Learning Learning 『学習の学習』 21 (2): Looking Forward

Looking Forward 今後のイベント
JALT National Conference Preview
At this year’s conference their are a number of events related to Learner Development, notforgetting of course the LD SIG party, LD SIG forum and the LD SIG AGM. Thus we have included
first a preview of the LD SIG forum and following that, a list of selected presentations at theconference that are related to Learner Development.
The Learner Development SIG Party at JALT2014
Join us for the Learner Development SIG Party at JALT2014 on Saturday, 22nd November(20:00-22:00). Dinner will include nomihodai and Italian dishes (starter, salad, roasted chicken,pizzza, pasta, and dessert) for 5000yen at an Italian restaurant just a few minutes’ walk from theconference venue.
RSVP: please sign up on this Google Spreadsheet by Wednesday, November 12th.
*Vegetarian options can also be arranged. Please let us know if you have any dietary requirementsin the Notes when you sign up.
Learner Development Across Borders
Sunday, 23 November 2014, 1:35 PM - 3:05 PM (90 minutes)
Room: Convention Hall 300
This year the LD forum consists of 17 interactive presentations focusing on learner development
across various borders. Presentations will include: learner development practices in countries
outside Japan; theories both inside and outside of ELT that help us to understand learnerdevelopment; and learner development between and across different institutional contexts. By
popular request, the Forum will end with the recital of an original poem on learner development.
We warmly invite you to participate in the forum and share your thought and ideas with thepresenters.
Across the Border of a Classroom WallMayumi Abe - Temple University, Satomi Yoshimuta - Seigakuin University, Huw Davies - The OpenUniversityAs "good language learners" studies showed, learners need plentiful engagement in their target
language for successful L2 learning. Considering the limited amount of time in class, it isnecessary for learners to expand their learning from inside to outside class across the borders ofclassroom walls. Then, how can learners develop their skills after learning in class? How is in-classlearning linked to out-of-class learning from the learners' perspectives? What guidance promotes
learners' out-of-class autonomous learning? The presenters will explore how to gain optimal
outcomes by connecting in-class and out-of-class learning providing their own experiences asteachers and advisors.
学習者ディベロプメント研究部会 <ld-sig.org/>

32

Learning Learning 『学習の学習』 21 (2): Looking Forward
Utilizing a blog for stimulating interest, spurring motivation, and creating community
Lee Arnold - Seigakuin University
This presentation spotlights blog-publishing learner writing to create learner-teacher reader
communities in writing courses in two universities. The presenter will discuss the use of differing
pieces of instrumental music as stimulants to learner writing in one course, and photographs ofdiffering places in another. From there, selections of learner writing that were published on thepresenter’s two teaching and learning blogs will be shown. The presenter will finally discuss how
writing publication and blog support crossed the borders of the computer-assisted learning
medium and learner development in showcasing unique efforts of creative learner writing,and building learner independence.
Exploring Motivational Boundaries in the language learning classroom
Stephanie Corwin
This presentation will share the preliminary results of ongoing research into the nexus of teacher"quality", motivation, resilience and motivational drives, such as how teachers maintain or boost
motivation, how integrally teachers perceive the relationship between their own and theirstudents' motivations, and how consciously teachers attempt to manipulate student motivation
through their own motivation. This study seeks to better understand the link between student andteacher motivation and, if possible, either identify or eliminate causality—Does the teacher makethe class, or the class make the teacher? Come explore the boundaries of motivation in thelanguage learning classroom.
Pedagogy in Translation: Bringing Learner Development From Across Borders into Japan
Amanda Chin, Brandon Narasaki – Rikkyo University
This presentation will focus on relating the presenters' experiences of teaching in several
different ESL/EFL contexts, (e.g. Hawaii, Thailand and Japan) to the Japanese University EFL
context. Both presenters have taught in a variety of classrooms (Listening / Reading / Writing /Speaking / etc.) in which learner development pedagogy was implemented, one example being
the development of writing habits through free-writing journals in an academic writing course.
These experiences have been useful in informing ways to incorporate learner development intouniversity level EFL teaching in Japan.
Orienting Students to Learning
Hana Craig - Sojo University, Kumamoto, Jenny Morgan - Wayo Women’s University, Chiba
Language teachers often rush into content teaching at the beginning of a course without properly
inducting their freshmen students who are crossing from the Senior High School learning
environment to the University learning environment. As a result, these students can miss out on
opportunities to learn both inside and outside the classroom. This presentation will explain whytime spent on learner orientation is more important than any other classroom activity and explore
practical ways to successfully orient learners to learning at the beginning of any language course.
Newsletter of the JALT Learner Development SIG <ld-sig.org/>

33

Learning Learning 『学習の学習』 21 (2): Looking Forward
We will cover ways of training students about learning methods, goal-setting, time and homework
management, and tools that support an all-English environment.
Integrating Journalism into the Language Classroom
Chris Fitzgerald - Kyoto University of Foreign Studies
This presentation will outline a project which took place in Kyoto University of Foreign Studies
that gave students an opportunity to become journalists by creating an English language student
newspaper. By analysing both new media and traditional media, students were exposed to thestructure and language of news before researching and developing their own articles. By following
the inverted pyramid approach to article structure, students were able to produce a publication
suitable for reading by university faculty and students. Students not only gained from taking on
different roles outside of their comfort zone, but benefited from practical use of classroom
acquired language.
How far is it necessary to adapt speaking activities for different levels?
Paul Garside, Paul Landicho – Rikkyo University
There is a common perception that classes of different abilities require very different lessons andmaterials. With a focus on micro-speaking classes, this presentation will show that, by adapting
learning strategies rather than materials, similar speaking activities can be conducted among alllevels of proficiency. This can apply to very high, even ‘returnee’ students, as well as to very low
level students. Key amongst these strategies is working collaboratively, with the aim that all
students can communicate successfully, independent of the teacher. Encouraging self and peerreflection can further help students to become autonomous learners.
When they don’t want to learn what you teach anymore
Bob Gettings - Hokusei Gakuen University
Many junior college students lose their enthusiasm for EFL study when their dreams of an English
language related future are crushed as they move from their first year to their second year atuniversity by the hard realities of their grades, the economy and the job market. This
presentation will report on a ten year long LD project that provides students with online study
materials and includes personal interviews between students and academic advisers three times asemester. The purpose is to develop a personalized EFL study program but students’ wider needs
may require leaving English behind temporarily in order to meet new, individual learning needs.
Crossing the line: Using Business and Media Ideas to Promote Learner Development
Ian Hurrell, Carey Finn – Rikkyo University
In this interactive presentation, two English Instructors from Rikkyo University will discuss howideas, theories and skills from disciplines often perceived as unrelated to EFL might be adopted
and adapted to promote Learner Development in micro discussion classes. One presenter will
focus on the application of business management and marketing techniques, such as self学習者ディベロプメント研究部会 <ld-sig.org/>

34

Learning Learning 『学習の学習』 21 (2): Looking Forward
determination theory and the use of mantras, to encourage learner autonomy. At the same time,
the other speaker will explore the development of critical thinking skills through concepts andtechniques drawn from discourse analysis and media literacy, such as hegemony and stereotypes
Cross-Institutional Collaboration of Sotsurons Via Computer-Mediated Communication:
Unfolding Ventures
Ken Ikeda - Otsuma Women's University, Joseph Tomei - Kumamoto Gakuen University
Hugh Nicoll - Miyazaki National University, Patrick Kiernan - Meiji University
Kevin Mark - Meiji University, Anita Aden - Mukogawa Women's University
This is an exploratory project in which teachers and learners utilize computer-mediatedcommunication (CMC) to establish and develop sotsuron (undergraduate graduation theses)
between seminars in several universities throughout Japan. We will report on myriad dimensionsof sotsuron development in these cross-institutional settings amid technological and logisticalconcerns, along with students’ real-world concerns, e.g., job-hunting and graduation. We delve
into effects and ramifications using Skype, Line and other forms of CMC among learners andteachers. This project meets the contours of Border 3: learner development across contextual
borders, by which extent contextual factors influence the implementation of learner development
concepts.
Fostering Learner Autonomy in the Classroom: Working with Diverse Learners of Japanese as aSecond Language
Tomoko Ikeda, Nobuko Saito - Obirin University
At J. F. Oberlin University in Tokyo, we have offered JSL courses designed to foster learnerautonomy since 2003. These courses, in which learners set goals, make plans, put the plans into
practice, and evaluate their work, are offered for a diverse body of international students. This
diversity presents different types of challenge to the instructors working with the learners withvarious backgrounds, abilities, and motivations. Looking at the learning activities selected by thelearners and their perceptions of the process, we will examine various forms that learnerautonomy can take, with emphasis on the learners' differing proficiency levels.
Exploring autonomous learning in elementary schools and junior high schools
Tomoko Imamura - Yamanashi Gakuin Elementary School
This presentation will explore to what extent it is effective for elementary school students andjunior high school students to learn how to be autonomous learners. The following three issues
will also be discussed: when to start, how to facilitate, and of any gap that might exist between
the views of teachers who work for elementary schools and junior high schools over this issue. The
reason for targeting teachers from both levels of education is because of the need to strengthen
the bridge between both levels so that learner-centered education might be better fostered. This
poster presentation will summarize the results of a pre-conducted small scale research on thisissue.

Newsletter of the JALT Learner Development SIG <ld-sig.org/>

35

Learning Learning 『学習の学習』 21 (2): Looking Forward
Collaborative and reflective supervision for learner and teacher development: A CLIL-type
approach to senior high school EFL instruction
Hideo Kojima - Hirosaki UniversityMy presentation focuses on examining to what extent collaborative and reflective supervision(CRS) promoted a graduate student and senior high school teacher’s autonomy and her students’autonomy through a CLIL-type approach to teaching English as a foreign language (EFL). In spite ofvarious constraints on learner development across borders, the students gradually showed positive
attitudes towards critically thinking about various social issues, enhanced communication skills
through collaborative group work, and developed metacognitive abilities for learner autonomy.
Moreover, through the reflective teaching cycles under my CRS, the teacher promoted herprofessional consciousness-raising and autonomous development in the school context.
Positive Psychology in Learner Development
Debjani Ray - Tokyo University of ScienceI would like to focus on how ideas outside the field of language education can be used tocomplement learner development and enhance learning in our language classrooms. In order to do
this, I will focus on the use of positive psychology in the language classroom and how theymight illuminate new directions for learner development. I will elaborate this by giving examplesof the activities that have been implemented in my classroom.
Crossing linguistic borders in teachers and learners minds: Languages
Maria Gabriela Schmidt - Tsukuba University, Foreign Language Center
Students and teachers have often more languages at their hands. But the focus is on error
analysis, not mixing up, making borders between the languages. Our brain is without borders,making continuously synergetic associations. Teaching German as a second foreign language,
English is part of my instruction. How can the third foreign languages like German, French,Spanish, Chinese, Korean etc. be included in studying English, supporting each other, developing
linguistic awareness and synergetic abilities? How does the teacher's experience studying foreign
languages influence her teaching style? How can these potentials be used in teaching foreign
languages in Japan?
How to develop learner autonomy in a "lecture" class.
Kazuko Unosawa - Tokyo Woman's Christian University
In this poster session the presenter will focus on how to bridge the gap between
traditional lecture classes and classes that promote learner autonomy, based on her experienceteaching an English Studies course at a women's university. The course consisted of mini-lectures,weekly worksheets for learner centered tasks as well as poster sessions by the students.
Exploring learners' metacognitive beliefs and development of their active learning skills
Kie Yamamoto - Temple University Japan Campus
Academic success in an English-medium college is a great challenge for ESL students not only
because of language boundary, but high demand of learning strategies in university settings. In
学習者ディベロプメント研究部会 <ld-sig.org/>

36

Learning Learning 『学習の学習』 21 (2): Looking Forward
order to better equip ESL students in a college preparation program with active learning skillsthat are applicable both to undergraduate studies and language learning, I intend to investigate
learners’ metacognitive beliefs and implement the active learning materials throughout theproject.
Poetry recital: Theories of Second Language Requisition
Caroline Ross - Nakamura Junior and Senior High School
While sometimes we can enjoy the benefits of students who are motivated to learn a foreign
language, many classrooms are filled with students who have no interest or desire to be there,
but are simply required to attend as part of their course or curriculum requirements. In thispoem, I will reflect upon this common reality encountered time and time again by language
teachers around the world.
Other Selected presentations related to Learner Development
SATURDAY

RoomTitle

Presenters

11:35 AM
1:35 PM

1st Floor
AtriumMultiple Learning Conversations
for Course Design

Barfield, Andy - Chuo
University

12:45 PM 2:15 PM

Rm 101

Exploring Worlds Outside:
Students as Researchers

Boon, Andrew - Toyo Gakuen
University

4:30 PM - 6:30
PM

1st Floor
AtriumStudents' Awareness ofAutonomous Learning

Tsukamoto, Mizuka - Kwansei
Gakuin University

4:30 PM - 4:55
PM

Rm 102

Communities of Practice andLanguage Learners

Nagao, Akiko - Ritsumeikan
University

4:30 PM - 4:55
PM

Rm 201 A

Autonomy, Language Learningand the Brain

Benson, Philip - Macquarie
University

5:05 PM - 5:30
PM

Rm 102

Community Outreach andLearning From Within

Lee, Sarah - Asia University,CELE

5:40 PM - 6:40
PM

Rm 302Developing SRL Practices in theForeign Language Classroom

Collett, Paul - Shimonoseki
City University; Sullivan,
Kristen - Shimonoseki CityUniversity

Newsletter of the JALT Learner Development SIG <ld-sig.org/>

37

Learning Learning 『学習の学習』 21 (2): Looking Forward
SUNDAYRoomTitle

Presenters

11:30 AM 12:15 PM

Rm 101

Learner Development SIG AGM

Stewart, Alison - Gakushuin
University; Murase, Fumiko Tokyo University ofAgriculture and Technology

12:25 PM 12:50 PM

Rm 102

Gratitude Project: Writing,Reading, and Reporting

Harada, Naoko - Kyorin
University

1:00 PM - 2:30
PM

Rm 402Finding What Motivates Adult
Learners

Dias, Joseph - Aoyama Gakuin
University; Bollinger, Deborah- Aoyama Gakuin University;
Yamane, Kathleen - Nara
University

4:30 PM - 5:30
PM

Rm 102

Exploring Worlds Inside:
Teachers as Researchers

Boon, Andrew - Toyo Gakuen
University

5:40 PM - 7:10
PM

Rm 202 B

Self-Access Conversations:Beyond Classroom Borders

Thornton, Katherine Otemon Gakuin University;
Shibata, Satomi - Tokoha
University; Ssali, Vick - Aichi
Gakuin University; Mynard, Jo- Kanda University ofInternational Studies;
Watkins, Satoko - Kanda
University of InternationalStudies

MONDAY

RoomTitle

9:15 AM 10:45 AM;

Convention
Hall 200

Collaborative Approaches toOutreach

Stewart, Alison - Gakushuin
University; Barfield, Andy - Chuo
University; O'Neill, Ted - Tokyo
Medical & Dental University

11:35 AM 12:00 PM

Convention
Hall 300

Crossing Borders With
Appreciative Inquiry

Murphey, Tim - Kanda Universityof International Studies; Onoda,
Sakae - Kanda University ofInternational Studies

学習者ディベロプメント研究部会 <ld-sig.org/>

Presenter38

Learning Learning 『学習の学習』 21 (2): Looking Forward
MONDAY

RoomTitle

Presenter

11:35 AM 12:00 PM

Rm 102

Learner Autonomy and the
Negotiated Syllabus

Peppard, Jason - Yamagata
University

12:45 PM 1:10 PM

Convention
Hall 300

Autonomy and Borderless
Learning Strategies

Grafström, Ben - Akita University

1:20 PM 1:45 PM

Rm 201 A

Effective Reflection in The
Learning Process

Brown, Steve - Konan Women's
University

2:30 PM 2:55 PM

Convention
Hall 200

Learners' Lifelong Learning
Orientations

Deveci, Tanju - the Petroleum
Institute

Conference CalendarDecember 6th ~ December 7th, 2014,“Conflict Management: Peace in the community”
Peace as a Global Language Conference 2014 <http://pgljapan.org/>
Join us for an exciting line-up of presentations, workshops and posters that focus on peace activism
and education. Please come to take part in the discussion, debate and contemplation, as we cometogether to realise our potential as co-inhabitants of a shrinking planet.
December 14 2014, Tokyo, "Creating Community: Learning Together"
One-day informal Learner Development Conference <http://ld-sig.org/blog/creatingcommunity-learning-together/>
Join us for an informal relaxing afternoon conference to learn together from teacher and student
presenters, about different experiences, questions and issues to do with learner development andcommunity building.
February, 28 - March 01 2015, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, “English: Building Skills for Regional
Cooperation and Mobility.”
2015 CamTESOL Conference.<http://www.camtesol.org/>
Join us in 2015 for the 11th Annual CAMTESOL conference on English Language and Teaching, theELT conference on the Mekong with more than 1,500 participants from over 30 countries.

Newsletter of the JALT Learner Development SIG <ld-sig.org/>39