Greg Rouault

Hiroshima Shudo University

About

Greg Rouault is an Associate Professor at Hiroshima Shudo University. He has a Master of Applied Linguistics from Macquarie University and has taught EFL in Japan for over 25 years. His research interests include reading literacy, ESP/EAP & test prep, business English, and experiential task-based learning with simulations. International publications have appeared in System, TESOL Quarterly, The Reading Matrix, and several Asian-based journals. Greg also edited "Case studies in business innovation: Readings for discussion" from Atama-ii Books (https://www.englishbooks.jp/catalog/product_info.php/case-studies-business-innovation-readings-for-discussion-p-54671)

Sessions

All Levels Windows Into Successful Graded Reading: Interviews With Engaged Students more

Many educators include graded reading in their courses based on research evidence outlining the potential to improve learner motivation (McLean & Poulshock, 2018) and develop language learning (Grabe & Stoller, 2019; Nation & Waring, 2019). Winning over reluctant readers poses a challenge. However, insights into what caught the interest of readers putting in the most time and effort in a reading project have merit. This session shares student-approved, case study statements covering past experiences, recent success with graded reading and MReader quizzes, and future reading. While not all learners see the light, better understanding the lived experience of these readers provides a window into the potential to engage other learners by process, texts, and support. The two-fold aim is to inform teachers for their practice but also to reward these students with an opportunity to share their reflections in live, recorded, and transcribed interviews in English at an academic conference.

Greg Rouault

All Levels Four Practical Tools to Add to the ER Teacher`s Toolkit: A Workshop more

While appropriate difficulty and compelling content are essential for extensive reading, “linked skills activities” (Nation, 2024) that incorporate students` reading can further enhance learner engagement in coursework. This workshop aims to introduce four tools to use with ER and provide teachers with actual practice and takeaway materials. Reading Circles (Furr, 2009) include unique roles for students to address in discussions on common reading texts. Six Hats Thinking is a structured discussion format where participants first adopt a shared perspective before exploring others and can be used for selecting books. Mini-Bibliobattle is a 3-minute oral book report competition where attendees share their different favorite books and Q&A sessions decide a champion title. ER with Audio Support explains how reading-while-listening is key for development in young learners where novice readers decode words with phonics using audio/visual cues to aid comprehension. The sessions will share guidelines for instruction and feedback, and student reactions.

Greg Rouault Pat Conaway Katsuhiro Yamauchi Alina Friel

All Levels Ideas to Access Materials: A Summary of Solutions to ER's Biggest Problem more

In this moderated session, the scholarship recipients who received funding to support their attendance at ERWC7 will share solutions to some of the main problems associated with ER. Common challenges including limited awareness of ER in training on pedagogical approaches, rigid curriculum and institutional policies, and a lack of localized research evidence all hamper initiatives to implement ER. Although these are significant hurdles, it is only with access to suitable materials that ER/EL/EV can be introduced and delivered effectively to move forward in addressing these challenges. The success in grassroots classrooms and institutional programs depends on teachers having interesting, level-appropriate, graded materials for their learners. Drawing from their experience and summarizing a range of presentations at this Congress, the panelists will share examples of resources available and novel methods being taken to overcome this primary limitation. Participants will be able to add and take away valuable ideas.

Greg Rouault