Aoyama Gakuin College
Occidental College, BA Economics
University of California at Los Angeles, MA Economics
Retired from Japan Air Lines
Advisor, Intage Corp., marketing research firm
Lecturer, Bunkyo Gakuin College: Business Communications, Internet English
Putting NBLT (Network-based Language Teaching)* into Practice
Structural learning originated in UK has not been successful in Japan Ð Drills oriented class work is a long way to LL. Putting drills on computers or Internet did not improve its effectiveness much. Using Internet resources for authentic exploratory tasks and NBC (network-based communication) for authentic interaction, referred to as NBLT, is a far better and perhaps quicker way to communicative competence. Considering the leaning style of majority of Japanese learners leaning heavily toward "Global Type," communicative approach with NBLT may revolutionize Japanese EFL teaching if widely adopted. Currently, high school and college teachers prefer to stay in a Gold Fish Bowl of gakko eigo that can exist only in classrooms. Ito is advocating students as well as teachers jump out of the fish bowl and swim into the Open Seas of authentic tasks and interaction in entirely English language environment. For one thing it costs much less than "home stay" immersion.
* Kern and Warschauer, Network Based Language Teaching, 2000
Ito sensei's paper in Japanese is at
http://www.elearne.com/sensei/PracticingNBLT.htm
His Conceptural Diagram in English can be accessed through:
http://www.elearne.com/
Please follow links where it says
- Conceptural Diagram - BASE, WEP, NBC, Learning Style
So read the paper above and go to TAPPED IN. There, you will be able to discuss this topic with Ito sensei and others from around the world. TAPPED IN is open to everybody and the presentation will be done in English.
This event is open to anybody who is interested in the topic. It will be at After School Online Room at http://www.tappedin.org
Instructions to log in as a guest and get to the After School Online Room:
1. Go to http://www.tappedin.org
2. Click the "Guest Login" Button on the TAPPED IN home page
3. Be patient while loading
4. When prompted in the bottom window, erase the text next to the word SAY, and type your name and hit return.
5. When loading is done, you will be in the Reception area.
6. To talk, type in the message in the window next to the word SAY. Then press the SEND button or the ENTER key
7. In order to get to After School Online room, you can click on After School Online in the map.
Download and print this document. It will explain the interface really well. http://www.tappedin.sri.com/info/docs/TAPestry3.pdf
If you have problems connecting from a school computer, you may be behind firewall. Please read Firewall explanation in FAQ..
If you still need help, please mail TAPPED IN staff at contactus@tappedin.org
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Manager of SenseiOnline, Keiko Schneider at kschnei@sabotenweb.com
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