Bham MASH Meet-Ask-Share-Help

	1. Mark de Boer Activity Theory and collaboration Presentation Abstract: The formation and workings of a Skype group can be supported by activity theory. From the theoretical standpoint of professional development, the process of starting a group, establishing the rules and regulations within the group, and the transformation of the activity system will be examined. The four main stages of transformation starting from the development of the consortia, going from theory to practice, establishing our identities, and ending at generating new theory, will be discussed. This will be compared with Wallace’s reflective practice model. The use of technology is key in a distance education program where ‘don’t go it alone’ is strongly advised.
	2. Vick L. Ssali The Effects of Coordination on One Part-time Teacher Presentation Abstract: Curriculum Coordination in Japanese tertiary institutions can be seen as simply an effort to define the course titles and to control what the teachers actually do. A more positive and dynamic view of curriculum coordination might be to see the process as involving the creation of a professional teaching community, including ongoing and focused dialogue between all teachers. Part-time teachers however are in most cases running in and out of several schools to make ends meet, and have little or no chances to engage in this kind of dialogue. One university program has succeeded in creating an environment where both full timers and part timers effectively take part in the dialogue, and I will discuss the benefits of what at first I thought was merely an effort to 'compel' me to adapt my teaching to conform to the curriculum.
	3. Steve Herder Module 5 Essay - A Personal Paradigm shift Presentation Abstract: This talk describes a personal paradigm shift in an MA TEFL program, based on an essay titled, From misguided to well guided. The presenter claims that the MA studies have significantly affected his attitudes, beliefs, and teaching behavior. The MA studies led to a strong rejection of the PPP approach to teaching. My re-evaluation process, aided by the Personal Language Teaching Methodology Profile (PLTMP) and a collaborative study group, has led to three significant results: 1) a well-defined personal theory of practice, 2) greater confidence as a teacher and deeper interest in teaching, and 3) a commitment to ongoing professional development through collaboration.
	4. Joe Siegel "Good" Language Learners and Language Learners' Ability to Improve Presentation Abstract: This presentation examines the notion that "good" language learners (GLLs) exist and an attempt will be made to define GLLs. It will be argued that definitions of GLLs are context-dependent. The two contexts considered in this presentation are traditional compulsory classrooms and private conversation schools. The hypothesis that certain learner characteristics are sometimes more advantageous in one learning environment than the other will be offered. Results from a student questionnaire relating to the topic will also be included. This presentation next discusses some transfer of learner characteristics from one setting to another, which may create mismatches affecting student success. Finally, some ideas on how to help learners become "better" will be considered. The topic for this presentation is based on assignment PG/06/09 from Module 2 on SLA/Pedagogic Grammar.
	5. Dale Brown Use Librarything.com to Encourage Extensive Reading Presentation Abstract: The power of extensive reading is well documented, but most teachers who have tried it will know that getting students to actually read can be a challenge. This presentation will explain how the presenter has used a commercial website, Librarything.com, to encourage his students' reading. The presentation will detail the website's uses, the students' response to it, and the presenters' future plans for using it.
	6. Mike Post What’s Your Story? The Importance of Teacher Presence Within the Ongoing Class Structure and Narrative. Presentation Abstract: In an effort to bridge the gap between teaching methodology and teacher performance this presentation will discuss the use of STORY within the classroom as a means of facilitating student motivation and managing class expectations. The presentation will focus on the following seven points as a means of enhancing teacher performance, outside of methodology: 1) The Hollywood Influence on Teaching, 2) Breaking through Stereotypes, 3) Story/Expectations, 4) Playing with Beats, 5) Building Tension, 6) Capturing the Moment, and 7) Becoming your own Character and Telling Your Own Story.
	7. Michael Iwane-Salovaara An overview of my dissertation Presentation Abstract: I will be presenting an excerpt of my dissertation, which is still in progress. I will give a brief learner profile and an overview of Reuven Feuerstein's cognitive map. The latter half will demonstrate how Feuerstein's cognitive map can be used in a sociocultural study to show learner progress over an 18 month period.
	8. Matthew Walsh My dissertation so far What is a dissertation? The University of Birmingham Student handbook states that there are ‘no restrictions’ on the research area we can choose. Students are exposed to research of various types and understand that their own project must be research-based, but how scientific does a dissertation need to be? Is this an opportunity to stake our claim to an original idea or to find and launch our career as an expert in one area or another, or is such personal investment something to be avoided? Should we be coldly practical and consider the project as something just to be completed and forgotten? I would like to share with everybody my thought processes in dealing with these contradictions. The research is in its early stages so I’d appreciate any critical advice from my peers.
	9. Michael Flynn Electronic Dictionaries, Printed Dictionaries, and No Dictionaries. Which is better for vocabulary learning and reading comprehension? Presentation Abstract: Describes an experiment with Japanese EFL university students comparing comprehension, and the receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge gained from reading an expository text with electronic dictionaries, printed bilingual dictionaries and no dictionaries. Vocabulary knowledge was tested with a two-week pre-test, an immediate post-reading test and a two-week post-test. Receptive knowledge was assessed with a checklist test for known and unknown items while productive knowledge was measured with a matching item test. Comprehension was measured with true/false questions translated into the students’ first language. Dictionary usage tended to result in higher scores on the comprehension and vocabulary knowledge measures than students who read without dictionaries. Electronic dictionary usage tended to result in superior gains on the comprehension and vocabulary measures than printed dictionary usage. However, both groups of dictionary users required significantly more time to read the text than students who had not used dictionaries.


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