Mikako Nobuhara （Nagaoka University of Technology）
In 2022, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology announced that it will support gifted students. Gifted students tend to reach an IQ of 130 or higher and often have specific talents such as prodigious memory, artistic skills, and computing power in math.
Unfortunately, schools in Japan do not offer suitable approaches that encourage the individual growth of this group of children. Therefore, acquiring sufficient knowledge about this topic and implementing the best teaching for these students are essential for teachers and future teachers.
Today, as an introduction to achieving the first step for an enhanced understanding of gifted children, I would like to propose using films is one of the most effective methods for elucidating the nature of gifted children and what their teachers should do for them.
As a potential activity, I strongly recommend “Gifted (2017),” which was launched by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. The main character Frank is dedicated to raising his young niece, Mary, a gifted child. The storyline of this movie is based on family bond and love in which Frank and Mary are building their relationship through various events around them.
This activity might be most useful at the university level. Especially for students who aim to become a teacher in elementary schools, I recommend promoting active learning as a method for consciousness-raising.
First, the teacher asks students to answer questions about the talent that people tend to possess and the meaning of “gifted.” In class, the teacher divides students into groups of three and gives them time to share comments with all group members. In the discussion, students should listen very attentively and accept their opinions. The leader then presents the group’s ideas to the class. When students work on activities in an interactive manner in the following activities, I predict that they will continue learning comfortably in the same manner.
As another activity, students will watch a certain scene selected by the teacher and a consciousness-raising activity focusing on the feelings of Mary and Fred in the scene will also help students deeply consider which decision is suitable for Mary for doing well in school. They can also determine the model teaching method for her and a suitable learning pattern for each subject. University teachers should be very careful to avoid instilling a one-sided idea about gifted children in other non-gifted students. Screenplay often includes dramatic scene in films which may not match real-life situations. Therefore, teachers need to make some adjustments when addressing similar social topics.
Through various activities in class, such as those previously mentioned, preservice teachers will be equipped to employ better approaches for gifted children. In the future, I strongly hope that more people will understand that building a better society for each person, including gifted children, is crucial for achieving a bright future, where everyone is respected. One method toward this end is the use of films.
Banksy is an enigmatic and prolific street artist who rose to prominence in the early 2000s
with his thought-provoking creations that blend social commentary, satire, and wit.
Many of Banksy’s pieces carry a strong social or political message. He often addresses issues such as war, poverty, government surveillance, and corporate greed. Banksy’s art has reached a global audience and has appeared in various cities worldwide. Despite his anonymity, his impact on the art world and popular culture is significant.
Banksy’s work is primarily found in public spaces like walls, bridges, and buildings. This choice of canvas allows his art to be accessible to a wide audience, transcending the traditional confines of galleries and museums. However, this has sparked debates about the role of street art in contemporary society, the boundaries between vandalism and art, and the power of visual communication to convey important messages.
His artwork can provide an interesting and engaging topic for an ESL class, especially at the University level. Utilizing Banksy’s work can help students explore various aspects of language, culture, and critical thinking. Most university students have heard of Banksy and are familiar with some of his more popular and famous artwork, including “Mobile Lovers” (2014), which depicts a couple embracing while checking their smartphones. It comments on the impact of technology on human relationships. “The Flower Thrower” (2003) is another iconic piece that shows a man in a rioter pose, but instead of throwing a Molotov cocktail, he is throwing a bunch of flowers. It’s a powerful image that contrasts violence with beauty. “There Is Always Hope” (2002) is another one of his famous works, which you can find sold as merchandise. Often referred to as the “Balloon Girl,” this image features a girl letting go of a balloon with the words “There Is Always Hope” next to her. It’s a widely recognized symbol of optimism.
Using Banksy’s art in the ESL classroom can be a creative and engaging way to teach students how to make inferences and learn about connotative vocabulary in context. Banksy’s works often contain social and political messages, making them rich material for discussion and possible interpretation. Students can be pre-taught the vocabulary and the background context needed to interpret his work and then make inferences based on what they see in his artwork, along with the student’s prior knowledge that they bring to their exploration of his artwork.
Students can also be provided with original reading passages covering the polarizing nature of Banksy’s work into passages that praise and are critical of him. It is a good opportunity for students to see how positive and negative connotations are used in context to convey opinions and interpretations of his work. For example, the social commentary of Banky’s work is sometimes described as insightful, but is it thought-provoking or superficial and simplistic? Students can also use such vocabulary to formulate their own opinions, and it lends itself well to student discussion and opinion essays such as ‘Banksy is just a vandal. Do you agree or disagree?
I have used Banksy’s work in the above ways, and students have found it engaging and interesting. If the activities are adequately scaffolded and level-conscious, it can give students a chance to express themselves as well as review language skills such as making inferences and using positive or negative connotations in context.
With the advancement of globalization, one of the objectives of Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology (MEXT) is to nurture globally-minded university graduates who excel in English communication, media literacy, and critical thinking skills.
The emphasis, therefore, is on developing students’ ability to think and express themselves in English. The focus is not only on their acquisition of knowledge of the English language but also on what they can do in English. Using works such as Banksy’s, which address many contemporary and global issues, can challenge students both cognitively and linguistically.
If you would like to present and/or join the meeting online, please indicate your name and ATEM chapter. If you are not an ATEM member, please indicate your name and affiliation.
(1) If you don’t mind me asking, when does Your Highness think we’re going home?
『白雪姫と鏡の女王』(Mirror Mirror, 2012) <00:08:37>
この点について，多くの総合英語教材では，Would you mind my[me] …?に代表される人工的な例文と共に「目的格は話し言葉で見られる」といった趣旨の簡単な説明が付されるのみで，その具体的な比率や，典型的な生起パターンなど，その実情が判然としない部分も多い。そこで本発表では，英語会話コーパスの一種である「KUFS映画・ドラマ英語データベース」を利用して，動名詞の意味上の主語における所有格・目的格の交替についてより詳細な分析・記述をおこない，上記の問題をクリアした用例と解説を提示することで，今後の効率的な学習および指導に寄与することを目指す。
Creation of Video Materials for Learning and Retaining Collocational Knowledge
The importance of learning L2 collocations has been well-documented (e.g., González-Fernández & Schmitt, 2015). Despite the significance, mastering collocations poses a challenge for L2 learners, particularly due to the incongruence between L1 and L2 (e.g., Yamashita & Jiang, 2010). To facilitate L2 English learners to learn and retain collocation knowledge, ultimately making it productive knowledge, the development of effective materials is essential. This presentation explores: 1) why video materials are suitable for learning collocations, 2) considerations for creating the material, and 3) how we can create and share video materials with learners using free websites and applications. The text and audio in the material are provided according to the following procedure (the target collocation in this example is “bear a resemblance”):
1. Full sentence (text – English & Japanese, audio – English): “The ancient artifact bears a resemblance to those found in neighboring regions.”
2. Pause for learner repetition
3. Repetition of 1) & 2)
4. First chunk (text – English & Japanese, audio – English): “The ancient artifact”
5. Pause for learner repetition
6. Second chunk (text – English & Japanese, audio – English): “bears a resemblance”
7. Pause for learner repetition
8. Third chunk (text – English & Japanese, audio – English): “to those found in neighboring regions”
9. Pause for learner repetition
10. First chunk (no text information, audio – English)
11. Pause for learner repetition
12. Second chunk (no text information, audio – English)
13. Pause for learner repetition
14. Third chunk (no text information, audio – English)
15. Pause for learner repetition
16. Full sentence (no text information, audio – English)
17. Pause for learner repetition
18. Repetition of 16) & 17)
The learners’ reactions to the material are also introduced in the presentation.
≪Q&A: 14:20~14:25≫
3.14:30-14:50 Christopher R. Cooper (Rikkyo University）
Supporting an English through movies course with an IMDb review corpus
When teaching a course without a textbook, a corpus can be a useful tool
to provide language support to L2 users. Recently, there are an increasing number
of open-source datasets available, providing access to large bodies of texts from
various registers. In the current study an open-source dataset of 25,000 positive
and 25,000 negative online movie reviews was used to provide language support
to university students on an ‘English through Movies’ elective course. AntConc
was used to extract keywords from the positive reviews, using the negative
reviews as a reference corpus, then the opposite was done for negative reviews.
Only giving students a list of words may not be the ideal kind of support, as no
indication about usage is given. Therefore, the ‘order by frequency’ setting was
used in AntConc’s KWIC tool to find frequently occurring phrases and patterns.
Documents were provided to students based on the corpus analysis to help them
write movie reviews, have discussions and give presentations. In addition, several
activities were constructed using the positive and negative language. In this
presentation the keyword extraction process will be explained, and example
materials and tasks will be shared, along with reflections on their use in the
物語は１９３０年代後半のロンドン・ソーホー地区のゴミ捨て場に、白い子猫が人間に捨てられた場面から始まる。そこは‘ジェリクルキャッツ’族が支配する場所である。ミルクバーの文化がある。手品師の奇跡技…鉄道猫のタップ…グリザベラ猫の徘徊…Heaviside Layer 旅への憧憬… 終盤は英国ロンドンのトラファルガー広場に集まって、白石のオベリスクを遠景にライオン像の傍で、仕事もゲームも楽しむ誇り高き猫たちと 「交際するルール」 を、歌唱して閉じる。発表ではミュージカル映画CATSの概要、‘ジェリクルキャッツ’の多様性、原作：T. S. Eliotの “The Naming of Cats”、‘ジェリクルキャッツ’歌唱コンテスト場面の名曲“Memory”を生成する。文化遺産と伝播、等を説明し、JellicleやHeaviside Layerの合成語やWイメージによる言葉遊びの社会風刺も言及する。
≪Q&A: 16:20~16:25≫
6．16:30~16:50 Yoshikazu NISHI（ATEM Hokkaido）
How to make lesson plans for new exam
The Hokkaido public high school entrance exam has already changed dramatically in 2022. Accordingly, the university entrance exam will change radically once again in 2025.
Because we need creative young people in Japan, the Japanese educational ministry wants to improve school lessons now. Therefore, schools must create new, more active lessons to foster a more adaptable workforce. Previously, the world needed young people who had enough knowledge. However, creative people who can think outside the box and adapt quickly are increasingly required.
As a result, school teachers have to change their lessons to encourage this different way of thinking. However, it is very challenging to change our teaching habits.
In this presentation, I would like to do two things.
First, I will show you a real example from high school entrance exams in Hokkaido from 2023. Then, I will explain what makes this a creative exam.
Second, teachers have to adapt their lesson plans for this new type of exam. Therefore, I will demonstrate some ways to encourage student adaptability with examples.
Call for Presentations at the 14th ATEM Higashinihon Chapter Hybrid Conference on December 17 (Sun), 2023
Dear ATEM Members:
ATEM Higashinihon Chapter will hold the 14th Chapter Hybrid Conference at Reitaku University Shinjuku Satellite Campus on December 17 (Sun.), 2023.
We are calling for presentations on English education (language education) that uses visual and/or audio multimedia including movies, TV dramas, Youtube, etc. Your presentation should focus on class activities, the development of language teaching materials, theoretical or empirical studies, or cross-cultural communication studies, etc.
Each presentation will be 20 minutes with 5 to 10 minutes of Q and A. (This may be adjusted depending on the number of presentations and the related projects. Please note that you will be notified of your presentation request (acceptance or rejection) in a few days after the application deadline.
We will contact you about the details later.
Application Period: November 12(Sun) to December 3(Sun), 2023
If you wish to make an online presentation from outside the venue, please inform us at the time of application.
When submitting a proposal, please provide the following information by an attached Word file to the ATEM Higashinihon Chapter Office
Unlocking the Power of ChatGPT: Navigating the Promises and Perils for Teachers in Second Language Writing assessment
Abstract: The existing body of research within the field of English language education and Artificial Intelligence demonstrates the potential of AI to enhance students’ speaking skills, bolster reading comprehension, and boost motivation. Yet, little emphasis has been placed on the teacher’s viewpoint in the context of AI, and investigations into ChatGPT’s role as a writing assessment tool remain at an early stage of development. This study investigates the promises and perils of ChatGPT in assisting teachers with assessing student academic writing at a Japanese university.
Students were given an agree/disagree essay question based on the TOEFL Independent writing task’s principles that asks them to provide their opinion on a given topic. The teacher graded the student essays with reference to TOEFL’s Independent Writing Rubric. This was followed up with an experiment to assess how ChatGPT would evaluate the essays using the same rubric.
Although ChatGPT followed the evaluation rubric well and showed significant improvement with relevant prompts, mistakes, and occasional disparities between the human rater and ChatGPT were made. Given these disparities, it remains essential to underscore the importance of maintaining a human-centered approach in AI-enhanced formative assessment. ChatGPT can offer valuable support but should not be seen as a complete substitute for the human rater.
<Q&A 15:30-15:40>
15:45-16:05
小泉 勇人（東京工業大学）
“How do civilized human beings participate in destructive, inhumane acts?”ー 映画Experimenter(2015)で学ぶミルグラム実験 ー
英語教育で用いる映画には娯楽性が期待されることも多いが、CLILの観点からは、社会の諸問題や歴史をヴァーチャルに体験する英語教育も可能であろう。例えばヴェトナム戦争（深津、2017）、アメリカ資本主義（横山、2020）、ジェンダーロール（吉村、2022）に注目した内容言語統合型学習の研究が進められてきている中、当発表では社会心理学を主題とする映画Experimenter（2015）に注目する。かつてハンナ・アーレントがナチズムに見た「悪の凡庸さ」を心理実験で実証しようとするStanley Milgram博士の半生を描く本作であるが、本発表の狙いは、これを「ホロコースト」を考える特異な英語テキストとして位置づけることにある。Milgram博士が「第四の壁」を破る場面を取り上げ、その背後を非現実的に徘徊する巨像の表象を論じつつ、慣用句“elephant in the room”の含意を読み解きたい。
<Q&A 16:05-16:15>
16:20-17:20
Ryan Spring (Tohoku University)
Sachiko Nakamura (Tohoku University)
Workshop: How to Make Better Videos for Your Classes Part 2: Camera Proximity
Using video materials in language classes is an effective way for students to learn practical English. We can use movies, dramas, and YouTube videos, but we always need to consider limitations based on copyrights or other legal concerns. And also, it is sometimes difficult to find appropriate videos which include particular points we want to teach in class. Making our own videos can be the solution to those concerns, and many teachers have begun making original videos to contextualize words and phrases for their students. By doing so, we can prepare materials that are specifically tailored to the points our students need to learn. However, if videos are not made well enough, students will lose interest and might become bored with them. In this series, you can learn how to make quality videos using simple tools that most teachers have; a cell phone, a computer, and other simple items. In Part 2, we are going to teach you about camera distance. This will be an active workshop; you are going to shoot a video with your smartphone, learn some tips about camera distance, and re-shoot the same video using what you have learned.
Announcement of Call for Presentations for the 2nd Special Tohoku Area Study Session of ATEM (The Association of Teaching English through Multimedia)
The East Japan branch of ATEM will be holding its second Tohoku area study session at Sendai Kyoritsu Daiichi Building in September, and we are now starting the call for presentations at this meeting. Please check the details below and apply, or just come to the session if interested.
Time and Date: September 23rd (Sunday), from 1:00 PM (not fixed)
Deadline for applying for presentation: August 30th (Thursday)
Acceptable applications: This study session does not have a specifically set theme, so we will be accepting as many applications as we can regarding the use of multimedia and visual media (from videos to movies to music to digital media) and how it can be used in the EFL or foreign language classroom. The three general areas of presentation are: practical classroom application, materials development, and language teaching theory. If you have any questions, please ask through the e-mail provided below. Presentations should be about 20 minutes long, allowing for about 10 minutes for questions and answers and 10 for changing speakers.
To apply to speak at this meeting, please e-mail the following information to Sachiko Nakamura at: sachiko.nakamura.b6 {at mark} tohoku {dot} ac {dot} jp.
Presentation title (in the language that you will be presenting in)
Name(s) of all presenters
The affiliation(s) of all presenters
Contact information (preferred e-mail address and phone number in case of emergency)
Abstract (400 characters or less if in Japanese, or about 200 words in English)
Indirect speech acts can be difficult for learners. This is especially true in Japan, where students are often told that English is a ‘straight’ language where people express their true thoughts and feelings very directly. However, this is not really true, and English does employ indirect speech, especially for politeness. Furthermore, although the expressions seem very simplistic, EFL learners do not always recognize the intent of the speaker when one of these expressions is used. For example, “I don’t know” is often used to express disagreement, dissatisfaction, or refusal, and is signaled in part by the fact that the speaker very much DOES know. Consider example (1) below:
(1) I don’t know if I like that color.
Of course, the speaker knows whether or not they like the color (in fact, they are the only one who possibly COULD know whether or not they like it). Therefore, this expression is likely not being used to signal uncertainty so much as disagreement or dissatisfaction with the given color. However, since “I don’t know” is a very common phrase, many learners assume they already know the phrase and all of the situations and contexts it can occur in, despite not being aware that it does not always indicate uncertainty.
Since indirect speech is often used as a politeness strategy in conversations in English, it is important to understand the context in which the phrase or expression is used. Therefore, the ATEM East Japan Branch SIG on “How the English of Movies, TV Dramas, and YouTubes Can Contribute to the Development of Practical English Education” used the COCA corpus to find several examples of expressions commonly used in indirect speech and examples of these used in spoken contexts (i.e., mainly from the television and movies section of the corpus). We recontextualized the examples to be in very neutral settings and to have just enough information that they could be made into short video clips. We then filmed two short videos for each expression and uploaded them to a searchable YouTube channel:
We also implemented these videos within a series of multi-modal flashcards that allow users to check what type of indirect speech act each expression is, hear and practice speaking an example, and also provide the video clips that represent the expressions being used in conversational contexts. The multi-modal flashcards are also available here:
We hope the videos and flashcards might be helpful for other learners in the future!
-Ryan Spring, on behalf of the members of the ATEM East Japan Branch SIG “How the English of Movies, TV Dramas, and YouTubes Can Contribute to the Development of Practical English Education” (Atsuko Otsuki, Keina Hamagami, Sachiko Nakamura, Ryan Spring)
You are kindly asked to register through the following Google Form byJune 30 if you would like to join the meeting online. You will be informed of Zoom ID & Pass later.
https://forms.gle/HpisVbLn3JQiPXfX9
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13:00-13:15 発表者リハーサル（希望者のみ） Rehearsal for presenters (optional)
[An android Ava in Ex Machina (2014) seduces a young programmer called Caleb into helping her escape from a research facility, but it is unclear how Ava perceives herself. Another AI named “Samantha” in Her (2013) becomes the secretary, advisor, and girlfriend of Theodore (et al.) but her amazing “romantic power” (?) exceeds that of “humans.” The latter ends with a suggestion that Theodore may rediscover his relationship with a “human” woman. Are these films nostalgic in that they suggest the importance of “human” relationships, as Anneke Smelik (2016) says, or is there a possibility of “posthumanism” in Her? This will be a topic for discussion in a class focusing on film studies or cultural studies.]
≪Q&A: 13:40~13:45≫
2．13:50~14:10
塚田三千代（翻訳・映画アナリスト）
『ファンタスティック・ビースト 魔法使いの旅』の授業活用への提言
[“Fantastic Beasts and where to find them, 2016” for the classroom use]
[Newt Scamander travels the world to investigate magical animals. Before publishing the research, he stopped in New York on his way back to London in 1926. He has the purpose of letting thunderbirds rescued in Egypt shortly before being trafficked, lease back into the wild in its natural habitat in Arizona. Inside Newt’s brown leather trunk are Franny and other magical animals, but they pop out and Newt gets involved in an unexpected situation. In the streets of New York, cracks in the ground and buildings collapse, gaseous phenomena occur one after another, and No-Maji (Normal humans) make a fuss saying “witches are to blame” and handing out leaflets. The United States Magical Parliament (MACUSA) is on alert for the arrival of a black hazy object called Obscurus. The film conveys the messages of environmental protection, recovery, career women, racial diversity, and support for individual entrepreneurs. Because it symbolizes a diverse culture, it is applied to the classroom use of the four skills and communication skills.]
≪Q&A: 14:10~14:15≫
3．14:20~14:40
関口 美緒 （名古屋大学・メリーランド大学（UMGC)）
英語・多言語話者の言語スイッチ稼働と言語使用における一考察
[A study on the language switch operation and language usage of English and other language speakers]
[This study will present the results of a study on how language switching works in the brain of native speakers of foreign languages or multilingual speakers when they speak and understand Japanese. The impact on language use and acquisition will be considered in the result.]
Significant Changes in the Hokkaido Public High School Entrance Examinations
Abstract:
In March 2022, the entrance examinations for Hokkaido public high schools changed radically. The entrance exams mainly aimed to check the applicants’ knowledge of school subjects. However, the current exams focus on their thinking process, judgment, and ability to express thoughts rather than just what they know.
A geography exam may be a typical example to show you a new way of testing. The following is a Geography test regarding Senri New Town, built in the 1960s on the outskirts of Osaka. Seeing a lot of data, including graphs, applicants must answer the following questions: Why was Senri New Town built? How was Senri New Town 30 years later? They must read the documents and think and express their thoughts.
The following is an example of an English exam. The applicants must understand information on how to go to the baseball stadium from the hotel. There are four ways: bus, train, taxi, and walking. They have to choose one and write the reasons. High schools want to examine their thinking, judgment, and expression abilities.
I will also discuss the usefulness of smartphones (visual media) for entrance
examination preparation. They can be a good weapon for students to conquer
these kinds of significant changes. I will show you how to use them for the
entrance examinations.
≪Q&A: 15:15~15:20≫
5．15:25~15:45
MCAULAY Alexander （Graduate School of International Social Sciences, Yokohama National University）
Nurturing Creativity through the Use of Image-driven Short Films
Abstract:
Commentators note various benefits when using creative writing with English learners, such as raised critical consciousness (Stillar 2013), increased motivation (Smith 2013), and improved acquisition of grammatical structures (Pelcova 2015). This practice-based presentation will outline how image-driven short films can be successfully utilized in the Japanese university classroom to nurture creativity and introduce students to creative writing. The craft of screenwriting requires the writer to communicate on the page images and information that will be seen on screen. In this presentation, I will briefly explain the concept of visual storytelling. I will then describe a course for university juniors and seniors that makes use of image-driven short films, film clips, and visual storytelling techniques to unlock students’ creativity. I will introduce samples of work done by students on the course.
≪Q&A: 15:45~15:50≫
6．16:00~17:00
＜Workshop: How to Make Better Videos for Your Classes Part 1: Framing＞
SPRING Ryan (Tohoku University)
NAKAMURA Sachiko (Tohoku University)
Abstract:
Video materials are a great way for EFL students to learn practical usage of English. However, we often have particular points we want to teach, and we might (1) not know where to find an appropriate video clip that shows the word in use, or (2) have limitations based on copyrights or other legal concerns. For these reasons, many teachers have begun making their own videos to contextualize words and phrases for their students. Furthermore, creating original videos allows you to prepare teaching materials that are specifically tailored to the skills your students need, which can be extremely beneficial. These days, it is getting easier and easier to make videos as well, since advances in technology provide us with cheap cameras and editing software. However, many of us are not professional videographers, and so the videos we make may not seem as high quality or exciting as professionally made ones. If we don’t do a good job of making our videos, they lose the added visual cues that can help learners when learning words and phrases, and students might soon become bored with them. Therefore, it is in our best interest to make the highest quality videos that we can. In this series, we want to help you to improve your filming ability so that you can provide high quality videos to your students using simple tools that most teachers have; a cell phone, a computer, and other simple items.
In Part 1, we are going to teach you about framing and mise-en-scene. Rather than just talk about it, we are going to have everyone make a simple video with us, learn to plan for shots, make simple story boards, and then we are going to re-shoot the same video using what we’ve learned. We will then compile the examples with editing so that everyone can see the difference. Please join this workshop and get hands-on experience!
