Almalang_Newsletter2022_EN_WEB

(there are two levels of certification, de pending on whether participants choose or not to do the final assignment, which rep resents about 2 to 5 hours of extra work). But really, the big benefit is to learn and practice simple tips that will make their large, unmotivated classes more suc cessful. I think that is huge because most teachers want to do well, and the frustra tion of not getting results can really eat at you. I speak from experience—for me too there was a “before” and “after” discovering and applying those techniques. BJ: It is 100% practical. We go over simple classroom management techniques that can be used the following day in an actu al class. The only “theoretical” framework that we use over and over is actually some thing that crystallized from classroom practice. It was formulated by Jerry in his book Testing Speaking Skills in Japan. Ba sically, this model is a triangle of three cri teria to promote positive washback from class activities and tests. One of these criteria, practicality, is espe cially important to us. We believe teachers should always ask themselves, “Is this ac tivity (or test) worth my time and effort, and the students’ time and effort? Can I find a way to make it easier or shorter? Can I per haps not have any extra work at all outside of class time?” Trying to minimize your ef forts can sound lazy, but it’s actually the How practical is the training course?

portant to point out that despite the name, the IM is not a method per se, but rather a framework. It’s made up of a few guide lines that, when used together, do produce consistent and, dare I say amazing, re sults. Within that framework, a large range of teaching practices can be implement ed, depending on the context, the teacher’s style, and other factors. BJ: Absolutely. It emerged from the class room practice of a few creative teachers here, at Osaka University. It was then dis cussed and continuously improved on over the years, through events like the annual Autumn Workshop, the publication of nu merous articles and then books, like Jerry’s book, Bruno Vannieu’s Enseigner l’oral au Japon ( Teaching Oral Communication in Japan) in 2017 and Stephen Richmond’s Over the Wall of Silence - How to overcome cultural barriers when teaching communi cation in Japan in 2019. In contrast with theory-based approaches, this pedago gical approach slowly crystallized from the ground up, based on the cultural reality of the Japanese classroom. So, that approach comes from the ground up?

key to improving your teaching because any energy saved on something can be used on something else. And it’s critical in the long term to avoid burnout, because it gives you a momentum that naturally leads to varying your classroom practice, and al ways finding new ways to do things. I think that’s the key to a happy teaching life.

How much does it cost, and what is the time commitment?

BJ: It costs 20,000 yen for teachers who pay out of their pocket and 30,000 when it’s paid for from a budget such as a ken kyuhi or kakenhi. The time commitment is: (1) five 1.5-hour workshops in the morn ing, over one week, (2) about 30 minutes to one hour beforehand to read and watch some online materials, and (3) about 30 minutes after each workshop to do a sim ple task. The training course will take place in the second week of February 2023, from the 13th to the 17th. Attending the course leads to a Level 1 certificate. Teachers who choose to do so can also get the Level 2 certificate if they complete a final assign ment that consists of creating a portfo lio-like report, which should take between two and five hours to complete.

So, what will teachers get out of that training course?

This sounds great! How can I register?

BJ: You can access the registry using the QR code that is printed on page 8 of this newsletter. I look forward to seeing you at the course!

BJ: Well, first there’s a practical reward— they’ll receive a certificate that can repre sent one or two extra lines on their resume

Training Content You will learn to:

• Get all students talking in the classroom

• Easily manage pair work

• Motivate students by delegating responsibility • Assess your students continuously and smoothly • Lighten your workload with simple techniques

Getting a positive class dynamic rolling, even in difficult conditions.

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