KOTESOL International Conference 2016
(Concurrent Session)
Joy Jackson, Sojo University
Rob Hirschel, Sojo University
Listening for Meaning, Listening to Stories, Connecting with the Teacher
Abstract
Presenters will demonstrate supplemental material that can be easily accessed by smartphone, and thus give the students an opportunity to have their teachers in their pockets and practice at their own pace. Generally, materials used outside of the classroom can supplement, but do not provide the same connection that can be made in the classroom setting. By focusing on listening skills, specifically using the content to tell stories, the students learn to listen for meaning and can learn more about the teacher. They are improving their interpretation skills, creating a closer relationship with the teacher, and interacting with text that is relevant to the curriculum and to their lives. Through moodle, quizlet, and youtube, material can come to life and encourage more meaningful interaction.
Biographicals
Joy Jackson is originally from Barbados in the Caribbean and has been teaching English in Japan for five years. After obtaining her Bachelor’s degree in Spanish, she moved to Fukuoka, Japan to teach English on the JET Programme. There, she also became TESOL qualified. After two years, she moved to London and attained her Master’s Degree in English Linguistics from University College London. Joy currently teaches English at Sojo University in Kumamoto, Japan where her research focus is on Japanese learners of English, the various difficulties they encounter when studying the language and possible ways for them to overcome them. She also has a keen interest in areas related to pronunciation and second language acquisition.
Rob Hirschel is currently a lecturer at Sojo University. He has enjoyed working with language learners in many different capacities including preschool, elementary, junior high, university, and preparatory programs for graduate school. His research interests include vocabulary, CALL, assessment, and affective factors in the language classroom.
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