ETJ at Linked In - On the Fallout after Nova and GEOS

Antony Martiniani Shinomiya asks: David Paul:
 
I was wondering. "How do you think the English Teaching market in Japan will evolve post Nova and Geos?
I have always admired your positive style and fun techniques, and would like your honest opinion, no strings attached.
What can we do as professionals to keep students interests, positive and constructive?
Or do we just go with the flow?

 

David Paul • I'm not sure that the Nova and Geos problems have had any effect on what we can do to keep students positive in the classroom, though the problems may have had a negative effect on the general perception of language schools.
I think the trend for a bit over ten years has been towards the non-Japanese small school owner. This trend was one of the causes of the Nova/Geos problems and was also accelerated by these problems. It has also been a big reason for the growth of ETJ.
Personally, I think the shift to these small schools is a very positive and constructive trend for English language teaching in Japan.

Advice on Teaching ESL/EFL Students

There is a famous Chinese proverb which says, “Teachers open the door. You enter by yourself”. Teaching English as a secondary language is an exceptionally beneficial and fascinating profession.



I have always loved teaching ESL students because in this profession the learning in not one-way but it’s a two-way education. Since most of the ESL students are adults, thus the teacher also learns from the experiences of his class.

Read More

特別セミナー 「カナダの高校で勉強しよう！」

カナダでは、中学・高校は公立と私立に分かれ約5,500校ありますが、なんと約95％の生徒が公立高校へ通っているのをご存知でしょうか。
公 立高校は、各州の教育省によって運営されています。州内をいくつかの学区（School Board または School District という）に分け、人口密度に応じて各学区に 1 校から数校設置されています。各学区には、それぞれ教育委員会が設けられており、そこが学区内の公立高校の管理・運営を行っています。
今回は、カナダの Greater Victoria School District の Victoria International High School Programs より Mr. Jeff Davis をゲスト・スピーカーに招き、カナダの教育制度のもつ様々な利点や入学申請方法、学費や諸費用などの基本的な留学手続きなどについて様々な角度からお話しいただきます。
高 校からの留学は、教育システムの違いなどから、わかりにくい点も多いのではないかと思います。 Victoria International High School Programs 内の学校をを実例として、有意義な留学生活についてもご案内いたします。カナダからの担当者によるプレゼンテーションは、カナダの高等学校への留学をご検 討いただいている皆様にとって、わかりにくい点についても直接ご質問いただける絶好の機会になることでしょう。  Read More

Canada Japan Leadership Fund Scholarship Program

Canada-Japan Leadership Fund
Scholarship Program:
Deadline extended;
Tohoku category will be added
The application deadline for the Canada-Japan Leadership Fund Scholarship Program has been extended due to the Great East Japan Earthquake. Applications for the 2011–2012 academic year will now be accepted until July 15, 2011. We invite all Japanese students who wish to study in Canada to apply.

Also, the program will add a special category offering air fare, one month's language study, and accommodation to enable students affected by the earthquake to study in Canada. 150 scholarships are offered by member schools of Languages Canada, a national association of accredited language schools and on-going fundraising activities for this category will be conducted by the Embassy to enable as many students as possible to participate in this special program. The details will be announced in mid-June on the Embassy website.  Read More

How To Teach Vocabulary in a Nutshell

How To Teach Vocabulary in a Nutshell

by Lyanne Thomas


Having a wide range of vocabulary is a must in understanding and using a certain language, and this holds true with the Universal language- English. Vocabulary is a pillar and is considered as one of the basic fundamentals of English.

There are several ways to teach vocabulary. Here are 5 tips to make vocabulary learning fun and at the same time effective..   Read More

Robert Krampf's Experiment of the Week How Does a Butterfly fly?

 Bring something new to your English Classes!

Robert Krampf's Experiment of the Week
How Does a Butterfly fly?

To unsubscribe, follow the link at the bottom of this email.  Otherwise, please add this e-mail address, Experiments@krampf.com, to your spam filter’s white list. If this message is in your spam folder and you want to keep it, please click your "Not Spam" button now.

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What's New at TheHappyScientist.com: 

For everyone:

Science Photo of the Day:
  • How did owls get the reputation for being able to turn their heads
  all the way around?
  • Why do tadpoles get the hiccups?
  • Do alligators get a fever when they are sick?
Find the photos, the answers and more challenges at
http://thehappyscientist.com/blog/1

The Science Photo of the Day is also on Facebook at: 
http://www.facebook.com/TheHappyScientist

Experiment: How Does a Butterfly Fly?
http://thehappyscientist.com/science-experiment/how-does-butterfly-fly

David Paul`s Newsletter for English Teachers

Language Teaching Professionals

Click for LT Professionals website

Click for ETJ website


E-mail Newsletter

Monday May 23rd

Japan education news

Disaster areas need teachers
Even with government help, prefectures still need replacements

After the deluge, universities face foreign exodus
There are likely to be serious short-term and long-term consequences

Read the news at ELT News

Cutting edge research

Becoming a vampire without being bitten
Reading fulfills deep psychological needs

IQ tests measure motivation - not just intelligence
More research that questions the validity of IQ tests

Artificial grammar reveals inborn language sense
Experiments with alien languages confirm Chomsky's prediction

One-day events

One-day certificate courses in
teaching elementary school children
Okayama - May 29
Kanazawa - Jun 26
Trainer: David Paul

Annual Brain Days
(learn about neuroscience)

Kitakyushu - July 9
Osaka - July 10
Presenters: Robert S. Murphy, Tim Murphey, Curtis Kelly, Marc Helgesen

Special ETJ seminar
on teaching children
Tokyo - July 31
Presenters: Barbara Sakamoto, Ritsuko Nakata, Yoko Matsuka, David Paul

Support for teachers of writing

Online support for writing courses
Cactus Education provides programs for university students,
high school students, adults and children.

Where there's a Will ...

Seminar on making a will
Tokyo - May 25
Learn how to make a will and what will happen if you don't.

'ETJ Linked in' now an open group

ETJ Linked in
This is now an open group. This means discussions can be viewed by anyone on the web,
found on any search engines, and can be shared on other social networking platforms.

Events coming soon

Sunday May 29 - Omiya
ETJ  Alan Miesch: Five fabulous favorites and the power of puzzles

Sunday June 19 - Chiba
ETJ  My share for teaching numbers

Comprehensive list of events

TOKYO -- May 25 (Wed) 19:00-21:00
Seminar: Where there's a Will...
Speaker(s):
IFG Asia
http://www.eltcalendar.com/events/details/5139

KYOTO -- May 28 (Sat) 9:00-17:00
Exploring Gender and Its Implications
Speaker(s): Various speakers
GALE JALT
http://www.eltcalendar.com/events/details/5047

NIIGATA -- May 28 (Sat) 9:00-18:00
The 3rd Annual N.E.A.R. Language Education Conference
Speaker(s): Featured Chuck Sandy.
Niigata JALT
http://www.eltcalendar.com/events/details/4998

NAGASAKI -- May 28 (Sat) 14:00-16:00
Active Participation through Student Response Systems
Speaker(s): Bill Pellowe and Paul Shimizu
Nagasaki JALT
http://www.eltcalendar.com/events/details/5045

NAGOYA, Aichi -- May 29 (Sun) 10:00-16:00
Three Parts to Effective English: Vocabulary, Grammar, and Comprehension
Speaker(s): Peter Warner
Power Seminars
http://www.eltcalendar.com/events/details/5104

OKAYAMA -- May 29 (Sun) 10:00-17:30
One-Day Certificate Course in Teaching Children (Okayama)
Speaker(s): David Paul
LTP
http://www.eltcalendar.com/events/details/5089

TOKYO -- May 29 (Sun) 10:00-20:00
ECAP (ELT Career and Professional Development Conference) 2011
Speaker(s): Keynote speakers include Marcos Benevides and Noriko Ishihara
ECAP
http://www.eltcalendar.com/events/details/5099

OMIYA, Saitama -- May 29 (Sun) 14:00-17:00
Five Fabulous Favorites and The Power of Puzzles
Speaker(s): Alan Miesch
Saitama ETJ
http://www.eltcalendar.com/events/details/5121

KURUME, Fukuoka -- June 3-5 (Fri-Sun)
JALTCALL 2011 Conference (day 1 of 3)
Speaker(s): Featured Keynote Speaker: Carla Meskill, State University of New York.
CALL JALT
http://www.eltcalendar.com/events/details/4958

TOKYO -- June 5 (Sun) 10:00-12:30
IIEEC - Oxford University Press Teacher Training Certificate Program Summer Session Workshop 3
Speaker(s): Ritsuko Nakata and IIEEC Teacher Trainers
OUP
http://www.eltcalendar.com/events/details/5109

TOKYO -- June 5 (Sun) 13:30-16:00
IIEEC - Oxford University Press Teacher Training Certificate Program Summer Session Workshop 4
Speaker(s): Ritsuko Nakata and IIEEC Teacher Trainers
OUP
http://www.eltcalendar.com/events/details/5110

OSAKA -- June 10-12 (Fri-Sun) 15:00-19:00
ACTC 2011: Inaugural Asian Conference on Technology
Speaker(s): Keynote Speakers Garr Reynolds and Jill Robbins; featured speakers Bill Pellowe and Roger Palmer
IAFOR
http://www.eltcalendar.com/events/details/5068

OSAKA -- June 10-12 (Fri-Sun) 15:00-19:00
ACLL 2011: The Inaugural Asian Conference on Language Learning
Speaker(s): Keynote Speakers Garr Reynolds and Jill Robbins; featured speakers Deryn P. Verity, Charles Kowalski and Kevin Cleary
IAFOR
http://www.eltcalendar.com/events/details/5065

KITAKYUSHU, Fukuoka -- June 11 (Sat) 18:30-20:00
Testing times: Ensuring success
Speaker(s): Michael Philips
Kitakyushu JALT
http://www.eltcalendar.com/events/details/5131

TOKYO -- June 11 (Sat) 18:30-20:30
Writer's Night: Writing for Young Adults
Speaker(s): Suzanne Kamata and Holly Thompson
SCBWI
http://www.eltcalendar.com/events/details/5116

KAWASAKI, Kanagawa -- June 12 (Sun) 10:00-17:00
Changing Together! The First JALT JSH SIG Junior / Senior High School Teacher Development Workshop
Speaker(s): Takashi Miura, Gregory Paul Glasgow, Peter J. Collins, Tom Gorham and Jon Gorham, Yoichi Watari, Ben Shearon
JSH JALT
http://www.eltcalendar.com/events/details/5073

FUKUI -- June 18 (Sat) 10:00-12:00
Translation in English Language Teaching in Japan
Speaker(s): Yoshifumi Saito
Fukui JALT
http://www.eltcalendar.com/events/details/5136

To unsubscribe from this newsletter please just reply with 'unsubscribe' as the subject

__________________________________________
Website: http://ltprofessionals.com
Blog: www.eltnews.com/columns/nelsons_column
English Teachers in Japan: http://ltprofessionals.com/ETJ
Soccer: http://hiroshima-cityleague.com

ELT Career and Professional Development Conference (ECAP) 2011‏

5th Annual Conference

For those teaching English to adults and young adults.

Read More


Cambridge Publishing News

Cambridge launches new official website.

Preparation for Japan

Hey there! - First of all thank you very much for this site, it's wonderful and it's answered a lot of my questions that were on my mind.


Right now, i have just finished my second year of University here in the UK. During my summer break this year i decided i would get my TEFL certificate and learn some Japanese, in preparation for when i finish my third year and, fingers crossed, get my bachelors. Read More

ETJ is now an Open Group

ETJ (English Teachers in Japan) is now an open group

I am pleased to announce that I have just switched the ETJ Linked in group to an open discussion group. All future discussions will be fully visible, searchable, and shareable on the Web. All past discussions are now closed in a members-only archive. I look forward to our future discussions now joining the broader conversation of the wider Web.

Read More

David Paul`s Nelson`s Column

This is just to let you know that I've uploaded a new posting to my 'Nelson's Column' blog. I was planning to do this once a month, but there was a lot happening in April.

Any comments or opinions on what I've written would be very gratefully received.

You can see the blog at:
http://www.eltnews.com/columns/nelsons_column/


Best wishes,

David Paul

Peace Boat founder Yoshioka still has a lot to achieve

Peace Boat

TOKYO —

When Tatsuya Yoshioka founded Peace Boat in 1983, he dreamed of a borderless world, where people of all nationalities could share friendship, mutual understanding and respect – a world free of attached stereotypes, conflicts and wars.

Twenty-nine years later, he has good reasons to believe that this is not only a dream: Peace Boat has incorporated more than 73 peace education voyages, travelling to more than 100 ports around the world; has worked in over nine countries in disaster relief operations; and has raised donations for victims of natural and manmade disasters around the globe in a number of projects and initiatives. Read More

Getting a Teaching Job in Japan (Part 1: Resumes, etc)

Getting a Teaching Job in Japan (Part 1: Resumes, etc)

As HR Director with my company, I do a lot of recruiting. This means pouring over loads of resumes in search of the perfect candidates for a job teaching with my company in Japan.

You’d think that people would have figured out this “applying for a job” thing by now. Perhaps things are different in Japan then you’re used to, but I’ll tell you right now, there are a lot of people out there with good resumes and no job.

You really need to make a good first impression.

Let me lay out a few basic tips for you:

Read More

How and Why to teach English Around the World

After graduating from the University of Washington, Caleb Powell found teaching English a good way to travel and not have to pay. The World is a Class is the guidebook he and many other fledgling teachers wish they’d had as they set out on their adventures. TThis book is for you, whether you are from the younger generation, trying to pay off debt, or want to retire, and the book offers help for people hoping to teach anywhere in the world in places where TESL is in demand. South and Central America, Asia, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and even Western Europe and Africa.

Read More

On Unitas

Various areas throughout Kanagawa. Kofu, Tsuru, Hachioji and Tokyo. I am unfamiliar with other branches.

by Maxmillian Yoshida

Once again, working for a larger school tends to be on the frigid side of life and their Kocho sensei was born without a sense of humor.


The bean counters at the top would cut your lunch break to 5 minutes if they could get away with it. Nit picking and argumentative staff, the hiring of seriously unstable personalities and pedophiles, managers who are unable to manage themselves and draconian rules of a different era. The turnover was quite high due to these above mentioned maladies. Read More

Experts weigh import of elementary school English in Japan

Experts weigh import of elementary school English in Japan


Debate lingers on whether English education is truly
necessary for children in Japan despite the imminent start
of compulsory English teaching at public elementary
schools. But the participants at a recent panel discussion
sounded cautiously optimistic about the fate of the
landmark project.


Most of about 25,000 public elementary schools across
Japan have introduced foreign-language education,
mainly English, during a three-year experimental period.
This will be followed by once-a-week compulsory lessons
set to start for fifth and sixth graders at the beginning of
fiscal 2011 this April. English teaching will be introduced in
the form of ‘‘foreign-language activities,’’ not as a formal
curriculum with evaluations given for pupils.


English education at public schools in Japan starts from
the junior high school level, but there are few countries in
neighboring areas and other parts of the world that start
public English education at so late an age, said a university
professor invited to join the panel discussion. If the
situation is not addressed, ‘‘Japan will be further left
behind in the current trend toward globalization,’’ he said.

Read More

Fluent English

THE 2011 CJS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

From JETAA

THE 2011 CJS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING



On Friday, May 13, 2011, 6:30 p.m. - 11 p.m. (doors open at 6:00 p.m.) at the National Film Board Theatre,150 John Street (at Richmond) CJS Members: FREE; Non-CJS Members: $20 RSVP to jeff@cjst.org. The AGM will be followed by a special screening of the 2009 comedy/drama "The Dark Harbour - 不灯港". This charming film tells the tale of a lonely fisherman from a small village and his unusual quest for love.

It's a great time to learn a bit more about the CJS and have a fun night with a movie, Japanese food, and drinks.





ON AT THE JAPANESE CANADIAN CULTURAL CENTRE
Charity Concert at JCCC

The Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre/East Japan Disaster Relief Charity Show Committee is proud to present a very exiting charity show on Saturday May 28th, 2011. There will be a wide range of performance from Japanese traditional dance, to musical instruments, to contemporary dance, to Asian music and much, much more! ! The show starts at 7:00 pm. All proceeds will be going to JCCC Foundation's Japan Earthquake Relief Fund. Admission is $30.00 (includes HST.)


>> Click here for more information


CANADA RUNS FOR JAPANCanada Runs for Japan


Help raise awareness about disaster relief efforts in Japan by participating in the Toronto Marathon on Sunday May 15th. 5K run or walk is $30, half marathon is $60 and the marathon is $70. Receive a Canada Runs for Japan T-Shirt with a $20 donation. The registration deadline is May 6th. There will also be practice runs on the weekends at 10am in the Harbour Front area. For more information contact canadarunsforjapan@gmail.com.


>> Click here for more information





THE GRAND SHRINE OF ISE: PHOTOGRAPHS BY HARUO NAKANO



Runs until June 30 At the Japan Foundation Toronto, 131 Bloor St. West (map). Photographs by the official photographer of the Ise shrine, printed on traditional washi paper. For more details on times see the Japan Foundation website.




ON THE HORIZON: 4th ANNUAL JAPANESE CALLIGRAPHY COMPETITION

Exhibition runs Nov. 13-26, 2011 at Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre.
>> Click here for entry forms rules and contact.

Fukushima, Radiation etc.

From Ohayo Sensei.org
ENGLISH TEACHERS.
"As the situation in Japan continues to evolve, the U.S. Dept. of Energy is maintaining the latest information on the radiation levels monitored in and around Fukushima. April 22, 2011: Last month, the U.S. Department of Energy released data recorded from its Aerial Measuring System as well as ground detectors deployed along with its Consequence Management Response Teams. Today, the Department provided the following update on the information gathered by the Aerial Measuring System. - Radiation Levels continue to decrease. No measurable deposit of radiological material since March 19. US bases and facilities all measure dose rates below 32 microrem/hr (32 millionths of a REM) a level with no known health risks. More info is available at: http://blog.energy.gov/content/situation-japan

ELT Career and Professional Development Conference (ECAP) 2011‏

Dear educators,

Cambridge University Press is pleased to welcome you to the fifth ELT Career and Professional Development Conference (ECAP) - a full day of presentations, workshops of interest to all those teaching teenagers and adults - a chance to reflect on your own classroom efforts and to share those reflections with others!


The ECAP conference is divided into three sessions. The first two sessions each contain a keynote address and the choice of four workshops. The keynote address introduces a broad topic, followed up by the four concurrently run workshops (one in Japanese) on themes related to the keynote. This year, the third session of the conference will be a panel discussion and we have assembled an experienced panel of experts to reflect on the potential career options English teachers have. Because space for some of the workshops may be limited, we ask that you help us by indicating your preference in the registration form. Participation will be on a first-register, first-in basis.


Please join us afterwards from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. for wine, snacks and a chance to mingle with the speakers and other teachers.



ELT Career and Professional Development Conference(ECAP) 2011

Date: Sunday, 29th May

Time: 10:00-18:00 Keynote and Workshops

18:00-20:00 Reception with speakers

Venue: The British Council Tokyo

Pre-registration: 2,500 yen

On-sit registration: 3,500 yen

http://www1.ups.co.jp/UPSv2/Cambridg/ELT_Career_and_Professional_Development_Conference_2011.pdf


http://www.abax.co.jp/ecap2011/



If you would like to receive more information from us, please respond to this email with "ECAP details" in the subject line.
We hope to see you enjoy the conference.

Best regards,

ECAP organizers
- Daily Yomiuri, ABAX, British Council, Columbia University Teacher's College, Cambridge University Press