2022 Presentations

Teacher Development

SYMPOSIUM
EFL Teacher Development through CollaborativeAction Research Projects

Kazuyoshi SATO
Kazuyoshi Sato teaches at
Nagoya University of Foreign
Studies. He holds an MA anda PhD in Applied Linguistics fromthe University of Queensland,
Australia. He has
written several papers on
communicative language teaching
and teacher development.
His research interests include
teacher development, second
language acquisition, andcurriculum development.

How teachers learn to teach in context has been the focus of general
educational research for almost a century (e.g., Lortie, 1975; Rosenholtz, 1989;
Waller, 1932), and eventually a focus for Teaching English to Speakers of OtherLanguages (TESOL), English as a Second Language (ESL), and foreignlanguage communities (e.g., Freeman & Johnson, 1998; Kleinsasser, 1993; Sato& Kleinsasser, 2004). This study examined how English as a Foreign Language(EFL) secondary teachers (junior and senior high school teachers) in Japan
participated in collaborative action research and engaged in their professional
development over four years. In particular, little is known as to how EFL teachers
challenge their beliefs and implement innovative practices based on
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) through teacher learning processes.
Using a mixed methods design, the study identified three developmental stages
regardless of years of teaching experience: (1) Challenging teacher beliefs
through TESOL classes and modeling teachers who have done similar action
research through trial and error teaching as they practice communicativeactivities; (2) Making sense of teaching through adapting and modifying theoriesof CLT; and (3) Building confidence in teaching by actually seeing studentschange. These stages overlap and are not mutually exclusive, depending onteacher and teaching context. The study reveals teachers’ dynamic learning
processes and professional development.

Balancing Theory and Practice in DevelopingYour Materials
Brian CULLENDr. Brian Cullen is a professor at
Nagoya Institute of Technology.
He has authored and edited overthirty textbooks and has spentlong periods stuck in front of acomputer trying to meetdeadlines. He did his doctorate
under the supervision of Dr. BrianTomlinson, one of the leading
experts in the field of ESL
materials development, and has

Creating language learning materials is always a balance between theory andpractice. This session will share some thoughts and experiences about how thatbalance can be achieved based on the presenter’s 25 years of experience inmaterials development, authoring and editing more than 30 textbooks, and being
involved in two different publishing companies. Areas to be covered include
utilizing your existing skills, possibilities for publishing or self-publishing,
networking, piloting materials, developing your own niche and style, and using amaterials development framework to guide you. Time permitting, in the second
half of the session, we will spend some time looking through materials and how
they can be improved. Please bring your own materials or extracts from textbooks
you are using to share with others in the session.

Andrew D. TWEED
Andrew is a coordinator of theself-access center at Soka
University in Tokyo. His researchinterests include autonomy andpsychology in language learning.
He holds an MATESOL from theUniversity of Washington and an
EdD in TESOL from Anaheim
University.

James DUNNJames Dunn is an associate
professor at Aichi University. He
specializes in critical thinking
curriculum design and higherorder thinking skills developmentthrough English language
learning. His goal is to help
students realize they are capableof more than they think.

Nicholas BRADLEY
Nicholas Bradley is currently anassociate professor within theDepartment of British andAmerican Studies at Nagoya
University of Foreign Studies. He
holds a PhD in Applied Linguistics
and MAs in TESOL and History.
His research interests focus
around cultural issues ineducation.

Promoting Autonomy In and Out of the Classroom
Providing learners with an increased amount of autonomy can lead to higher levelsof motivation (Ryan & Deci, 2017). This reality, combined with the fact that learninga foreign language requires many hours of study, suggests that teachers need tohelp learners take charge of their learning. In this practical workshop, the presenter
will first present a theoretical background to explain why it is important to promoteautonomy to our learners. Following that, the presenter will introduce a number ofpractical ways for teachers to give students control over their learning. Some ofthese, such as offering learners choices for activities, can be carried out in theclassroom. Other methods, which may involve websites, apps or mobile devices,can be done outside of the classroom. The presenter will also address how selfaccess centers and study abroad programs can foster learner autonomy. Thesesettings are unique in that they provide users with spaces beyond the classroom
where using the target language is the norm. Participants will have time to discussthese ideas and techniques in order to consider how they may adapt them to theirown educational contexts.

Part-time to Tenured, a Six-Year Plan
The race to a tenured position in Japan is one fraught with obstacles and hardship.
Many may have realized the unpopular truth that a PhD does not guarantee you apermanent position in Japan. This practice oriented session will focus on the steps
necessary to maximize the chances of obtaining a tenured position in Japan. It will
also explain the reasoning behind why a PhD not not be that magic bullet for atenured position that one had hoped for. From the types of activities in your current
position which will have the most impact on your resume, to activities outside ofyour school(not just JALT) that can open doors to presenting and publishing thathave a large impact on a hiring committee, this presentation will lay out a plan thatwas implemented over the course of six years by the author, without a PhD, toobtain a tenured position. Attendees will come away from this presentation withconcrete examples and ideas on how they can push the odds in their favor infinding, and getting, a tenured position.

Educational Philosophies of Practicing Teachers
Every year the research produced in education is vast and has the positive effect ofadvancing the profession in ever more innovative, sophisticated, and humanitarian
ways. However, as much as there is a vast array of work showcasing new
approaches, activities and providing academic discussion, it can sometimes bebeneficial to reflect on the more fundamental aspects of what we do and why we doit. The presentation will present the results of a small-scale examination of theeducational philosophies of 18 teachers. The results will detail the elements ofeducation that are seen as paramount by teachers along with those which are lesscommon. From these, a clear image of how teachers view the profession, and theirrole can be seen. Additionally, the various aspects identified as important withinteachers’ educational philosophies were presented to students. The results of whichelements were given importance by students will also be presented and contrasted
with the previous results. In addition to viewing the results, audience members willconsider the various elements and be invited to reflect on their own educational
philosophies.

Henry TROYHenry is an EFL lecturer at
Nagoya University of Foreign
Studies. He has also taught
IELTS courses at universities
across Aichi for the past fiveyears. His areas of researchinterest include corpus linguistics,
English language tests and media
literacy.

Kevin OTTOSONKevin Ottoson is a lecturer atNagoya Women’s University. He
holds an EdD from the Universityof New England. His researchinterests include study abroad
and assessment of interculturalcompetence.

Chris LEAR
Currently a lecturer at Nanzan
University, Chris focuses onengaging his students throughdiscussions and self-reflections.
His goal is to help his students tothink critically about the world
around them and use what theylearn to enhance their own lives.

Adapting Classroom Activities to Prepare Studentsfor English Language Tests
This workshop will introduce some of the most important English language tests forstudents (e.g., IELTS, TOEFL, Eiken, TOEIC) and give participants an opportunity
to try activities that can be used in the classroom to assist with test preparation.
These activities are not only helpful for English language tests, but can also beincorporated into general English communication courses. Many students study
English for the purpose of studying, living and/or working abroad. To achieve theirgoals, getting an appropriate score on an English test is vital. Even for students who
continue to live in Japan, certain scores are required for particular jobs, andsometimes a higher score can result in a pay rise. It is therefore important that
language teachers are aware of these tests, are able to advise students on theircontent and have the ability to use activities in the classroom which assist thestudents in achieving their objectives.

Collaborative Online International Learning in theLanguage Learning Classroom
Collaborative Online International Learning is an approach that connects teachersand students to collaborate and learn as a part of their course. This method of
virtual exchange that promotes more inclusive international collaboration has been
gaining in popularity in recent years. In response to COVID-19, foreign language
educators have seen COIL as a vehicle to promote international collaborations andlanguage learning. Additionally, as study abroad programs are put on hold and areunlikely to return to pre-pandemic participation levels in the near future, COIL offers
opportunities for higher education institutions to sustain their internationalization
efforts. For students in Japan studying English, COIL can provide unique
opportunities to interact and collaborate with L1 or L2 speakers in another country.
In addition to language development, COIL offers other opportunities fordevelopment, including intercultural competence. This presentation will provide an
overview of COIL, some examples of language learning-focused COIL, andinformation about how to get involved in COIL.

Introducing Culture through the News
Knowing how to approach developing language skills while teaching culture andcurrent affairs can be a challenging task. This presentation focuses on using thenews as a way to keep students engaged at home and in the classroom while
maintaining learner agency and autonomy. It will lead participants through a warmup activity that challenges students to research, understand, and explain authentic
materials in the form of current news articles. By having students read, summarize,
and discuss weekly news articles, they can start to develop an overall picture ofwhat life is like in another place. Additionally, through the use of authentic materials
and group discussions, students can develop the four fluency skills: reading, writing,listening, and speaking.

Jessica ZONI UPTON
Mina HIRANO
Holding a MA TESOL degreefrom Nagoya University ofForeign Studies and a BA inJapanese Studies, Jessica Zoni
Upton has been teaching atuniversities in Japan for sevenyears. Her main researchinterests include InterculturalCommunication and GenderStudies.
Mina Hirano has been a lecturer
for five years and currently
teaches at Nagoya University ofForeign Studies. She holds an
MA in Linguistic Science (EnglishEducation) from Nanzan
University. Her research interests
are scaffolding, learner autonomy,and Intercultural communication.

The Benefits of Self-reflection Tools for Foreign
Language Learners
Self-reflection can be defined as “a conscious mental process relying on thinking,reasoning, and examining one’s own thoughts, feelings, and ideas.”(Gläser-Zikuda,2012). Over the years, self-reflection tools such as diaries, logs, and journals havebeen assimilated into the field of educational science (Bailey & Ochsner, 1983;
Bailey, 1991; Gardner, 2000, Moon, 2003, Absalom & De Saint Léger, 2011; Litzler,2014a) as a way to record, reflect, or assess learning. This mixed-method study on
the benefits of self-reflection tools for foreign language learners was conducted atuniversity level during two academic years starting in April 2020, collecting
information from over 100 English majors, and adapting to the changes from theonline format to the hy-flex format. The research focuses on students’ perceptionsof two self-reflection tools originally created to aid the development of learners’autonomy. This lecture-style presentation will first briefly explain the purpose of theresearch as well as the self-reflection tools that were used, and finally will introduce
the benefits which emerged from students’ survey results. The presenters hope thisresearch will inspire more educators to introduce self-reflection tools in theirclassrooms.

A Look at the Role of Design in Education:
Anton VEGEL Developments, Trends, and Practical Use
Anton Vegel holds degrees inTESL and has nearly a decade ofuniversity ESL/EFL experience.
He has published on a variety oftopics from language and national
identity to TBLT. Currently hisinterests are how design-based
perspectives can informpedagogy.

Game Design Research has extensively analyzed the role of design in games suchas the design of conflict and engagement, systems (information and cybernetics),
and emergence and possibilities (second-order design) (Salen & Zimmerman,2004). Additionally, research in Digital-Game Based Learning (DGBL) has identified
learning principles inherent in good games such as actionable feedback, low cost of
failure, and integrated learning and assessment (Gee, 2007, 2013; Prensky, 2001).
However, one of the conclusions of this research questions why these principles are
not more widely utilized beyond games (Gee, 2004). Although these principles run
parallel to theories in Second Language Acquisition (SLA), not all areas of study are
equally fit to employ them such as the technology focused Computer Assisted
Language Learning (CALL) and the inherently design based concept of task in Task
Based Language Teaching TBLT (Vegel, 2018). Design has been relevant in thefield of education for decades, but there seems to be a gap in historical andpractical context. This study thus investigates the development of design in the fieldof education (from instruction design to learning design), highlights current research(game design, game-based learning, and cybernetics), and provides examples ofpractical design choices in language education.