Welcome to our first workshop of 2014! Our workshop will take place this Saturday, March 15 starting at 2:45.
(We apologize for such late notice, due to issues with confirming the venue.)
We are pleased to welcome a presenter who is joining us all the way from Japan. Ariel Sorensen will present on two practical techniques to get students speaking in the target language and enjoying it.
We also have a longtime member, Brian Heldenbrand, who will look at seven specific building blocks an EFL teacher in Korea might wish to consider for becoming a more awesome teacher.
**** We have changed our venue to Jeonju University. We will be meeting in 진리관 (Jilli-gwan, Truth Hall) Room 109. For directions on the day of the meeting, please call Ingrid 010-3560-2957.****
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Presentation I
Practical Speaking Techniques
In this workshop we will learn two practical techniques to get the students speaking in the target language exclusively and enjoying it. The first is a series of grammar exercises that is flexible enough to accommodate nearly any target grammar point for practical reinforcement. Although the students may see them as games, they are very useful for raising cognitive awareness of the target form while getting the students to use the form orally with a lot of laughs. The second is even more intense. This technique helps students give oral instructions for descriptive communication forms. This technique becomes very challenging for students and gives instant feedback, and later all four skills can easily be tested.
Bio: Ariel Sorensen is currently an Ed.D candidate through Anaheim University and works in Hiroshima Shudo University. He has taught at several universities in Japan and taught courses for teachers in Busan University of Foreign Studies as well. He does research on Japanese and Korean supplementary language lessons and has done presentations on this topic as well as CALL. He enjoys learning teaching techniques and teaching others how to use them. He also loves languages and speaks English and Japanese fluently, with some Korean, Spanish and Esperanto (but not well at all).
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Presentation II
Title: Teaching, Learning, and Developing
Educators in the field of EFL/ESL spend hours of their life in the classroom bettering students in their English proficiency scores and language skills. As a result of their arduous labor, educators need more resources and involvement within opportunities to better equip themselves for teaching and learning. The daily commitment of each teacher to prepare, instruct, motivate, encourage, correct, and counsel (to name a few) requires numerous hours, ideas and discipline. Whether the language learning environment exists within the classroom, in social learning opportunities, or online, teachers need to be aware, and better able to consider the educational “options” or “tools” available for teaching, learning and developing more as an educator. This presentation will look at seven specific building blocks an EFL teacher in Korea might wish to consider for becoming a more awesome teacher. Some of these ideas and techniques are taken from Doug Lemov’s outstanding book, Teach Like a Champion. Regardless of whether we are experienced educators or first-year teachers-in-training, this presentation will offer everyone an opportunity to nod their head in agreement. Well, are you ready to build?
Bio: Brian is an Associate Professor in the Department of Liberal Arts in Jeonju University. He has taught English in Jeonju University since 1994. Brian also serves as the principal of Global Prodigy Academy, (an American International Middle/High School on the campus of Jeonju University). Brian has been active with KOTESOL for 20 years and has served in various leadership positions within the local chapter and nationally during his stay in Korea. His interests in EFL relate to visual learning, extensive reading and the development of presentation skills in language learners. Brian has been married over 15 years to Tammy Fisher and they have a 10-year old son named Malachi, who attends fourth grade in a Korean elementary school. Brian also serves as the pastor of Jungbu English Church in Jeonju.
