In commemoration of 50th anniversary of its founding ――
The 46th National Conference of Shin-Eiken
(New English Teachers' Association)
 
English > Schedule(Aug 2) > Special Interest Group Sessions
Aug.
1 2 3
 

9:00~12:00 & 13:30~ 17:00

Special Interest Group Sessions

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The SIG sessions address ...

The SIG sessions address themes and issues of concern to English teachers in Japan.

SIG 1: Government Authorized Textbooks and Original Materials

This SIG provides reports on how to coordinate required textbook materials with enhanced original materials.
Presentation 1 features junior high school teacher Omino Hiroshi of Tokyo: ‘creating original materials to inspire the students’, using the NHK drama Full Swing and other sources.
Presentation 2 by high school teacher Morishima Yoko of Ibaraki focuses on the goal of making creative lessons.

SIG 2: Reading Between the Lines

This SIG researches techniques on reading English, with the goal of helping students to catch literal meanings of texts and to be moved, changed and stimulated by what they read.
Presentation 1 gives examples from junior high school and the application of English editions of Japanese works, with a focus on ‘Naita Akaoni’, the red ogre who dreams of making friends with ordinary people. The presenter is Shioya Yasunobu of Yamaguchi.
In Presentation 2, Nozaki Masaru of Shiga will present how he helped his high school students to learn ‘How to Read Between the Lines.’

SIG 3: English Grammar Instruction

This SIG explores methods to incorporate grammar instruction into the higher goal of self-expression, peace education and student centered instruction.
Presentation 1 by Toyoda Fumie, a junior high school teacher from Oita, presents instruction on relative pronouns which she used to help students express more in English.
Presentation 2, by Kaiki Yukito, a senior high school teacher from Toyama, will give techniques on how to inspire students to express themselves in grammatically correct English using a ‘spell’which he calls ‘Who, What, Where, When....”

SIG 4: Oral Methods and Audio Materials.

This SIG concentrates on techniques to make effective use of oral resources and audio materials. The SIG works with pronunciation skills and classroom exercises including reading texts aloud.
The 1st presentation will be how to make oral drills and practice sessions more effective. The presenter is Kubo Takeshi, a junior high school teacher from Nagasaki.
In Presentation 2 high school teacher Matsui Emiko from Toyama will present techniques on how to help students improve their English through reading aloud.

SIG 5: Raising Skill Levels and Evaluation

This SIG concentrates on methods to help students improve overall skills in studying English and techniques of evaluation which fully reflect and encourage student improvement.
Presentation 1 by Koretsune Masumi, a junior high school teacher from Hiroshima, will explore encouraging students to cooperate in groups, rather than compete.
Presentation 2 addresses the issue of encouraging students to express their opinions, and will be presented by Yokochi Reiko, a high school teacher from Shizuoka.

SIG 6: Cooperative Learning, Learning from Self

This SIG presents reports based on methods of cooperative learning in groups. This SIG also attempts to relate the group learning experience to learning that occurs as a result of individual student experience and self evaluation.
Presentation 1: Negishi Tsuneo of Saitama will present Cooperative Learning at junior high school; how to improve English classes and reform educational systems. This teacher uses the principle of the Learning Community (manabi no kyodotai), an idea originated by Sato Manabu, professor of Pedagogy at the University of Tokyo.
Presentation 2: Tokunaga Seiichi of Hokkaido will present a report on Cooperative learning in high school.

SIG 7: How to Invigorate and Encourage Slow Learners

This SIG concentrates on the issues related to slow learners in regular classes, and low-level classes, and how to develop teaching materials and techniques to address their needs in English while allowing introduction of self expression, peace education and student centered learning.
Presentation 1: Sekiguchi Moriyoshi, a junior high school teacher from Tokyo, presents ideas on how to encourage slow learners to express themselves.
Presentation 2: Night high school teacher Ishiyama Hiroo of Yamanashi will talk about how to encourage students of various skill levels at night high school.

SIG 8: Teaching Methods for Self Expression

This SIG has concentrated on the creation and revival of methods and materials to help students express thoughts, feelings and themselves.
Presentation 1 will focus on how to conduct activity packs (lessons in which students always do certain activities in a certain time frame; obi gakushu.) Morita Yasuhiro, a junior high school teacher from Toyama, has practiced activity packs in his lessons to encourage students to express themselves.
Presentation 2: Nagayama Masako, a higher professional school teacher in Toyama, will present ways to lessen the teachers’ workload when checks of English journals or large amounts of student written material require evaluation. Presentation 3 looks at methods to teach students expressive skills through activities. The presenter is Kitano Kyoko, an elementary school teacher from Shizuoka.

SIG 9: Peace, Environment and Human Rights Education

This SIG seeks to develop methods to prepare materials within national curriculum goals that also educate students about peace issues, environmental problems and human rights.
Presentation 1 focuses on two examples of peace education materials easily available, and putting them to use in the classroom. Source materials are the story of the Lucky Dragon fishing boat caught in the fallout of an H-bomb test in 1954, and Mutchan, about a girl who lived through the bombing of Oita. The presenter is Otagaki Yasushi, a junior high school teacher from Kyoto.
In Presentation 2, Nagata Suwako, a junior high school teacher in Hyogo, presents how she used a future simulation exercise to introduce environmental issues into her class, in which students used future simulation techniques to envision life and the environment in 2050.
In presentation 3, a senior high school teacher Saito Takako of Saitama, presents original awareness studies which she used for students’required preliminary work for a school trip to Nagasaki, including summer homework and the English II textbook.

SIG 10: Assistant Language Teachers and the English Classroom

This group was begun in the 90s to address issues related to ALTs in the junior and senior high schools. There is a strong emphasis in most of the reports and presentations on the promotion of team teaching, respect of the talents and abilities of the foreign teacher, and encouraging strong human contact with students.
In Presentation 1, Shiro Yumiko, a junior high school teacher, presents effective use of the ALT to conduct activities in the class, including ‘chat’ sessions, skits and group activities.
Presentation 2 will provide suggestions on how to incorporate the ALT in presentation activities such as speeches and group presentations. The presenter will be Kasuya Takako, a senior high school teacher from Shizuoka.

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