Welcome to the 26th Annual JALT Hokkaido Language Teaching Conference in cooperation with the CALL Workshop 2009!

     This year’s conference theme is

"Walking before Running – Fundamentals in Language Learning"

 

David Barker, sponsored by Back to Basics Press, will give us his take on the conference theme in the keynote address: “Getting back to basics in ELT”

 

Aleda Krause, well-known author of textbooks for kids, will speak after lunch on the topic of: “Exploring new and timeless techniques in EFL for children”

 

Since they’re scheduled to speak at different times it will be possible to attend both keynote sessions. You will also find that the conference vetting committee has selected a good variety of useful and interesting presentations and workshops.

 

In the last session of the day we’ll return to the conference theme in a symposium that addresses the question, “What are "the fundamentals" of English language teaching in Japan?” Panelists: Aleda Krause, Ian Munby, B. Bricklin Zeff, & David Barker.

 

Our annual Hokkaido chapter general meeting will be held after the symposium to update members on what is happening in JALT Hokkaido and to select officers for the coming year.

 

And the grand finale – a raffle of fun and useful teaching tools and materials!

Hold on to your ticket!

 

Acknowledgements

We wouldn’t be able to put on this conference without the support and generosity of others. We are very grateful to Hokusei Gakuen University for providing these facilities and a ¥100,000 grant to help with printing and other costs. We’re also grateful to Back to Basics Press for sponsoring David Barker. Many thanks to all the publishers whose presence is such an important part of our conference: ABAX, Back to Basics Press, Cambridge UP, Compass Publishing, Macmillan Language House, Oxford UP, and RIC. We are also pleased to have a representative of The New School’s MA TESOL program here today. And of course, we couldn’t have a conference without the presenters who contribute their time, energy and enthusiasm to plan and give workshops that benefit other teachers and the attendees who make all of our work so rewarding!

 

Be sure to fill in the feedback form after each presentation and hand it in before you go so that we can continue to improve YOUR conference. Better yet, get more involved and become a Hokkaido chapter officer. Only you can make the contribution that you can make!

 

Enjoy the day!

 

The 2009 JALT Hokkaido Officers