View source for User:Thomas Simmons

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My name is Thom Simmons. I grew up in the Midwest. I lived in Japan for 16 years and now live in New Zealand on the Kapiti Coast. I have degrees in education (B.A. Elementary Education, University of Missouri-Kansas City, 1978), applied linguistics (M.Sc. ESP, Aston University, Birmingham England, 1994) and clinical science (D.C. Cleveland Chiropractic College, Kansas City, Missouri, 1987). I have taught overseas at the secondary and tertiary level in the social sciences and to some extent, in the physical sciences for more than 30 years. My interests are in history, theology, biology and languages.

I was formerly executive director of a number of small unions in Japan for foreign workers (Kanto Teachers’ Union Federation and a National Union of General Workers-Tokyo South branch union) and the Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT, a TESOL Inc. affiliate)

I have spent the last decade or so studying the history of the Christian Church with a focus on the Eastern Orthodox Church. I am a member of the Serbian Orthodox Church (New Gracanica Diocese) and work with members of the Georgian Orthodox Church on various projects, primarily language and education.

==Publications==
My professional publications are in administration and management of not-for-profit organizations, language (applied linguistics, language policy and planning), teaching and education (evaluation and assessment, curriculum, methodology and administration), labour law and labour rights, history, sociology and policy. Herein follows a condensed list, some of which are available on the internet:

===BOOK REVIEWS===

*''Holiday in Hell''. Review of Kristin Semmens's (2005) ''Seeing Hitler's Germany: Tourism in the Third Reich''. New York: Palgrave, Published by: ''H-Genocide'' (February, 2006)' [http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.cgi?path=314111158768186]
*Review of George Hicks's (1997) ''Japan's Hidden Apartheid: The Korean minority and the Japanese''. Aldershot, England: Ashgate Publishing Limited. ''The New Observer (August 1999)'' [http://www.zmag.org/Japan/Society/Apartheid1.html]
*Review of Robert Wilcox's (1995) ''Japan's secret war: Japan's race against time to build its own atomic bomb''. New York: Marlowe & Company. ''The New Observer (Jun. 1999)'' [http://www.zmag.org/Japan/Security/Secret_War1.html]
*Review of Thomas Armstrong's ''Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom''. ''JALT Journal, vol. 18, no. 2'', December, 1996
*Review of Horio Teruhisa's ''Educational Thought and Ideology in Modern Japan: State Authority and Intellectual Freedom''; Amano Ikuo's ''Education and Examination in Modern Japan''; and Gary H. Tsuchimochi's ''Education Reform in Postwar Japan: The 1946 U. S. Education Mission''. (comparative review of three books), ''JALT Journal, vol. 17, no. 1,'' Tokyo, JAPAN, May, 1995.

===EDUCATION-Labour Relations===
*“Origins and Responses to Conflict in the Teaching Environment.” with Shiozawa Tadashi, ''The Language Teacher , vol. 18, no. 4,'' Tokyo, JAPAN, 1994.
*“Working Conditions and Career Parameters in the Educational Environment for Foreign Teachers of Languages in Japan. ” with Shiozawa Tadashi, Journal of International Studies, vol. 10, Chubu University, Kasugai, JAPAN, 1993. ERIC ED 380 358.  [http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/13/ba/0f.pdf]

===EDUCATION- Policy and Planning===
*"Change in Language Education: Historical and Social Perspectives." with Shiozawa Tadashi, Torkil Christensen and Dawn Yonally, ''On JALT '95: Curriculum and Evaluation. JALT Conference Proceedings, Nagoya, Japan, November, 1995''. ERIC ED 402 770. (Second of three papers listed in one document, pp 7-13.) [http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/14/d6/fa.pdf]
*“The Winds of Change in Education in Japan.” With Shiozawa Tadashi and Dawn Yonally, ''Aichi University of Education Research Journal'', Kariya, JAPAN, 1995.
*“Social and Administrative Parameters in Methodological Innovation and Implementation in Post- Secondary Vocational Schools in Japan.” with Shiozawa Tadashi, ''Journal of International Studies, vol. 11'', Chubu University, Kasugai, JAPAN, 1994. ERIC ED 380 357. [http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/25/82/8c.pdf]
*“Change Facilitators and Curriculum Innovation in Foreign Language Teaching in Japan.” with Shiozawa Tadashi, ''Journal of International Studies , vol. 12,'' Chubu University, Kasugai, JAPAN, 1994.

===EDUCATION-Pedagogy, methodology, and programme design===
*"Task Based Content Area Syllabus for a Practical Reading and Writing Course at a Post-secondary Vocational School in Japan." 1995. (paper for master degree at Aston University) ERIC ED 385 830. [http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/21/e5/3d.pdf]
*"Do Improved Examination Scores Indicate Acquired Skills? A Study in Teaching the Use of Articles in Journal Writing through a Continuous Testing Regimen." with Shiozawa Tadashi , ''Journal of International Studies , vol. 13'', Chubu University, Kasugai, JAPAN, 1995. ERIC ED 390 252.  [http://www.eric.ed.gov:80/ERICWebPortal/Home.portal?_nfpb=true&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=Shiozawa&searchtype=keyword&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=kw&_pageLabel=RecordDetails&objectId=0900019b800a7f54&accno=ED390252&_nfls=false] 
*"Constructive Methods of Dealing with Large Classes." with Dawn Yonally and  Edward Haig, ''On JALT '95: Curriculum and Evaluation. JALT Conference Proceedings, Nagoya, Japan, November, 1995''. ERIC ED 402 775 (see last article in collection pp. 94-99) [http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/24/37/f1.pdf].
*"Foreign language education in the distance learning mode in Vietnam: Status, potential & limitations." paper, ''UNESCO International Conference in Teacher Development for a New Asia Proceedings'', Bangkok, THAILAND 6-8 December, 1995.

===APPLIED LINGUISTICS and SOCIO-ANTHROPOLOGY===
*"Face Threats In A Faceless Medium: Negotiating Ideological Parameters In Computer Mediated Communication." paper, ''Language and Ideology: Selected Papers from the 6th International Pragmatics 6th Conference, VOl. 1'' Jan Verschueren (Ed.) International Pragmatics Association. Antwerp, BELGIUM, 1998
*"ESP, Genre and Language Registers for Instruction in Japan.” paper, The Language Teacher , vol. 22, no. 11, Tokyo, JAPAN, 1998 
*"Analysis of discourse in computer mediated communication." with Shiozawa Tadashi, ''Language Lab. vol. 33'', Tokyo, Japan, June 1996.
*"Politeness Theory in Computer Mediated Communication: Face Threatening Acts in a 'Faceless' Medium." dissertation for M.Sc., Applied Linguistics, Teaching English for Specific Purposes, Language Studies Unit, Department of Modern Languages, Aston University, Birmingham, England, August, 1994. ERIC ED 381 005. [http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/25/c7/d0.pdf]
*"Teaching Discourse Strategies for Communication in the Japanese EFL Classroom," with Shiozawa Tadashi, ''Journal of International Studies , vol. 14,'' Chubu University, Kasugai, JAPAN, 1995.

==Authorship and contributions on Citizendium==
===Articles I have written===
'''Original Works'''

====[[CZ:Anthropology Workgroup|Anthropology Workgroup]]====
*[[Dmanisi (paleoanthropology)]]
*[[Homo ergaster]]

====[[CZ:Archaeology Workgroup|Archaeology Workgroup]]====
*[[Dmanisi (paleoanthropology)]] 

====[[CZ:Astronomy Workgroup|Astronomy Workgroup]]====
*[[Andromeda Galaxy]] Core article
*[[Astronomical Unit]] Core article
*[[Astrophysics]] Core article
*[[COBE (astronomy)]]
*[[Cosmology]] Core article
*[[Dwarf planet]] Core article
*[[History of Astronomy]] Core article
*[[Jupiter (planet)]] Core article
*[[Mercury (planet)]] Core article
*[[Near Earth Object Program]]
*[[Neptune (planet)]] Core article
*[[Proxima Centauri (star)]]
*[[Stellar classification (astrophysics)]]
*[[Uranus (planet)]] Core article
*[[Wolf 359 (star)]]

====[[CZ:Biology Workgroup|Biology Workgroup]]====
*[[Homo ergaster]]
*[[Tuatara]]

====[[CZ:Chemistry Workgroup|Chemistry Workgroup]]====
*[[Ernest Rutherford]]

====[[CZ:Earth Sciences Workgroup|Earth Sciences Workgroup]]====
*[[Climate]] Core article
*[[Earth science]] Title article
*[[Extinction]] 
*[[Cambrian (geology)]] 
*[[Geologic ages of earth history]]
*[[Hydrology]] Core article
*[[Biostratigraphy]] 
*[[Palynology]] 
*[[Sedimentary geology]]
*[[Geomorphology]] 
*[[Stratigraphy]] 
*[[Lithostratigraphy]] 
*[[Magnetostratigraphy]]

====[[CZ:Engineering Workgroup|Engineering Workgroup]]====
*[[COBE (astronomy)]]

====[[CZ:Health Sciences Workgroup|Health Sciences Workgroup]]====
*[[Cochrane Collaboration]] 
*[[Epidemiology]] 
*[[Pervasive developmental disorder]]
*[[Frontotemporal lobar degeneration]]

====[[CZ:History Workgroup|History Workgroup]]====
*[[Battle of Evesham]]
*[[Roman Empire]]
*[[Ernest Rutherford]]

====[[CZ:Physics Workgroup|Physics Workgroup]]====
*[[Ernest Rutherford]]

====[[CZ:Religion Workgroup|Religion Workgroup]]====
*[[Eastern Orthodox Church]] 
*[[Nicene Creed]]

====Adaptations====
=====[[CZ:Health Sciences Workgroup|Health Sciences Workgroup]]=====
*[[Autism ]]   
Adapted from Wikipedia. I wrote or edited large portions of this on the WP site and have made extensive changes since then.
*[[Asperger syndrome]] 
Adapted from Wikipedia. I wrote or edited some of this on the WP site and have made numerous changes since then.
*[[Hemochromatosis]] 
Adapted from Wikipedia with extensive changes.
=====[[CZ:Linguistics Workgroup|Linguistics Workgroup]]=====
*[[TESOL Inc.]]
Wrote the entire stub and transported it from WP and have since made extensive additions.

===Articles to which I have contributed===
====[[CZ:Anthropology Workgroup|Anthropology Workgroup]]====
*[[Anthropology]]
====[[CZ:Astronomy Workgroup|Astronomy Workgroup]]====
*[[Solar system]]
*[[Pluto]] (dwarf planet)
====[[CZ:Religion Workgroup|Religion Workgroup]]====
*[[Canonical Gospels]]
====[[CZ:Earth Sciences Workgroup|Earth Sciences Workgroup]]====
*[[Chronostratigraphy]]
====[[CZ:Geography Workgroup|Geography Workgroup]]====
*[[Georgia (country)]] 
I made contributions when this was still a Wikipedia page and it has since been transported here.
====[[CZ:History Workgroup|History Workgroup]]====
*[[Georgia (country)]] 
I made contributions when this was still a Wikipedia page and it has since been transported here.
====[[CZ:Chemistry Workgroup|Chemistry Workgroup]]====
*[[Carbon]]

====[[CZ:Physics Workgroup|Physics Workgroup]]====
*[[Mole (unit)]]

===Constable links===
;New applicants
* [[CZ:Application Review Procedure|Application Review Procedure]]
* [http://en.citizendium.org/wiki?title=Special:Userlogin&type=signup Create an account] 
* [[Special:Log/newusers]]
* [[:CZ:Discipline Workgroups]]

Specialist editor in applied linguistics --LMS

[[Category:CZ Editors| Simmons, Thomas]]
[[Category: Linguistics Editors| Simmons, Thomas]]
[[Category:CZ Constables|Simmons, Thomas]]
[[Category:CZ Authors|Simmons, Thomas]]
[[Category:Health Sciences Authors|Simmons, Thomas]]
[[Category:Healing Arts Authors|Simmons, Thomas]]
[[Category:Education Authors|Simmons, Thomas]]
[[Category:Religion Authors|Simmons, Thomas]]
[[Category:Earth Sciences Authors|Simmons, Thomas]]