Osaka JALT Annual General Meeting (AGM) online

Sunday, December 10, 2023 - 9:30am to 10:30am

It's that time of year again for our Annual General Meeting (AGM) to report and reflect on the past year as a Chapter and discuss plans for the coming one, including chapter officer positions. Nominations for all officer positions are open to Osaka Chapter members up to and during the meeting. Officer terms are for one year, starting January 1st. If a position is contested, we'll hold an online election after the AGM.

To get a better sense of our team of officers, here is our current roster.

RSVP HERE to get the Zoom link, to give feedback, and/or to let us know whether you might be interested in serving as an officer or in some other way in the coming year. 

This is a good chance to learn more about Osaka JALT, share ideas, and meet several of our officers and regular members. We do hope to see you online at the meeting, but if you're not able to attend, you can still nominate yourself or another Osaka JALT member for an officer position, or give us feedback on the RSVP link. 

Address: 

Osaka

Japan

Kansai-Hokuriku 4-Corners: Exploring the Global and Local Dimensions of Narrative Inquiry in Language Teacher Identity Research

Friday, Dec 1, 7-9 pm
Join us for an enlightening workshop that delves into the profound global and local applications of narrative inquiry within the realm of language teacher identity research. Narrative inquiry is a meticulous examination of “how individuals employ stories to construct meaning from their experiences in fields of inquiry where comprehending phenomena from the perspectives of those who undergo them is of paramount significance" (Barkhuizen et al., 2014, p. 2). Language teacher identity, on the other hand, encapsulates the manner in which educators perceive themselves as instructors and how they are perceived by others in their role as educators. Throughout this workshop, Professor Barkhuizen and Professor Takaaki Hiratsuka will elucidate the intricacies of narrative inquiry and the concept of language teacher identity. They will underscore the profound advantages of equipping researchers with a deep understanding of narrative inquiry’s fundamental principles in the context of language education. Additionally, they will emphasize the importance of educators being mindful of the evolution of their identities within the specific contexts in which they operate.

Gary Barkhuizen is Professor of Applied Linguistics at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. His teaching and research interests are in the areas of language teacher education, teacher and learner identity, study abroad, and narrative inquiry. Originally from South Africa, he obtained his MA from Essex University in the UK, and his doctorate from Teachers College, Colombia University. His latest book is Language Teachers Studying Abroad: Identities, Emotions and Disruptions (2022, Multilingual Matters). 

Takaaki Hiratsuka is Professor of Applied Linguistics at Ryukoku University in Kyoto, Japan, where he supervises master’s and PhD students, both Japanese and non-Japanese, in related fields of language teacher education and narrative inquiry. His recent book publications include: Narrative Inquiry into Language Teacher Identity: ALTs in the JET program (2022, Routledge), Team Teachers in Japan: Beliefs, Identities, and Emotions (2023, Routledge), and Native-speakerism and Trans-speakerism: Entering a New Era (in press, Cambridge University Press).

This video of the two presenters discussing Professor Barkhuizen's plenary topic will give a good sense of what to expect.

This event is co-sponsored by the Kobe, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, and Hokuriku Chapters of JALT, and will be held online as part of the 4-Corners Tour in which invited speakers at the annual international JALT conference give additional presentations throughout the country before and after the conference. Please register here to receive the Zoom link.

Promoting Critical Multiculturalism in the Japanese EFL Classroom: Conceptualization, Design, and Delivery

Promoting Critical Multiculturalism in the Japanese EFL Classroom: Conceptualization, Design, and Delivery

Sunday, October 8, 2023 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm

In an era of social justice and racial reckoning, teachers have been increasingly addressing topics related to race/racism, ethnicity, and identity. However, some may consider tackling such issues as daunting, complex, and too controversial to broach in Japanese EFL settings. This may be due to not only vague student background knowledge but also teacher uncertainty with respect to course design and implementation. This workshop will demonstrate how Kubota's (2012) basic concepts of critical multiculturalism can be applied to design a university CLIL course. Activities from the course will be simulated, and discussions that reflect on those activities will be facilitated. Any questions or concerns about best practices when it comes to the promotion of diversity, intercultural awareness, and inclusion in ELT course creation will be addressed.

Gregory Paul Glasgow is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at Kanda University of International Studies. He is a critical applied linguist who draws on social theory to examine the politics of Global English(es) in language teaching in contemporary society. Most specifically, he is interested in issues of language, race, and identity as they relate to the implementation of English language education policy and pedagogical practice. Glasgow holds a Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics from the University of Queensland in Australia and previously served as an English Language Specialist for the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo.

ZOOM Online presentation *registration required*
Contact: fujimotodonna@gmail.com to get the Zoom link; and with any questions.
This event is co-sponsored with SIETAR-Kansai.

Summer Eikaiwa Forum

Please join Osaka JALT in our second Summer Eikaiwa Forum! Current and former Eikaiwa teachers as well as any and all language professionals can meet, network and grow professionally in this series of presentations from Eikaiwa teachers. The event is online and free. All are welcome!

This time we'll have two presenters:

Paschal Orjika has been teaching English in Japan for half a decade now. He holds a B.A. in Philosophy and an M.A. in Human Resource Development. His field of specialization is adult education with an emphasis on self-directed learning. 

He will be presenting Self-directed Learning in the English Classroom.

Olivia Allanson is from Sydney, Australia, but now resides in Shiga, Japan where she works as an Eikaiwa English Teacher. She graduated from The University of Sydney with a bachelor's in English along with a master's in TESOL where she gained experience teaching practical English to international students. Born in the middle of a cultural hot pot, she developed a passion for language and its ability to connect and unite people of different backgrounds. As such, she places great value on language as a communicative tool, rather than as a summative assessment.

She will present a condensed version of her Masters thesis which focuses on CLT (Communicative Language Teaching). In this she will touch upon the key principles, goals and benefits of CLT through an interactive approach

Please register for the event here.

Summer social by the river, in Minoh park

Come join us in Minoh Park by (and in) the river to cool down, connect with old and new friends, and help wind down the semester while helping raise awareness of and some funds for a good cause. We'll have some refreshments to share, but please bring a bento if you like, snacks, beverages, and a rubber duck if you have one and would like to participate in the rubber duck race! (Rubber ducks can be found at Daiso and other stores.) It's 100 yen to sponsor a duck, or pitch in whatever you like, with all proceeds going to support Kodomo Shokudo, a volunteer group that provides free or reduced-priced meals for underprivileged children in Minoh and throughout Japan.

Meet at Minoh station at 2:00, or join us on the east bank of the river about halfway to the falls whenever you can, for as long or as short a time as you like as you enjoy all that the park has to offer. All are welcome, and the more the merrier!

If you miss the group get-together at 2pm, simply come up the walkway towards the waterfall. Walk past the Insect Museum and after walking under the red bridge at Ryoanji Temple you will see Yamamoto Coffee shop on your right. Go down the slope towards it, cross the rustic bridge looking at the "Monsoon Cafe" blue tarp, take a left, and keep walking along the river until you find us near the next bridge and public bathroom.

RSVP here to give us an idea of how many to expect, and to get emails of updated and more detailed information.