学習者ディベロプメント研究部会
Early Spring 2008
2 March 2008
Welcome to JALT's Learner Development Special Interest Group web site.
The arrival of spring here in Japan brings most of us a short break from regular teaching, but is also the season of graduation ceremonies, entrance exams, and planning for the new academic year, now just around the corner. In the SIG, we're keeping ourselves busy with activities and planning efforts for the coming year.
The first 2008 Greater Tokyo Get-Together report has been published on the site, and the second meeting is scheduled for Sunday, 9 March. SIG members John Gunning and Martha Robertson have been active in helping organize the JACET/JALT conference in Nagoya, Saturday June 14, on the theme, "Toward a synergistic collaboration in English Education." This event will be followed up on Sunday, June 15th with a workshop program entitled "Crossing Boundaries: Exploring Interdisciplinary Approaches to Learner Autonomy." The workshop program is both practical and thought-provoking, with presentations ranging from classroom use of drama, literature and music, to an exploration of new research on identity and sexuality. Here is the line-up: Hugh Nicoll on Autonomy and Literature; Stacey Vye on Using Music for listening and discussion in the Classroom; Kathy Emori on Building a Community through Drama; Prisca Molotsi on Creating Songs in the Classroom; and Marlen Harrison on Language Learner Identities and Sexuality. We are looking forward to seeing as many SIG members as possible the middle weekend in June.
Please remember that the November issue of the SIG's newsletter, Learning Learning, Volume 14(2) is currently available for SIG members and subscribers only, but will be in the public domain by mid-April, when Volume 15(1) is published to this site.
We're also looking forward to another great conference in Tokyo, October 31 through November 3, 2008, when JALT2008 will host the seventh PAC (Pan-Asian Consortium of Language Teaching Societies) Conference "PAC7" and the Asian Youth Forum. The theme, "Shared Identities: Our Interweaving Threads" is a natural for us, as we must constantly examine and reflect on the ways that autonomous learning and teaching requires teachers and students to actively share the responsibility for the acts of learning and the environments required for our shared and sustained development. Deryn Verity will serve as workshop leader for the forum this year, inviting participants to share their experiences of scaffolding.
About the Learner Development (LD) SIG
The Learner Development SIG is a network with about 180 members around the world who have an interest in developing and researching practices that aim to support autonomous learning and teaching. We share a commitment to exploring connections between:
- our experiences as learners & our practices as teachers
- learners’ experiences inside & outside the classroom.
We offer chances to get connected with other teachers, students and researchers through:
- our bilingual newsletter Learning Learning
- email, discussion list, online resources
- local area get-togethers in different parts of Japan
- a forum (and great party!) at the annual JALT conference
- links with similar groups in other parts of the world.
Our research-based publications include Autonomy You Ask! (2003) and More Autonomy You Ask! (2006). We also provide conference grants to help SIG members attend the annual international JALT conference.
学習者ディベロプメント研究部会は、オートノミーの ある学習と教授を支援することを目的とした実践をさらに発展させ、研究することに関心のある者約180名が、世界中から集まって組織する研究部会です。次の点における関連性の探求に尽力します。
- 学習者としての経験と教師としての実践
- 学習者としての教室内外での経験
次を利用して、教師、学生、研究者間のネットワークを広げます。
- 二ヶ国語ニュースレター「学習の学習」
- Eメール、ディスカッション・リスト、オンライン資料
- 日本各地における地区別集会
- JALT年次大会におけるフォーラム（そして大懇親会！）
- 他国の同様のグループとの連携
SIGの研究を基にした出版物として、Autonomy You Ask! (2003)、More Autonomy You Ask! (2006) があります。研究部会会員のJALT年次国際大会への参加に対する助成金制度もあります。