Positive discourse analysis (PDA) is an approach where we look at successful projects and things in order to understand what makes them work. In this workshop, I will share some tools and examples of how people carry out PDA in real world settings. In doing so, we will learn how we can use PDA for both analysis of projects as well as creating our own projects with the aim of harmonising our communities and eco-systems.

The Story-Listening/Guided Self-Selected Reading Program (SL/GSSR) is a complete program for EFL/ESL students; the goal being to bring beginners to high intermediate/low advanced in 3 to 4 years. SL/GSSR provides a substantial amount of optimal input, thus causing language acquisition. This workshop will introduce and promote discussion on the SL delivery method and the positive evidence of a SL/GSSR program on reading, writing, vocabulary acquisition, and TOEFL and TOEIC.

People over the age of 60 are the fastest growing age-group world-wide, with age-related declines in cognitive abilities projected to have major social and economic implications. Bilingualism has been shown to protect against cognitive decline, and it has been argued that foreign language training late in life can also be beneficial to cognitive function. This workshop reviews the current evidence, exploring opportunities, and practical implications for the teachers of older learners.

This talk will share the findings of a study on EFL teacher associations in terms of their teacher development strategies for their members. How the associations and the members operate as a community of practice in a reciprocal relationship, how the growth of one side impacts that of the other will be highlighted. How the social capital builds through the reciprocity in the community will also be discussed.

Q-methodology is an underused research method to identify subjective views within a community about a particular topic. It includes both elements of quantitative and qualitative techniques to investigate people’s opinions without breaking them into a limited number of variables. In this workshop, I will give an overview of the method, take the audience through the basic steps, and consider its application. The workshop will include hands-on experiences and information on various software applications.

This workshop will illustrate an Access, Activity, and Awareness methodology (Jones & Carter, 2012) and show how we can apply this method to any piece of literature. This interactive workshop will demonstrate that literary texts are rich in both spoken and written language by asking participants to work directly with a range of sample texts. It will also show that such texts can develop student engagement and language awareness at different levels and age groups.

The movement of people across borders means that Japanese communities are changing. However, if attitudes towards gender and cultural diversity do not also change communities may become breeding grounds for intolerance and discrimination. This workshop will explore how teachers can help foster attitudes of openness and acceptance of cultural difference and be agents of social change through blending social activism and cultural awareness in our pedagogy. Participants will leave with practical ideas for classroom use.

Join us to celebrate the best speakers at JALT events, selected by JALT's chapters and special interest groups.

Rebecca Oxford and Matilde Olivero invite language educators to see themselves and their students as potential peacebuilders. The workshop involves short, dynamic activities that enhance language and peace competencies simultaneously. These activities are related to the Language of Peace Approach, positive psychology, social and emotional learning (SEL), and “21st Century Skills,” such as communication, collaboration, creativity, cultural understanding, critical thinking, and commitment. Participants receive a link to abundant materials, information, and contacts for possible collaboration.

Heather McCulloch will draw on her own experience and research to examine what introversion is and what it is not. Her analyses of what goes on inside the introverted brain will help participants understand why introverts are so overwhelmed in social situations. She will discuss teacher attitudes that could help or hinder introvert performance within the classroom. She will offer participants ways to help introverts and extroverts work together to create a balanced community.

This research explores tensions arising from the internationalization of higher education through analyzing language teaching and applied linguistics job advertisements. Using discourse analysis we examine job advertisements across institutions with attention to how institutions represent themselves and the work they solicit. The current study, by examining job advertisements from Anglophone countries and Japan-based institutions in English, English and Japanese, and Japanese, clarifies similarities and differences in institutional and job position representations across national communities.

This presentation focuses on the experiences of female English language teachers (ELT) from the African continent and of the African Diaspora (Black women) who currently reside in Japan. Using the narrative inquiry methodology (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000) to explore her participants’ stories, along with auto-ethnography, the researcher will discuss how and if perceptions of gender, race and racial stereotyping impact upon their participation in professional Communities of Practice as described by Wenger (2002).

As the population ages, and more becomes known about the benefits of late-life language study, the number of senior language learners continues to increase. However, teacher education programs generally provide very little input on the opportunities and challenges of teaching languages to people aged over 60. This workshop explores the social and cultural construction of age, the stereotypes faced by older learners, and suggests ways teachers can tailor learning activities to maximise motivation and involvement.

This is a workshop looking at ways in which we can use real-world experiences and environmental activities to help young learners deal with anxiety and a feeling of powerlessness in an age of crises. How can teachers and communities build and participate in projects that empower children and enable them to play their part in protecting the natural environment around them?

Recent developments in corpus-informed materials (McCarthy & McCarten, 2018), have greatly improved the dialogues learners encounter in textbooks, but many can be unnatural. As a result, there is a need for more realistic and motivating models of speech. Dramatised literature offers one such model. This presentation reports on research using an example of such literature (the BBC show Sherlock) and explores how it can be used to motivate learners and develop spoken language awareness.

At JALT Executive Board Meetings (EBMs), Chapter, SIG, and National JALT officers present reports, discuss JALT business, and vote on motions that are brought before the assembly. During the year, these JALT officers attend two weekend EBMs. Although this EBM is scheduled to last for only one hour, important business will be discussed and conducted. All JALT members are warmly invited to attend the EBM and observe the management of JALT business in person.

In this workshop, participants will be led through the qualitative research process of a recently completed project using critical discourse analysis to analyze higher education job advertisements (Muller & Skeates, 2020). Discussion topics will include how the project was conceived, decisions regarding methodology, the coding process, and how collaboration strengthened the research. We will conclude with a practical discussion of how workshop participants can plan and execute their own qualitative research projects.

This workshop follows in a practical way from the plenary address. I will describe how my philosophy on the personal / professional divide shifted due to one student’s bravery. I will discuss my decision to come out to my students and outline the positive knock-on effects, including what I learnt about the power of any form of self-disclosure and how it can be engineered to build openness, curiosity and trusting learning environments.

Despite the initial expectation for obtaining a similar vocabulary acquisition rate from Story-Listening Method with Japanese adult students, the results of this study instead suggested what should not be done with Story-Listening instruction. This study has shown what we need to be careful about when we give a Story-Listening lesson, and also suggests that when optimal input is not present, it is difficult to produce optimal results.

The end of the show, and we will welcome some of our plenary, featured, and invited guest speakers to offer some final words and reflections on the conference. Audience participants will be encouraged to ask questions and offer insights of their own. After the panel discussion we will here about what is to come for JALT2021!