Again, thank you to everyone for getting their form in by the deadline. Your next step in preparing for Mid-year Conference is your lesson plan submission. THESE ARE DUE BY NOVEMBER 19th (next Monday).

You submission should include:
- The lesson plan analysis sheet
- A copy of the lesson plan (or lesson plan the activity is a part of)
- Examples of the materials used (cards, worksheets, posters, props, etc.)

IF you need the materials between now and the conference, please make arrangements with me to bring them to the conference and submit then when you register on Thursday, as a few of you already have.

As always, if you have any questions - please let me know!

-t

Please read on for more details.

NOVEMBER 8th UPDATE!!! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!!! All ALTs sent in their sign-up sheets on time. Now, please work on getting in those lesson plan submissions!!!

All ALTs please check your email. The overview of the conference, workshop sign-up forms, and pre-conference activities were emailed out to you.

Pre-conference activities include both a lesson plan submission (which need to be sent into me at the Kyoiku Center) and a form for a communication activity with the JTEs which needs to be filled out before you arrive and brought with you to the conference.

This conference is mandatory for ALL ALTs regardless of year. You will be accompanied by a JTL from your contracting organization (not necessarily a JTE you teach with) on the first day for this 2-day, overnight conference. Please read the following information very carefully.

Dates Thursday, November 29th and Friday, November 30th (all ALTs stay overnight)
Times Reception: 8:45~9:25am to Friday at 4:00 pm
Location Ikoi no Mura (onsen resort) located in Shika-machi, Hakui-gun tel: 0767-32-3131
いこいの村能登半島　石川県羽咋郡志賀町志賀の郷温泉〒925-0165

Transportation
Many of you will be traveling with JTEs from your schools or contracting organizations. If you will be driving to the conference on your own, please see the directions to the center on their website: http://www.notohanto.yad.jp/map.html. If you will be taking a train, there is a free bus to and from Hakui station.
Depart: 11/29/2007 - 8:45 a.m. from the JR Hakui Station to Ikoi no mura (onsen resort)
Return: 11/30/2007 - 3:45 – 4:00 p.m. from the Ikoi no mura Onsen Resort to JR Hakui Station

Costs
Base Charge ￥10,000 (includes overnight stay, enkai (banquet), and breakfast)
*Please note that you must pay at least \10,000 at the reception desk upon your arrival. Your contracting organization will reimburse you \10,000 for the base charge of the Conference and for your travel expenses depending on how you get to the Conference. However, the remainder of the charges (lunch + cultural classes) will not be reimbursed.
Lunch (day 1) ￥1200 Yakiniku teishoku (grilled meat over rice)
Lunch (day 2) ￥900 Katsu-kare (pork cutlet curry over rice)
*Costs for vegetarian/vegan meals are the same for both days
Cultural Classes ￥500 Optional (see the response form for your options)

Pre-conference Assignments & Deadlines (*please see the forms attached to this description)
JTEs and ALTs: Day one Function and Expectations form (bring this with you to the conference)
ALTs: Session Response form, Deadline NOVEMBER 7th
ALTs: Lesson Plan or Activity sample submission, Deadline NOVEMBER 19th
These sample lesson plans or activities need to be mailed, emailed, faxed, or personally handed to me. What I am asking for is an example of an entire lesson or a brilliant activity that went well for you. What should be included in your submission should be the following:
1. A copy of the lesson plan itself (Including the topic, objective, activity, time allotted for each activity, the roles of the JTE and ALT, and materials needed)
2. The analysis form attached to this sheet. Please fill it out legibly so your peers are able to read it.
3. Any materials or pictures of the materials used for this lesson or activity. If you wish to send the actual materials, we will return them to you at the end of Day Two during the survey feedback session.
Ideally, please email everything back to me. If you have physical materials that you wish to send, please contact me by email for the address.

Lunch
The orders have already been made, and must be made, in advance. Your supervisors were supposed to have asked you what meals you would like and on which days. Please note, the onsen resort is in a lovely, scenic and remote location. Combinis, while they are around, are not so convenient and there is no where else close by to purchase food for lunch. If you chose not to purchase one or both days, please be prepared to bring food with you to the center. Vegetarian meals were requested as long as your supervisor wrote the request down clearly in the reply form that he/she will sent back to us here at the Kyoiku (Education) Center. Remember that lunch is not covered by your contracting organization, so you will be asked to pay for it when you arrive at the Conference. Please verify with them, if you are unsure, what was submitted.

Cultural Class
Participation in the Cultural Classes is OPTIONAL, but highly recommended. They will be held in the evening and require a small fee of \500. The choices are slightly different from the past – all meant to get you active and and work off the huge meal they always prepare for us at the enkai. All classes will finish by 9:30pm, leaving plenty of time left for you to relax as you see fit afterwards. You will need to sign-up for these cultural classes when you send back you response forms. Your choices this year are all groups from the Noto displaying their talents in Taiko, Karate, and Yosakoi.

Evening entertainment also includes select amenities offered by the Onsen resort. We have again scheduled time slots for the Karaoke rooms, private post-enkai party room, the very lovely bar and, as always, the amazing onsen available at the conference center.

Schedule and Session Selection
Day One
You contracting organizations have selected a JTE to accompany you to the first day of the conference. This JTE will act as your partner in the activities that day. Again, for municipal ALTs, this may or may not necessarily be a JTE you work with, but your contacting organization feels the JTE has something valuable to learn from you. During day one, our main presenter from last year, Dr. Takahiko Hattori, after popular demand, will return to present a complimentary workshop to the one given last year. This year’s focus will be on helping students use logical thinking in English speaking and composition.

In the afternoon, we will have the ever-popular, CLAIR and MEXT mandated, team-teaching workshop. This year’s section will be more structured and ask you and your JTE to focus not only on creating a lesson plan appropriate to your schools or situations, but on how best to communicate and establish expectations in planning and general work functions. You will notice in this packet there are forms to fill out bring with you to this session. It is important that your and your JTE fill these out before the conference, independently.

After the day’s sessions, your JTE will depart and check-in and the activities previously listed will begin. Please note, that while in past years we had the run of the conference center, this year we are not the only large group to be using the facility. Please be courteous and remember you are not only representatives of your home countries at this conference, but also your governmental contracting organizations.

Day Two
During the second day, we will be offering three different sessions. Spaces in each session are limited. You must select these sessions in advance and attend the workshops you are slotted to attend. The sooner you return your response form (see attached forms), the more likely you are to be placed in your first choice for the sessions’ workshops. Here is a brief description of the workshops for each session:

Development Session One: 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
1. Drama, Improvisation, and Speech
Many of us would like to incorporate these methods into our classrooms, but we are not sure how. Drama can be anything from pair skits to full-class productions in English. Improvisation has many uses in the classroom – especially if you are tired of having students use the same answers over and over. These activities can inspire creativity and spontaneity. Last, learn some formal rules about writing and giving speeches. Learn what is too much or not enough in voice, pronunciation and gestures - from start to finish. Have your students speaking like pro’s in no time!

2. Lesson Planning and Problem-Solving Forum
ALTs who have attended this conference before will note the conspicuous lack of academic level sessions. According to past surveys, over-whelming, people found them less useful than the other sessions for anyone not in their first year. What we will do then, is give everyone an opportunity to see other ‘best’ lesson plans and talk about their specific issues in a group session. There will be a panel of select ALTs acting as moderators to lead small group discussion and help the group members find resolutions to any problems. This room will contain a gallery of the lesson plans and activities you all will have sent in to the Kyoikyu center (see attached assignment) to get ideas from (please, pilfer freely) and find out what does and does not work for other ALTs.

3. Teaching Theory
Ever wonder how students actually learn? For that matter, have you ever understood how it is you learn a given subject yourself? In this session we will take a look at learning styles and how it affects your classroom. Students all have different styles of learning and the dynamic for each group of students will be different. This session will help you to better perceive what that style is and tailor your lessons to a certain group of students.

4. Networking and Community Involvement
Not quite sure how to get involved in community groups? “I want to take part in volunteer activities – how do I find them?” “How do I actually go about finding the groups, services, or help I need?” What is expected in a friendship with a Japanese person? Sometimes, it is all about who you know. Knowing the right person opens doors that even hard work and personal time investment will not get you. Learn how to develop relationships and find you niche in Ishikawa’s community. Once you’re established in a given network, learn how to get involved.

Development Session Two: 10:45 – 11:45 a.m.
1. TESL/TEFL Theory & Practice
Many people have heard these acronyms floating about… Teaching English as a Second Language and Teaching English as a Foreign Language both are methods of teaching English, but with slightly different approaches. This section will focus on the differences between those approaches and how you may currently apply them to your classroom. In TEFL, the Four Rules of writing, reading, listening and speaking will all relate to your current role as an ALT. Our certified instructor will also present teaching strategies to apply immediately.

2. English Club and Eikaiwa Planning
Ever not sure what to do with your school’s English Club (ESS or Eikaiwa)? Do you have an Eikaiwa group and struggle to keep it fun and interesting? This session will give you some ideas to build on, events to plan for and extra curricular ways of getting students using and studying English more and more. You do not need to have an English Club at your school to attend – any of these activities can be used with independent students willing to learn.

3. Multimedia in the Classroom
Designed mostly with our first year not able to attend it during August’s Education Day in mind, this session will show you how to use even the most basic resources to enhance your normal lessons. Want to spice up your handouts? Interested in using a movie clip? Covering everything from paper to video, this presentation will increase the quality of your visual/audio aids and the effectiveness with which you use them.

4. Introducing Multiculturalism as an ALT
In our schools and communities we are told to be a foreign influence to people we interact with. To be an influence people is only superficial. To effectively affect the people around you is another thing completely. In this session, the group will discuss and explore the concept of internationalization and multiculturalism: what it is; what are its benefits; what are its dangers; what are your personal experiences and best practices; and what are some good resources to work with and from?

Development Session Three: 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
1. JLPT Preparation Time
“Holy crap! The JLPT test is in two days and I am stuck at this conference and can’t get the studying I need before I go to Toyama tomorrow [insert (in)appropriate cursing here].” I know how you feel. This time is specifically allotted for those signed up to take the JLPT exam on December 2nd. If you sign up for this session you must also submit a copy of your confirmation for the test. We will have Japanese native speakers available to help answer questions and limited practice materials available. Please bring your current materials and get an extra hour of study in before the exam!

2. Planning for the Near Future
Regardless of whether or not you are re-contracting, you may need a little help deciding what to do after JET. You may or may not even know how long you will actually be in Japan. What do you need to do before you leave? Moreover, what will it mean to stay? Monetarily, what does that mean? How much will I need for grad school? How do I save and invest while I am here? How do I best manage my money and still have everything I need and want while in Japan? Our presenters will go through questions like these to help you plan for the next year to five years!

3. Japanese Culture and History
“Why the heck is that so important to Japanese people?” “What the heck is that weird bear sitting outside people’s door?” “What’s the deal with [insert random thing or phenomenon here]?” We’ve all had some sort of basic introduction to Japanese history and culture at this point, but our resident experts might be able to shed some light on the habits and places that still seem a mystery to us.

4. Demonstration: A Step in Japanese Cooking Technique
The esteemed Chef Nakatani will present how to prepare a dish that all people can easily prepare and eat (including our vegetarian folks).

Dress Code
Proper business attire is required during the day on Day 1. During the evening – be clothed, unless you are in your respective onsen. For Day 2, when I expect many of you to be less than perky, please adhere to business causal. No jeans, no polo shirts – just nice shirts and slacks/skirts. This is still work, please dress like it.

That hopefully spells out what you will need to do. As always, if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

-Tonya