There were three presentations in total by Andy Boon, Chiyuki Yanase, and Joseph Dias:
Andy Boon, of Toyo Gakuen University, presented on “Incorporating Critical Thinking into the Language Classroom.” The presenter provided an overview of the first unit of a critical thinking coursebook set for release in 2025. The unit is meant to help students learn to identify and support facts.
Presenter bio:
Andy Boon is a professor at Toyo Gakuen University, Tokyo. He holds a PhD in Applied Linguistics from Aston University, UK and has published numerous articles, textbooks, and graded readers.
Chiyuki Yanase spoke about activities for learner well-being, and Joseph Dias spoke about how tableau vivant and other performance works can be brought into the language classroom.
THE ORIGINAL CALL OUT THAT WAS SENT TO MEMBERS:
Dear Lifelong Learning SIG Members and Colleagues,
Join Us for Festive Connection: My Share Celebration! 🎄✨
We are planning an event that will be for members of JALT’s Lifelong Language Learning Special Interest Group as well as for teachers in the Integrated English Program at Aoyama Gakuin University’s English Department, and for all other interested parties. This will be a good opportunity to rub elbows with teachers from a wider community than the ones you interact with on a day to day basis. The event is free to LLL-SIG Members and Non-members alike.
We hope this message finds you well and that you’re feeling the joy and festive cheer as 2024 draws to a close. This special time of year reminds us to reflect on our blessings and to share teaching ideas—such as activities, approaches, strategies, techniques, lesson plans, and innovative methodologies—along with successes and even challenges that have shaped our journeys.
🎄 We also warmly welcome you to bring and share some food and drinks (alcoholic beverages are not allowed on campus) at this event.
In this spirit of connection and learning, we warmly invite you to our Christmas My Share event:
Date: December 20th (Friday)
Place: Aoyama Gakuin University (Shibuya Campus), Room 15-306 (3rd floor of Building 15—Goucher Hall) & on Zoom
Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM (One presenter has up to 15 minutes—which might be expanded into a mini workshop of 25-30 minutes if few presenters come forward)
If you’d like to join us as a presenter (not a requirement for participants), please let Chiyuki Yanase know chiyanase [AT] gmail DOT com by December 15th. We apologize for the short notice but hope you can join us to celebrate the season and share a meaningful evening together!
Let Chiyuki know the following:
- Name of presenter
- Affiliation (school or company)
- Prefecture
- Contact email address
- Presentation title (max 70 characters, including spaces)
- A brief description of what you intend to present (max 50 words)
- Presenter bio (max 30 words)
- Optional: If there is something that you would like to have printed out for your presentation, send us a PDF of the document by December 15, with printing instruction (if any).
A computer will be available for presentations, but it is not at all necessary for your talk to be supported by a PPT. If you would like to use a PPT, please bring it on a USB drive.
This will be a hybrid event. You may participate in the event either in person or through Zoom…even as a presenter!
Request the Zoom link from Joseph Dias by writing to him at: giuseppedias [AT] gmail DOT com .
We’re so excited to gather with you and create a time of love, sharing, and inspiration. Your presence and contributions will make this event truly special.
Wishing you warmth and joy this holiday season!
Chiyuki Yanase (JALT Lifelong Language Learning SIG Program Chair)
Joseph Dias (LLL-SIG President & AGU IE Program Coordinator)