NEWS

Two-day TETE Seminar for High School English Teachers offered by English for Liberal Arts Program (ELA)

Update: September 6, 2018

On August 17th and 18th, ICU's English for Liberal Arts Program (ELA) offered their fourth two-day intensive summer seminar entitled 'In-service Teacher Development Seminar: Enhance English and Teaching through TETE (Teaching English through English)'. This seminar is held every summer for a maximum of 20 teachers.

This lecture and workshop for Japanese English high school teachers provide a unique approach to teacher development seminars by encouraging teachers to become autonomous towards their own professional development as educators and practitioners. The seminar covers a wide range of topics such as classroom English, team teaching, materials development and analysis as well as reflective teaching based on the teachers' own practices.

In its fourth year, teachers from all over Japan participated in this two-day event. Through group work and discussions, the participants learned how to create lesson plans and develop materials as well as to critically reflect on them based on the various approaches discussed in the seminar. Many participants made favorable comments: "the seminar helped me to look at my teaching objectively, and to examine my teaching from a different perspective"; "I was very satisfied with the content of the seminar, and had a very fruitful and productive time."

Comments from the participants:

• I met very enthusiastic high school teachers coming from all over Japan at this seminar. I was stimulated by fellow participants as well as by ELA teachers. I have learned various techniques and teaching tips which I want to use in my teaching. I hope I can participate in this seminar again next year.
• I have learned how to make my lessons more communicative by using a check-list. I also learned how to design and implement my teaching.
• I have realized that I could use a variety of English expressions when I communicate with my students in English.
• We were asked to create solutions to cope with various situations. This approach is based on actual teaching situations and I find it very practical.
• I have never experienced all-in-English environments before even though I teach English. Exposure to English-only policy during the seminar was a great learning opportunity to me.