Linguapax Asia 2005: Abstracts & Speaker Profiles

l    9:05-9:10  Opening Address: The Linguapax Vision and Mission

       Speaker: Frances Fister-Stoga is the acting Director of Linguapax Asia. She holds graduate degrees in Applied Linguistics (Concordia University), English Literature (McGill University), and Education (Université de Montreal). She has been a lecturer at the University of Tokyo since 1992 and is a doctoral candidate at the University of Bristol (U.K.) in the Graduate School of Education. She also is an active participant in the Peace Education Program at Teachers College Columbia University.

l    9:10-9:40  The Politics of Language: The Resistance to Plurilingualism

     The 19th century rise of nationalism, peoples and governments have adopted policies to reduce language diversity.  It has been argued that a nation must share a common language. Even though many such policies have now been reversed or relaxed, a great many individuals still fear that language diversity will spawn social instability. My speech will deal mostly with the Canadian experience of resistance to bilingualism but will draw also the experience of other countries. Speaker: Norman Moyer is Commissioner General for Canada at the 2005 World Exposition, Aichi, Japan. Mr. Moyer's experience in both the private and public sectors has provided him with a unique understanding of Canada and Canadians, and he has demonstrated a strong capacity to develop consensus amongst stakeholders from various communities of interest.

l    9:40-10:10  Rethinking Multilingual-Multicultural Japan

     As we think about "Japan" without the limitations of traditional boundaries imposed by academic discipline and state ideology, we notice that borders and edges come into view. The neat divisions of geography and languages become blurred, minorities and "the Other" appear: Korean, gastarbeiter, Ainu, Ryukyuan, the Deaf and so on. How do people on the margins live and think and speak and represent themselves in relation to "Japan"? Borderless Japan Studies refers to rethinking Japan without the restrictions or limitations imposed by the traditional boundaries of geography, time, or academic discipline. Speaker: John C. Maher is Professor of Linguistics at International Christian University, Tokyo. He is the author and editor of several books on the languages of Japan. He served as interpreter for the Hokkaido Ainu Association delegation to the United Nations "Working Group on Indigenous Populations" in Geneva.

l    10:10-10:50  Attempt to Revive the Warrongo Language of Australia
From 1971 to 1974, Tasaku Tsunoda recorded the Warrongo language of North Queensland from its last fluent speaker, the late Mr. Alf Palmer. Towards the end of the 20th century, a group of Warrongo people started the movement to revive their ancestral language. At their request, Tasaku Tsunoda began participating in the movement in 2000. In 2002, he started conducting Warrongo lessons to the Warrongo people, assisted by Mie Tsunoda, a specialist in linguistics and language teaching. The progress of the Warrongo language revival is very slow, but the sign is encouraging. Speakers: Tasaku Tsunoda is a professor in the Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology at the University of Tokyo. He is a world authority on Australian Aboriginal linguistics and researches widely in the areas of language endangerment and language typology. Dr. Tsunoda is also the author of UNESCO's Comprehensive Bibliography on Language Endangerment. He received his Ph.D. from Monash University, Australia. Mie Tsunoda is a part-time lecturer at Rissho University, Japan, and the organizer of Tsukuba Nihongo Class. She is a specialist in Japanese linguistics and language teaching. Dr. Tsunoda received her B.A. from Seijo University, her M.A. from the University of Nagoya, and her Ph.D. from Ochanomizu University. More...

l    11:10-11:30  Reversing Language Shift in a Cree Community in Canada

       As a way of beginning the process of reversing language shift, community leaders, teachers, school board officials and a second language education specialist formed a community action research team to facilitate the creation and sustainability of a Cree Bilingual Program in 1999. The team developed a number of successful strategies and learning resources to help children develop listening, speaking, reading and writing in Cree. Observing a growth in the self-esteem of children in the program, teachers, administrators and members of the community gained a resurgence of self-determination. Speaker: Olenka Bilash is Professor of Second Language Education at the University of Alberta. She has taught professional development workshops and courses on teaching second languages on five continents. Dr.Bilash has also authored and developed the conceptual framework for many learning resources. More...  

l    11:30-11:50 Language Diversity and Preservation in the Slovene-Italian Cross-Border Area

     Although international agreements signed by Yugoslavia and Italy after World War II assure both Slovene and Italian minorities in the cross-boarder area an equal, reciprocal treatment of their linguistic and ethnic rights, the reality is quite different. All existent municipalities of Slovene Istria are officially declared to be bilingual, thus meaning that in this area both Italian and Slovene are official languages. In order to achieve this, the whole schooling system in the Slovene coastal area promotes bilingualism. The situation is different in Italy, where only a few municipalities inhabited by Slovenes and Italians are partially regarded as bilingual. Speaker: Vesna Mikolič is a Science Associate and Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Humanities and Science and Research Centre of the University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia. More...

l        11:50-12:10  Preserving Slovene as a Heritage Language in Argentina

      The theory of ethnolinguistic vitality asserts that status, demography, and institutional support variables may combine to permit an ethnolinguistic community to survive as a viable group. The formal and informal institutional support in the form of educational programs within Slovene communities in Argentina will be examined and presented as pivotal in the preservation and maintenance of the Slovene language for three generations. Speaker: Jelisava Sethna is a Lecturer of English and Slovene at several universities in the Tokyo region, including Gakushuin University and Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. She has published academic papers on phonology, classroom research, and the methodology of writing and has conducted sociolinguistic research among bilingual students at Tokyo international schools. In 2000, she helped organize the Symposium of Slovene Language, Literature and Culture at the University of Tokyo.

l      13:45-14:15  Issues in Bilingual Education with Special Reference to the Japanese Context

     In spite of remarkable progress in the study of second language learning and teaching in recent years, English language education in Japan is often criticized as being unsuccessful. A new perspective might be found in emerging bilingual education, but at the same time the opposition front is still persistent. To overcome this dilemma, our attention should be geared toward a more effective implementation of the conditions for success, based on the findings from case studies of individuals and institutions. Speaker: Hideo Oka is Professor of English and Applied Linguistics at the University of Tokyo. His interests are in second language proficiency and bilingualism. Dr. Oka has been a visiting researcher at Georgetown University and Cambridge University. He is on the board of directors of the Japan Association of College English Teachers.

l         14:25-14:40  Cultural Influences of East and West: Influence in the Classroom and Influence on Policy.
In a globalized world, educational reforms are often transplanted between countries, but this has often resulted in a mismatch between curriculum intentions and classroom realities. This paper examines two key strands of contemporary ELT policies in Hong Kong: task-based teaching and assessment for learning. For each strand, I examine socio-cultural influences on policy and contrast it with evidence of what takes place in the school classroom. I argue that educational policies should build more directly on pre-existing culturally accepted good practices. In this way, teachers can become more active partners in enhancing schooling. Speaker: David Carless is a Senior Lecturer in the English Department of the Hong Kong Institute of Education. Dr. Carless has worked as a teacher and teacher educator in England, France and Hong Kong. His main research interests are in classroom-based research, task-based teaching, and assessment for learning. More...

l         14:40-14:55  Language Learning for Europe
The knowledge of languages is one of the basic skills that each citizen needs to acquire in order to take part in the Knowledge Society: it facilitates both societal integration and social cohesion. In this talk, participants will be given a brief overview of objectives and concepts of language education in the European context. It will also provide examples of good practice and how these concepts are being implemented in Viennese schools. Speaker: Franz Schimek is the Head of the European Office and member of the Vienna Board of Education, Austria. In addition, he is a mentor teacher and professor at the Federal Teacher Training College in Vienna. Dr. Schimek holds teaching certificates for Lower and Upper Secondary Schools and has been a School Inspector for English since 1987. In addition to textbooks, he has published numerous articles and reports in various national and foreign publications.

l         14:55-15:10  Does Early Foreign Language Learning Come at the Expense of One's First Language and Cultural Identity?
The wisdom of starting English education at the preschool or elementary level has recently been called into question. Unfortunately, many misconceptions regarding early language learning are widespread and too often are even promoted by well intentioned, but misinformed opinion makers in Japan. Evidence countering two of the most prevalent misconceptions, that early English language learning can hinder Japanese language development and that it can threaten Japanese identity, will be presented using data from the English Immersion Program at Katoh School in Numazu. Speaker: Mike Bostwick serves as Director of the English Immersion Program K-12 at Katoh Gakuen, Japan, and has directed the development of the program from its beginning in 1992. He earned his doctorate in Applied Linguistics from Temple University, Japan. He has spoken and published widely on immersion education. More ...

l 15:10-15:25 Language Education, Global Issues and International Under-standing
A key trend within the language teaching profession is an increasing awareness of our social responsibility as educators and a growing concern with such global issues as peace, human rights and the environment. This talk will document the commitment of the language teaching profession to global education, discuss what it means to "teach for a better world" and give examples of how language educators around the globe are working to promote peace and international understanding. Speaker: Kip A. Cates has a B.A. in Modern Languages (UBC, Canada) and an M.A. in Applied Linguistics (University of Reading, England). He is coordinator of JALT's Global Issues in Language Education Special Interest Group. He teaches English and Global Studies at Tottori University as well as graduate courses on global education for the MA-in-TESOL program of Teachers College Columbia University (Tokyo). More...
　

l    16:00-16:30  Issues of Language Diversity and Languages of Education in Africa: Illustrations from Nigeria

     Nigeria harbors more than 200 ethnic groups and more than 500 languages (and dialects) within its borders. The precept has always been that the mother tongue or language of wider communication in a local community should serve as the language of instruction for the first three years of primary education (with English being taught as a subject) and the roles reversed for the next three years. This paper takes a critical look at this state of affairs to assess how far this language education policy has been implemented. Speaker: Charles Mann is Senior Lecturer in the Applied Linguistics Research Group, Department of Linguistic, Cultural and Linguistic Studies, University of Surrey, UK. He obtained his B.A . (Hons.) degree in French at the University of Ife (Nigeria) and his Maitrise (M.A.) and Diplome d'Etudes Approfondies (M.Phil.) in Linguistics at the Université de Strasbourg II (France), and his Ph.D. at the University of Edinburgh (UK). His research interests include languages in contact, language attitudes, language policy/planning, and language in education. More...

l   16:40-16:55  Tutoring immigrants in Japan: The Sophia Junior College Volunteer Program

       Sophia Junior College was recognized as a college of exceptional educational distinction when its Volunteer Tutor Program was chosen as a “Good Practice” program by the Ministry of Education in July 2004. Over the past 16 years, 930 students have volunteered to teach Japanese, English, and other subjects to 635 foreigner residents, including school children and their parents, working with them to overcome language and cultural barriers in their local communities. Speaker: Sr. Rosa María Cortés Gómez is Professor of Spanish and Philosophy at Sophia Junior College, Japan. A native of Spain, she has lived and worked in Japan for 43 years. Her research interests are in the areas of social justice and volunteerism. More... (in Japanese)

l    16:55-17:10  Helping Immigrant Students in the United States Learn English in Mainstream Classrooms: The SIOP Approach

     The Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol is a researched-based instructional modal that has proven to be effective with second language earners who are studying content topics while learning English. The presentation will include a brief review of the research that supports this model and introduce the eight components essential for making content comprehensible. Speaker: Melvin R. Andrade is Professor of  English Education and Applied Linguistics at Sophia Junior College, Japan. He received his doctorate in Education from the University of California at Berkeley in the field of Language and Literacy Studies, and was recently a visiting researcher at the Stanford School of  Education.

l    17:10-17:25  Languages in Contact in the Pacific: An Observation of Palauan Orthography

     Owing to a century of rule by a number of colonial powers, relocation, and recent immigration, the Republic of Palau located in the Western Pacific Ocean is a relatively diverse multilingual and diglossic nation-state. This paper will firstly draw a sociolinguistic profile of Palau. Secondly, it will assess the extent to which educational attempts at introducing Palauan orthography to this traditionally oral society have been fruitful. Speaker: Kazuko Matsumoto is Associate Professor of Sociolinguistics in the Department of Language and Information Sciences at the University of Tokyo. Her research interests are language contact, language death and attrition, dialect contact, and new dialect formation.

l    17:25-17:40  Satyagraha and Language: Building the Foundation for Peaceful, Nonviolent Futures

     All language users need to be made aware of “semantic dehumanization and linguistic warfare,” the subtle and not so subtle role language plays in dehumanizing or demonizing “other” to facilitate violence. By exposing the language of war and violence and proactively nurturing the language of peace and nonviolence we provide people with the communication skills necessary for building the foundations of a culture of peace. Speaker: Donna McInnis is an Associate Professor and a member of the Peace Research Institute at Soka University in Tokyo. She writes and speaks extensively on the theme of peace and nonviolence education in the language classroom.

l    17:50-18:05  Closing Address: The Defense of Languages, the Defense of Human Heritage

     Concern for the disappearance of languages has grown enormously among the specialists in the last decade. Even though language death has been a usual phenomenon throughout history, the current language heritage is probably reaching a critical point due to the dimension and the rapidity of language homogenization processes worldwide. This paper will outline some recommendations that can be useful to counterbalance this tendency. Speaker: Agustí Colomines is President of the Linguapax Institute and Director of the UNESCO Center of Catalonia. More...

l    18:05-18:10  Remarks

      Speaker: Leo Yoffe is Second Secretary at the Canadian embassy in Tokyo, in charge of academic relations. Prior to joining the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Canada Mr. Yoffe has spent 13 years in Japan in various teaching and research capacities. He taught in private and national universities in Japan. During this time he traveled extensively throughout Japan as well as the entire Asia-Pacific region. Leo Yoffe holds a B.A. in History from McGill University and an M.A. in foreign language education from the Monterey Institute of International Studies.

l    Colloquia Chairs

William Gater received his doctorate at the University of Montreal in 1980 in Linguistics. His doctoral thesis dealt with dialectology and in particular with the Berlin city dialect. From 1979 to 2004, he taught at the University of Tokyo. Dr. Gater has published various articles concerned with linguistics.

Robert L. Rosser is Collegiate Professor and Academic Director for English, Communication, and Humanities for the University of Maryland University College, Asia. He holds a Ph.D. in Rhetoric, Linguistics, and Literature from the University of Southern California. More...

Gregory Strong is an Associate Professor of English and program coordinator in the English Department of Aoyama Gakuin, Japan. He is also the current president of the Association of Canadian Teachers of Japan. Mr. Strong received his M.A. from the Centre for Curriculum Studies and Design at the University of British Columbia. More...