Gwangju-Jeonnam Chapter February Meeting
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ㅡ Morning Reflective Practice Session ㅡ
No session scheduled: Winter Recess.
ㅡㅡ MAIN MEETING SCHEDULE ㅡㅡ
Time: 2nd Saturday, February 8, 2020, 1:45ㅡ5:00 pm
Location: Gwangju National University of Education (GNUE), Teacher Training Center (교사교육센터) 1st Floor; Room 812. Detailed directions HERE.
1:45 pm: Sign-in and Meet-and-Greet (Admission: Free for newcomers. Membership welcomed.)
2:00ㅡ2:50 pm: Presentation 1
ㅡ Topic: Identity, Integrity, and Interaction
ㅡ Presenter: Bryan Alkema (Handong Global University)
2:50ㅡ3:10 pm: Refreshment Break
3:10ㅡ4:00 pm: Presentation 2 (Workshop)
ㅡ Topic: Break Out the Lego: The Value of Realia in the EFL Classroom
ㅡ Presenter: Judith Alkema (Handong Global University)
4:10ㅡ4:45 pm: SwapShop Mini-Presentations
Share your Teaching Ideas, Classroom Activities, and Teaching Wisdom with the group.
(Everyone is encouraged to share [up to 5ㅡ6 min. each]. Short tidbits are welcomed. Handouts also welcomed.)
4:45 - 5:00 pm: Announcements / Drawing for Door Prizes / Closing
Session Summaries
Identity, Integrity, and Interaction
Bryan Alkema
Based on The Courage to Teach, this presentation adapts Parker Palmer’s ideas to the EFL environment and includes entry points for turning theory into practice. The basic idea is that we teach best from a strong awareness of our own identity ㅡ Palmer’s core question is “Who is the self that teaches?” This question is directly related to the issues of cross-cultural teaching and learning and the challenges faced by EFL teachers, who often struggle with a growing awareness that what we do inside the classroom does not always match with what happens outside of the classroom. An important note is that this presentation ㅡ like Palmer’s own book ㅡ is not based on a specific methodology or technique that can immediately be practiced. The question of how we teach is often seen to be of primary importance, but the question of identity (who, not how) is perhaps more fundamental and foundational. Attendees can expect to leave with several important questions to consider, and some tools and resources with which to develop a deeper awareness of how effective teaching is based upon a strong sense of personal identity.
The Presenter
Bryan Alkema has taught both EFL and ESL to students of all ages and skill levels, in contexts ranging from North America to the Middle East and Asia. He earned a master’s degree in applied linguistics from the University of Southern Queensland and has given several presentations at KOTESOL chapter meetings and conferences, as well as in Oman. He teaches English classes at Handong Global University (HGU) in Pohang, and he also serves as the head of the university's EAP section. Bryan has also taught TESOL courses at HGU.
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Break Out the Lego: The Value of Realia in the EFL Classroom
Judith Alkema
It is "a truth universally acknowledged" that children’s play is inextricable from children’s learning. And we also acknowledge that children learn best in a hands-on, three-dimensional, concrete environment. We enrich our daycare centers with ecologically blameless toys, create colorful elementary classroom learning stations with engaging activities, build entire children’s museums to house interactive exhibits and immersive experiences. Yet as we introduce more abstract thought and concepts to our students, we drop the "real": toys, objects, artworks ㅡ even atlases and globes ㅡ are all set aside in favor of two-dimensional images on screens and in textbooks. This presentation will both argue philosophically and demonstrate physically that we should and can bring back realia at all ages and stages of the classroom experience. Practical, easy-to-implement ways to integrate various types of realia will be modeled for elementary, middle school, university, and adult lessons. And, yes, there will be Lego!
The Presenter
Judith Alkema has been active in ESL, EFL, ESP, and curriculum design since moving to South Korea in 1996, and has written and designed a number of in-house textbooks, including both university and elementary level. She currently teaches Contents Convergence Design at the EAP level at Handong Global University. Her graphic design solopreneurship gives her experience in the relevant fields, and her years of running art, craft, and cultural experience programs in both Korea and Canada help to support her practical, engaging, and results-oriented workshops.
Photo: The Gwangju National University of Education (GNUE / 광주교육대학교), Teacher Training Center (교사교육센터), venue for our main meeting ㅡ 1st floor, Room 812.
