The Japan Association for Language Teaching is a professional organization with over 2,500 members dedicated to the improvement of language learning and teaching. JALT is avehicle for the exchange of ideas and techniques about language education. Currently JALT has chapters located throughout Japan. Himeji is one of those chapters.
Himeji is a medium sized city located in the western part of the Kansai area. It is famed for its castle which is not only the largest and best preserved castle in Japan but also a world heritage site. Himeji is a city of 450,000 people and sits between Kobe and Okayama. Although the Himeji JALT Chapter is a relatively small one, it is an active chapter consisting of 25 members.

MEET THE OFFICERS: There are six officers in our chapter. Without their help our chapter would not be able to function. For a brief profile of the officers….

MEMBERS: Our chapter currently has about 25 members. Although we do not list the names of individual members at this website, any chapter member who has a homage and would like to be linked to this site is most welcomed.

PLACE AND TIME FOR MEETINGS:Our meetings are currently being held at the Nozato Kominkan which is located directly across from the Bantan Line Nozato Station (west side). We usually meet at 2 p.m. on Sundays and conclude our meeting at 4 p.m.

There is plenty of free parking available. For further information ….

1. Feb 4,2001 - Ms. Dora Koops - "Why Reading is Important"
2. Mar. 14, 2001 - Mr. Patrick Dougherty - "The History of Charter Schools"
3. April 15,2001 - Naoko Onishi, Fr. Jerome - "Asian Charities"
4. June 3, 2001 - Mr. David Mackrell - "Getting Students to Express Themselves"
5. July 8, 2001 - Ms. Sonia-Yoshitake Strain - "Building Vocabulary in EFL Students"
6. Oct. 14,2001 - Cheena Fujioka - "Teaching Japanese Through Listening, Observing and Discovery"
7. Dec. 2,2001 - Mr. Paul Rosengrave - "Bringing the real World into the Classroom"

1. Feb.3, 3002 - Youth Panel Forum -Himeji Dokkyo University Students
2. April 14, 2002 -Mr. Julian Ward, Oxford University Press,"New Bookworms"
3. June 2, 2002 -Nice Talking With You! : Conversation Strategies & Timed Conversation
   Tom Kenny, of Nagoya University of Foreign Studies, will talk about how the practical speaking activity, timed conversation, motivates learners to practice real social conversation and keeps them speaking "English only" longer. He'll show videotapes of students using timed conversation and the essential conversation strategies that improve their fluency. Find out how it all works together with his popular conversation text, Nice Talking With You!

   If you would like to access summaries of our past presentations please visit:
   

   Himeji JALT Past presentations
   NOTE:When you reach this page follow the links through "Kansai" to "Himeji"

For further details concerning the content of each presentation please check the bask issues of our newsletter, Himeji JALT News

Presentation Proposals: Our chapter always welcomes new speakers to make presentations on some aspects of teaching and English Education. If you would like to be a guest speaker at one of our chapter functions please submit a proposal to our Program Chair. For further information please contact Mr. Joseph Machowski… machow@kenmei.ac.jp

President's Chapter Report 2002:Each year in December the Chapter president submits a report to Central JALT. If you would like to read this year's report please access it below:

Himeji JALT News: Our chapter publishes a sixteen page newsletter which comes out four times a year. The newsletter is free of charge and records the events of the chapter as well as including other feature articles concerning education. The paper also contains book reviews, conference reports and articles about the work of local teachers.

If you would like a copy of the newsletter please send your name and a mailing address to the following email: balsamo@kenmei.ac.jp

If you would like to read our back issues go to the following:

If you would like to contribute article for publication you need not be a member. Guideline for submission can be found at….

This is a special tour offer for JALT members to travel in the footsteps of the Buddha. This tour will begin in New Delhi, India and terminate in Kathmandu Nepal. The tour will last for three weeks and visit places which are central to the life of Buddha. For more details visit:

Membership: If you would like to become a member of JALT our chapter gladly welcomes new members. Yearly membership costs 10,000 yen. Included in the membership are the monthly copies of The Language Teacher which include articles and information related to language teaching. Membership also entitles you to complimentary copies of Himeji JALT News and free admission to all JALT functions. For further information please contact Ms. Noriko Fujii, our treasurer… f-h-nori@mhl117.ne.jp

Himeji Colleges and Universities:

1. Himeji Dokkyo University - Himeji, Japan
   Homepage of Himeji Dokkyo University
   
2. Kenmei Women's Junior College - Oshio,Japan
   Homepage of Kenmei Women's Junior College
   

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Himeji's International Center:EGRET Himeji EGRET HIMEJI

The Himeji International Exchange Center (HIEC) was developed for use as a facility to promote multiculturalism in Himeji. Among its functions are to gather and provide information, support the activities of NGO (non-governmental organizations) groups and volunteers, to provide consultation services for foreign residents, to promote cooperation among local administrative bodies, NGOs, schools, business enterprises, and the like.

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More about JALT:

If you...
...teach a foreign language in Japan or abroad
...teach japanese as a second language
...areinterested in language research
...want new ideas for your classroom
...would like to learn more about cross-cultural research
...run a foreign language school
...train other language teachers
then...JALT Has Something for you!!
JALT members come from diverse backgrounds. Although a majority teach English, many are students and teachers of other languages. JALT members range from preschool instructors to graduate school professors, from individuals who have just begun their teaching careers to veterans with extensive experience. At this time a majority of JALT members live in Japan, but more and more people from other countries are joining JALT to network with other language educators and receive its outstanding publications.
Becoming a JALT member puts you in touch with hundreds of language teaching professionals!

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Other Language Organizations:
JALT has signed partnership agreements with language organizations around the world. the terms of the agreements vary, but in general JALT and its partners strive to encourage membership in each other's associations; publish membership announcements and advertisements in each other's newsletters and journals;extend invitations to attend each other's annual conferences; offer discounts to joint members on conference fees; and organize joint conferences such as the Pan Asian series.

1. Kotesol- Korean Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (KOTESOL) was established in October 1992. for further information access their website at:Kotesol
2. Thai TESOL- Thai TESOL is a non-profit and non-political professional organization whose purpose is to promote English Lnguage Teaching practice and professionalism at all levels through organizing conferences and workshops throughout Thailand.For further information: Thailand TESOL (Thai TESOL)
3. IATEFL
4. JACET

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For further information:


balsamo@kenmei.ac.jp