February 2013 Meeting
February
Date and Time: Sunday, 17
February 2013
Schedule:
From 9.40 Registration
9.50-10.20 Jim Matchett (retiring JALT Toyohashi President) talked
about using drama activities
10.30-12.00 Morning
Presentation
Speakers: Anthony Robins, Misako Yamamoto, Ayako Nitta and Nami
Tanahashi (Aichi University of Education)
Presentation:
A Taste of Teaching more than 7,000 kilometers from home
Summer 2012 saw the first
opportunity for AUE students to experience
life teaching and observing classes in Australian schools.
Supported
by the Japanese Ministry of Education, 21 students who intend to be
English teachers spent three weeks in primary or secondary schools in
Queensland and Victoria.
Anthony described the
organization and aims of the project, as well
as the use of 'wikis' to share educational experiences while in
Australia. In addition, he considered developments for the
future.
Ayako, Misako and Nami were all at different schools and reflected
on their experiences and considered the benefits of exposure to a
different educational environment for teacher trainees.
Misako made her presentation in a poster style:
Participants shared their opinions
in groups on issues which were raised:
Bios: Anthony has worked in
Britain, Greece and Japan. For the last thirteen years, he has been
teaching in the International Cultural Studies course at Aichi
University of Education. Misako and Nami are seniors in the same
course, while Ayako is an English Education major. All three will
start teaching from April.
We enjoyed lunch
before the
afternoon activities
2.00-4.00 Afternoon Presentation
Speaker: Sue Sullivan (Aichi University)
Presentation: Introducing concrete
writing methods to usher
in abstract thought
Most of
the major art-avant garde movements of
last century had a writing component. “Exquisite Corpse”, Automatic
Writing, Events,
Cut-ups, Shape poems and “Words in Freedom”. Even though these sound
abstract,
the writing methods were incredibly concrete and students can utilise
them to
gain confidence, and to encourage their own understanding of histories
and
philosophies which still influence our own.
Bio: Susan Laura
Sullivan is a teacher of Comparative Culture at
Aichi University. She holds a Masters in TESOL and one in Creative Arts
(Creative Writing). She is particularly interested in getting students
to
maximize their English use through creative projects.
Find out about April's Presentation
Find out about our last meeting in December