Japan Association for Language Teaching
The Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT) is a non-profit professional organization for foreign language teachers in Japan. Japan's "largest convocation of language educators",[1] JALT has 2,800 members,[2] many of whom are non-Japanese who have settled in Japan.[3] Each member belongs to a local chapter, and has the option of also belonging to Special Interest Groups (SIGs). JALT holds an annual conference, and has done so for 38 years.[4] JALT produces a bimonthly magazine, a semiannual journal, and an annual conference proceedings.[5]
JALT Chapters
Overview of Chapters
JALT has Chapters throughout Japan. Each member of JALT belongs to a chapter. Chapters take their names from the geographical area that they serve (usually named for their prefecture or city). Chapters sponsor monthly activities for language teachers in their area.[6] Most chapter events are in English, though some are in Japanese.
List of JALT chapters
- Akita
- East Shikoku
- Fukui
- Fukuoka
- Gifu
- Gunma
- Hamamatsu
- Himeji
- Hiroshima
- Hokkaido
- Ibaraki
- Iwate
- Kagoshima
- Kitakyushu
- Kobe
- Kyoto
- Matsuyama
- Miyazaki
- Nagasaki
- Nagoya
- Nara
- Niigata
- Oita
- Okayama
- Okinawa
- Omiya
- Osaka
- Sendai
- Shinshu
- Shizuoka
- Tokyo
- Toyohashi
- West Tokyo
- Yamagata
- Yokohama
JALT SIGs
Overview of SIGs
JALT has many Special Interest Groups (SIGs) consisting of JALT members who share a professional interest. JALT members have the option of joining one or more SIGs. SIGs provide publications, mailing lists, and are involved with conferences.[6]
List of JALT SIGs
- Bilingualism
- Business Communication
- College and University Educators
- Computer Assisted Language Learning
- Critical Thinking
- Extensive Reading
- Framework and Language Portfolio
- Gender Awareness in Language Education
- Global Issues in Language Education
- Japanese as a Second Language
- Learner Development
- Lifelong Language Learning
- Literature in Language Teaching
- Materials Writers
- Mind, Brain, and Education
- Other Language Educators
- Pragmatics
- School Owners
- Speech, Drama, & Debate
- Study Abroad
- Task Based Learning
- Teacher Education and Development
- Teachers Helping Teachers
- Teaching Younger Learners
- Testing and Evaluation
- Vocabulary
JALT Conference
The full name of JALT's annual conference is Annual International Conference on Language Teaching and Learning & Educational Materials Exhibition.[7] Conferences consist of Plenary Sessions, Featured Speaker sessions, and concurrent workshops and presentations. There are about 600 of these, and about 1,600 attendees.[8] There is a balance between practical presentations and theoretical ones.[9] The Educational Materials Exhibition (EME) consists of displays of language learning textbooks, reference books and other language education materials.
JALT Publications
The Language Teacher
The Language Teacher is JALT's bimonthly magazine for teachers. It is distributed in both paper and electronic (online) form. The magazine was first published in 1984.[10] It is a refereed publication, meaning that articles are subject to peer review.
JALT Journal
The JALT Journal is JALT's research journal, published semiannually, in May and November. It is an applied research journal, with an emphasis on linking theory to practice.[11]
References
- ↑ The Japan Times http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2005/10/18/issues/ministry-missive-wrecks-reception/#.UU_9aL8_CEc
- ↑ http://www.eltnews.com/news/archives/2011/06/etj_to_affiliat.html
- ↑ The Japan Times http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/03/02/our-lives/teacher-cultivates-more-bilingual-education-opportunities-for-children/
- ↑ http://www.eltnews.com/news/archives/2012/10/jalt_2012_conference.html
- ↑ http://jalt-publications.org
- 1 2 http://jalt.org/main/groups
- ↑ http://jalt.org/conference
- ↑ JALT Executive Newsletter Volume 39 No. 1 p. 9
- ↑ Yomiuri Shimbun http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/language/T110929004016.htm
- ↑ http://jalt-publications.org/tlt
- ↑ http://jalt-publications.org/jj