The Language Teacher

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A Chapter in Your Life

This new column focusses on the many unique, vibrant, and incredibly diverse JALT chapters throughout Japan. You, the grassroots of JALT, will be at center stage! Share your experiences, achievements, strengths, and talented members. Familiarize readers with the areas you are interested in, challenges you have faced and innovative solutions you have found. By participating, you can facilitate networking, stimulate change, and analyze improvements needed through your examples and successes. The column editors welcome 1,000 word profiles of JALT chapters (in English, Japanese, or a combination of both). Contact them for more details. This month, David McMurray profiles two struggling JALT chapters, Akita and Tokyo, and their continuing efforts to recover.

Our Largest and Smallest Chapters Ask For Help

Akita, JALT's smallest chapter (12 members), was placed on probation last year until it could find new officers and increase its membership. After considering the improvements made in Akita (which formed a full-slate of officers and added 6 new recruits) and the pending work to be done (hosting six presentations), the Executive Board decided to keep the Akita chapter under protective probation. After considering Tokyo's strengths (with 386 members it is JALT's largest chapter) and weaknesses (no officers), Tokyo Chapter was placed on probation for 6 months. Here are their stories.

Akita

Akita chapter is an outpost for JALT's smallest group of teachers. The chapter was unable to host even one presentation in 1997, and officers were unable to hold any business meetings. In 1998, JALT teachers in the area are overcoming their difficulties with the help of the Internet to boost communications and cooperating Minnesota State University professors and regional high school teachers.

Akita Chapter officers and members have a lot to do to shrug their probationary status and to host an active program in 1998. The JALT Executive Board supports their efforts though, and they quickly approved a request by David McMurray (JALT Past-President) to give the Akita team another 6 months to achieve their goal of surpassing 25 members at their spring start-up meeting set for April 18, 1998.

So far, Akita has successfully recruited a full slate of officers for 1998 that combines the synergy of previous officers with 3 fresh members. President Takeshi Suzuki worked the magic to pull the team together and is pleased to announce the recruitment of Hiruta Hidenori (t: 0188-24-2188) and Kimura Kaoru of Honjo High School. Mr. Hiruta invites members interested in upcoming presentations intended for high school teachers to contact him. Mr. Suzuki would be pleased to hear from supporters at <takeshis@edinet.or.jp>.

Tokyo

The problems facing Tokyo were neither as easy to identify nor to correct as in Akita. Tokyo has faced falling membership levels for several years. In headier times they boasted over 600 members. Officers in each successive year since 1993 have lost members. When the 1997 officers resigned no one seemed to have the patience or energy to come forward and help in 1998.

One member reasoned it was better to proceed slowly, close down the chapter, and start it or anew. Another thought forming a larger West Tokyo chapter and a new East Tokyo chapter would be easier for officers to manage, and would create fair competition. After discussing these and other ideas on the Internet, a group of seven dedicated members took the initial step to become chapter officers. Graham Bathgate took the lead as incoming president. With over 11 years in Japan and contacts in the British Council he felt confident he could resurrect the chapter.

Tokyo's first event of 1998 was a CALL N-SIG conference jointly sponsored with West Tokyo Chapter. The new officers contributed funds to the conference organizers. Most recently, they mailed out hundreds of letters to teachers in the area. The chapter will remain on probation for the next few months. Chapter President Bathgate would be happy to receive your message of support at <bethlin@gol.com>