January
2003 The Japan Association of
College English Teachers No. 137
FOREWORD
JACET in Action from 2002 to 2003
President
Yoji Tanabe
It was at the National Board Meeting of the JACET 41st Annual convention that the issues for investigation designated in the 7/12 MEXT strategic plan were decided to be allotted to each JACET chapter to be studied in order to put forward a proposal, since an official JACET proposal concerning the strategic plan was strongly needed for the further development of English education in Japan. The issues were crucial. They included (1) expected levels of English proficiency for each level of school education, (2) using outsourced exams or not, (3) outsourced exams and students' English proficiency, (4) data collection for future English language education, (5) the content of coherent education from primary to tertiary levels, (6) ideal higher education, (7) English proficiency levels for regular English teachers, and (8) plans for in-service training programs. Each chapter worked strenuously and made a careful report compiled as a proposal. This was submitted to MEXT on December 12th. As President of JACET and on behalf of all the JACET members, I would like to congratulate all the chapters and the writers for their efforts and their valuable contribution to prospective English language education in Japan.
The MEXT "Developing a strategic plan to cultivate <Japanese With English Abilities>" was released on July 12th. This was actually the first national strategic design with specific targets for the plan to supply the Japanese with a good command of English through school education. However, this was not an abrupt action taken by the Ministry. As soon as the new Ministry of Education (MEXT) started in January 2001, it began round table discussions entitled the "Round Table for the Promotion of English Teaching Method Improvement" in 2000, and issued its report in January 2001. This report urged MEXT to begin another series of meetings in order to realize the content of the report. The Minister of Education's positive support helped these meetings to produce the strategic plan. Entitled "Human Power Strategy," it was then sent to a Cabinet level meeting as part of the "Economy Revitalization Strategy" under the "Fundamental Policy 2002 for Economic and Financial Management and Structure Reform." The Cabinet meeting held on June 25, 2002 agreed upon it, which means that the plan will be budgeted for the fiscal year 2003 regardless of the cost. This strategic plan also requires awareness of planning what sort of English Japanese teachers of English should teach their students, and how they should teach it. JACET is expected not only to give advice and suggestions but also to study the plan and consider if any particular cooperation is necessary based on the principles the association has cultivated for years.
From 2001 on, JACET organized a special committee to work on the compilation of the "General Survey of Foreign Languages/English Language Education in Japan," and conduct a nationwide survey. In September 2002, the first portion was published. It includes current data on curricula, administrative structures, facilities, and entrance examinations to higher education in Japan. Current data on activities in relation to classroom teaching will be released in the second portion of the survey. It should be noted, however, that this project failed to gain support from the MEXT Scientific Research Fund, although it was needed. Consequently, it had to be conducted at our own expense. We wondered why we failed to get support. Was MEXT short of funds, or is little importance still attached to English language education? This issue bears serious consideration.
Last but not least, in order to cope with
the new trends in higher education, a special committee entitled the
Future Plans Committee was formed and has been discussing what the Present
JACET can do for "future JACET." The committee, consisting of chapter
representatives, will continue discussions next year also. JACET is expected to speak out
and act as one of the leading associations in the world of English language
education both in and out of Japan. For that reason it needs positive
reforms to produce new ideas so as to welcome a new generation of
English teaching. The cooperation of so many members in writing the proposal
concerning the MEXT strategic plan was a good example to reveal
the knowledge, experience and action that JACET has accumulated. I
would like each one of you, as a member of JACET, to use your ideas in
your classes, make your teaching as practical and fruitful as possible,
and disseminate your ideas. The
importance of English language education should be apparent through
your own daily teaching activities, and your teaching should also be
recognized as an absolute necessity for the future global society.
News from the JACET Office
Secretary General
Michiko Nakano
In our JACET Office, we have four competent members: Ms Ikejiri who is our book keeper, Ms Arakawa who deals with our annual conference, Ms Okimoto dealing with JACET membership matters and Ms Hosaka who cope with miscellaneous matters. This year, as usual, JACET 41st Annual Convention at Aoyama-gakuin University was very successful and we managed to distribute booklets of list of the members in December, 2002. We are all very grateful to their hard work and dedication.
JACET was officially registered by Science Council of Japan in May. We also made application for publication fund for JACET Bulletin to Japan Society for the Promotion of Science in November. The selection result will be notified in March, this year.
On the 8th JACET monthly meeting, Professor Hideo Oka, Tokyo University gave us a talk entitled “Cambridge University; Colleges and University.” On the 9th JACET monthly meeting, Professor Masayuki Tanamura, School of Law, Waseda Univesity gave a talk entitled “Public Corporation; its merits and demerits.” We hope that we can arrange similar stimulating events in the future as well.
Chapter News
<Hokkaido
Chapter Report>
Annual
Chapter Convention
On July 6, the 2002 Hokkaido Chapter convention was held at the Otaru University of Commerce. In the general meeting, the financial report for the 2001 fiscal year, the 2002 schedule and the 2002 budget were approved. After the general meeting, JACET President, Yoji Tanabe (Waseda Univ.) gave a lecture entitled, “English education in a contradicting social environment.” Following the lecture were two research presentations: “Eclectic teaching based on grammatical metaphors and cognitive code-learning theory” by Takatomo Nakajima (Hokkaido Univ. of Education at Asahikawa) and “Consideration of teaching methods appropriate for English education in special schools” by Masayuki Kudo (Sapporo School of The Arts). After the presentations, a symposium entitled “Seeking countermeasures to tackle the deterioration of university students’ English abilities” was held. The chairman was Osamu Takai (Otaru Univ. of Commerce); the panelists were Harumitsu Kaname (Musashi Women’s College), Masashi Sasaki (Hokkaido Bunkyo Univ.) and Akira Nakaya (Hokusei Gakuen Univ.). A workshop was held after the Chapter Convention. The title was “A homepage making course for beginners” and the lecturer was Yukie Ueno (Hokkai Gakuen Univ.)
Lecture
Meetings
On May 18, the first lecture meeting for 2002 was held at Hokkaido University. Yukie Ueno (Hokkai Gakuen Univ.) introduced “The CALL facility at the Univ. of Victoria and their authoring software, Hot Potato.” Yoshiki Yokoyama (Hokkaido Univ. of Education at Iwamizawa) reported “A sister-school exchange using an electronic bulletin board: International Understanding Education in practice.”
On November 9, the second lecture meeting for 2002 was held at Fuji Women’s College. Osamu Takai (Otaru Univ. of Commerce) chaired a symposium entitled, “Cultivating Japanese with English Abilities.” Panelists were Takehiko Kurihara (Hokkaido Univ.), Keiko Hayasaka (Hokusei Gakuen Univ.) and Yukie Ueno (Hokkai Gakuen Univ.).
CALL SIG of Hokkaido JACET organized another special lecture meeting. Lorraine C. Beaudin (Univ. of Lethbridge, Canada) gave a lecture entitled, “Technology Integration and Distance Education” at Hokkai Gakuen Univ. on June 8.
Publications
The 15th issue of The JACET Hokkaido Chapter Newsletter was published on March 31. This newsletter featured the 2001 JACET national convention held in Sapporo. Another noteworthy publication was the JACET Hokkaido Chapter 15th Anniversary Research Paper Collection (Hokkaido JACET Journal, No.1), which was issued on June 30.
(Yasushi Kawai, Hokkaido Univ.)
<Tohoku Chapter
Report>
In the year 2002, Tohoku Chapter vibrantly
held three lectures by inviting honourable professors, two symposiums about hot
issues in EFL education in Japan, and three paper presentations attempting to bridge the gap between
theory and practice.
Timeline of the Year 2002
1) June 8 Board Meeting Report / Discussion / New Board
2) June 8 Annual Chapter Convention
Report on the 2001 Activities / Accounting (2001) & Budget (2002) / Plan about the 2002 Activities / Lecture (1) / Symposium (1)
3) June 29 Lecture (Cosponsor: English Phonetic Society of Japan Tohoku Branch) Lecture (2)
4) July 6 Regular Meeting Symposium (2)
5) November 30 Lecture (Cosponsor: Akita Association of English Studies)Lecture (3)
6) December 7 Regular Meeting
Paper Presentations (1)
I. List of
Lectures in 2002
1) “Some Problems and Effective Teaching in Vocabulary for Learners”
(Minoru Murata, Chiba Univ. / June 8)
2) “What Is Wrong with Japanese English ? -- A Survey of English Pronunciation Errors –”
(Hyun Bok Lee, Seoul National Univ., Korea / June 29)
3) “Effect of Foreign Language Learning on Cross-Cultural Attitudes: Effecting Change and Promoting Proficiency”
(David E. Ingram, Centre for Applied Linguistics and Languages, Griffith Univ., Australia / November 30)
II. List of
Symposiums in 2002
1) “Theory and Practice of Vocabulary Teaching” (June 8)
Coordinator: Tsuneo Takanashi (Kyoto Notre Dame Univ.)
Discussants: Minoru Murata (Chiba Univ.)
Tsuneo Takanashi (Kyoto Notre Dame Univ.)
Tomoko Kajiwara (Aomori Prefectural Kizukuri SHS)
Makoto Oyama (Aomori Prefectural Shichinohe SHS)
2) “Validation of Summative Evaluation In EFL Classrooms: Giving a final grade in EFL classrooms -- Does the English ability really really really matter?“ (July 6)
Coordinator: Yoshinori Watanabe (Akita
Univ.)
Discussants: Satsuki Ito (Goshono Gakuin JHS)
Hideo Kojima (Akita National College of Technology)
Masako Sasaki (Akita Univ. College of
Allied Medical Science)
III. List of Paper Presentations in 2002
1)
“A
Consciousness Survey of Critical Thinking” (December 7)
(Ken Matsuta,
Tohoku Univ. of Community Service and Science)
2)
“Ways of
Self-Evaluation in English Education” (December 7)
(Yuka Harata, Akita Prefectural Hanawa Senior High
School)
3)
“On Vocabulary Acquisition Using
English-Japanese Dictionaries” (December 7)
(Hiroshi Handa, Graduate School, Miyagi Univ. of Education
Nobuya Itagaki, Miyagi Univ. of Education
Tomoyuki Watanabe, Sendai Shirayuri Women’s College)
JACET-Tohoku Newsletter 24, including reports of the lectures, the
symposiums and the paper presentations, is going to be issued in February,
2003.
JACET 42nd Annual Convention is to be held
in Sendai from the 4th through the 6th of September in
2003. We are very honoured to be
involved in preparation for it and very much look forward to welcoming as many
members as possible as host chapter.
(Masako Sasaki, Akita Univ.)
<Kansai Chapter Report>
[1]
Annual Kansai Chapter Spring Convention
Date: June 9, 2002; Place: Kansai Univ.
Theme: Innovation in English Education—JACET’s Mission—
(a)
Workshop (1): “Applications of English Linguistic
Research to English Grammar” chaired by Nobuo Okada
(Osaka Univ.); presented by Kensei Sugayama (Kobe City Univ. of Foreign
Studies): “Object
Omission: How the argument can be de-emphasized,” Ichiro Akano (Kyoto Univ. of Foreign
Studies): “English grammar teaching from the viewpoint of corpus linguistics”
& Nobuo Okada (Osaka Univ.): “Blocking, Compound Formation, and Zero Derivation – Applications of
English Grammar Acquisition Research”
Workshop (2): “Vitalising classroom activities – editing textbooks based on the ESP approach –” chaired by Atsushi Mukuhira (Osaka Kogyo Univ.); presented by Junko Tokai (Kinki Univ.): “Constructing a bridge between learners and textbooks”; Yui Matsuoka (Kinki Univ.): “Classifying materials from the viewpoint of PAIL”; Atsushi Mukuhira (Osaka Kogyo Univ.): “ESP textbooks and class management”
(b) Presentations: Chair: Takuo Hayashi (Momoyam Gauin Univ.) Yang Tao (post-grad., Kyoto Kyoiku Univ.): “Turn-taking analysis of Japanese EFL learners’ English”; Paul Hackshaw (Kyoto Kogeisen-i Univ.): “Reliability studies on preparation TOEIC tests used for teaching TOEIC at a Japanese university”; Midori Tanimura (post grad., Osaka Univ. of Foreign Studies), Etsuko Yoshida (Mie Univ.), Ichiko Nakato (Sonoda Women’s Univ.), Yasushige Ishikawa (Kyoto Univ. of Foreign Studies): “Reconsidering Pear Story – Referential Choice and its Factors in Japanese and English – ”
(c)
General Meeting
(d)
Lecture: Yoji Tanabe (President of JACET, Waseda
Univ.): “JACET and Popularised English Education”
[2]
Lecture meeting
July 6, 2002 at Coop. in Kyoto
Theme: “Vocabulary teaching with an emphasis on collocation – a view from corpus linguistics – ” / Speaker: Ichiro Akano (Kyoto Univ. of Foreign Studies)
[3]
Annual Kansai Chapter Autumn Convention
Date: Oct. 13, 2002; Place: Kobe City Unity
Theme: Innovation in English Education—JACET’s Mission—
(a)
Presentations:
Chair: Sachiko Takagi (Osaka Prefectural Univ.)
Masayoshi Takahashi (Osaka Mino Prefectural S.H.S.): “Lessons in which language dynamics work”; Yusuke Horii (Osaka Univ.): “Report on English distance teaching”
Chair: Tsutomu Matsuura (Osaka Aoyama Junior Col.)
Kyoko Sato (Poole Gakuin Univ.): “L1 transfer on morphological level – with reference to psych verbs and unaccusative verbs –”; Masao Aikawa (Wakayama Shin-ai Joshi Junior Col.): “Foreign language education in the USA – National Standards in Foreign Language Education Project—”
(b) Symposium: “English Education in IT Age – Machine translation and CALL—” Coordinators: Shinsuke Yoshida (Setsunan Univ.) & Hirokazu Yokokawa (Kyoto Univ. of Foreign Studies); Panelists: Hajime Narita (Osaka Univ.): “Development in Study of Machine Translation and its Application to English Education”; Masaya Kaneda (Nagoya Gakuin Univ.) “Utilisation of PC in English Education and Study”; Osamu Takeuchi (Kansai Univ.): “CALL: How much of a panacea?”
[4]
Lecture meeting
Nov. 23, 2002; Campus Plaza
Theme: “Why is it on a bus while it is in a car? –
Psychology and Logic in English Grammar – ” / Speaker: Minoru Nakau (Tsukuba
Univ.)
[5]
Lecture meeting
Dec. 7, 2002; Chuo Kokaido
Theme: “Materials Development in Reading for Japanese Learners” / Speaker: Tsuneo Takanashi (Kyoto Notre Dame Univ.)
[6]
Meetings of ‘English Abilities Project’
Four groups working on English abilities for (1) university students, (2) graduate students, (3) English teachers and (4) company workers were formed to cope with the strategic plan devised by MEXT.
[7]
Other meetings
SIG meetings and the meetings of Steering Committee & Study Planning Committee took place several times in addition to the above conferences and lecture meetings.
[8]
Future plan
Annual Kansai Chapter Spring Convention 2003 will be held at Heian Jogakuin Univ. on June 7, 2003.
(Yukari Tokioka, Osaka Sangyo Univ./ Masumi Azuma, Kobe Geijutsukoka Univ.)
<Kyushu-Okinawa Chapter Report>
In the academic year of 2002, the JACET Kyushu-Okinawa Chapter sponsored or co-sponsored four academic lecture meetings and a discussion session, and convened the 17th Chapter Annual Meeting and Conference. Among these Chapter activities, the 17th annual gathering needs a special mention.
On October 12,
we gathered at Chikushi Jogakuen University in Fukuoka. In the conference, we
had eleven paper presentations and a symposium where the four panelists shared
the problems of their university English education with the chapter members,
and we exchanged ideas to improve English class activities. Our guest from the
JACET Headquarter, Professor
Tanaka of Ohbirin Univ. made a very informative and eye-opening comment on
Japanese Education Ministry’s English education policy.
During business meeting after
the lunch recess, we expressed our special thanks to Dr. Soo-Woong Ahn
(Professor of Pukyong National Univ) for his leading role of promoting the
relationship between Yeonam English Teachers' Association (YETA) and our
Chapter.
Because the former YETA
President couldn't come to Chikushi, the YETA delegate to our October Meeting
and Conference, Dr. Mae-Ran Park（Pukyong National Univ.）
thanked us on behalf of him, and gave us a special lecture entitled as
"Target Language Use in the EFL Classroom: The Current Situation in
Korea"
The major academic activities of
the Kyushu-Okinawa Chapter in 2002 are as follows:
July 6
(Saturday) Chapter-based SIG Lecture Meeting Co-sponsored by the JACET SIGs of
"English and the Computer" & "Teaching Methodology "
(Lecturer) Dr. Jung, K. (Hannam Univ., Korea)
(Topic) The Internet as a Medium of Teaching English at
University
(Venue) Siebold Univ. of Nagasaki
July 13 (Saturday) Summer Academic Lecture Meeting
(1st Lecturer)
Dr. Michael Long (Univ. of Hawaii)
(Topic) Current Issues in Task-Based Language Teaching
(2nd Lecturer)
Dr. Catherine Doughty (Univ. of Hawaii)
(Topic) Principles for CALL Design
(Venue) Seinan Gakuin Univ.
August
9 (Friday) Debate Education Forum Lecture Meeting Co-sponsored by Debate
Education Forum & JACET Kyushu-Okinawa Chapter
(Lecturer) Mr. Loke Wing Fatt (Director,
3L Education Services, Singapore)
(Topic) Samurais with Word-Swords:
International Debating in English in South East Asia
(Venue) Kyushu Univ., Ropponmatsu Campus
October
12 (Saturday) The JACET Kyushu-Okinawa Chapter 17th Annual Meeting and
Conference
(Main Conference Theme) Reforming
University-Level English Education
(Venue) Chikushi Jogakuen Univ.
October 13 (Sunday) Discussion: JACET 21st
Century Project
(Chair) Professor Suzuki, Chapter President
(Topic) Teacher Education Project:
Teaching Methodology and Teacher Training Program
(Venue) Hakata-Mitsui Urban Hotel
November
25 Fall Academic Lecture Meeting
Co-sponsored by JACET Kyushu-Okinawa Chapter & OUP/ British Council
(Lecturer) Professor Henry Widdowson (Univ. of Vienna)
(Topic) Text and Pretext in Language Use and Learning
(Venue) British Council in Fukuoka
(Toshihiko Uemura, Siebold Univ. of
Nagasaki)
Monthly Meeting Reports
November
meeting 11月月例会
「英語カリキュラム改革と外部評価導入：茨城大学のケース」
平野道代（茨城大）、中西貴行（茨城大）
茨城大学英語教育改革プロジェクト作業部会では14年3月『英語教育改革プロジェクト報告書』を出版し習熟度別クラス編成による教養英語改革の方針を提案した。本発表は報告書に基づいて14年4月より人文学部社会科学科(240名)において実施されているパイロットスタディの中間報告である。
始めに現行システムの問題点を指摘した：1)各クラスに様々なレベルの学生が混在し、適切な指導ができない。2)英語Ⅰ、英語Ⅱ、英語Ⅲでは積み上げ式に難易度が上がるべきだが、必ずしもそうなっていない。これらの問題点を解決するために、プロジェクトでは習熟度別クラス編成を提案し、その運営方法やカリキュラム開発に着手することになった。
パイロットスタディでは新入生にクラス分けテストを行い､1クラス30名､8クラス(基礎１､初級２､準中級４､中級1クラス)でパイロット授業を行っている｡平成15年度は、ある一定のレベルに達した学生は、希望により英語目的別クラス(EAP:English for Academic Purposes)を導入する予定である。EAPでは精読、速読、academic writingなど､専門教育との橋渡しを担う授業内容が検討されている。
授業は報告書に掲載されたモデルシラバスを参考にして展開されている。1名の教員が週2回の連動授業を行うのみならず、学生には週1コマCALLラボでの自習が課される。ラボでは教科書に準拠したホームページで授業内容を復習したり、市販の自習用ソフトが活用されている。年度末に到達度テストと外部テストを実施し、授業効果の測定を行い、15年3月に再度、報告書としてまとめる予定である。最後に本プロジェクトは以下のメンバーによる共同作業である旨が提示された：永井典子（座長）、Robert Betts, 西山國雄、和田尚明、土平泰子、小泉由美子、岡崎正男、平野道代、Wade Carlton, 福田浩子、熊澤孝昭、中西貴行。
質疑応答では、以下について活発な議論がなされた：
1) どのようなプレイスメントテストを利用すべきか。
2) 英語目的別クラス(EAP)はskill-based, content-basedにすべきか？Presentation skillsなど、大学生に必要な技術を指導するべきか。
3)英語を専門としない教員に外書講読を担当してもらうことは妥当か。
December meeting
The Role of
Learning Strategies in Teaching English
Anna Uhl Chamot
On December 14, 2002, Dr. Anna Uhl Chamot, Professor of Secondary Education in the Graduate School of Education and Human Development at George Washington University gave a special lecture organized by a group of JACET members. Professor Chamot is recognized as a leading authority in language learning strategy research. She has conducted extensive research, engaged in language teaching, and published many influential books and papers in this field.
Professor Chamot began the lecture with the claim that learning strategies enhance autonomous language learning. She then defined learning strategies, some of which are ways to process information that assist learning, conscious thoughts and behaviors directed towards a learning goal, or techniques that can be taught and learned to master skills more easily. Language learning strategies need to be studied explicitly and may become automatic and possibly subconscious with practice.
Professor Chamot went on to provide a summary of three types of language learning strategy research. The first type is descriptive research, which identifies learning strategies that learners use. It also focuses on how learners understand learning processes and compares more effective to less effective learners. The second kind is intervention research and it examines the effectiveness of language leaning strategy instruction. The third type of learning strategy research is classroom application studies, which determine the characteristics of effective strategy teaching.
After focusing on the importance of implementing language learning strategy instruction, Professor Chamot overviewed various classification systems such as those of Rubin (Direct and Indirect), Wenden (Metacognitive), Bialystok (Inferencing, Monitoring, Formal Practice, Functional practice), O'Malley & Chamot (Metacognitive, Cognitive, Social/Affective), Oxford (Direct and Indirect), and Cohen (Language Learning and Language Use).
Based on O'Malley & Chamot's typology, Professor Chamot explored the most recent model of metacognitive strategic learning: planning, monitoring, problem-solving, and evaluation. The planning strategies include organizing/planning, managing one's own learning, using background knowledge, and making predictions. Monitoring strategies consist of monitoring tasks that include selective attention,imagery, personalizing and self-talk. The main components of problem-solving strategies are note-taking, making inferences, finding/applying patterns, substituting/paraphrasing, grouping/classifying, and using resources. Evaluating strategies include checking goals, summarizing, reporting on what the learner has learned, and evaluating strategies actually used bylearners. Throughout the stages of the instruction based on this model, students practice utilizing their metacognitive abilities.
In the final part of the lecture, Professor Chamot presented ideas on the teaching of learning strategies. She demonstrated practical classroom activities, which were developed for the CALLA (Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach) and other language programs. The teaching procedure has clear stages: 1) Preparation, 2) Presentation, 3) Practice, 4) Self-evaluation and 5) Expansion.
After the session, the speaker and participants had an in-depth discussion, which further developed ideas presented in the lecture.
In conclusion, I would like to thank Professor TORIKAI Shinichiro and Ms. KUSUNOKI Hiroe for preparing the site and equipment for the presentation, and Professors SEKIYA Yasushi, Kate ALLEN, KAWAI Yasushi, MINEISHI Midori, and KOCHIYAMA Akiko for their cooperation.
(SANO Fujiko, Surugadai Univ.)
Special
Reports from New SIGs
1 Language Learning Strategy SIG
Naoko Ozeki,
Daito Bunka Univ.
The Language Learning Strategy SIG of the JACET was established only a year ago by the teachers who attended the 29th JACET Summer Seminar held in Kusatsu from August 17 to 20 in 2000. The theme of the Summer Seminar was Language Learning Strategy, and the Seminar invited Dr. Oxford, a world-famous learning strategy researcher, as the main lecturer. Dr. Oxford gave us a series of lectures which focused on the purpose, methods, and issues of language learning strategies. Besides her well-organized and informative lectures, nine teachers presented their recent studies on learning strategies. They were in the order of the presentations given at the seminar (titles omitted); Naoko Ozeki (Daito Bunka Univ.), Ryusuke Yamato (Gifu Univ.), Chieko Kawauchi (Kurume Univ.), Mayumi Fujioka (Kinki Univ.), Akiko Kouchiyama (Chubu Univ.), Midori Kimura (Tokyo Women’s Medical Univ.), the late Yoshimitsu Kudo (Takusyoku Univ.), Raphael O’Donohue (Tsukushi Jyogakuen Univ.), and Etsuko Fukuoka (Kanto Gakuen Univ.).
We, the participants, discussed the studies of language learning strategies through Dr. Oxford’s lectures and occasionally during lunch and dinner time. None of us had known one another before we attended the seminar. However, we became good friends soon thanks to the friendly atmosphere of the summer seminar, and we also became interested in one another’s work on learning strategies. Our studies included various areas of learning strategies such as listening and reading strategies, reading and writing strategies, vocabulary learning strategies, relationships between learning strategies and motivation, and relationships between core strategies and other strategies. We found that there were more than a few learning strategy researchers in Japan and that we would be able to conduct cooperative research on the topic. Consequently, we needed some kind of organization in order to exchange one another’s research results and information about learning strategies and to eventually undertake collaborative research. The late Professor Kudo, Professor Yamato, and I often discussed a need to set up a SIG dedicated to learning strategies. As a result, we finally decided to form the Language Learning Strategy SIG within the JACET organization. When we announced the plan to establish the SIG at the closing ceremony of the Summer Seminar, most of the seminar participants were willing to join the SIG.
We started the SIG of Language Learning Strategies in April, 2001 and now we have approximately 20 members in the SIG, including not only English but also Japanese teachers throughout Japan. We have regular meetings on the third Saturday of the month. Some members commute all the way from Hiroshima, Osaka, and Nagoya and we sincerely appreciate not only the cost of time and money, but also their dedication to our cause.
For the first six months since the founding of the Learning Strategy SIG, we studied the theories and practice of learning strategies through the members’ presentations. Professor Yamato (Gifu Univ.), Professor Mineishi (Hiroshima International Univ.), Professor Ban (Nanzan Univ.), and I took turns presenting respective research results and newly published resource books of learning strategies. As we have studied, we have realized that all the handbooks of strategy training are designed for the ESL context, and are not completely suited for the EFL context. Furthermore, these handbooks are not approachable for Japanese teachers who are not familiar with learning strategies because they comprise intricate theories and esoteric terms. Above all, they are written in English. Without user-friendly handbooks of learning strategies, learning strategy instruction would not be widespread in Japan. Thus, we decided to develop a learning strategy handbook written in Japanese that will be used not only by university English teachers but also by junior and senior high school English teachers who are interested in strategy instruction.
The handbook will mainly consist of two parts. The first part will introduce the rationale for strategy instruction integrated into English classes. It will synthesize the studies on learning strategies such as the definition, characteristics, and classification of learning strategies, methodology to investigate learning strategies, the relationships between learning strategies and learning styles, the differences between learning strategies and study skills, the role of learning strategies in SLA, and issues in strategy instruction. Although this part focuses on theoretical backgrounds of learning strategies, the teachers, who have little knowledge about learning strategies, will be able to understand it because they are explained in plain language. The second part of the handbook will introduce step by step guidelines to implement strategy training specifically intended for the Japanese classroom. It will explain the precise procedure and example lessons of strategy instruction at the high school and university level. We would like to publish this handbook in 2004. It will be the first handbook of strategy instruction for Japanese classrooms. We are also planning to develop an English textbook including strategy training after this handbook is published.
The SIG of Learning Strategy is still very young, but we, the members of the SIG, are all highly motivated to popularize strategy instruction at high schools and universities in Japan. We hope that you will be attentive to our down-to-earth study process and product.
2 Kansai Chapter ESP SIG
Judy Noguchi, Mukogawa
Women’s Univ.
The JACET Kansai Chapter ESP SIG was established in April 2001 to address the growing needs for English for specific purposes education in Japan. In the petition to JACET Headquarters requesting permission to start the SIG, reference was made to the growing interest in ESP (or LSP, language for specific purposes) expressed at AILA ’99 and by TESOL and other international language teacher organizations. With rapid progress in global ties at all levels of society, the need is growing for high-level performance in English usage related to professional and occupational activities. ESP addresses these demands for effective and efficient English teaching and learning that can be useful to students after they have left the formal education milieu. Thus, further research and study must be conducted in various areas of ESP, from its underlying theories to its methods and teaching materials.
The first meeting of the Kansai Chapter ESP SIG was held on May 19, 2001 at the Osaka Institute of Technology. Serving as leaders of the group were Judy Noguchi (Mukogawa Women’s Univ.) and Akiko Miyama (Osaka Institute of Technology). Twelve people attended the first meeting, and the attendance has averaged about fourteen people for all meetings since then. The official membership totaled 17 for the first year and 21 for the second year. Meetings are usually held once in two months at the Osaka Institute of Technology.
During academic year 2001, the meetings were based on reading and discussing the book ESP no riron to jissen—kore de nihon no eigo kyouiku ga kawaru (ed. Miyama, A., 2000, Tokyo: Sanshusha). This book was a collaborative effort of those working in ESP in Japan, many of whom were JACET members. It included basic definitions of field terms, a brief history of the field from an international perspective as well as developments in Japan, and detailed examples of methods, classroom materials, and evaluation techniques and materials. The participants were asked to not merely summarize the book material but to raise questions and elicit discussion on the concepts presented. As a result, each meeting became a stimulating experience of idea exchange and sharing.
In academic year 2002, the members first read and discussed the classic in ESP work, Genre analysis: English in academic and research settings (Swales, J. M., 1990, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press). They also presented reports on research and development that they were conducting in ESP, ranging from the preparation of textbook and teaching materials to the examination of effective classroom procedures, such as the characteristics and effects of group work, and the testing and evaluation of teaching techniques and materials.
The SIG members have also been actively involved in disseminating ESP concepts and methods at many JACET events. For the Kansai Chapter Spring Meeting held on June 9, 2001 at Kobe College, Judy Noguchi planned and participated in a symposium on “The target of 21st century college English education.” Participants included Kansai ESP SIG member Eiko Kawagoe (Kobe Municipal College of Nursing) and Headquarters ESP SIG member Hajime Terauchi (Takachiho Univ.). At the 40th JACET National Convention held at Fuji Women’s Coll. in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Judy Noguchi and Kinko Tamamaki (Kobe Univ. part-timer) participated in a symposium held on September 15, 2001 with representatives from the Headquarters and Chubu SIGs on “ESP as a bridge between academia and society.”
At the Kansai Chapter Spring Meeting held on June 9, 2002 at Kansai Univ., the SIG presented a workshop “Aiming at activating classes—how to prepare teaching materials based on the ESP approach.” Jun Mukuhira (Osaka Inst. of Tech.), Junko Watami (Kinki Univ. part-timer) and Yui Matsuoka (Kinki Univ. part-timer) helped workshop participants try to develop effective teaching materials using texts from various genres by first examining the text features and then considering what to emphasize based on sociolinguistic considerations.
The 30th (2002) JACET Summer Seminar was held with the theme of “New perspectives on ESP.” From August 17 to 20, JACET members interested in ESP gathered at the Kusatsu Seminar House in Gunma to listen to the main lecturer Dr. Dan Douglas (Iowa State Univ.), invited speakers and participants describe pioneering work being done in ESP fields ranging from the communications of air traffic controllers to the customer service interactions of beauty salon workers to physicists presenting at conferences and writing research papers. Among the invited speakers was Kansai ESP SIG member Judy Noguchi, who spoke on “ESP: Where are we and where do we want to go?”
At the 41st JACET National Convention held at Aoyama Gakuin Univ., the Kansai ESP SIG presented the symposium “Incorporating ESP approach into EGP” on September 7, 2002, chaired by Akiko Miyama with Jun Mukuhira and Judy Noguchi as participants.
As can be seen from the above our ESP SIG, although the youngest SIG in the Kansai Chapter, has been very active during this first cycle since its establishment. Its devoted members are constantly working at broadening their knowledge and improving their teaching methods and materials. Many are participating in projects related to ESP surveys, applied linguistics research, corpus studies, and materials development. A cooperative and supportive atmosphere for the pursuit of high academic goals has developed thanks to the active participation of the Kansai ESP SIG members.
Position Available
Two Non-Tenured English
Instructor Positions at Siebold University of Nagasaki
Siebold Univ. of Nagasaki invites applications for
two (non-tenured) English instructor positions. We are looking for applicants
who are native speakers of English, under 40 year-old, and have an MA (or over)
of TESOL, Applied Linguistics or related fields.
Important Dates
Application Deadline:
February 28, 2003
Date of Employment: April 1, 2003
Further Information:
Write to Professor Naoyoshi Ogawa
Chair of the Department of Multi-Cultural Exchange
The Faculty of Global Communication
Siebold Univ. of Nagasaki
ogawa@sun.ac.jp
Main Articles on this Issue
Foreward (Yoji Tanabe)
Report from JACET Office (Michiko Nakano)
Chapter News
Monthly Meetings
Special Reports from New SIGs
JACET News
Published February 1st, 2003
The Japan Association of College English Teachers
(President: Yoji Tanabe)
55 Yokotera-machi, Shinjuku, Tokyo 162-0831
Tel 813-3268-9686 Fax 813-3268-9695