Issue #96 July 2015 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 ! ! ! 96th Issue celebrating 96 issues and 25 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 #96 This summer 2015 newsletter features: (1) a critical essay by Ayaka Ihara that asks whether English education in Japan promotes nationalism or internationalism, (2) a call by Ryota Morita for teachers to consider the special needs of students with vision disabilities, and (3) an article by Paul Mathieson on what language instructors can do in their classes to teach against ethnic and national stereotypes. This summer marks the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War – a unique chance for us to learn from a violent past and teach for a future of peace. To commemorate this, we include a special section on Teaching about World War II and Japan which includes a variety of ideas, activities, books, films and other resources. We finish out this issue with a report on the spring 2015 IATEFL conference, with a number of peace appeals from Japan and overseas plus a round-up of recent global education news, events and information. ! 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 * News and announcements from language teaching organizations 5 * Conference Report: Global Issues at IATEFL 2015 (Manchester, UK) 6 – 9 * English Education in Japan: Where Is It Going? by Ayaka Ihara 10 – 11 * Raising Awareness of Learners with Special Needs by Ryota Morita 12 – 13 * Dealing with Stereotypes in the Japanese EL Classroom by Paul Mathieson 14 – 16 * Special Feature: Teaching about Japan and World War II 19 * Language teaching textbooks on global education themes 21 * Book Profiles: Resources for teaching about stereotypes and about WWII 22 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 (PGL 2015) Global Education Events Oct. 31 – Nov. 1, 2015 in Nairobi, Kenya < http://pgljapan.org/ > ! IIPE Summer Institute of Peace Education This fall’s annual Peace as a Global Language July 26 – Aug 2, 2015 Toledo, Ohio (USA) conference will be held from Oct. 31 – Nov. 1 in Website: <www.i-i-p-e.org/iipe-2015/> Nairobi, Kenya. PGL 2015 will bring together ! Asian Symposium on Human Rights Ed. educators and activists for an exciting weekend Aug. 2-4, 2015 Hiroshima <www.esdfocus. of workshops on peace education. Plan to attend! org/human-rights-education-symposium/> ! Youth Peace Conference “Ending Poverty” One World Week (OWW) August 22 –30, 2015 Osaka (Japan) Oct. 18 - 25, 2015 https://pcy.osaka-jc.or.jp/english/index.html < www.oneworldweek.org > One World Week is an annual event that ! Schools, Peace and Conflict Resolution promotes social justice and global awareness. October 24, 2015 Duke University (USA) Website: <www.peacefulschoolsnc.org> This year’s theme is Hope in Action: Building a More Equal & Peaceful World. OWW invites ! Beyond Boundaries Peace Conference teachers, schools and communities around the Nov. 6-7, 2015 Univ of Notre Dame (USA) world to participate. Their website includes: Website <www.beyondboundaries2015.com> ! teaching materials, ideas, resources, powerpoint More global education events are listed at: ! information on OWW events around the world www.peace-ed-campaign.org/newsletter/ Start planning now for an event at your school! GLOBAL FESTA 2015 JALT Environmental Committee (International Cooperation Festival) <[email protected]> October 4 - 5, 2015 Hibiya Park, Tokyo The Japan Association for Language Teaching has < www.gfjapan.com > set up an Environmental Committee to explore how < https://ja-jp.facebook.com/globalfesta2014 > to reduce our environmental impact. To learn more This fall’s Global Festa 2015 will be held on the or make suggestions, contact Brent Simmonds. weekend of October 3 – 4 in Hibiya park, Tokyo. This colorful festival is Japan’s largest gathering Global EFL Students Wanted! of international and global issue NGOs. The Tom Fast <[email protected].> 2-day event features displays by over 200 groups Our GILE SIG will hold a symposium on “Global (Save the Children, Amnesty International, Citizenship - Student Voices” on Sunday Nov. 22nd UNICEF, Doctors w/o Borders…) as well as at JALT 2015 in Shizuoka. Students at super global concerts, workshops and lots of ethnic cuisine. high schools or universities are invited to give a Their website (in Japanese) will be ready soon. 10-minute talk. To apply, contact Tom Fast above. Don’t miss this event! Bring your students!! 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 #96 July 2015 ! JALT GLOBAL ISSUES SIG OFFICERS FOR 2015 Here are the 2015 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 <[email protected]> <knightbus@ <[email protected]> [email protected]> SIG Publications: Kanto: Mark Shrosbree Jane Nakagawa (at left) SIG Treasurer: Anthony Torbert Tokai University, Kanagawa SIG Publicity: Kobe Gakuin University <[email protected]> John Spiri Kobe City Chubu: Jane Nakagawa Gifu Shotoku University <[email protected]> Freelance Writer <jane <[email protected]> [email protected]> SIG Membership Chair: SIG Japanese Liaison: Kansai: Michael Skelton Masataka Kasai Tim Grose Seiwa College, Nishinomiya Kansai Gaidai University Sapporo City <[email protected]> <[email protected]> Hokkaido <[email protected]> Chugoku: Tom Fast SIG Website: Okayama Gakugeikan Paul Arenson (Webmaster) SIG Member-at-Large: High School, Okayama <[email protected]> Chris Bradley <[email protected]> Okinawa University Kyushu: Jack Brajcich SIG Facebook & Twitter: Naha, Okinawa Fukuoka Jogakuin Jr College Jennie Roloff-Rothman <[email protected]> John Spiri, Jack Brajcich <[email protected]> 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) <[email protected]> ! Work to End World Hunger (click “take action”) Website: <www.taaa.jp/english.html> http://actfast.oxfamamerica.org/ Vietnam Book Donation Project ! Raise Funds to Help Eliminate Landmines Donate materials to teachers in Vietnam! Pay www.icbl.org www.jcbl-ngo.org your own shipping costs. Send to Tran van Phuoc, Hue University (Foreign Lgs.), 27 Phan Dinh ! Start a School Human Rights Club Phung, Hue, Vietnam <[email protected]> www.amnesty.ca/youth/get_involved/ Global Issues in Language Education 3 Newsletter Issue #96 July 2015 ! GLOBAL ISSUES IN LT JOURNALS AND THE MEDIA Abstracts of articles from language teaching journals and news media. Conflict, Militarization and their Protecting “Pon” Students from Sexual Abuse After-Effects: Key Challenges for TESOL by Amanda Davies & Melanie Butler (EL Gazette) by Cynthia Nelson & Roslyn Appleby (Australia) An EU “Pon” program has been set up in Europe to <[email protected]> build English skills via overseas study. However, a This article documents the consequences that military survey of UK language centres receiving Pon students spending, military conflicts and war refugees have for found that 40% had not been inspected for child teaching and learning English. In 2012, world military safeguards, leading to fears of sexual abuse. The Council spending was $1.75 trillion dollars, 39% spent by the of Europe estimates the level of sexual abuse in the UK US alone. The article focuses on: (1) TESOL’s to be 8%, which works out to 1 case in 1,000 – the same involvements/entanglements in war zones, military risk as dying from skiing. However, with 20,000 Italian occupations, armed conflicts and their after- math, and students expected to attend 3-week EFL courses in the (2) the effects of conflict on learners and the challenges UK and Ireland, experts estimate that, statistically, this of teaching English in conflict zones.