Welcome to the 2024 SDC page! This page contains information about the schedule and sessions for this year's conference.
Venue: Kinrou Fukushi Kaikan (勤労福祉会館), Nagasaki City
General Information
Schedule
Dress Code
- Business Casual
What to bring
- Writing utensils
- Lunch
- Make sure to plan ahead and make reservations for large groups
- Alternatively, buy lunch and eat at the venue
***There is extremely limited space for luggage, and no locked storage. If you choose to store your luggage at the venue, the PAs, Working Committee, and Kinrou Fukushi Kaikan will not be liable for any loss or damage. We recommend using a luggage locker at Nagasaki Station or the Nagasaki Bus Terminal.***
Post Event Resources
GENERAL SESSIONS
An introduction to SDC and the roles of PAs, as well as information about recontracting and Nagasaki AJET.
Our Keynote Address this year will be delivered by Nicholas Caine, a lecturer at Nagasaki University.
In 1997 the presenter came to Japan on the JET programme. The plan was to stay for one year and then return home to the UK. Twenty-seven years later, he’s still here having taught at various levels of education from junior high and high school, the corporate English sector and higher education. This presentation will be a reflective account of his experiences living and teaching in a small city on the southern island of Kyushu, looking at his career path to Japan, followed by life after the JET programme. It highlights some of the ongoing challenges faced by all educators in Japan, particularly with regards to curriculum mismatch, test washback and subsequently, student motivation. Based on his own experiences, the presenter also aims to include advice for ALTs who are thinking of staying long-term in Japan.
Materials coming soon.
WORKSHOPS
Do you want to learn Japanese but there’s always something going on? Well, get ready to take notes as we go through essential grammar points and useful study tips to help you level up your everyday Japanese skills, as well as useful language that you can use in the classroom.
*The content of this is best suited for those who are beginner to lower intermediate (at N3 or below). For those above these levels, please use this as an opportunity to focus on the teaching techniques used in this session.
**This is a one off session. This session is aimed at supplementing your existing Japanese language studies.
***This session assumes that you can read Hiragana and Katakana.
Challenge yourself with a new language and learn about one of German’s interesting features. Experience being a language learner and learn some new ways to teach your students!
Elementary school 3rd and 4th grades are all fun and games until someone asks “What are your students learning?” The textbooks are not helpful and most teachers breeze through lessons, leaving you wondering “What will I do next?” Do not fret! In this workshop you’ll learn the basics for planning engaging lessons as well as get a sense for what kind of activities are more suitable for these grades.
Join us for an interactive workshop focused on enhancing your abilities as both a language learner and teacher, using Somali as a key example to explore methodologies for increasing student participation. Designed for educators of second language students, this session offers practical strategies that you can incorporate to boost participation and create more inclusive, engaging classrooms.
Exploring how traditional Japanese architecture and design principles are utilized to create the different housing typologies that ALTs are currently living in. The workshop looks at a historical point of view and the lead up to modern Japanese design principles, and how that has affected the construction of your home. We will look at different ways of using your living space while adhering to Japanese design principles, and how to create a comfortable harmonious and efficient living space.
CLASSROOM CARNIVAL
A workshop aimed to help ALTs integrate phonics into their warm up activities by showcasing variations on classic activities.
Learn an easily digestible system that helps kids learn how to read so they can read to learn. An alternative to the international phonetic alphabet intended for use in elementary school and junior high school.
PRESENTATION LINK coming soon
English and Japanese are very different languages from one another, and that has an impact on learners’ ability to acquire language in either direction. By being aware of these differences as ALTs, we can model things like pronunciation and come up with new activities with that awareness in mind. This presentation will look at syllables and stress in English, the ways in which they impact pronunciation, and explore ways in which we as ALTs can help students become more syllable conscious, suggesting things ALTs can do in the classroom and a few potential activities for classroom use. The goal: to show how students’ learning of English may be impacted by their first language by using real examples in Greater American English (GAE). *No linguistics knowledge is required.
This session features seven of the presenter’s favorite interactive activities to use in her elementary and junior high special education classes, as well as some tips for designing activities for your special education class. Many of the activities can also be adapted to use in a regular class and are sure to be a hit with all (or at least most) students!
Perfect for new Alts and ALTs looking for new games for their classes. Some of these games can be used across all levels, but the main focus is elementary school students. A pamphlet with English and Japanese explanations of common classroom games will be provided.
Do you have a free day or need games that take a little longer? These English teaching takes on classic games can help students practice content for an extended time. These games can be geared for both elementary and junior high school, and even for high school!
SCHOOL-LEVEL DISCUSSIONS
Lets take some time to discuss life as an ALT at ES / JHS. We will discuss various challenges that we may encounter, how to overcome them, as well as other topics.
Join fellow senior high school ALT teachers from around Nagasaki Prefecture in a supportive space to connect, build community, and discuss practical solutions to classroom difficulties. Share experiences, exchange ideas, and collaborate to improve the teaching experience for both students and educators.
DISCUSSIONS
Are you curious about the Nagasaki Island life? Do you live on an island and want to find connections? Come join the Islander Discussion! We will be talking about island life, the pros and cons of living on the islands and how to form connections with other ALTs!
A welcoming space for LGBTQIA+ JETs to connect, share experiences, and discuss life as part of the queer community in Japan.
Materials coming soon.
The POC (People of Color) discussion has been a key section of SDC for many years, allowing people of color from all walks of the JET experience within Nagasaki to commune and discuss topics and issues that are centered around our identities and how we interact with others within our daily lives here in Japan. This year we will touch on issues of colorism within Japan, have time to network, and have an open discussion for those who need a safe space to discuss things within their own lives and experiences on JET. Our goal is to have the foundation to go beyond SDC and find ways to connect and meet each other throughout our time in Japan.
Materials coming soon.
Having a community around you is a major factor when living abroad. Here in Japan, it could mean the other ALTs around you, your coworkers, or your Japanese friends. Community is something special to everyone. This session is to help you figure out ways to: expand your community, find new people/things around you, and discuss how your community has impacted you. We are a salad bowl of different cultures. For those that wish to be inspired by new ideas and learn new things about life in Nagasaki, join our discussion!