http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/ Originated by Birmingham MA TEFL/TESL students en Copyright 2010 Sun, 25 Apr 2010 00:00:00 +0900 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Classes are great when… “I can learn with my friends, not one-way from the teacher.” - Keisuke (left) “We have choices.” - Naomi “I have the opportunity to speak English, and say my ideas.” - Natsumi (right) The title is not directed to you the reader. However, these students seem to know a lot about what research shows is necessary for learning. The students in our video discussed concepts frequently documented in scholarly journals; such as student engagement (e.g. Clifford, 1999), student collaboration (e.g. Apple, 2006), and learner autonomy (e.g. Little, 2007). The students are from the University of Tokushima on the island of Shikoku. They are visitors of our English Support Room. We have a daily average of over 25 visitors from all five departments and two campuses. They visit to hone their English skills, as well as receive advice and strategies for effective learning. As Einstein once said, “I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn” (cited in Walter & Marks, 1981, p. 1). We, too, try to provide students with a relaxed, trusting, and autonomy-supportive environment to learn (Finch, 2001; Niemiec & Ryan, 2009). In our Support Room, students have frequently voiced their opinions concerning the strengths and weaknesses of their courses. Three students; Naomi, Natsumi, and Keisuke from the Department of Integrated Arts and Sciences had the idea of creating a video for their teachers to create a better learning environment. Naomi majored in chemistry, and is now teaching English at a junior high school in Tokushima. Natsumi is majoring in European studies and plans to be an English teacher after graduation. Keisuke also majors in European studies, and is now an exchange student in Kyungpook University in Korea. They asked me to lead their discussion; also we gathered comments from other students to create this video. In our discussion, they expressed their view on their university courses and experience learning English. I was startled when I noticed their ideas sounded much like teachers’ talk: hence, the title. I hope you have the time to view our video as well as create and put out your own. Together, little-by-little, we can produce this much needed change. We greatly appreciate you for taking the time out of your hectic schedules to read and view our thoughts. Many thanks! Student Voices Part 1 (3:49) http://www.youtube.com/user/Steve110277#p/a/u/1/CKGK7dhAUhc Student Voices Part 2 (8:27) http://www.youtube.com/user/Steve110277#p/a/u/0/YqssZGB2Mwk Photo: Naomi (bottom), Steve (middle), Michito (left), Kensuke (right) References Apple, M. T. (2006). Language learning theories and cooperative learning techniques. Doshisha Studies in Language and Culture, 9(2), 277-301. Clifford, V. A. (1999). The development of autonomous learners in a university setting. Higher Education Research & Development, 18(1), 115-128. Finch, A. (2000). The non-threatening learning environment. Korean TESOL Journal, 4(1), 133-158. Little, D. (2007). Language learner autonomy: Some fundamental considerations revisited. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 1(1), 14-29. Niemiec, C. P., & Ryan, R. M. (2009). Autonomy, competence, and relatedness in the classroom: Applying self-determination theory to educational practice". Theory and Research in Education, 7, 133-144. Walter, G. A., & Marks, S. E. (1981). Experiential learning and change: theory design and practice. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Biography Steve T. Fukuda is an Assistant Professor at the University of Tokushima. His research interests are in learning motivation, learner autonomy, and self-access centers. His day consists of teaching English courses based on learner autonomy training and spending time facilitating students learning at the English Support Room with his colleagues.]]> http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2010/04/do_students_read_more_research.html http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2010/04/do_students_read_more_research.html Learners' Voices Sun, 25 Apr 2010 00:00:00 +0900 Welcome to Learners' Voices 2010! Last year, we heard from a number of learners and teachers in a wide variety of educational contexts in Japan. This promises to be another exciting and engaging year as we continue to learn more from our learners, hearing their voices, listening to their thoughts, opinions and ideas, and further reflecting upon and innovating our own teaching practices. In this month's edition, courtesy of Tim Murphey and Yuichi Suga, we listen to the real voice of university students reflecting on their language learning experiences and appealing for meaningful change in English language education in Japan. Enjoy! Philip Shigeo Brown Editor, Learners' Voices Note If you would like to contribute to Learners' Voices, please review our Submission Guidelines (http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/learners_voices/) and feel free to email me anytime: philza2003(at)yahoo.com In spring 2009, 30 first year university students in Tim Murphey’s seminar, at Kanda University of International Studies, wrote their language learning histories (LLHs). In the fall, small groups read and analyzed them for motivational and demotivational factors and wrote reports, giving recommendations to students, teachers, and the Japanese government Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science & Technology (MEXT) http://www.mext.go.jp/english/. Then they made the video, summarizing the findings, ventriloquating some Japanese proverbs and sound bites from other famous quarters. They intend to send the report and LLHs to MEXT and the newspapers along with the video link. Click on the link below to watch and listen to The real voice of Japanese students: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwsZ0KiHhRg The actual reports (edited by Tim Murphey, Joe Falout, and Maria Trovela) can be downloaded and read freely by clicking on the link below: Real Voice: Suggestions for Changing English Education for Future Generations from 1st Year University Students Biography of the Video Co-Producers Kanda University of International Studies graduate (2009) and movie producer Yuichi Suga co-produced and edited this video on his Mac. Tim Murphey has a history of asking students what they think (1993, 1999, 2002, 2004; Murphey & Arao 2001; Murphey, Chen & Chen 2005; Murphey & Ijima 2006; Murphey, Falout, Elwood & Hood 2009; Murphey & Falout in press). References Murphey, T. (1993). Why don't teachers learn what learners learn? Taking the guesswork out with action logging. English Teaching Forum 31 (1) 6-10. Accessed Jan 24, 2010 at http://eca.state.gov/forum/vols/vol31/no1/p6.htm Murphey, T. (1999). Publishing Students’ Language Learning Histories: For them, their peers, and their teachers. Between the Keys (the newsletter of the Materials Writers SIG of JALT) VII, no.2 p. 8-11, 14. Murphey, T. (2002). From the horse’s mouth Advice from second-semester Japanese university students to JHS/HS English teachers in Japan. Learning Learning, 9 (1), 2-10. Murphey, T. (2004). Participation, (Dis-)Identification, and Japanese University Entrance Exams. TESOL Quarterly 38 (4) 700-710 Winter Murphey, T. & Arao, H. (2001). Changing Reported Beliefs through Near Peer Role Modeling. TESL-EJ. 5(3)1-15. Accessed at http://tesl-ej.org/ej19/a1.html Murphey, Tim; Chen, Jin; & Chen, Li-Chi (2005). Learners’ constructions of identities and imagined communities. In P. Benson & D. Nunan, (eds.). Learners' Stories: Difference and Diversity in Language Learning. pp. 83-100. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Murphey, T. & Iijima, Y. (2006). University entrance exams, copyright law, academic ethics, and reality. The English Teachers’ Magazine. May pp. 45-47 (In Japanese) Murphey, T., Falout, J., Elwood, J. & Hood, M. (2009). Inviting Student Voice. Asian EFL Journal, Professional Teaching Articles, Volume 36 pp. 1-25. Accessed May 2, 2009 at http://www.asian-efl-journal.com/pta_Mayl_2009_tm.php Murphey, T. & Falout, J. (in press). Critical Participatory Looping. TESOL Quarterly. ]]> http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2010/01/the_real_voice_of_japanese_stu_1.html http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2010/01/the_real_voice_of_japanese_stu_1.html Learners' Voices Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0900 A recent success story in the classroom I like singing very much and believe that singing songs has many benefits for language learning. It is easy to make children sing. However, it is getting more difficult to make older students sing. I currently teach university students and while they like to listen to songs they are not very keen on singing. I remember that I attended a workshop of “jazz chants” several years ago so I decided to use chanting with songs. I chanted the lyrics of the song line by line with the rhythm but without the melody, then I asked students to repeat after me. With this method, more students, especially those who were reluctant to sing, joined in the chorus. It is much easier for them to chant lines than singing, and perhaps, less embarrassing. I used another idea as well to encourage them to chant. Recently in Japan, neuroscience has become more popular. Many books about research on the brain has been published and the word 脳トレ(brain training) is now fashionable. I showed a picture that illustrated what parts of a brain worked when we read aloud. It showed that many more parts of the brain worked actively than when we read silently. I told them “Let’s activate our brain!” Comment Sometimes, it is difficult to make Japanese students participate in activities because they are too shy or too self-conscious. You should try different strategies that suit your students’ age, level and personality. A thought or idea in progress I enjoyed poster presentations very much at Hiroshima MASH in August 2008. It’s an excellent way to present what you are doing in your classroom. I would like to do such a presentation if there is an opportunity. I have been operating an extensive reading program in my classes for six years. I want to use poster presentation in the program as well. It would be nice for students to have presentations on their favorite books. From teacher to teachers When I was teaching the Japanese language in Ireland, I arranged many language exchanges between Japanese and Irish students to get them to help each other. I have also been very lucky to have a lot of exchange partners throughout my studies. I think Japanese teachers and native English speaking teachers should find ways to collaborate more, both in teaching and in research, because we all teach English in Japan. I am wondering how we can promote more collaboration. As for me, if anyone wants to improve their Japanese, or want to know about Japanese traditional theatre I can help. Kishiko is an active member of the Gospel choir called “Precious Praise”. She also enjoys 読み聞かせ(reading) English books in an elementary and a junior high school. Contact her at nash@sc5.so-net.ne.jp Editor's note: I first met Kishiko at JALT2007 when she presented at the Birmingham Graduate Student Showcase. She has done a very interesting study on using Extensive Reading in her classroom over a four year period. She quickly became interested in MASH because she loves interacting with people. We have all learned so much from her perspective as a Japanese teacher of English (JTE) and respect her approach in the classroom. I had the added privilege of being asked to go "typo hunting" in her dissertation and enjoyed it thoroughly. If you'd like to send in a column about yourself, we are always looking for more Names, Faces & Ideas Contact Steven Herder at steven.herder@gmail.com or click below to check us out a little further at http://www.mash-collaboration-efl.com/]]> http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2009/11/kishiko_nashimoto_practical_an.html http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2009/11/kishiko_nashimoto_practical_an.html MASH Names, Faces & Ideas Sat, 28 Nov 2009 22:36:15 +0900 Background and rationale In 2008, I began instructing in an intensive English programme at a women’s university in Tokyo. The students were all at different levels and it seemed that the lower level students were motivated intrinsically (i.e. one’s own interest, enjoyment, and pleasure), while the higher level students showed more extrinsic motivation (based on the need to attain qualifications, please others, or avoid punishment) (Griffiths 2008). Reflecting on my own language learning experiences, I therefore tried to accommodate my students’ requests, especially the lower level students, to meet L1 persons in the community that interested them to maintain and help increase their motivation levels. I considered starting an interaction programme with L1 speakers similar to one that I helped administer teaching ESL in my former university’s intensive English programme in Canada. One of the attractions of that programme for L2 students is that all of the intermediate students and above have the opportunity to interview native English speakers in the community that share similar interests with the students, or are in occupational fields that students want to enter. However, I realized that it would not be practical to administer the same sort of programme at the university I instruct at in Tokyo as there is a shortage of L1 English speakers in the various fields that my students have expressed interests in. As an alternative, I re-thought the interview concept and decided to have the students talk to high-level L2 persons of interest. I first introduced a first grade student, Hikari, to a former student who I taught in Canada, Yumiko, and who works in the airline industry. Hikari showed a high extrinsic motivation level as she expressed a strong desire to pursue a career in the airline industry when she graduates university. Hikari spoke to Yumiko for over an hour mainly in English and talked about the industry that she has her sights set on entering in three years time. Listen to the interview with Hikari Part 1 Listen to the interview with Hikari Part 2 Recently I used the same L2 student and high-level L2 speaker model again, but changed the concept slightly so that one class of fifty L2 students listened to a high-level L2 presenter, Kanami, who is currently completing her PHD studies in Canada. Kanami spoke of her research at length, but also talked about her English education and the many opportunities that she has been able to take advantage of because of English. This model was used to try to help motivate a larger student audience, intrinsically or extrinsically, in a shorter period of time and in a setting where the students could ask questions of Kanami in groups and thereby decrease the individual pressures of sustaining a longer conversation. Akie, a first year student involved in Kanami’s presentation is not interested in the same field as Kanami, but possesses an interest to travel and speak to many L1 people both here in Japan and abroad. Listen to the interview with Akie Your thoughts and ideas As educators, it is important for us to help our learners stay motivated so that they can maximize their learning, especially when students are studying a language in a setting where exposure to the target language is minimal at best. I would like to invite comments and ideas form teachers on how you motivate your students. In your opinion, are L1 models a better choice than L2 models to help motivate our L2 students? Is it possible, or even practical to try and meet the motivational needs of all our students? I would like to thank Hikari and Akie for taking the time to answer some questions and share their thoughts. Their comments are certain to be useful to educators when they consider motivational methods in helping heir own students. Reference Griffiths, C. (2008). Lessons from Good Language Learners. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Biography Richard, originally from Winnipeg, Canada, has been living in Japan since 2002. During the last ten years, he has worked as an instructor in an ESL program at a university in Canada, an ALT on the JET Program, a NET and curriculum advisor, and an instructor at two universities in Tokyo. His interests are vocabulary acquisition, SLA, testing, motivation, and teacher training. ]]> http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2009/11/efl_learners_communicating_wit_1.html http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2009/11/efl_learners_communicating_wit_1.html Learners' Voices Sat, 28 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0900 I recently had a conversation with Lina Fang, a second-year student who has lived half her life in China and half in Japan. Lina, cheerful and hardworking, was a student in an intermediate level class I taught last semester. During the interview, we covered topics relating to her impressions of her high school English education and its usefulness to the university English learning context. Lina also talked about her active approach to learning and using English, particularly via online opportunities. In addition, she mentioned her desire to use English beyond her academic career both in social and occupational situations. Interview Part I Interview Part II Interview Part III The insights gained from this interview can be useful for students, teachers, course designers and administrators alike. This student pointed out that there is a gap between what is taught at the high school level and the skills students find desirable. In addition, Lina mentioned her desire to learn more content-specific vocabulary related to her chosen field of study, and how socializing on the Internet was providing new avenues and motivation for language learning. This conversation with Lina raises the issue of connectivity and cohesion between secondary and tertiary English education. I would like to invite responses and comments from teachers that can help us identify and provide solutions for any gaps that may exist between these two levels of education. What can high school teachers do to help prepare students for university English course content? And what can university educators do to maximize language skills students acquire in high school? Thank you very much, Lina, for your time in answering these questions. Thank you for this opportunity for us to share our thoughts and ideas. Thank you valued colleagues and energetic students for your time in visiting this site. Joe Siegel ]]> http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2009/10/understanding_and_filling_the.html http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2009/10/understanding_and_filling_the.html Learners' Voices Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0900 Andy Lawson interviews 2 returnee students on their experiences learning English and asks for their opinions on learning English in Japan: Yui Shinada is a 19-year old student at Airline Business College Narita who spent her 2nd year of high school in New Zealand, and 11-year old Mai Kato lived and attended school in the USA from 4-8 years old. These 2 girls have had very different experiences of learning English. Yui was a very brave 16-year old, who left her family and friends to spend a whole year in New Zealand, where she used English all day at school, and all evening at home with her host family. She then returned to Japan, where she was able to re-assimilate sufficiently enough to graduate high school, and go on to become a student at Airline Business College Narita. Interview with Yui Mai was just 4 years old when her whole family relocated to California. Although she used English at home with her parents, Mai went to a regular English-speaking elementary school for over 3 years. The Mai who returned to Japan in 2006 sounded just like a typical 8-year old Californian girl, and she had far bigger problems reading kanji than she had reading Junie B. Jones books. Interview with Mai Reflections The thoughts which both girls expressed in the interviews were entirely their own. But I found it interesting that they shared many of the same ideas. Both mentioned the frustration of moving from situations where they used English every day, to returning to Japan, and having to seek out sufficient opportunities to use their English in genuine communicative situations. Yui is fortunate that she has several English Communication classes per week at college, and can take additional Conversation Classes. She can also choose what she wants to watch on her DVD player at home. Clearly highly motivated, Yui makes the most of every chance to express herself in our conversation classes, no matter how complex the subject. She is the youngest member of the class by several years, yet feels confident enough to play an active role in all discussions, and ask enough difficult questions to keep the teacher on his toes! For Mai, the situation is more difficult. Her parents are highly-supportive and encourage her efforts to maintain her English language skills. She has English class at elementary school several times per week. But Mai is unique among her classmates and siblings. While they are at the stage of learning the ABC Song, and how to say whether or not they like apples, Mai is trying to remember what simple predicates and compound sentences are. She relishes the few ‘activities’ in class, where she has a chance to actually put her English to use, rather than repeating basic vocabulary or ‘chanting’ in parrot fashion. At home, there is little opportunity to do so either, as her English skills far exceed those of the rest of the family. Even choosing to watch cartoons in English is rarely an option, given the presence of a strong-willed monolingual 7-year old sister and 3-year old brother. The challenge for me to is to decide how best to spend the one hour per week that Mai comes to private class. This is a challenge which I relish as Mai is a great student. I’m also delighted to say that she recently passed level Pre-2 of the STEP Eiken! Your thoughts Have you ever taught a returnee student? I would love to hear any comments or advice from your experience of teaching returnee students, particularly regarding some of the unique challenges it presents, and how best to deal with these. These are students with enormous potential, and we, as educators have a responsibility to ensure that we do all that we can to help them fully realize that potential. Andy Lawson is employed in several institutions, including Airline Business College Narita (ABCN) and LETS Kids, and recently featured in MASH Names, Faces & Ideas. ]]> http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2009/09/returnees_learning_paths_chall_1.html http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2009/09/returnees_learning_paths_chall_1.html Learners' Voices Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0900 A Recent Success Story in the Classroom While the focus of my endeavors is on teaching English to Japanese university students, I have also been ‘moonlighting’ in an area of personal passion: teaching research methods and statistics to my EFL peers. During my quantitative-heavy graduate studies in Hawaii, I found great rewards from instructing Masters students in their first course on statistics. It was a real joy to carefully guide apprehensive but eager students through the complex topics and abstract concepts of fundamental statistics that I had come to appreciate and enjoy so much in my own studies. Local conferences and JALT chapter meetings have provided me a venue to offer a variety of workshops related to statistics, quantitative research methods, and action research. However, these one-session workshops do not allow for in-depth exploration of topics nor give me the chance to work closely with a group of teachers over an extended period. Thanks to Steve and the MASH gang, I have finally been given an opportunity to get back into the statistics classroom and teach the quantitative arts in a way that is extremely satisfying. After attending my workshop, Zen and the Art of Statistics at a Kobe JALT meeting, Steve approached me about teaching an on-line course on statistics for a group of EFL colleagues. I jumped at the opportunity and a wonderful, collaborative partnership was born... Comment Show enthusiasm for everything you teach. It’s infectious and can lead to new, exciting opportunities. A thought or idea in progress I am in the process of developing a series of worksheets for the budding teacher-researcher. They offer a complete but simple guide to a flexible quantitative action research project that can be conducted with relative ease. This guide should serve as an educational experience and introduce the logic and procedures of a quantitative research study. Comment Seek out a niche. Become an expert in one specific area and branch out from there. The deeper you go, the better it gets. Like-minded people will find you, as I’ve been lucky to experience firsthand, and your professional, collaborative network will grow. From teacher-researcher to teacher-researchers In the beginning, focus more on a simple, solid research design that can be executed with minimal difficulty, rather than trying to answer big educational questions or solve complex problems. Getting bogged down with lengthy data collection periods and complicated schemes can lead nowhere fast and leave you feeling discouraged with research in general. Get a handle on research procedures with simple studies that are easy to complete and work your way up towards more advanced projects. Replicating previous research is also a great way to learn the process and make a valuable contribution to your field. If you’re curious about my work or perhaps ready to take a significant step in your own professional development, come check out one of my workshops or sit in on an introductory lesson of MASH’s next online course, Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods. You can find all you need to know at http://www.mash-collaboration-efl.com/ Editor's note: I originally met Greg at a Kobe JALT Chapter meeting where he was giving his Zen and the Art of Statistics presentation. Literally, five minutes into the presentation I knew I was going to approach him right after the workshop. I asked him to help a bunch of us take the next step in our professional development by becoming more proficient with quantitative research methods. Greg's enthusiasm for statistics is contagious. Come see what I mean... Daddy loves his lovely daughter - hook, line and sinker If you'd like to send in a column about yourself, we are always looking for more Names, Faces & Ideas Contact Steven Herder at steven.herder@gmail.com or click below to check us out a little further at http://www.mash-collaboration-efl.com/ ]]> http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2009/09/a_man_on_a_mission_significant.html http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2009/09/a_man_on_a_mission_significant.html MASH Names, Faces & Ideas Sat, 19 Sep 2009 19:49:38 +0900 What do students think about learning English? How do they feel about the future of English in Japan? What do they believe about language learning and teaching, and more questions that we’ve yet to ask them? Learners’ Voices provides a unique opportunity to share students’ stories, opinions, and ideas from the whole spectrum of English learning and teaching contexts in Japan (e.g. eikaiwa, private language schools, K-12, universities, juku, etc). Teachers are invited to discover more from our learners while offering them an incredible chance not only to be heard by thousands of teachers throughout Japan and across the globe, but also hear back from the professional community. Colin Skeates interviews interpretation student, Yuka Taniguchi In this learners' Voices interview we hear from Yuka, a student who is studying interpretation. The topic of our discussion is something that I overheard Yuka say a couple of weeks ago - she now believes that it is possible to learn English in Japan. I thought it might be interesting to ask Yuka to explain what she meant. The following is the result of our discussion. Interview with Yuka A significant point that I hear from this interview is the importance of having goals. Yuka talked about how her goals have changed over the course of her learning. As she thought more of what she wants to do with her English, her goals have become more and more specific. I think that this is interesting and reminds me of an old saying ... "It is a lot easier to get where you are going if you know where you want to go!" A component of language learning for Yuka seems to be setting goals for what she wants to do with her English. Interviewer: Colin Skeates University instructor Bio: I have taught in Japan for over 12 years now. 6 of those years have been at the university level. I love my job and feel successful when my students teach me something new..]]> http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2009/07/goals_like_maps_lead_us_in_the.html http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2009/07/goals_like_maps_lead_us_in_the.html Learners' Voices Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:15:58 +0900 A recent success in the classroom I have thoroughly enjoyed teaching a high intermediate level community center English circle for several years now. The class has approximately 12 members, most of whom are retirees and housewives. The weekly class is approximately 2 hours long, and generally involves one hour of free conversation (ranging from major world news to personal experiences) followed by the second hour, where a different student each week is responsible for a presentation (on almost any topic, ranging from inspirational leaders, to a personal hobby). As the class prepared for yet another 12-week cycle of student presentations (which had become a little stale in recent months), I suggested that it may be beneficial to ‘freshen-up’ the class by doing something different in the second hour. I proposed a series of informal class debates (which half of the students expressed a keen interest in, and the other half recoiled in horror at). A compromise was reached, with debates being held every second class (the other classes continuing to follow the individual presentation format). The process is entirely student-driven, with a different student proposing the resolution for each ‘debate’. The resolution is announced the week before, to allow time to prepare for those who wish to. On the day of the debate, one student takes the role of moderator, and the others are divided into two teams of equal numbers. Debate topics have been extremely wide and varied, and to my delight, all students (including those who were initially lukewarm to the idea) have greatly enjoyed participating. The depth of thinking and the level of creativity which I have had the pleasure of witnessing has been phenomenal. My role is to merely observe, take notes and after the moderator has given their verdict, comment on the performance. Students have been quite stunned to find out that their debates have lasted for over 40 minutes each time, with no intervention from the teacher, and no recourse to their native Japanese language. Comment: Sometimes, the hardest thing for teachers is to let go of the reins, and allow a genuinely student-driven learning environment. A thought or idea in progress How do non-native English speakers differ from native speakers in expressing agreement and discord? How great an influence does cultural background have on debating skills, and how much can students be ‘taught’ to transcend their own cultural norms when arguing in a foreign language? From teacher to teachers Teachers should never stop being learners. The day we lose the thirst to further our own learning is the day we should stop teaching. Andy loves hearing the thoughts of others on any teaching-related topic. He particularly likes hearing anything which questions the wisdom enshrined in all those expensive books we have on our shelves. Contact him at: andyATletsnaritaDOTcom Editor's note: I originally met Andy at the University of Birmingham summer seminar in Hiroshima in 2007. I was immediately impressed with his commitment to living life to the fullest. Whether in the classroom or on the town late at night, he always gave his best to the moment and to the people around him. Nearing the completion of his MA TEFL Dissertation, I look forward to him having more time to play EFL with all of us. Terry, Andy Lawson, Robert and Chris at the end of a long day of studying, If you'd like to send in a column about you, we are always looking for more Names, Faces & Ideas Contact Steven Herder at steven.herder@gmail.com or check us out a little further at http://www.mash-collaboration-efl.com/]]> http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2009/07/a_witty_man_a_wise_man_a_north.html http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2009/07/a_witty_man_a_wise_man_a_north.html MASH Names, Faces & Ideas Sat, 18 Jul 2009 13:15:14 +0900 As a student of Japanese, I was particularly interested in Cathy and Mia-san’s learning experiences, especially those few golden moments when all their hard work and study seemed to “click”, and they realized that they could understand another language. Both of them found songs and music to be the most enjoyable and effective methods for learning. Listen to their interview by clicking on the links below: Golden moments I (Cathy) Golden moments II (Mia-san) Teaching with movies and speeches Future goals for learning and teaching Their findings motivate me to do use movies for learning Japanese and see if it can work as well for me as it has for them. Cathy has transferred this method to her teaching as well. She holds regular Cinema English classes, which are fun, interesting, and can be viewed here: http://www.cinema-english.com/ Geoff Sinha Biography Geoff has lived in Japan for nine years, and has taught Junior and Senior high school students and adults, including senior learners. He is a University of Birmingham MA TEFL/TESL graduate and his special interest lies in sociolinguistics; especially in researching attitudes, global English, and in researching lifelong learners. ]]> http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2009/06/when_language_learning_clicks.html http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2009/06/when_language_learning_clicks.html Learners' Voices Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:55:30 +0900 eikaiwa (English conversation school) are adults; most of them are women between the ages of 35 and 65. I wanted to know what kept these keen students interested in learning English all these years, aside from their devilishly handsome teacher. I was lucky enough to coerce one of my students, Naomi, to sit down with me for a casual “interview” about her experiences learning English in Japan over the years. We covered many topics of interest to both English teachers and English learners: Why was there a decade-long gap in her English language learning and why did she eventually return to English? How does this lifelong learner maintain her motivation for learning English despite the limited opportunities to use it outside the classroom? How do group dynamics and Japanese culture influence her attitudes and behavior in the eikaiwa classroom? Aside from going to an eikaiwa, how has she studied English the last fifteen years, what are her current goals, and what advice does she have for other learners? Play Interview Part 1 Play Interview Part 2 [Editor's note: Please accept my apologies for having to split the interview in what turned out to interrupt Naomi mid-sentence, "I would...be quiet"] To all teachers out there, it would be interesting to hear if your lifelong learners share similar points of view. The more we know about these unique learners, the better equipped we will be to guide them on their English language learning journey. To all English learners reading this, please share your thoughts and opinions as well. In my experience, it’s best to get this kind of information straight from the horse’s mouth. Chris Wharton ]]> http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2009/05/lifelong_language_learners_wha.html http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2009/05/lifelong_language_learners_wha.html Learners' Voices Mon, 25 May 2009 00:00:00 +0900 A recent success story in the classroom The groans from my class of elementary school students were getting louder each week when the homework was assigned. Unsurprisingly, the quality of the homework was going in the opposite direction. I noticed that before my class, the students were either drawing or reading Japanese manga to pass the time. So, the next week when homework was assigned, I closed the regular workbook and presented students with a blank sheet of A4 paper and explained that they should create an English manga for homework – “anything goes”. I had never seen such excitement on their faces at the prospect of homework. The next week, before class, the students were sitting in the hallway proudly comparing manga. As I opened the door, they all rushed to hand me their homework. I immediately put them up on the bulletin board, and gave some well-deserved high fives. Comment When students, of any age, have a personal stake in their learning, and are intrinsically motivated, they can surprise you – if you give them a chance. A thought or idea in progress Textbooks are often seen as a necessity for overstretched English teachers, a crutch to help us through the long week. I strongly believe textbooks have their place, but over the past year or so, I’ve completely done away with them in my intermediate and advanced classes. Every week I try to prepare an interesting, well-rounded lesson based on a current event. The one-hour lessons include discussion points, listening comprehension, vocabulary and grammar work, and more discussion. Recently I proposed to an advanced class of four middle-aged women that each of them take turns making a lesson in October. We had a 30-minute “lesson clinic” the following week in which we went through a lesson template and walked through some steps on the computer to make life easier when copying articles from the Internet. We’ve already had two student-led lessons and they’ve both been very successful. The students who prepare the lessons get the most out of the experience, spending more than an hour looking through articles, selecting appropriate vocabulary items to focus on, and preparing interesting discussion questions. The students in the class also seem to be more interested because they feel more autonomy. Comment The more responsibility and independence we can give to our students in the learning process, the more they will get out of it. From teacher to teachers Talk to your students and find out what they like to do in and out of class, what they consider to be their strong and weak points, and regularly check to see if they are satisfied. Most teachers can tell if their students are uninterested in their lessons, but it’s not until you ask your students that you can find out why and make some adjustments. Chris enjoys discussing new ideas in EFL and is always looking for new research opportunities. He can be found online at chrisenglishsakata@yahoo.co.jp Editor's note Chris was one of our "Best of MASH 2008" presenters in Hiroshima last summer. In addition to presenting a well-researched topic, he speaks with a practical, easy-going interactive style that allows audiences to immediately connect with his message. If you'd like to send in a piece of your writing, we are always looking for more Names, Faces & Ideas Contact Steven Herder at steven.herder@gmail.com or check us out a little further at http://www.mash-collaboration-efl.com/ ]]> http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2009/05/chris_wharton_teacher_school_o_1.html http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2009/05/chris_wharton_teacher_school_o_1.html MASH Names, Faces & Ideas Sun, 24 May 2009 21:03:10 +0900 Brain studies, brain-compatible learning and brain research for teaching are all part of a quickly growing field otherwise known as Cognitive Linguistics. This topic is practical and very important: it is for teachers wanting to better connect with their learners and for teachers who want to have a bigger impact on students' learning. There are a number of cool people involved in this event, so we hope you'll consider joining us for a day of professional development through collaboration. Posters and postcards in various forms are available for download at the link below: http://idisk.mac.com/steven.herder-Public?view=web ]]> http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2009/05/very_cool_event_on_june_14th_i.html http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2009/05/very_cool_event_on_june_14th_i.html Sat, 23 May 2009 13:51:22 +0900 A recent success story in the classroom I am lucky – success stories are in abundance this job-hunting season – yet on the surface they appear to have little to do with English language study. I work in the English department of a Catholic, female, private junior college in a rural city in northern Japan. We are the last junior college in Tohoku that maintains a separate English department. Junior colleges in Japan were historically the ‘finishing schools’ of Japan, the focus being on domestic sciences and manners. This basis remains but has been modified to suit student needs in the 21st century. Now, more commonly, students transfer to four-year universities or start work in companies rather than move straight into domestic bliss. The success story rushes in – she just got a job. The success story is bubbling over with happiness, relief, excitement and anticipation. She will be working for the regional branch of a national bank – one of the best jobs our students can get. The student wanted to tell me straight away, “Thank you for your help,” she says. Sharing students’ successes is a precious experience. I know that she will not need English at work; she may never even speak English again. What was it then, the ‘help’ I provided, if not the ability to speak English? Why did she rush to tell me? Maybe it was my belief in her. Maybe it was the encouragement I provided when she was stressed. Maybe it was every interesting snippet of information she soaked up that kept her motivated. Maybe it was every smile, every laugh, every enjoyable moment shared that kept her heading on the right path. Maybe it was the learning process – not only of English study, but of leaving high school behind and becoming an independent woman. Just maybe I did help her. Two years is a short time but immeasurable in the distance traveled from nervous beginnings to blooming confidence. I was one small part of her success, and for that I am thankful. The big successes are the culmination of a myriad of small successes in the classroom and general college life. Language learning should be a pleasant experience, an experience marked by achievements. It is the responsibility of the teacher to make sure that every student accomplishes tasks, reaches goals and realizes their own unique potential. Comment Know your context. Know your students. Know your strengths as a teacher. Aim high. A thought or idea in progress My first degree back in the U.K was in Gender Studies. Recently I have begun to include gender-based research in my language research. This has increased my interest and broadened my future research fields. From teacher to teachers Learn Japanese (or the local language) and Japanese mannerisms. This not only provides a hefty dose of self-confidence, but enables participation in the greater arena of education (including non-teaching work). Becoming a professional is about involvement not ignorance. It is about taking on responsibilities and fulfilling them. It is about sharing the workload with our local colleagues. Joanne is just embarking on a journey that will surely be spotted by interesting encounters. She can be reached at: sato-jATssjcDOTacDOTjp Editor's note: "The" place to relax and unwind ]]> http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2009/05/we_feed_off_one_anothers_energ.html http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2009/05/we_feed_off_one_anothers_energ.html MASH Names, Faces & Ideas Fri, 08 May 2009 22:35:27 +0900 I have advocated over the years that teaching English using a variety of methodologies can be effective. Yet teaching a subject, using English as the medium can bring more meaning to the English and less focus on English as a subject in itself. The research I conducted for my MA looked at the interaction between students in a classroom where the focus was on doing something, rather than learning English per se. In the lessons I did leading up to this recording with the students, they learned some of the issues of global warming and the problems they will face as the next generation who will need to face this crisis head on. I’d like to separate this approach from ‘Task Based Learning’ where the focus is still on the use of English. I think students need to be challenged so that the language they get is based on the language they need at any given moment for something meaningful. Our assumption is that we learn language to communicate, yet with Vygotsky’s approach, children attempt to communicate and in doing so, acquire language (Scovel 2001). In my classes I have sought to promote student autonomy, getting students to learn English through English (de Boer, 2009). I have found that the English becomes more meaningful and applicable to the lesson they are doing. At the same time, they use the English right away after receiving it, either by scaffolding from another student or by asking for meanings or clarifications on what they are trying to say. In the audio clip here, I am asking the students their thoughts on learning in this kind of classroom, and what they thought of learning a subject in English. Please have a listen and tell me what you think! Play audio file Is anyone out there doing the same sort of teaching? Does anyone out there want to try this kind of methodology? If you have any comments I’d love to collaborate with you. Mark de Boer References de Boer, M. (2009). "The V-task: Building a more effective EFL classroom." In The Tohoku English Language Education Society, 29, 75-85. Scovel, T. (2001). Learning new languages. A guide to second language acquisition. Boston: Heinle & Heinle. ]]> http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2009/04/teaching_english_in_context_to.html http://www.eltnews.com/columns/mash/2009/04/teaching_english_in_context_to.html Learners' Voices Mon, 27 Apr 2009 23:10:59 +0900