Abstracts - Featured Sessions
The 2008 conference had three featured speakers. Professor Charles Browne from Meiji Gakuin University in Tokyo (Japan) delivered the Featured Session on the subject of Cell Phones, iPods and PCs: Building Bridges to Our Students' Futures through Building Their Vocabulary. Associate Professor Marguerite MacDonald from the Department of English at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio (USA) delivered the Featured Session on the subject of Building Connections in Large Classes for Bridges to the World. Assistant Professor Shawn Loewen from Michigan State University delivered the Featured Session on the subject of Innovative Approches to Teaching Grammar in the L2 Classroom.
“Cell Phones, iPods and PCs: Building Bridges to Our Students’ Futures through Building Their Vocabulary”
Over the past two decades, the importance of extensive graded reading and the teaching of high frequency vocabulary has become an accepted part of the SLA literature. At the same time, there has been almost an explosive growth in the use of electronic devices by students. How many words do our students actually know? Is it possible to accurately identify the words that each learner knows and which ones should be studied next? How can online technology be used to efficiently test and teach these words? This presentation will discuss both the theoretical underpinnings and practical applications of the online testing and teaching of vocabulary for EFL students. Among other things, I will introduce a computer adaptive vocabulary test based on Item Response Theory, electronic flashcards and games based on research in the area of time-intervalled learning and electronic graded reading and listening materials to supplement the vocabulary learning programs.
Click here to download Charles Browne's presentation file.
“Building Connections in Large Classes for Bridges to the World”
In order to build bridges to the world, teachers must first create connections in their own classrooms so that students can be active participants in learning communicative skills. However, large classes present many challenges to a student-centered classroom. This workshop introduces Team English, a technique to help manage and motivate classes of 40, 60, or more students. Combining a sports theme and techniques often recommended for large classes, Team English organizes students into semi-permanent teams of mixed ability, which in turn can be broken into smaller heterogeneous or homogeneous groups, depending on the focus of the activity. After describing Team English organization and implementation, the workshop shows how a school in rural Thailand is using this technique to introduce group work into elementary and junior high school classrooms. Finally, participants engage in Team English activities to identify ways in which they can adapt their classroom for greater student involvement.
Click here to download Marguerite MacDonald's presentation file.
“Innovative Approaches to Teaching Grammar in the L2 Classroom”
This talk addresses the issue of how to integrate attention to the accurate use of grammar within activities that are designed to promote fluent oral production. One way to achieve such integration is through focus on form, which includes, among other methods, error correction. While many second language classes include communicative activities in order to improve students’ speaking skills, the role of attention to grammatical accuracy in these contexts is debated. For instance, should teachers correct learner errors during communicative activities? If so, how should errors be corrected? Which errors should be addressed? Furthermore, should students be encouraged to raise questions about grammatical items during discussion activities? Such questions will be explored during this talk. Participants will be encouraged to consider their own beliefs about error correction/focus on form and the impact of these beliefs on classroom interaction. Specific recommendations that teachers can take to the classroom will be discussed.