[EDLING:1436] CFP: JALT 2006

[Francis M Hult]

The Japan Association for Language Teaching

http://conferences.jalt.org/2006/index/call

November 2-5, 2006

Deadline for submissions: April 28th, 2006

Conference Theme: "Community, Identity, Motivation"

Our set of communities, identities, and motivations is dynamically changing throughout our 
lives. These identity shifts and group affiliations do not come suddenly, for they are the 
work of activities in communities over time. Partly, it's the work of dynamic and caring 
teachers, and so it's no wonder that teachers love it when students begin to say "I am a 
user of English," "I am a Chinese speaker," and "German is part of me," as it is a crucial 
step to competence. Community, identity, and motivation are overlapping and are essential 
for effective learning. Community affiliation can be one of the greatest motivating 
factors for learning; indeed, Vygotskian Socio-Cultural Theory is based on the idea that 
initial learning is created socially and then internalized to the personal. In communities 
we become aware of the world and certain choices socially. Socially, we have role models 
who we learn from and who help construct our identities. We also learn to be motivated by 
the things that seem to matter to the people around us. So to JALT professionals we might 
ask: Who are you asking your students to be in your classes and how do you do it? What 
groups do they identify with and to what end? What kind of a classroom community are you 
asking them to participate in and how? What are their motivations and how are those 
related to their communities and identities? How can you as a teacher use this information 
to help you understand them and help them learn more effectively? As teachers and 
researchers, we may want to take these questions to our students and colleagues and let 
their voices ring in our presentations in 2006. 

Tim Murphey, JALT2006 Conference Chair

The Japan Association for Language Teaching
JALT is a professional organization dedicated to the improvement of language learning and 
teaching in Japan: a vehicle for the exchange of ideas and techniques, and a means of 
keeping abreast of new developments in a rapidly changing field. JALT, formed in 1976, is 
the Japan affiliate of International TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other 
Languages) and a partner of IATEFL (International Association of Teachers of English as a 
Foreign Language).