In this issue:

CUE AT JALT 2017

THREE FEATURE
ARTICLESCUE CAREERS

CUE CIRCULARISSUE 4
NOVEMBER

2017

News and articles from the JALT College and University Educators Special Interest Group

Autumn colors at Hokkai Gakuen University, in Sapporo

Photo by Toru Kataoka

See you in Tsukuba!
Welcome to issue 4 of CUE Circular, marking our one year anniversary.
In this issue, CUE SIG co-ordinator Wendy Gough describes a community outreachprogram in which students gain practical English-language experience throughcommunicating with foreign tourists, Guy Smith discusses the benefits that come fromwatching video recordings of yourself teaching, and Greg Rouault describes a computerbased business simulation in which he has his students participate.
This issue takes us into the upcoming JALT 2017 International Conference in Tsukuba.
A number of CUE SIG events are taking place that may be of interest to members. CUE
and the TD SIG are teaming up again for our seventh annual forum designed to promote
the sharing of professional stories. This year's theme is 'Globalizing education:

CUE CIRCULAR 11/2017

Reflections on shaping broader perspectives in theclassroom', and will feature 8 short presentations.
At the CUE SIG annual general meeting, we’ll hold abrainstorming session about our upcoming 25th
anniversary conference, which will be held in
September 2018. We would like to encourage anyone
interested in hearing about our SIG’s activities or
who is interested in suggesting ideas or helping plan
our conference come to the AGM and share yourideas to help make the SIG and our next conference
even better than ever.
I hope you enjoy this issue of the Circular!

Steve Paton, Editor

Feature articles
Promoting interculturalcommunication through community
outreach3

Wendy M. Gough

Take the director’s chair

6

Guy SmithInnovative design for ESP in ELT:
Online business simulation game8

Greg Rouault

CUE Careers column
Networking for career development
Michael Parrish and Richard Miller

JALT CUE SIG

11
Scenes at the recent JALT CUEESP symposium- Keio 2017.
Photographs by Leigh McDowell.
"2

CUE CIRCULAR 11/2017

Feature articles
PromotingIntercultural
Communication
Through Community
Outreach
Wendy M. Gough, Tokai
University
Wendy M. Gough is a Junior
Associate Professor at Tokai
University. Her doctoral
research focuses onintercultural communicationand L2 identity development.
wgough@tokai-u.jp

At our university in Shizuoka prefecture, acolleague and I facilitate a community
outreach program in which our students
provide English/Japanese interpreting for
disembarking international luxury liner
passengers. This helps our community byproviding English support for the local
tourism industry and is also an excellent
opportunity for the students to interact
with people from around the world using
English. Research has shown that English
learners develop their language skills,
intercultural competence, and second
language identity through participation incommunity outreach activities in Englishspeaking countries (Andrew, 2011;
Perren, 2008). I believe community
outreach projects that are carried out inEnglish within Japan could offer theparticipating students similar effects.

JALT CUE SIG

Benefits of the community outreachproject
Benefits for the students. Our
students have the opportunity to talk to
people from around the world using
English in real-life settings. This helps
them develop practical English skills,
learn intercultural communication, andacquire an awareness of other cultures.
The students also develop coping
strategies for dealing with a variety ofsituations when using English. As a result,they gain confidence in their English
ability. Furthermore, an additional
benefit is that the students are able tocreate a bond with local citizens throughthe community outreach.
Benefits for the town. A greater
connection is fostered between theuniversity and the town office as well aswith the local citizens. This builds trust
between the three groups. Also, since thetown is situated in a semi-rural area,
there are not many local citizens withEnglish speaking skills. Therefore,
interpreting services that the students
provide at the port contribute muchneeded English support for the budding
local tourism industry.
Developing English language skills
Students’ language development. By
participating in the community outreachprojects, students use English outside theclassroom and develop theircommunicative skills through trial and"3

CUE CIRCULAR 11/2017

error. Observations of and discussions
with the passengers have shown that thepassengers appear to appreciate theEnglish assistance. They tend toencourage and support the students by
praising their efforts and showing
patience. These friendly interactions help
the students gain confidence in theirEnglish speaking ability as they practicetarget vocabulary and language structures
when explaining local sights, shopping, or
the various services offered at the port.
Local language development. Withan increase in the number of ships
arriving at the port, local citizens are
becoming aware of the lack of available
English resources in the town. Merchants
who set up booths at the port and who
have establishments in the portside
shopping center have begun to post signs
for their products and services in English.
They have also begun to learn simple
English expressions in order to more
effectively sell their goods to thepassengers. This effort on the part of thelocal shopkeepers helps the portside area
become more English-friendly for tourists
and the foreign residents of the area.
Intercultural communication andawareness
Students’ interculturalcommunication. Interculturalawareness and interculturalcommunication are related to becoming
aware of and analyzing one’s native
culture in relation to other cultures andlearning how to communicate with people
from other cultures in a second or foreign
language (Samovar, Porter, McDaniel, &JALT CUE SIG

Roy, 2015; Byram & Nichols, 2001). When
students engage in their English language
community outreach activities, they
communicate with people from aroundthe world using English. As a result, they
become aware of aspects of Japaneseculture as well as of the cultures of thepeople they talk to. This contributes totheir understanding of the similarities anddifferences in communication styles andresults in both an openness and awillingness to interact with people fromaround the world.
Local intercultural development.
With international tourists arriving at theport more and more often each year, thelocal citizens and shopkeepers are gaining
exposure to people from other cultures.
Even though the majority of the local
citizens do not speak English, they candevelop an understanding of cultural
nuances through contact with thesepeople from around the world. These local
shopkeepers are also in a position to
introduce Japanese culture to theinternational passengers, which helps
both the visitors and locals become more
comfortable interacting with people fromoutside their native culture.
Students’ critical thinking andleadership ability
Communication. Students develop
communication skills in Japanese as wellas English through completing paperworkat the university and coordinating directlywith the port authority. When organizing
the activities, the students have planningmeetings with port authority officers andtown office staff. These meetings, which"4CUE CIRCULAR 11/2017

take place in Japanese, provide students
with the opportunities to conductbusiness-like meetings and develop
communication skills that will be usefulwhen they enter the workforce. This
contributes to the students’ language
learning, organizational ability, andleadership skills.
Critical thinking. As students are using
English in unscripted, natural situations
without instructor support, they are
required to think on their feet, navigate
challenging language scenarios, and findways to express themselves in English.
The students also develop their criticalthinking skills as they plan projects, suchas creating an English map that explains
the local public transportation system.
They must identify and analyze local
English language-related needs and thendetermine ways to meet those needs.
Thus, the students learn coping
mechanisms for overcoming
communication difficulties as well as
skills for conducting needs analyses andsolving community problems.
Conclusion
Through observations and conversations
with my students, I have found that thecommunity outreach projects help themto understand English communicationstyles among people from other cultures
as well as to develop a sense of themselves
as English speakers rather than simply
English learners. Therefore, for mydoctoral dissertation I am conducting
case study research to attempt tounderstand whether my students’

JALT CUE SIG

perceptions of their experiences result insimilar outcomes to those found withEnglish learners doing community
outreach in English speaking countries.
This research has great potential for
application at universities around Japanbecause it provides insights into how
English can be used to help students learn
practical skills and develop their L2
identity in real-life situations within
Japan.
References
Andrew, M. (2011). Reshaping
educational experience by volunteering in
the community: Language learners in thereal world. Journal of interculturalcommunication, 25. Retrieved fromhttp://www.immi.se/intercultural/nr25/
andrew.htm
Byram, M., & Nichols, A. (2001).
Developing intercultural competence inpractice (Vol. 1). Clevedon, UK:
Multilingual Matters.
Perren, J. M. (2008). Intercultural
language socialization throughvolunteering: A qualitative study of
directive use in nonprofit organizations(Doctoral dissertation, Temple University,
Philadelphia, PA).
Samovar, L. A., Porter, R. E., McDaniel, E.
R., & Roy, C. S. (2015). Interculturalcommunication: A reader (14th ed.).
Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

"5

CUE CIRCULAR 11/2017

Take the director’schairmental filters that may present a distorted
picture of what is actually going on in ourclassrooms with our students.

Guy Smith, International
Christian University, Tokyo

In the last year alone, I have beenrecorded on video six times. That’s six
more times than in the past ten years.
None of the filming was by choice. My
university recorded two of my regularclasses, an Open Campus lecture, andthree faculty development workshops.
Each shoot was preceded by an internalcountdown, followed by a strong feeling ofrelief when it was all over. Yet having
forced myself to watch those classes
recorded on video repeatedly over the
past year to confirm the content, I realize
I should have made the choice to reflect
on my teaching using video much sooner.

Guy Smith teaches Academic
Reading and Writing. His
research interests are Self
Determination Theory,
wellbeing in education, criticalthinking in language learning,and educational technology.
guys@icu.ac.jp

The decision to reflect on our teaching
through watching ourselves on video
tends to be one many teachers hesitate to
make. On video we look different from theway we are used to seeing ourselves. We
also sound different, as usually we hear
ourselves filtered through the bones inour skull. We tend to feel instinctively
uncomfortable with this video version of
ourself. On a professional level, we
further worry and fret that we won’t likewhat we see on video, that we won’t reachour own “high standards”. However, thepossibility of damage to our self-esteem
can get in the way of taking a candid lookat ourselves as teachers.
People are inclined to protect their selfimage. In the field of psychology, there
are a number of theories (e.g., the many
self-enhancement theories) to describe
how our minds can alter our perception ofreality and memory to help us feel goodabout ourselves and maintain positive
self-esteem (Alicke & Govorun, 2005). If
we take the plunge, however, videoreflection can offer us objective insights
into our teaching. It allows us to bypass
JALT CUE SIG

Making the decision to sit in the director’schair and examine yourself can be a toughone, but it may lead to many valuable
insights. Thomas Farrell, author ofnumerous articles related to reflective
practice, comments, “There are manyreasons why teachers are unaware of what
happens in their classrooms. So muchtakes place so quickly that a teacher
cannot hope to see and monitor
everything that goes on. This is where
technology (audio recordings and video
recordings) can help” (Farrell, 2003).
Watching ourselves on video, we candiscover habits we may not even realize
we have. Seeing yourself on video allows
you to gain an authentic perspective on
your classroom habits and to potentially
activate a real sense of urgency to makechanges for the better.

"6

CUE CIRCULAR 11/2017

Video reflection offers us a chance to lookat ourselves from the outside. Researchshows that trying to look from the inside
can often be misleading. For example,
Hattie (2014) points out the difficulty ofself-reflection, commenting that “Thedata from numerous studies reveal that,when compared with objective indices,
self-assessments are not only a) poor, butb) frequently turn out to be less accurate
than assessments made by otherpeople” (p. 231). However, as Hattie
points out, one effective way to reflect onlessons is through observations by otherteachers, which help us analyze ourteaching from an outside perspective. The
perspective offered by another teacher,and the dialogue it promotes, often helps
us break new ground in our teaching.
In my six video viewings (it actually getseasier the more you do, you come toaccept that the video you is not quite as
good, but thankfully not quite as bad, as
you anticipated), I picked up quite a list ofthings I was doing that I would be betteroff not doing. Nodding too much, talking
with my back to the students, breaking inwhen I should have let students run withideas, talking mostly to one side of theclassroom, over-explaining and repeating
myself as though the students didn’t get it(watching the video I could clearly seethat they “got it” first time), and quite afew more. Although I had walked out ofthat class feeling that things had gone
pretty well, after watching the video andreflecting on the contents, I realized I
could have made a much better job of it.
In fact, studies have shown how effective
video reflection can be. Tripp and Rich
JALT CUE SIG(2012) identified two important benefitsof how video analysis informed teachers'
improved teaching practices. Firstly,
teachers’ desire to improve their teaching
increased after participating in reflection
sessions on videos of their teaching, andsecondly, when teachers returned to theclassroom they found it easier toconcretely visualize what they needed to
do to improve their teaching.
So, how to go about getting yourself onvideo? The easy answer is to ask a friend
to video your class. However, the better
answer is to record the video yourself. Set
up a camera in the room which captures
your image as you teach. If you want toinclude your students, you will probably
need to get their permission beforehand.
Perhaps the best way to film videos ofyourself is to get involved with faculty
development groups at your college oruniversity. In recent years, many
universities and educational institutions
have begun offering online, open
courseware videos to the public, ormaking in-house professional
development videos of lessons taught byuniversity faculty. In this case, you get a
professionally edited video included aspart of the deal.
Watching yourself on video, identifying
areas in need of improvement and thenadjusting accordingly improves yourteaching style. This may lead to better
student and faculty evaluations, which inturn might lead to improved chances forpromotion and involvement in important
projects. Taking the director’s chair
involves getting over some personal
resistance, but the benefits of doing so are"7

CUE CIRCULAR 11/2017

real and worthwhile. Why not create an
opportunity to take a look through yourstudents’ eyes?
References
Alicke, M. D., & Govorun, O. (2005). The
better-than-average effect. In M. D.
Alicke, D. Dunning, & J. Krueger (Eds.),
The self in social judgement. New York,
NY: Psychology Press. 85-106
Farrell, T. S. C. (2003). Reflective
practice in action: 80 reflection breaks
for busy teachers. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Corwin Press.
Hattie, J., & Yates, G. C. R. (2014). Visible
learning and the science of how we learn.
New York, NY: Routledge.
Tripp, T. R., & Rich, P. J. (2012). The
influence of video analysis on the processof teacher change. Teaching and Teacher
Education, 28(5), 728-739.

Submit an article!
What’s happening in your teaching?
What’s influencing your decisions?
What obstacles have you overcome, andhow?
What ideas or opinions do you have that
others might be interested to read?
What have you read, heard, or seen
recently that’s changed your approach toteaching, either in or out of theclassroom?

w w w .j a l t c u e .o rg /c u e c i rc u l a r

JALT CUE SIG

Innovative design for
ESP in ELT: Online
business simulation
game
Greg Rouault, Tezukayama
Gakuin University
Greg Rouault has beenteaching in a variety ofcontexts in Japan since 1999.
He is the Reviews Editor forbook reviews in JALT Journal.
g-rouault@tezuka-gu.ac.jp

As my university teaching career in Japan
has evolved, I have found that I am
increasingly being asked to teach morethan only compulsory four-skills language
courses. In the institutions I have worked
at, I have been asked to teach elective
courses where the focus is on the content
being studied, yet to deliver them inEnglish. As English is a second language
for virtually all of the students, and we arein a foreign language context (i.e., theonly contact with the target language is in
the classroom), this has presented someunique and interesting challenges.
Background
Many of these content electives have been
on business or management topics,
which, conveniently for me, I haveexperience with from both myundergraduate studies and my first dozen
years of employment back in western
Canada. In addition, I have been
dispatched as a business English trainer
to Japanese industry and the domestic
branches of international companies, and"8

CUE CIRCULAR 11/2017

have also worked in-house as acommunication advisor at a
pharmaceutical firm. This is the
background I bring to the challenge ofcreating interesting and meaningfulcontent-based English for SpecificPurposes (ESP) courses. Fortunately, I
also recall from my undergraduate days
that one of the most significant
opportunities I had to consolidate mybusiness studies knowledge was taking
part in a rather rudimentary businesssimulation game.
A pedagogical application
This initiative functions as a practicalpedagogical method intended to foster
motivation by connecting students’current English studies content with their
future interests. The specific pedagogicalapplication is an online businesssimulation game that draws on content
knowledge and capitalizes on task-basedand experiential learning principles.
Hattie (2009) explained that simulations
typically involve “the use of a model orgame … with an aim to engage students inlearning [and] to mimic real world
problems” (p. 230). Although not targeted
for second language learners or foreign
language contexts, the creators of theSmartsims business simulations highlighttakeaways such as real-world skills,
experience, and confidence derived from“hands-on business experience in theclassroom”(https://www.smartsims.com).
Students register and pay a $45 fee(around the upper limit for a coursebook
in Japan). After they have been assigned
to teams, practice rounds are used to
JALT CUE SIG

introduce them to the interface. In the“Music2Go Marketing” simulation, forexample, students are required to analyze
market data, implement a marketingstrategy, and make decisions on themarket positioning, pricing, andpromotional expenditures for a music
player in a fictitious market made up of
the various teams in the class. I chose thissimulation for my classes as it specificallytargets a limited number of marketing
decisions already familiar to the students
as consumers themselves. Other
simulations available from Smartsims
include a broader scope of business
operations.
Content-based and project-based
Several aspects of the simulations are inclose alignment with accepted concepts insecond language acquisition. Contentbased instruction is intended to be
integrated with language teaching aims inorder to choose relevant topics for thelearners (Brinton, Snow, & Wesche,1989). The simulation was used as apedagogic task defined as “a holistic
activity which engages language use inorder to achieve some non-linguistic
outcome” (Samuda & Bygate, 2008, p.
69). A further SLA concept is what Ellis(2005) calls within-task planning withpressure as participants are required tocomplete their decisions by a deadline.
The simulation also served as a projectbased activity running over six weeks
which required company team members
to cooperate and collaborate on theirmarket research, data analysis, andstrategic decisions. In sum, the businesssimulation game promoted learning by
doing, which Silberman (2007) describes"9CUE CIRCULAR 11/2017

as experiential learning which can lead togreater understanding, better recall, andan enhanced ability to apply the learning
more effectively and consistently.
Visible learning
Task-based approaches such as
simulations contextualize learning andprovide some measure of authenticity.
Hattie (2009) explained that “visible
teaching and learning occur whenlearning is the explicit goal, when it isappropriately challenging, when theteacher and the student both … seek toascertain whether … the challenging goalis attained, … and when there are active,
passionate, and engaging people …
participating in the act of learning” (p.
22). In addition to the theory
underpinning simulations, my anecdotal
experience along with the student
reflections captured in KWL (Know, Wantto know, Learned) journals have shownthat learner interest in the businesssimulation game was high with a strong
feeling of practical, real-world
applications. Furthermore, Hattie’s 2009meta-analyses found that cooperative
learning had medium effect sizes (d = .59,
.54, and .41) when compared withindividualistic or competitive approaches.
The effect size for simulations (d = .33)
was just under his average hinge-point
target of .40 for learning initiatives whichhave been shown to be effective. As thesedata do not specifically target businesssimulations used in foreign language andcontent-based teaching, opportunities for
future studies surely exist.

JALT CUE SIG

In summary
Online business simulations, which
integrate explicit background and topicspecific knowledge with language
instruction, can be implemented in L2
coursework to provide a practical taskwith a project-based focus that requires
cooperation and collaboration. Thisbusiness simulation afforded acompetitive scope where learners
interacted and negotiated businessdecisions by using specific language in arich, meaningful way. The content
knowledge and language use which
impact the outcomes of the simulated
marketing decisions also helped to makethe ESP learning more visible.
References
Brinton, D. M., Snow, M. A., & Wesche,
M. (1989). Content-based second
language instruction. Ann Arbor, MI:
University of Michigan Press.
Ellis, R. (2005). Planning and task-based
performance. In R. Ellis (Ed.), Planningand task performance in a second
language (pp. 3-34). Amsterdam, The
Netherlands: John Benjamins.
Hattie, J. (2009). Visible learning: A
synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses
relating to achievement. Abingdon,
England: Routledge.
Samuda, V., & Bygate, M. (2008). Tasks
in second language learning.
Basingstoke, England: Palgrave
Macmillan.
Silberman, M. (2007). The handbook ofexperiential learning. San Francisco, CA:
Pfeiffer/Wiley.

"10

CUE CIRCULAR 11/2017

CUE Careers
Networking for careerdevelopment
Networking is meeting a variety of people
with the explicit goal of finding points ofmutual professional benefit. The
advantage of any contacts made may or
may not be obvious at the time of meetingbut could result in fruitful partnerships.
For educators and academics, one of thebest places to find a large number ofsimilar professionals is at the meetings ofprofessional and academic societies, suchas JALT. You can begin at the local levelat regional chapter meetings, where you
can make contacts closer to home.
However, a national academic conference,such as the upcoming JALT 2017
International Conference taking place inTsukuba, Ibaraki, offers connections to abroad international network. In addition
to JALT, there are numerousorganizations in Japan devoted to fields
related to language education, forexample, Japan Association of College
English Teachers (JACET), the Society forIntercultural Education, Training andResearch (SIETAR), or the Japan
Business Communication Association,
among others. Even events such as
PechaKucha nights or TED talks, which
are not explicitly related to education or
academia, can be great places to networkand meet interesting people, and possibly
help your career or teaching. The
important point is to go out and create theopportunities to make connections.

JALT CUE SIG

In this regular column, Michael Parrish andRichard Miller offer insights on theemployment market for college anduniversity language teachers in Japan, as
well as general career guidance, advice, andstrategies.
Contributions from readers with specificareas of expertise, or regarding specificissues or changes in the job market, areencouraged.

Michael Parrish and Richard
Miller are the current cocoordinators of the Job
Information Center at the
JALT National Conference,
and are former editors of the
Career Development column
in The Language Teacher.
email: cuecareers@gmail.com

There are two ways of looking atconference networking: targeted andrandom. The former is strategicallyplacing yourself into situations where you
will interact with individuals with whom
you wanted to connect. The latter isexactly as it states, networking throughrandom or casual encounters. Both areuseful and can prove valuable to one’s
career, but as Pasteur’s famous saying
goes, “Fortune favors the prepared mind.”
If you prepare yourself for specificnetworking opportunities, when the
chance ones arise you will be better
positioned to take advantage of them.
This article will base some practicalexamples on JALT 2017, but the ideas arebroadly applicable to almost any
professional gathering.

"11

CUE CIRCULAR 11/2017

Preparation before you attend ameeting
Once you have decided to attend an event,you may feel apprehensive about meetinga room full of new people. Face the factthat you may have to go outside yourcomfort zone and socialize to expand yourcareer opportunities. One way to reduce
anxiety is to come prepared with a brief
self-introduction or “elevator pitch” todescribe who you are and what yourresearch and professional interests are.
Remember, bring several hundred up-todate business cards with contact
information. For those without a full-time
position, you can create a card that simply
states your name, qualifications, and atitle describing what general kind of
position you seek, such as “instructor,”“educator,” or “researcher”. If you are a
graduate student, then use the university
as your affiliation (including theuniversity e-mail). If you are part-time,then using one of your institutions as anaffiliation is also valid. Professionallyprinted cards are a good investment, but
acceptable quality cards can be printed ona home printer, as well. In addition,
prepare a business card wallet so you candistribute and collect the business cards.
If you are actively job seeking, you mightbring a few copies of your academic CV
and major publications, just in case.
Ensure that you bring a smartphone,
iPad, or a computer with you to theconference. Remember to bring chargers
or batteries, too (the Job Information
Center at JALT 2017 will have a charging
station, FYI). Conferences often utilize
social networking platforms such as
JALT CUE SIG

LINE, Twitter, and WeChat for promotion
and dissemination of information.
Additionally, update your LinkedIn andAcademia.edu profiles (if you don’t have
either or both, that should be a priority tohave in advance of the conference).
If you are planning to give a presentation,
be sure to prepare accompanying
handouts. These ‘takeaways’ are ideal for
networking with people interested in yourspecific topic. Of course you need to haveyour contact information on them, butalso list your research interests andcurrent projects. Consider asking
questions on the handout, or eliciting
feedback via a link to an online survey, sothat there is a reason to keep in touch
afterwards.
Do your homework online. Find out about
the event at the event website andFacebook page (@JALT.conference),
follow the event official Twitter handle( @JA LTC o n f e re n c e ) o r In s t a g ra m
account (@JALT2017). Use Twitter
hashtags (such as #JALT2017) to see who
is attending. You may also be able to post
hashtags related to your researchinterests.
As soon as the conference program is
published, start to plan your schedule tomaximize networking opportunities at theconference. Ask yourself two importantquestions: “What are three things that you
hope to improve?” and “What are yourmain objectives?” Taking a red pen andhighlighter to a printed copy of thehandbook can really help you get focused.
If you are looking for researchcollaborators, search for presentations in"12

CUE CIRCULAR 11/2017

your area of interest. If you are job
hunting, find presenters from your region
or at institutions where you would like towork. If you are looking to expand yourCV, ensure you go to every publishingpresentation that you can, as they canprovide both practical advice and possible
platforms for publishing.
During the conference
Arrive early, so you can feel relaxed andhave time to get ready for the day. Review
your plan of action regarding thepresentations that are most beneficial.
Remember to remain open to the random
networking opportunities throughout theday. Make a point of meeting everyone,those sitting nearby at a presentation, atthe social events and even on the trains
going and leaving. However, especially insocial events, remember you are there on
business, not at a fraternity party, so be
on your best behavior and limit alcohol
consumption. With that caveat, don’t beshy, always introduce yourself and briefly
explain who you are. You are bound tomeet more people when you makeyourself accessible.
Each presentation you give or attend is a
networking opportunity. If you are givinga presentation, include your Twitter
handle or e-mail address on the first slideof your presentation so that attendees canshare what they have learned and contact
you easily in the future (Croxall, 2014).
Pass out handouts summarizing yourpresentation and providing contact
information. Try to collect the businesscard of each attendee. It helps if you
create some follow-up opportunity, suchas a survey or request for feedback. If you
JALT CUE SIG

are attending a presentation, just asking“What do you think of the presentation/
conference?” provides an easy and naturalconversation topic to break the ice.
At JALT2017, take specific time to visit
the Special Interest Group (SIG) booths,
as they are located in a separate room.
There are always publishing andcollaborative opportunities that present
themselves. It is also a chance to get more
involved in the organization; volunteering
is a great way to make deeper
connections, learn new skills, and gain
experience that can improve your careerprospects.
Once you meet a new contact, regardlessof context, keep in mind what you want togain from them, whether it is employment
information, details, researchcollaboration, or teaching tips. Try to keep
the conversation polite, professional, andbrief; you do not want to monopolize theirtime. If you are looking for work,
Forbes.com business writer Tara Weiss(2009) advises against “[asking] a newcontact if he or she knows of open
positions. Instead ask what it’s like towork where they work.” In this way you
can get information about their institution
which can be used in a future application
or interview.
If thereare open positions
CUE
SIG Officers
andyou make a positive
impression,
Coordinator
Wendy
Gough they
will
approachyou (Weiss,
At theProgram
Chair
Daniel2009).
Newbury
endof the conversation,toTreasurer
Garethremember
Barnesexchange business cards.
Membership
Lorna Asami
Kinsella Valies
Upon receiving a contact’s business card,
Publications Chair Glen Hillmany experts advise writing on the actual
Webmaster
Gavin
card,
but in Japan thisis a Brooks
cultural fauxPublicity
Chair
Jamie
Taylorpas. Instead, use the Evernote or Google"13

CUE CIRCULAR 11/2017

Keep app on your smartphone to store aphoto of the card and record notes there.
A low-tech option is to attach a Post-It
note to the card and write on that.
Information would include where you
met, the topic of conversation, any
questions you had, or possible ideas you
wish to pursue.
In addition to face-to-face meetings, use
social media (Google+, Facebook, Twitter,LINE) to share what you are doing at theconference, communicate with colleagues
and new contacts, and find peopleinterested in the same things. Posting orcommenting on the official conference
sites will get your name noticed. Croxall(2014) provides a detailed, technicaloverview of how to use Twitter as aconference tool.
After the conference
The point at which most people fail in
networking happens when the event isover. Follow-up is something that many
people tend to neglect. Get to the followup as quickly as possible, with specificreference to what you had discussed andany future potential reasons to meet orcommunicate. With a little attention tofollow-up you maximize the benefits ofyour networking efforts.
Networking is like any other skill.
Although it may be challenging at first,
with patience, practice, and persistence it
can become second nature.

JALT CUE SIG

References and resources
Blatt, V. & Kettle, M. (2015, March 5).
Tips for using Twitter at a conference.
Retrieved from http://npaworldwide.com/
blog/2015/03/05/tips-for-using-twitterat-a-conference/#.Wd8MDWewc5s
Croxall, B. (2014 January 6). Ten tips for
tweeting at a conference. [Web log post].
Retrieved from http://www.chronicle.com/
blogs/profhacker/ten-tips-for-tweeting-atconferences/54281
Miller, R. (2011). Using the balanced
scorecard to keep your career on track.
The Language Teacher, 35(3), 74.
Parrish, M. (2014). Balancing youracademic scorecard at JALT2014. The
Language Teacher, 38(4), 96-97.
Weiss, T. (2009 March 24). Find your job
by going to a conference. Retrieved fromhttps://www.forbes.com/2009/03/24/
conference-job-seeking-leadershipcareers-networking.html#1616ac8c3c60

CUE Circular
Issue #4, November 2017
A publication of the JALT College andUniversity Educators Special Interest GroupISSN 2432-5570
All rights re se rve dw w w .j a l t c u e .o rg /c u e c i rc u l a r
Editor CUE SIG Officers
Steve Paton
Coordinator
Wendy Gough
AssistantChair
Editor Daniel
Dion Clingwall
Program
Newbury
Treasurer
GarethBarnes
Proofreading
Mary Hillis
Membership
Lorna Asami
Ryan Richardson
Kinsella Valies
GlenHill
Hill
Publications Chair Glen
Webmaster
Gavin Brooks
Publicity Chair
Jamie Taylor"14