Queer pedagogy is an approach to ELT that aims to foster an inclusive environment for all students (and teachers) to freely express their ideas and identities. In this interactive workshop we will share our experiments of introducing both explicit and implicit examples of queer pedagogy in our classes and then invite participants to share their own ideas, lesson plans, and experiences of promoting an LGBTQ+-friendly approach to English teaching and learning.

The COVID-19 pandemic created upheaval for Japanese universities as they faced the necessity of shifting to emergency remote teaching on short notice. The sudden shift had a traumatic impact on the wellbeing of part-time language teachers. This presentation will discuss case-study data from six part-time teachers, indicating how occupational and personal factors affected their wellbeing. The presenters will also argue for greater institutional support for part-time teachers.

The purpose of this presentation is to introduce the research methodology of ethnography of language policy (ELP). ELP applications are not limited to educational settings, and can investigate language policies in families, in companies, and multilingual workplaces. The presenter will explain the steps of how to conduct an ethnography of language policy and offer advice on possible pitfalls. Examples from an ongoing study will be used to help illustrate important features and possible problems.

Whose English is it anyway? This is the insider view of the collective experiences of so-called non-native speakers teaching in Japan. They will explore issues of gender, institutional requirements, ageism, student-parent-and teacher attitudes, and appearance. Panelists include a junior high school teacher, a senior high school teacher, a university instructor, a teacher trainer, and a teacher-researcher who works specifically on this topic. This forum aims to raise awareness and encourage more voices from within.

In Japan, many Ministry of Education (MEXT) approved foreign language textbooks are written by textbook committees predominated by middle-aged Japanese males. Thus, it is reasonable to examine how textbooks may inadvertently contribute to cultural prejudices and personal biases that learners absorb as a byproduct of study. This analysis of MEXT approved textbooks for elementary school learners uncovered disturbing (yet unsurprising) instances of bias and disadvantaged positioning. Recommendations for addressing these issues are included.

A controversial English-only policy for teaching English was recently introduced to junior high schools. This presentation shows the analysis of the policy-making process, with a focus on policy makers’ differing positions toward English education and the English-only policy. The analysis revealed a complex process in which those positions were conflated in the English-only policy, while the position prioritizing oral communication in English education became prominent, portraying political struggles in developing Japan’s English education policy.

We present the results of an online discussion activity between university students in Japan (N=18) and Canada (N=14) on the topic of racism and its potential impact on our volunteer work. This discussion activity forms part of the training for international student peer supporters for language learning and intercultural understanding in their respective universities. Suggestions for encouraging awareness of racism for university students in language education in Japan will also be discussed.

This presentation will outline some of the current changes and challenges faced by instructors seeking academic employment, such as demographic issues, institutional stability, increasing professionalism, and minimum entry requirements. Strategies and solutions for navigating these challenges will be presented including tips on CV preparation, professional development, and career planning. We will adopt a workshop format for the final portion of the session to address audience members’ needs.

This study aimed to uncover the attitudinal factors impacting a group of 1st-year Japanese university students’ (N = 89) self-perceived intercultural competence (IC) prior to a 6-week US-based study-abroad program. Thematic analysis from reaction papers following an interactive lecture-workshop orientation revealed that: 1) participants typically perceived their IC through either an individual lens and/or a collective lens, and 2) they then adopted either a passive or proactive mindset towards their impending study abroad experience.

Report on a qualitative study of self-reported personal growth in Japanese university students following a long-term study abroad (SA) program. A series of semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted over several weeks. Subjects were asked to reflect on how they changed during their SA time. They were encouraged to give examples, tell stories, follow tangents, and expand on answers. Common themes included increased tolerance of ambiguity, changed perception of other cultures, and personal self-empowerment.

Banking customers need assistance with tasks such as opening bank accounts and transferring money. Some banks, however, do not provide English (ATM or teller) support, so banking can be challenging for non-Japanese speakers. This presentation will describe a banking English seminar which has been designed for staff at a prefectural banking institution. The materials have been assessed and improved using a holistic business English evaluation framework, and this presentation aims to share what was done.

This presentation outlines what was learned as my preparations for a year of research into establishing a small professional learning community (PLC) to retain tech knowledge were altered over a 24-hour period when the COVID lockdown was announced. Suddenly I was standing up with administration as the entire school was forced to join my tiny PLC and we rode the wave into Google Classroom as an LMS, developing online conferences and interactions for our students.

While challenging, the COVID-19 period has provided the opportunity to identify strengths and weaknesses of online versions of what would otherwise be classroom based courses and activities. This presentation compares online and in-class versions of a university EAP program for students wishing to study abroad. Results suggest that greater online and classroom integration is possible.

In recent years the increase in availability of computerized speech recognition and speech synthesis has led to exciting possibilities in the field of foreign language learning. Traditionally learning activities do not require students to vocalize their responses. This paper presentation will show an analysis of the effectiveness of speech recognition using online speaking on student reactions over 3 institutions as part of Kakenhi research.

P-CHAT is a software tool that provides teachers with actionable data, and gives students automated feedback on conversations with their peers. Each conversation session is recorded and analyzed automatically. Student progress on key metrics can be tracked over a semester or year. In the presentation, P-CHAT will be introduced by its designer and it’s developer.

Collaborative online international learning (COIL) is a pedagogical approach that allows students to experience intercultural exchange without the financial burden associated with traditional mobility programs. In this study, we examine the impact of such a COIL program on Japanese and American students regarding their attitudes and beliefs towards using English as lingua franca in nursing education. We assessed students’ perceptions of multilingual and multicultural collaboration through four psychometric scales.

This presentation compares two paid vocabulary acquisition software applications: EnglishCentral and iKnow. Study results provide insight into how much time a group of university students spent using each application over the course of a semester, and how motivating students found each application. Additionally, practical information is provided for teachers and administrators thinking about implementing language-learning software in the classroom. English learners interested in finding out more about vocabulary applications are welcome to attend.

With the recent dramatic rise in online exchanges, it is now possible for students to get help from expert peers overseas; however, little is known about the processes of expert peer collaboration. Drawing on a sociocultural view of learning, this study investigates the experiences of Japanese learners of English when participating in a seven-week virtual exchange with American learners of Japanese through the lens of activity theory.

The senpai/kohai (mentor/junior) relationship is one of the core sociological features of Japanese culture, particularly in the context of education. This presentation reports on the positive effects of having three upperclassmen (senpai) volunteer as teaching assistants in a freshman online English class at a private university in Japan. Surveys and interviews indicate that having this important senpai/kohai interaction within the classroom increased learner motivation to study English, and learners’ overall performance improved.

Participants will learn three classroom activities that are based on Japanese Psychologies, along with ideas on how they can be incorporated into face-to-face classes, online (Zoom) classes, and on-demand (pre-recorded) classes. Taken from a pre-study abroad program that contains aspects of both Western and Eastern psychological modalities and that supports students’ mental health while studying abroad, these activities promote self-reflection, cultural awareness, and language skills while also teaching students about the foundations of Japanese Psychology.

This presentation analyzes potential correlations between self-efficacy and causal attributions for a standard speaking test in a public Japanese university. The study was conducted with first- and second-year students that sought to analyze their capability beliefs going into the speaking test and attributions for perceived success or failure upon receiving the result. The presentation will outline the relationships between self-efficacy, attribution, and achievement. Issues of gender and years of study are also considered.

This study examined L2 speakers’ strategies of how to complete an opinion monologue task successfully. The participants were 48 Japanese university students, and they answered a retrospective questionnaire after a task. Among them, four participants also had follow-up interviews. The findings show that the participants prioritized what to talk about rather than grammatical accuracy. Discussion will center on Levelt’s speech model, and how speaking tasks can be implemented will also be discussed.

In this presentation, we will share the results of an end-of-term survey, which explores the impact that our use of teams had on students in online Debate and Presentation classes. This research will consider theoretical frameworks from psychological and pedagogical perspectives to investigate possible relationships between online teamwork, students’ self-reported anxiety, team cohesion, and motivation. At the end of the presentation, there will be suggestions for future research and teaching practice, followed by discussion time.

This presentation will discuss findings from a research project on the generation effect in the L2 university classroom. The study looked at the effects of generating original meaning in isolation from other learning strategies to see if the generation effect alone is effective in long-term vocabulary retention. The study’s findings, using linear mixed effects analyses, did not show efficacy of generation when used in isolation when compared to the control groups.