This past weekend I attended a conference by JASMEE (Japan Society for Medical English Education). https://www.medicalview.co.jp/JASMEE/ is the web site.

This was a fantastic conference with all trying to reach the same goal of finding the best way to teach Medical English. I think this is a great opportunity to start MASH Medical. I met a Bham student at the conference. He was doing a presentation and had some great ideas for classroom methodology and innovation.

Comments anyone?

IWATE MASH '09

Call for Presenters, Posters, Debators, and Dissertation Advice.

NEW** Date: August 29th, 2009

Venue: Hanamaki, Iwate (Nahan Plaza, International Center)

Schedule (Tentative)

Friday night (August 28th):
Welcome party for those coming from afar.

Saturday (August 29th):
10:00 - 10:45 arrival and registration (maps and details will follow)

11:00 - 11:30 First presentation (with 10 min question period)
11:30 - 12:00 Second presentation (with 10 min question period)

12:00 - 1:00 Lunch

1:00 - 1:30 Third presentation (with 10 min question period)

1:30 - 1:45 debate explanation
1:45 - 2:15 debate preparation - the topic has not yet been decided.
TBA* This will be decided before hand and announced before the date.
2:15 - 2:45 Debate

2:45 - 3:45 Poster sessions

3:45 - 5:00 Dissertation discussion forum

6:00 - Monster MASH at the Keg - come out and enjoy a Great Irish Pub

Sunday morning (August 30th): 
TBA* Hanamaki is famous for its hot springs and great places to cycle.

NEW** Deadline for applications is July 31st midnight.
IWATE MASH Application form is here

I'm pretty excited to be able to work with such a cutting edge topic and some of my favorite people on this event. MASH events are known to be inclusive, interactive and inspiring. Having a chance to work with the dynamic team at Kyoto JALT again, and having the chance to collaborate with Curtis Kelly for the first time is enough - and the day hasn't even begun yet!!

Hope to see you there and we're always looking for more people to work with, so don't be shy to come up and say "Hi".

Cheers,

Steven Herder
MASH Collaborator

KYOTO.Kelly_.MASH_.Poster copy.png

Date: Sunday, June 14th, 2009
Time: 1:15 - 4:45 (registration begins at 1:00)
Location: Aranvert Hotel Kyoto (Subway Karasuma Line - Gojo Station)

Brain-based teaching and Learning-Centered Activities

With the overwhelming success of the Kyoto JALT MASH '09 meeting in February, we have decided to adopt that format again. This time, the focus will be on brain-based teaching and learning-centered activities, with a keynote presentation on brain studies by Dr. Curtis Kelly, a poster session by five teachers and discussion circles for everyone.

Schedule

  1:00 - Registration
  1:15 - Keynote Presentation: "Brain Studies and the Science of Learning" by Dr. Curtis Kelly

  2:15 - Break

  2:30 - Poster Session: Five Teachers Share Learning-Centered Methods & Activities

  3:30 - Break
  3:45 - Discussion Circles: Issues and Action Plans
  4:45 - Wrap-up and clean up

Details

1. Keynote Presentation: Brain Studies and the Science of Learning 1:15 – 2:15

Brain studies give us a better picture of how learning occurs. A growing movement called “brain-compatible teaching” calls on us to develop teaching practices that focus less on language and more on how it is learned. In an updated version of his popular featured speaker JALT2008 workshop, the presenter discusses discoveries such as the roles of deep processing, sleep, interaction, body maps and emotion.

2. Poster Session: Learning-Centered Methods & Activities 2:30 - 3:30

How can we use what we know about learning in the classroom? Look at some of the things our colleagues are doing to make English teaching more brain-compatible.

3. Discussion Circles: Issues and Action Plans 3:45 – 4:45

Let’s put our heads together and discuss some of the issues raised in the presentation and poster sessions. A variety of group discussion circles will be organized with specific topics, such as “What kind of action research could we do to test these claims?” or “How can we adapt our teaching to fit the multiple intelligences theory?” Participants choose circles, work together to find answers to these questions, make action plans and offer ideas back to the whole group.

Call for poster session presenters and group discussion facilitators (deadline May 10th, 2009)

We invite JALT members and MASH collaborators to submit proposals for this event. Presenters will range from new up-and-comers to seasoned veterans; there is something for everyone and something we can learn from everyone. So, please come and join in the conversation about teaching in our unique EFL context. We look forward to receiving your proposals or welcoming you to our audience.

Formats available:

1. Presenter - Poster session that will run for 60 minutes.

- the topic should be of use to as many people as possible

- it can be research, methods or activities related

- you can do it in either presentation or open discussion style

- you should prepare a banner title and a series of posters

2. Facilitator - Discussion circle that will run for 40 minutes with 20 minutes for group reports.

- think of an issue related to making class more learning centered

- choose a question you do not have a clear answer for that lends itself to making new action plans

- make a 40-minute discussion plan (each group will have about 4 minutes to summarize)

- prepare 10 handouts and action plan worksheets

Please submit a maximum 150-word abstract for a poster session. For the discussion circles, please write a description of the kind of discussion that you would like to facilitate. Also, please submit your personal information. You can easily input all of this directly onto the MASH website. The deadline is May 10th, 2009.

Click to see a large gallery of photos from Kyoto JALT MASH '09. For any further information, please contact MASH Collaborator, Steven Herder steven.herder@gmail.com or Kyoto JALT Program Chair, Michi Saki, michimako3@gmail.com

The Kyoto chapter of JALT normally holds its meetings at the Kyoto Kyoiku Bunka Center (Japanese). Carefully check our meeting notices and announcements as we sometimes are forced to change venues.

By Train: Exit the Keihan Marutamachi station from exit 5. Turn left at the small street just in front of you as you reach the top of the stairs. Walking along this street you will see through the trees, the Kyoto University Hospital on your left, and houses and shops on your right. Continue walking for about 300 meters. The Kyoto Kyoiku Bunka Center is the first large building of more than 3 floors on the right. There is a public phone booth in front of the building.

By Bus: Take bus #206 from the A2 stop at Kyoto station. Get off at Kumano Jinja Mae. Walk north the same direction as the bus, away from Marutamachi dori. Turn left at the first intersection. Walk about 150 meters. The Kyoto Kyoiku Bunka Center is on the left.

Hello everyone! We realize that upon entering this MASH site, that you would love to become a member. We would encourage you to do so... but please wait!

We are working on our dissertations now and this new MASH website will be accepting members AFTER our dissertations are complete (Join us in prayer that this will be by the end of March). There is still some functionality that needs to be tested and worked on. We will announce to everyone once this web site is available for people to create a new user account.

Until then, please be patient! Have a look around the site, but please don't sign up yet!

Mark

building a web site for the MASHes.

KYOTO JALT MASH '09 SCHEDULE

  9:30 -  Registration

10:00 -  Welcome and "Early Bird Meishi Lottery"

10:15 -  Poster Session 1 - "Talking about practice in the Classroom"

            Jennifer Spiegel, Connect to the Computer Generation with ELT
            Misato Azuma - Using Reflective practice within teaching
            Himiko Osayama, Learning Strategies for Vocabulary Tests 

                                        Used by Students in The Seventh Grade
            Kim Bradford-Watts, Fast and Furious Surveys
            Vick L. Ssali, Back to Basics: Empowering Freshmen Writing

                                Classes

   

            Alternate: Steven Herder, Reconsidering Input/Output in the

                             JSHS context

11:45 -  Lunch (BYO and enjoy the company)

12:30 -  20-Minute Presentations (plus 10-min Q&A)

            David Svoboda, Oral Testing: "Easing the Pain"
            Joe Siegel, Evaluation of Materials for Young Learners
            Jean-Paul DuQuette, EFL in  "Second Life": Potential and

                                Pitfalls

 
 2:00 -  Feedback Circle

 2:30 -  Reflection and Refresh

 
 3:00 -  Poster Session 2 - "Talking about theory for the Classroom"

            Iain Dandy, A Research Study: Examining my own Work

                              Environment
            Michael Iwane-Salovaara, "What is Microgenetic Analysis?”
            Julian Pigott, Models of Motivation in the Classroom
            Wakana Takai-MacLean, Using L1 to Learn L2: Adult Learner's

                                                    Class
            William Baber, "If the Shoe Fits...A Japan-appropriate Teaching 

                                     Model for Adult Learners"
  
4:30 -  Wrap-up

You can also download the PDF of the schedule here.

Kyoto MASH '09 is fast approaching! We are looking forward to seeing you there!