New issue (#4) of 'ELT in Japan'

ELT in Japan started here at Japan Higher Education Outlook as special features about teaching EFL in Japan. It is now a sister blog and online publication. The latest issue is here:

http://eltinjapan.blogspot.com/2011/10/elt-in-japan-issue-4-october-2011.html

It is also viewable as a public google document and can be downloaded as a PDF from this location:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B8LogtWAF3y8NGIwNGNjNjQtOGM0Zi00ZTNmLWIxZjgtZTk3MzJjYTQzNmYz&hl=en_GB

TEFL Forum: ELT in Japan, Issue #3 (Aug-Sep 2010)

ELT in Japan, Issue #3 (Aug-Sep 2010)

 
Article 1: Schema theory: Is this set of concepts relevant to TEFL?

Article 2: Truespel - the English-based phonetic notation  for both ESL and EFL

Article 3: Writing systems across languages and cultures: Implications for language teaching and learning 

Article 4: Japanese publishers of EFL books for self-study/ 自習のための言語・英語材料の出版社

Article 5: Key concepts in EFL literacy: Phonics vs. whole language

Article 6: Three phonics, spelling and whole word activities for EFL learners

Article 7: Should the JET Programme be axed?

Should the JET Programme be axed?

Should the JET Programme be axed?

by Charles Jannuzi

University of Fukui

(and JET Programme ALT 1989-1992)

The JET Programme (official site: http://www.jetprogramme.org/index.html ) is a teaching and cultural exchange program in Japan that brings over 4400 people from overseas (for a detailed breakdown of the stats, see: http://www.jetprogramme.org/e/introduction/statistics.html ). It then places most of them as 'assistant language teachers' (ALTs) in middle schools and high schools all across the country. While there are a small number of people from countries where English is a foreign language (officially 36 countries participate), and there are posts for 'coordinators for international relations' (CIRs), who specialize in things like translation, the vast majority of JET Programme participants are natives of an anglophone country, young adults, recent graduates from university, and they will team teach as ALTs.

There has been a lot of discussion online and in newspapers recently about the purposes and usefulness of the JET Programme because the program is quite likely to be either drastically cut or eliminated altogether. In terms of money spent and personnel employed, JET is already past its earlier peaks anyway.

It should be noted that discussions like this one here at ELT in Japan are usually held because the rationale for the program is being questioned--indeed, its reason for being has always been questioned, since the program's inception 25 years ago, back in the bubble 80s. However, these sorts of discussions have no effect on whether or not the program is increased, maintained, curtailed or eliminated. Rather such disucssions are more like: Who do you think will win the World Cup next time? We are spectators who must speculate.

Defenders of the program have often argued that, even if the JET Programme is relatively low impact in terms of teaching and language learning, its main goal is something called 'cross- cultural exchange' (or often 'cross-cultural understanding'). One problem with this notion is that it is difficult to pin down just what that is or how to quantify it (even roughly quantify it). Since the program only employs people by the few thousand and scatters them thinly across the country, that really doesn't seem to be much of a population for cross-cultural exchange compared to the large numbers of Chinese, for example, who have come to Japan to work or attend school.

Another problem with the idea of the JET Program as 'cultural exchange' is that it supports a major prejudice that pervades Japan and its thinking about the rest of the world. That is, for Japan, cross-cultural exchange consists of maintaining good relations with anglophone countries like the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

A last weakness in the cultural defense of the program could be stated thus: Isn't the whole idea of foreign language education based, at least in part, on the rationale of furthering cultural understanding? So wouldn't the needs of cross-cultural exchange be met equally or better by emphasizing foreign language teaching and learning?

I predict that the ongoing economic, monetary and fiscal crises that Japan has will lead to the JET Programme being abolished or cut to a size that most will forget the program exists. However, I would like to hope that the program could be revised or transformed so that something worthwhile could be scraped up from the ashes.

Japan as a country needs a foreign policy independent of the hegemon, the United States. Perhaps a step towards that would be to achieve some sort of real mutual understanding with the rest of Asia (including Russia). This could also be expanded to include non-anglophone countries all around the world, but perhaps most significantly Latin America and Africa. However, the economic and cultural significance of developed and developing Europe (outside of the UK) would justify as much a focus as the US or the UK or other developed English-speaking countries get now in Japan in terms of 'international relations' and cross-cultural exchange. 

With that in mind, the JET Programme could be revised to something along these lines: It should become a true EXCHANGE program of EFL and foreign language teachers, from the primary to the university level. For example, language teachers from China, S. Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Italy, Russia, etc. come to Japan for one year. Japanese EFL and foreign language teachers go abroad and work in schools in such countries for one year.

All this is not to say that the current JET Programme (or its antecedents) has been a failure.    It is not really a matter for me to judge. I am only offering here an idea that might help make such exchange a venture with a deeper educational impact.

If the JET program has failed, it seems most likely just another aspect of Japan's inability to reform and improve foreign language education at all levels of education. If the ALTs comprise a 'token foreign element' at public and private schools in Japan, the same thing could be said for the foreign nationals teaching EFL at the thousands of universities and colleges in Japan. So if Japan, its education system, and its government can not come to a collective understanding of what they need in terms of foreign language education, THAT--as has been made clear to me numerous times--is a matter for Japan and the Japanese.

-------------------------------------

Note: for more detailed statistics and facts about the JET Programme, see the following sources:

>> Participants Totals by Countries

>> Participant Totals by Host Prefecture/Designed City and Country

>> Contracting Organisation ALT/CIR Placement Numbers

>> SEA Participants Numbers by Contracting Organisation

TEFL Forum: ELT in Japan, Issue #3 (August 2010)

27 August 2010

ELT in Japan, Issue #3 (August 2010)

Feature 1: Schema theory: Is this set of concepts relevant to TEFL?

Feature 2: Truespel - the English-Based Phonetic Notation  for ESL and EFL as Well

Feature 3: Writing Systems Across Languages and Cultures: Implications for Language Teaching and Learning

Feature 4: Japanese publishers of EFL books for self-study/ 自習のための言語・英語材料の出版社 

 

'ELT in Japan' is the sister publication of 'Japan HEO'

If you teach EFL in Japan or are interested in doing so, by all means, check it out:

http://www.eltinjapan.com/

http://eltinjapan.blogspot.com/

The latest issue of ELT in Japan is located here:

http://eltinjapan.blogspot.com/2010/08/elt-in-japan-issue-3-august-2010_3658.html


ELT in Japan's feature articles are archived at the links below:

 ELT-J ISSUE ARCHIVE

• ELT in Japan Issue #2 (March 2010) as online readable/downloadable documents
• ELT in Japan Issue #2 (March 2010)
• ELT in Japan Issue #1 (December 2009) bonus article
• ELT in Japan Issue #1 (December 2009) as online readable/downloadable documents
• ELT in Japan Issue #1 (December 2009)

TEFL in Japan Forum: ELT in Japan's next two issues

A look ahead: ELT-J Issues #3 and #4

ELT in Japan's next two issues

This is what will appear in issue #3 of ELT in Japan, which, if published on schedule, ought to appear in June.  The article titles may be revised, but these will give you an idea of what the articles will cover.


1. Textbook selection for university EFL classes in Japan

2. Directory of EFL publishers for the Japanese market

3. The Visual Pronunciation Dictionary (VPD): An introductory overview

4. Teaching and learning English /l/s and /r/s

5. Introduction to Truespel--a phonetic alphabet based on the principles of English pronunciation and spelling conventions   

This is what will appear in issue #4 of ELT in Japan, which, if published on schedule, ought to appear in August-September.  The article titles may be revised, but these will give you an idea of what the articles will cover.

1. Phonemic Awareness is a native literacy concept, but does it have applications for EFL?

2. A overview of schema theory for EFL teaching and learning 

3. Semantic Feature Analysis (SFA) adapted to the EFL classroom 

Independent Textbook Publishers

Independent Textbook Publishers

There are a number of these catering to the EFL market in Japan, including course books for conversation-oriented classes taught at university-levels. ELT in Japan will try to add more of these as we find them. Textbook publishers, please submit your website info.


Abax ELT Publishers
http://www.abax.co.jp/index.html
http://www.abax.co.jp/en/catalog/index.html
sales@abax.co.jp

EFL Press
http://www.eflpress.com/
http://www.eflpress.com/books.html

Intercom Press
インターカムプレス
http://www.intercompress.com/
texts@intercompress.com

Matsuka Phonics
http://www.mpi-j.co.jp/store/96.html
http://www.mpi-j.co.jp/store/92.html
http://www.mpi-j.co.jp/store/125.html
http://www.mpi-j.co.jp/store/125.html

Perceptia Press

http://www.perceptiapress.com/index.html
http://www.perceptiapress.com/sample_request.php

Seido Institute
http://www.seido.jp/books/en/index.html

TEFL in Japan Forum: Japanese publishers of EFL books for self-study/自習のための言語・英語材料の出版社

Japanese publishers of EFL books for self-study

Charles Jannuzi, University of Fukui, Japan

Self-study is really a potential growth market for many publishers, including the ones who dominate university textbooks. So there is potential for overlap with the list of publishers of Japanese EFL university textbooks.　More companies will move into self-study materials to try and offset the declining cohorts of young people. Even if university and tertiary enrollment hasn't started to decline yet, it is somewhat stagnant. Perhaps the decline in enrollment has been delayed by the final expansion of the tertiary sector opening up more enrollment slots combined with the fact that more young people stay out of the full-time workforce and in education or training longer. 

I have listed here mostly publishers who didn't make it into the previous list of textbook publishers. English-language pages are rare at these websites, although there are some.

Sunmark even has an online and downloadable catalogue of English-language titles, usually in the areas of 'inspirational' and 'self-help/self-improvement'. Kodansha is a renowned publisher of English-language titles for Japanese language and cultural studies, but is also a major publisher in the Japanese language. The NHK listed here is the publishing arm of the national broadcaster; NHK produces EFL programs for both radio and TV and these have text magazine and textbooks or supplementary materials associated with the program (such as the Dr. Corpus materials). 

ALC, DHC (the publishing arm of the cosmetics and nutritional supplements company) and Z-Kai have carved out niches in correspondence courses, and these have stand-alone self-study books (e.g., on English listening, English reading, TOEIC, etc.) that can be bought and used separately (such as adapted to your own EFL courses).


I have tried to list useful links to get you into the parts of the online listings of EFL-related titles in order to save you time in navigating Japanese-language sites.

The benefits of adapting some of these materials to your university, college and other tertiary-level EFL courses include the following:

(1) These materials will be understood by all students because explanations are in Japanese; 

(2) such materials often contain a lot of tips, hints, coaching advice and motivational material in the language that all students will understand; 

(3) these titles tend to be more practical than the university publishers', although there is a lot of overlap and the trend is toward convergence under the category of 'edutainment' and 'infotainment'; and

(4) these materials are self-contained and self-sufficient (with CDs, DVDs, answer keys), so the learners who are more keen can continue to use them after the course is over.

I have used such self-study materials for TOEIC study classes, and I use bi-lingual screenplays in some General English classes in order to add extensive reading and listening components, areas that have long been neglected in TEFL in Japan.   

ALC
アルク
http://www.alc.co.jp/
http://www.alc.co.jp/eng/index.html
http://shop.alc.co.jp/cnt/bunya/?afcd=leftjs_bunya_top

Chukei 
中経
http://www.chukei.co.jp/
http://www.chukei.co.jp/language/
http://www.chukei.co.jp/language/news.php
http://www.chukei.co.jp/search/index.php?search=1&obj_type=obj_3&category=2&sub_category=211

Cosmic - includes Bi-lingual Screenplays w/DVDs
http://www.cosmicpub.jp/shopdetail/006008000009/
 
英語とEnglishをつなぐDHCの英語講座
English Language Education of DHC
http://www.edu.dhc.co.jp/
http://www.edu.dhc.co.jp/fun_study/
info@edu.dhc.co.jp

DHC English language study materials
http://www.dhc.co.jp/goods/cagoods.jsp?cCode=11218000

DHC English language study materials - bilingual screenplay books
http://www.dhc.co.jp/goods/cagoods.jsp?cCode=11218009

Diamond
ダイヤモンド社
http://www.diamond.co.jp
http://book.diamond.co.jp/

J-Research
有限会社　ジェイ・リサーチ出版
Jリサーチ出版
http://www.jresearch.co.jp/
http://www.jresearch.co.jp/category/books/107/
http://www.jresearch.co.jp/category/books/106/

Kodansha
http://www.kodansha-intl.com/
http://www.kodansha-intl.com/contents/categoryBookList.php?cid=114&c2id=11401
http://www.kodansha.co.jp/
http://www.kodansha.co.jp/english/

Natsume Publishing
ナツメ出版

http://www.natsume.co.jp/
http://www.natsume.co.jp/book/index.php?keyword=%B1%D1%B8%EC&S_FIND_x=%B8%A1%BA%F7&x=31&y=3
http://www.natsume.co.jp/book/index.php?action=show&code=004464
http://www.natsume.co.jp/book/index.php?action=show&code=004491
NHK
https://www.nhk-book.co.jp/shop/main.jsp?trxID=0010
https://www.nhk-book.co.jp/shop/main.jsp?trxID=C1010101&htmlPageCode=08.html
https://www.nhk-book.co.jp/shop/main.jsp?trxID=C2010101&bookCategoryCode=23002
https://www.nhk-book.co.jp/shop/main.jsp?query=&whence=0&sort=score&reference=off&max=10&result=normal&searchCategoryName=01&targetWords=%89p%8C%EA&trxID=C0020101

Obunsha
旺文社
http://www.obunsha.co.jp/
http://www.obunsha.co.jp/shoshi/index.php/search/doSearch?cx=006468615939608868044%3Ayalzetngdoq&cof=FORID%3A9&q=%E8%8B%B1%E8%AA%9E#1521
info@obunsha.co.jp
pr@obunsha.co.jp

Sunmark
サンマーク出版
http://www.sunmark.co.jp/
http://www.sunmark.co.jp/eng/index.html
http://www.sunmark.co.jp/eng/general_catalog.pdf
http://www.sunmark.co.jp/01/rc/genre15.html

Screenplay - Bilingual screenplays, listening, conversation materials
スクリーンプレ
http://www.screenplay.co.jp/

Takarajimasha - Includes Bilingual screenplays w/DVDs
宝島社
http://tkj.jp/
http://tkj.jp/search/?cs=u&fw=%E5%90%8D%E4%BD%9C%E6%98%A0%E7%94%BB
http://tkj.jp/search/?cs=u&fw=%E5%90%8D%E4%BD%9C%E6%98%A0%E7%94%BB%E3%81%A7%E8%8B%B1%E4%BC%9A%E8%A9%B1%E3%82%B7%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%82%BA

Z-Kai
Z-会
http://www.zkai.co.jp/home/index.html
http://www.zkai.co.jp/top/daitop.html
http://www.zkai.co.jp/books/index.html
http://www.zkai.co.jp/books/search/list_3.asp
http://www.zkai.co.jp/books/search/list_5.asp#BookInf1
https://www.zkai.co.jp/ca/g/catalog/index.asp

 

TEFL in Japan Forum: Japanese publishers of EFL textbooks and materials

ELT in Japan: An online magazine for EFL teachers in Japan and E. Asia

TEFL Forum: ELT-J Issue #2 (March 2010)

Note: the previously proposed article on pronunciation will run as a two-part series (preview) at the ELT-J homepage and will then be re-published in final form in ELT-J Issue #3. The entire issue #2 of ELT-J will be made available later this month in downloadable .pdf. Watch for future posts.    

01 March 2010

ELT-J Issue #2 (March 2010)

ELT in Japan Issue 2 (March 2010)

Contents

(1)  Devising multiple-choice questions, quizzes and tests
(2)  Semantic mapping activities for the speaking class
(3)  Semantic mapping activities for the writing class

TEFL Forum: "ELT in Japan" Issue #1 in downloadable form

'ELT in Japan' Issue #1 (Dec. 2009) in PDF

You can read them in the public access folder at GoogleDocs (read-only using a reader that is like GoogleBooks),  or you can download them from the GoogleDocs interface. Creative Commons License 3.0 applies.

ELT in Japan Issue #1 (first published December 2009)

Click on the title of the article to view it.


1.  Writing Systems: Positive transfer or negative interference for EFL learning?




2.  Do Japanese EFL students need katakana eigo to learn and to read English?




3.  Teaching as a foreign national at Japanese universities: Shifting terms of institutional status, employment, work conditions and related concerns




4.  Ten reasons why English learning fails in Japan



5.  The facially salient articulatory gesture as a basic unit for applied phonology in ELT




6. Why is 'research' in ELT/TEFL/TESOL/AL/SLA so irrelevant?




7. Breaking down the 'theory vs. practice' distinction

 

TEFL Forum/ELT - J Issue #2 Preview Article: Devising Multiple-choice Questions, Quizzes and Tests

ELT - J Issue #2 Preview Article: Devising Multiple-choice Questions, Quizzes and Tests
Issue 2 of ELT in Japan will consist of four articles: (1)  "Teaching English [l] sounds vs. [r] sounds: Integrating applied phonology into the EFL classroom"; (2) "Devising multiple-choice questions, quizzes and tests"; (3) "Semantic mapping activities for the speaking class"; and (4)"Semantic mapping activities for the writing class".




Full article at the link below.

http://eltinjapan.blogspot.com/2010/02/elt-j-issue-2-preview-article-devising.html



Excerpt:

ELT - J Issue #2 Preview Article: Devising Multiple-choice Questions, Quizzes and Tests

by Charles Jannuzi, University of Fukui, Japan

Introduction

Chances are that, if you teach EFL at a tertiary level in Japan, your students are most familiar with relatively 'conservative' types of assessment tasks, but with an overall orientation of turning L2 (EFL) into L1 (Japanese). For example, they have often been tested with questions that asked them to put a word, sentence or phrase of L2 (English, EFL) into L1 (standard written Japanese).

Full article at link below:

http://eltinjapan.blogspot.com/2010/02/elt-j-issue-2-preview-article-devising.html

TEFL FORUM: ELT in Japan in 2010

These feature articles and articles in brief are under development for publication in 2010 at the sister blog, ELT-J Online Magazine:

1. Vocabulary activities (semantic mapping) for the conversation class.
2. Vocabulary activities (semantic mapping) for the beginning-level writing class.
3. Teaching English /l/ vs. /r/ (applied phonology).
4. Introducing a different sort of audio-visual electronic dictionary for FL learning (follows up on the previous article about units of phonology, the 'visually salient articulatory gesture').
5. Variations of and considerations for the multiple-choice vocabulary question for FL practice and assessment.
6. A look at schema theory and its applications for ELT.
7. A look at 'phonemic awareness' and 'phonological awareness'--what are they and how might they apply to ELT.
8. Analysis of the issue 'phonics vs. whole language' from an ELT perspective.
9. An adaptation of 'semantic feature analysis' to the classroom study of EFL vocabulary.

ELT in Japan online publication now launched

Just to sum up the actions taken: I've decided to use the blog format to publish a 'practitioner journal' for those who teach EFL in Japan (and E. Asia).

The publication is located here:

http://eltinjapan.blogspot.com/

Here is the first issue's top feature:

http://eltinjapan.blogspot.com/2009/12/elt-j-issue-1-feature-article-ten.html

Here is a summary of what is in issue 1 and a list that links to all the articles:

http://eltinjapan.blogspot.com/2009/12/elt-in-japan-issue-1-december-2009.html

Here is a preview of future articles in the issues that will appear in 2010:

http://eltinjapan.blogspot.com/2009/12/preview-of-future-issuess-of-elt-j.html

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