Issue #93 November 2014 Tottori, Japan
Newsletter of the "Global Issues in Language Education" Special Interest Group (GILE SIG) of the Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT)
GLOBAL ISSUES IN LANGUAGE EDUCATION NEWSLETTER
93rd Issue
celebrating 93 issues and 24 years in print since 1990
Kip A. Cates, Tottori University, Koyama, Tottori City, JAPAN 680-8551 E-mail: [email protected] Check out back issues on our homepage! Website: www.gilesig.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/gilesig.org
NEWSLETTER #93
Our fall GILE Newsletter for 2014 boasts a rich variety of articles on global themes: (1) a critical look at the “marketization” of language education by GILE webmaster Paul Arenson, (2) a discussion of global education as an approach to teaching young learners by Austin Lantz and (3) an article by Tamatha Roman describing ways to promote language skills and environmental awareness through upcycling. Conference reports look at this summer’s AILA applied linguistics congress in Brisbane and JACET 2014 in Hiroshima. Our special features are: (a) a section on teaching about “walls around the world” with a focus on the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, (b) a list of ideas and resources for teaching about the 100th anniversary of the famous 1914 World War I Christmas truce and (c) a list of global issue calendars for the year 2015.
♦ E-SUBSCRIPTIONS: After 20 years as a paper newsletter, we now offer electronic subscriptions by e-mail. Please let us know if you’d like to try this eco-friendly option!
* Abstracts of articles on global themes from ELT journals and the media 4 * Conference Report: JACET 2014 Conference (Hiroshima, Japan) 6 – 8 * Conference Report: Global Issues at AILA 2014 (Brisbane, Australia) 9 –10 * Teacher Autonomy in the Language Classroom by Paul Arenson 11 – 13 * The Field of Early Learner Global Education by Austin M. N. Lantz 14 – 16 * Environmental Awareness through Upcycling by Tamatha Roman 17 * Special Feature: Teaching about the Berlin Wall 18 – 19 * Teaching about the World War I Christmas Truce of 1914 20 * Language teaching textbooks on global education themes 22 * Global issue calendars and datebooks for the year 2015 23
Global Issues in Language Education 1 Printed entirely on recycled paper.
A N N O U N C E M E N T S
Peace as a Global Language Conference (PGL)
December 6 - 7, 2014
Kobe Gakuin University (Port Island Campus)
This year’s PGL Conference will be held on December 6 - 7 at Kobe Gakuin University on the theme of Conflict Management and Peace in the Community. This unique weekend event will bring together peace activists, educators, academics and language teachers to discuss ways that we can work to resolve the conflicts that divide our local and global communities. Come and join this special peace education event!
Plenary Speakers Topics Conference Fees & Site Access
C. Murigande (Rwandan Ambassador) 20 Years Since the Genocide . Registration 1 day: ¥4,000 Brian DaRin (US Consulate) Conflict Management 2 days: ¥7,000 Akiko Sugiki (Kobe Gakuin Univ.) East African Piracy . Student discounts: ¥500 / ¥1,000 Gerry Yokota (Osaka University) Nelson Mandela . 6 mins. from Minato-jima Station
Global Education Events . 2nd Global Higher Education Conference
June 6, 2015 Lakeland College (Japan) . Gender, Peace, Education and Development Deadline for applications: January 9, 2015
November 29 – 30, 2014 Bijnor (India) Website:
Website:
<> Human Rights and Peace JALT Environmental Committee <> Women and Peacebuilding Chair: Brent Simmonds . IIPE Summer Institute of Peace Education
GILE SIG Website GILE on Facebook GILE on Twitter
www.gilesig.org www.facebook.com/gilesig.org https://twitter.com/gilesigjp
Our Global Issues in Language Check out our Global Issues • For updates on global themes, Education Special Interest Group Facebook page for an exciting see our Global Issues Twitter site website offers a wealth of teach- selection of up-to-date news, • Make sure as well to check out ing ideas from back issues of our events, campaigns, resources, The GILE Daily, a dynamic newsletter, thanks to webmaster initiatives and info on global resource for following the issues: Paul Arenson. Check it out! education and global issues. <> http://paper.li/gilesigjp
Global Issues in Language Education 2 Newsletter Issue #93 November 2014
JALT GLOBAL ISSUES SIG OFFICERS FOR 2014
Here are the 2014 officers for our Global Issues in Language Education Special Interest Group (GILE SIG) of the Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT). Let us know if you want to join the team!
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS REGIONAL OFFICERS PROJECT OFFICERS
SIG Chair & Newsletter Editor: Hokkaido: Tim Grose SIG Programs: Kip Cates (contact details at left) Jennie Roloff-Rothman
Tottori University Tohoku: Naoko Harada International Christian Univ. Koyama-cho, Tottori City
Kanto: Mark Shrosbree Jane Nakagawa (at left) SIG Treasurer: Anthony Torbert Tokai University, Kanagawa SIG Publicity: Kobe Gakuin University
Hokkaido SIG Website:
Okinawa University Kyushu: Jack Brajcich Jack Brajcich Naha, Okinawa Fukuoka Jogakuin Jr College Fukuoka Jogakuin Jr College
WHERE CAN I DONATE USED GLOBAL PROJECTS FOR LANGUAGE TEXTBOOKS? SCHOOLS AND CLASSES
Don't throw away old textbooks, journals, dictionaries or cassette tapes. Recycle them! ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS
EFL Books Requested for Teachers in Haiti . How to Save Paper in School
EFL teachers in Haiti are still recovering from www.wikihow.com/Save-Paper-in-School the January 2010 earthquake. Send books to: Herve F. Alcindor, Mate-Tesol President . How to Become a Green School www.greenschools.net/ 84 Avenue Jean-Paul II, Turgeau Port-au-Prince, Haiti CLASS OR SCHOOL EVENTS "Book Aid" South Africa Library Project Help poor South African kids! Check first to see . Sponsor a Child Overseas
what's needed. They'll mail to South Africa. http://plan-international.org www.plan-japan.org Chikako Noda (Japan)
Global Issues in Language Education 3 Newsletter Issue #93 November 2014
GLOBAL ISSUES IN LT JOURNALS AND THE MEDIA
Abstracts of articles from language teaching journals and news media.
Thinking Green: Analyzing EFL Textbooks Recycling Rubbish at Nicaragua School
in Light Of Ecological Education Themes A bilingual Spanish-English school in Nicaragua has
by Dina Al-Jimal & Wesal Al-Omari found a creative way to expand while helping the (Yarmouk University, Jordan)
Journal of Education and Practice Vol. 5 No.14 This July, the British Council signed an official May 2014 UK www.elgazette.com www.iiste.org/ memorandum of understanding with North Korea’s Journals/index.php/JEP/article/view/13001/13316 Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries aimed at promoting English education in the
country. The agreement extended until 2017 the The Feminist EFL Classroom: What and Council’s English teacher training programs at higher How do Feminist Teachers Teach? education institutions: Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies, Kim Il Sung University and Kim Hyong-Jik by Reiko Yoshihara (Nihon University, Japan) University. The Council recently brought 10 junior/
This paper noted Japan’s low rank on global gender visit to study English and learn about British systems. surveys (#101 out of 103 nations), discussed the nature “North Korea and BC Sign Memo” in EL Gazette of feminist EFL and explored the teaching approaches #416 September 2014, UK. www.elgazette.com of 9 feminist university EFL teachers in Japan. The study looked at classroom observations, teachers’ Are Homophones Homosexual? journals, questionnaires and interviews. It found a great diversity in teaching approaches, including film, poetry, An American media specialist working for the Nomen readings and textbooks on topics such as gender roles, Global Language Center in Provo, Utah was fired after marriage and divorce, child-rearing, abortion, birth posting an article explaining homophones to English control, domestic violence, female genital mutilation, language learners on the school’s website. According to HIV/AIDS, women’s health, LGBT issues, the the specialist, the school’s owner complained that, “Now Grameen Bank, women in religion, separate surnames our school is going to be associated with for married couples, work-family balance, women in homosexuality.” Homophones are words that have the Afghanistan, sexist speech and gender discrimination. same sound but different spellings (for example, which and witch). The school’s owner appears to have Nihon University June 2014. www.bus.nihon-u. confused the word homophone with homosexual. ac.jp/laboratory/pdf/YoshiharaReiko20_1.pdf “Homo-phone-sex mix-up” in EL Gazette #416
Teachers Mock Spanish PM’s English Skills September 2014.
According to a Monitor CUP survey, over 90% of EFL teachers in Spain believe that Mariano Rajoy, the WANTED - CON TRIBUTIONS! country’s Prime Minister, would fail a secondary . Have you created a classroom activity, a teaching school English test. Almost 25% believe that he’d fail a unit or a course on a global theme? primary school English exam. 88% of the 980 teachers . Is there a teaching resource that you recommend? who were polled felt that Spain’s politicians had worse
English than their counterparts in other EU nations. . If so, then write it up, send it in and share your “Teachers Mock PM’s English Skills” in ideas with our GILE Newsletter readers! EL Gazette #415 August 2014
Global Issues in Language Education 4 Newsletter Issue #93 November 2014
NEWS FROM LANGUAGE TEACHING ORGANIZATIONS
JALT 2015 Conference Key Internet Websites on Global Nov. 20 – 23, 2015 Shizuoka, Japan Issues and Language Teaching
theme is Focus on the Learner. Start planning now to send in your proposal on a global theme!
. Submission Deadline: February 12, 2015 (Japan) JALT Global Issues SIG www.gilesig.org
PAC Pan-Asian Conference IA T E FL Global Issues SIG (UK) January 29–31, 2015 Bangkok http://gisig.iatefl.org/
th This will include the 13 Asian Youth Forum.
Teachers of English to
Int’l Association of Teachers of Speakers of Other Languages English as a Foreign Language 1925 Ballenger Ave, Suite 550, Darwin College, Univ. of Kent, UK Alexandria, VA 22314-6820 USA
IATEFL 2015 CONFERENCE TESOL 2015 CONFERENCE IATEFL’s annual international conference will Next spring’s TESOL 2015 conference will be be held next spring from April 11 – 14, 2015 in held from March 25–28 in Toronto, Canada on the Manchester, England. This global event will be theme of Crossing Borders, Building Bridges. attended by 2,000 teachers from 100 countries. TESOL is the world’s largest annual English language teaching conference. Each year, it brings Global Issues SIG
worldwide to join. If you’re a TESOL member, be sure to make this your primary interest section. Other Language Teaching Conferences
th SR-IS: Anne Marie Foerster Luu (USA) . 7 BELTA International EFL Conference
Website: www.belta-bd.org
. ACLL 5th Asian Conference on Lg Learning Don’t forget to renew your Global Issues
April 30 – May 3, 2015 Osaka (Japan) MEMBERSHIP / SUBSCRIPTION http://iafor.org/iafor/conferences/acll2015/ Deadline for Proposals: January 1, 2015 JALT Members: ¥1,500 per year
. JALT Pan-SIG Spring Conference Non-JALT Newsletter Subscriptions May 16-17, 2015 Kobe (Japan) Theme: Japan: ¥2,000 Narratives: Raising the Happiness Quotient Overseas: US $15 Details to come soon at: www.pansig.org
. More Conference Information JACET 2015 Summer Conference August 29-31, 2015 Kagoshima (Japan) * www.conferencealerts.com/language.htm Theme: English in a Globalized World * http://jalt.org/aggregator/sources Details to come soon at: www.jacet.org * www.eltcalendar.com/events/
Global Issues in Language Education 5 Newsletter Issue #93 November 2014
53rd JACET CONFERENCE ON LANGUAGE TEACHING
August 28 - 30, 2014 at Hiroshima City University, Hiroshima, Japan
- - Fostering English Communicative Competence for Peace and Friendship - -
The 53rd international conference of JACET (the Japan Association for College English Teaching) took place in the city of Hiroshima from August 28 – 30, 2014. The conference theme was Fostering Communicative Competence for Peace and Friendship. Below is a selection of the many sessions given on global issue topics.
PLENARY SESSIONS CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Building Bridges of Peace and Friendship: EFL and Capacity Building for Peace The Role of College English Teachers This session described student peace projects such as building homes via Habitat for Humanity and Bridge This plenary talk stressed the role that college English for Peace films on former Japanese WWII soldiers. teachers can play in teaching for a future of peace and Kazuya Asakawa (Tokai Gakuen)
peace and friendship. Wayne Arnold (Kansai Gaidai Japanese University Students, EFL and University)
Global Peace-Building Conferences TaLK: Teach And Learn in Korea
This showed how the government TALK program This plenary talk discussed ways in which college provides children in rural areas of Korea with the EFL teachers can contribute to developing global chance to learn from English native speakers. citizens with communicative English language skills Hee-Kyung Lee (Yonsei University, Korea) who can play an active and creative role in contributing to a just and peaceful world. It urged Willingness to Communicate/Self-Confidence teachers to engage their Japanese college students in This discussed a research project on how students’ global education events outside the classroom such as “willingness to communicate” impacted their international peace-building conferences and Model interactions and success while studying abroad. United Nations simulations. Chihiro Tajima (Keisen University)
Craig Smith (Kyoto University of Foreign Studies) Vocabulary in EFL Texts in Japan and Korea
differences found in junior high school EFL textbooks Teaching English for Peace: in Korea and Japan. Katsumi Kiyonaga (Iizuka Fostering Global Citizenship Nisshinkan Junior High School)
This symposium featured a panel of language Communicative Competence through Film educators who discussed initiatives for promoting This session discussed the results of a survey of what global citizenship via EFL. The speakers gave benefits Japanese EFL students report from watching examples of how teachers can promote peace, authentic English films. Atsumi Yamaguchi tolerance, empathy and social responsibility, and can
encourage students to use their language skills for Enhancing Intercultural Competence at JHS good in the local and global community. This presentation took a critical look at how junior Kazuya Asakawa (Tokai Gakuen University) high school EFL textbooks in Japan serve to Craig Smith (Kyoto University Foreign Studies) promote intercultural competence. Fumiko Kurihara Kip Cates (Tottori University) (Chuo University)
Global Issues in Language Education 6 Newsletter Issue #93 November 2014
The Leader Method in Project-based EFL English Competencies for Global Citizens This described the benefits of the Leader Method, This described a 2-year integrated college global where the class becomes a student-led business education EFL program in which 1st and 2nd year meeting with minimal teacher intervention. Yukie students study social and global issues. Masataka Kasai Kondo (Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto) (Kansai Gaidai Univ.)
Understanding Socio-Cultural Diversity Study Abroad Research Trends: An Overview This described ideas, techniques and activities for This session gave an overview of issues linked to study integrating themes of intercultural understanding into abroad research: sampling, t-tests, journals, EFL courses and programs. Sumiko Miyafusa (Showa questionnaires, self-reports and micro-narratives. Women’s University)
Pronunciation for English as a Lingua Franca Tuesdays with Morrie: Lit for Healthcare This talk described research on features of pronun- This presentation described the value of using English ciation are required for students to be perceived as literature with EFL healthcare students, with a focus on competent English speakers. Takanori Sato (University the book “Tuesdays with Morrie”. Emiko Ubukawa of Melbourne, Australia)
What Made You Speak English? Big Ideas in Easy English: Extensive Reading This presentation discussed the results of a survey that This talk introduced
SPAcE: Special Program for Academic English English as a Global Communication Tool This talk discussed SPAcE (Special Program for This talk outlined the key features of English for global Academic English), a new EFL program implemented communication, then presented a language portfolio to promote students’ global competence. Junko Otoshi designed to teach these in the classroom. Yukie Saito
Learning Beyond the Classroom Online Preparing Students for the Global Job Market This talk discussed an on-line EFL discussion forum This looked at the need to prepare EFL students for a which brought together Japanese college students and global job market and introduced the new Japanese EFL students in Bangkok, Thailand. Yaoko Matsuoka EFL text “Working in Japan”. John Rucynski (International Christian University, Tokyo) (Okayama University)
Intercultural Communication through English Project Learning for Rural Thai Students This presentation argued that students need to develop This presentation discussed a cooperative EFL project inter-cultural communication skills, pragmatic compe- in southern Thailand that brought together Buddhist tence, empathy and a sense of cultural equality. Xinren and Muslim EFL students. Pragasit Sitthitikul Chen (Nanjing, China)
Why Do Students Communicate Poorly? Using English During an Internship Abroad This talk analyzed the main obstacles to successful This presentation described research on how English communication such as lack of confidence, peer was used by Japanese college EFL students during a pressure and Japanese cultural norms. Rieko Matsuoka 1-week internship program carried out in Singapore. (Tokyo)
Internationalisation & Corruption in Higher Ed International Exchange: Turkey and Japan This presentation analyzed the role that English plays This presentation discussed how English was used to in developing nations characterized by corruption, exchange letters of support between earthquake victims social inequality, and a winner-take-all mentality. in Japan and Turkey. Hitomi Sakamoto (Toyo Gakuen Anthony Fenton (Tokyo University of Science) University)
Positive Effects of Short-Term Overseas Study Japan and Hong Kong Composition Exchange This case study of 2 Japanese college students analyzed This talk explained a project where Japanese and Hong English learning benefits of short-term overseas study Kong EFL students exchanged compositions about and rate of attrition one year later. Misa Fujio (Toyo their countries and cultures. Mika Ishizuka (Tokyo University)
Global Issues in Language Education 7 Newsletter Issue #93 November 2014
Student Attitude Shift: Using Malala’s Speech Peace and Friendship through Drama Activities This presentation explained how studying the United This session demonstrated EFL drama techniques built Nations speech of Malala Yousefsai promoted positive around a peace story about how one child’s bold action student attitudes to English and to global issues. Takue brings together two hostile tribes. Yasuko Shiozawa Ohno (Hokkaido Pharmaceutical University) (Bunkyo University, Tokyo)
World Englishes and College English Education English Education in Korea: Jeju, Busan, Seoul This talk reviewed the history of EFL in Japan and This talk described the current state of English teaching discussed the role of World Englishes in a global in Korea based on fieldwork visits to Korean schools in education approach to teaching English. Hiroshi Jeju, Busan and Seoul. Hideko Nakano (Kyushu Yoshikawa (Chukyo U)
EFL Content and Language in Medical Welfare A Cross-cultural Approach to Japanese ESL This presentation described how a CLIL approach to This talk described how teaching via short skits on EFL for medical welfare can lead to a better balance common situations involving foreign visitors to Japan between language and content. Yoshihiro Nigo (Coast can promote better English communication. Jun Omi Guard Academy, Japan)
A Critical Analysis of Global Policy Documents English News Articles and Extensive Reading This presentation analyzed the current discourse of This presentation described how extensive reading on globalization and critiqued the impact on Japanese EFL self-chosen articles led to positive student attitudes to of Ministry of Education documents. Masanobu news reading. Takaaki Goto (Kumamoto University)
Nakatsugawa (Otaru)
3-week English course in Canada. Mark Matsune Promoting Communicative Competence via CL (Hokkaido)
Shin-Eiken Association “Shin Eigo Kyoiku” (New English Classroom) Magazine < www.shin-eiken.com > Sanyusha Press
Issue # 540 (August 2014) Theme: Peace and Human Rights 新英語教育研究会 . Teaching English for Global Citizenship (Hiromi Ishimori)
. Learning from the Life of M.L. King (Yukimi Watanabe) Shin-Eiken is a dynamic high . Teaching the Diary of Anne Frank (Emiko Hori) school English teachers group in Issue # 541 (September 2014) Theme: Authentic Materials based in Japan which works to . Broadening Worldviews via Authentic Materials (T. Yanagisawa) promote global awareness, peace, . Artmile Project: Global Links with Taiwan by TV (K. Shimizu) international understanding and . Nuclear Issues: “When the Wind Blows” (Katsuo Ando) humanistic education. Check its . Songs & Documentaries: Travelin’ Soldier & PBS (J. Yoshiura)
Japanese website, subscribe to its magazine or attend one of its Issue # 542 (October 2014) Theme: Materials Writing many regional events in Japan. . Learning from Ken Noguchi: Cleaning Up Mt. Everest (N. Abe)
Global Issues in Language Education 8 Newsletter Issue #93 November 2014
17th World Congress of Applied Linguistics
August 22 - 25, 2014 in Brisbane, Australia
Conference Theme: One World – Many Languages
The 17th World Congress of AILA (the International Association for Applied Linguistics) was held from August 22 – 25, 2014 in Brisbane, Australia. This major congress, held once every 3 years, brought together language and education experts from 70 countries. Below is an overview of AILA sessions on global themes.
Plenary Speakers Presentations
Hearing the Inside: Australian Languages This talk introduced the rich complexity and special Peacebuilding: New Paradigm in Lg Planning Joseph Lo Bianco
New Chinglish: Translanguaging Creatively English as Medium of Instruction in Indonesia This talk described the spread of English in China, the Dyah Sunggingwati
Research Symposia Verbal Bullying in European Universities
B. Kolkmann
Special research symposia were held on a variety of Migration/Multilingualism: Japan & Singapore themes linked to language and linguistics. Catherine Chua
Language and Trauma Collaborating Across Borders by Video Minako Yogi
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Western Women Teaching English in Japan Language Learning in Edu-Tourism Programs Roslyn Appleby
A Corpus Based Study of Apology Expressions Doing Culture, Doing Race in the ESL Class K. Kitao (Doshisha)
Mitigated Speech in the Crash of Avianca 052 World Englishes and the EFL Classroom Simon Cookson
Cross-Cultural Understanding in “Hi Friends” ELT in Brazil: Educating for Race Relations Satoko Hamamoto
Foreign Nurses for a Multicultural Japan Social Justice Education and Immigrant Youth Rika Kusunoki (University of Queensland) Roumiana Ilieva (Western U, Canada)
Museums & Theatres as Places to Learn Lg. Learning, Privilege and Missionary Kids Jutta Rymarczyk
Critical Pedagogy and Social Justice in EFL Stereotypes in Brazilian EFL Textbooks
Hugh Nicoll (Japan)
How to Raise a Global Learner in Japan PP English for Buddhist Purposes Tsuyoshi Koizumi
Exploring Ethical Issues: Language Research Language of Obesity, Language of Culture Peter de Costa
Developing Critical Thinking & Academic Forensic Linguistics: Clues to Deception Literacy Shi Pu (Cambridge)
The 3-11 Earthquake Seen in 5 News Programs Supporting Minority Languages M. Krause-Ono
High School English Textbooks in N. Korea Attribution, Stereotyping, Miscommunication Eun Sung Park
Language, Multifaith and One-World Identity Boko Haram’s Language of Insurgency C. Muench
Foreign Teachers of English in Vietnam Divergent Discourse of Japan-Korea Issues David Bright
Impacts of Internationalization on EFL Sts A Corpus Approach: Pollution Reports in China Lilian Cheng
Intercultural Communication in Japan Language and Gender in Courtroom Interpreting Kahoko Matsumoto
Guest Workers, Foreigners or Fellow Citizens High Proficiency Japanese Women and English Martina Mollering
Language, Hatred and (In)Humanity Nuclear Discussions between Iran and the USA Joseph Comer (RMIT)
Discourses of Sustainability in Print Media Global Competence in a Multi-Cultural Salad Radha Iyer (QUT)
Ancient Words, Modern Worlds: The Maori Communication Anxiety of Foreign Residents Elisa Duder (AUT)
Wearing English: Wording on T-Shirts D. Caldwell
I can’t eat, I gotta play: Digital English Games The next AILA congress will be held in 3 years Pia Sundqvist
Global Issues in Language Education 10 Newsletter Issue #93 November 2014
Teacher Autonomy in the Language Classroom
by Paul Arenson (Miyazaki, Japan)
The Corporate Agenda & Language Education interested to find out if teachers were struggling to Choice and empowerment are key words make ends meet, working umpteen hours a week. asso-ciated with learner autonomy, critical pedagogy This is an often overlooked issue directly related to and student-centered teaching. Yet the workplace can the marketization of education where teachers are be littered with obstacles that limit a teacher’s viewed as being expendable. autonomy and job satisfaction. Some lay the blame The responses I got revealed a great deal of squarely on what Gray and Block (2012) call the concern about a deteriorating work environment, such
“marketization” of education: as professors finding themselves looking for work at
the end of a fixed-term contract and others being Students are increasingly seen as customers seeking a forced to betray their values as educators by having to service and schools and teachers are, as a teach TOEIC or TOEFL prep courses. I believe this is consequence, seen as service providers. As this a result of the corporatization of our institutions, metaphorical frame has been imposed… the semantic which see teachers as expendable and secondary to stretching of keywords from the world of business… the needs of perceived markets. has become commonplace. Thus terms such as “outcomes”, “value added”, “knowledge transfer”, Testing Blues “the knowledge economy” and above all Gray and Block’s critique of the marketization “accountability” have become part of the day-to-day of education has much to say about how a single company has done so much to sabotage the efforts of vocabulary of education. those of us who are trying to make our classes relevant to our students as human beings. https://scottthornbury.wordpress.com/tag/outcomes/ The villain in both cases is ETS (Educational Testing Services), a company which has received Teacher Perceptions much bad press about alleged bias in its standardized In my teacher survey and Pan-SIG 2014 talk, I tests. These tests are now part of the broader debate asked teachers to consider the extent to which the about high stakes testing and how schools have institutions that employ us help or hinder our efforts ceased being places to develop the whole person but to foster autonomous learning. I was particularly just facilitators of the same old corporate agenda of interested in teachers who identified with approaches ranking and classifying people. involving global education, critical pedagogy, learner The company just rakes it in, suckering autonomy and cooperative learning. I wanted to know Japanese learners by convincing them that they are if they found a conflict between their own values and somehow deficient in learning. In reality, it’s because the corporate values which underlie what they’re just about everyone and her aunt is persuaded that asked to teach. By inviting them to examine and share they need this test in order to lead a happy life and their attempts to create a supportive learning reach enlightenment that more people take the test in environment in the face of workplace limitations, I Japan than anywhere else. This drives scores down. hoped to gauge the extent to which a corporate And profits up for ETS. (TOEFL and TOEIC are agenda gets in the way of promoting learning. The marketed by different companies in Japan, but it is use of the term “corporate agenda” should not be the same old ETS.) misconstrued as applying only to business English or Publishers and language schools follow suit, to those teaching in companies but to all institu-tions and even whole university programs are based around where the corporate ethic dominates. these (or similar) tests. Even JALT presentations are I also wanted to know how such teachers not immune. Sooner or later, everyone is looking for responded - if they chose to avoid dealing with the advice on the best ways to use the tests, the best ways conflict by conforming to corporate values, if only to to prepare your classes for them and the best ways to be able to have steady work, or if they resisted those increase students’ tests scores. Since everything values somehow. I was hoping to find teachers revolves around these tests, language education willing to be subversive in their choice of materials becomes just one big test preparation course. Scott Thornbury says: and in how they managed their classes. Regardless of whether or not teachers felt I have an almost pathological horror of testing threatened by their students’ needs and interests being and assessment…Things can be going along just defined by top-down, corporate values, I was also swimmingly until the day of the test, or the day
Global Issues in Language Education 11 Newsletter Issue #93 November 2014
when I’m required to post a grade. Then all hell Here, I’d like to offer one personal example breaks loose. The cozy relationship I had built up which, although not concerning a language teacher, with my class or with individual students is shattered can be instructive for those of us who are looking for irreparably. a way to reassert our values in the classroom. Often this has to do with failing a student, but My wife taught nursing for the first and last just as often it has to do with a student not getting the time two years ago in an extended high school A grade they had always got in the past. Or, worse program (3 years plus 2). Though her students had still, not getting the one percentage point that will already completed their 3 years of high school, she make the difference between continued funding or was still required to check their skirt length and make having to leave the program for good. sure their hair had not been dyed. [Testing] provides feedback, in accordance 20 years earlier, before she herself had with principles of validity, reliability and fairness. become a nurse, she studied at a progressive school But, at the same time, testing is evil… [b]ecause it for social work and took humanistic education assigns a value to the learner, and, since the value is courses. And yet here she was in a teaching situation almost always short of perfection, it essentially that demanded she play the role of authoritarian. de-values the learner. At the entrance ceremony, there was no way Worse, testing typically involves measuring that she was going to promote patriarchy and sing the students one against the other, thereby destroying at a blow the dynamic of equality that the teacher might required national anthem, Kimigayo. Although she have judiciously nurtured up until this point. would have liked to sit down through it, she stood but It is evil because it is stressful for all concerned, did not open her mouth. and because the conditions under which testing is In the classroom, the students reflexively stood conducted (separated desks, no mobile phones, etc.) and bowed whenever she entered the room. This did imply a basic lack of trust in the learners. not sit well with her, so she decided to go and stand It is evil because it pretends to be objective but with the students and bow in the direction of the in fact is inherently subjective. Why? Because, as blackboard with them. Johnston points out, ‘the selection of what to test, “Why didn’t you just tell them you didn’t like how it will be tested, and how scores are to be hierarchical customs and ask them not to stand? ” I interpreted are all acts that require human judgment’. asked. “But then they would still have had to obey me. Ultimately, it is the tester – not the test-taker – who Too authoritarian,” she replied. decides what counts as knowledge, and how you Conclusion count knowledge. The survey responses that I received provide In an invigorating swipe at the culture of many insights into how teachers who value student accountability, Frank Furedi, a sociology professor autonomy are themselves thwarted as educators by a in the UK, condemns outcomes-driven education as system that tries to fit both teacher and student into ‘a technique through which a utilitarian ethos to the corporate mould. Those teachers who don’t academic life serves to diminish what would conform, and even many that do, are tossed out on otherwise be an open-ended experience for student their ears when their services are no longer needed. and teacher alike. Its focus on the end product Employment insecurity — at least in the case of devalues the actual experience of education. When non-Japanese nationals — can affect visa, health and the end acquires such significance, the means become pension status and potentially lead to destitution subordinated to it’...Isn’t this, finally, the real and/or deportation. problem of testing?
Source: “O” is for Outcomes https:// Sample Teacher Survey Responses (excerpts)
scottthornbury.wordpress.com/tag/assessment/ The biggest issue for many teachers was how control of the curriculum has been taken out of the The subversive nursing school teacher hands of teachers and students. Several described Most of us are conditioned to think of how they tried to subvert the system and provide subversion as a no-go area, no matter how unbearable something more meaningful to students than they the situation we find ourselves in. In Japan the otherwise could if they’d only followed the agenda. gambare spirit, the appeal to harmony and not Being subversive carries risks. Whether or making waves is held up as a cultural given when, in how to resist, then, is a question that many of us have fact, much of this can be traced to the Meiji era and a to confront. I hope this article serves to stimulate nationalist ethic. Nevertheless, it can be extremely discussion on how to be a subversive - but safe and hard to be subversive in this context. gainfully employed - language professional.
Global Issues in Language Education 12 Newsletter Issue #93 November 2014
(a) Rare and Relatively Good Places to Work Personal Background: Underlying Values
. Teacher A: At my vocational school, we were paid like professionals and given responsibility for Who we are as human beings and as teachers creating an integrated curriculum with clear goals, has as much to do with what we were exposed to as yet we could meet them in individual creative ways children as with what we studied on the road to becoming educators. Here’s a brief history of (b) Ageism significant events that have affected me.
. Teacher B: At my institution, the administration violated their policy of no forced retirements in order 1964-1970: I was a rebel: my mother was thrown to attract younger non-Japanese teachers. out of the PTA for trying to integrate my all white
elementary school, Public School 64, Ozone Park, (c) Working Conditions New York. At John Adams High School, my friends
. Teacher G: I was attracted to teaching because I and I were targets of the school football team because was sure I would love doing it and never tire of it. But we refused to stand up and say the Pledge of then you’re worked to death in a full-time job that Allegiance during the Vietnam War. I started writing ends after 4 years. I love my students and I love poems and protest songs starting in 1966, which I’ve teaching. Sometimes, work gets in the way. continued up until the present.
Teacher H: As far as job security is concerned, 1972: At Queens College, my professor’s brother ageism and sexism are a huge factor. I’ve reached an was Michael Schwerner, killed by the KKK in age (54) where I can expect one more contract, then Mississippi. I handed out flyers against Honeywell will have to rush from university to university as a Corporation land mines used in Vietnam. A detec-tive part-timer in order to provide for my family. from the New York City “Red Squad” phoned my parents and asked if they knew what their son was
(d) MacDonaldization of Language Teaching doing. My father told him to “fuck off” and hung up. I was prepared to go to jail or Sweden rather than . Teacher I: To our companies (and increasingly fight in the war. They never called me. universities) we are service personnel and they are clients. We offer a one-size-fits-all product with 1977-78: I went to graduate school, where John materials churned out under sweatshop conditions. Fanselow and others encouraged us to look beyond orthodox methodologies. My first boss at Queens (e) Overtesting College took off points when I dropped my Silent
. Teacher L: What I hate is how our company Way pointer in class. She didn’t like “new fangled started adding more and more tests (which we have methods”. I taught writing at LaGuardia Community to squeeze into our limited classroom time, then College to inner city freshmen whose previous grade and enter into a computer). Never mind that we teachers had called them stupid because they wrote test things that are arbitrary, where even the teachers and spoke a non-standard dialect. I can’t forget can’t agree on the right answer. Sandra, who wrote a beautiful essay about the day she
realised that she wasn’t stupid.
(f) Little Subversities
. Teacher M: In the sweltering factory where I teach, 1979-2013: I’ve been a full and part-time teacher in the students are engineers. Despite warning signs on Japan and was a co-founder of my first school’s labor maintaining a proper intake of salt and water, a blue union. I helped my wife as a homeless volunteer in collar worker died one year. When I asked if he’d had Tokyo’s Sanya area. We moved to Miyazaki in 2012 time to cool off, a student said that workers had no after the Tepco nuclear disaster, and gave up our jobs. time to rest. One white collar worker told me he had A year ago, I began teaching for a company which to work 3 days and nights in a row with no sleep. I used slave labor in World War II. Then again, IBM was supposed to mark him late or absent when he helped the Nazis, so there’s no escaping ethical missed 30 minutes of class. I never did. Last I heard, dilemmas. Though some prefer to look the other way, he’s still alive. Another had to take leave because he these dilemmas are everywhere if we choose to see them. was depressed. I gave him a passing grade, as a fail would put pressure on him from Human Resources. I Gray, J. & Block, D. (2012). ‘The marketisation of wrote to him recently to see how he was doing. I’m language teacher education and neoliberalism’ in worried about his mental and physical health. Neoliberalism and Applied Linguistics. Routledge.
These comments are a few short excerpts from my Paul Arenson
Global Issues in Language Education 13 Newsletter Issue #93 November 2014
The Field of Early Learner Global Education
by Austin M. N. Lantz (Miyagi Prefecture ALT)
Introduction themselves. Since the 1980’s, European education The purpose of this article is to highlight the systems have increasingly focused their students on movement to integrate global citizenship into civics in order to create an appreciation of and a education. Global citizenship has evolved from feeling of belonging to local, national and global human rights education, international education, communities. Japan, Singapore and other Asian civics and many other earlier movements. What sets nations have slowly begun to incorporate global citizenship apart from these earlier movements globalization into their national goals. These goals in education is its focus on creating both an encourage students to go global while developing a international and a local identity for students as well sense of belonging to their homelands, by recognizing as helping students to understand the impact that their individuals, as well as other peoples and communities, actions have throughout the “global village”. The as collective subjects of rights. goal of the essay is to identify methods of bringing a It is now, more than ever, paramount to teach global view to students while highlighting some global citizenship in class to facilitate discussion and pedagogic issues. communication, and to better prepare students for the The national census of Japan in 2010 reported a globalized world they will face in the future. Any record population. Japan was ranked as the tenth most issue viewed through the scope of global citizenship highly populated country in the world. The can be used to spur student discussions and make for population of foreign residents in Japan reached 1.5%, a good class. By introducing examples of literature now projected to be closer to 2% or more. This from around the world, guest speakers and examples increase of foreign residents is a reminder that the of national and international laws, students can world is ever changing. To help future Japanese develop a deeper understanding of the world around citizens stay internationally savvy, the foreign them. language education curriculum at secondary level has begun to see a change. With English now being Background of Global Attitudes in Japan In most secondary school systems, students are introduced from third grade primary school with more materials and a focus on foreign cultures, the taught citizenship through classes like social studies and history, as well as personal development classes time has never been better for a rethinking of educational teaching methods. in some parts of the UK and the US. These classes help students to understand their roles as local or The Objective national citizens but rarely venture beyond the mother The aim of education for global citizenship is country of the students. However, with the to raise students’ awareness of their impact on the exponentially globalization of the world around us, it local and global society around them, to develop a is necessary to add an international element to sense of their rights as citizens of their community, to education. increase knowledge of the world around them and to Japan was a prominent world power in the encourage them to make informed decisions 1970s and 1980s. Since then it has overlooked, or regarding the international community of which they dismissed, major events around the world and will be a part when they reach adulthood. become one of the most introverted nations in the Teaching global citizenship can give students world. The lack of interest in global activities has the general knowledge, skills and understanding to severely stunted relations with global businesses. navigate the international world around them. By This lack of growth and interest in global issues can learning more about other cultures, students can be attributed to the lingering dominance of an older increase their confidence, gain the ability to be generation of politicians and business leaders. empathetic to those around them, begin to understand What helped Japan become a world power in adverse situations in society and learn how to respond the 1980s before the bubble economy recession were to these. curiosity and a yearning for experiences that would broaden horizons (Banks, 2006). When the economic The Circumstances bubble burst, business leaders and politicians There is a need for people to become more withdrew into their companies changing the corporate aware of their role in their local social-economic from curious and extroverted to introverted and situations, and to create a multi-national view of cautious. This led to steady high unemployment, low
Global Issues in Language Education 14 Newsletter Issue #93 November 2014
consumption and almost zero foreign trade or Challenges and solutions economic growth. Daily life can be a good starting point for Only recently, since the early 2000s, has there teaching. There are many things that students been a turn-around in employment, consumption and unwittingly do every day. These, when looked at exports. This turn-around is possibly the result of the from a neutral viewpoint, can be projected onto a old business leaders and politicians passing the large scale and used as a stepping stone for corporate torch to younger leaders. These new leaders discussions of global citizenship. Such behaviors as have a different business attitude and outlooks on name-calling and excluding students from games global business, thus changing the way business is during recess can be looked at through a global lens run. To compete with the ever more globalized to raise student awareness of prejudice, racism and communities of the future, it is important to expose other behaviors rampant in the world. students to multi-national viewpoints early. In a The varied interpretations of global citizenship modern study of people who consider themselves leave much to the individual teacher, whether this is global citizens, most attributed their view of the taught as a responsibility that everyone has, a creed, a world to experiences gained in early childhood way of life or a philosophy to frame one’s life by. All (Davies, 2004). are valid ways to view the application of global citizenship within the classroom. Global Citizenship: Then and Now The methods of teaching or the philosophy that The challenges of the future will require the teacher subscribes to are not as important as the students to be able to make informed decisions and aim of global citizenship. In Hong Kong, global traverse multi-cultural arenas of business. Through citizenship has been taught from elementary third teaching for global citizenship in the classroom, grade since the 1980s. Lessons are designed to help students can be encouraged to develop their beliefs students appreciate the diversity of the world around and values, and become critical thinkers respectful of them and develop perspectives for making informed others opinions and cultural belief systems. judgments on multi-national issues. By being exposed When Taiwan and Hong Kong began to at a young age to issues in their immediate revamp their education systems in the early 1980s, environment and finding ways to relate these to other the reforms generated an awareness of the need to elements in the world, students can build a focus on the students’ global identities (Schattle, long-lasting awareness of the local and global worlds 2008). This was achieved by intensifying English and around them. technological capacities in class as well as introducing civic education for students beginning in Children and global citizenship the third year of elementary school. Despite claims that students at a young age are The modern curriculum in Japan, established not cognitively ready to handle the topics that arise in shortly after World War II, has seen changes on an discussing global citizenship, many prominent average of once every ten years. The first of these researchers have proven these wrong. Teachers changes took place in 1947 with a total revamp of the should protect their students and shield them from education system. The changes leading up to the potentially dangerous material, but sometimes this current reforms took place in 1977, 1989, and 1993. comes at a cost to the students. Students possess the These changes included additions of specialty classes mental ability to comprehend matters such as such as moral education and a reduction in the intercultural education that far exceed the number of subjects taught. After 1999, a new expectations of many educators. direction in education was introduced focused on A 3-year study done in Canada with CIDA students’ creative abilities. (Canadian International Development Agency), the University of Birmingham and DFID (Depart-ment Foreign Language Teaching for International Development) has shown that Foreign languages became compulsory with students have a great interest in global issues. English being required during the school day and Students who were gradually exposed to global issues other language study to be done outside of class. in class showed no trauma or negative impacts. In Bringing global citizenship into the classroom fact, students reported a further interest and new requires a re-evaluation of pedagogy and outlook on their role as global citizens (Davies et al, cross-cultural knowledge. Self-analysis and self- 2004). All in all, since the 1980s, technology has reflexivity within class become crucial to class gradually progressed making it more and more operation. Individual differences between students possible to make contact with foreign cultures around and the teacher should be cautiously highlighted and the world. With the dawn of the Internet and services developed as part of this new pedagogy. like Skype, people are connected more than ever.
Global Issues in Language Education 15 Newsletter Issue #93 November 2014
To keep up with these developments, countries like Banks, J. (2008). “Diversity, Group Identity, and China began to implement changes to their education Citizenship Education in a Global Age.” Educational system and teaching pedagogy. Japan has been slow Researcher, Vol. 37 (3) p. 120-139.
to make changes but is gradually making steps Davies, L. et. al. (2004). Key findings from the DFID forward. To help students in the international world Project: Global citizenship: The Needs of Teachers they face, teachers need to make major changes to and Learners. UK: CIER. their classes. Available on-line at: www.birmingham.ac.uk/ Now is the time to make these changes that will documents/college-social-sciences/education/ affect the future of our students. Without a solid cier/global-citizenship-report.pdf knowledge of their identity in their local communities and the responsibilities they have as an international Meyers, John. (2006). “Rethinking the Social Studies citizen, students will struggle in our ever-changing Curriculum in the context of Globalization: Education world. It is the duty of every parent, caretaker, for Global Citizenship in the US.” Theory and Research in Social Education, Vol. 34 (3), 370-394. advisor, principal and teacher to sow the seeds of curiosity, help this seed grow so that students yearn Fountain, Susan. (1994). Learning Together: Global for the knowledge around them. So take your students Education 4-7. UK: WWF (World Wide Fund for by the hand and bravely lead them outside the school Nature).
doors into a bright future. Law, W. (2004) “Globalization and citizenship education in Hong Kong and Taiwan.” Comparative Banks, James. (2014). Cultural Diversity and Education Review, 48/3, p. 253-273. Education: Foundations, Curriculum, and Teaching (6th Edition). Pearson. Schattle, Hans. (2007). The Practices of Global Citizenship. Rowman and Littlefield.
Banks, James. (2004). “Teaching for Social Justice, Diversity, and Citizenship in a Global World.” The Austin M. N. Lantz Educational Forum Volume 68. On-line at: http:// Miyagi Prefecture Direct Hire ALT depts.washington.edu/centerme/Fs04banks.pdf E-mail:
Finalists for the Language Learner and Literature (LLL) Awards
Extensive Reading Foundation (ERF)
Each year, the Extensive Reading Foundation (ERF) chooses the best reading texts for English language learners. Special Language Learner and Literature (LLL) awards are given in 5 separate categories: 1 for young learners and 4 each (beginner, elementary, intermediate, upper intermediate, advanced) for adolescent and adult learners. Among the 2014 finalists this year were the following 4 books.
Bob Marley War Horse
by Vicky Shipton (Scholastic) by Michael Morpurgo (Oxford OUP)
This lively biography brings to life the This engaging book tells the powerful iconic 1970s reggae singer, Bob story of a horse – from rural England Marley. It introduces his music plus to the battlefields of World War I – events from his life, the history of along with the trials and experiences Jamaica and the Rastafari movement that he encounters in his journey.
The Cellist of Sarajevo Oscar’s Journey
by Steven Galloway (Penguin) by Fiona Joseph (Nat’l Geographic)
This haunting story describes the lives This book tells the dramatic story of a of 4 people whose lives are upended young boy in 19th Century England during the siege of Sarajevo. It deals who is forced to confront his father with a difficult topic but is written when he discovers the shocking truth with sensitivity and intelligence. about the family factory.
Global Issues in Language Education 16 Newsletter Issue #93 November 2014
Environmental Awareness through Upcycling
by Tamatha Roman (Kanda University of International Studies)
Introduction to choose a product and collect used portions of it. As the world, and Japan, becomes more aware Most students decide to collect their product from the of the environmental issues facing us, people are waste bins on campus, adding a localized rationale to finding creative new ways to rehash the old 3-part be included in their signs (explained below). I also Reduce, Reuse, Recycle motto. Although recycling give them a few minutes at the end of each class to certainly has its place in Japan (where 70% of plastic brainstorm ideas and plan what’s needed to make is recycled), and there has been some progress in the their final project. Once the project time starts, reducing department (i.e. the use of My Bags or My students are given three or four 90-minute classes to Hashi chopsticks), reusing often gets left out of the put their project together. Of course, they can work party. One way to reuse involves upcycling. on their projects outside of class time. Although the Upcycling is the creative art of taking waste and time frame is short, teams usually manage to use their converting it into something new of better quality or time wisely and finish in time for presentation day. of environmental value. A quick Google search reveals an amazing array of upcycled products, Publicizing the Project utilizing everything from skis to old tires to light Besides constructing their projects, students bulbs. must accompany their final work with an English sign. The sign must explain their project: the number of An EFL Course on the Environment products used, where the product was found, and how Students in the course I teach on “Japan’s the product was reused to help people and the Environmental Impact” have become masters of the environment. It must also be translated into Japanese upcycling process. This class is an English content to make it accessible for the local community. elective course with a focus on bettering the Projects and signs are put on display on our campus environment through self-awareness and community- for two weeks, in a “free space” that I arrange ahead related sharing. Some of the topics that we study of time. Assessment is based on their English sign, throughout the year include food waste, cosmetics creativity, work ethic before and during project time, and disposable waste. Despite Japan’s high recycling and overall impact. rates, students are generally unaware of the impact that rampant buying and use of plastic bottles, plastic Student Reactions bags, and disposable chopsticks (waribashi) has. This year’s projects have been superb, ranging Through a series of hands-on lessons, out-of-class from a paper carton umbrella to a modern waribashi “blog challenges” and a final project, students lamp. Overall, students express satisfaction with the gradually explore the ramifications of their projects as it is a fun way to rethink waste and its environmental impact as they improve their English impact on our lives. Many of the projects end up language skills. being taken home by the students or holding a
Final Class Project permanent space in a teacher’s office. In addition, the Upcycling comes in during the final project. public viewing of the projects has received a positive Every year, teams get together to upcycle a chosen reception. It’s a great joy to see students stopping to product after several weeks of lessons pertaining to read the signs and express surprise and admiration at disposable waste. They get to choose whatever they how waste has been turned into such beautiful things. like: plastic bottles, cans, paper cartons, toilet paper Useful Resources rolls, soda tabs, etc., but must use only one product as their focus. The goal is to turn their product (with the . www.upcyclethat.com help of tools like glue and markers) into something of . www.upcyclemagazine.com use once again. . http://hipcycle.com/what-is-upcycling . www.wikipedia.com (“upcycling”) The Upcycling Process . www.hgtv.com/design/topics/upcycling
The upcycling process is quite simple. Students are informed of the project at the beginning of the Tamatha Roman disposable waste unit and are shown examples made Kanda University of International Studies by previous students and from the Internet. During the lessons leading up to the project, they have time Japan E-mail:
Global Issues in Language Education 17 Newsletter Issue #93 November 2014
Special Feature
Teaching about the Berlin Wall
Teaching about the Berlin Wall November 2014 marked the 25th anniversary of The Berlin Wall - A Quick Quiz !! the fall of the Berlin Wall. This provides a great 1 Where was the Berlin Wall located? In… chance for you and your students to learn about the a Russia b France c Italy d Germany Cold War, study the causes that led to the construction 2 When was the Berlin Wall built? In… of the wall, read about the oppression suffered by East a 1939 b 1945 c 1961 d 1984 Germans, investigate the tragic stories of people shot 3 Why was the Berlin Wall built? while trying to escape to the West, and study the a to keep out foreign tourists peaceful uprising that toppled the wall, brought b to protect West Berlin from attack freedom to East Germans and led to the reunification c to stop East Germans escaping to the West of Germany one year later. 4 How many people died trying to cross the wall? a 30 b 75 c 100 d 200 Teaching Ideas 5 When was the Fall of the Berlin Wall? • Have students do a quiz on the Berlin Wall, then a 1967 b 1973 c 1989 d 1995 give the answers and provide background 6 When were East and West Germany united? a 1990 b 1998 c 2003 d 2010 • Have students make a timeline of the dramatic events leading up to the fall of the Berlin Wall Quotes about the Berlin Wall • Buy a piece of the Berlin Wall on the Internet then bring it to class to surprise your students An Iron Curtain has descended across the continent. (price $13 at www.ebay.com/bhp/berlin-wall) – Winston Churchill (1946)
• Do a classroom simulation of the Berlin Wall by All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of putting up an artificial wall (bed sheet, Berlin. Therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the cardboard, paper, partition…) to divide your words “Ich bin ein Berliner” ( = I’m a citizen of Berlin) room into 2 different sectors. For a good – US President John F. Kennedy (1963) example (complete with photos!), go to: www.tryingteaching.com/2011/05/rebuilding-be Mr. Gorbachev: Tear down this wall! – US President Ronald Reagan (1987) rlin-wall.html
• Have students do research and presentations The wall was brought down, not by Washington or about other famous walls around the world (see Moscow, but by courageous people. examples on page 19) – German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder
Hundreds of people were on the wall. Women called to guards, “Come up! Drink! Dance! It’s all over! Forget Sample Teaching Resources the damned wall! Forget the GDR!” – Henry Porter (1989) • The Berlin Wall
• The Cold War for Kids: www.ducksters. I saw an indescribable joy in people’s faces. It was the com/history/cold_war/berlin_wall.php end of the government telling people what to do, the end of the wall, the end of the war, the end of East and West!
• The Berlin Wall for Kids (video): www. – an East German (1989) youtube.com/watch?v=ZgiQkMGBMI I can’t believe it! I don’t feel like I’m in prison anymore! • Berlin Wall articles, speeches, videos www.history.com/topics/cold-war/berlin-wall – Angelika Wache (the 1st East German to cross to the West at Checkpoint Charlie, 1989) • Simplified article with teaching guidelines: http://teachingkidsnews.com/2014/11/09/1-25th- I’m so happy! Berlin is Berlin again! Finally, this hated anniversary-tearing-berlin-wall/ wall has been smashed. Now we can be together. I have friends and family in the East I haven’t seen for years! • Free Powerpoint! http://worldhistory. – Jurgen Schwarker (1989) mrdonn.org/powerpoints/berlinwall.html . More quotes:
National Education Association (NEA) www. •
nea.org/tools/lessons/the-berlin-wall.html Quiz answers: 1 (d), 2 (c), 3 (c), 4 (d), 5 (c), 6 (a)
Global Issues in Language Education 18 Newsletter Issue #93 November 2014
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The Berlin Wall Walls Around the World
Where: Berlin, Germany Since ancient times, walls Constructed: 1961 have been built by kings, Built by: East Germany dictators and governments to Length: 155 kilometers mark borders, protect cities, Status: destroyed in 1989 keep people in or keep unwanted people out. Ask your partner these 6 questions about world walls. The Berlin Wall was built by the East German
government in 1961 to prevent its citizens from 1. When was it built? 4. Why was it built? escaping to freedom in West Germany. It was 155 2. Where was it built? 5. How long is it? kms. long. It fell in 1989. Today, it’s a tourist 3. Who built it? 6. Your comments. attraction and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Great Wall of China Hadrian’s Wall
Where: China Where: Scotland Constructed: 200 BC Constructed: 122 A.D. Built by: Qin Shi Huang Built by: Roman Empire Length: 6,352 kms Length: 117 kilometers Status: World Heritage site Status: World Heritage site
The Great Wall of China was built by Emperor Qin Hadrian’s Wall was built by the Roman Emperor Shi Huang in 200 BC to keep out invaders from the Hadrian in 122 A.D. to keep out invaders from north. It’s 6,352 kms. long. Today, it’s a UNESCO Scotland. It was 117 kms long. Today, it’s a tourist World Heritage Site and a famous tourist attraction attraction and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Israeli Separation Wall US – Mexican Border Wall
Where: Palestine/Israel Where: US-Mexico border Constructed: 1994 Constructed: 2006 Built by: Israel Built by: the United States Length: 670 kilometers Length: 600 miles Status: disputed barrier Status: border wall
The Israeli Separation Wall was built in 1994 to The US-Mexican Border Wall was built by the US prevent attacks on Israel. It’s 670 kms. long and government to keep out illegal immigrants arriving cuts through Palestinian land. Critics call it the from Mexico. It’s 600 miles long. Since 1998, over Apartheid Wall and say it violates international law 2,000 people have died trying to cross the border.
Vietnam Memorial Wall Okinawa Peace Wall
Where: Washington, DC Where: Okinawa, Japan Constructed: 1982 Constructed: 1995 Built by: public donations Built by: Okinawa Length: 150 meters Length: 2,200 meters Status: national monument Status: peace monument
The Vietnam Memorial Wall was built in 1982 to The Okinawa Peace Wall was built in 1995 to honor the memory of Americans who died in the honor all of those (Japanese, American, British, Vietnam War. The wall is 150 meters long. It lists Korean...) who died in the 1945 Battle of Okinawa. the names of 58,249 dead or missing Americans. It’s 2,200 meters long and lists 237,000 names.
Other Famous Walls To Study or Research
Famous Walls (Wikipedia: List of Walls) Walled Cities (Google search: walled cities)
• Wailing Wall / Western Wall (Jerusalem) • Dubrovnik (Croatia) • Carcasonne (France) • Democracy Wall (Beijing, China) • York (England) • Xian (China) • Kremlin Wall (Moscow, Russia) • Avila (Spain) • Troy (Turkey) • John Lennon Wall (Prague, Czech Republic) • Jerusalem • Taroudant (Morocco)
Global Issues in Language Education 19 Newsletter Issue #93 November 2014
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Special Feature
Teaching the WW I Christmas Truce
The 1914 Christmas Truce A great way to celebrate Christmas with your The World War I Christmas Truce students is to introduce them to the famous World
War I Christmas truce that took place in 1914 among young German, British and French soldiers.
The 1914 Christmas Truce is one of the most Teaching Ideas powerful – yet forgotten – stories of World War I. It
• Have students study about this unique event took place in the improbable setting of the mud, rain and using some of the teaching resources below. killing of the trenches. It happened in spite of language barriers, cultural differences and orders to the contrary • Check out books about the Xmas truce and the by superiors. It stands as one of the few times in the History Channel documentary on page 21. history of war when peace broke out, spontaneously • Have students watch the movie “Joyeux Noel” bubbling up from the lower ranks to the officers, and which dramatizes the story of the truce temporarily turned sworn enemies into friends.
• Have students research, report on and discuss the When war broke out in August 1914, millions of 1914 truce and other similar truces. young British, French and German youth were sent to the battlefield to fight, kill and die for their countries. Their lives became a living hell of guns and bombs, fear
On-line Teaching Resources and death, barbed wire and poison gas. But, in
December 1914, the Great War was still young and the • Christmas Truce
• Kids’ Site
• Complete Xmas truce lesson plan!
• Check out some of the great clips on Youtube: fellow Christians who were suffering from the same cold www.youtube.com/watch?v=p05E_ohaQGk and homesickness www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHhM-1_StJI . groups of soldiers from both sides began coming out of
• British Council EFL Site:
pdfs/THTShortellandPaddock.pdf . soldiers on both sides exchanged Christmas presents
Excerpt from a letter home by a British officer (cigarettes, beer, food, wine, news-papers…) and played friendly games of soccer . A German soldier said he thought it only right to come and wish us a happy Christmas. He’d lived in . the generals and politicians back home were horrified Suffolk where he’d left behind a motorcycle and a to hear of this “treason” and soon put an end to it. But girlfriend! He wrote a postcard to her in front of me - what if the soldiers had refused to fight? What if the war in English – which I sent off that night. had ended in 1914? How many millions of lives would - Capt. Edward Hulse (in Van Emden 2013, pg 81) have been saved?
Global Issues in Language Education 20 Newsletter Issue #93 November 2014 20
THE BERLIN WALL AND THE 1914 XMAS TRUCE
For teachers interested in designing a lesson about the Berlin Wall or about the 1914 WWI Christmas Truce, we recommend the following resources!
The Berlin Wall (and other walls) The WW I Christmas Truce
The Year That Changed the Truce World by M. Meyer (2009) $16 - Jim Murphy (2009) $15
A gripping photo book that recounts A Newbery Award book winner full of the dramatic events of 1989 which stories, photos, quotes, a timeline and led up to the fall of the Berlin Wall. teaching resources on the Xmas truce.
The Collapse Christmas Truce by Mary Elise Sarotte (2014) $21 - Malcolm Brown (1999) $16
An inspiring fast-moving account of A great overview of the acts of the events leading up to the acciden- friendship that took place between tal opening of the Berlin Wall. enemy soldiers during Christmas 1914.
Rise & Fall of the Berlin Wall Silent Night - History Channel (2009) DVD $14 - Stanley Weintraub (2001) $12
A 50-minute documentary from the An inspiring account of how WWI History Channel which depicts the soldiers put down their weapons to dramatic history of the Berlin Wall. fraternize during the Xmas truce.
Stasiland: Behind the Berlin Meeting the Enemy Wall by A. Funder (2011) $12 - Richard van Emden (2013) $14
A powerful book that documents the A comprehensive record of the Xmas 40 years of repression by the East Truce and other WWI acts of friendship between enemy soldiers. German Stasi secret police.
Walls: Travels Along Barricades The Christmas Truce by Di Cintio (2013) $10 - History Channel (2007) DVD $56
This documents the author’s travels A 50-minute documentary from the to the world’s walls from Mexico History Channel which depicts the and Belfast to Cyprus and Palestine events of the WWI Christmas truce.
Talking Walls Joyeux Noel by Margy Knight (2014) $14 - Diane Kruger (2006) DVD $9
A beautifully illustrated book about A great dramatization of the WWI walls of the world from the Great Christmas truce between German, Wall of China to the Berlin Wall. French and British soldiers in 1914.
More Books on Berlin and Other Walls Children’s Books about the Xmas Truce
. Berlin Wall: A Brief History (2013) – M. Black . Christmas Truce (2014) – Aaron Shepherd . Berlin Wall: A World Divided (2008) – F. Taylor . Christmas in the Trenches (2006) – McCutcheon . Fall of the Berlin Wall (2009) – W. Buckley . War Game (2006) – Michael Foreman . The Wall (1992) – Bunting (Vietnam Memorial) . The Truce (2014) – Chris Baker
. The Great Wall of China (1995) – L. Fisher . The Christmas Truce (2014) – Carol Ann Duffy
Global Issues in Language Education 21 Newsletter Issue #93 November 2014 21
LANGUAGE TEXTBOOKS ON GLOBAL THEMES
Publishers are invited to send in sample copies of new books for publicizing in the newsletter. Readers interested in writing reviews of books should contact the editor.
(1) “Global Issues Towards Peace” by K. Tatsukawa, W. Davies et al (2014; ￥2400) (CD + DVD) Nanundo Press, Tokyo Tel: 03-3268-2311
This 100-page EFL textbook, CD and DVD builds students’ English skills as they explore key topics linked to peace and global issues. Its 15 units deal with: global warming, girls’ education in Afghanistan, drinking water in Gaza, poverty in Africa, HIV/AIDS, terrorism, Japanese internment camps, Hiroshima, genocide, landmines, refugees, Nelson Mandela, Aung San Suu Kyi and the Red Cross. Each 6-page unit has a warm-up, a set of DVD viewing tasks, reading activities and data discussion questions.
(2) "Searching the Future, Reviewing the Past" by D. Dykes & K. Kadooka (2015; ￥1900) Seibido Press, Tokyo Tel: 03-3291-2261
This 100-page Japanese EFL text promotes reading skills through topical passages on current trends in Japan and the wider world. Its 20 units deal with themes such as: high speed trains, AKB48, Mount Fuji, self-driving cars, nuclear energy in Germany, narrating history, declining tuna stocks, the Euro, women in sports, music piracy, printing 3-D pistols, fracking, washoku, kimchi, organ transplants and the Olympics (Rio and Tokyo). Each 5-page unit includes a photo, a Japanese introduction to the topic, some vocab prep, a 2-page reading passage, comprehension questions, a summary plus extra information.
(3) "For a Better Future: Health & Environment Topics" by Yasunami & Lavin (2015; ￥1800) Shokakusha Publishing Company (Tokyo)
This 60-page EFL text for Japanese students aims to promote language skills through listening passages from Voice of America radio (VOA) on themes linked to health and the environment. Its 15 units focus on topics such as caffeine, South Africa, video games & dyslexia, mother’s milk & HIV, Xmas trees & the environment, community-based mental health, sustainable agriculture, diet & tooth decay, corn & ethanol plus fighting malaria. Each 4-page unit has a vocabulary preparation section, a listening task, a gap-fill passage, comprehension questions, useful expressions and sentences for translation.
(4) “Hot Topics Japan: A Culturally Specific Discussion Book” by Stephanie Alexander (2014) Compass Media (Tokyo Office)
These 98-page 4-skill texts, designed for upper level EFL students, deal with people, society, health, education, science, art and culture in Japan. Each 6-page unit includes a vocabulary introduction, pre-reading tasks, a 1-page reading, listening exercises, comprehension exercises, discussion topics and writing activities.
Hot Topics Japan 1 (￥2376)
This first textbook’s 15 units deal with themes such as: personal space, Japanese restaurant culture, collectivism, snack ingredients, medical masks, Japanese tea, youth subcultures, studying at jukus, study abroad, cell phone etiquette, vending machines, robotics research, manga, karaoke and Japanese gardens.
Hot Topics Japan 2 (￥2376)
The 15 units of the second textbook in the set deal with themes such as: Japanese holidays, Japan’s low crime rate, media stories, the health habits of Japanese women, karoshi and overwork, traditional Japanese food, martial arts in schools, whole person education, the Suzuki method, Internet café kids, e-wallets, Japan’s space program, J-pop, Japan’s tattoo taboos and Japanese cosplay.
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2015 GLOBAL CALENDARS
The year is fast coming to a close. Now’s the time to order your global education almanacs, calendars, date-books and diaries for the year 2015!
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL NEW INTERNATIONALIST
Price: $12
This 2015 calendar features powerful images by • The NI One World Calendar features inspiring famous photo-journalists to commemorate the photos of people, countries and cultures. The NI work of AI in promoting human rights. Get their One World Almanac is a datebook and personal Amnesty International Weekly Planner, too! organizer with country profiles and global data.
JEE ECO-CALENDAR WAR RESISTERS LEAGUE
Japan Environmental Exchange Photo History of War Resisters $5
This bilingual English-Japanese calendar has This 2015 Syracuse Peace Calendar provided by the environmental information with cartoons on War Resisters League features art and info on social eco-themes plus a list of global issue dates. The issues such as women’s rights, gun control, climate JEE calendar theme for 2015 is: What’s Green? change, American prisons and recycling
2015 PEACE DIARY PEACE CALENDAR 2015
Housman’s 2015 Peace Diary Louise Carey: Images of the 1960s
Housmans Peace Diary, issued in the UK, is a This 2015 calendar features iconic images and great peace education resource which lists 1500 colorful graphics by designer Louise Carey from the peace and global issue NGOs in 150 nations. peace-and-love era of the nineteen-sixties.
GREENPEACE CALENDAR PEACE AND JUSTICE
2015 Wildlife & Nature Calendar U.S. Posters for Peace & Justice
This 2015 calendar features striking photos of the This unique 2015 wall calendar features a special world’s wildlife and natural scenery taken by the collection of famous protest posters from history world’s top nature photographers. designed around the themes of peace and justice.
♦
ON - LINE GLOBAL CALENDARS
. Better World Calendar: www.doonething.org/calendar/
. UN Calendar: www.un.org/en/events/observances/days.shtml
. World Days List: www.altiusdirectory.com/Society/world-days-list.php
. International Dates: www.globaldimension.org.uk/calendar/
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COMING EVENTS CALENDAR
Dec. 1 International AIDS Day 1 Dec. 10 Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony 5 Dec. 2 Abolition of Slavery Day 2 Jan. 19 Martin Luther King Day 6 Dec. 10 International Anti-Corruption Day 3 Jan. 27 Holocaust Memorial Day 7 4 8 Dec. 10 International Human Rights Day Feb. 9-15 Random Acts of Kindness Week
1 AIDS:
* More dates:
GLOBAL ISSUES IN LANGUAGE EDUCATION
WHAT ARE GLOBAL ISSUES? Global issues refer to world problems such as war, hunger, poverty, oppression, racism, sexism and environmental destruction as well as to concepts such as peace, justice, human rights, world citizenship, social responsibility and international understanding.
WHAT IS GLOBAL EDUCATION? Global education is a new approach to language teaching which aims at enabling students to effectively acquire and use a foreign language while empowering them with the knowledge, skills and commitment required by world citizens for the solution of global problems.
JALT GLOBAL ISSUES SIG The Global Issues in Language Education Special Interest Group (GILE SIG) of the Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT) aims to promote: (a) the integration of global issues, global awareness and social responsibility into language teaching (b) networking and mutual support among language educators dealing with global issues (c) awareness among language teachers of important developments in global education and the fields of environmental education, human rights education, peace education and development education
NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIPTIONS (JALT Members) JALT members who wish to join the "Global Issues" Special Interest Group can either register and make their payment on-line via the JALT website or send a postal "furikae" form with their ¥1500 payment to JALT from any post office in Japan.
NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIPTIONS (Non-JALT) Interested teachers, institutions and organizations are warmly invited to subscribe to our quarterly newsletter. Annual subscriptions are ¥2000 or US $15. . In Japan, send your ¥2000 payment to: 山陰合同銀行 (湖山支店 108) 普通 銀行口座 3752673 San’in Godo Bank (Koyama branch 108) Regular Account # 3752673 “GILE Newsletter” . Overseas subscribers should pay in US dollars (make personal checks out to "Kip Cates" on a US bank) . Please ask about newsletter exchanges or complimentary subscriptions for global issue NGOs, global education organizations, language teaching associations and teachers in developing countries.
JALT SIG AND GLOBAL ISSUES NETWORK MEMBERSHIP (as of July 2014) * JAPAN SUBSCRIBERS: GILE SIG / JALT (200) GLOBAL ISSUES NETWORK (50) = 250 * INTERNATIONAL SUBSCRIBERS (eg Algeria, Australia, Brazil, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Korea, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, UK, US, Vietnam...) = 100
NEWSLETTER INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING ARTICLES The Global Issues in Language Education Newsletter is published 4 times a year (March, June, September, December). Those interested in contributing concise articles (1-3 pages in length) on topics related to global education, global issues and language teaching are invited to send these in by e-mail.
Global Issues Newsletter c/o Kip Cates, Tottori University, 4-101 Minami, Koyama, Tottori City, JAPAN 680-8551 Tel/Fax: 0857-31-5148 E-mail:
Subscriptions: JALT = ¥1500 Non-JALT = ¥2000 Overseas = US $15 (checks to "Kip Cates")
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