DFL offers an array of events and activities throughout the year which are open to all foreign language teachers. The basic formats are: Public Lectures, My Share, Koryu time, Special Public Lectures, Reading Group, and International Night.
Public Lectures are a series of lectures primarily given by LEC teachers which are open to both students and the public. There is a theme every year which links the different lectures together. Samples from the past include ‘Language and Society’ and ‘Windows on Language and Learning’.
My Share is held about once a month on a Monday evening. Its purpose is to give teachers a chance to exchange ideas about what they think and do in the classroom.
Koryu Time is held two or three times each quarter and will alternate on Mondays and Thursdays at lunchtime (12-12.30pm) in the teachers’ lounge of the C Building (4F). This time allows teachers to network and share information and ideas with each other in an informal and relaxed atmosphere.
Special Public Lectures are offered whenever we can invite a speaker from outside the area. Usually the speakers are well-known for their expertise in some area of foreign language education. Previous speakers have included Dick Allwright, Michael McCarthy, Sara Cotterall, Paul Meara, Christine Pearson-Casanave, Keith Johnson, Keiko Sakui, Shin Koyamada, and Yoshida Kensaku.
The Reading Group is open to all teachers and meets two or three times each year, usually from 6:00 to 7:00pm on a Monday or Wednesday evening. One member of staff chooses a text such as a journal article and sends it to other members of the group to read ahead of the discussion at the meeting.
Each year LEC organizes an International Night where international and Japanese students have the opportunity to mix socially. Recent events have included the showing of movies about various aspects of Japanese society