Gwangju-Jeonnam KOTESOL Mokpo Outreach
Time: Saturday, May 11, 2013, 1:30 p.m.
Place: Mokpo National University, Dorim Campus (Cheonggye),
Institute of Intl. Exchange and Education (Bldg. A-10), 2nd Floor.
Directions to Venue: http://www.koreatesol.org/content/directions-mokpo-outreach
Schedule
1:30 pm: Sign-in and Meet-and-Greet (Admission: No charge)
1:45 pm: OPENING SESSION
2:00 pm: MAIN SESSION PRESENTATION
A Look at Communicative Language Teaching and How It Might Apply to
Your Classroom. Stafford Lumsden (Seoul Chapter President; YBM Premier, Daegu)
2:45 pm: Refreshment Break
3:00 pm
PRESENTATION 1A
Poetry Activities for All Ages
Jocelyn Wright (Mokpo National University)
PRESENTATION 1B
It’s All in the Technique: Giving Instructions in the EFL Classroom
Catherine Peck (Chonnam National University)
3:45 pm: Refreshment Break
4:00 pm
PRESENTATION 2A
Beyond the Gap-Fill: 9 Dynamic Activities for Song in the EFL Classroom
Nico Lorenzutti (Chonnam National University)
PRESENTATION 2B
Ten Tech Tools Every Teacher Should Know About
Lindsay Herron (Gwangju National University of Education)
4:45 pm: Announcements / Drawing Prizes / Closing
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Presentation Abstracts and Presenter's Biographical Sketches
A Look at Communicative Language Teaching and How It Might Apply to Your Classroom
By Stafford Lumsden
The emphasis on communicative competence in ELT in Korea has seen the introduction of some form of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) in Korean classrooms, along with native English-speaking teachers (NESTs), over the last 20 years or so (Li 1998; Mitchell & Lee, 2003).
CLT is an approach to language teaching that has its origins in EFL teaching for adults in western countries, where groups are small and classrooms generally well-equipped (Enever & Moon, 2009), but the method is very often misunderstood by teachers who may have received very little by way of training in either its theoretical underpinnings or its practical applications (McKay, 2003). And indeed, it can often mean different things to different teachers. Does it require a focus on fluency while eschewing accuracy? And is it a method that can be genuinely applied in the Korean context? Perhaps.
While CLT is probably the one approach most contemporary teachers would subscribe to, it is more than just having students engage in meaningful communication (whatever that might be defined as). So rather than provide a strict definition of the differences between so-called weak and strong CLT, this paper advocates a more practical approach, whereby teachers interpret CLT according to their local context (Mitchell & Lee, 2003) adopting an “informed pedagogical eclecticism” as called for by Hu (2005, pp. 655).
References
- Enever, J., & Moon, J. (2009). New global contexts for teaching primary ELT: Change and challenge. In J. Enever, J. Moon, & U. Raman (Eds.), Young learner English language policy and implementation: International perspectives (pp. 5-21). Reading, England: Garnet Education.
- Hu, G. (2005). Contextual influences on instructional practices: A Chinese case for an ecological approach to ELT. TESOL Quarterly, 39(4), 635-660.
- Li, D. F. (1998). “It’s always more difficult than you plan and imagine”: Teachers’ perceived difficulties in introducing the communicative approach in South Korea. TESOL Quarterly, 32(4), 677-703.
- McKay, S. (2003). Teaching English as an international language: The Chilean context. ELT Journal, 57(2), 139-148.
- Mitchell, R., & Lee, J. H.-W. (2003). Sameness and difference in classroom learning cultures: Interpretations of communicative pedagogy in the UK and Korea. Language Teaching Research, 7(1), 35-63.
THE PRESENTER
Stafford Lumsden (MA TESOL [Hons], CELTA) has taught English in New Zealand and Korea for over ten years. Previously, he has held positions as a Teacher Trainer at GyeongIn National University of Education and Seoul National University of Education. Currently, he is the Academic Supervisor for YBM Premier, Dongseongro, Daegu. An active member of KOTESOL, he was returned as Seoul KOTESOL president for a second term in March 2013, serves on KOTESOL’s International Conference Committee, and is the editor of The KOTESOL Handbook, a collection of useful classroom resources for English teachers in Korea.
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Poetry Activities for All Ages
By Jocelyn Wright
How you define an object determines how useful it becomes. Poetry comes in many forms (Finch, 2003) and can, therefore, be used in many contexts, including the EFL context. It can be used with learners of different ages, individually or collaboratively, to emphasize different features of communicative competence, to practice all four language skills, in addition to a number of other soft skills. Despite all of these advantages, poetry is underused in the ESL/EFL classroom, as confirmed by Duff and Maley (2007), and is likely underused in your classroom, too.
In this workshop, we will discuss a broad definition of poetry (Finch, 2003), talk about poetry use in your classroom, play around with examples that demonstrate different benefits, comment on requirements for use, and share some resources, both traditional and electronic, for future classroom teaching.
References
- Duff, A., & Maley, A. (2007). Literature. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Finch, A. E. (2003). Using poems to teach English. English Language Teaching, 15(2), 29-45.
THE PRESENTER
Jocelyn Wright works in the Department of English Language and Literature at Mokpo National University. Her undergraduate degree is in linguistics. At the graduate level, she specialized in counseling and training in education. Besides Korea, she has taught in Canada, the Dominican Republic, and France. Jocelyn has been active in KOTESOL serving, as a Gwangju-Jeonnam Chapter officer and as a facilitator of the newly formed Gwangju Jeonnam group of KOTESOL’s Reflective Practice Special Interest Group (RP-SIG).
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It’s All in the Technique: Giving Instructions in the EFL Classroom
By Catherine Peck
Trying something new in the classroom breaks routine, keeps learners engaged, energizes a class, and extends a teacher’s resource bank. Yet all too often, teachers return from a lesson incorporating “something different” feeling disappointed and laying blame; the students “didn’t get it” or “were confused” and the activity “didn’t work” or “was too hard.”
The success or failure of language learning tasks or games – especially those that are “new” and potentially more engaging for students than “routine” activities – depend first and foremost on a teacher establishing clear guidelines, rules, and procedures, and then checking that students know both what to do and how to do it before a task gets underway. Unfortunately, classroom instructions are the Achilles’ heel of many, otherwise talented, teachers. The demands of planning lessons, preparing materials, and correcting homework take precedence between classes, while during a class, our focus may be encouraging confidence, conveying meaning, or simply managing errant student behavior. Taking time out to plan task instructions before a class and systematically deliver them midway through a lesson all too often slips to the end of a long list of demands on teacher attention.
Lack of attention to this aspect of classroom practice is problematic, however, as poor instructions can undermine learner confidence and enjoyment (“I don’t understand what my teacher is saying”), task achievement (“I didn’t understand what to do or how to do it”), and teacher motivation to innovate (“I’m never trying that again”) or use English more often in the classroom (“It’s better to use Korean to explain this”).
This workshop identifies some common problems and “teacher errors” in giving instructions, and outlines simple techniques for improvement and success. It is “hands-on” and asks participants to actively identify and implement strategies for establishing a range of classroom tasks effectively.
A Note on Proficiency
In a period in which “Teaching English through English” is becoming increasingly common in EFL contexts such as Korea, an assumption is often made that our ability to give clear instructions is directly related to our language proficiency (and “native speakers” will thus have a natural advantage). In fact, native-like proficiency can often prove to be a handicap; “native” teachers are frequently guilty of speaking too quickly, using overly complex language, giving too much information, not sequencing instructions well, assuming knowledge, and neglecting to check their students’ understanding. Successful communication in EFL classrooms relies far more on technique than on proficiency, which is why established TESOL training programs for “native speakers” incorporate workshops on this theme.
THE PRESENTER
Catherine Peck is a TESOL trainer and Invited Professor in the Department of English Education at Chonnam National University, where she has worked since 2007. She studied, taught, and trained in Ireland and Spain before moving to Korea, and currently teaches ELT methodology and academic writing courses. She holds a TESOL certificate (RELSA Ireland), a Cambridge ESOL Diploma in teaching English to Adults (DELTA), and a Master of Applied Linguistics/TESOL (Macquarie), and is currently a PhD candidate in the Department of Linguistics (Intercultural Communication) at Macquarie University, Australia. She has previously presented at KOTESOL, KATE, and CamTESOL conferences.
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Beyond the Gap Fill: 9 Dynamic Activities for Song in the EFL Classroom
By Nico Lorenzutti
Many teachers like to use music and song in the language classroom. They’re good motivational tools: they are fun, relaxing, and provide a class with variety and a break from textbook study. For younger learners, song and chants are often used to help acquire new vocabulary in a non-threatening, naturalistic manner. Older students and more advanced learners can analyze lyrics and explore a songwriter’s language choice and message.
Despite the rich potential of songs as authentic and stimulating texts, however, when it comes to designing a listening activity for a song, teachers tend to rely upon the “gap fill” – by far the most frequently employed song-related listening task. Teachers undertaking in-service training programs often report that when they use a song as a warmer, a gap fill is the sole activity. Listen and fill in the blanks, listen again, check and move on to the next activity is almost a mantra.
Yet songs can be utilized in so many more variable and stimulating ways; songs can challenge students to learn and think about language, and provide opportunities for integrated skills practice as well as cultural and intercultural analysis. This presentation will demonstrate a collection of simple, effective techniques that can be easily applied to a range of songs. All techniques employed incorporate active learning elements such as movement, prediction, student-student interaction, and competitive games – providing teachers with a bank of useful and engaging classroom activities. The activities are suitable for learners from young teens to adults, ranging from low intermediate to advanced proficiency levels.
This presentation was given at CamTESOL in February, 2012, and at the KOTESOL National Conference in Pusan in May, 2012. Lindsay Herron wrote a review of the presentation for Uni Jobs Korea in June. You can read her review at: http://www.unijobskorea.com/2012/06/05/4-dynamic-esl-activities-for-pop-...
THE PRESENTER
Nico Lorenzutti has taught and trained teachers in Japan, Canada, and South Korea for over 15 years. He teaches in the Intensive Teacher Training Program at Chonnam National University where he has worked since 2008. He holds a CELTA and is currently a candidate for an MA in Applied Linguistics and English Language Teaching at the University of Nottingham. His main research interests are teacher cognition and the principled use of popular culture products in the language classroom. Email: zutti25@hotmail.com
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Ten Tech Tools Every Teacher Should Know About
By Lindsay Herron
The online world is a wild and wonderful place! It can be a little too wonderful, though. With vast numbers of websites and online tools available, it’s easy for an educator to get overwhelmed, and it’s time-consuming to separate the potentially useful from the attractive but useless. This presentation will introduce ten free online tools guaranteed to make an educator’s life easier, without any software installation.
- Google Drive (http://drive.google.com). Once you figure out how to use it, Google Drive is a flexible tool and an amazing time-saver. You can collect and organize student information; create, share, and grade quizzes; create polls and surveys with real-time results and data visualization options; collaborate with colleagues; initiate (and monitor) student collaborations; and more.
- Socrative (http://socrative.com). A simple way to create in-class self-checks or conduct basic polls, Socrative.com features live results and immediate feedback. (To run self-checks at home or integrate graphics, ProProfs.com is a solid alternative.)
- ClassDojo (http://www.classdojo.com). This fun, free, adorable behavior management system is perfect for kindergarten through university students. Also available as a mobile app.
- Today’s Meet (http://todaysmeet.com). Create a backchannel, sneakily incorporate writing into class, let students ask and answer questions while you talk, or check their grammar using this online chatroom.
- Puzzlemaker (http://puzzlemaker.com). For making crossword puzzles, word searches, cryptograms, and more, Discovery Education’s Puzzlemaker can’t be beat.
- QR Stuff (http://www.qrstuff.com). An easy way to generate QR codes that can be scanned to reveal secret messages, audio recordings, videos, websites.
- Padlet (http://padlet.com). A great way to share ideas via a collaborative online sticky-note board.
- Vocaroo (http://vocaroo.com/). Super-easy online voice recording.
- Amara (http://www.amara.org/en; formerly UniversalSubtitles.org). Find videos with subtitles, or add subtitles yourself. You can upload your own video or use one from YouTube.
- Readlists (http://readlists.com). Bundle online articles into a single ebook, then send it to your ebook reader or share it with others.
THE PRESENTER
Lindsay Herron has been a visiting professor at Gwangju Natl. University of Education in Gwangju since 2008. Prior to that, she taught English on a Fulbright grant at Seogwipo High School in Jeju-do. She has a master’s degree in Cinema Studies from New York Univ., bachelor’s degrees in English and Psychology from Swarth-more College, a CELTA, and the CELTA YL-Extension. She is currently working on a master’s in Literacy, Culture, and Language Ed. from Indiana University-Bloomington.
Below: View of Venue -- MNU Bldg. A-10: Institute of International Exchange and Education
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 2013 May GJ Chapter Outreach Poster.pdf | 86.38 KB |
