Venue: Hachinohe Gakuin University – Hachinohe Art Museum Satellite Space, Hachinohe, Aomori

MEES is a friendly and supportive professional development environment that welcomes participants from all regions and language teaching practices. We encourage novice presenters and those from non-academic backgrounds.

Conference Theme:

“Practical EFL Tips, Tools, and Techniques”

“Practical EFL Tips, Tools, and Techniques”

           Conference Schedule

10:00 ~          Registration Opens

11:00 – 11:10    Opening Comments

11:10 – 11:40    Session 1

Jonathan Isaacson (Tohoku Fukushi University) ‘Use of Recording Technology for a Better English Lesson’

11:50 – 12:20    Session 2

Rob Werner (Toyo University) ‘How to Use Wait Time to Increase Students’ Oral Participation’

12:30 – 13:00    Session 3

Kirk Johnson (Chiba Institute of Technology) ‘Utilizing student artistic output to generate and activate class lessons’

13:00 – 14:00    Lunch Break

14:00 – 16:00    Featured Workshop

James York (Meiji University) ‘TBLT Gaming – A Practical Framework for Teaching with Games’

16:10 – 16:40    Session 4

Mat Davies (Part-time Lecturer and Business Communication Coach) ‘Structuring AI in the EFL Classroom: A Coaching-Led Framework for Preserving Learner Judgement’

16:50 – 17:20    Session 5

Jim Smiley (Iwate University) ‘The Reality Principle and EFL Teaching: From Theory to Classroom Practice’

17:20 – 17:30    Closing Comments

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MEES – Post-Conference Dinner / Social Event

We are planning to have dinner in downtown Hachinohe directly after the conference ends on Saturday evening. If you are interested in joining us, please contact us in advance (at official MEES contact email) so that we may plan accordingly.

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MEES – Conference Fees

JALT member = 1,000 yen
non-member = 2,000 yen
(fees to be paid in cash at venue)

* early registration discount *
Register to join the conference by May 29th for 50% off applicable fee. Early registration must be made via the official MEES contact email (MEESjapan@gmail.com).

MEES FEATURED WORKSHOP

JAMES YORK

“TBLT Gaming – A Practical Framework for Teaching with Games”

This workshop presents a novel framework integrating Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) with the use of board and video games to enhance second language acquisition. The approach shifts instruction to be student-led, utilising games as communicative tools that prioritise meaning and goal-oriented language use. The framework introduced to participants is a multi-phase process incorporating all four languages skills as students research games, learn how to play, play them, analyse their performances, and produce a portfolio of their best performances. Key activities include L1 test-play, L2 gameplay with audio recording, group transcription, detailed error analysis using technology like Google Docs and AI assistance, and subsequent task repetition. One innovation is the “pro-gamer inspired” assessment model. This method addresses the inherent fairness challenges of one-shot testing by having students create self-edited “best play” montages of their L2 performance during gameplay. This encourages responsibility, and self-reflection.

Participants will experience parts of the framework firsthand and I will present a large amount of student work to help audience members visualise how it might work in their own contexts.

James is an associate professor at Meiji University, Japan. His teaching and research is centered on games and literacy including language education, (educational) game design, and game literacy. He is the founder and co-editor of Ludic Language Pedagogy, an open access journal which publishes work on ludic approaches to literacy teaching. He is also the founder of the York Game Lab, an independent game publisher. His favourite game is Super Smash Bros. but is not good at it.

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