1 JALT Learner Development SIG AGM minutes JALT2011

Minutes of the Learner Development SIG AGM 20th November 2011
Approved by the Learner Development SIG committee 27th November 2011
Present: Alison Stewart, Andy Barfield, Bill Mboutsiadis, Darren Elliot, Ellen Head,
Fumiko Murase, Hugh Nicoll, Jackie Sugiyama, Jim Ronald, Junko Chujo, Kay Irie,Linamaria Valdivia, Martha Robertson, Masuko Miyahara, Mike Mondejar, Patrick
Kiernan, Rachelle Jorgenson, Rich Silver, Rob Moreau, Steve Paydon
Apologies: Phil Brown, Mike Nix, Kayo Ozawa, Stacey Vye
Greetings: Etsuko Shimo, who is stepping back from the committee for a while
Agenda Copies of ‘Proposed positions, projects, a new constitution’ werehanded out. We worked through this as an agenda for the meeting.
1.

(Co-)coordination team Hugh explained that he was stepping down from being
coordinator and handed the chair to Andy. Andy thanked Hugh for his 5 years ofcoordination for the Learner Development SIG, and we all warmly showed ourappreciation by applauding Hugh. Andy and Rich were approved and welcomed
as co-coordinators.

2.

Treasury team Kay reported that she was shadowing Hiromi Furusawa, thecurrent treasurer, and that Hiromi would continue in the role until the annualaudit was finished in May 2012. Kay would then take over the position. She isaiming to have someone shadow her in the role by this time next year.

3.

Membership team Rachelle reported that she had been to the Chapter andSIGS membership chairs meeting at the conference, and this had been very
helpful in understanding what she needs to do. Among basic duties are the needto keep up to date membership lists for local area get-togethers. It is also
important to send welcome (back) letters to new / returning members of the SIG,
and timely renewal reminders to members of the SIG so that they renew theirmembership not only of the SIG but also of JALT.
Stacey is willing to continue preparing the local membership lists for local gettogethers, but has already been SIG membership chair. Rachelle is therefore
going to find a person to shadow her in this role.

4.

Publications team Alison confirmed that Masuko is shadowing her, and thatthey are going to form a publications team with Fumiko and Hugh. Kayo is
unfortunately too busy to join them.
Alison raised questions about what exactly might constitute publications as theSIG revamps its website and goes towards more interactive and online
publishing. These questions would, the meeting felt, become clearer, over the
coming year.
Learning Learning The publications team would aim to support the new
Learning Learning editors, Jackie Sugiyama and Mike Mondejar; othercommittee members were also encouraged to contribute here too. It was
decided that we would set up a Learning Learning (LL) discussion list, so that
editing work could be discussed, with feedback to authors shared. Patrickemphasized the need to keep feedback constructive. Jackie and Mike had
different questions about the production of LL (file formatting, graphics, page2 JALT Learner Development SIG AGM minutes JALT2011

breaks, uploading, and author guidelines). These points were all related towhether the newsletter should in any way continue to try to be bilingual or not.
This took us towards the issue of translation. Here, Kay and Masuko explainedthat they wanted to respect the principles of the founders of the SIG as regardstranslation, but in practical terms getting translations done for each issue is aburden.
After a long discussion, the meeting decided that the LL editors should requirethat authors provide:(i) a Japanese and English summary of their articles(ii) a Japanese and English title for their articles(iii) 5 key words in English and Japanese for their articles.
It was also agreed that the cover page of LL should be bilingual. Otherwise, on atrial basis for the next 12 months, LL would be published in mostly English fromnow (although texts with Japanese in them, and texts written completely inJapanese, would also be accepted). This policy would be reviewed in a year’stime.
Realizing Autonomy Conference Proceedings These are to be published
online in a special issue of LL in 2012, edited by Alison and Kay. Steve (Paydon)
and Andy said they could help with some of the editorial work. Alison invitedothers to join the editorial team too. Masuko said she would be able to help out
as well.
Other publications projects No decision has been taken yet as to what might
be the SIG’s next publication project(s). (Note from Andy: The IATEFL Learner
Autonomy is about to start working on a series of short e-books to do with
developing autonomy in language education.)
Further discussions of this and other publications plans will be followed overemail after the conference.
Andy handed over the chair to Rich.
5.

Programme Bill Mboutsiadis was welcomed and approved as Programme chairfor 2012. Bill’s primary role is to:• oversee various programme events during the 2012
• prepare and submit a forum proposal for JALT2012• coordinate programme events with publicity (email announcements, web
updates, event fliers etc).
Working with Bill on programmes are the following people for these areas/
projects:
LD SIG Forum at the CALL Conference 2012 (Kobe Nishinomiya at Konan
University CUBE, June 1-3) – Darren Elliot will oversee this first-time
participation by the LD SIG in the CALL conference.
JACET Learner Autonomy SIG link-up - Masuko Miyahara will be indiscussion with Kojima-sensei of the JACET SIG about possible researchcollaboration (the other SIG has five members). Possibilities mentioned includeda joint conference. Kay Irie and Steve Paydon expressed their interest in helpingout. 	  3 JALT Learner Development SIG AGM minutes JALT2011

Nakasendo 2012 – Rob Moreau (tentatively) agreed to organize an LD doublesession as in previous years; this may lead into a strand of LD SIG sessions
during the day in the same room. Nakasendo 2012 will take place in Nagoya.
Dates to be confirmed.
Pan SIG Conference 2012 (Hiroshima University, June 16-17, Literacy: SIGnalsof Emergence) – Jim Ronald is the LD Pan SIG liaison for 2012; Ellen will assist
Jim.
Tohoku project ideas – The LD SIG has committed itself to a longer-term
project to support learners and teachers in the devastated areas. Both Rachelle
Jorgenson and Mike Mondejar have been to Tohoku as volunteers (Mike took
some students with him this summer; Rachelle went on an individual basis
through a church). With Rohini (who has also been several times to Tohoku)
Mike and Rachelle will discuss ideas and possibilities for a longer-term projectby the SIG and present a proposal to the wider committee in due course.
Local area get-together coordinators
Hiroshima: Jim Ronald
Kansai: Ellen Head, Phil Brown, Rich Silver, Steve Brown
Nagoya: Darren Elliot to find another LD SIG member to work on this together
Tokyo: Andy Barfield & Rachelle Jorgenson
Jim explained the Hiroshima group will start up again in January and organize its
meetings around reading a book by Ann Burns on action research. Andy
explained the Tokyo group would be meeting in December to decide its focus forthe next year and to have a bonenkai. Rich mentioned that the Kansai group isplanning to start up again with a meeting in January. The Nagoya meetings
would be a new initiative, and Darren would like help with identifying LDmembers in the Nagoya area.
NGO outreach / International outreach: These areas of activity were notdiscussed at the meeting, but can be followed up on email. NGO outreach could
be connected with the Tohoku project. By NGO outreach we mean establishingcontacts and possible collaboration with NGOs working on educational projects
aiming to support education through the development of learner autonomy.
6.

Web resources team Hugh explained that discussions were starting up
between Darren, Mike (Nix) and himself about revamping the SIG website. (Mikehad posted on this on ld-comm earlier that morning.) More to follow.

7.

Publicity Linamaria offered to help with the design of LD SIG publicity materials,
as did Rob Moreau (tentatively). There was a brief discussion about the LD logo.
Rachelle suggested that SIG should get some name cards created in its namefor people to give to potential members. More to follow.

8.

Members at large Phil Brown, Martha Robertson and Greg Rouault had alreadyconfirmed that they would contribute as members at large this year. Patrick later
confirmed that he would also like to do so.

9.

LD SIG grants team No decisions were made about the LD SIG grants
committee for 2012.

10. A new minimalist constitution for the Learner Development SIG This had
been discussed on the committee discussion list ahead of the conference. The

4 JALT Learner Development SIG AGM minutes JALT2011

following minimalist version, as recommended by the Rules & Procedures
Committee of the Executive Board Meeting (EBM), chaired by the current JALT
Director of Records, Aleda Krause, was unanimously approved.
全 国 語 学 教 育 学 会 Learner Development SIG 定 款
JALT Learner Development SIG は、全国規模の「特定非営利活動法人全国 語学 教 育 学 会 」 （ 以 下 JALT と 略 称 ） の １ 研 究 部 会 で あ る 。 JALT LearnerDevelopment SIG は、その活動の実施に当たって、JALT 全国執行 役員会の方針と指示を守り、全国語学教育学会定款及び細則の規定 に従って行動しなければならない。
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この定款細則は _________ 年 __ 月 __ 日 JALT 執行役員会で受理された。
この定款細則は 2011年 11月 20日 JALT Learner Development SIG 分野別研 究部会の年次総会で批准された。

Learner Development SIG Constitution
JALT Learner Development SIG is a special interest group of the nationwide“NPO The Japan Association for Language Teaching,” hereafter referred to asJALT. In the conduct of its activities, JALT Learner Development SIG shallcomply with the policies and directives of the JALT National Executive Boardand act in accordance with the provisions of the National Constitution andBylaws.
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Accepted by JALT Executive Board on _____________
Ratified by JALT Learner Development SIG AGM on November 20, 2011.