Sessions

Short-term study abroad = tourist training?

Short-term Study Abroad programmes organised for Japanese university students are becoming increasingly common. However, the presenter’s experience of organizing and accompanying such programmes over the last twenty years suggests that there is a risk that short-term programmes may dilute the SA experience so that it is no longer recognisably educational. With shopping to be done, sights to be seen, photos to be taken, and social media to be updated constantly, there is little time to learn anything about the local cultural environment or the language(s) spoken. The presenter will suggest that there is a real danger that these programmes will function simply as training in how to be a tourist. Students learn to be consumers of experiences, to glide over problems and learning opportunities, and to package and label experiences so they have none of the life-changing, perspective-twisting consequences educators associate with SA. However, he will further suggest that training students to be (responsible, thoughtful) tourists is exactly what we should be doing. Tourism, domestic or foreign, is likely to be in their future: if we can equip them to reflect on and learn from their tourist experiences, we are fulfilling our role as international educators. Drawing on Kolb’s (1984) model of experiential learning, Bennett’s (2012) three paradigms of intercultural learning, and recent findings from neuroscience and cognition, he will propose practical, field-tested activities that both encourage reflection during Study Abroa, and set habits that will enrich any future touristic visits with the potential for cross-cultural learning.

TESOL JALT Virtual Symposium on Mind, Brain, and Language Education

Sarah Rose Cavanagh—Embedded: The Social Neuroscience of Learning​ Human beings are ultrasocial creatures who learn best when embedded in a system of shared meaning. What lessons can we draw from the study of the social brain to design more effective learning environments? Michael Burri—Zooming in on the Nexus between Neuroscience and Pronunciation Teaching Pronunciation instruction has regained its lost prominence in the second language (L2) classroom. Yet, the connection between neuroscience and pronunciation teaching and learning has yet to be explored. The aim of this online session is to present and discuss with the audience several neuroscientific principles relevant to effective pronunciation instruction. Julia Volkman—Stress and the Bilingual Brain Join Julia for a quick overview of and lively conversation about the role of stress in learning (both helpful and problematic), the role of executive functions in language acquisition, and quick tips on how to use this knowledge to improve your teaching, both online and in-person. ​Stephen M. Ryan—The Shock of the New Come share stories on how your brain has dealt with new environments. Culture shock? Culture bump? “The weirdest thing happened to me today”? We all have experiences of coping with the new and different. They can teach us a lot about how the brain learns and how we can nurture its natural predisposition to make sense of unexpected input.