The Language Teacher
September 1999

Four Corners Tour

Robin Nagano

Four Corners Tour Coordinator


This month's column highlights an exciting event that involves chapters around the nation the JALT chapter-sponsored Four Corners Tour. The Four Corners Tour takes place prior to the International Conference each year in the autumn. During the tour, that year's main speakers and Asian Scholars visit various JALT chapters. This IS a valuable opportunity, especially for members who will not be attending the conference itself. These invited speakers have generously agreed to take the time from their already crowded schedules to go on tour, sharing their experience and expertise with IALT. The Four Corners Tour has moved from an extensive whirlwind lecture tour, known to exhaust more than one speaker in the past, to a slower-paced, regionally-based tour. This year's more intensive tour is patterned on the very successful tour of Hannah Pillay, the JALT98 Asian Scholar.

As the speakers will be spending two or three days with each host chapter, the chapters have been encouraged to plan not only a chapter presentation but also to arrange opportunities for speaking to other local institutions or groups. In addition, many chapters are arranging school visits and providing opportunities to meet informally with local educators. Not only does this relaxed schedule allow the chapter members and local language teachers more contact with the speakers, but the speakers gain a more comprehensive introduction to the place of foreign language teaching in Japan, a valuable orientation prior to the conference.

There are three groups whose efforts are essential to the Four Corners Tour. The first is the sponsors. As the tour is chapter-sponsored, funding is limited on the national level. However, the national officers, notably Program Chair Joyce Cunningham and Treasurer David McMurray, have been very active in contacting potential sponsors,to provide much appreciated donations to cover most of the transportation costs, the largest expense of the tour.

This year, our sponsors, generous even in tight times, are:

Please take the time to stop off at their booths at JALT99 or talk to their representatives personally and thank them for their support.

The second group consists of the local coordinators of the tour. These are the people who arrange the itinerary for each speaker. They handle all of the details involved in moving speakers from one chapter to another, making sure that there IS always a contact person, that tickets are in hand, and that the speakers know what will be involved at each stop. The efforts of this year's local coordinators, Keith Lane, Joy Jarman-Walsh and Robert Baker are much appreciated. These coordinators work closely with the third group the chapter officers and members. The local chapter arranges presentations, venues, and other activities for the speaker. This year most of the chapters are also providing homestays for our speakers. Special touches like this are certain to make the Four Corners Tour a memorable experience for all concerned.

Look for Four Corners speakers in your area during late September or the first week of October.


All materials on this site are copyright © by JALT and their respective authors.
For more information on JALT, visit the JALT National Website