The JALT Teaching Children (TC) SIG along with the Junior and Senior High School (JSHS) SIG will host the 11th JALT Junior conference, a satellite conference at the main JALT2012 conference that focuses on the teaching of young learners and training teachers to teach young learners. Make a difference in your classes by attending JALT Junior to get new ideas and communicate with other teachers.
Our plenary speaker this year, Özge Karaoglu, is in high demand on the ELT conference speaking circuit. She’ll present on current web tools and advancements in web learning as well as train participants in songs, games and activities effective for teaching young learners. Özge is a kindergarten teacher and teacher trainer based in Turkey. A specialist in teaching young and very young learners, she is also an expert in using technology in language teaching and has worked with children in helping them develop digital games and iPhone/iPad applications. Recently she was awarded the English Speaking Union Award for new writers and has become a well-regarded blogger through her site, ozgekaraoglu.edublogs.org.
Carolyn Graham appears at JALT2012 as a featured speaker. Carolyn is well-known for her Jazz Chants method and books. She created this method as a way for students to practice pronunciation, intonation, speaking and listening skills in a fun way by combining spoken English with jazz beats. Carolyn will discuss ways in which to include Jazz Chants in classrooms, including original ones created by teachers themselves.
JALT Junior 2012 will have a wonderful lineup of other sessions including practical workshops, demonstrations, research reports, colloquia, panel discussions and social events on a range of topics including (but definitely NOT limited to): Student and teacher motivation, MEXT textbooks, Extensive Reading, phonics & literacy, task-based & cooperative learning and using picture books in the classroom.
On top of all this, the TCSIG will hold a social lunch forum with the topic: “Our favorite Class Activities for Young Learners”, for you to gain and share ideas for songs, chants, pictures books and more. The JHS/SHS SIG will also hold a forum, focusing on the new Foreign Language Course of Study revisions and in particular looking at the many issues related to the new policies and how to integrate them effectively on a practical level. We look forward to making a difference with you in Hamamatsu!