Event
HomeA Comprehensive Approach for Learning English with Computer Assistance
Sunday, July 9th, 2006, 2:00 PM - 4:45 PM
Speaker: Peter Wanner, Tohoku University
For English teachers, the concept of independent and dependent English skills is an area that university and class curricula tend to take into consideration. The independent approach tends to separate the skills and hence the four skill areas might be taught independently in different class units. The dependent approach is represented more in courses that teach all four skills within one class unit. This presentation will discuss the relationship between reading and writing, and speaking and listening. These two groups of skills often accompany each other as pairs. The presenter will show the relationship reading and writing can have in improving fluency in speaking and listening. Two groups of students will be discussed, a control group and an experimental group. The discussions of both the control and experimental group were the same discussion topics. The results indicate that the experimental group that performed reading and writing tasks related to discussion topics in group conversations was more fluent in speaking and listening skills than students in the control group who were not required to do reading and writing skills related to their discussions. The presenter will provide examples of how to incorporate computer grammar check programs, reading fluency programs, and speaking analysis programs into a comprehensive learning environment for developing more fluent conversation skills in Japanese college students.
Dr. Wanner has taught large and small classes at national and private universities for the past 12 years. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Graduate School of International Cultural Studies at Tohoku University.
Organization: Nagano Chapter (formerly the Shinshu Chapter) of the Japan Association for Language Teaching (Nagano JALT)
Cost: JALT Members: free
Non-members: 1,000 yen
Venue: Nagano Kinrosha Fukushi Kaikan, Ongaku shitsu (Music Room), Kenchomae dori.
Location: Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture, Japan
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