Gwangju-Jeonnam KOTESOL Spring Conference

Conference Schedule

[Schedule and Program Book downloadable at bottom of this page.]

10:30-11:50: Pre-Conference Workshops (Concurrent Sessions // Admission Free to All)
||||| Research Committee Workshop: Getting Started in Research
Joanne McCuaig, Research Comm. Chair
||||| Reflective Practice SIG Workshop: On Assessment
Brian Raisbeck, Seoul Chapter RP-SIG Facilitator             

Lunch     (Make your own arrangements. Campus student cafeteria open.)

12:00 Registration Begins (Members 5,000 won; Non-members 10,000)
-------  Pre-Register for the Conference at: http://tinyurl.com/GJKOTESOLMarch2014
12:45 Opening Ceremony (Room 2104)

1:00-1:30 Plenary Session: Peadar Callaghan, Korea TESOL National President
Different Learners, Different Learner Needs: Establishing a Differentiated Classroom

1:45-2:30 Concurrent Sessions
|||||| Anaheim University Webcast Presentation:
Dr. Ken Beatty, Anaheim University (Room 2104)
|||||| Lindsay Herron (Gwangju Univ. of Ed.): Yielding the Floor: Tips and Techniques for Student-Centered Teaching.
|||||| David Shaffer (Chosun University):

2:45-3:30 Concurrent Sessions
|||||| KOTESOL Teacher Training Session: Why Can't My Students Communicate?
Brad Serl (BUFS), KTT Coordinator
|||||| Reflective Practive SIG Session: Who Needs Reflective Practive?
Anne Hendler (KOTESOL RP-SIG Facilitator)
|||||| Julien McNulty (Chosun University): Speaking Out: Using Technology Resources for Speaking Skills Development.
|||||| Peadar Callaghan (KOTESOL President): Using Gamification in Your Classroom.

3:45-4:30 Concurrent Sessions
|||||| KOTESOL Teacher Training Session: Classroom Management: It Isn't Rocket Science.
Leonie Overbeek (KTT Presenter)
|||||| Christian Teachers SIG Session: Justice, Mercy, and Plagiarism: A Christian Approach.
Heidi Vande Voort Nam, CT-SIG Co-facilitator
|||||| John McDonald (GIST): Overcoming Common Academic Writing Mistakes in a Korean Classroom.
|||||| Jacob Boer (Samgak Elem. School): Charging the Young Learner Class with Fun and Games

4:45-5:30 Concurrent Sessions
|||||| Ross Chambers (Gwangju Univ. of Ed.): The Principles of Effective Speaking Activities.
|||||| Billie Kang (Taebong Elem. School): It's All in the Balance: Creating the Ideal Lesson.
|||||| Pecha Kucha Session (Room 2104)
David Shaffer:
Lindsay Herron: Rookie Mistakes: What I Learned from My First Year of Teaching.
Nate Kent:
Julien McNulty:

5:30 Closing Events (Room 2104)
 

Presentation Abstracts and Presenter Bio-Sketches

10:30-11:50: Pre-Conference Workshops

Reflective Practice SIG Workshop: On Assessment

Brian Raisbeck
Seoul Chapter RP-SIG Co-facilitator

THE PRESENTATION
Assessment is an integral part of the classroom experience. Teachers assess students regularly; however, assessment is not just about grades and rankings. Assessment provides students with critical feedback and gives them a view of what they’re doing well, as well as letting them know where they need to focus their efforts further. It lets teachers know how students are progressing and can provide clues on what’s working and what’s not. Assessment can be as formidable as the Korean SAT or as simple as listening to a student practicing pronunciation.  

This RP-SIG meeting will be a workshop on the ways students can be assessed, how it impacts teaching and student learning, the feedback it provides, and the successes and failures of these collective efforts within the classroom setting. Participants will learn and reflect on assessment through guided discussions with their peers.  

THE PRESENTER
Brian Raisbeck is the current facilitator of the Seoul Reflective Practice Special Interest Group. He graduated from the University of California at Santa Cruz with a BA in Music History. He has been living in Korea for nearly four years and currently teaches English in Seoul.

Research Committee Workshop: Getting Started in Research

Joanne McCuaig
Research Committee Chair

THE PRESENTATION
This session is targeted for new or beginning researchers, but of course, all are welcome to attend. To get the most out of this session, come prepared to explain your ELT context, your research interests, and any research projects you are currently planning or working on. I will be asking you questions and we will spend time brainstorming solutions to the research quandaries that you face.

Potential information we will discuss about the research report process includes: abstract, introduction, the literature review, methods, participants, instruments and materials, procedure, data analysis, variables, research and discussion, conclusion, references, and appendix. We will also talk about the research grants that are available for 2014. I’m looking forward to meeting you and discussing the interesting research that is happening in Gwangju!

THE PRESENTER
Joanne McCuaig will lead this interactive workshop, She is the KOTESOL Research Committee Chair for 2014. Joanne has been in the EFL and ESL industry for 10 years, having taught in Taiwan, Canada, and South Korea. Her academic qualifications include an MA in Applied Linguistics (distinction) from the University of Birmingham, UK; CELTA; and is a Standard Level Three permanent member of TESOL Canada. Joanne presently teaches at Hongik University in Seoul. She can be reached at: research@koreatesol.org

1:00-1:30 Plenary Session

Different Learners, Different Learner Needs: Establishing a Differentiated Classroom

Peadar Callaghan
President, Korea TESOL

THE PRESENTATION
One of the many challenges teachers face is a wide variation within the students in our classrooms. Each student brings with them different experiences, abilities, and interests. These differences profoundly affect how they learn and the scaffolding that they will need to learn a language effectively.

To address this challenge, many teachers have become interested in a differentiated classroom. Such a classroom is one in which multiple tasks are available to meet the learning preferences of more of the students, thus encouraging further student participation and retention of the curriculum. This workshop will focus on giving an overview of differentiation, looking at how to get to know the strengths and preferred learning styles of our students, and then looking at how basic classroom activities can be differentiated.

THE SPEAKER
Peadar Callaghan graduated from the University of Limerick with an MA in ELT. He has been working in Korea for over six years. During this time, he has given numerous presentations on a wide range of topics. All his presentations focus on being practical and adaptable to all students regardless of their levels or ages. Peadar is currently the president of Korea TESOL and is teaching at Daegu University.

1:45-2:30 Concurrent Sessions

Anaheim University Webcast: Critical Thinking in English for Academic Purposes

Dr. Ken Beatty
Anahein University, California

PRESENTATION
It’s not enough to speak a second language, one has to be able to think in it, and think critically. When learning English for Academic Purposes at the secondary or university levels, students struggle to adopt critical thinking skills that can help them decode and reflect on what they listen to and read and make inferences on topics they don’t know. Taking a learner-centered approach, this presentation outlines a variety of critical thinking skills, easy-to-teach approaches, and examples of materials that can be used. The presenter will share his experience in writing four textbooks for Learning English for Academic Purposes as well as experiences teaching a range of students in a variety of academic contexts.

THE SPEAKER
Ken Beatty is author/co-author of more than 130 English as a Second Language textbooks used worldwide from the primary to tertiary levels, as well as books on Computer Assisted Language Learning. He has worked at universities in Canada, China, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, and the USA, and given more than 200 teacher training presentations and 92 conference presentations throughout Asia, the Middle East and North and South America. Dr. Beatty is currently TESOL Professor at Anaheim University.

Yielding the Floor: Tips and Techniques for Student-Centered Teaching

Lindsay Herron

PRESENTATION
A student-centered approach to teaching can help improve students’ motivation, retention, and confidence. It encourages active learning and moves the focus of attention from the teacher to the students, putting a priority on students’ thoughts and experiences. Student-centered teaching has been demonstrated to be more effective than the more traditional “banking” model of education, in which the teacher’s job is to “is to ‘fill’ the students with the contents of his narration” (Freire, 1970, p. 71). But what is student-centered teaching? How can teachers use it? This introductory workshop will provide teachers with a working definition, a possible framework, and practical tips and techniques for making their classrooms more student-centered.

THE PRESENTER
Lindsay Herron has been a visiting professor at Gwangju National University of Education since 2008. Prior to that, she taught English at a boys’ high school in Jeju-do. She has a master’s degree in cinema studies from New York University, and is working on a master’s degree in language education from Indiana University-Bloomington.

Fostering Self-Direction Through Focus on Language Learning Methods

Dr. David E. Shaffer

PRESENTATION
University students are expected to do a large amount of English skills study on their own but receive little direction and have little awareness of how to go about it. This presentation details a multifaceted language-learning journal-portfolio project focusing on learning methods, which is supplemented with 1-on-1 student discussion on their methods and a class demonstration of each student's premier learning method. Support of this approach is reported as research findings from student surveys.

THE PRESENTER
David E. Shaffer (PhD Linguistics) is a long-time educator in Korea, KOTESOL member, and professor at Chosun University. Dr. Shaffer is active in numerous ELT associations. Within KOTESOL, he is presently Gwangju-Jeonnam Chapter President, an editor of KOTESOL publications, and a member of the National and International Conference Committees.

2:45-3:30 Concurrent Sessions

KOTESOL Teacher Training Session: Why Can't My Students Communicate?

Brad Serl

PRESENTATION
Many teachers bemoan their students’ inability to communicate, while at the same time not knowing how to design lessons or syllabi to help their students to reach that goal.  In this presentation I will introduce a new method of lesson planning that works across all age groups, and a new way to conceptualize the language learning process that is far different from the traditional notion of the four skills. This presentation will be primarily lecture, but there will be 5-10 minutes at the end for us to discuss some of the challenges and implications of implementing this approach to lesson planning.

THE PRESENER
Brad Serl came to South Korea in 2002. Since that time he has worked with students as young as six and as old as seventy-five. His M.A. is in Applied Linguistics from the University of Birmingham and was completed in September 2010. He is a past president of the Busan-Gyeongnam Chapter of KOTESOL and is the Coordinator for KOTESOL Teacher Trainers. He works in the teacher training department and Graduate School of TESOL at Pusan University of Foreign Studies, as well as working as a tutor for the Birmingham CELS MA program.

Reflective Practice SIG Session: Who Needs Reflective Practice?

Anne Hendler

PRESENTATION
What is Reflective Practice? Why do I need it? How on earth can I find time for it? If you've ever asked yourself any of these questions, then this session is for you.

This session will introduce the Reflective Practice SIG to interested participants and go through a brief demonstration of what might happen in a Reflective Practice meeting followed by a question and answer session. Participants will come away with a better understanding of Reflective Practice and how it might be useful to their own teaching practice. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions about the Reflective Practice SIG and reflective practice in general.

THE PRESENTER
Anne Hendler is the national coordinator of the Reflective Practice Special Interest Group (RP-SIG) in Korea TESOL. She holds a master's degree in Applied Linguistics and has been teaching in Korea since 2002. She currently works at Mac English Academy in Gangneung, Gangwon-do.

Speaking Out: Using Technology Resources for Speaking Skills Development

Julien McNulty

PRESENTATION
Teachers struggle to keep pace with the growing availability of resources and information. Moreover, teachers often have multimedia at their fingertips, but little training of familiarization for classroom uses. The growing accessibility of technology means that language skills (e.g. speaking) are presented with development opportunities for practice outside the classroom. In this workshop, participants will (1) explore MALL speaking apps, (2) discuss their benefits and challenges, (3) share/discuss multimedia resources, and (4) plan contingencies for technology challenges.

THE PRESENTER
Julien McNulty has been teaching, training, facilitating, or instructing in some form for 20 years. He has taught French, Spanish, History, and Special Education in Canada. He has also worked as a corporate trainer, then as a bilingual training consultant in Toronto. Teaching English in Korea since 2008, Julien is a language skills instructor at Chosun University and 2011 Chair of the Korea TESOL International Conference. Most recently, he is the co-founder of EFL ProDev, a consulting company specializing in teacher training, camp creation, and executive presentation skills. Email: julien@eflpd.com

Using Gamification in Your Classroom

Peadar Callaghan

PRESENTATION
Gamification in the classroom is often viewed as the addition of fun elements and games to an established educational methodology. The additions of badges, boss fights instead of final exams and leveling systems to make a class more interesting. These gimmicks disguise the true strength of gamification however. Gamification provides a new framework to reexamine the best practices in ESL with the aim of creating better designed education experiences and outcomes. By using the design principles employed by games designers, teachers can create more engaging and rewarding classrooms.
This workshop will first over view the basic design principles of game design. Then participants will be asked to redesign classic classroom activities using the principles discussed. To show how gamification can be introduced quickly and easily into any classroom.

THE PRESENTER
Peadar Callaghan graduated from the University of Limerick with an Ma in ELT. He is a lifelong gamer, learner and comic book fanatic. He has been working in Korea for over seven years. During this time he has given numerous presentations on a wide range of topics. All his presentations focus on being practical and adaptable to all students no matter their levels or ages. Peadar is currently the president of KOTESOL and teaching at Daegu University.
 

3:45-4:30 Concurrent Sessions

KOTESOL Teacher Training Session: Classroom Management: It Isn't Rocket Science

Leonie Overbeek

PRESENTATION
Classroom management can involve something as simple as deciding where to place the desks to something as complex as mediating a long-running feud between two students or groups of students. In between these, it also involves deciding which issues are important enough to spend time and energy on, and which to let go. All of this against the background of the main and most important priority for any teacher - facilitating a learning environment.
In this workshop, participants will have opportunities to share tips and tricks that have worked for them, and to explore some possibilities from game theory, accepted pedagogy and the latest research on the subject.

THE PRESENTER
Leonie Overbeek has been teaching in South Korea, at middle school level, for the past seven years. Before that, she did research into mineral extraction and worked in the mining industry in South Africa, before switching to language and communication studies. She was a TEFL trainer for two years in South Africa, and feels that no-one should be denied an opportunity to learn. She holds an M.Phil in Value and Policy Studies from Stellenbosch University.

Christian Teachers SIG Session: Justice, Mercy, and Plagiarism: A Christian Approach

Heidi Vande Voort Nam

PRESENTER
Christians are called to both “do justice” and “love mercy” (Micah 6:8). Sometimes these callings appear to be in conflict. For example, when we encounter classroom plagiarism, do we mete out justice or show mercy? Although both plagiarism policies and the Christian tradition have often emphasized retributive justice, another type of justice is more central to the biblical narrative: justice which defends the rights of the powerless. By recognizing the power relationships and the rights of the author, the student, and the teacher; we can develop an approach to plagiarism that reconciles justice and mercy.

THE PRESENTER
Heidi Vande Voort Nam (MA TESL/TEFL) teaches in the Department of English Education at Chongshin University in Seoul. She is co-facilitator of KOTESOL’s Christian Teachers Special Interest Group.

Overcoming Common Academic Writing Mistakes in a Korean Classroom

John McDonald

PRESENTATION
Korean students have common problems in academic writing that differ from other regions. With the increase in international communications, the increase in students leaving Korea to study in English-speaking countries, and researcher requirements to publish in international journals, there is a strong need to streamline offerings to ensure that writing courses provide practical content. Based on the experience of editing approximately 1000 SCI journal papers, and over 17 years of teaching writing, this session aims to provide tips on how to structure a writing program, introduce common problems Korean writers have, and then show how this understanding can improve the classroom experience of both students and instructors.

THE PRESENTER
John McDonald has been providing writing instruction to students for over 17 years, mostly for the graduate program at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology. In addition to teaching, he also has a strong background in editing/proofreading scientific papers and giving workshops to researchers in Asia. John can be contacted at: jmackr@gmail.com.

Charging the Young Learner Class with Fun and Games

Jacob Boer

PRESENTATION
The national elementary public school English curriculum puts a tremendous emphasis on playing short games with almost every teaching hour in the classroom. All too often, however, the elementary school coursebook provides insufficient materials or completely lacks engaging and fun materials for the teacher to use class to class. This means that the teacher has to reach beyond the familiarity of their teacher's manual and find or create supplemental materials for their classroom activities. In this talk, we will think about what children enjoy doing while learning and how a teacher's objectives can also be met while playing EFL games with young learners.

THE PRESENTER
Jacob Boer has lived and worked in South Korea for five years. He currently teaches at Samgak Elementary with the English Program in Korea (EPIK) and does teacher training and conversation sessions for the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education. He also does native teacher training workshops on lesson planning for the elementary school curriculum.

4:45-5:30 Concurrent Sessions : Pecha Kucha Sessions (4)

KOTESOL: Two Decades of Serving                                                       
Dr. David Shaffer

Korea TESOL has completed now its second decade of service, much of which is familiar to only a small fraction of its membership. This pecha kucha takes us through the birth and growth of the organization with reference to the events highlighting each KOTESOL President's term of office from Berlin to Lee.

Rookie Mistakes: What I Learned from My First Year of Teaching             
Lindsay Herron

I came to Korea with no prior teaching experience, but I learned quickly through trial and error! Join me as I journey down memory lane and cringe at the mistakes I made as a rookie teacher – and what I learned from them.

I am so smrt: Be a s-m-r-t teacher too                                                                
Nate Kent

This pecha kucha presentation will provide a brief introduction to some of the apps and other “smart device” technology that is available to teachers to make their lives easier. There are apps to handle pretty much every aspect of teaching English as a second language. Some of the apps to be covered are for speaking, some for listening, as well as apps for handling class administration and also interactive apps for use in the classroom.

An Instructional Guide to Committing AND Avoiding Epic Technology Fails 
Julien McNulty

This pecha kucha will examine and review common occurrences in the classroom that plague the teacher and students when using technology. It will also offer suggestions to enhance your technology experiences in the classrooms of today, and of tomorrow.

4:45-5:30 Concurrent Sessions

The Principles of Effective Speaking Activities

Ross Chambers

PRESENTATION
The aim of this presentation is to discuss and understand what constitutes an effective speaking activity. To that end, first, we will explore what research indicates as being necessary for an effective speaking activity to assist us in creating a good conversation class for our students. We look at factors that an effective speaking activity should have, and we will consider three attributes that we should try and include in the design and implementation of fluency-orientated activities. We will then look at and engage in some examples of unsuccessful and successful speaking activities. It is hoped that through this presentation teachers will have an understanding of the principles behind effective speaking activities so they are able to improve the conversation that their students engage in within the classroom.

THE PRESENTER
Ross Chambers is from UK and came to South Korea in 2009 looking for a change in career and life direction. He worked in Seoul for two years as a native-speaking English teacher in a technical high school. In August 2011 he took up a position as a visiting professor at Gwangju National University of Education where he teaches English conversation and education methodology courses. He completed his MA TESOL with Sunderland University in the UK.

It's All in the Balance: Creating the Ideal Lesson

Billie Kang

PRESENTATION
Some of us do too much. Others do too little. Everything is about finding a good balance and this includes teaching, too. Having demonstrated classes of my own and observed classes of other teachers for the past two years as a master teacher have given me some opportunities to reflect on how to find a good balance between activities to make a more successful class. The aim of this presentation is to demonstrate a “routinized class” model with generic warm up and wrap up activities that would help young children to perform well on development stage of the lesson. Effectiveness and efficiency will also be talked about to find or to design good games and activities. Attendees will have the opportunity to practice some of the games and activities in pairs and small groups.

THE PRESENTER
Billie Kang has worked with young children since she started her teaching career at elementary school in 1997. Her undergraduate major is in elementary pedagogy from Gwangju national university of education. Her M.Ed. in TESOL from SUNY Buffalo was completed in February 2003. She has given lectures at various workshops and training courses on various topics for both Korean and non-Korean teachers. She is currently teaching English at Taebong Elementary School in Gwangju as a master teacher. She just learned to ride a bike last year and is planning to enjoy it more in 2014.