The ICNALE Corpus and what it tells us about how Japanese university students speak and write in English

Learner corpora are ‘systematic collections of authentic, continuous and contextualized language use (spoken or written) by L2 learners stored in electronic format’ (Callies & Paquot, 2015). For EFL instructors, examining student language production through corpora can improve one’s understanding of such issues as frequent spelling and grammatical errors, and over/under-use of particular words or phrases by learners at different proficiency levels. This presentation will begin with an overview of some of the key findings from learner corpus research to date. The focus will then shift to a look at the ICNALE suite of corpora (Ishikawa, 2023). Participants will be given a brief explanation of the various corpora available, followed by useful insights into the spoken and written language production of Japanese university students. I also present the provisional findings of an ongoing co-investigation into lexical bundles in argumentative essays and monologues taken from two ICNALE subcorpora. Finally, I will offer recommendations and advice on how teacher practitioners can best utilize learner corpora for their own pedagogical purposes.

Location: Tokimeito in Plaka 1, Niigata Station

Date: Sunday, February 2nd, 2025

Time: 10:00-12:00

Fee: Free for JALT members and first-time guests, 500 yen for others

Integrating AI into Language Education - A Workshop for Teachers

In this workshop, we'll delve into the benefits and potential drawbacks of incorporating AI in language education. We'll explore how educators can integrate the new technology to create content-specific materials that are level-appropriate for their students. Furthermore, we'll discuss the use of AI as a tool for language learners, including the creation of study plans and receiving constructive feedback on coursework.

Additionally, we will cover topics such as managing institutional policies, addressing privacy concerns, and student training. Please bring your laptop as we explore the possibilities and address concerns. 

Location: Tokimeito Room (Niigata Station’s Plaka 1, 2F), Niigata City

Date: June 11, 2023

Time: 1-3pm

Fee: Free for JALT members, 500 yen for non-JALT members

Niigata MyShare Event and General Meeting 2022

Niigata Chapter's first live event in 3 years. We will have a MyShare event by members followed by a general chapter meeting. Hybrid setting (in-person at Tokimeito, online on Zoom).

Location: Plaka 1, ときめいと イベント会場 (Tokimeito)

Date: December 4, 2022

Time: 2-4pm

Fee: Free for JALT members

Canva for Educators: A Workshop and Case Study

This workshop is for educators at any level who would like to explore how to use Canva, an online graphic design platform. Learn how to take advantage of Canva's user-friendly functions, library of royalty-free resources, and educational templates to create visual content. From presentations to worksheets, infographics, and video posters, join us to explore the world of Canva from an educator's perspective. In the second half we will take a look at a case study of how Canva was used in a college-level classroom. The speakers will discuss their experience of using posters for academic purposes and how they made the best use of Canva for their students. This event is co-sponsored by TD SIG, ALL SIG, LLL SIG, and Niigata Chapter.

Location: Online

Date: June 5, 2022

Time: 1-3pm

Fee: Free for JALT and non-JALT members

Helping You Help Your Learners: Q&A with a School Counselor

Join us for this free online Q&A event with clinical psychologist/school counselor Chigusa Sato. Her specialties include developmental differences, bullying, trauma, anxiety, depression, school refusal, and family issues.

Now is your chance to get a professional's answers to all those nagging questions you have! Chigusa has 15 years of experience as a public school counselor.

Location: Online

Date: March 20, 2022

Time: 1-3pm

Promoting Diversity and Inclusion through the Lens of our Learners

Location: Online

Date: December 18, 2021

Time: 2-4pm

How are modern Japanese learning environments tackling diversity & inclusion? How can we help our learners appreciate and share their own cultures? What does it mean to educate our learners to become "global leaders" in Asia? How can we create more inclusive learning spaces?

Join us for a lively and inspiring workshop delving into these issues and more.

Diversity and inclusion are currently buzz words in many events in Japan, from corporate trainings trickling down to primary and secondary school MEXT-approved textbooks for UN 2030. But in reality, how much of it is for show, and how are modern day Japanese learning environments really tackling diversity and inclusion?

My experience as a returnee, a bilingual English teacher and teacher trainer has given me a unique perspective. I see and hear different perspectives, and they are usually one’s perceived idea of diversity and inclusion from their upbringing and life experiences. Having studied in the West for most of my life, I also feel a strong affiliation with Western philosophy. But from a personal and cultural anthropological perspective, I feel Western values greatly undermine the beauty and uniqueness of Asian cultures; not in the Western world, but through the lens of the East.

How can we then help our Japanese learners who belong to this so-called homogeneous country become more aware to appreciate and share their own culture? I believe opening (rather than withholding) their eyes to the serious social issues in our country and the global issues that will greatly affect us needs to be shared more in the classroom as meaningful discourse.

As global citizens ourselves, what does it mean to educate learners to become “global leaders” in Asia? Will Western approaches to intersectionality resonate with learners in most secondary schools and some universities where the presence of diversity may not be as apparent? What are the roles that each of us, with our unique identities, can play in helping fill-in the gaps?

What about being Japanese? Other countries’ citizens have great pride and come to Japan carrying that national identity with them. How can we empower our Japanese learners to carry that same respect for themselves? What about those in Japan who are segregated, marginalized or have fewer rights due to their ethnicity? How can we create a more inclusive learning space for them? What about people with disabilities? Our neurodiverse learners? How can we address LGBTQ rights more openly?

Please join me and share your cultural perspectives, knowledge and views on diversity and inclusion. Through meaningful activities that reinforce awareness, communication and understanding, let’s help our learners in Japan develop the confidence and skills to clearly express their thoughts and opinions about who they are, how they would like to be seen by others, and show them what they can bring into this world as empowered, Japanese global citizens.

Developments in Professional Development

An afternoon with something for everyone! In this online event, we will host two 45-minute sessions, each with two concurrent workshops. as well as a plenary from 4-5pm. This is a free event, sponsored jointly by Niigata, Gifu, Saitama, and Shizuoka chapters.

Location: Online

Date: December 5, 2021

Time: 2-5pm

Sessions A (2 concurrent workshops) 2:00-2:45pm

1) Collaborating to Create Strong Relationships and Better Instructors: Kazumi Kato, Wendy M. Gough

2) Getting Published in JALT Publications: Melodie Cook

Session B (2 concurrent workshops) 3:00-3:45pm

1) ELI PD: An Institutional Approach to Teacher Professional Development: Jennie Roloff Rothman

2) Positive Psychology and Teacher Wellbeing: Mary Nobuoka

Plenary 4:00-5:00pm

The Impact of Covid-19 on Part-time University English Teacher Wellness in Japan: Wendy M. Gough, Chiyuki Yanase, Colin Skeates, Bill Snyder

For more information about the presentations, visit this link: https://jalt.org/event/niigata/21-12-05 

Presentation Skills We Need Today

Presenting is in the nature of many jobs today, including teachers. Whether the presentations are done in a small classroom or at a big conference, it takes some skills to deliver your story or what you would like to share. With that in mind, what makes a good presentation? What keeps people engaged with your words? How can you maximize the impact of your talks through visual aids and speaking style?

In this presentation, two teachers will draw upon their experiences and explore effective presentation styles and techniques. From tips on designing and structuring your slides to the delivery of points, the session aims to provide practical suggestions on various elements of presentations to help the audience to know what to look out for to improve themselves. A workshop portion will be included for the attendees to discuss and practice applying the shown techniques. Depending on time, a Q&A section may also be included.

Location: Online

Date: September 19, 2021

Time: 1-3pm

Fee: Free for JALT and non-JALT members