My Share: Back to School Tips

Join Kobe JALT for a back-to-school event focused on practical classroom tips and activities. Everyone who comes will be guaranteed to leave with at least one activity which can be used in the classroom immediately. Authors who have been published in The Language Teacher's "My Share" column will provide short demonstrations of proven classroom activities. 

This informal and practical event is sure to have something for everyone! Teachers working at all levels are welcome.  

Date: Saturday, April 17

Time: 3 - 5pm

We will be joined by Jennifer Smith (Osaka Shoin Women's University) and David Isaacs (University of North Texas), two published My Share authors from JALT's very own The Language Teacher Journal. They'll be sharing practical classroom activities which you can use with your own students ASAP! Looking for tried-and-tested activities? Look no further! Zoom info will be sent to you in April.  See you soon! 

“Error Charting” A.K.A. “Error Mapping”

“Error Charting During Novel Times”, The Language Teacher, My Share, Volume 45, Number 1, Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT), January/February 2021

Error Charting is a system used to document recurrent issues in academic writing using a chart that lists and documents common grammar errors. Learners can discover their individual accuracy errors during a term-long process of tracking errors. It is a convenient tool to support teacher feedback on written assignments whether classes are taught synchronously or asynchronously, in person or online.

David Isaacs is originally from San Clemente, California. He spent time in China to study Chinese. He likes to do sports and travel. He enjoys reading, eating, visiting friends and family, and listening to the news and music in his free time.

Mr. Isaacs studied at CSULB earning a BA in Anthropology- Linguistics and Culture. He continued to study at CSULB to earn an MA in Linguistics- Teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language. He has been an EFL/ESL instructor at Meisei University for INTO-Oregon State University, INTO-Oregon State University, and Kansai Gaidai University.

Mr. Isaacs’ teaching experience has mostly focused on academic writing instruction and formative feedback. He has published articles in peer-reviewed regional, national, and international journals related to the use of “error mapping” and using technology to teach writing to further enhance formative feedback research and pedagogical outcomes.

He currently teaches English at the UNT x KGU Super IES Joint Program in Japan. He encourages students of all English abilities to consider studying at IELI UNT or the UNT x KGU Super IES Program because both programs offers highly-skilled and qualified staff whose main concerns are focused on meeting the academic and career goals of students.

Exploring Free Writing

“But, I can’t think of anything to write about!” Writing practice is an essential part of English language acquisition, but students of all skill levels can struggle to express their ideas. Free writing activities in which students focus on fluency can increase motivation and self-expression. This presentation will cover the basics of free writing and offer suggestions for scaffolding this type of activity while encouraging a diversity in writing topics.

Jennifer Rose Smith is currently a full-time lecturer at Osaka Shoin Women’s University. She obtained her Masters in Teaching English as a Second Language from Hawaii Pacific University in 2011, and has taught English in a variety of settings in both the United States and in Japan.