Collaboration is a cornerstone of JALT activities and the same goes for SIGs. While many people often think of collaboration within a SIG, there is an ever-growing amount of collaboration between SIGs as well as among SIGs, chapters, and other groups. This year, the SIG Focus column would like to highlight SIG collaboration in all its forms. Please feel free to contribute or suggest ideas by emailing us at jaltsigfocus@gmail.com.
Who We Are
The Listening (LIS) SIG was formed in February 2021 to bring together teachers, learners, and researchers interested in L2 listening. For teachers, the SIG aims to provide practical ideas for the listening classroom. For researchers, the SIG provides a networking and collaboration platform to help members and non-members share their knowledge, expertise, and research on listening. The SIG organized a forum at the JALT international conference with invited international presenters and has already contacted speakers within its membership to present at future events. In 2022, the SIG aims to hold three events, hosting a showcase in July at the PanSIG 2022 conference, a conference day devoted to listening (Kyoto, September), and the annual forum/Annual General Meeting at the JALT2022 international conference (November, Fukuoka).
Collaborating with JALT
The SIG aims to work with other SIGs and chapters of JALT. Although the group’s central focus is listening, the SIG is also interested in collaborating with other SIGs to present research on listening and vocabulary, assessment, and teacher training, among other areas. The group is also interested in working with JALT chapters to share ideas about listening with schools and institutions. The SIG's officers have already worked with JALT chapters to present listening workshops. In the last year, Tottori and Nagano chapters invited SIG officers to present on listening tasks and resources to their members. In the future, the group would like to share presentation topics on listening and vocabulary, assessment, and pedagogy, and we welcome any collaboration ideas with other chapters and SIGs.
Collaborating Beyond JALT
The SIG’s international membership is working to create links with other conference planners and institutions around the world. We are also collaborating with websites, such as www.elllo.org, to sponsor our website and podcast. This will provide our members with the latest listening resources and materials to work with in their classrooms. We would be interested in hearing from anybody who would like to discuss any sponsorship opportunities with us.
The first issue of the SIG’s journal, The Listening Post, is scheduled for June 2022. The call for submissions is still open and the group welcomes teachers, learners, and researchers who would like to contribute research articles, reviews, or share lesson activities. We welcome any submission related to listening research methods, the teaching of listening, and the learning outcomes from listening in various language learning contexts. Our journal is peer-reviewed and all of our contributors will receive full support in developing their papers for our publication. Check one of the links in the Resources section or get in touch if you would like to contribute or find out more.
Online Links
In terms of digital participation, our main focus is to act as a bridge between practice and research and ultimately make listening research more accessible. The SIG website is regularly updated with the latest literature, resource ideas, and podcast episodes. The website also hosts interviews where teachers can outline their current research.
The podcast Hear Us Out! helps members gain an insight into other teachers’ practices. The podcast provides a quick and accessible avenue for teachers’ professional development, as peers can learn from each other. The SIG is always eager to hear about new theories and practices, so please get in touch if you would like to be interviewed.
The series Research Bites! is available in both blog and podcast form. The segment offers concise summaries of articles to offer working teachers the main practical points from the latest research. The written and audio blogs provide a summary of the main research points that can help teachers to develop their teaching ideas and make it easier to keep up with the latest education research.
Our bi-annual newsletter informs readers of the latest updates with links to new and upcoming resources. The SIG also has a Facebook page and Twitter account where anyone can share comments and ideas. In 2022, there will also be announcements for both online and face-to-face social events, so sign up for the newsletter to find out more.
Building a Community
The SIG aims to be a research platform and sharing space for both members and non-members to share their ideas, resources, and research. The group is always happy to hear from anyone with any kind of interest in listening research, teaching, or learning. Please come to one of the events this year, contribute to the podcast or journal, or email us to find out more about the Listening SIG.
Resources
Email – listening@jalt.org
Website – https://jaltlistening.wordpress.com/
Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/groups/489940378896137
Twitter – https://twitter.com/ListeningSig