2024-2025 Skills Development Conference

The 2024-2025 Skills Development Conference in Saga – November 26th, 2024. 令和６年度JETプログラム外国語指導助手の指導力等向上研修

The following page contains copies of the presentations presented by the District Representative team, along with a transcription of the answers to the final workshop; Workshop 3: Making Opportunities for Students.

British Council – Motivating Learners

Key Point 1: Motivation needs to be linked to learning.

              Students normally are positive toward the fun and exciting activities planned by ALTs. This positivity needs to be channelled into learning, remembering what they’re studying and what they learned.

Key Point 2: Plan for achievement, rather than motivation.

              Students being intrinsically interested in a subject doesn’t translate to higher grades or more success. However, doing well in exams can cause students to like a subject. Therefore, learning and doing well i.e. achievement, is more important then “fun”.

Key Point 3: Share learning goals with the students and (where possible) show them what those goals look like.

              Teachers should state a goal and show a model of the goal to the students. Then, teachers should explain WHY this is a good model. It is also possible to show a bad model and say why it is bad. Goals help increase motivation and engagement as students understand what they need to do.

Key Point 4: Make activities MORE challenging but be ready to help students who struggle.

              Without challenge, there is no reason for students to try or engage with the content. If the challenge level is too hard, it is also discouraging to the students. With making more challenging activities, THINK – PAIR – SHARE is an important method. First students think for themselves. Then talk in pairs. Finally, in the whole class, ideas can be discussed.

Key Point 5: Have high expectations of students. It makes a difference.

              Believe that all students have the ability to improve and avoid phrases like “This is difficult” or “This is really easy”. It is a self-fulfilling prophecy in terms of expectations.

Key Point 6: Use a variety of techniques to check that ALL students understand.

              Teachers should ask “instruction checking questions” ICQs and “concept checking questions” CCQs. Ask specific questions that students can answer about the instructions of a lesson to make sure they understand. For example, “Are you working alone or in a pair?” “How long do you have to do the activity?” Avoid the question “Do you understand?”. THINK – PAIR – SHARE allows for peer checking.

Key Point 7: Plan for feedback that makes students think.

              Students should do activities (especially speaking and writing) twice. Before class, teachers must anticipate what students will need help with. The first time an activity is done, teachers monitor and give feedback. Feedback should be praise, error correction and/or new words and phrases. The second time, teachers monitor and praise improvements. The second time students should be better due to the feedback.

Key Point 8: Praise should be sincere and focused on helping students get better.

              Praise is better than rewards. Rewards can have a negative impact as when the rewards stop, the motivation will also stop as students only want the prize. Praise should focus on individuals, rather than the whole class. So, praise needs to be sincere, not control behaviour and focus on processes that lead to good work, rather than ability.

Workshop 1: Communication and Problem Solving.

The main goal of this workshop was to understand communication differences between cultures. ALTs and JTEs will always be from at least 2 different cultures. The difficulty can be that individuals are all different, and have more nuanced differences then just “Japanese people take their shoes off and Americans don’t”. If we can allow for individual differences, communication can become easier.

Communication and Problem SolvingDownload

Workshop 2: Facilitated Discussions

The goals of this workshop are:

  • To get feedback
  • To find common ground
  • To discuss difficult topics
  • To better understand the roles of JTEs and ALTs
  • To gain confidence in speaking with other people

Let’s work collaboratively to form better relationships with each other

Facilitated DiscussionsDownload

Workshop 3: Making Opportunities for Students.

Making Opportunities for StudentsDownload

There were 5 questions presented during this workshop.

  1. How do you guide students without giving them the answer? How do you encourage independent thinking?
  2. What type of praise and encouragement has worked well for you?
  3. What type of activities work well in your classroom? Can you give some examples?
  4. How do you encourage students to continue studying English after they finish school?
  5. What are ways that you have taught cultural lessons? Such as holidays, food, culture, to your students about your country or as a JTE taught about a given country? (Answers not uploaded yet)

How do you guide students without giving them the answer? How do you encourage independent thinking?

  • When writing, provide many examples a\through multiple classes for the ideal way to structure their responses.
  • Opportunity to share ideas and get feedback on their work.
  • Point out a mistake without giving corrections- is that spelling correct? Are the words in the right order? Is something missing?
  • If they don’t understand the question, give answer options. E.g. what sport do you like? ALT: I like baseball/soccer etc.
  • Group discussion, maybe other students understood the question.
  • Role playing, ALT and JTE show an example.
  • Using English the students know.
  • Encouraging students to use the resources available (i.e. dictionary, textbook, tablets) to look up the word in English.
  • Through overview in regard to translation and comprehension.
  • Breakdown key phrases, over the year promote building understanding.
  • Approach material from different angles.
  • Reward opinions that differ from the norm.
  • Read questions first!!
  • Give context.
    • Show images?
    • Limits?
  • Encourage students to discuss again with a partner.
  • Look back in the surrounding text.
    • Redirect them to specific paragraph.
  • Vocab Game: If the word is wrong, tell them to change the tense.
  • Hints.
  • ICQs
  • Give hints! Examples: gestures, multiple choices, pictures, Wrong answer = why is it wrong?
  • Reminding students of the taskers, goal, target.
  • Rewarding.
  • Going around, individually, talking.
  • Group/pair work, switch.
  • Gives hints in Japanese to encourage thinking.
  • Give multiple choices, let them choose.
  • Give examples, good and bad ones.
  • Walking them through their problem.
  • Practice; helps develop confidence which leads to independent thinking!
  • Challenge them to use skills that they know.
  • Talk with pairs/group discussion.
  • Having the ALT and JTE express their own ideas/thoughts so students can model their answer/understand how to share their own thoughts.
  • Having students brainstorm opinions on the board together and then later having them write their own personal opinion using the ideas/key words brainstormed together.
  • Ask leading questions.
  • Use other examples – let students guess.
  • Create an atmosphere where mistakes are OK!
  • Give enough thinking time.
  • Mouthing (but not saying) the answer, gestures.
  • Do roleplaying/skits each class as an example.
  • Easy examples/ hint sheet.

What type of praise and encouragement has worked well for you?

  • I like that you did… or phrased that sentence
  • Body language, e.g. thumbs up – especially in quiet classes
  • Good job! Excellent.
  • I like what you said/ your idea.
  • Say something in Japanese e.g. Subarashii, sugoi. Even if your Japanese is bad they know you mean it more.
  • ALT signs notebook, worksheet.
  • Give small snacks/sweets.
  • Reminding them of their hard work.
  • Rewarding involvement during the lesson. – correct AND incorrect, trying.
  • Praising asking questions.
  • Genius! Students like the sound.
  • Share the good points!
  • Stamps while marking! Stickers!!- Personalize feedback on marking – Praise from ALT on their writing/ comments on worksheets
  • Praising the class as a whole at the end of a lesson
  • Highlighting good points.
  • Praising pronunciation
  • Encouraging English conversation outside the classroom.
  • The class clapping for those who provide answers/volunteer.
  • Stickers for volunteers or good attitudes.
  • Tickets to allow for skipping homework!
  • Positive Words.
  • When students work hard e.g. make a speech
  • When they start a conversation with me in English
  • Facial expression.
  • Instantly and loudly.
  • Gestures and smiles.
  • Incentivies/rewards
  • Maru O. Gives confidence.
  • Personal comments.
  • Point Systens
  • Stamps/stickers.
  • Japanese comments
  • Making specific / personal comments towards their work.
  • Peer review (having students leave a comment on each other’s work.
  • Repeating what students say.
  • Small praises
  • Asking questions (to show teachers are interested in them)
  • Challenge. High level students
  • Asking volunteers
  • Smile
  • High-five

What type of activities work well in your classroom? Can you give some examples?

  • Pictionary
  • Shiritori
  • Match game (image with word)
  • Hot Potato
  • Mini Plays
  • Game based – competitive games. Reward with points, compete with timer.
    • Jeopardy
    • Go fish
    • Uno
    • Eraser game/Vocab – picture describing.
    • Bingo
    • Row/Column games (tate-yoko)
  • Signing songs
  • Categories
  • Kahoot
  • Simon Says
  • Station
  • Criss-cross
  • Producing their own quiz to ask other students.
  • Stretching/ breathing warm-ups for focus, calm down, energy.
  • Mixed Activities
    • Team work, Pair work, Reading/review
    • Class warm-up – every lesson! Get the energy up and practice vocab.
  • Gesture games
  • “Who am I! game
  • Vocab building worksheets.
  • Online meeting with foreign countries people/ especially, students tend to have interest in culture of same-age people.
  • Kahoot- Mode Robot Run
  • Pictionary
    • Games where they can be more creative.
    • Keyword game
    • Karuta
    • Simon Says
    • Charades
    • Team brainstorming
    • Shiritori
    • Drawing scene from a story
    • Who am I?
    • Pair activities
  • Bingo game (Can you ~ ? practice)
  • Quiz game (Japadee)
  • Presentation (introduction to Saga)
  • Jeopardy
  • Scattergories.
  • 3 hint quiz
  • telephone game
  • English based puzzles.
  • Practice expression in pairs.
  • Movement activities.
  • Information gap activity.

How do you encourage students to continue studying English after they finish school?

  • Career opportunities, in other parts of Japan as well as overseas.
  • Even in industries like agriculture, relationships and exchange with other countries and people can result in innovation and success.
  • ALTs can give positive experiences with foreign media (movies, music etc.) that encourage them to keep English in their lives.
  • Travelling is helpful, for example study abroad/exchange programmes.
  • Working holidays and internship could help in improving their English skills.
  • e-games are popular and require English skills to communicate with other gamers.
  • Find a boyfriend/ girlfriend who only speaks English (lol)
  • English Spealing Society – ESS – e.g. translating k-pop lyrics into English
  • Watch English shows
  • YOUTUBE
  • Dubbed Anime
  • TV Dramas
  • Holiday (e.g. Christmas) movies
  • Communication Apps – Hello Talk or Duolingo / language apps.
  • Taking Eiken (English test) or speech contest.
  • English songs
  • Recommendations specific to their interests.
  • Individual, optional homework.
  • Try to start up Eikaiwa after school, make fun topics.
  • Have students watch a movie or short film at home and ask them questions about it in the next lesson. Let them know you’re going to ask them about the film beforehand.
  • Give examples in class of things they might want to watch, read, outside of school – Also e.g. Cooking.
  • Knowledge of other countries/cultures/festivals etc.
  • Watch the LA Dodgers (in English)
  • Encourage them to read/listen to/watch English contents that interests them.
  • Friend/ interesting experiences.
  • Foreign money/making money
  • Traveling, studying abroad, international exchange students/ programmes.
  • Describe the advantages of English.
  1. What are ways that you have taught cultural lessons? Such as holidays, food, culture, to your students about your country or as a JTE taught about a given country? (Answers not uploaded yet)