JALTCALL 2008 Conference

JALTCALL 2008 Conference

New Frontiers in CALL: Negotiating Diversity

Venue and Dates:

* Saturday, 31st May - Sunday, 1st June, 2008
* Faculty of Foreign Languages and Asian Studies
Nagoya University of Commerce & Business
4-4 Sagamine, Komenoki-cho, Nisshin-shi, Aichi-ken, 470-0193 Japan

Keynote Speaker:

* Phil Hubbard, Ph.D. Director, English for Foreign Students
Senior Lecturer in Linguistics, Stanford University, USA

Plenary Speaker:

* Gavin Dudeney Project Director, The Consultants-E
* The Internet and the Language Classroom (Cambridge University Press,2000)
* How to Teach English with Technology (Longman, 2007)

Important Dates:

* Deadline for submission of proposals: February 15, 2008
* Notification of acceptance: March 15, 2008
* Details of preliminary schedule: March 30, 2008

Presentations may include the following areas:

* The impact of new and emerging CALL technologies
* Relationships between CALL and other disciplines
* Connections between CALL and virtual learning environments
* Future directions of CALL-based teaching and research
* A focus on CALL and theories of Second Language Language Acquisition

Note that the above list is intended to be representative rather than conclusive, so different perspectives on the conference theme are encouraged. Submissions that do not deal directly with the conference theme are also most welcome, provided they demonstrate a sufficient level of innovation, quality of research, or suggestions for improvement of the field. Proposals are encouraged in either English or Japanese.

For further information, please email jc2008@jaltcall.org

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Blog URL
http://eslincanada.blogspot.com/

Announcing the launch of AzarGrammar.com

Dear Fellow teachers,

I am delighted to announce the launch of AzarGrammar.com. At last! We've been working to achieve this for a number of years.

My purpose in creating this site has been to provide useful support for teachers. Hopefully, we can pool our experiences, materials and ideas to create a community of teachers worldwide.

The site isn't just for teachers who use Azar textbooks; it's for any teacher using any materials who is interested in any way in the role of grammar in second language instruction.

Click on the link below and you'll find:

a discussion forum moderated by Maria Spelleri
http://azargrammar.com/teacherTalk/forums/

a blog by Richard Firsten ("The Grammar Guy")
http://azargrammar.com/grammarGuy/

various writings and videos of mine about teaching ESL/EFL
(I'd love to hear your responses!)
http://azargrammar.com/authorsCorner/index.html

Teacher-created grammar exercises that can be printed and modified for class use.
http://azargrammar.com/teachersGuides/index.html

Communicative games and activities (including Suzanne Woodward's entire book Fun with Grammar as well as other class-activity materials created by Maria Spelleri)
http://azargrammar.com/materials/index.html

Printable vocabulary worksheets (from Rachel Spack Koch, the co-writer of the Azar CD-ROMs and moderator of the Grammar Exchange Q&A forum)

song lessons designed to reinforce grammar structures using well known songs
(from University of Pittsburgh teacher, Patti Spinner)

grammar explanations as presented on the Azar CD-ROMs and teacher's guides for the Azar series
http://azargrammar.com/grammarSpeaks/index.html


Here's the home page link:
http://www.AzarGrammar.com

Please give us a look, and we'd love to hear from you!

Betty Azar

PS:
ESL in Canada has posted to the Teacher Talk Forum.
Post your question - or answer
http://azargrammar.com/teacherTalk/forums/showthread.php?t=8

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Blog URL
http://eslincanada.blogspot.com/

Kaplan buys PLI Pacific Language Institute in Canada

Kaplan Inc. a major U.S. education company is a subsidiary of the Washington Post Company. (NYSE: WPO)

Kaplan Inc. has signed a deal to buy to Pacific Language Institute, a private Canadian English-as-a-second-language school with locations in Vancouver and Toronto. PLI will become part of Kaplan's English language training division, which has 36 English language schools around the world.

PLI currently offers general English-as-a-second-language programs, as well as certificates and diploma programs focused on specific student needs.

PLI currently offers courses designed to prepare students for standardized tests in English proficiency, such as TOEFL the Test of English as a Foreign Language and TOEIC the Test of English for International Communications.

This will be an interesting acquisition for Kaplan as the major Canadian schools are facing very stiff pricing competition and reduced international student registrations with the now almost par Canada-USA dollar.

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Blog URL
http://eslincanada.blogspot.com/