Event

JALT 2002 Conference Preview

Sunday, October 20th, 2002, 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Speaker: Simon Evans, International Christian University; Phil Julien, Bunka Women's Univesity; Paul Lyddon, Seigakuin University

In separate presentations, three local Omiya JALT members will give us a sneak peek of what to look forward to at the JALT 2002 conference in Shizuoka this November.

1. Simon Evans: The Cambridge Young Learners Exams.
   English is now being taught in Japanese elementary schools, but the issue of testing student ability has yet to be addressed. The University of Cambridge has recently developed a series of tests to measure proficiency in all four basic communication skills for students aged 7-12 years. This presentation will examine the nature of these tests and their constituent tasks and consider their appropriacy in a Japanese context. Particular attention will be given to the compulsory speaking interviews.
2. Phil Julien: The Effects of Semantic Field and Depth of Processing on Incidental Vocabulary Acquisition.
   Research has established that reading leads to considerable gains in vocabulary acquisition in both L1 and L2. However, to date researchers have concentrated on intentional vocabulary learning, with little attention being paid to incidental acquisition. This presentation will focus on the latter, specifically by exploring the effects of semantic fields and depth of processing.
3. Paul Lyddon: Creating the Conditions for Real Communication
   Many students, especially in large classes, show minimal oral proficiency gains because they only "practice" language without ever processing it in any truly meaningful way. In this workshop, pairs of participants will analyze and compare speaking tasks with similar objectives to determine what makes one more genuinely communicative than another. Later, they will devise strategies for increasing student involvement and try them out on a sample activity before sharing their thoughts with the other participants.

All three presentations will also be done at the JALT 2002 conference.

Organization: Saitama Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching (Saitama JALT)

Cost: JALT Members: free
Non-members: 1000 yen

Venue: Omiya JACK, 5F, conference room #1 (near Omiya Station, west exit)

Location: Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan

Contact Saitama JALT

JALT Saitama Contact