All About Academic Writing!
October 7 (Saturday) from 12:30pm
Featuring F. Sigmund Topor and Diane Nagatomo!
Location: Kannai Hall Youth Center (〒231-0013 Kanagawa, Yokohama, Naka Ward, Sumiyoshicho, 4 Chome−42-1, Floor B2) (To join us via Zoom, send an email to yojaltpresident@yojalt.org)
Start time: 12:30 pm (doors open from 12:15). A social get-together in the Kannai area will follow this event.
Presenter 1: F. Sigmund Topor
Title: Academic Writing for Japanese Academicians
Abstract: Academic Writing is a process that encapsulates cultural and theoretical presuppositions. The communicative culture in the Japanese environment reflects the curriculum that is being used in the education system in Japan. Integrated with Confucianism, Japan’s sociolinguistics is not totally the same as Western practice that employs logic or syllogism in academic writing. In the Japanese context, responsibility of understanding a written text is imposed on the reader whereas in English, the writer has responsibility to ensure that a text is devoid of miscomprehension. The cultural context of communication in Japanese is predicated on normative Confucian communication conventions that entails staunchly entrenched pragmatics involving the notion of face, indirectness, gender, age, and social status. Attempts to teach academic writing in the Japanese context without understanding the effects of culture will certainly relegate such writing exercises as pure academic.
Bio: “F” stands for Francis (oftentimes mispronounced as Frances). F. Sigmund Topor is a Scholar-Practitioner and President of International & Intercultural Communications. Dr. Topor has taught Academic Writing at Temple University Japan campus, the University of Electro-Communications, and Keio University, Japan. He is Author and Editor of several books and book chapters, including: Cultural Perspectives on Global Research Epistemology: Emerging Research and Opportunities; Examining Ethics and Intercultural Interactions in International Relations; Ethical Standards and Practice in International Relations; The Need for Global Standards in Biomedical Ethics and the Qualitative Methodology; The Empowerment of Japanese Women; A Sentence Repetition Placement Test For EFL/ESL Learners In Japan, and more.
Presenter 2: Diane Nagatomo
Title: Writing for Academic Publication
Abstract: In this presentation, “Developing a Strong Academic Voice”, Diane Hawley Nagatomo will give some practical tips on how to improve academic writing for both graduate school work and for academic publication. Topics to be covered will be paying attention to word order, avoiding long sentences, and being concise. Participants will be invited to share the difficulties they might have in academic writing.
Bio: Diane Hawley Nagatomo has been teaching and living in Japan since 1979. She is a retired professor from Ochanomizu University and the author of more than 20 EFL textbooks, numerous academic articles, and two academic monographs (Exploring Japanese University English Teachers Professional Identity and Identity, Gender and Teaching English in Japan). She is also one of the series editors for Candlin and Mynard’s “Life and Education in Japan” series. Her debut novel The Butterfly Café was published in July.
After the speakers, we will have a group conversation about the use of generative AI in the language-learning classroom, then head out for some socializing!
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November 11 (Saturday) from 1pm: Conference presentation practice session!
JALT Yokohama Chapter will host a Pre-Conference Practice Session on Saturday, November 11, from 1pm to 4pm in Yokohama (Kannai Hall) for speakers who would like to practice their JALT International Conference Presentations. This is also a great opportunity for audience members (who will or may not be able to attend the conference) to get a glimpse at some of the great presentations on offer. A social gathering will follow this event. All are welcomed! Inquires and applications should contact yojaltpresident@yojalt.org
November: JALT International Conference (November 24-27, 2023, in Tsukuba, Ibaraki)
For more information, go to https://jalt.org/conference
December: YOJALT My Share
YOJALT My Share (Your chance to give a mini-presentation on a classroom activity… and get published!). Send your 75-word abstract and short bio to: assistantprogram@yojalt.org
