November 24th – Cory Koby of Sendai Shirayuri Gakuen Jr./Sr. High School, and 2012 JALT Conference Review

Title: English Debate in Japanese High School

Time: 10:00AM – 12:00PM

Place: JOIN US

Room: Kenshushitsu #7 (Third Floor)

Map: http://www.akisouko.com/joy/access.html

Cost: JALT Members and students – Free; Non-members – 500 yen

Preview: Reflecting on his experience training and coaching teams twice in the All-Japan High School English Debate Tournament, Cory will present on the challenges and rewards of engaging Japanese high school students in English debate. Confidence building, communication skills development, leadership training, critical thinking, and time management are all highlighted as benefits of debate generally, and we will also explore additional benefits specific to language learners who debate in L2. Presentation attendees will walk away with a clear understanding of the process and procedures involved in debating.

Bio: Cory Koby is a tenured faculty member at Sendai Shirayuri Gakuen Jr./Sr. High School and serves as JALT Sendai’s English publicity officer. He is currently taking a MA in ELT from the University of East London. His research interests include L1 interference in SLA, and learner motivation.