 1 / 2months prior to publication.Send as an email attachment to the JALT Focuseditor.JA LTフォーカス:JALT 内 の 進 展 を 会 員 の 皆 様 にお 伝 えするものです。どのJALT 会 員 にもふさわしい 内 容 で、JALTに、より 活 動 的に 参 加 するように 働 き か けるもので す。1 , 6 0 0 字 程 度 で、 毎 月 1 5 日までにお 送 り 下 さい。 掲 載 は1 月 半 後 になります。JALTフォーカス編 集 者 まで 電 子 メールの 添 付 ファイルでお 送 り 下 さい。JALT Notices. Submissions should be of general relevanceto language learners and teachers in Japan. JALTNotices can be accessed at . Calls for papers or research projectswill be accepted; however, announcements of conferences,colloquia, or seminars should be submitted tothe Conference Calendar. Submissions:• should be no more than 150 words• should be submitted as far in advance as is possible• will be removed from the website when the announcementbecomes outdated.Submissions can be sent through the JALT Notices onlinesubmissions form.掲 示 板 : 日 本 での 論 文 募 集 や 研 究 計 画 は、オンラインで見 ることができます。できるだけ 前 もって 掲 載 いたしますが、 終 了 次 第 、 消 去 いたします。 掲 示 板 オンライン・サブミッション 形 式 に 従 い、400 字 以 内 で 投 稿 して 下 さい。なお、会 議 、セミナーは Conference Calendar で 扱 います。SIG News. JALT’s Special Interest Groups may use thiscolumn to report on news or events happening withintheir group. This might include mini-conferences, presentations,publications, calls for papers or presenters,or general SIG information. Deadline: 15 th of month, 6weeks prior to publication. Send as an email attachmentto the SIG News editor.SIGニュース:SIGはニュースやイベントの 報 告 にこのカラムを 使 用できます。 会 議 、プレゼンテーション、 出 版 物 、 論 文 募 集 、 連 絡 代表 者 などの 情 報 を 記 入 下 さい。 締 め 切 りは 出 版 の2か 月 前 の15 日 までに、SIG 委 員 長 に 電 子 メールの 添 付 ファイルで 送 ってください。Chapter Events. Chapters are invited to submit upcomingevents. Submissions should follow the preciseformat used in every issue of TLT (topic, speaker, date,time, place, fee, and other information in order, followedby a 60-word description of the event).Meetings scheduled for early in the month should bepublished in the previous month’s issue. Maps of newlocations can be printed upon consultation with thecolumn editor. Deadline: 15 th of the month, 2 monthsprior to publication. Send as an email attachment to theChapter Events editor.支 部 イベント: 近 づいている 支 部 のイベントの 案 内 情 報 です。トピック、 発 表 者 、 日 時 、 時 間 、 場 所 、 料 金 をこの 順 序 で 掲 載 いたします。 締 め 切 りは、 毎 月 15 日 で、2ヵ 月 前 までに、 支 部 イベント 編 集 者に 電 子 メールの 添 付 ファイルでお 送 り 下 さい。Chapter Reports. This column is a forum for sharing synopsesof presentations given at JALT chapters around Japan.Submissions must therefore reflect the nature of thecolumn and be written clearly and concisely. Chapters arelimited to one report per month. Submissions should:• be interesting and not contain extraneous information• be in well-written, concise, informative prose• be made by email only – faxed and/or postalsubmissions are not acceptable• be approximately 200 words in order to explorethe content in sufficient detail• be structured as follows: Chapter name; Eventdate; Event title; Name of presenter(s); Synopsis;Reporter’s name.Send as an email attachment to the Chapter Reports editor.支 部 会 報 告 :JALT 地 域 支 部 会 の 研 究 会 報 告 です。 有 益 な 情 報 をご提 供 下 さい。600 文 字 程 度 で 簡 潔 にお 書 き 下 さい。 支 部 名 、 日 時 、イベント 名 、 発 表 者 名 、 要 旨 、 報 告 者 名 を、この 順 序 でお 書 き 下 さい。支 部 会 報 告 編 集 者 まで 電 子 メールの 添 付 ファイルでお 送 り 下 さい。ファックスや 郵 便 は 受 理 いたしませんので、ご 注 意 下 さい。Job Information Center. TLT encourages all prospectiveemployers to use this free service to locate the most qualifiedlanguage teachers in Japan. The notice should:• contain the following information:City and prefecture, Name of institution, Title ofposition, Whether full- or part-time, Qualifications,Duties, Salary & benefits, Applicationmaterials, Deadline, Contact information• not be positions wanted. (It is JALT policy thatthey will not be printed.)Deadline: 15th of month, 2 months prior to publication.Send as an email attachment to the JIC editor.求 人 欄 : 語 学 教 育 の 求 人 募 集 を 無 料 でサービス 提 供 します。 県 と都 市 名 、 機 関 名 、 職 名 、 専 任 か 非 常 勤 かの 区 別 、 資 格 、 仕 事 内 容 、給 料 、 締 め 切 りや 連 絡 先 を 発 行 2ヶ 月 前 の15 日 までにお 知 らせ 下さい。 特 別 の 書 式 はありません。JIC 担 当 編 集 者 に 電 子 メールの 添付 ファイルでお 送 り 下 さい。Conference Calendar. Announcements of conferencesand their calls for papers as well as for colloquia,symposiums, and seminars may be posted in this column.The announcement should be up to 150 words.Deadline: 15th of month, at least 3 months prior to theconference date for conferences in Japan and 4 monthsprior for overseas conferences. Send within an emailmessage to the Conference Calendar editor.催 し:コロキウム、シンポジウム、セミナー、 会 議 のお 知 らせと、 論文 募 集 の 案 内 です。Conference Calendar 編 集 者 に400 語 程 度 で 電子 メールの 添 付 ファイルでお 送 り 下 さい。 締 め 切 りは 毎 月 15 日 で、日 本 、および 海 外 の 会 議 で3ヶ 月 前 までの 情 報 を 掲 載 します。THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

Editorial Staff}} JALT Publications Board ChairKim Bradford-Wattspubchair@jalt-publications.org}} EditorsTed O’Neilltlt-editor@jalt-publications.orgTheron Mullertlt-editor@jalt-publications.org}} Associate EditorJerry Talandistlt-editor2@jalt-publications.org}} Japanese-Language Editor高 橋 幸 子 (Sachiko Takahashi)tlt-editorj@jalt-publications.org}} Japanese-Language Assoc. Editor稲 森 美 穂 子 (Mihoko Inamori)tlt-editorj2@jalt-publications.org}} Assistant EditorsAleda KrausePaul Lewistlt-assist@jalt-publications.org}} TLT Online EditorSalem Hickswebadmin@jalt-publications.org}} Contributing EditorsRobert LongAmanda O’BrienScott GardnerResources Editors}} My ShareJerry Talandismy-share@jalt-publications.org}} Book ReviewsRobert Tafernerreviews@jalt-publications.org}} Publishers’ Review Copies LiaisonScott Gardnerpub-review@jalt-publications.orgOkayama University, Faculty of Education,3-1-1 Tsushima-naka, Okayama 700-8530}} TLT WiredPaul Daniels & Malcolm Swansontlt-wired@jalt-publications.orgJALT Focus Editors}} JALT Focus EditorJoseph Sheehanjalt-focus@jalt-publications.org}} JALT News LiaisonDonna Tatsukijalt-news@jalt-publications.orgThe Language Teacher • Staff 47}} Member's Profile & ShowcaseDamian Riversmemprofile@jalt-publications.org}} GrassrootsJoyce CunninghamMariko Miyaograssroots@jalt-publications.orgt: 029-228-8455; f: 029-228-8199}} OutreachDavid McMurrayoutreach@jalt-publications.orgRegular ColumnEditors}} SIG NewsJames Hobbssig-news@jalt-publications.org}} Chapter EventsAleda Krausechap-events@jalt-publications.org}} Chapter ReportsHeather Sparrowchap-reports@jalt-publications.org}} Job Information CenterJames McCrostiejob-info@jalt-publications.org}} Conference CalendarAlan Stokeconferences@jalt-publications.org}} Old GrammariansScott Gardnerold-grammarians@jalt-publications.orgProduction}} Proofreading Team LeaderPaul Lewis (see Assistant Editor)}} ProofreadersGreg Rouault, Marcos Benevides,Myles Grogan, Mark De Boer, BenShearon, RJ Frampton, Ben Lehtinen,David Stephan, Junko Izawa, ShariYoung, David Ockert, Troy Miller,Joseph Sheehan, Torkil Christensen,Hiroko Lewis}}和 文 要 旨 作 成 協 力 者(Japanese abstracts)阿 部 恵 美 佳 (Emika Abe)伊 藤 勝 己 (Katsumi Ito)迫 和 子 (Kazuko Sako)宮 尾 真 理 子 (Mariko Miyao)}} Design & LayoutPukeko Graphicsgraphics@pukeko.ws; www.pukeko.wst/f: 093-962-8430}} PrintingKoshinsha Co., Ltd., Osaka}} Editorial Advisory BoardMichael Carroll – Momoyama GakuinUniversityTorkil Christensen – HokuseiUniversity Junior CollegeSteve Cornwell – Osaka JogakuinCollegeMichael Furmanovsky – RyukokuUniversityScott Gardner – Okayama UniversityChiaki Iwai – Hiroshima CityUniversityMasaki Kobayashi – Kanda Universityof International StudiesRobert Long – Kyushu Institute ofTechnologyLaura MacGregor – GakushuinUniversityBern Mulvey – Fukui NationalUniversityTim Murphey – Dokkyo UniversityYoko Nakano – University of KochiJonathan Picken – Tsuda CollegeStephen Ryan – Eichi – SapientiaUniversityLorraine Sorrell – MacquarieUniversityToshiyuki Takagaki – OnomichiUniversityDeryn Verity – Osaka Jogakuin CollegeChristopher Weaver – Toyo UniversityFukiko Yoshida – Rikkyo UniversityAsako Yoshitomi – Tokyo University ofForeign Studies}} Additional ReadersLyle Allison, Wade Carlton, DavidDycus, Heidi Evans Nachi, NaomiFujishima, Fujirou Fukushima, TimothyGutierrez, Kent Hill, James Hobbs,David Hufford, Yoko Ichiyama, PaulJoyce, Masataka Kizuka, Aleda Krause,Caroline Latham, Shirley Leane, WilmaLuth, Steve McGuire, Chieko Miyanaga,Tony Mullen, Theron Muller, AndrewObermeier, Martha Robertson, AndreaSimon-Maeda, Eric Skier, Bernie Susser,York WeatherfordPeer Support Group}} CoordinatorTorkil Christensenpeergroup@jalt-publications.org}} MembersPaul Beaufait, Torkil Christensen, LoranEdwards, Mark Hamilton, Katsumi Ito,Wilma Luth, Steve McGuire, Theron MullerJALT Central OfficeUrban Edge Bldg. 5F, 1-37-9 Taito,Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-0016t: 03-3837-1630; f: 03-3837-1631jco@jalt.orgTHE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

48 JALT • Membership InformationThe Japan Association for LanguageTeaching (JALT)• a professional organization formed in 1976-1976 年 に 設 立 された 学 術 学 会• working to improve language learning andteaching, particularly in a Japanese context- 語 学 の 学 習 と 教 育 の 向 上 を 図 ることを 目 的 としています• over 3,000 members in Japan and overseas- 国 内 外 で 約 3,000 名 の 会 員 がいますAnnual international conference 年 次 国 際 大 会• 1,500 to 2,000 participants- 毎 年 1,500 名 から2,000 名 が 参 加 します• hundreds of workshops and presentations- 多 数 のワークショップや 発 表 があります• publishers’ exhibition- 出 版 社 による 教 材 展 があります• Job Information Centre- 就 職 情 報 センターが 設 けられますJALT publications include:• The Language Teacher—our monthly publication- を 毎 月 発 行 します• JALT Journal—biannual research journal- を 年 2 回 発 行 します• Annual Conference Proceedings- 年 次 国 際 大 会 の 研 究 発 表 記 録 集 を 発 行 します• SIG and chapter newsletters, anthologies,and conference proceedings- 分 野 別 研 究 部 会 や 支 部 も 会 報 、アンソロジー、研 究 会 発 表 記 録 集 を 発 行 しますMeetings and conferences sponsored by localchapters and special interest groups (SIGs)are held throughout Japan. Presentation andresearch areas include:• Bilingualism• CALL• College and university education• Cooperative learning• Gender awareness in language education• Global issues in language education• Japanese as a second language• Learner autonomy• Pragmatics, pronunciation, second languageacquisition• Teaching children• Lifelong language learning• Testing and evaluation• Materials development支 部 及 び 分 野 別 研 究 部 会 による 例 会 や 研 究 会 は 日 本各 地 で 開 催 され、 以 下 の 分 野 での 発 表 や 研 究 報 告 が行 われます。バイリンガリズム、CALL、 大 学 外 国 語教 育 、 共 同 学 習 、ジェンダーと 語 学 学 習 、グローバル 問 題 、 日 本 語 教 育 、 自 主 的 学 習 、 語 用 論 ・ 発 音 ・第 二 言 語 習 得 、 児 童 語 学 教 育 、 生 涯 語 学 教 育 研 究 部会 、 試 験 と 評 価 、 教 材 開 発 。JALT cooperates with domestic and internationalpartners, including [JALTは 以 下 の 国 内 外 の学 会 と 提 携 しています]:• IATEFL—International Association of Teachersof English as a Foreign Language• JACET—the Japan Association of CollegeEnglish Teachers• PAC—the Pan Asian Conference consortium• TESOL—Teachers of English to Speakers ofOther LanguagesMembership Categories 会 員 と 会 費All members receive annual subscriptions toThe Language Teacher and JALT Journal, andmember discounts for meetings and conferences.会 員 はThe Language TeacherやJALT Journal 等の 出 版 物 を 購 読 出 来 、 又 例 会 や 大 会 にも 割 引 価 格 で参 加 出 来 ます。• Regular 一 般 会 員 : ¥10,000• Student rate (undergraduate/graduate inJapan) 学 生 会 員 ( 日 本 にある 大 学 、 大 学 院 の 学生 ): ¥6,000• Joint—for two persons sharing a mailingaddress, one set of publications ジョイント会 員 ( 同 じ 住 所 で 登 録 する 個 人 2 名 を 対 象 とし、JALT 出 版 物 は2 名 に1 部 ): ¥17,000• Group (5 or more) ¥6,500/person—one set ofpublications for each five members 団 体 会 員(5 名 以 上 を 対 象 とし、JALT 出 版 物 は5 名 につき1 部 ):1 名 6,500 円For more information please consult our website, ask an officer at any JALT event,or contact JALT Central Office.JALT Central OfficeUrban Edge Building, 5th Floor, 1-37-9 Taito,Taito- ku, Tokyo 110-0016 JAPANJALT 事 務 局 :〒110-0016 東 京 都 台 東 区 台 東 1-37-9アーバンエッジビル5Ft: 03-3837-1630; f: 03-3837-1631; THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

Humor • Old Grammarians 49Old Grammarians......by Scott Gardner Cerebrate good times, c’monIso m e t i m e s s u f f e r fromexcessive mentationwhen it comes to wordusage. Take the wordmentation, for example. TheOxford English Dictionaryhints that this word mayhave come into being notmuch sooner than 1850, forits earliest evidence is fromCharles Kingsley’s political novel Alton Locke:“The cerebration of each is the prophetic sacramentof the yet undeveloped possibilities ofhis mentation.” In the next paragraph, the boyAlton swoons, “It sounds very grand....” And soit does. The OED should know better, though,than to define one dubious English coinage—mentation—by using another one—cerebration.The omphaloscrutinizers (navel-gazers) whospend their time making up these thinkingwords are using their brains far too much.Kingsley didn’t invent mentation, so we can’tblame him. I wonder who it was, therefore, whodecided that thinking alone was not adequateenough an activity for the mind to engage in,and that there had to be another concept (or atleast another word) to describe something better,larger, or more exact, than thinking. I imaginesome 19th century philosopher, hiding in hisstudy from his wife and the wretched neighborsshe’s invited over for tea, shouting down thehall in defense of his brooding behavior: “I’mnot thinking; I’m...I’m...mentating!” Some of hisfollowers probably latched onto the word andcame to define it as their mentor’s signaturestep toward transcendental enlightenment, nirvanicdissolution, or some humanly unachievablecombination of the two.When I was in college one of the (many) academicwords that kept tripping me up was obtain.This may seem like a simple enough word,but my professors kept using it intransitively.They always said things like, “Looking at thistext from a femino-Marxist perspective, it becomesclear that the author is showing how onlyperpetual repression of the marginalized obtainsfrom the maintenance of a center-determinedreality.” I was always waiting for the rest ofthe sentence—”...obtains what!?”—but it nevercame. I’ve always nurtured a hope in my mindthat someday I’d meet one of my old professorson the street (some of whom were vigorouslyseeking tenure back when they were teachingme) and have a chance to baffle them with theenigmatic question, “So, did you ever obtain?”Another word that was a particular favorite ofone professor was anathema. She made it clear inclass that students who failed to use or pronounceanathema correctly were anathema toher. And admittedly the first few times I heardher say the word I thought she was talkingabout a respiratory disorder. Studying for herclass was a pure exercise in joylessness. Oncewhile we were in a study group preparing forher test, a bug flew in the window and landedon one student’s sleeve. When she panickedand said, “What is that?” I said, “It looks likean athema to me,” and nobody laughed. (Well, Ithought it was pretty funny at the time.) Fortunately,though, I did manage to study hardenough in that class to obtain at the end of thesemester. (Am I still using that word wrong?)As much as I complain about the ostentatiousverbosity of some academics, it should be obviousto readers that many of my “humor column”installments use inflated vocabulary withan aim to confuse, convolute, obfuscate, buffalo,etc. The TLT layout people hate me, becausethey’re never sure where to hyphenate. I don’tblame them, really. If I were a serious scholarI’d be consecrating my ratiocinatory facultiesto more utile endeavors. I spent 25 minutes justcomposing that last sentence. High time nowto put aside the mentation in favor of a littlefermentation.THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.04 • April 2008

1 My Share • ActivitiesVideo news casting in English:Using video to promote EnglishcommunicationsThom W. Rawson, Nagasaki Commercial Senior High SchoolAppendix A: Video news casting signup sheet# Name Team Title Role3 Student A Anchor7 Student B Late Night News Caster12 Student C - A special report on crime Victim16 Student D WitnessTHE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.4 • April 2008

Appendix B: Assignment overview/script templateDirections:1. Write a script for a NEWS PROGRAM on this paper. Tell about the NEWS:a. What are TODAY’S HEADLINES?b. How about SPORTS?c. How about WEATHER?d. How about SPECIAL REPORTS?2. The news program should be YOUR OWN IDEAS. The news can be just for fun.Try watching the NHK news program for an idea.3. PRESENT the news to the class as a video. Each group member MUST say at least1 sentence during the news program and each group member MUST be in the video.You MUST memorize the script on screen (no reading!!!) You can show pictures orother video clips. You can help your teacher with the editing.4. You must choose your team and news content by the end of class TODAY. Pleasesign up with the teacher before the end of class!News Program Title: Super-Genki NewsNo. Name Role97 Student A Anchor, headline news98 Student B Weather report, storm watch99 Student C Sports reportPerson: Speaking partNews Program ScriptA: Good Evening and Welcome to “SUPER-GENKI NEWS”. Tonight’sheadlines are…A: And now over to Ms. C for our sports report. Ms. C?C: Thank you, Mr. A. Today in sports we had a very exciting day. NagasakiXX High School held their sports festival and the winner was….C: And that’s all for sports. Back to you Mr. A.A: Thanks, Ms. C. Boy, those players really tried hard, I think. Next we willhave a weather update with Mr. B. B?B: Thanks, Mr. A. Typhoon number 347 will make landfall in NagasakiCity. One citizen has reported that…(continue script here)

Name:_______________________________ Class: 3-x Number: _________ Rate the English of each student from 1 to 5. Rate the "reality level" of the news 1 to 5.News Program Evaluation English Rating (Per Student) Reality Level Rating (Per Team) Program Design (Per Team) Rate the newscast design 1 to 5. Give team comments in English.GradeClass Number Team First Last 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Team Comments3 x 1 Nagasaki HS News3 x 23 x 33 x 43 x 5 HS Fleet Reporting3 x 63 x 73 x 83 x 9 Local School Shock3 x 103 x 113 x 123 x 13 Mistake of Love3 x 143 x 153 x 163 x 17 Channel -1 News3 x 183 x 193 x 203 x 21 Shougyo Special3 x 223 x 233 x 243 x 25 News Coliseum3 x 263 x 273 x 283 x 29 Get News3 x 303 x 313 x 323 x 33 Pico-Pico News3 x 343 x 353 x 363 x 37 News Station HS3 x 383 x 393 x 40

Appendix D: Storyboard templateNEWSCAST TITLE: ______________________STORYBOARDDraw a comic strip of your news program. Include some dialogue from your script.1. 2.3. 4.5. 6.7. 8.

9. 10.11. 12.13. 14.15. 16.

Appendix E: Video camera schedulingCamera Signup Sheet – Please bring camera back BEFORE the end of your time slot!Three slot schedule:05-20min 20-35min 35-50minCamera 1 Camera 2 Camera 1 Camera 2 Camera 1 Camera 2Team A Team B Team C Team D Team E Team FFour slot schedule:05-15min 15-25min 25-35min 35-45minCamera 1 Camera 2 Camera 1 Camera 2 Camera 1 Camera 2 Camera 1 Camera 2Team A Team B Team C Team A Team B Team C Team A Team B

Appendix F: Pre-filming checklistNEWSCAST TITLE: ______________________PRE-FILM CHECKLISTPlan out your filming. Answer the questions below. Make sure you are ready to film.Directions:• Think about your SET. Where will you film the video?• Think about your PROPS. What will you use to enhance your news program?• Think about your SCRIPT. Does it need any changes for the video?• Think about your SPECIAL EFFECTS. What makes your video unique?• This project is DUE by xxxxxxx.1. Check your script. Does it need changing? Make some changes if you must. The final script mustbe handed in during the video presentation.2. Check your storyboard. You can use your storyboard to help you decide the FILMING ANGLES.3. Decide the PROPS and COSTUMES you will use. If you have to, design and make them yourself.Write the details of what you will make and what you will use here.4. Decide the LOCATION for your filming. Write it down here.5. Practice your news program to get it right during filming. You MUST memorize your script oncamera.You may not read from a paper.6. FILM YOUR VIDEO WHEN YOU ARE READY! Ask to use a video camera and make thevideo yourself! Remember that each team member MUST be in the video! Work with the teacherto make edits when you are finished filming.

1 My Share • ActivitiesYouTube.com video reviewsPatrick Foss, Kwansei Gakuin UniversityAppendix: Sample model review handoutThe following is a way of introducing reviewwriting to low-intermediate university studentsin a writing class with a focus on essays. Thereare many ways, of course, of writing reviews andessays; it will likely be necessary to adapt thisexample to suit the requirements of your particularclass.How to Write a ReviewToday, you will watch a short movie on the followingsite: . This site is now veryfamous around the world. On this site, peoplepost short videos that they have made or foundon the Internet. You need to watch one video andwrite a short review of it. Your review should be 4paragraphs. It should be written like this:Introduction:• Provide basic information about the movie yousaw. You should include the title of the movie(underlined), the name of the person whomade the movie, and the genre (comedy, animation,sf, etc.).• You should also post the link to the movie.• Don’t forget to include a thesis statement. Remember,your thesis statement is your centralidea, so this should probably be your opinionof the movie. Is it a good movie or a bad one?Body:• You should have two paragraphs in the body:• The first paragraph should be a summary ofwhat the movie is about. Tell us about the storyand the characters. DON’T tell us everything!Just tell us the most important points.• The second paragraph should be your analysisof the movie. If you think the movie is good,why do you think so? If you think the movie isbad, why do you think so?Conclusion:• Restate your main points.• For your final thought, would you recommendthis movie to others?Model reviewHave you ever seen a kiwi? A kiwi is an unusuallooking bird that cannot fly. Kiwi is also the nameof a short movie on YouTube. It can be foundat . Itis a cartoon made by Dony Permedi. The storyof Kiwi is beautiful, and the cartoon is very welldone. Kiwi is a great movie.Kiwi is a beautiful story about a kiwi that findsa way to fly. First, the kiwi pulls many trees up acliff with a rope. Then it nails the trees to the sideof the cliff with a hammer. Finally, the kiwi putson a pilot’s hat and jumps off the cliff. Because ofall of the trees attached to the cliff, it seems likethe kiwi is flying over the ground. It is so happyit starts to cry. However, what will happen to thekiwi at the end of its flight?This cartoon is very well done. The computergeneratedgraphics look very professional. Thekiwi in particular is terrific. Its emotions ofexcitement and happiness are easy to understand.While watching the movie, I felt that the bird wasreal, and I wanted it to succeed. Another goodpoint about the cartoon is the music. It fits theanimation and the story perfectly. Finally, theending of the movie is just right.In conclusion, Kiwi is a wonderful movie. Thestory touched me, and I was impressed by itsprofessional quality. After I saw this cartoon, Iwanted to see it again. I recommend this cartoonto everyone.THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.4 • April 2008

1 My Share • ActivitiesMiss Manners says, mind your topicsentence!Ian Willey, Kagawa UniversityAppendix: An actual Miss Manners advice column“That’s Why the Lady is a Tramp”November 9, 2005Copyright © 2005 by Judith Martin. Distributed by United Feature Syndicate, Inc. Reprinted withpermission.Dear Miss Manners:Help. After bestowing much diamond jewelry on a woman for five years and being engaged for the last year ofthat five, she broke up with me.I have money, so it’s not about money. Philosophically and morally I am convinced that I should get the jewelryback. It does not seem right for a woman to break up with a man she claims she did not love but wants to keepjewelry that represents a promise of allegiance. It was given with the intent of a lifetime relationship culminatingin marriage. She finally told me she never really loved me. Am I wrong to want these tokens of romance back?Miss Manners’ response:As it is too late to tell you, a lady does not accept expensive jewelry from a gentleman who is not her husband.And as you are about to find out, someone who is not a lady does not give it back. The exception is an engagementring, which by definition is given by a not-yet-husband, and which is recognized, even legally, to be apledge of troth to be returned if the pledge is not fulfilled for any reason. She should certainly give that back. Infact, she should regard all the jewelry as philosophically as you do, and rid herself of reminders of a mistakenromance. Miss Manners suggests you not hold your breath waiting for this to happen, however.THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.4 • April 2008

1 My Share • ActivitiesFrom reading to hummingAzzeddine Bencherab, University of Saida, AlgeriaAppendix A: Sample songKey to illustrations: old, table, knee, you, for, to see, soon, girl, before, go, bed, to, seal, envelope,stamp, hand, eye, box, auto, bee, to, goThe song lyrics, in their entirety:Letter to Heaven, by Dolly PartonAn old man was sitting at his table one day,writing a letter to pass time away.His little grand-daughter climbed upon his knee, said:Won’t you please write a letter for me?Oh! What will I say in this letter, I pray?Tell mummy I miss her since she went away,and I’m coming to see her real soon, I hope.He choked back a big lump that rose in his throat.Tell mummy I love her, the little girl said,and I pray every evening before I go to bedthat God up in Heaven will answer my prayerand take me to live with my mummy up there.He sealed it and wrote on that big envelope:To God up in Heaven, you’ll get this I hope.He stamped it and handed it to her to mail.Her big eyes were shining, her little face pale.She was crossing the street to the box all the way.When she stepped out, never looked either way.A big auto hit her and sped away fast.The little girl perhaps had been answered at last.The postman was passing, picked up the note,addressed to the Master, these words he spoke:Straight up in to Heaven! This letter did goshe’s happy with her mummy, I know.THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.4 • April 2008

2 Bencherab My Share • ActivitiesTHE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.4 • April 2008

My Share • Activities Bencherab 3Appendix B: Sample songsSong Singer Theme (s) Language forms/pointsSad Lisa Cat Stevens Affection/friendship…Expression deduction/probability (must be…)Father and SonCat StevensExpressing regrets/generationgapShould- if I wereI used toDolly PartonNarrating past events/expressing regrets/nostalgiaNarrating past events;Used to + verb infinitiveSubcityTracy ChapmanPoverty/misery/lifehardshipsEliciting opinion/Stating factsWithout You Mariah Carey Sadness/sorrowExpressing regrets/making hypotheses/modalsI will always LoveyouWhitney HoustonFidelity/affectionMaking suppositions/promisesIn the Ghetto Elvis Presley Racism/delinquency Present simple tenseWhere Have allthe Flowers GoneBob DylanImpact of warsPresent perfect tense/will; formulating ‘wh’questionsRecent songs and singers may be accessed at: www.songs.com or www.lyrics.comTHE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.4 • April 2008

1 My Share • ActivitiesCulture cardsDavid Chapman, Japan Women’s University Jr. High School andObirin UniversityAppendix A: Sample culture cardsPlease go to page 4 of this pdf file.Appendix B: Culture card resourcequestionsWhat is it? Be specific.• A food: a Japanese food, a western food, a Chinesefood, a Thai food• An animal: a wild animal, a domesticated animal,a scary animal, a cute animal• A place: Where is it? Your country? In anothercountry? Is the place famous or popular?• A person: Is he or she famous? Why? Is it aman/woman? What is his/her job?• A festival: It’s a festival held in _____.What is it made from? What is it about?• Food: Ingredients- it is a Chinese dish madefrom Tofu. It is a drink made from beans.• Things: It is a machine made from plastic. Is ita house made from candy.Where does it live or come from?• Animals: It lives in Indonesia.• Foods: It’s a food from China, It’s a Japanesedish, It’s a French dish.• Stories: It’s a story from India, It’s a book fromRussia.What does it look like? How big is it?How much does it weigh?• It is ___ centimeters tall. It is ____ meters tall.• It is ___ centimeters long. It is ___ meters long.• Colors: It’s blue, It’s shiny.• Size: It’s bigger than a _______, It’s smallerthan a ____.• It weighs about _____ grams, kilograms.• Shapes: It’s round, it’s square.How is it used?• You spray it on your arms and legs.• You hold it in your hand(s).• You sit on it and pedal it.When do you use/eat/see/read/go to it?• Seasons: Summer, winter, spring, fall• Holidays: Christmas, New Years, Children’sDay, Tanabata• Months: January, February, March, April, May,etc• Days: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday• How often? Every day, every week, every year,once a week, once a month, once a year• What time? Morning, daytime, evening, nighttime,after dark?Why do you use/see/read/go to it?• It helps us to…• We use it to…• We go there to/for…• We celebrate …What does it feel like?• It’s smooth, it’s soft, it’s hard, it’s fuzzy, it’scrunchyCompare it to something• It’s bigger than…• It’s the biggest, heaviest, smallest, largest…How do you/we feel about it?• It is something that I like.• It is something that many Japanese peoplelike/don’t like.• It is something scary to most people.THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.4 • April 2008

2 Chapman My Share • ActivitiesAppendix C: Culture card worksheetName: ___________________________________Culture Card WorksheetSteps to describing things:What is it? It’s a dog.What does it look like? (Be specific: 具 体 的 に 身 長 や 大 きさを 書 きましょう). It’s about 60 cm tall. It’s big/it’ssmall is too general.More specific details. It’s fuzzy and has a curly tail.Final hint. It’s from Japan.Answer: A Shiba-ken.Now you make your own.1. _____________________________________________________________________2. _____________________________________________________________________3. _____________________________________________________________________4. _____________________________________________________________________Answer: _________________________________________________________________1. _____________________________________________________________________2. _____________________________________________________________________3. _____________________________________________________________________4. _____________________________________________________________________Answer: _________________________________________________________________1. _____________________________________________________________________2. _____________________________________________________________________3. _____________________________________________________________________4. _____________________________________________________________________Answer: _________________________________________________________________1. _____________________________________________________________________2. _____________________________________________________________________3. _____________________________________________________________________4. _____________________________________________________________________Answer: _________________________________________________________________THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.4 • April 2008

My Share • Activities Chapman 31. _____________________________________________________________________2. _____________________________________________________________________3. _____________________________________________________________________4. _____________________________________________________________________Answer: _________________________________________________________________1. _____________________________________________________________________2. _____________________________________________________________________3. _____________________________________________________________________4. _____________________________________________________________________Answer: _________________________________________________________________1. _____________________________________________________________________2. _____________________________________________________________________3. _____________________________________________________________________4. _____________________________________________________________________Answer: _________________________________________________________________1. _____________________________________________________________________2. _____________________________________________________________________3. _____________________________________________________________________4. _____________________________________________________________________Answer: _________________________________________________________________1. _____________________________________________________________________2. _____________________________________________________________________3. _____________________________________________________________________4. _____________________________________________________________________Answer: _________________________________________________________________THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.4 • April 2008

1. It’s a popular food.2. It’s made from beans.3. It’s either silken or cotton.4. It can be eaten either rawor cooked.1. It’s a popular sport.2. It’s can be done inside oroutside.3. It’s a traditional Japanesesport.4. It’s an Olympic sport.1. It’s a sport played in manycountries.2. It’s played with feet and aball.3. Only one player per teamcan use their hands.1. It’s a Japanese snack food.2. It’s made from flour, fish andginger.3. It’s eaten hot.4. It’s looks like a ball.Answer: tofuAnswer: judoAnswer: soccer/footballAnswer: takoyaki1/128 2/128 3/128 4/1281. It’s a black or brown drink.2. It’s bitter without sugar.3. People drink it hot or cold.4. It’s usually sold in a can orcup.Answer: coffee1. It’s a Japanese food.2. It’s made from beans.3. It smells strong.4. It’s very sticky.1. It’s a yellow fruit.2. You have to peel it to eat it.3. You don’t need a knife to eatit.4. Monkeys like it a lot.1. It’s a Japanese food.2. People eat it with ginger.3. It’s served raw.4. Sometimes it has vinegar.Answer: natto5/128 Answer: a bananaAnswer: sushi6/128 7/128 8/1281. It’s traditional Japanesesport.2. It uses a straw circle.3. It’s not a team sport.4. Big men wearing few clothes.Answer: sumo1. It is a big machine.2. It carries many people.3. It travels very fast.4. It stops at stations.Answer: a train1. It’s a Japanese sport.2. People of all ages do it.3. You use armor & bambooswords.4. It’s a very noisy sport.Answer: kendo1. It’s a musical instrument.2. It’s heavier than a person.3. It has black and white keys.4. You usually sit down to play it.Answer: a piano9/128 10/128 11/128 12/1281. It’s a popular Japanese food.2. It comes in many differentflavors.3. It’s has a soup and noodles.4. It can be instant or cooked.1. It’s a popular team sport.2. It’s played indoors or outdoors.3. You have to run a lot to play it.4. It’s popular in P.E. class.1. It’s a very large country.2. It has fifty states.3. It’s flag is the “Stars andStripes.”4. It has a president.1. It’s an island nation.2. It’s has a king and queen.3. It’s flag is the “Union Jack”.4. It’s in Europe.Answer: ramenAnswer: basketballAnswer: The USAAnswer: The United Kingdom13/128 14/128 15/128 16/128

1. Most families in Japan haveone.2. You can see many things on it.3. It can be color or black andwhite.4. Many people watch it formany hours.Answer: a television1. It’s a popular Japanese food.2. It usually has onions and eggs.3. It fills you up quickly.4. It’s name means parent andchild.1. It’s a small red fruit.2. It’s often used on cakes.3. It’s a popular ice creamflavor.4. One, five in Japanese.Answer: oyakodonburiAnswer: strawberries17/128 18/128 19/1281. It’s a small red fruit.2. It’s usually comes in pairs.3. It can be sweet or sour.4. It has one large seed in themiddle.Answer: cherries20/1281. It’s a windsock.2. It comes in many colors andsizes.3. It looks like a fish.4. It’s flown for Children’s day inJapan.Answer: koinobori1. It’s a Japanese monster.2. It can fly.3. It wears geta.4. It has a long nose.1. It’s a popular sport.2. It’s played indoors or outdoors.3. You can play singles or doubles.4. Players use a racquet and ball.1. It’s a Japanese monster.2. It has sharp teeth.3. It often carries a club.4. It usually has horns on it’shead.Answer: a tenguAnswer: tennisAnswer: an oni21/128 22/128 23/128 24/1281. It’s a popular Japanese food.2. It’s fun to eat at home.3. You make it by hand.4. It uses vinegar, rice andseaweed.1. It’s an animal in the ocean.2. It eats crab, shrimp & shellfish.3. It’s very smart.4. It has eight legs.1. We use it to learn many things.2. Many families have at leastone.3. It comes in many styles andcolors.4. Some are really big and heavy.1. She’s an American singer.2. She’s also an actress.3. She’s young and beautiful.4. She’s in ‘Shall We Dance’.Answer: temakizushi25/128Answer: an octopus26/128 Answer: a dictionary 27/128 28/128Answer: Jennifer Lopez1. It’s very popular in Japan.2. It can carry many things.3. There are many kinds, butthey all do the same thing.4. It an important tool forstudents.Answer: a pencil case1. It summer it feels very good.2. It can be dangerous if thereis too much.3. It comes from clouds.4. It’s water falling from thesky.1. It’s a popular Japanese food.2. It’s made from noodles.3. It often has seaweed.4. It also usually has red ginger.29/128 Answer: rain30/128 Answer: yakisoba31/1281. It’s a place in Japan.2. Everyone becomes happythere.3. You need about 5000 yen toenter.4. You can meet many famouscharacters there. 32/128Answer: Tokyo Disneyland

1. It’s a Japanese monster.2. It often looks like a woman.3. It has a face like an egg.4. It’s face is smooth.Answer: a nopperabo1. It’s an animal.2. They can walk on two legs.3. Nikko is famous for them.4. In Japan they like hot springs( 温 泉 ).1. It’s a food made from pork.2. It’s very crunchy.3. It’s made with bread crumbs.4. It’s deep-fried.1. It’s a Japanese monster.2. It’s about the size of a child.3. It has a dish on its head.4. It loves cucumbers and sumo.Answer: a kappaAnswer: monkeysAnswer: tonkatsu33/128 34/128 35/128 36/1281. They often stand by the road.2. They are usually made fromstone.3. Many people give them gifts.4. They usually wear a red bib.Answer: O-Jizo-San37/1281. They are a group from the U.K.2. They fired their firstdrummer.3. You may have sung their songsin English class.4. Two members are still alive.Answer: the Beatles38/1281. He’s a famous child.2. He can fly.3. He wears green clothes.4. He lives in Neverland.Answer: Peter Pan1. It’s a popular sport.2. It’s played inside or outside.3. Players use a racquet and abirdie.4. It’s a popular club sport.Answer: badminton39/128 40/1281. Japan is famous for them.2. You take off your clothes toget in.3. They are good for yourhealth.4. They are very hot.1. It’s a robot.2. It helps a Japanese boy.3. It has a pocket.4. It lives with Nobita.1. It lives in the forest.2. It’s about 2-3 meters tall.3. It sometimes rides a cat bus.4. His friends are Mei andSatsuki.1. It’s a big city in Japan.2. It’s the second largest bypopulation.3. It’s in the Kanto region.4. It’s very close to Kawasaki.Answer: onsen41/128Answer: Doraemon42/128 Answer: Totoro43/128 Answer: Yokohama 44/1281. It’s a popular Japanese drink.2. Some people put sugar in it.3. Shizuoka is famous for it.4. It has many vitamins in it.1. They are a five membergroup.2. They are very popular.3. They sometimes cook on TV.4. One of their songs is aboutCelery.1. It’s a popular Japanese food.2. It’s made from noodles.3. It often has seaweed.4. It also usually has red ginger.1. It’s a cat.2. It waves to people.3. It asks people to come to ashop.4. It is often white, but someare black.Answer: green tea45/128 Answer: SMAP46/128 Answer: yakisoba47/128 Answer: a maneki neko 48/128

1. She’s a character from abook.2. Goes to a private school.3. She’s from the United1. It’s an animal in the ocean2. It’s shaped like a tube.3. It can change colors quickly.4. It has ten legs.1. It’s a Broadway musical.2. It’s about a ghost.3. He wears a mask.4. He lives in an opera house.1. It’s a TV program.2. People watch people cook.3. People choose their favoritedish.Kingdom.4. Her parents are dentists.4. You see Mr. Sekiguchi & Mr.Miyake.Answer: The Phantom of theAnswer: Hermione GrangerAnswer: a squidOpera49/128 50/128 51/128Answer: Dochi-no-ryori-sho52/1281. It’s a Japanese food.2. It’s round.3. You eat it with a brown sauce.4. There are two main styles:Hiroshima and Osaka.1. It’s a tall building.2. It’s in Yokohama.3. It has many clothing storesand restaurants.4. The Royal Park Hotel is in it.1. It’s a movie.2. It’s not a new movie.3. It’s about an alien and hisfriends.4. Steven Spielberg directed it.1. It’s a Japanese cartoon.2. It’s very popular and is on TV.3. It’s about a family with awhite cat.4. The cat’s name is Tama.Answer: okonomiyakiAnswer: Landmark TowerAnswer: E.T.Answer: Sazae-san53/128 54/128 55/12856/1281. He is Japanese.2. He lives in the United States.3. He’s a famous athlete.4. He went to Seiryo HighSchool.1. It’s a series of movies.2. “Force” is a key word.3. The first movie was IV.4. It’s about a war in space.1. It’s worn in summer.2. It’s Japanese.3. You need a sash when you wearit.4. Some people wear it tofestivals.1. He’s an actor.2. Many middle-aged women lovehim.3. He’s from Korea.4. He’s in Winter Sonata.Answer: Matsui57/128Answer: Star Wars58/128 Answer: a yukata 59/128 Answer: Be Yong Jun 60/1281. It’s a famous statue.2. Many tourists visit it eachyear.3. It has a crown on it’s head.4. It’s in New York.1. It’s a popular place in theU.S.2. Many people go there togamble.3. It has many shows.4. It’s in Nevada.1. It’s a very popular place.2. There are five now.3. The first one is in California.4. Each place has its only ownmagic castle.1. It’s a famous place in Japan.2. It has some very beautifulshrines and temples.3. Tokugawa Ieyasu is there.4. It is famous for monkeys too.Answer: The Statue of Liberty61/128 Answer: Las Vegas 62/128 Answer: Disneyland 63/128 Answer: Nikko64/128

1. He is a famous man.2. He changed the United States.3. He worked hard in the CivilRights Movement .4. He gave the “I have a Dream”speech.65/128Answer: Martin Luther King Jr.1. It’s a city in Eastern Japan2. It was an old capital of Japan.3. It is in Kanagawa Prefecture.4. “To build a good country.”Answer: Kamakura1. This is a day.2. We get presents.3. This is a special day forChristians.4. This is Christ’s birthday.Answer: Christmas1. This is a Japanese actor.2. He is a friend of Tom Cruise.3. He was in Batman Begins.4. He was a samurai with TomCruise.Answer: Ken Watanabe66/128 67/128 68/1281. It’s a Disney movie andmusical.2. Many animals are in it.3. The story is in Africa.4. It’s about a lion who becomesa king.Answer: The Lion King1. He’s an old man.2. He loves children and childrenlove him.3. He wears a red and whiteuniform.4. He is very busy on Christmas.Answer: Santa Claus1. It’s a food.2. It’s made from beans.3. It is usually bitter, dark ormilk.4. Many people love it.1. He’s an actor.2. He’s from France.3. He speaks five languages.4. He is in the DaVinci Code.Answer: Jean RenoAnswer: chocolate69/128 70/128 71/12872/1281. It’s an musical instrument.2. It’s made from wood or steel.3. It usually has six or twelvestrings.4. Electric or Acousitic arecommon.Answer: a guitar73/1281. It’s an animal.2. It looks like a horse.3. It’s from Africa.4. It has black and white stripesAnswer: a zebra1. It is a vegetable.2. It is usually orange.3. We use it to cook stew andcurry.4. Rabbits love it.1. It’s an animal.2. It’s from China.3. It loves bamboo.4. It’s white and black.Answer: a carrotAnswer: a panda74/128 75/128 76/1281. It’s a Japanese character.2. He helps his friends.3. He has a red nose and cheeks.4. He has a red uniform.Answer: Anpanman1. It’s small and hard tool.2. Most people have more thanone.3. It is important to have forsecurity.4. It’s used at home and work.1. It’s a softdrink.2. It is usually white.3. It is very sweet.4. The package has white andblue dots.1. This is a country.2. It is between Spain andGermany.3. Its flag is red, white andblue.4. Napoleon was a leader there.77/128 Answer: a key78/128 Answer: Calipis79/128 Answer: France80/128

1. It’s a game.2. It is very noisy.3. You have to knock down tenpins.4. You score “strikes” and “spares”.Answer: bowling1. It’s a sport from the US.2. It’s played indoors or outdoors.3. Its a very tough sport.4. You should wear a helmet andpads.Answer: American Football1. This is a place in Japan.2. People fish for fish there.3. It is in the Kinki Region.4. It is the largest lake in Japan.Answer: Lake Biwa1. This is a famous building inJapan.2. It is in Kyoto.3. Yukio Mishima wrote a bookabout it.4. It is covered in gold.Answer: The Golden Pavillion( 金 閣 寺 )81/128 82/128 83/128 84/1281. It’s a Japanese food.2. It is made from sticky rice.3. Some people eat it with soysauce.4. It is very popular at New1. This is a famous character.2. He sometimes wears a bowl onhis head.3. His best friend is a bird.4. He also has a friend Charlie.1. He is a big baby.2. He can fly.3. He has very big ears.4. He is a very cute elephant.1. It’s a vegetable from the US.2. It sometimes weights morethan 10 kgs.3. You can make a pie with it.4. It was used for Cinderella’sYears.Answer: Dumbocoach.Answer: mochiAnswer: SnoopyAnswer: a pumpkin85/128 86/128 87/12888/1281. They are big flowers.2. They are about two meters tall.3. The seeds are used forcooking oil.4. Vincent van Gogh paintedsome.Answer: sunflowers89/1281. It is a Japanese instrument.2. It is played on the floor or atable.3. You play it with two hands.4. It has thirteen strings.Answer: a koto1. It’s a musical instrument.2. It’s about two meters tall.3. It has four or five strings.4. It’s voice is very deep.Answer: a bass1. It’s a kind of snack food.2. It’s usually shaped like a ring.3. Many people love it.4. It is like deep-fried bread.Answer: a doughnut90/128 91/128 92/1281. It’s an animal.2. It can live for a long time.3. It can grow very big.4. It runs a race with a rabbit.Answer: a turtle1. It’s a flower.2. It has many colors.3. It is usually used to showlove.4. It can hurt you.1. He was a musician.2. He died in New York City.3. He was killed on Dec. 8, 1980.4. He wrote and sung Imagine.1. It’s a machine.2. It can carry a lot of people.3. It can take us to far awayplaces quickly.4. It can fly.Answer: a roseAnswer: John LennonAnswer: an airplane93/128 94/128 95/128 96/128

1. It’s an animal2. It’s the largest land animal.3. It has a long nose.4. There are two types Africanand Asian.Answer: an elephant1. It’s a popular Japanese snackfood.2. It has sweet bean paste in it.3. It is shaped like a fish.4. It is usually golden brown.Answer: taiyaki1. This is a useful machine.2. There are many differentdesigns.3. Both men and women use it.4. You usually wear it on yourwrist.1. It is a type of play.2. It is from Japan.3. The actors wear a lot ofmakeup.4. The only professionals aremen.97/128 98/128Answer: a wrist watch99/128Answer: kabuki100/1281. This is a fun place to visit.2. It is from the United States.3. It is in Osaka.4. The theme for the place ismovies.1. Most people use this everyday.2. It’s usually made from plastic.3. It comes in many colors.4. We use it to clean our teeth.1. It’s red and white.2. It is very tall.3. It is in Tokyo.4. It is the symbol of Tokyo.1. She is from Japan.2. She likes cakes and sweets.3. She has a big smile on herface.4. She stands outside of a sweetAnswer: Universal StudiosAnswer: Tokyo Towershop.JapanAnswer: a toothbrushAnswer: Peko-chan101/128 102/128 103/128104/1281. He wrote music.2. He was born in Germany.3. He lost his hearing.4. He is from music’s RomanticPeriod.Answer: Ludwig von Beethoven105/1281. It is a special soap.2. It makes lots of bubbles.3. It usually smells good.4. You wash your hair with it.Answer: shampoo1. She is a pixie.2. She is very cute.3. She is about as big as yourhand.4. She helps her friend Peter.Answer: Tinker Bell1. It’s a drink.2. It’s usually brown.3. Most people drink it withoutsugar.4. It’s from China.Answer: Oolong tea106/128 107/128 108/1281. It’s has a face but doesn’tsmile.2. It helps us every day.3. It has many designs.4. It usually has two or threehands.Answer: a clock1. It’s a TV program.2. It tells us about the world.3. This show talks about theeconomy, sports and weather.4. Most TV staions have thisshow.1. He is a famous artist.2. He was born about 600 yearsago.3. He wrote his notes backwards.4. He painted the Mona Lisa.1. It’s a type of dessert.2. It has many sizes and shapes.3. We usually cut it to eat it.4. We often eat it at weddingsor on birthdays.Answer: Leonardo Da VinciAnswer: a cake109/128 Answer: the news 110/128 111/128 112/128

1. It’s an sport.2. It’s very popular in Australiaand the UK.3. The ball looks like an egg.4. You don’t wear pads to play it.Answer: rugby1. It’s a a flat disk.2. It holds music or data.3. It is usually silver.4. It is not a DVD.Answer: a CD1. Its a popular Japanese food.2. It is made from Wheat Flour.3. It is a white noodle.4. You can eat it hot or cold.Answer: udon1. They are things you wear.2. They are made from glass,plastic or metal.3. Some people need to wear them.4. Some people only wear them onsunny days.Answer: glasses113/128 114/128 115/128 116/1281. It is a type of clothing.2. There are many styles andcolors.3. You don’t wear it every day.4. You use it to go swimming.1. It is a popular snack food.2. It comes from the UnitedStates.3. It is crunchy.4. Many people eat it while1. It’s a box or bag.2. Many students use it every day.3. It’s usually a rectangle.4. We use it to hold pens andpencils.1. It’s a sweet fruit.2. You need to peel it to eat it.3. Sometimes we eat it on pizza.4. There are many in Hawaii.watching movies.Answer: a pineappleAnswer: a swim suitAnswer: popcornAnswer: a pencil/pen case117/128 118/128 119/128120/1281. It is an animal.2. Some people are allergic tothem.3. It can jump well.4. They usually land on theirfeet.Answer: a cat121/1281. It is a popular job.2. They play a lot of music.3. They use records or CDs.4. They are the ones mixing themusic.Answer: DJs1. It’s an animal.2. It lives in the forest.3. Some are black, brown orwhite.4. It loves honey.Answer: a bear1. It’s an Olympic sport.2. The player uses special shoes.3. It is done in singles ordoubles.4. It is done on ice.Answer: figure skating122/128 123/128 124/1281. It’s usually a big place.2. Weekdays, many children gothere.3. Students study hard there.4. The students are usuallytwelve to fifteen years old.Answer: junior high school1. It is a popular place in Tokyo.2. Many young people go there.3. Fashionable clothes are oftencheap here.4. It is between Shibuya andShinjyuku Stations.1. It is a job.2. They have to study hard.3. They use special tools.4. They help many people.Answer: doctors1. It’s a musical instrument2. It makes a sound when we hit it.3. Some you can play with yourhands, but some need sticks.4. Most bands have one.Answer: a drum125/128 Answer: Harajuku 126/128 127/128 128/128

1 My Share • ActivitiesUsing a deck of playing cards to practiceusing the future tenseAnnie Menard, Tokai University Shonan CampusAppendix: Helpful classroom English for facilitatorsPhrases to improve comprehension:• Could you please speak louder?• Would you repeat that, please?• Pardon me? / Excuse me?Phrases to encourage discussion:• What’s your opinion?• What do you think?• How do you feel?• That’s a good point!• How about you?Response paper questions• What was easy about facilitating?• What was challenging about facilitating?• What did you learn about yourself?• What did you learn about your classmates?• How does this style of teaching differ from other classes you’ve attended?• What are the benefits and disadvantages of student facilitation?THE LANGUAGE TEACHER 32.4 • April 2008