BOLT SEMINAR 2013

CONFERENCE & SEMINAR

BOLT SEMINAR 2013

Updated: 2019/08/28

 
 
 
 
Peter John Wanner
 
Dr. Peter John Wanner is an Associate Professor at Tohoku University working in the Graduate School Language Education Department.  He has a Doctors degree in Human Informatics from Nagoya University (Japan) and a Master of Science Degree in Linguistics from Georgetown University (America).  He has worked at Tohoku University since 2005 and specializes in Bilingual Education, Linguistics, and Neurology.  In 2008, he had his most recent publication ‘Consequences for bilingual first language acquisition (BFLA) and native speaker language acquisition (NSLA) infants.’ in a chapter in a book called ‘Contemporary issues of brain, communication and education in psychology: the science of mind.”
 
1) Self Preparation for Vocabulary Retention using Free Electronic Software
 
There are lots of programs that promote word retention and can be implemented not only in computers, but on handheld cell phones.  This presentation will introduce one type of learning software called Quizlet that has applications for learning in 18 different languages.  It allows students to evaluate their progress and keep track of their retention of vocabulary as they learn it with follow-up quizzes that test for words the students have registered.  The software in Quizlet is designed to help users understand their repetitive mastics such as spelling mistakes and furthermore helps them learn further vocabulary they have not developed, yet.
 
2)  Slow Motion Speaking (SMS):   A Tool to English Fluency
 
One way for students to develop higher pronunciation skills is through “Slow Motion Speaking”. 
This requires learning through the deliberate use of slowing down one’s speech until they perfect
the sound articulation, rhythm, intonation and pausing patterns.  Students can learn to imitate the
sounds they hear in transcripts or through the teacher and use them for producing sounds in
context. This presentation will introduce how students can track their English pronunciation
development through the analysis of written transcripts – as produced by native speakers- for which
video or audio recordings are available.  Students or learners practice some material aloud while
speaking along with recorded voices.  They can practice the material as long as they deem necessary
 to master the natural speaking tendencies of native speakers.  One difference in using transcripts for
practice of pronunciation is that students say words concurrently with voices they listen to and hence
they are not repeating.  For some learners this is more challenging and provides more incentive to
learn pronunciation.  These skills will be practiced with demonstrations in the seminars.
 
 
Jennifer Morgan
 
 
 
 
Jenny Morgan is a Guest Lecturer at Meisei University, Tokyo, with an MA TESOL degree
 from Victoria University of Wellington, N.Z. She has taught English learners of all ages in
China, Japan, NZ, and the UK.  Her research interests include EAP, materials development
 for low-level students, writing portfolios and integrated skills learner projects.
 
     
Making the Textbook Speak
 
   Many teachers are bound by a national English curriculum and compulsory language
textbooks. Much of the classroom focus is on reading and writing as a way to teach-learn
grammar and vocabulary; and students are assessed by ‘standardized English paper exams
only.  This can be a tough way for students and their teachers to develop real English
communication skills and confidence using English.  It is also very challenging to learn
grammar and vocabulary through mainly reading and writing.              
This presentation will discuss ways in which teachers can cover the textbook materials, as well as include elements of  student to student communicative interaction, and English speaking in their lessons. The outcomes are improved proficiency over the four skills, and stimulating, effective ways to learn grammar and vocabulary through communicative use.
                              
 
 
Matthew Dolman
 
Matthew Dolman is a master’s student studying Language Sciences at Tohoku University, with a concentration on research in the field of 2nd language acquisition.  Following his graduation from Keele University (England) with a dual honors BA in Music and Media, Communications and Culture in 2008, Matthew began his teaching career after being accepted onto the JET program. Since then, Matthew has been keen to develop original, effective teaching methods for the foreign language classroom, especially techniques using Music, in which he has a strong interest.
 
Interactive learning
  
 
Encouraging student participation can sometimes be problematic for teachers of English. Students’ varying levels of ability, enthusiasm and confidence can influence the amount they contribute in the classroom. Additionally, some teaching methods encourage passive learning, where students are required to do no more than listen to the instruction of their teacher. This can create an uncomfortable atmosphere that discourages active learning. The teacher can make a number of changes to positively transform their classes in order to increase student participation and decrease long periods of silence that waste valuable class time.  As well as offering students positive criticism and maintaining a constructive classroom environment, it is essential to utilize activities that allow as much student involvement as possible. We will look at a number of interactive activities that have been devised and tested in Japanese ESL classes and discuss how they may benefit your English classroom.
 
 
Agnes Anna Patko
 
Agnes Anna Patko is a guest lecturer at Meisei University, Tokyo. She obtained her master’s degrees at Eotvos Lorand University (ELTE), Hungary. She is interested in teaching materials and teacher training development. Her voluntary activities include teaching English to disadvantaged children, helping trainee teachers (Meisei Summer School Project) and guiding foreigners.
 
Memory games in the language classroom
This presentation will focus on various memory games in the language classroom. Memory games, as the  name suggests, are mainly used to improve people’s short-and long term memories, therefore, they are mainly associated with vocabulary learning. However, their implementation in the classroom can be more diverse. Teachers can make students practice, memorize and recall new vocabulary, chunks of language or grammatical structures easily; therefore, these activities foster fluency. In addition, they can be applied as effective
 instruments to warming-up or break the monotony of the lesson. Depending on the purpose of the activity and the means the teacher selects, memory games help students broaden their learning strategy use also.  I will invite the audience to take part in the presentation actively. I will present a few memory games, which they can try themselves. At the end I will ask them to reflect on the games and think about the implementation
 in their own language classrooms.
 
 
Michael Furmanovsky
 
Professor Michael Furmanovsky was born in Africa, educated in the UK (Warwick University) and USA (UCLA) and works at Ryukoku University’s Faculty of Cross-Cultural Studies in Kyoto, Japan. He teaches language, culture and movie-based history classes while also being active in the field of Japanese popular culture, presenting regularly at Japan Studies conferences. He has written and presented on a wide variety of practical areas including Reading Circles in Extensive Reading, using songs and commercials to teach culture and vocabulary and keypal exchanges. He has been active in volunteer teaching in Vietnam and the Philippines since 2007 and has also published an academic article focusing on the work of western NGOs involved in street children rehabilitation in Hanoi.
 
Using Songs with Content for Reading Comprehension
 
Pop songs can be used in the EFL class for listening and pronunciation practice, to teach idioms and
expressions and even for dictation and jigsaw activities. However, the very nature of pop songs makes them much less useful for a Reading class since most popular songs are simple love songs and rarely tell any kind of story. By contrast songs from the country and folk music genre often tell quite complex stories with highly economical and thoughtful language. They are rich in expressions and analogies and even have character development. As such they can be treated as a “text” for a Reading class. And since the lyrics of songs and often the songs themselves (or a YouTube version) can be found on the Internet, they can effectively be used free of charge.
 
 
  
 
BALSAMO OUTREACH FOR LEARNING SEMINAR SERIES DEC. 26, 2013
Venue: Da Nang University of Foreign Language Studies, 131 Luong Nhu Hoc Street.
 
Time
Events
8:00-8:30
Guest & Participant Reception
8:30-8:50
Opening Ceremony                        Auditorium
8:50-9:35
Plenary presentation                     Auditorium
9:35-9:50
Break
9:50-10:35
Pres 1
Pres 2
Pres 3
Pres 4
10:35-11:20
Pres 2
Pres 3
Pres 4
Pres 5
11:20-14:00
Lunch
14:00-14:45
Pres 3
Pres 4
Pres 5
Pres 1
14:45-15:30
Pres 4
Pres 5
Pres 1
Pres 2
Break
15:30-16:15
Pres 5
Pres 1
Pres 2
Pres 3
16:15-17:00
Closing Ceremony                              Auditorium
 
Room1
Room 2
Room 3
Room 4
 
Presentation title
Presenters
Affiliation
Nation
Plenary: Self Preparation for Vocabulary Retention using Free Electronic Software
Peter John Wanner
PhD Tohoku University
American
1) Using Songs with Content for Reading Comprehension
Michael Furmanovsky
 
M.ED.    Ryukoku University
 
British
2) Making the Textbook Speak
 
Jenny Morgan
MA TESOL  Meisei University
New Zealander
3) Interactive learning
Matthew Dolman
 
BA. Tohoku University
British
4) Memory games in the language classroom
Agnes Anna Patko
 
MA Meisei University
Hungarian
5) Slow Motion Speaking (SMS):   A Tool to English Fluency
Peter John Wanner
PhD Tohoku University
American
* Pres = Presentation