JALT2026 - Nagoya

20 Nov 2026, 09:00 → 22 Nov 2026, 19:15 Asia/Tokyo

The WINC Aichi

Amy Braun (Seto Solan Primary School), Yoko Takano (NUFS)

52nd Annual NPO Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT) International Conference and Educational Materials Exhibition. For more information about JALT, see jalt.org.

All the information you need about the conference site, schedule, sponsors, activites and presentations.

Program Materials Editing_an_Indico_Contribution.pdf JALT2026_Reviewer_Guide.pdf

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• 4. Registration / Payment Cancellation Form 2026

Friday 20 November

Large Hall

Small Hall

Room 0904: Writing and Literature

1 A Multidimensional Analysis of Student and AI-Generated Journalistic Texts: Biber's Framework Applied to University News and Chatbot Outputs (Gemini, ChatGPT, Copilot)

Speaker: Adrian Clark Perez (Pangasinan State University)

2 L2 Writing and Self-Efficacy in an Output-Oriented EFL Class

Speaker: Manami Suzuki (Hosei University)

3 Japanese Literature as a Catalyst for Reflexive Teaching

Speakers: Olivia Kennedy (Nagahama Institute of Bioscience and Technology), Sandra Healy (Kyoto Institute of Technology)

4 Modern and Ancient Language Teaching: A Big Divide?

In the UK, Australia, and the United States, there has been extensive discussion of ways to make the teaching of Latin and Ancient Greek accessible to new groups of students (Holmes-Henderson, Hunt & Musié 2018; Hunt 2022). There has also been intense debate amongst teachers of Latin in the last twenty years about whether it is appropriate to draw from the techniques of modern language learning (e.g. comprehensible input, “spoken Latin”) in teaching classical languages. This paper aims to connect the world of ancient and modern language teaching by introducing a series of debates in critical literature on Latin teaching pedagogy.

Speaker: James Uden (Yale University)

5 Higher-Order Questioning in Teaching The Little Prince

Literary texts used in EFL teaching often emphasize language practice such as vocabulary and reading fluency, overlooking literature’s potential to stimulate philosophical inquiry. This small-scale qualitative classroom study explores how higher-order questions, guided by revised Bloom’s taxonomy, transformed students’ reading of The Little Prince from basic comprehension to deeper reflection on its themes. Analysis of classroom discussion and students’ book reviews revealed a shift from story-focused responses to personal and philosophical interpretation.

Speaker: Ying ZHOU

6 Establishing a creative writing CLIL class

Creative writing is expanding globally and in L2 research, yet remains underused in Japanese language education. This presentation describes a 15-week CLIL course at a Japanese university organized into creative nonfiction, poetry, and fiction. It details student-centered design, workshops with peer review, and a final analytical paper. Sample activities, such as shape poems, autobiographies, stories, and character questionnaires, are described. The presentation offers practical guidance for instructors and highlights motivational benefits in EFL contexts.

Speaker: Camilo Villanueva (Nagoya City University)

7 Tracing the Revision Process in L2 Poetry Writing

How do multilingual writers compose and revise poetry in a second language (L2)? This presentation addresses this question by examining textual and linguistic differences between the first and final drafts of L2 English poems written by multilingual university students in Japan.

Speaker: Atsushi Iida (Aoyama Gakuin University)

Room 0905: Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity

8 Internationalization in HE in Japan: a Case Study

In response to the need for universities to create more inclusive campuses for international students, this study investigated the experiences of international students at a university in Japan. The results indicate that case method pedagogy foster inclusive intercultural engagement, but challenges persist in bridging the cultural divide between international and domestic Japanese students, underscoring the need for more institutional support. This study provides practical insights to university educators seeking to cultivate inclusive diverse academic environments.

Speaker: Anthony Townley (Nagoya University of Commerce and Business)

9 From Practitioner Reflection to Empirical Validation: Evaluating and Refining a Learner-Led Inclusive English Presentation Course in Medical Education

Summary
This presentation integrates two consecutive studies on a learner-led English presentation course in medical education. Building on earlier practitioner reflections, the second study provides a systematic qualitative and quantitative evaluation based on student feedback (n=101). The findings confirm strengths in collaboration, inclusivity, and professional skill development while identifying structural challenges. The presentation outlines data-driven refinements to the course design, demonstrating how iterative evaluation strengthens inclusive and competency-oriented language instruction.

Speaker: Evelyn Hayashibara (Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare)

10 The Intersection of School Refusal and Neurodiversity

Speaker: Dr Catherine Takasugi (Jissen Women's University)

11 Challenges in Feminist Woman-to-Woman Interviews

Speakers: Dr Julia Kimura (Mukogawa Women's University), Reiko Yoshihara (Nihon University)

12 Accessibility: listening to student voices for global impact

Accessibility needs are prevalent in an estimated 8% of the population with under 2% of students requesting help from teachers. Teachers can proactively help students by becoming aware of the issues students face, helping students understand their own needs, and ensuring class materials are accessible and barrier-free for all. High-tech, low-tech and no-tech methods to help students will be demonstrated in this presentation.

Speakers: Ms Alexandra Burke (Shiga University; The University of Shiga Prefecture), Mr Adam Jenkins (Shizuoka Institute of Science and Technology), Samantha Kawakami (NIT, Matsue College)

Room 0906: CUE: College and University Educators

13 Beyond Winning: Students’ Perspectives on Educational Debate

This study reports student perceptions after a one-semester non-competitive (no-judge) educational English debate course. It is a compulsory class for first-year university students. This study is based on questionnaire results collected over three years, totaling 93 responses. The results indicate improvements in logical and argumentative skills, speaking confidence, language awareness, and reflective thinking. Students valued structured argumentation while engagement in a non-competitive environment helped reduce performance anxiety and fostered motivation and risk-taking in language use.

Speaker: Yuko Horiguchi

14 Teachers Using Wait Time to Help Students Speak More

This presentation will describe results of stimulated recall interviews on university teachers’ thoughts and feelings connected to utilizing wait time in observed classes. Reasons to use or not use wait time will be discussed, along with factors that determined its length, and unexpected results will be shared. Because Japanese students are sometimes reluctant to answer questions, this presentation provides insight into how teachers can help them speak more.

Speaker: Rob Werner (Toyo University)

15 Student-Led Warm-Up Activities

To improve engagement and motivation, students were assigned the task of leading warm-up activities throughout the semester. This session will explain the implementation of the assignment and the action research conducted by the instructor to assess the effectiveness of the activities. Practical materials will be shared that could be used to implement this assignment into an English course. Some time will also be reserved for group discussion.

Speaker: Mr Keith Ikoma (University of Fukui)

16 Improving the Use of Discourse-Organizing Formulaic Sequences in Japanese EFL Writing: Patterns of Misuse and the Role of Corrective Feedback

Speaker: Yoko Asari (Waseda University)

Room 1003: Bilingualism and Other Language Educators

17 Initiative-taking by ALTs in Japan: Agency under constraint

This study examines ALT-led initiatives in Japanese schools and the factors shaping Assistant Language Teachers’ ability to initiate and sustain them. Using a qualitative-dominant mixed-methods survey, it identified three initiative types: supporting formal instruction, creating communicative opportunities, and enhancing language learning environments. Findings reveal that initiative-taking was unrelated to workload or formal role but differed in how ALTs perceived and navigated institutional constraints and their role, highlighting initiative-taking as a discretionary form of teacher agency.

Speakers: Lamia Seffar (Japan Exchange and Teaching Program), Mariquit Camba (Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme)

18 English and Heritage Language Selves in Multilingual Self

This study examines how English and heritage language (HL) self-guides predict the Ideal Multilingual Self (IMS) among Taiwanese high school students. Competing hierarchical regression models revealed that English self-guides accounted for most of the variance in IMS, while HL self-guides made a smaller but significant independent contribution. The findings suggest that multilingual future self-images are shaped primarily by English-based ideal self-representations, with HL identity playing a secondary role.

Speaker: Hung Tzu Huang

19 Applying Phraseology in Learning and Teaching Ainu

This research explores how phraseological analysis can aid non-professional Ainu teachers who are simultaneously learners. Drawing on phraseological research, a set of accessible analytical questions is developed and tested against the National Ainu Museum’s Ainu Language Archive data. The questions help teachers identify collocations, semantic preference, and semantic prosody in texts. The resulting model aims to support both teacher development and material creation for intermediate and advanced learners and is adaptable to other low-resourced languages.

Speaker: Silja Ijas (Hokkaido University)

20 Roles of international posture in English and Korean studies

International posture (Yashima, 2002) has been examined for studies of English and for studies of other languages particularly in recent years. This presentation examines different roles of international posture depending on the target languages of English and Korean and further validates the shorter version of its scale (Yashima & Nishida, 2024). Results indicate a necessity for a discussion on what “the international community” represents to learners in different contexts learning different languages.

Speakers: Chika Takahashi, Jerry Huang

21 Translanguaging in Translation and Multilingual Minds

This presentation explores translanguaging as a way of understanding translation as a cognitive and cultural activity, focusing on how multilingual minds negotiate meaning across languages and cultures.

Speaker: Mrs Kamar Karimova (Kazakh Ablai Khan University of International Relations and World Languages)

22 Translanguaging and SLA in Multilingual Immigrant Classrooms

Speaker: Oyeyemi Bamidele (Amity University)

23 Bear Warnings in a Campus Linguistic Landscape

Speaker: Xiaoben Yuan (Akita University)

24 Bilingual Practices in a Japan–U.S. COIL Project

This presentation reports on an eight-week COIL project linking a Japanese university seminar with U.S. TESOL practicum students. Grounded in translanguaging pedagogy, the program used bilingual online interaction to foster intercultural learning and professional development. Qualitative findings indicate increased intercultural self-awareness, linguistic confidence, and instructional growth, suggesting that small-scale COIL initiatives can support inclusive internationalization beyond physical mobility.

Speaker: Dr Kevin Bartlett (Mukogawa Women's University)

Room 1004: CALL and AI

25 Vietnamese learners in informal digital learning of English

Speaker: Hoang Mai Tram Nguyen (The Education University of Hong Kong)

26 AI Chatbot As A Gratitude Coach: Writing with Gratitude

This study examines a custom GPT “gratitude coach” used in ESL classes to help students reframe weekly language mistakes in a positive way that promotes self-acceptance and recognizes learners' growth. The study compares AI-guided gratitude reflection, non-AI-guided gratitude reflection, and no-treatment conditions across three survey waves and analyzes students’ written reflections. We also test relationships between gratitude and self-efficacy and course achievement, highlighting practical ways to sustain constructive reflections on language learner production errors.

Speakers: Austin Pack, Benjamin Brown (Brigham Young University-Hawaii), Juan Escalante (Brigham Young University Hawaii)

27 A Scaffolded Approach to AI in EAP Classrooms

This presentation explores how generative AI can function as scaffolding in EAP classrooms rather than as a substitute for student thinking and writing. Drawing on classroom practice and research with advanced university learners, it examines a structured approach in which AI supports learners at carefully designed stages of the academic writing process. The presentation considers how purposeful AI scaffolding can develop academic writing, critical AI literacy, and learner agency while maintaining students’ ownership of their ideas and written work.

Speaker: Eucharia Donnery (Soka University)

28 The Role of Language Teachers in the Age of Agentic AI

Speakers: Austin Pack, Benjamin Brown (Brigham Young University-Hawaii), Jeffrey Maloney (Brigham Young University - Hawaii), Juan Escalante (Brigham Young University Hawaii)

29 GenAI in Vietnamese ESL Classrooms: Policy & Practice

Speakers: Nguyen Ly (University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus), Thao Đinh (University of Transport and Communications), Vinh Nhu Phan

30 Bridging SLA Theory and Teacher Identity in App Evaluation

This study explores the impact of engaging with and evaluating the language learning app Mango as students connect SLA theory with practical evaluation of pedagogical tools. University students enrolled in a language acquisition course used the language app for nine weeks.

Speaker: Jeffrey Maloney (Brigham Young University - Hawaii)

Room 1005: CALL and AI

31 Game-based Digital Storytelling for EFL Learners

Speaker: Prof. Hsin-chou Josephine Huang (National Taiwan Ocean University)

32 Cognitive and Affective Responses to GenAI Language Learning

This mixed-methods study investigates university students' perceptions of the integration of generative AI(GenAI) into English language learning, focusing on cognitive and affective dimensions. Survey data and qualitative interviews reveal that learners value GenAI's efficiency and motivational benefits, while expressing concerns about overreliance, diminished critical thinking, and risks to academic integrity. Findings suggest AI tools effectively lower language learning anxiety but require careful, pedagogically informed implementation to foster autonomous, critically engaged, and ethically responsible learners.

Speakers: Dr Masashi Otani (Nagoya University), YongJik Lee (Changwon National University, Korea)

JALT.pdf

33 Structured Voice-Mode Tasks in ChatGPT for Extending Speaking Practice

While generative AI is often discussed in relation to writing, its voice mode offers powerful but underutilized opportunities for structured speaking rehearsal. This focused, practice-oriented session explores how teachers can design purposeful voice-mode tasks to extend oral practice beyond classroom time. Participants will examine concrete speaking-task templates and leave with immediately adaptable models for structured, accountable fluency development.

Speaker: Dr Thatcher Spero (Musashino University, Faculty of Global Studies, Department of Global Business)

34 What Do Emotional Dashboards Mean for Teaching?

Speakers: Lynsey Mori (Ritsumeikan Osaka Ibaraki Campus), Mrs Amelia Ijiri (Kyoto University of Foreign Studies)

35 Virtual Exchange: Language Competencies for Peace-building

How can Virtual Exchange (VE) foster real-world peace-building competencies? This presentation explores a four-week VE between university students in Japan and Ukraine engaged in collaborative media analysis of conflict reporting. We will discuss how this transnational dialogue synthesizes critical media literacy with ontological capacities like empathy and reflexivity. Attendees will learn an evidence-based, three-level pedagogical model for designing short-cycle VEs that empower students to navigate conflicting realities and promote peace beyond the classroom.

Speakers: Susan Meiki (JALT Business Manager / Okayama University / Poster Chair), Tim Cleminson (Okayama University), Yuliana Lavrysh (Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute)

36 Leveraging ChatGPT for Individualized Language Development

Students are already using ChatGPT (and other generative AI tools). The challenge for teachers is how to structure that use to promote genuine language development. This highly practical session presents a staged framework that moves from fully teacher-designed prompts to semi-autonomous and autonomous student prompting. Participants will analyze classroom-ready examples, design prompts during guided practice, and explore applications in written and voice modes. Attendees will leave with adaptable models and immediately usable strategies.

Speaker: Dr Thatcher Spero (Musashino University, Faculty of Global Studies, Department of Global Business)

Room 1006: Learner Development

37 Japanese Identity and English Motivation in the Classroom

Research in second language acquisition highlights identity’s role in learner motivation. Dörnyei’s L2 Motivational Self System and Norton’s sociocultural perspectives emphasize how imagined identities shape engagement. In Japan, Yashima links motivation to an international orientation rather than cultural integration. This presentation examines how Japanese identity may influence English learning motivation and explores classroom strategies that encourage learners to imagine themselves as internationally engaged Japanese users of English, fostering identity-based motivation and expanding communicative horizons.

Speaker: Damien Okado-Gough (Aichi Gakuin University)

38 Exploring the three IIIs of L2 Identity in university CLIL classrooms: What Content Based Teaching can do for learners in processing their imagined communities, ideal L2 selves, and investment in language learning

Speakers: Kyle Undem (Konan University), Trevor Raichura (Konan University)

39 From Ancestors to Identity: A CLIL Lesson in Action

Speakers: ben backwell (Nagoya city university), Brad Deacon (Nanzan University)

40 Implications of AI-generated Essays for ESL Writing Pedagogy

In response to concerns about the over-reliance on generative AI technologies for academic writing development, this study examines the comparative strengths and weaknesses of 12 argumentative essays generated by ChatGPT and 12 essays written by undergraduate students in response to the same assessment task. However, rather than evaluate AI-generated writing solely in terms of correctness or deficiency, this study is designed to investigate how comparative differences can inform key dimensions of writing development for learners.

Speaker: Anthony Townley (Nagoya University of Commerce and Business)

41 Incorporating "assessment as learning" in the classroom

In Japan, integrating instruction and assessment has long been a central theme of educational reform; yet many challenges remain, such as imbalances between summative and formative assessments, and difficulties in creating rubrics. This session will examine current issues in assessment practices in Japan, explore the concept of “assessment as learning,” and share practical examples of making assessments more student-centered. Participants will gain insights into implementing “assessment as learning” in their courses.

Speaker: Machiko Asakawa (Komazawa Women's University)

Room 1007: Learner Development

42 Tracking Students' Challenges and Learning Outcomes in EMI

Speaker: Sayaka Sugimoto (Waseda University)

43 Psychological Factors Associated with English Achievement

This pilot study investigated how seven psychological factors relate to English learning achievement among Japanese university students. The findings offer preliminary evidence supporting a multidimensional approach to EFL education, emphasizing that students' psychological characteristics must be considered alongside their academic performance. Ultimately, this research provides the empirical foundation for an ongoing project aimed at developing and evaluating a longitudinal, profile-based support model tailored to students' unique psychological needs to enhance individualized English language learning outcomes.

Speaker: Takako Inada (Japan University of Health Sciences)

44 Identifying the Challenges Facing Students New to EMI

Speaker: Martin Hawkes (The University of Shiga Prefecture)

45 Changes in Motivation and WTC After Study Abroad

This study examines changes in English learning motivation among Japanese university students before and after a year-long study abroad program. Questionnaire data suggest that while some students increased their confidence and willingness to communicate (WTC), others reported reduced motivation after returning. The findings highlight the uneven impact of study abroad experiences and suggest the need for stronger academic support and reflective learning opportunities before and after overseas study.

Speaker: Patrik Gotz (Kyoto Tachibana University)

46 Developing Learner Autonomy through Blogs and Portfolios

This session explores how blogs and portfolios can build learner autonomy in university language courses. Drawing on a needs analysis showing first-year Japanese students often lack a sense of progress and independent engagement, the talk demonstrates practical homework-based tasks—goal-setting, recorded speaking, guided reflection, and CEFR-based self- and peer-assessment—that teachers can implement with existing or freely available technology. Attendees will leave with concrete strategies for fostering independent learning and reducing teacher dependence.

Speaker: Mr Kevin Coughlan (British Council)

47 Empowering Low-Proficiency EFL Learners Through Heuristics

Speaker: Aleksei Nekhaev (Shinawatra University)

48 Willingness to Communicate Among Long-Term Residents

This presentation describes an investigation into willingness to communicate (WTC) amongst 13 EAP students enrolled at an Australian university. The participants were all long-term residents in Australia and planning to settle and work there after graduation. The study explored the transfer of WTC from the classroom to real-world contexts. Findings indicate that although personality plays a role, psychological and contextual/environmental factors within and beyond the classroom are instrumental in shaping students’ WTC.

Speaker: Michael Davies (Ritsumeikan University)

49 TEEL and Voice in EFL Academic Writing

This session examines how the TEEL framework shaped the voice of four pre-intermediate teenage EFL learners in academic writing. Using a qualitative design, the study analysed pre- and post-intervention paragraph writing tasks and semi-structured interviews after each phase through the lens of autobiographical, authorial, and discoursal selves. Findings show that TEEL supported clearer organisation and stronger stance, but also channelled voice into more academic, and sometimes more formulaic, forms, with uneven effects across learners.

Speaker: Trang Pham

50 From Feedback to Action: Learner Voice Beyond the Classroom

This session shares how learner voice can inform improvements across university EFL courses. Drawing on 128 anonymized survey responses, it explains how feedback was collected, how themes were identified in open-ended comments, and how findings were used to refine teaching and course design in areas such as class atmosphere, speaking opportunities, workload, and group rotations. Participants will leave with ideas for applying student feedback in their own teaching contexts.

Room 1008: CALL and AI

51 Vocabulary Retrieval: AI-generated vs Human-written contexts

Speaker: Mr Quoc-Tuyen Nguyen (Ho Chi Minh City Open University)

52 A Luddite’s Assessment of AI-Assisted Writing

Speaker: Melissa Huntley (University of Shimane)

53 The Good, the Bot, and the Ugly: How (and How NOT) to use AI

Speaker: Daniel Jones (Gwangju Inst. of Science and Technology)

54 Designing Coherent and Engaging 15-Week Courses with AI

To all of my workshop participants

Please bring your laptop or iPad with you to my workshop. You will need it to complete the tasks for this session.

I'm greatly looking forward to seeing you all there.

Best regards,

William Brooks

Speaker: William Brooks (AICHI UNIVERSITY)

Prompts to create a standardizes 90 minute lesson using AI.pdf

55 Bridging the Gap Between Technology Acceptance, Ideal L2 Self, and EFL Teaching Practices

Speaker: Hsiao-Wen Hsu (Ling Tung University)

56 Machine Translation and EFL Presentation Anxiety

This presentation reports the results of an exploratory study into the effect that machine translation software (MT) has on EFL learners’ anxiety in a speech presentation assignment. Adapted FLCAS surveys administered in two EFL classes pre and post were analyzed to examine MT on reducing anxiety and its subscale components. Significant reductions in communication apprehension and negative evaluation were observed from MT integration, lending to the importance of its adoption in the L2 classroom.

Speaker: Steven Burger (Kyoto Sangyo University)

57 A Comparative Analysis of Student and LLM Creative Writing

This study compared EFL student creative writing with text generated from an LLM using the same prompt. Creativity was measured using lexical diversity, semantic distance, and creativity scores from judges. Results show that human written text statistically outperformed the LLM generated text on all three measurements. Additionally, a quantitative analysis was conducted. The LLM texts were very scene focused containing emotional language, whereas human texts focused on social interactions, culture, and autobiographical memories.

Speaker: Brian Birdsell (Hirosaki University)

58 Just say “NO” to AI in education

We learn by doing. By imagining outcomes, by overcoming obstacles, by testing our decisions, by fixing our inevitable mistakes, and by gradually improving on our partial successes. AI, on the other hand, is a not-doing — and therefore, a not-learning — machine; yes, it can provide ideas for brainstorming, generate sample sentences and vocab cards, output leveled readings, and even write an entire syllabus with lesson sequences. But in offloading this work, what is gained—and lost?

This presentation is sponsored by Atama-ii Books.

Speaker: Marcos Benevides (J. F. Oberlin University)

Room 1105: Teacher Development

59 Building individual accountability with cooperative learning

This presentation provides a solution to the MEXT’s promotion of collaborative learning as a pedagogy. It clarifies the frequently misunderstood distinction between collaborative and cooperative learning. In addressing teacher concerns over their reduced ability to assess student output in the age of AI, the presentation demonstrates how to build individual accountability. Attendees will leave with practical strategies for selecting team-oriented activities that strengthen both class-building and team-building skills.

Speaker: Mr Joël Laurier (Keio University)

60 L2 Writing Assessment in the Age of Generative AI

61 Labor insecurity: emotional and financial struggles of ALTs

This interview based study explores how Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) in Hokkaido experience contract insecurity, professional recognition, and team-teaching realities across JET, dispatch, and direct-hire employment. Using semi-structured interviews with ten ALTs, we examine job security, finances, and collaboration with Japanese Teachers of English. The session offers evidence-informed recommendations for schools and boards of education to better integrate ALTs and reduce the emotional costs of the position.

Speakers: John-Guy Perrem, Corey Reed (Kwansei Gakuin University)

62 Multimodal Deep Learning for Novice English Teachers

Speakers: Hilda Rakerda (Universitas Bangka Belitung), Resti Amalia (Universitas Bangka Belitung)

Room 1106: Teacher Development

63 EMI in Taiwan: Policy Expectations and Classroom Realities

This study examines how EMI policy expectations are enacted in Taiwanese higher education classrooms. Drawing on classroom observations and teacher interviews from four EMI instructor cases, it explores how teachers negotiate language use, student participation, and pedagogical expectations. Findings suggest that EMI classrooms operate as multilingual, culturally hybrid spaces where student-centred policy ideals intersect with lecture-oriented traditions, uneven English proficiency, and local expectations around classroom participation.

Speaker: Pei-Yu Liao (Postdoctoral Research Fellow, EMI Teaching and Learning Center, Center for Bilingual Education, National Taiwan University)

64 Modular Instructional Design

Modular Instructional Design is an integration of microlearning strategies into curriculum design in a way that streamlines lesson planning, promotes classroom emotional safety, and builds dynamic, interactive learning environments. Modular Instructional Design builds on the principles of microlearning, balances classroom routines with task variation, and provides a framework for teachers to seamlessly create well-structured lessons.

Speakers: Matthew GLeason (Tokyo International University), Patrick Dempsey

65 Beyond Correction: Feedback That Motivates Learners

Correction alone rarely motivates learners and can even silence them. This practice-oriented session explores how to give feedback that builds confidence while still driving improvement. We'll examine why some feedback shuts learners down and other feedback pushes them forward. Participants will leave with practical, classroom-ready techniques, including the feedback sandwich for delivering corrections that learners actually welcome and act on.

Speaker: Nargisa Tursunova

66 Teacher Talk and the Making of Dialogic Space

This study examined how 18 Taiwanese senior high EFL teachers’ classroom talk shaped student participation under discourse-oriented reforms. Using Systemic Functional Linguistics, teacher talk was analyzed through monoglossic, contractive, and expansive voices. Expansive voice occurred most frequently and positively predicted student participation, whereas monoglossic and contractive moves showed negative associations. Qualitative analyses further revealed that genuinely open-ended questions, rather than pseudo-expansive prompts, fostered richer reasoning and more meaningful classroom dialogue by creating dialogic learning spaces.

Speaker: Prof. Peichin Chang (National Taiwan Normal University)

67 Reconsidering NNEST Identity: A Reflective Case Study

This qualitative case study examines changes in a Japanese non-native English-speaking teacher’s (NNEST) professional identity during a one-year TESL program in an English-speaking context. Findings suggest that while the teacher increasingly recognized the legitimacy of diverse Englishes and NNESTs, these changes did not necessarily accompany a more positive evaluation of the teacher’s own English proficiency or the rejection of native-speaker norms for English teachers, highlighting the multidimensional nature of NNEST identity development.

Speaker: Rika Aoki

68 Collaborative JTE-ALT Teaching and Student Motivation

This study examines how collaborative team teaching between Japanese Teachers of English (JTEs) and Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) influences student motivation to use English in a high school EFL classroom. A JTE-ALT team co-planned, co-taught, and co-reflected on three lessons in one week. Pre- and post-lesson questionnaires and student reflections indicate increased willingness to communicate in English and interact with the ALT, suggesting that well-coordinated collaboration may help create a more motivating learning environment.

Speaker: Yayoi Osuga (Akita International University)

69 Teacher Stories: Kindergarteners with Foreign Roots in Japan

The number of children with foreign roots entering kindergartens in Japan is on the rise, causing challenges due to cultural and linguistic differences. This project examines one town’s grassroots efforts to help children integrate into their local community by going directly to one source: the public kindergarten teachers. This presentation will share the results of interviews with 10 teachers focusing on linguistic challenges and their impact on identity and well-being.

Speaker: Adrianne Verla Uchida (Tokyo City University)

Room 1107: Testing and Evaluation

70 Examining Rater Behavior Using MFRM-Informed Interviews

In performance-based language assessment, consistency is challenging because rating is interpretive; scores reflect raters’ severity, scale use, and the aspects of performance they attend to. Rater training can support consistent rubric application in line with test developers’ intentions. However, it is often difficult to determine which aspects of training influenced raters’ decision-making. In this study, we used Many-Facet Rasch Measurement (MFRM) to guide follow-up interviews in a novel approach to rater training program evaluation.

Speakers: Daniel Newbury (Ibaraki Prefectural University of Health Sciences), G. Clint Denison (Mukogawa Women's University), Jacob Petersen (Iwate University)

71 Skills Based Interactive Activities for the TOEIC Test

The TOEIC test is the preeminent standard for English proficiency at many universities in Japan. Even with the significance this holds for university students, teachers often struggle keeping learners engaged in TOEIC classes. This session covers some insights on learner motivation and offers a holistic approach to teaching the TOEIC test. Based on this approach, participants will learn four activities to help keep students engaged and motivated in their TOEIC lessons.

Speakers: Daniel Anderson (Asia University), Jeffrey Maxwell (Asia University)

72 Can Vocabulary Knowledge Predict EIKEN Performance?

How much do the first 2,000 words matter for EIKEN success? This presentation explores the strong link between high-frequency vocabulary knowledge and EIKEN performance. A lexical analysis shows that most EIKEN test content relies on these core words. Data from Japanese university learners reveal a significant correlation between receptive vocabulary knowledge and EIKEN Pre-2 scores. Practical classroom implications and a ready-to-use diagnostic tool will also be introduced.

Speaker: Prof. Hosam Elmetaher (Akita University)

73 Unmasking the Hidden World of the EAP Rater's Cognition

Speaker: Kristina Isabelle Valerio (University of Santo Tomas - Manila)

74 TOEIC L&R Reporting Practices in Japanese Higher Education

TOEIC Listening and Reading scores play an important role in Japanese higher education, yet the ways results are reported vary widely. This presentation examines how TOEIC results are summarized in publicly available materials from Japanese universities. Preliminary analysis identified recurring reporting patterns that often omit contextual information needed to interpret score change. These practices complicate interpretation of TOEIC results and make it difficult to judge realistic levels of score growth in university language programs.

Speaker: Dr Jean-Pierre J. Richard (The University of Nagano)

Room 1108: Global Issues

75 Reframing Language Education for Global Impact through LESD

Speaker: Dr Joshua Jodoin (Konan University)

76 From an Academic Support Unit to an Educational Innovation Hub: Repositioning a University Language Center under BLU Governance in Indonesia

Speaker: Anggri Muhtia (Universitas Lambung Mangkurat)

77 Innovative Inclusive Practices for Diverse Classrooms

Speaker: Dr Dr. Rimajon Sotlikova (New Uzbekistan University and Webster University in Tashkent)

78 Connecting Human Rights to Students' Lives in Japan

Speaker: Judith Kambara (Nagoya City University)

79 Decolonizing ELT with Domestic Culture and Critical Rhetoric

ELT in post‑colonial contexts is often shaped by colonial legacies and Western cultures, with limited domestic sociocultural content. This session shows how domestic cultural materials, translanguaging, mother‑tongue–based inclusive pedagogy, and critical rhetoric can localize English culture and support decolonizing, socially just ELT. An instructional example using a local poet and an international civil‑rights leader illustrates teaching local literary art and social movements alongside Western culture to shift power dynamics and voice the unvoiced.

Speakers: Kara Mac Donald (Academic Connections), Prof. Sayed Rafiqul Hasan Milon (Rajshahi College,)

80 Rethinking an EMI IR Course in a Japanese High School

This classroom study explores the redesign of a 10th-grade English-medium introductory International Relations (IR) course. Initially based on a traditional approach to theory and history, the course was revised after students revealed unexpected difficulty in understanding the concept of “theory.” The curriculum shifted toward an experiential approach, including cultural narratives, guest sharing, and roundtable discussions. Analysis of teaching notes and students’ written assignments shows how culturally grounded experiences supported deeper engagement with IR concepts.

Speaker: Dulan Boerjijin

81 Stories for Social Justice: An Ethics of Care Approach

In this presentation, I explore how learning from the stories of people in minoritized communities can encourage an ethics of care approach to social justice issues, one that attends to the lived experiences and needs of particular individuals facing discrimination and exploitation. Looking at self-directed research in English by Japanese law students, I share some of the insights that they gain from this process and consider how it impacts their understandings of social justice.

Speaker: Mike Nix (Chuo University)

Room 1109: Listening and Materials Writing

82 Don’t talk about PARSNIP! Controversy in EFL materials

This presentation critiques the traditional PARSNIP model, which advises avoiding taboo topics in educational materials to prevent controversy. Such avoidance can limit student engagement and hinder intercultural competence development. Ethical ways to incorporate sensitive issues into curricula, specifically in monocultural classrooms will be discussed, as well as helping educators scaffold such discussions and prepare students for authentic intercultural communication in a diverse global environment, including COIL or Virtual Exchange projects.

Speakers: Eleanor Kane (University of Shimane), Melissa Huntley (University of Shimane)

83 Materials design: motivation, accountability, cooperation

This practice-oriented presentation explores how materials design can support motivation, accountability, and cooperation in ESL classrooms. Using concrete examples from classroom materials, the presenter demonstrates how designing effective discussion questions, vocabulary tasks, and structured activities can motivate learners, encourage responsibility for learning, and promote cooperative interaction. Drawing on established research in second language education, the session highlights practical strategies for designing materials that increase participation and help build a supportive classroom community.

Speaker: John Carle (MW SIG, Kindai University, Oak Hills Press)

84 Teaching Listening Through Structured Chunking

Speaker: Asiya Tabassum (University of Technology and Applied Science-Nizwa)

Room 1205: Pragmatics, Learner and Teacher Development

85 The Reflective Window: Analog Tools for Reflective Dialogue

Speakers: Michael Stockwell (Sugiyama Jogakuen University), Paul Rumme (Sugiyama Jogakuen University)

86 Learner Attitudes and Soft Power in the NIHONGO Partners Program

This study examines how the NIHONGO Partners Program shapes Indonesian high school students’ attitudes toward Japan and Japanese, and how these attitudes relate to their motivation to continue learning. Using mixed methods, the study analyzes data from 2014–2023, focusing on classroom interactions, volunteer roles, and cultural activities.

Speaker: Fahrizal Ramadhan (Nagoya University)

87 Spoken Narrative: Promoting agency and creativity

This presentation describes an action research project that sought to develop learners’ ability to engage in naturalistic spoken narrative. The teaching focused on key elements of spoken narrative such as formulaic phrases for abstracts, reported speech, use of sense verbs, upgrade adjectives and self-paraphrase. In video-recorded data of student narrative exchanges, results were mixed with sporadic use of the taught items in narrative sequences, revealing the difficulty many students face in being creative.

Speaker: John Campbell-Larsen (Kyoto Women's University)

88 Structured Interaction for Pragmatic Competence in EFL

Helping students move from short answers to natural conversation remains difficult in many EFL classrooms. This presentation introduces a structured interaction approach that teaches conversation patterns and turn-expansion strategies while using Cornell note-taking and guided reflection to build metapragmatic awareness. Classroom research from a freshman communication course suggests that combining interaction training with reflective learning can significantly improve speaking fluency, conversational management, and student confidence.

Speaker: Mr Malik Amir Feroze (Ehime University)

89 Action-oriented Approaches in Slovenian Higher Education LSP

The study examines how the action-oriented approach of the Common European Framework of Reference is understood and applied in Slovenian higher education Languages for Specific Purposes (LSP). Focusing on task-, problem-, and project-based learning, it uses semi-structured interviews with experienced LSP teachers to explore classroom practices, perceptions, and implementation conditions. The findings aim to assess alignment between theory and practice and to inform teacher education, contributing to broader development of action-oriented LSP pedagogy internationally.

Speakers: Dr Mateja Dostal (University of Ljubljana, School of Economics and Business), Prof. Violeta Jurkovic (University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Maritime Studies and Transport)

90 National Language Policy and Japan’s Internationalization

Speaker: Robert Aspinall (Doshisha University)

91 Form-Focused Instruction and Conventional Expressions in EFL

Speaker: Vahid Rafieyan (Yamanashi Gakuin University)

92 Teaching Interactional Competence in the EFL Classroom

Speaker: Anthony Ryan (Nanzan University)

Room 1206: Task-based Language Teaching

93 From Script to Speech: Teaching English Presentations

Participants will gain insight into effective methods to help Japanese university students improve their English presentation skills. Drawing on classroom practice and research on EFL oral communication, this presentation will highlight common challenges such as presentation anxiety, over-reliance on scripts, and limited audience engagement. Practical classroom strategies and task-based activities used in Japanese university courses will be introduced to support the development of more confident and successful presentations. Attendees will leave with adaptable ideas and techniques that can be implemented in their own EFL classrooms to support students preparing and delivering presentations in English.

Speaker: Nicola Hannah

94 Telling Each Other’s Stories: A TBLT Approach to Identity

Summary
Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) emphasizes meaning-focused communication and authentic language use. This session demonstrates an identity-centered storytelling task designed for adult ESL classrooms. Learners exchange personal and cultural stories and then retell a partner’s story from that partner’s perspective, creating a meaningful information gap that requires negotiation of meaning and narrative language use. The presentation illustrates how identity-based storytelling tasks can operationalize core TBLT principles while fostering intercultural awareness, empathy, and learner engagement.

Speaker: Liza Melanie Ostolaza (Teachers College, Columbia University)

95 Student Attitudes Toward Authentic Materials in LSP

This study examines student perceptions of authentic materials and tasks in tertiary Languages for Specific Purposes (LSP). Drawing on Mishan’s (2005) authenticity-centred approach, it analyses an authentic task in a German course for ethnology and cultural anthropology students at the University of Ljubljana, where students selected, read, summarised, and presented academic articles. Questionnaire data show strong student support, highlighting usefulness, motivation, and disciplinary relevance, although some challenges were reported by students with lower German proficiency.

Speaker: Saša Podgoršek (University of Ljubljana)

96 Using Local Environmental Issues for Task-Based Language Teaching in Indonesian EFL Context

Speakers: Hilda Rakerda (Universitas Bangka Belitung), Resti Amalia (Universitas Bangka Belitung)

97 Fostering Multimodal Communicative Competence with ThingLink

Speaker: Kuei-Ju Tsai (National University of Kaohsiung)

Room 1207: CALL and AI

98 What can your LMS do for your and for your students?

In this workshop teachers will gain a better understanding of the capabilities and weaknesses of a variety of LMSs. The presenter will introduce key features – benefits and weaknesses – of Moodle and Teams. Participants will then have the opportunity to discuss their own LMSs and how they use them. Following this discussion, the presenter will demonstrate a hybrid usage of Teams and Moodle, pointing out the advantages and the risks of using multiple LMSs.

Speaker: Samantha Kawakami (NIT, Matsue College)

99 Survey vs ChatGPT Logs: Gaps in EFL Learners AI Use

Self-report surveys may not fully capture how students actually use generative AI. This research-oriented presentation compares questionnaire scores for AI-mediated autonomy and AI dependence with linked ChatGPT interaction logs from 80 EFL learners. It identifies systematic mismatches, such as learners who report high autonomy but show AI-first task onset or outsourcing of idea generation. Implications are discussed for construct validity in AI research and for classroom guidance that supports critical, responsible AI use.

Speaker: Olga Li (Toyama Prefectural University)

100 CALLing all students:

Motivating lower-proficiency EFL learners requires meaningful interaction and opportunities to apply language in practical contexts. This session demonstrates how community-oriented, task-based lessons supported by digital tools can extend textbook learning and strengthen communicative competence. It will explore scaffolded discussions, debates, role-based decision-making, and collaborative projects designed for lower-proficiency learners. Challenges such as technological literacy, LMS limitations, data privacy, and responsible AI use while providing adaptable activities and teaching resources will also be addressed.

Speaker: Dékontee Gollah (Tokyo International University)

101 Interview, Translate, Subtitle: A PBL Module for EFL

Subtitling as a pedagogical task is gaining popularity in language learning. This session demonstrates three key steps from a project-based subtitling module for EFL students. Attendees will learn how to evaluate subtitling quality in student videos, compare human and machine translations with professional subtitles, and create subtitles for a video clip.

Speaker: Khadijah Omar (Kyushu University)

102 Navigating Unregulated AI: A First-Year Action Research

Speaker: Li-hsin Tu

103 From Classroom to Workplace: Coaching AI Use for Professional Communication in EFL

Speaker: Mat Davies (Mashuko)

104 Pronunciation to Peer Conversation: AI-Supported Practice

This longitudinal multiple-case study examines how four university EFL learners moved from instruction on connected speech features and AI-supported practice to peer conversation. Across a 15-week course, learners studied connected speech features, used AI-generated examples and prompts for contextualized practice, and completed recorded peer conversations. Analysis focuses on learners’ use and reuse of practiced language items and how they maintained and developed conversations. Findings reveal distinct individual trajectories in language uptake and interactional practices.

Speaker: Asuka TAKAHASHI (Hokuyo University)

Room 1208: Global Englishes and Study Abroad

105 The Melbourne Melting Pot: Bridging Japanese Study Tours and Global Agency

Speakers: Candice Buchanan (RMIT UP), Mr Travis Coleman (RMIT UP)

106 "Icing on the Cake": English Pronunciation and Employability

Speakers: Ash Murray (Torrens University Australia), Chuan Zhang (Central Queensland University Australia), Shari Joy Berman (Japan Language Forum)

107 A Comparative Analysis of Short-term Study Abroad Programs

Short-term study abroad (STSA) programs, typically defined as lasting 1 week to 3 months, are the most common program length for Japanese students (MEXT, 2024). This presentation will outline previous short-term study abroad research focusing on various aspects of cross-cultural understanding. Then, student feedback from two separate programs will be presented. Lastly, the presenter will outline and discuss similarities and differences between the two programs and previous research. Participants are encouraged to offer insight and comments from their own experiences.

Speaker: Matthew Hauca

108 Vietnamese Secondary Teachers’ Journeys towards Global Englishes Language Teaching: A Study of Professional Growth

Speaker: NGOC THANH TRUNG LE (The Education University of Hong Kong)

109 Anxiety and Mindfulness in Japanese Exchange Students

This qualitative study explored mindfulness among six Japanese exchange students before departure and during the early stage of studying abroad, using Langer’s five dimensions and AUM theory. All dimensions appeared before departure, with openness to novelty most prominent. During the early stage abroad, orientation in the present became dominant as students focused on language, academics, and adaptation while managing anxiety and uncertainty. The findings suggest mindfulness supports study abroad adjustment and should be fostered in pre-departure preparation.

Speaker: Akiko Chochol (Shizuoka University)

110 A TPB Model of Intercultural Intent Abroad

This presentation reports a longitudinal study applying the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to examine Japanese university students’ intercultural behavioral intent during a short-term study-abroad program. Structural equation modeling and repeated-measures ANOVA revealed the predictive roles of personality traits, attitudes, and subjective norms. Findings offer a transferable model for understanding intercultural development and provide pedagogical implications for fostering intercultural competence in Japanese higher education contexts.

Speaker: Brad Deacon (Nanzan University)

Room 1209: Intercultural Communication

111 My coworker's an a**hole!: Handling the Intercultural Bully

Speaker: Dr Danshiro Velasco (Seikei University)

112 Cultural Connections: Online Exchange with Filipino Students

The presentation outlines online intercultural exchange activities held in 2025 between students at a Japanese university and a partner institution in the Philippines. Drawing on survey and interview data, I discuss how the activities impacted the communicative and intercultural competence of participants. After highlighting significant differences between the groups in terms of engagement and program satisfaction, I conclude by sharing how student feedback has contributed to changes and improvements being implemented in 2026.

Speaker: Abram Leon (Osaka International University)

113 Expanding Access: A Cross-National Adapted COIL Project

This presentation reports on an adapted Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) summer project connecting EFL students in high, middle and low-income countries.The project aimed to foster equitable, inclusive, and sustainable international collaboration outside of embedded university credit-based courses. Post-program surveys and facilitator reflection indicate increased participant intercultural global awareness, language confidence, and collaboration skills. The adapted COIL model’achievements and challenges are presented to inform more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable international EFL online collaboration.

Speakers: Dr Kara Mac Donald (Academic Connections), Mr Sayed Rafiqul Hasan Milon (Rajshahi College,)

114 Raising Intercultural Awareness in Content-Based EFL Classes

The purpose of this presentation is to understand the lived experience of EFL teachers (N = 4) who have been teaching an English-medium instruction course on Japanese culture and university students (N = 19) who have taken the course. The critical multicultural learning objectives of the course were based on cultural knowledge, cultural self-awareness, and cultural competence. The findings were framed, analyzed, and interpreted within critical multiculturalism grounded in home culture (Zhang & Lütge, 2023).

Speaker: Dr Marian Wang (Konan University)

115 Embedding Local Culture in ELT for Global Communication

The present study employed mixed method approach to examine the incorporation of local culture to engagement and intercultural communication in ELT within the context of Indonesian higher education. Data collected from 80 students and 20 teachers show positive responses, although highlighting potential obstacles in cultural understanding and teaching resources. The proposed Glocal Framework indicated the importance of audience-adaptation activities, centralized teaching resources and facilitation form institution in dealing with local identity for global communicative competence.

Speaker: Siti Raudhah Maidari (Politeknik Pelayaran Malahayati)

116 Exploring Japanese EFL Learners' Emotions in COIL

This study investigates the experiences of Japanese university students during an eight-week Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) project with a US university. It explores the emotions students experienced, strategies they used to regulate them, and methods they employed to compensate for limited face-to-face cues in online communication. Using qualitative analysis of reflective journals and Zoom interactions, the study offers insights into improving COIL design and fostering emotional engagement in second language learning.

Speaker: Masatake Murakami (Sophia University)

117 Intercultural Communication Online: Student Experiences

This presentation reports on students’ experiences in an intercultural communication English course co-taught by the authors at a four-year Japanese university. Students took part in online discussions with overseas peers on a topic of their choice related to differences between Japan and abroad regarding student life. Findings from an end-of-term survey completed by students will be presented thereby offering insights and advice for teachers interested in conducting a similar course.

Speakers: André Parsons (Hokkaido University of Education - Hakodate Campus), Mr Kenneth Foye (Hokkaido University of Education, Hakodate Campus)

Room 1210: Reading and Vocabulary

118 Why Extensive Reading Fails to Last: A Participatory Study

This study examines how Japanese EFL learners perceive extensive reading through a graded‑reader series and which learner‑related conditions influence their continuation or discontinuation of the activity. Through this inquiry, we aim to identify features of the ER experience—such as perceived difficulty, enjoyment, and reading confidence—that shape learners’ decisions to persist with or abandon the practice, and to explore ways to support the continued engagement in extensive reading.

Speakers: Emi Nagai, Shujiro Hamaguchi

119 Exploring the Relationship Between Extensive Reading Volume and Reading Comprehension Development Among Japanese Junior High School EFL Learners

Speakers: Darryl Elliott, Joaquin Justine Margaret (Shinagawa Shouei Junior and Senior High School)

120 Building Identities Through Book Talk in an ER Community

This study reveals the process of reader-identity building through discursive practice in the L2 ER classroom. In the framework of legitimate peripheral participation (LPP) (Lave & Wenger, 1991), the study heuristically observed the students’ participation in interaction, utilizing Young’s (2007) notion of interactional competence (IC) to realize general comprehension (‘normal’ reading as in L1) (Waring & McLean, 2015). The results imply a relationship between participation rate and reading quality in the L2 ER classroom.

Speaker: Noriko Kurishita (Nagoya University of Foreign Studies)

121 L2 Aural Vocabulary Knowledge and EFL Academic Performances

This study examines the relationship between tertiary EFL students’ knowledge of L2 aural high-frequency vocabulary and their written receptive mastery of targeted words in an L2 course focusing on liberal arts topics. The participants (n = 37) were A2-level freshmen at a university in Tokyo who attended the course for a year. The findings revealed that learners who scored 50% or higher on the aural test acquired the targeted words more effectively.

Speaker: Satomi Fujii (Juntendo University)

122 Phrasal Verb Knowledge of Japanese University Learners

Speaker: MART CHRISTINE JOHNSTON (Takushoku University)

123 How Social Class Shapes EFL Reading Practices and Reader Identities

This presentation reports findings from a qualitative study examining how social class shapes English learners’ reading practices and reader identities. Drawing on Bourdieu’s concepts of capital and habitus, it examines the reading experiences of two Taiwanese students from contrasting class backgrounds. It illustrates how their class-based resources shaped reading opportunities but not necessarily engagement with English reading. The presenter will discuss other social factors influencing reading engagement and implications for reading instruction in non-English-dominant contexts.

Speaker: Yu-jung Chang (National Tsing Hua University)

124 Aligning ER Teaching with Successful Learner Strategies: A Grounded Theory Study

Speaker: Gregory Hadley (Niigata University)

Saturday 21 November

Large Hall: Plenary Sessions

Conveners: Amy Braun (Seto Solan Primary School), Ms Yoko Takano (NUFS)

125 Welcome Ceremony

Speakers: Amy Braun (Seto Solan Primary School), Ms Yoko Takano (NUFS)

126 Plenary A: EFL Teacher Development through Collaborative Action Research Projects

After reviewing the literature, I will introduce my study which examined how English as a Foreign Language (EFL) secondary teachers (junior and senior high school teachers) on Japan participated in collaborative action research and engaged in their professional development over four years. In particular, little is known as to how EFL teachers challenge their beliefs and implement innovative practices based on Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) through teacher learning process.

Speaker: Kazuyoshi Sato (Nagoya University of Foreign Studies)

127 Plenary B: Noticing and Disrupting Microaggressions: Toward Linguistic Justice

This talk will discuss microaggressions through a sociopragmatics lens and explore how everyday language choices in today’s globalized world can nurture or jeopardize our dignity, inclusion, identity, belonging, and well-being. Microaggressions are subtle messages hidden in brief, seemingly harmless comments/actions. Even when a speaker is well-intentioned, a bias or stereotype may inadvertently surface to insult or invalidate the listener especially in intercultural communication. Worse, microaggressions can accumulate over time and take a toll on the mental well-being of the marginalized target.

Speaker: Dr Noriko Ishihara (Hosei University)

Room 1002: Featured and Invited Speakers

128 Listening Notetaking Decision Making

Notetaking has often been described as a necessity for university learners, highlighting its inclusion in academic purposes. However, many learners may be unequipped when listening as they write incomplete or ambiguous notes, have difficulty identifying relevant information, or tend to write notes verbatim. This presentation examines the notetaking decisions that 19 learners made when listening to input. Outlining an in-class listening program using five notetaking techniques (e.g., cues/key words, abbreviations, symbols, diagrams, and lists), results showed that identifying key words and using abbreviations and symbols were useful for learners to organize their notes. However, critical thinking approaches such as using cues or paraphrasing information into tables or lists were infrequently used, suggesting that learners may need more guidance to employ these practices. The presentation concludes that understanding how learners choose notations can help teachers identify what learners need to focus on when listening to input and provide learners with support to develop as more proficient notetakers.

Speakers: Mr Liam Ring (Listening SIG), Dr Naheen Madarbakus-Ring

129 Narrative frames and cases for learning about research

An exploratory action research project conducted in a graduate course on research aimed to determine the effectiveness of using case-method pedagogy in the course, specifically to learn about the students’ experiences of learning about research and about themselves as developing researchers. Teachers completed four narrative frames after critical discussion of cases. Findings show that the frames helped articulate experiences, connect theory and practice, and develop awareness of researcher identity.

Speaker: Gary Barkhuizen (University of Auckland)

130 The New Auto-Peer: Free Automated Writing Evaluation

This interactive workshop will present the new, upgraded Auto-Peer, a free-to-use automated writing evaluation software developed for the English language learning classroom. While Auto-Peer has assisted thousands of students worldwide since its initial 2021 release, the advent of generative AI (GenAI) required rethinking its features in light of new developments in natural language processing. This new, upgraded Auto-Peer leverages the advantages of GenAI models to evaluate student writing and present ethical, research-informed options for them to further improve their writing, leaving the actual revision process in students’ hands. We will explain how this updated Auto-Peer has been practically used in classrooms throughout the world and how you can potentially use it to streamline writing feedback in your own writing classrooms.

Speakers: Jerry Talandis Jr. (University of Toyama), Dr Theron Muller (Waseda University Faculty of Human Sciences), philip McCarthy (American University of Sharjah)

131 Think Globally, Teach Locally: Lessons from Rural Japan

Global education is an exciting pedagogical field that aims to bring the world into the classroom and take students out into the wider world. How can it empower language teachers to engage their students with the local community, use their language skills on an international stage and prepare them for global citizenship in a multicultural world? This talk will summarize four decades of experience from rural Japan on how to “think globally and teach locally.”

Speaker: Kip Cates (Tottori University)

132 Plenary Workshop A

Speaker: Kazuyoshi Sato (Nagoya University of Foreign Studies)

133 Bill Balsamo Asian Scholar Invited Speaker Workshop

Fast-tracking L2 Proficiency via Extramural Learning

This hands-on workshop explores how language learning happens both inside and outside the classroom, and why out-of-class (extramural) learning often yields the biggest benefits. While traditional teaching often focuses too heavily on formal grammar, fast-tracking proficiency requires shifting our focus toward building fluency and vocabulary through a healthy balance of input- and output-based learning activities. Throughout the session, I will offer practical ways to leverage extramural learning for faster and more enjoyable results. Through interactive activities, participants will share and develop concrete strategies that help their students immerse themselves in rich and meaningful language and move toward spontaneous communication. Participants will leave this session with a toolkit of practical ideas and activities ready to use in their own teaching context to boost their students' language confidence and learning autonomy.

Speaker: Willy Ardian Renandya (National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University)

Fast-tracking proficiency via extramural learning (workshop).docx

134 Plenary Workshop B: Combatting microaggressions in the classroom

Language education does not stop at grammar, vocabulary, or pronunciation. It also involves teaching to navigate the social meaning of language and behavior in the real world. Our everyday remarks, jokes, and assumptions may seem brief and subtle on the surface but can communicate our values and beliefs about who belongs, and whose identity, cultural, and linguistic upbringing does not. This workshop will look at microaggressions through the lens of sociopragmatics and ask what language teachers need to notice, question, and respond to in today’s global climate. Drawing on research and documented experiences (e.g., Dovchin, 2020; Glasgow & Kim, 2025; Sue & Spanierman, 2020; Tsai et al., 2021, the workshop will examine cases related to younger learners, including mixed-heritage identity, returnee experiences, accentism, bullying, and social media behavior, while also addressing issues that resonate with university instructors and teacher educators. The goal is not simply to raise our awareness of microaggressions but also to explore, using current resources in this area (e.g., Souza, 2020; Sue et al., 2019), how to respond to harmful comments, behaviors, or environments when we encounter them as observers, targets, or initiators. Participants will be invited to contribute insights into how to create safe spaces in our classrooms and communities.

Speakers: Dr Noriko Ishihara (Hosei University), Aurora Tsai (University of Tokyo)

Room 1006: JALT Sponsors

135 Multi-path stories for reading & discussion

Multi-path stories are choice-based narratives with many possible endings. They are useful in an EFL context because they naturally recycle keywords, encourage re-reading and critical thinking, and can improve engagement. In this short workshop, the author of "The North Fence" demonstrates a practical, classroom-tested sequence to encourage extensive reading, meaningful communication, and original storytelling while motivating students to read every ending. Suitable for junior high to university, and ideal for screen-free summer homework reading assignments.

This presentation is sponsored by Atama-ii Books.

Speakers: Marcos Benevides (J. F. Oberlin University), Ms Theresa Kannenberg (Meijo University)

136 Speaking of Writing: Practical Writing for a Global World

From the author of the bestselling Speaking of Speech, Speaking of Writing applies the same practical, accessible approach to written communication. This session explores how integrated speaking, listening, and reading tasks prepare students for authentic writing challenges, including emails, summaries, proposals, case studies, cover letters, resumes, and research papers. Participants will gain practical ideas for developing critical thinking, communicative competence, and academic and professional writing skills, supported by an engaging multicultural storyline.

Speaker: Charles LeBeau (National Geographic Learning)

137 Introducing the Oxford 3000 wordlist

This presentation is sponsored by Oxford University Press.

Not all vocabulary is equally important. The Oxford 3000 wordlist helps teachers focus their students on the most important and most frequently used words, sorted by CEFR level. This wordlist was developed by Nation, Milton and Horst. It is based on two Oxford corpuses. This presentation will show teachers how to use the wordlist, and how it is integrated into the Q: Skills for Success textbook series as well as other free vocabulary resources.

Speaker: Nick Boyes (Meijo Univer)

138 Guiding Every Learner's Journey with Cambridge English Exams

This presentation is sponsored by Cambridge University Press

How can schools help learners stay motivated, measure real progress, and achieve meaningful outcomes in English? This session explores how clear learning pathways, internationally recognised milestones, and effective assessment can support students, teachers, parents, and schools alike. Discover practical insights into creating a learning journey that builds confidence, demonstrates achievement, and opens doors to future study and career opportunities.

Speaker: Riaz Donaldson (Cambridge University Press & Assessment Japan)

139 Should I Stay or Should I Grow? Skills Beyond English

What skills do students believe they need for the future? Drawing on recent research with Japanese and Indonesian university students, this session examines perceptions of communication, critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving. It then explores how culture-based English language learning can support the development of these competencies while fostering intercultural understanding and global competence.

Speaker: Dr Andy Boon (Toyo Gakuen University)

140 Widgets: a task-based card game for creativity & fluency

This workshop presents a new card game inspired by award-winning TBLT course, Widgets Inc. The game can be used in or out of class as a speaking warm-up, to engage creative thinking, or for project brainstorming. Students combine prompt cards to create new product ideas, which are then pitched and chosen based on originality, functionality, and other criteria. Participants get a free prototype to try in their classes. Busy? Drop in and out, no problem.

This presentation is sponsored by Atama-ii Books.

Speakers: Christopher Valvona (Okinawa Christian University), Marcos Benevides (J. F. Oberlin University)

141 Read for Success: Activities for Extensive Reading

This presentation is sponsored by Nellie's English Books
Extensive reading is most effective when students respond to what they read in enjoyable and meaningful ways. Well-designed activities encourage reflection, discussion, creativity, and personal engagement without turning reading into a test. In this session, we will explore a range of practical pre-reading, during-reading, and post-reading activities that promote motivation, deepen comprehension, encourage language development, and look at sample activities from the new Xreading coursebook Read for Success.

Speakers: Paul Goldberg (Xreading), Rob Waring (Extensive Reading Foundation)

Room 1007: JALT Sponsors

142 Tasks 2.0: Making good tasks better

This presentation is sponsored by ABAX Publishing

In task-based language teaching, tasks are generally expected to fulfil four key principles. However, the extent to which these principles are realised can vary, suggesting that some tasks are more “task-like” than others. This presentation explores how existing tasks in a TBLT coursebook were adapted to better reflect the four principles. Through illustrative examples, the presenter will demonstrate how relatively small changes can enhance task design, with clear implications for materials development.

Speaker: Justin Harris

143 JALT Isn't Just English: Making Multilingual Learning Work

This presentation is sponsored by EnglishCentral.

For years, the high cost of developing video-based e-learning, interactive conversation, and speaking assessment meant that most commercial investment focused on English. Generative AI is changing those economics. This session demonstrates how LangRich combines authentic video, AI conversation, pronunciation feedback, and assessment across multiple languages. Come experience live demonstrations and explore how AI is making multilingual language learning practical for educators and learners alike.

Speaker: Mr Alan Schwartz (EnglishCentral JAPAN KK.)

144 How to Teach Listening: THE most important skill in East Asian contexts

This presentation is sponsored by (add sponsor name.) ABAX Publishing

Undeveloped listening skills seriously hamper one’s ability to learn a foreign language. Research tells us that explicitly teaching the skills of listening helps students to improve their comprehension abilities, and yet listening is often not directly taught, rather being left to develop as a by-product of speaking. This presentation will focus on the “hows” of teaching listening: what to focus on and how.

Speaker: Alastair Graham-Marr (ABAX Ltd)

145 English Proficiency Trends and Japanese Educational Policies

This presentation is sponsored by ETS Japan

The past several decades featured multiple educational policy initiatives intended to improve the English language proficiency of students in Japanese schools and universities. This session analyzes English proficiency levels exhibited by students at Japanese high schools and universities that administered the TOEFL ITP test during the period of 2012-2024. The resulting patterns offer useful insights into Japanese students’ English proficiency differences over time, reflecting learning outcomes that are potentially associated with large-scale educational policy initiatives.

Speaker: John Norris (ETS Japan)

146 Research-Informed TBLT with Snoop: Insights from Experimental Findings and Classroom Practice

This presentation is sponsored by (add sponsor name.)ABAX Publishing

This presentation introduces The SNOOP Detective School (Kelly & Suzuki, 2025), a task-based language teaching (TBLT) textbook, through a synthesis of experimental findings and classroom experiences. Focusing on learner emotions, interaction, and language development, I discuss how the textbook's task design promotes learner engagement, meaningful communication, and effective language learning. Participants will gain practical ideas for implementing research-informed TBLT activities that foster engagement and communicative competence.

Speaker: Atsushi Miura (Waseda University)

147 Scrapbooks & Videos: Communication Inside and Outside the Classroom.

This presentation is sponsored by (add sponsor name.)englishbooks.jp

This presentation discusses the use of learner-generated content in a first-year university English communication course. The creation of scrapbooks and videos is a core component of this course and aims to encourage student engagement, motivation and a dynamic classroom atmosphere. Additional benefits of these task-based methods include scaffolding of in-class conversation, content review, and practice. These activities are supported by a specifically designed textbook (LifeChat) and supplementary resources.

Speaker: Adam Pritchard (Aichi University)

148 Critical thinking for lower-level learners: The Meaning Beneath the Meaning

This presentation is sponsored by (add sponsor name.) ABAX Publishing

Critical thinking is often defined as “disciplined, reflective thinking that helps you decide what to believe or do based on evidence and sound reasoning rather than emotion, authority, or habit.” Yet one crucial aspect is frequently overlooked: subtext. Writers often embed assumptions, values, and unargued claims beneath the literal meaning of a text, presenting them as accepted fact. This workshop explores how to identify and critically evaluate these hidden messages and their persuasive power.

Speaker: Alastair Graham-Marr (ABAX Ltd)

149 Identity and Global Storybooks for English Language Learners in Japan

Drawing on theories of identity and investment (Norton, 2013; Darvin & Norton, 2015, 2023), I demonstrate how free dual language stories in Japanese and English (print and audio) can promote English language learning and expanded identities for children, youth, and adults in Japan and beyond. See the freely available Global Storybooks site (https://globalstorybooks.net) and Storybooks Japan.

Speaker: Prof. Bonny Norton (University of British Columbia)

Room 1008: JALT Sponsors

150 Making Reading a Habit in the Age of Scrolling

With social media and short attention spans, young people increasingly consume information in bite-sized pieces rather than engaging with longer texts, leading to shallower reading. This session looks at turning reading into a daily habit instead of a chore. Designed by language experts, BOOKR features 1,700 animated stories aligned to CEFR, integrating voice recognition, recommended reading lists, AI-generated assessment tools to promote engagement and comprehension, and dedicated management suite. Four-month whole class trial for attendees.

Speaker: Julian Warden (iSkill Co. Ltd)

151 Beyond the Classroom: Rural Communities as Co-Educators

This presentation is sponsored by (Local Narratives)

How can educators create learning experiences where communities are not simply visited, observed, or studied, but become active co-educators? This interactive session introduces the Local Narratives approach to experiential learning, developed through rural immersion programmes with students from India, Japan, Australia, and other contexts. Participants will explore how local voices, livelihoods, culture, ecology, and everyday knowledge can become part of the curriculum, and how structured reflection and exchange can transform travel from consumption into meaningful intercultural learning and global engagement.

Speaker: Vaishnavi Somani

152 EFL and JSL Learner Interactions on Domestic Study Abroad

This qualitative study explored interactions between Japanese EFL learners and American JSL learners during a two-week domestic study abroad program. Interviews with members of each learner group were conducted to gain insights into the characteristics of EFL-JSL learner interactions. This presentation will share the findings of these interviews, which include common types of interactions, the degree to which these interactions facilitated effective communication, and common difficulties experienced by EFL learners while interacting with JSL learners.

153 Bringing transparency to the student writing process

This presentation is sponsored by Turnitin.

Bridging the gap between students and educators. Turnitin agrees with educators that there is a time and place for AI use in education. With integrated composition, feedback, and integrity reporting, Turnitin Clarity empowers educators with comprehensive insights into student writing while reinforcing permissible AI use and academic integrity. By providing transparency into the writing process, institutions can promote fairer assessment, deliver more effective feedback, and build trust between students and educators.

Speaker: Betsy Matsunaga (Turnitin)

Turnitin Clarity - Bringing transparency to the student writing process

154 From Oshikatsu to AI: Hot Topics for Lively Class Discussion

This presentation is sponsored by Tryalogue Education

Celebrity obsessions, gender expectations, superfoods… Selecting a trending ‘hot’ topic can help engage students and bring learners out of their shell. But why do some discussion topics work well with Japanese students, and others don’t? What are the best topics to select? The presenter will share recent research conducted among Japanese university teachers. Attendees will discover four key factors that will help you create lively communication in any classroom.

Speaker: Sean Bermingham (Independent author-editor)

155 Eigo.Al: Assisting and Enhancing Human Language Learning

Al is here to assist and enhance human-centric language teaching and learning, not replace or negate it. Established theories remain relevant in guiding practice: learners need comprehensible input, meaningful output and interaction, fluency practice, and feedback. Eigo.Al helps students reach the recommended 2,500 + hours of intentional study with a comprehensive library of Al-generated, human-proofread lessons and activities, allowing them to develop all four skills while providing teachers with essential insights into student progress.

Speaker: Paul Raine (Ritsumeikan University)

156 Make your classroom an international arena with IVEProject

This presentation: sponsored by IVEProject

The IVEProject gives students the ability to use their English to interact with peers in multiple other countries. With over 20 years of successful online exchanges, where some 60,000 students and 800 teachers from 32 countries have participated, the IVEProject makes learning English more real, more enjoyable and more educational for all. Extensive materials are available to teachers and this presentation will show how to incorporate IVEProject into your class.

157 Practical Activities for Developing Critical Thinking Skills

This presentation is sponsored by KINSEIDO.

Critical thinking is becoming an increasingly important goal in English language education, yet many teachers struggle to move beyond traditional comprehension questions. This practical presentation introduces a range of classroom-tested activities that promote discussion, collaboration, problem solving, and deeper thinking. Participants will leave with adaptable techniques that can be immediately incorporated into university and secondary EFL classrooms to encourage meaningful communication while developing students' critical thinking skills.

Speaker: Charles Browne (Meiji Gakuin University)

Room 1009: JALT Sponsors

158 Boy, Do We Need Critical Thinking

This presentation is sponsored by KINSEIDO.

Critical thinking has become an essential skill in the age of AI, misinformation, and global communication, yet translating it into classroom practice is not always straightforward. This presentation introduces a classroom framework for integrating critical thinking into English lessons through discussion, evaluation, and reasoned response. Participants will leave with adaptable activities and strategies they can immediately apply in their own teaching.

Speaker: Dr Andy Boon (Toyo Gakuen University)

159 Global Issues, Real Communication: An Integrated Framework

This presentation is sponsored by KINSEIDO.

Students joining current topics classes expect to explore global issues, build fluency, and develop critical thinking skills. Facing Challenges helps them meet these goals. Each unit draws on students' background knowledge of an SDG-related topic and includes videos, readings, and academic listenings featuring Japan-specific infographics. Units culminate in communicative tasks asking students to plan and propose local projects. Students are also invited to write reflectively on their learning.

Speakers: Kobayashi Megumi (Seikei University), Peter Collins (Tokai University)

160 Developing Comprehensible Pronunciation through PRONTEST

This presentation is supported by PRONTEST Inc.

This presentation is supported by PRONTEST Inc. It introduces a pronunciation training program using the PRONTEST computer-assisted pronunciation training (CAPT) system and reports findings from a pilot study investigating its effectiveness in improving comprehensible pronunciation among Japanese EFL learners.

Speaker: Ms 真知 奥村 (株式会社プロンテスト)

161 AI or Coursebook — What Actually Serves the Classroom?

An ELT materials author weighs AI versus coursebooks — pedagogy, consistency, cost, copyright, and assessment alignment — then proposes a hybrid model blending coursebook structure with AI-personalized supplements. A sample supplement will be created live, followed by a brief review of how well it aligns with the coursebook target.

Speaker: John Wiltshier (Miyagi Gakuin Womens University)

162 Word Lists to Worlds: Designing Better Graded Readers

How can graded readers remain engaging while being accurately leveled across hundreds of texts? Drawing on two large-scale reading projects, a new 180-book series being developed by DTP/Gakken and the 150-title World Cultural Heritage Readers, this presentation shows how NGSL word lists, CEFR alignment, lexical profiling, and online tools can support more consistent grading, vocabulary recycling, and Eiken-relevant progression. AI plays a supporting role, while human judgment ensures story quality, learner engagement, and pedagogical design.

This presentation is sponsored by (DTP Education Japan.)

Speakers: Charles Browne (Meiji Gakuin University), Todd Fouts (Independent Senior Advisor, Language Assessment & ELT Materials Development)

163 Reading into the Future: A New Chapter for Extensive Reading

This presentation is sponsored by Oxford University Press.

Extensive reading (ER) has always aimed to develop fluent readers, but how do we know fluency is improving? This presentation explores reading speed as one practical classroom measure and considers what it can and cannot tell us. We also examine how recent developments in language technology are reshaping ER while validating the principles that have been central to successful ER from the very beginning.

Speaker: Mark Brierley (Shinshu University)

164 Integrating Language Studies with Multicultural Perspectives

This presentation is sponsored by Nellie's English Books.

Introducing diverse cultural viewpoints, or multicultural perspectives, on topics that interest students successfully motivates students to study English and better understand other global citizens. The presenter will share teaching materials and techniques that have worked well with thousands of students across Japan. Attendees will leave with ideas for integrating video, photographs, and written texts that cover popular topics, such as coming of age, concepts of beauty, animals as food, and more.

Speaker: Mr Greg Goodmacher (Nellies Books)

Room 1101: Featured and Invited Speakers

165 Macquarie University Student and Alumni Roundtable

This will allow current Macquarie research students and alumni to share topics of interest in an informal, relaxed setting. This roundtable is a great way to catch up with familiar faces and make new friends. In previous roundtables, we have discussed various topics, such as getting Kakenhi research grants, applying for tenure, and our evolving research/teaching journeys.

Speakers: Loy Lising (Macquarie University), Simon Humphries (Kansai University)

166 What is Q Methodology and Why Use It?

This workshop provides an introduction to Q methodology and its application in linguistics and language education research. Participants will explore how Q methodology can be used to investigate subjectivity, viewpoints, and shared perspectives in educational contexts. The session will introduce key concepts including concourse development, Q-set design, Q-sorting, and by-person factor analysis. Common misconceptions and challenges will also be discussed. Drawing on examples from EFL research, the workshop will demonstrate how Q methodology can be used to examine learner experiences, classroom perspectives, motivation, identity, and language learning environments.

Speaker: Kane Linton (Wayo Women's University)

167 From Corpora to Practice: Creating and Using Materials

This workshop introduces corpora as a practical pedagogical tool. Participants learn about corpora, the ultimate tool for developing both language comprehension and production. Drawing on Schmidt's (2010) Noticing Hypothesis, the workshop examines how directing learner attention to patterns in corpora can aid in language acquisition. Attendees will engage with corpus-based materials designed to draw students' attention to collocations (i.e., words that co-occur frequently) and colligations (i.e., grammatical patterns associated with specific words).

Speaker: Sarah Deutchman

168 JALT Research Grant Presentation (Daniel Hooper)

This presentation examines burnout among university English teachers in Japan, focusing on both Japanese and non-Japanese faculty members. Based on interviews with 12 full-time teachers, we explored how burnout may affect teachers’ professional performance, relationships, and personal lives. Our findings suggest that burnout involves more than physical exhaustion, including reduced motivation, creativity, and cognitive engagement. In addition to heavy workloads, our participants identified limited involvement in decision making and feelings of marginalization within universities as important contributing factors. The presenter will also discuss implications for institutional support, teacher wellbeing, and professional agency in higher education.
This presentation was funded by a JALT research grant

Speaker: Daniel Hooper (Chuo University)

169 Text‑Mining Analysis of Student Sentiment in English Classes

This JALT Research Grant project examines STEM university students’ emotional responses to English learning using AI‑based text‑mining of reflections collected three times per semester. Joy increased across all classes, while Fear declined mid‑semester and rose slightly at the end. Like steadily decreased, and Sadness briefly disappeared before returning. The first‑year class showed a gradual rise in Sadness, suggesting late‑semester anxiety. These patterns highlight the need for enhanced scaffolding and timely feedback for novice learners.

Speaker: Sarina Sugawara (Akita Prefectural University)

170 GAP: A guided procedure for the annotation of speech fluency

This presentation was funded by a JALT research grant. Spoken fluency is a crucial concept, but also notoriously hard to operationalize. Since automated solutions fail reliably extract even the simplest fluency metrics, this presentation introduces a brief training program to facilitate the collection of large amounts of reliable human annotations. The program has been tested over a period of 80 hours. Output from all participants shows a high degree of agreement, indicating robust learning effects.

Speaker: Dr francesco cangemi (the university of tokyo)

171 Reregistration and Creative Writing in EFL

This workshop explores how the stylistic concept of “reregistration” can be used to develop creative writing activities in EFL contexts. Employing literary examples such as “Rules for Dwarf-Throwing,” participants will examine how institutional and procedural registers can be transformed into creative and expressive texts. Through practical rewriting activities, participants will experiment with shifts in register, genre, voice, and communicative purpose while reflecting on their stylistic effects. The workshop demonstrates how stylistics-informed creative writing activities can foster creativity, close reading, and metalinguistic awareness, while encouraging learners to reflect on authenticity, social meaning, and the cultural effects of language use.

Speaker: Prof. Masayuki Teranishi (University of Hyogo)

Room 1102: JALT Sponsors

172 Beyond the Answer: Building Thinking Classrooms by DJ West

This presentation is sponsored by McGraw Hill Education.

Language classrooms often reward correct answers over real thinking. This session adapts Peter Liljedahl's Building Thinking Classrooms strategies — open-ended tasks, vertical non-permanent surfaces, and student autonomy — for L2 learning contexts. Participants will explore how shifting from passive reception to active, thinking-driven language use helps students move beyond memorized phrases toward genuine communication: finding their own voice locally, with the confidence to use it globally.

173 Oral communication for low-level, low-motivation classes

This presentation is sponsored by Nellie's English Books.

Teaching oral communication to low-level, low-motivation students is hard. Drawing on years of experience in Japanese university classrooms, we have developed practical approaches to engaging students with little experience of interactive English conversation. These approaches informed the development of the New Conversations in Class textbook series. Books 1 and 2 help students take their first steps toward meaningful interaction, while the newly released Book 3 extends these skills to the next level.

Speaker: STEPHEN RICHMOND (Bukkyo University)

174 Combining AI and e-Learning Platforms: The Key to Maximizing Student Learning Potential

The evolution of education systems has given rise to the e-Learning platform. Coupled with the rise of AI in both education and daily life, e-Learning has the ability to change how both teachers and students approach education. In this presentation, we examine how to maximize the benefits of e-Learning and AI for a better educational experience.

175 Building Visual Literacy in the English Classroom

This presentation is sponsored by Cambridge University Press & Assessment

With every passing year, visual literacy becomes ever more important. Combining the need to interpret and evaluate visual media with the critical skill of formulating and conveying ideas in an effective way (more complex in a foreign language) can prove vital for both academic and professional success. The presenter will use examples of published materials to show how we can build visual literacy and oracy (the foundational skillset for verbal communication).

Speaker: Ivan Sorrentino (Cambridge University Press & Assessment)

176 Sparking Thinking Through Content and Storytelling by Sean Lee

This presentation is sponsored by McGraw Hill Education.

What if language classrooms borrowed science education's approach to inquiry and storytelling? This session applies principles from content-integrated and inquiry-based learning — reimagined for language teaching — showing how storytelling structures can transform abstract language input into meaningful, memorable narratives. Participants explore practical techniques to help learners engage as active thinkers and communicators, connecting classroom content to the wider theme of local voice, global impact.

Room 1103: JALT Sponsors

177 Speaking Practice at Scale. Class TOEFL Prep with AI Avatars

This presentation is sponsored by ME Learning

Simon Moran presents a teacher's account, via their classroom data, of using AI avatars for TOEFL speaking practice: how they discovered the AI solution, what students did, what the teacher found useful, students' comments. Plus: open questions on cost, access and assessment, and an introduction to the MEQ, a universal, portable, lifelong assessment tool, and Language Lab - MEQ-informed content generation for any learner in any context.

178 Developing Critical Thinkers for Real World Communication

In the 21st century, language education must move beyond linguistic knowledge to developing students’ ability to think, communicate, and engage globally. This presentation demonstrates how the Impact Issues series can serve as a foundation for designing critical thinking–infused instruction in Japanese L2 contexts. Drawing on a Writing-to-Think learning log model, the session illustrates how structured tasks can transform textbook content into opportunities for discussion, reflection, and presentation, helping learners move from local voice to global expression while developing both critical thinking and the ability to articulate ideas in L2.

Speaker: Megumi Uemi (Toyo University)

179 From Reading to Discussion with AI-Supported Graded Reading

This presentation is sponsored by EnglishCentral.

This presentation introduces a next-generation graded reading platform built around a motivating promise: read what you love at your level. Teachers can draw from thousands of high-interest readers precisely graded across CEFR microlevels, with vocabulary controlled through the CEFR, NGSL and related research-based wordlists. An integrated AI tutor helps learners discuss and extend each text, while teacher dashboards track reading volume, comprehension, vocabulary growth, and progress across mixed-ability classes, supporting targeted follow-up and more personalized reading instruction.

Speaker: Mr Alan Schwartz (EnglishCentral JAPAN KK.)

Large Hall: Meetings and Forums

180 ER SIG Forum/AGM 90 minutes

Speakers: David Beglar (Temple University, Japan Campus), Noriko Muramatsu (Meiji University Meiji HS Meiji JHS), Paul Goldberg (Xreading), Rob Waring (Extensive Reading Foundation), Sandra Yamane (Three Tigers English), Willy Ardian Renandya (National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University)

181 Membership Chairs Meeting

This meeting is for Chapter and SIG Membership Chairs to share information and discuss matters related to membership at the chapter and SIG levels. Co-chaired by Julie Kimura and Ashley Bartholomy, the session will include updates, an opportunity to exchange ideas, and time for questions. Topics may include membership trends, recruitment, and retention. All Membership Chairs, as well as those interested in membership matters, are welcome to attend and participate.

Speaker: Dr Julia Kimura (Mukogawa Women's University)

182 JALT Research Grants: How to Apply

Unvetted presentation sponsored by the JALT Research Grants Committee

Speakers: Gregory Sholdt (Kobe University), Michael Mielke (Sapporo University), Peter Collins (Tokai University)

183 Using AI to Support Ethical Classroom Research Planning

Unvetted presentation sponsored by the JALT Research Grants Committee

Speaker: Gregory Sholdt (Kobe University)

Room 1001: Meet the SIGs

Convener: Jennie Roloff Rothman (Kanda University of International Studies, JALT SIG Representative Liaison)

184 Meet the SIGs Session 1

Meet officers and members of the various Special Interest Groups (SIGs) in JALT at one of the three introductory sessions. This is your chance to connect, ask questions, and, hopefully, get more involved in the JALT community.

185 Meet the SIGs Session 2

Meet officers and members of the various Special Interest Groups (SIGs) in JALT at one of the three introductory sessions. This is your chance to connect, ask questions, and, hopefully, get more involved in the JALT community.

Room 0904: SIG Forums

186 CT SIG Forum/AGM 90 minutes

The JALT Critical Thinking SIG presents three speakers in its forum this year. Ariel Tabak will present "Critical Thinking Before Advanced Vocabulary: Making Logical Fallacies Accessible in EFL Classrooms," Wayne Devitte will present "TOEFL 2026 Academic Discussion and Critical Thinking: Opportunities for Learning," and Nidal Butt will present "Scaffolding Timed Writing Through Socratic Questioning: An Action Research Project." Additionally, the CT SIG president, James Dunn, will speak on opportunities to participate, present, and publish with the SIG.

Speakers: Prof. Ariel Tabak (Temple University, Japan Campus), Mr James Dunn (Meiji University), Nidal Butt (Kanda University of International Studies), Wayne Devitte (Tokai University)

187 PIE SIG Forum/AGM 90 minutes

The Performance in Education (PIE) SIG Forum has six panelists: Darren Kinsman, Brian Gallagher, Philip Head, Ashley Ford-Mihashi, Ben Backbow, and Thomas Paeme (David Kluge MC), introducing PIE topics of global and local impact. Other PIE speakers may participate (Kevin Bergman and George MacLean). Time for Q&A will be available.

Speakers: Prof. Anthony Brian Gallagher (Meijo University), Ashley Ford-Mihashi (Nagoya City University), Darren Kinsman, Philip Head (Osaka Jogakuin University), Thomas Paeme (Aichi University of Education), ben backwell (Nagoya city university)

188 Listening SIG Forum/AGM 90 minutes

Hidden Barriers: Diagnosing and Fixing Listening Comprehension Problems
Presenter : Todd Beuckens

Why can a student read a word instantly but miss it completely when it’s spoken at natural speed? The gap between visual and acoustic recognition is just one of several hidden barriers quietly sabotaging listening comprehension. This presentation reframes listening tasks as diagnostic tools, not just tests, showing teachers how to spot exactly where comprehension breaks down. We’ll examine five barriers: linguistic knowledge (especially acoustic recognition under real-time constraints), processing speed, memory load, attention, and background knowledge/schema. For each, you’ll get simple, practical tweaks to existing materials that head off problems before they happen—giving students more consistent listening success with minimal extra prep.

Speaker: Dr Naheen Madarbakus-Ring

Room 0905: SIG Forums

189 Pragmatics SIG Forum/AGM 90 minutes

Pragmatics SIG Forum (11.00-11.45am Saturday 21/11/2026)
AGM 90 minutes (11.45-12.30am Saturday 21/11/2026)

Forum: Pragmatic Appropriateness Across Spoken and Written Modes
Language instruction encompasses learners’ ability to use language pragmatically and appropriately. This forum examines how pragmatic appropriateness varies between spoken and written modes, focusing on the influence of context, interlocutors, topic, and mode-specific characteristics. The 15-minute panel will introduce key issues in spoken and written pragmatics, followed by a 30-minute interactive discussion. Participants will exchange perspectives, examine examples, and collaboratively consider the implications of mode-sensitive pragmatic competence for language teaching.

Speaker: Yosuke Ogawa (Kindai University)

190 Bilingualism SIG Forum: "In Between: In Search of Native Language Spaces" Screening

In the Bilingualism SIG Forum, we will screen the documentary "In Between: In Search of Native Language Spaces," which is about the challenges for residents in Japan learning their native or heritage languages. The film will be in Japanese with English subtitles. Following the film screening, we will have a special talk by the director, Kiho Park, who is a resident of Japan with Korean heritage.

We will also hold the annual general meeting of the Bilingualism SIG.

191 Global Issues in Language Education (GILE) Forum

This year’s Global Issues in Language Education Forum focuses upon introducing practical approaches to aiding students in connecting global issues to local voices. Global issues sometimes seem abstract to students, disconnected from real people’s lives. By exploring use of a service learning approach, experiences of English teachers in Myanmar’s conflict zones, practical approaches to teaching the SDGs and use of critical media literacy frameworks, educators will leave inspired to address global issues in their classrooms.

Speakers: Koji Yamamoto (愛知県立刈谷北高等学校), May Kyaw Oo (Kanda University of International Studies), Rubén Del Muro, Shalvin Singh (Kanda University of International Studies), 美織 島田 (東洋大学　国際学部)

Room 0906: Concurrent Sessions

192 Macquarie University Forum

In this 60-minute forum, Macquarie alumni will share how AI and emerging technologies are influencing their teaching, research, administration, and institutional practices. The panel will explore how practices have evolved over the past year, what is currently being implemented in their workplaces, and the broader impact these developments are having across educational and professional contexts.

Speakers: Dr Fern Sakamoto (Nanzan University), Jonathan Shachter (Kyushu Sangyo University), Dr Josh Kidd (Utsunomiya University), Kane Linton (Wayo Women's University), Prof. Malcolm Sim (Akita International University), Simon Humphries (Kansai University)

193 Trends in Research Methods in Language Teaching Journals

This study investigates methodological trends in language teaching and learning by comparing international and domestic journals (2015–2024). A total of 1,168 international and 332 domestic articles were categorized as quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, or others. International journals showed relatively balanced methodological diversity, while domestic journals relied heavily on quantitative approaches. The findings indicate increasing acceptance of qualitative research internationally, but limited diversity in domestic publications, highlighting the need to broaden methodological perspectives.

Speakers: Saki Suemori, 真紀 今澤 (筑波大学), Junko Takahashi (Showa Women's University)

Room 0906: SIG Forums

194 GALE SIG Forum 90 minutes

Speaker: Shzh-chen Nancy Lee (Osaka University)

195 TD SIG Forum

This years Teacher Development SiG forum will follow a workshop format. This format has worked well in recent years and enables the presenters (or workshop leaders) and audience (or participants) to be more involved in the event. We will have 3 workshop leaders who will tell stories and provide something to take away from their sessions after an interactive component. The theme will be 'The development of teachers: Outside the classroom'.

Speakers: Dr Dominique Vola Ambinintsoa Razafindratsimba (Kanda University of International Studies), Dr Ivan Botev (Toita Women' College), Junko Takahashi (Showa Women's University), Yukiko Akiba (Kanda University of Internationl Studies)

196 THT SIG Forum/AGM 90 minutes

Room 0907: SIG Forums

197 CUE SIG Forum 60 minutes

This forum brings together three researchers exploring how digital platforms and generative AI are reshaping communication, writing, and pedagogy in language education. Presenters showcase how digital and AI-mediated discourse can be understood, taught, and responded to in practice, and invite discussion on how these approaches might be adapted across tertiary contexts.

Speakers: Bertram Mullin (Temple University Japan), Mr James Saunders-Wyndham (Kyoto Sangyo University), Susan Sullivan (Tokai University)

198 CEFR LP SIG Forum/AGM 90 minutes

Following a discussion of the shift from assessment of learning to assessment for learning, and the need for coherent alignment among learning objectives, instructional activities, and assessment practices, this forum presents a case study of an ELP-based portfolio assessment system that demonstrates positive outcomes while identifying areas for improvement. Building on these findings, participants will examine the extent to which CEFR-informed portfolio assessment can promote assessment for learning through constructive alignment.

Speakers: Colin Rundle (Soka University), Gabriela Schmidt (JALT CEFR LP SIG President), Noriko Nagai (Ibaraki University)

Room 0907: Study Abroad

199 Study Abroad SIG: Looking Ahead Together

This interactive forum brings together Study Abroad SIG members and the wider JALT community to share ideas and discuss the SIG’s continuing development. Following a brief Annual General Meeting and update on recent activities, we will open the floor for questions, suggestions, and discussion about how the SIG can evolve, better serve its members, and encourage greater involvement and collaboration. Long-standing members, newcomers, and anyone interested in study abroad are warmly invited to join!

200 Designing a Performance-based SA Preparation Curriculum

How can institutions design study abroad preparation courses that move beyond disconnected commercial textbook units? This session introduces a longitudinal, performance-based curriculum preparing students for academic and social participation overseas. The course integrates real-life study abroad topics with staged oral assessments, LMS-supported listening and shadowing tasks, intercultural competence training, and reflective learning across two semesters. Participants will gain practical tools and design principles for aligning syllabus, assessment, and multi-instructor coordination within coherent, outcomes-driven preparation programmes.

Speaker: Matt Lucas (Kansai University)

Room 1001: Meet the Chapters

Convener: Dr Leigh McDowell (Nara Institute of Science and Technology)

201 Hokuriku Chapter Poster Session

This poster presentation is sponsored by the Hokuriku Chapter of JALT

The Hokuriku Chapter of JALT brings together language teachers and educators to exchange knowledge, explore new ideas, and support one another’s professional development. This poster showcases our chapter’s events in 2026. We welcome educators from all backgrounds to take part in our local activities in the future.

Speaker: Keith Ikoma (University of Fukui)

202 Ibaraki Chapter Poster Session

Ibaraki JALT is a community of language educators who are eager to connect, share ideas, and grow together. This poster introduces our chapter’s activities, the diverse topics explored at recent meetings, and our three meeting locations across Ibaraki: Hitachi, Mito, and Tsukuba. Language teachers from all educational settings, career stages, and linguistic backgrounds are invited to meet fellow educators, learn with us, and become part of our welcoming, collaborative, locally rooted, and outward-looking professional community.

Speakers: Juan Pablo Rodriguez-Gomez (University of Tsukuba), Martin Pauly (University of Tsukuba)

203 Kyoto Chapter Poster Session

This poster presentation is sponsored by Kyoto Chapter of JALT. This poster presentation is a part of the Meet the Chapters session, in which participants can get to know more about the 30 JALT chapters spread across Japan. Kyoto Chapter will let you know what we've been up to in 2026, and some of our plans for 2027. Please join us!

204 Meet the Chapters Poster Session

This poster presentation is a part of the Meet the Chapters session, in which participants can get to know more about the 30 JALT chapters spread across Japan.

205 Meet the Chapters Poster Session— Kobe Chapter

This poster presentation is a part of the Meet the Chapters session, in which participants can get to know more about the 30 JALT chapters spread across Japan.

206 Meet the Chapters Poster Session—Matsuyama Chapter

This poster presentation is sponsored by the Matsuyama Chapter of JALT
This poster presentation is a part of the Meet the Chapters session, in which participants can get to know more about the 30 JALT chapters spread across Japan.

Matsuyama chapter
Matsuyama JALT holds its required six meetings a year in either of the following months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, (August and September no meetings due to summer breaks) October, and December. Usually we hold the meeting on the third Saturday (face-to-face) or Sunday (online).

Matsuyama JALT has Ko en meigi 後援名義 Endorsement from Matsuyama City and the Matsuyama City Board of Education for ALL its events from October 2022 to July 2026!

Speaker: Prof. Rudolf Reinelt (Matsuyama JALT)

207 Nagano Chapter Poster Session

This poster presentation is sponsored by the Nagano Chapter of JALT

208 Nagoya & Gifu Chapter Poster Session

This poster presentation is sponsored by _____ Chapter of JALT

209 Oita Chapter Poster Session

This poster presentation is sponsored by the Oita Chapter of JALT and covers the chapter’s events and activities over the past year. It highlights several Oita-specific initiatives, including our new Journal Club, which aims to build a community of researchers and help members develop, maintain, and achieve their research goals. It also introduces our language festival, where students gain experience presenting by introducing their first language to chapter members.

210 Okayama Chapter Poster Session

This poster presentation is sponsored by Okayama Chapter of JALT

211 Okinawa Chapter Poster Session

This poster presentation is sponsored by _____ Chapter of JALT

212 Osaka JALT: What we do, what’s new, and what’s next

Check in with the Osaka JALT chapter, follow us on social media, or chat with us about publishing and volunteering with us.

Speakers: Olivia Allanson (Jalt), Ms Zoe Barber (Kwansei Gakuin University)

213 Sendai Chapter Poster Session

This poster session, sponsored by the Sendai Chapter of JALT, affectionately known to community members as "JALT Sendai", looks back at a year of chapter activities and events. Among this year's highlights is the Tohoku ELT Expo, our chapter's main regional gathering for language teachers across the Tohoku area to share ideas and connect. We'll also be presenting the Marc Helgesen Scholarship Fund, established to support students and early-career teachers as they take their first steps into presenting, as well as showcasing how the Sendai Chapter works alongside neighboring chapters, including a recent collaboration to fund a mini speaking tour featuring James York.

Speakers: Daniel Dean, Emily MacFarlane, Kenneth Schmidt (Tohoku Fukushi University)

214 Tokyo Chapter Poster Session

This poster presentation is sponsored by Tokyo Chapter of JALT

Speaker: Sophie Otsuru

TokyoJALT_Showcase_A2.pdf

215 Toyohashi Chapter Poster Session

This poster presentation is sponsored by _____ Chapter of JALT

216 Yokohama Chapter Poster Session

This poster presentation is sponsored by _____ Chapter of JALT

Room 1001: Poster Sessions

Convener: Susan Meiki (JALT Business Manager / Okayama University / Poster Chair)

217 Active and Inclusive Sharing with “Passive Presentations”

Speaker: Heather Suzuki (Fukuyama University)

218 AI and Independent Writing in a Three-Year EFL Study

AI writing tools are increasingly used in EFL classrooms, but their effect on students’ independent writing ability is still unclear. This classroom-based study examines whether AI-assisted revision practice helps improve students’ independent paragraph writing. Pre- and post-writing samples collected over three years from Japanese college students were analyzed across three instructional conditions: no AI intervention, high AI intervention, and low AI intervention. The study examines changes in writing fluency, accuracy, and syntactic complexity.

Speaker: Yuko Uchima (National Institute of Technology, Akita College)

219 AI Prompting Behavior in Japanese University EFL Writing

This study examines how first-year Japanese university EFL students used generative AI during academic writing tasks. Drawing on prompt logs collected over six weeks, it identifies a functional taxonomy of AI prompt types ranging from command-based prompting to inquiry-based prompting. The findings suggest that command-based use was most common, while inquiry-based prompting aligned more closely with deeper revision and clearer understanding of appropriate AI use.

Speaker: Omar Massoud (Meiji Gakuin University)

220 AIU Kids: Developing an Interactive After-School English Program with University Students

Speakers: Ms Keiko Yamanoi (AIU Kids/Akita International University), Yuichi Tagane (Akita International University)

221 Beyond the Theme Park: Reframing Disney for Study Abroad

This poster presentation reports on the design and implementation of a year-long, credit-bearing study abroad program centered on a ten-day study tour to Walt Disney World in Florida. By embedding experiential learning within a structured academic framework, including pre-departure instruction, guided reflection, goal-setting, and rigorous assessment, the program reframes Disney as a meaningful learning environment. Practical strategies for developing academically credible short-term programs are also presented.

Speaker: Steven Paydon (Rikkyo University)

222 Comparing AI Models for Scalable EI Materials in EFL

This poster presents Phase 1 of a multi-year study (Kaken) evaluating three AI models’ capacity to generate level-appropriate Elicited Imitation sentences for Japanese EFL learners at CEFR A2-B1. Using systematic prompt engineering and vocabulary constraints based on the New General Service List, a MANOVA comparing ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini revealed significant differences between models. Claude outperformed competitors in vocabulary compliance and sentence length precision, establishing it as the optimal tool for subsequent phonetic training phases.

Speakers: Robert Cvitkovic (Teikyo University), Yoko Kita (Kyoto Notre Dame University)

223 Conflict, Power & Student Voices

This poster presentation reports on an action research project in an English for International Communication course at a Japanese university. We explore how a scaffolded conflict unit fosters critical engagement aligned with Critical Language Pedagogy. Moving from local issues to global case studies, students develop perspective-taking through dialogue, debates, mapping, and intercultural exchange. Drawing on student reflections and teacher journals, we examine how English supports critical, intercultural understanding.

Speakers: Michelle Jerrems (Sophia University), Philip Cardiff (Kanda University of International Studies)

224 First Steps: Part-Time to Full-Time ELT in Japan

How do you actually make the leap into university teaching in Japan? This poster shares one practitioner's honest, first-hand account of breaking into part-time university work and then moving into a full-time role, covering the visa questions, the job hunt, the interview nerves, and the reality of those first few months on a full-time contract. Whether you're just starting out or eyeing your next move, come by for practical advice and a candid look at what the path really looks like.

Speaker: Emily MacFarlane (Tohoku Gakuin University)

225 Generating CELTA-style reading lesson materials with A.I.

This poster will demonstrate how ChatGPT can be used to create original reading materials aligned with CELTA-style pedagogical principles. Practical prompting strategies, examples of texts and accompanying activities tailored to language level, topic, and grammar focus, and guidance on iterating and refining materials will be included. Attendees will learn how AI can reduce the time and cognitive load of material creation while supporting teacher autonomy, flexibility, and creativity in designing effective reading lessons.

Speaker: Steve Paton

226 Independent Language Learning for Students with Disabilities

The presenters explore the experiences and perspectives of two students with disabilities and their journeys toward becoming independent language learners in higher education. Through in-depth L2 interviews, seven key factors were identified, including teaching approach, assistive technology, supportive environment, flexible assessment, intrinsic motivation, and universally designed materials.

Speakers: Matthew Armstrong (Kyushu University), Tanya McCarthy (Kyoto University)

227 Intensifiers as Stance Markers in Japanese EFL Writing

This study examines how intermediate-level Japanese university students use English intensifiers (e.g., very, really, so) to construct interpersonal stance in argumentative essays. Drawing on Systemic Functional Linguistics and Appraisal Theory, it explores how intensifiers amplify evaluation and shape emerging academic voice. A mixed-methods analysis of 60 essays reveals frequent overuse of general boosters and limited pragmatic variation.

Speaker: Timothy Wilson (Hiroshima Jogakuin University)

228 Learner autonomy journeys across local and global contexts

This poster presentation provides bottom-up insights into how teachers develop their understandings of learner autonomy. Drawing on extended conversations with four practitioners about their experiences as learners and teachers, I explore how community-based interactions (informal collaboration, teacher groups, wider professional networks) have shaped their thinking, values, and practices. By highlighting shared themes, differences, and ongoing challenges, participants (both experienced and starting out) can reflect on their own local and global engagement with learner autonomy.

Speaker: Andy Barfield (Chuo University)

229 No Textbook, No Problem: Implementing Task-Based, AI-Supported Learning

This poster reports on a five-lesson Task-Based Language Teaching cycle using a no-textbook approach in a Japanese university ESL context. Student-generated research, collaborative inquiry, and guided AI support replace traditional materials. Learners conduct research, create “Research Packs,” and present findings. Classroom observations show increased autonomy, engagement, and communicative output, while challenges include uneven research skills, varied digital competence, cognitive load, and managing responsible AI use.

Speaker: James Rankin

230 Portfolio-Making: Building Teacher Identity for Trainees

This presentation describes the development of English skills in a class of trainee teachers in the second year of their course, prior to the practicuum. The class included peer teaching and oral activities. Students were asked what success on the course would look like for them, and how it could be documented in a portfolio. We will trace their progress by examining the portfolios, including both paper and digital evidence.

Speaker: Ms Ellen Head (Miyazaki International university)

231 A Cross-cultural Analysis of Online Restaurant Reviews

This presentation illustrates the characteristics of online restaurant reviews in English and Japanese by examining language use and narrative framing. A comparative analysis was conducted on customer reviews of restaurants in New York, London, and Tokyo written by American, British, and Japanese writers to identify similarities and differences. Results indicated that overall experience, particularly food quality, ambience, and service, influenced writers’ comments, which may help learners of English to write effective online reviews in English.

Speaker: Kayo Fujimura-Wilson (Yamaguchi University)

232 Before Submitting to JALT Publications

The presenters will discuss the steps researchers should take before submitting a manuscript to one of JALT’s three main publications: The Language Teacher, JALT Journal, and the JALT Postconference Publication. Topics will include research ethics, informed consent, choosing the appropriate publication and submission type, checking references, and the responsible use of generative AI. The presenters will also offer practical advice for avoiding common problems and making the submission process smoother.

Speakers: Alexandra Terashima (University of Tokyo), Bethany Lacy (Rikkyo University), Greg Dalziel (The University of Tokyo), Heather Yoder, Joe Geluso (Nihon University College of Law)

233 Children’s Books as CLIL Final Projects

Speakers: Aaron Sponseller (Osaka Jogakuin University), Barrie Matte (Osaka Jogakuin University), Philip Head (Osaka Jogakuin University)

234 CLIL Teacher Education Program: Reflections and Suggestions

This poster presentation details the presenters experience of taking the CLIL teacher education program from CLIL-ITE. The presenter will talk about his understanding of CLIL, his experience of utilising CLIL approaches and his suggestions for CLIL implementations in the classroom.

Speaker: ROSS SAMPSON (Toyo University)

235 e-Lagak: Mother Tongue Translation in Intercultural Pedagogy

Responding to educational inequities in multilingual settings, this study examines translation as a site of intercultural learning in higher education. Using ethnographic and reflexive methods, it explores how translating environmental concepts into Philippine languages shapes classroom interaction, identity, and knowledge construction. Findings show gains in conceptual understanding and intercultural competence. The study introduces e-Lagak, a community-centered, digital framework that strengthens multilingual meaning-making while promoting public access, circulation, and use of scientific knowledge beyond the classroom.

Speakers: Larry Boy Sabangan (University of the Philippines Los Baños), MARK ANDY PEDERE (University of the Philippines Cebu)

236 Global Studies: A Content-Based Course for the Modern Era

In today’s complex world, knowledge of the English language alone is no longer adequate. Instead, it is necessary to obtain in-depth knowledge of various cultures, world religions, international current events, geography, history, and global issues. These topics are taught in Global Studies, a content-based course taught at a Japanese university. This poster presentation will introduce the Global Studies course by showing the curriculum, detailing the learning outcomes, and analyzing student feedback.

Speaker: Drew Sanford (Kansai Gaidai University)

237 How Students Evaluate and Use ChatGPT Feedback in Writing

The study examined how 62 Japanese university students engaged in an English summary‑writing activity that incorporated ChatGPT. Students drafted, received AI feedback, and revised their summaries. A separate post‑activity questionnaire captured their perceptions. Most students found ChatGPT helpful for identifying overlooked grammatical errors and improving organization and expression, though some were concerned about shifts in meaning. Overall, they selectively adopted AI feedback while maintaining their intended message.

Speakers: Aya Hagiwara (Aoyama Gakuin University), Noriko Kawasaki (Dokkyo University)

238 Needs to Tasks: TBLT Speaking Materials for Japan's Unis

Despite ongoing educational reforms in Japan, many university students report low confidence and motivation in spoken English. This presentation outlines the development of a task-based syllabus for oral communication classes grounded in research on Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT). Drawing on a needs analysis of 125 students and classroom piloting, the materials follow a meaning-focused task cycle in which attention to form follows communication. Preliminary teacher observations and student feedback from pilot classes are discussed.

Speaker: Pino Cutrone (Nagasaki University)

239 Reflecting on L2 Writing Course Objectives in the Age of AI

Many teachers have responded to student AI use in L2 writing by either incorporating AI into classes or adopting a permissive stance because they lack ways to restrict its use. Contrary to these trends, this presentation describes two educators’ reflective practice on how student AI use may impact the objectives of a university language curriculum. Examples are provided of objectives judged to be impacted and the curriculum changes made to deal with real-world AI use.

Speaker: John Bankier (Kanagawa University)

240 Reflection in English Learning through a Peace Video Project

The presentation outlines the design and implementation of the “Peace Video Project.” After viewing an instructor-produced introductory video, students discussed the concept of peace and collaboratively created short videos using ICT. They presented their work, viewed their classmates’ videos, and provided structured peer feedback on Padlet. The presentation concludes with survey findings on students’ experiences of the project, their engagement with the topic of peace, and their attitudes toward learning English.

Speaker: Nagisa Kikuchi (関西学院大学/茨城工業高等専門学校(2026年4月以降))

241 Supporting language development in EMI courses

This presentation reports on language support practices in a team-taught EMI course at a Japanese university. It examines how a language supporter and content instructor collaboratively redesigned support from standalone vocabulary lists to task-aligned pre-task input. Drawing on classroom experience and learner feedback, the presentation illustrates how task-based principles and AI-assisted materials can enhance accessibility and task readiness for learners with developing English proficiency.

Speaker: Sugene Kim (Miyazaki International University)

242 The Effect of Teaching Conjunctions and Relative Words on Verb Recognition -For improving English Reading Comprehension-

This study conducted with intermediate-level college students tried to clarify whether teaching conjunctions and relative pronouns had a positive effect on verb recognition, and whether this effect is influenced by proficiency level. The effect was examined from two perspectives: a statistical analysis of the increase scores on the verb recognition test, and open-ended responses regarding students’ impressions of the instruction. Both analyses revealed a definite learning effect and demonstrated the significance of the instruction.

Speaker: Ms Nahomi Machida (NIshogakusha University)

243 Who Wrote This? Authorship and Ethics in the Age of AI

Generative AI is forcing educators to reconsider long-standing assumptions about authorship, ownership, and responsibility in academic writing. Drawing on Michel Foucault’s concept of the author-function and sociocultural perspectives on mediated activity, this poster examines how AI complicates traditional distinctions between tool, collaborator, and author. Rather than proposing fixed rules, it invites reflection on where educators believe the boundaries of authorship should lie and how those boundaries influence teaching, assessment, and scholarly practice.

Speaker: Robert Dykes (Sojo University)

Room 1003: JALT Junior

244 TYL SIG Forum/AGM 90 minutes

245 Picturebooks: A Catalyst for Language Growth

Speaker: Donna Lim

246 Social-Emotional Learning through Picturebook Read-Alouds

‘The Happy Reading Project’ is a picturebook-based curriculum for English immersion kindergartens in Nagoya, Japan, designed to develop social-emotional competencies through weekly interactive read-alouds. Drawing on Ghosn’s view of facilitating children’s literature to foster emotional growth, the program uses 30 sequenced picturebooks across K1–K3, progressing from self-awareness, or ME Skills, to social awareness, WE Skills and balance, or HARMONY. This presentation focuses onteacher feedback, learner outcomes, and implementation challenges from 2024 to 2026.

Speaker: Alison Hasegawa (Rikkyo University)

247 Japan’s Rural–Urban Divide in Language Education

This presentation examines how rural–urban disparities in Japan shape K–12 teaching and learning, particularly in language education. Using survey and interview data from a mixed‑methods study, the findings indicate that limited professional support, educator shortages, and demographic shifts restrict the adoption of change in rural schools. These structural differences influence instructional quality and student growth. While focused on rural Kansai, the study highlights broader implications for strengthening systemic support and equitable learning opportunities.

Victoria‑H. Bergström is an educator and researcher with experience in rural language education and global learning. Originally from a multicultural family, she completed dual BAs in French and Geopolitics at Keene State College and later earned MAs from the University of Groningen and Providence College. She has taught at a rural senior high school in Kyoto Prefecture, supporting students in English, French, pre‑university preparation, and research skills, while serving as a coach for debate and speech teams. Her work focuses on rural–urban educational disparities, politics and culture, and teacher development. She hopes to pursue a PhD in Political Science and enjoys radio hosting, cooking, dancing, and studying languages. She is presenting at JALT 2026 as the winner of this year's Kyoto Chapter First-Time Presenter Scholarship.

Sponsored by the Kyoto Chapter of JALT

Speaker: VictoriaH Bergström

248 Balancing English and Native Language Literacy

As English strengthens its position globally, educators face "subtractive bilingualism," where English develops at the expense of the first language. Grounded in linguistic interdependence, this presentation addresses how Mongolian educators can foster "additive bilingualism." Attendees will explore practical classroom strategies, including translanguaging techniques and digital tools, designed to help students perceive their native language as a cognitive asset while developing global communicative proficiency and cultural identity.

Speaker: Mrs Nurshash Shugaatai (English teacher)

249 Languaging Beyond Speech: Multimodal Practices in Preschool

This presentation examines how multilingual preschool children labeled with speech-language impairment use multimodal communication—including gesture, imagery, and multiple languages—in everyday classroom interaction. Drawing on classroom observations, the study applies a Translanguaging and Universal Design for Learning (TrUDL) framework to analyze children’s communicative repertoires. Findings highlight a disconnect between children’s classroom practices and speech-centered assessments, arguing for expanded paradigms that improve communication accessibility for multilingual and disabled children and inform more inclusive language assessment practices globally.

Speaker: Ari Chinchilla (University of Pennsylvania)

250 From Local Voice to Global Impact: ALT-JTE Collaboration

Speaker: Dr Erin Noxon (Sagano High School)

251 Designing Inclusive Language Lessons with UDL and EdTech

How can teachers make mixed-ability language lessons more accessible without substantially increasing preparation time? This practical session explores how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and EdTech can help teachers identify learning barriers, provide multimodal input, differentiate support, and offer flexible ways for learners to participate and demonstrate understanding. Through classroom examples and hands-on activities, participants will explore practical strategies that can be adapted to diverse language-learning contexts.

Speaker: Daniel Juckes (Kaohsiung English Education Resource Center (KEERC), Ministry of Education, Taiwan (R.O.C))

252 Early Trilingual Development Beyond the Classroom

Speaker: Dr Shzh-chen Nancy Lee (Osaka University)

Room 1004: JALT Junior

253 Why Do Some Students in Japan Keep Learning English?

This study explores what sustains English learning motivation beyond secondary education. Survey data from Japanese university students reveal that while school education effectively supports grammar and reading skills, speaking fluency, confidence, and sustained motivation are often developed outside school. The findings highlight key factors influencing long-term engagement with English and offer practical implications for educators working in examination-focused contexts.

Speaker: Hidehiro Endo (国際教養大学)

254 Implementing Explicit Pronunciation Instructions in Class

Speaker: Olivia Allanson (Jalt)

255 Genre-based pedagogy in diverse proficiency classrooms

Taiwan’s bilingual policy mandates increased use of English in class across all education levels. To prepare English language teachers (ELTs), various professional development (PD) programmes were introduced. This study examines four high school ELTs’ teaching practices after completing a PD programme focusing on genre-based pedagogy. Two teachers teach in higher-tier high schools and two in lower-tier schools. The presentation focuses on how they adapted genre-based pedagogy to teaching contexts with varying levels of language proficiency.

256 Inspiring Student Action Through Global Issues Lessons

Developing individuals who can contribute to a sustainable society is a key challenge for education. Yet many global issues make this goal increasingly difficult. Students therefore need opportunities to learn about these issues, think critically, and take meaningful action. This practice-oriented presentation introduces a classroom activity model for teaching global issues in English lessons and shows how it can encourage students to move from awareness to action. Participants will gain practical ideas for their classrooms.

Speaker: Koji Yamamoto (愛知県立刈谷北高等学校)

257 Towards a bilingual nation: An analysis of a primary school language learning textbook in Taiwan

Speaker: Dean Carl Villacorte (Chiao Yong Primary School)

258 Adverbs in Chinese and Japanese Junior High EFL Textbooks

This study quantitatively analyzes how speaker-oriented and frequency adverbs are treated in junior high English textbooks in China and Japan, focusing on modal and evaluative adverbs that require improvement in Japanese textbooks. The results show that Chinese textbooks contain about five times as many target adverbs and include a wider range of language activities. While the introduction order of adverbs is similar, conjunctive adverbs appear from the beginning in the instructions of Chinese English textbooks.

Speakers: Yuka Takahashi (Yamaguchi University), Peifen Huang (Yamaguchi University)

259 Intercultural Understanding through Interaction with Overseas Students

Speaker: Ariko Nishimura (Public high school in Aichi)

260 Writing Journey of Indonesian Students at Risk of Dyslexia

Speakers: Hidayat Polim (Soka University), Ms Safitry Wahyuni (SMP Negeri 2 Samarinda, Indonesia)

261 AI-integrated writing and debate instruction in EFL contexts

This study examines a pedagogical practice integrating generative AI into English education for Japanese high school students in an EFL context. The practice uses AI to stimulate learners’ interest and provide immediate feedback on writing, aiming to enhance motivation for language activities. AI-supported writing tasks are further connected to English debate activities to foster productive communication skills. The study describes the instructional design and examines its effects on learner engagement and performance.

Speakers: Mizuki Nakagawa (Saitama Prefectural Hanno High School), Takamichi Nakamura (Tokyo Metropolitan Musashi High School)

262 Routine English Activities for Students with Special Educational Needs

Students in special education classes have diverse needs, such as difficulty maintaining attention and significant difficulties with reading and writing. Many students also feel anxious when they cannot anticipate what will happen next. I therefore use routine English activities that are repeated regularly, providing a sense of security. In this presentation, I will introduce practical routine activities that I use in my lessons and discuss how these activities can help students participate more confidentially in learning English.

Speaker: Mihoko Nakamura

263 USING BOTH PAPER-BASED AND MOBILE LEARNING APPS FOR VOCABULARY, SENTENCE, AND TENSE PRACTICE OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM ON A DAILY BASIS FOR LEARNERS AGED 12–18 YEARS

Speaker: Mr CHE PASCAL EYALI

Room 1005: Art and Language Learning

264 Ending Strong: Reflective Closure in EFL Classrooms

Reflection is essential to experiential learning and metacognitive growth, yet end-of-semester activities often skip it in favor of administrative tasks. This session presents a structured reflective activity involving guided writing, a visual journey map, and peer affirmation, helping EFL students process their emotions and challenges while recognizing their growth across the semester. Grounded in experiential learning, metacognition, and positive psychology, the activity offers teachers a practical model for integrating these principles into their own end-of-semester practice.

Speaker: Mr Edgar Badanoy (Kanazawa Institute of Technology)

265 Student Voices on the Impact of Real World Filmmaking

Language education emphasizes learner-centered approaches, and filmmaking is a project-based activity that supports collaborative language practice and learner autonomy (Hafner & Miller, 2011; Thaler, 2017). However, how learners perceive their own sense of agency, or Learner Empowerment, within such projects remains unclear. This presentation will report on two student interviews highlighting how students navigated feelings of empowerment, resulting in a sense of achievement, despite initially feeling worried about the difficulty of a filmmaking project.

Speakers: Ashley Ford-Mihashi (Nagoya City University), Kinsella Valies (Sophia University)

Room 1005: JALT Junior

266 Beyond Novelty: Sustained AI Feedback Across Contexts

Speaker: Douglas Emmett (Kyoai Gakuen University)

267 Promoting Learner Autonomy in a Technologically Advanced Era

Speaker: Jhana Graham (Sohphia University)

268 ALTs and Learner Motivation: Evidence from 7,000 students

Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) programs in Japan are widely justified by the belief that exposure to an “authentic” English-speaking teacher will motivate students to learn English. However, learner perspectives on ALT classroom practices remains largely unexplored. Drawing on survey data from nearly 7,000 elementary and junior high school students, students report greater motivation from clear explanations and a supportive classroom climate than from the performative markers typically associated with the ALT role.

Speakers: Atsuko Nakazawa (Rikkyo University), Elizabeth Hashimura (University of St Andrews), Prof. Akiko Kano (Sophia University Junior College Division)

269 Enhancing Young Learners’ English Speaking Skills through Modelled Video-Recorded Procedural Tasks in Google Classroom: A Qualitative Classroom-Based Study

Speaker: Hendri Pitrio Putra (Hasanuddin University)

270 AI-Assisted Language Learning Outside the Classroom: Experiences of Primary School Children

Speaker: Ha Anh Thi Nguyen (Hanoi Pedagogical University 2)

271 Living Curriculum Architecture for Learning as Life

Speaker: Kevin Mark

272 Gender and sexuality in elementary school English textbooks

We explore the prevalence (or lack) of diversity in gender and sexuality representation in official English textbooks used in Japanese elementary schools by employing multimodal critical discourse studies. By placing the issue of official textbook contents in the local historical and sociological context, we evaluate the significance of the new editions and outline the implications for encouraging a commitment to diversity and inclusion and creating safe classroom spaces for gender non-conforming and LGBTQ+-identifying students.

Speakers: Luke Lawrence (Nihon University), Yuzuko Nagashima (Yokohama National University)

Room 1005: Teacher Development

273 Training Teachers in CLT Instructional Approaches

This presentation seeks to equip attendees with the skills necessary to train pre-service teachers in communicative language teaching (CLT) approaches, particularly in contexts where learners have had limited exposure CLT-lessons. As grammar-translation approaches remain commonplace in various contexts, a particular challenge for pre-service teachers is acquiring the skills and knowledge necessary to teach CLT lessons. Attendees will be introduced to reflective activities, teaching demonstrations, and analytical tasks to better train teachers in implementing CLT approaches.

Speaker: Shalvin Singh (Kanda University of International Studies)

Room 1006: Concurrent Sessions

274 Picture books vs. newspaper articles in a university reading course

Speaker: Dr Kunert Hannah (Komazawa University)

275 Beyond the Right Answer: Interpretive Listening

Listening instruction often emphasizes comprehension questions with predetermined answers. This presentation introduces interpretive listening tasks that encourage learners to consider multiple perspectives, discuss meaning collaboratively, and connect listening texts to broader social themes. Drawing on examples from an advanced university EFL listening course in Japan, the presenter will demonstrate classroom activities and discuss how interpretive listening tasks can support student voice and deeper engagement with listening texts.

Speaker: Patrizia Hayashi (Meikai University)

Room 1103: Extensive Reading

276 Combining ER, Discussion, and Reflection in a STEM Course

Speaker: Prof. Soo-Ok Kweon (Pohang University of Science and Technology)

277 I Can Do It! Building Confidence with Authentic Readings

This presentation reports an exploratory study using Commonlit, an online reading platform designed for native English speakers in a Japanese EFL course. Pre/post-surveys measured students' perceived confidence in their reading, vocabulary, and discussion skills, and how they correlated with their feelings about their overall English, reading, and discussion abilities after the course. Results generally indicate positive influences on students' self-perceptions of their own skills. In addition, practical implementation strategies will be shared in this presentation.

Speakers: Prof. Rudolf Reinelt (Matsuyama JALT), Travis Blackburn (Ehime University)

278 Harry Potter and the Complexity of Language

This corpus-linguistic study analyzes lexical and syntactic complexity across all seven Harry Potter novels, revealing progressive linguistic development mirroring adolescent language acquisition patterns. Findings demonstrate books 1–3 suit intermediate EFL learners while books 4–7 suit advanced proficiency levels. The research provides empirical evidence for incorporating graded extensive reading materials into EFL curricula, showing how popular fiction can support pedagogical sequencing through measurable increases in vocabulary diversity and grammatical complexity while maintaining accessible high-frequency word coverage.

Speaker: Bob Ashcroft (Tokai University)

279 From Pride to Sadness: Emotions in Extensive Reading

This study explored Japanese EFL university students’ emotional experiences in Extensive Reading (ER). Their reading logs, recorded for two semesters, evidenced a wide range of emotions such as pride, desire, surprise, frustration, and sadness, and indicated positive effects of extensive reading beyond language skill development. This presentation introduces primary findings and practical implications for ER implementation in classrooms and beyond.

Speaker: Haruka Ubukata (Kanda University of International Studies)

Room 1104: Other Language Educators

280 From EAP to Academic Japanese: Applying English Writing Peda

Speaker: Jennifer Teeter (Kyoto Seika University)

281 Towards sustaining the FL learning motivation

Viele Studierende bringen eine Neugier für das Erlernen einer neuen Sprache mit.
In diesem Forum wird die Frage gestellt, wie sich die Lehrenden diese Grundmotivation der Studierenden erhalten können.
Gunske von Koelln fragt danach, wie die Wahrnehmung der ALPS-Wasserentsorgung die Studienmotivation von internationalen Studierenden beeinflusst.
Goto versucht die Lernenden im Anfängerunterricht an das extensive Lesen heranzuführen, und Vögel fragte nach den bevorzugten Vorgangsweisen beim Erlernen von Vokabeln.
Die Vorträge werden auf Deutsch gehalten.

Speakers: Bertlinde Voegel (Osaka University), Corinna V. Goto (Tohoku University), Prof. Martina GunskevonKölln (Universität Fukushima)

282 Cross-Linguistic Scaffolding in Japanese L3 Classes

Can English strategically support third-language learning? Drawing on recent CLIL and translanguaging research, this presentation reports empirical findings from a semester-long university study in Japan examining proxy-language use and vocabulary retention. Beyond the data, participants will leave with ready-to-use classroom tools: etymology sheets, inference quizzes, and “Detective Cognate” games that systematically build cross-linguistic awareness. Join us to discover how structured language comparison can strengthen retention, spelling accuracy, and learner autonomy across English, French, and Japanese.

Speakers: Sophie Otsuru, Mr クリストフ　美智仁 ダルモン (Nanzan University)

283 Redesign the Spanish Classroom for Meaningful Learning

Speakers: Dr Adiene Susej Roque de Hishiyama (Seikei University), Carlos Budding (AIU), Cecilia Noemi Silva (Tohoku University), María Fernández (Chukyo University)

284 French Forum: Voix locales pour impacter le monde

Speakers: Prof. Eric Fortin (St. Mary's College), Philip Adamek (NUCB International College)

285 Research Opportunities in Japonic Languages

This talk introduces research opportunities in second and third language acquisition among endangered Japonic languages. Topics range from research into content development for passive speakers and full hearers of a language, issues for child language acquisition in school, particularly concerning language policy, and the impact of language status on learner motivation and identity.

Speaker: Matthew Guay (RKU)

286 OLE SIG Forum: Language Learning Beyond the Classroom and Annual General Meeting

This forum showcases approaches to connect foreign language learning with authentic engagement beyond the classroom. Roque de Hishiyama (Spanish) and Wright (Thai) present music-based projects that foster interaction outside formal instructional settings. Ichimura (Japanese) introduces a written activity that strengthens connections between students' learning experiences and the local community. Nekerova (Ukrainian) examines the acquisition of grammatical aspect by Ukrainian learners of Japanese in a cross-linguistic context.
The forum is followed by the OLE SIG AGM.

Speakers: Dr Adiene Susej Roque de Hishiyama (Seikei University), Cecilia Noemi Silva (Tohoku University), Marina Nekerova (University of Tsukuba), Mrs Pornsri Wright (Kanda University of International Studies), Yoshiko Ichimura (Temple University, Japan Campus)

Room 1105: CALL and AI

287 CALL SIG Forum/AGM 90 minutes

Scaffold or Crutch? When does technology support learning, and when does it replace it? How do we know it's useful? In this forum, we will explore technologies that both excite and concern us, discuss how we place them on the scaffold-to-crutch spectrum, and consider what comes next. As students increasingly learn with and through AI, the key challenge is ensuring these tools promote growth, independence, and authentic expression rather than compensating for underdeveloped skills. Understanding that boundary may be one of education’s most important questions.

Speakers: Prof. Anthony Brian Gallagher (Meijo University), Geoffrey Carr (Asahikawa City University), Koyo Ogawa, Robert Dykes (Sojo University), Dr Robert Remmerswaal (Sojo University)

288 From Word Lists to AI: Precision Vocabulary Teaching

This hands-on workshop introduces a precision-based approach to vocabulary teaching using the NGSL and AI-powered corpus tools. Participants will learn how to profile texts, evaluate lexical coverage, adapt materials, and generate level-appropriate readings. Through guided practice, teachers will explore how frequency-informed decisions and AI tools can streamline materials development and support more efficient vocabulary learning.

Speaker: Charles Browne (Meiji Gakuin University)

289 Cracking the Black Box: Tracking AI-Assisted Writing

Speaker: Zachary Robertson (Yamaguchi University)

290 Teaching Beyond the Classroom: AI-Supported Digital Literacy

This presentation explores how generative AI transforms English language education in Mongolia. Grounded in Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL), the study examines how AI tools foster learner autonomy and multimodal communication. Findings demonstrate that while AI provides linguistic support, students must develop critical "human-in-the-loop" skills to ensure cultural sensitivity. The session offers practical strategies for integrating AI-supported digital literacies to bridge local and global communication in higher education contexts.

Speaker: Ms Tungalag Sharkhuu (ELTAM, Mongolian National University of Education)

291 Vitamin AI: A Tale of Prompts, Pitfalls, and Publishing

This presentation chronicles one educator's journey from avoiding to adopting AI for materials development. The session will detail the practical application of AI in publishing a textbook and developing software, sharing specific prompts and successful strategies. Emphasis will be placed on crucial pitfalls, such as content hallucinations, the necessity of double-checking generated content, and how to ethically use this new tool in materials development.

Speaker: Stephen Shrader (Notre Dame Seishin University)

292 The AI Teacher Toolkit: Guiding AI Use in the EFL Classroom

This session presents an evidence-informed toolkit to help EFL teachers guide classroom AI use. Drawing on survey data from 262 EFL learners, the session introduces DACC (Describe–Align–Condition–Communicate), a workflow for setting and explaining AI boundaries by assignment type. Participants will see DACC applied to classroom tasks and leave with a Teacher Decision Sheet, student-facing rule statements, and three micro-lessons on prompting for learning, privacy and safe use, and bias awareness.

Speakers: Inge Odendaal (Kansai Gaidai University), Sabine Thepaut (Kansai Gaidai University)

293 Has AI Changed the Role of English Proficiency?

Has AI Changed the Role of English Proficiency?

Speaker: Prof. Hisayo Kikuchi (Aoyama Gakuin University)

294 AI Analysis of Note-taking and Code-switching in Listening

Speaker: Dr Emi Iwasaki (Prefectural University of Hiroshima - Mihara Campus)

295 AI Beyond Text: Experiments in Minecraft Learning Worlds

This presentation explores generative AI as a Learning Companion in a spatial, interactive learning environment. Using a locally hosted Gemma 4 E4B model and Minecraft Education, students collaboratively design solar-panel systems under specific constraints. An AI-supported group is compared with a control group without AI assistance. The study examines how AI affects students’ experimentation, decision-making, collaboration, and learning outcomes through Minecraft activities, AI interaction logs, student reflections, and a subsequent transfer task without AI. Preliminary findings will consider both the possibilities and limitations of integrating generative AI into non-textual learning environments.

Speaker: Mr David Teixeira (帝京大学)

Room 1106: Brain and Language Learning

296 Brain SIG Forum: Books to Go Beyond the Classroom

Short summary
Avid readers will share insights from a variety of books. Some provide perspectives on language learning and cultural diversity, others look at brain plasticity, the ways we rewire our brain when learning to speak and read languages, the negative consequences of digital technology on reading, and the positive effects of mindfulness on executive functions and neural plasticity. Come and share a great book you have read and join our yoga session at the end.

Description
The Brain SIG forum will share insights from a selection of interesting books, linking language learning and globalism beyond the traditional classroom. Becky Alp will give us a broad perspective on language learning and cultural diversity. The books of her choice are The Cultural Map (Erin Meyer) and Behave (Robert Sapolsky). Then we move on to the question of if and how we can rewire our brains, starting with Scott Bowyer, who will explore ideas from Engaging the Rewired Brain (David A. Sousa) and discuss their relevance to language teaching. Next, we focus on reading, a crucial component in language education. Brianna Hamamoto will discuss the amazing neural plasticity deployed in reading and the negative consequences of digital technology on the cognitive mechanism of reading, drawing from Reader, Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World (Maryanne Wolf). Finally, the vital aspect of our brain rewiring is our cognitive functioning, much needed for a global citizen’s language learning. Sirisha Komanduri will introduce positive effects of mindfulness on executive functions and neural plasticity through Patanjali Yoga Sutras (Patanjali, ed.). We invite everyone to share one of their favourite brain-based books as well. The session will conclude with a yoga activity, so participants are encouraged to come prepared to join in!

Speakers: Berke Alp (Nagoya University of Foreign Studies), Ms Brianna Hamamoto (Hannan University (ECC Japan)), David Scott Bowyer, Sirisha Komanduri (Full time Lecturer at Multi lingual and Communication Center, Meikai University, Chiba)

297 Using Q to Explore Japanese as a Second Language Motivation

This study used Q methodology to discover shared perspectives on the learning of Japanese as a second language (JSL) motivations of L1 English-speaking long-term residents of Japan. A Q sort of 50 statements about JSL motivation was done by 45 participants, followed by a post-sort interview. A three-factor solution was chosen: Japanese Users, Japanese Learners, and Japanese Bypassers. The results are examined to understand how the basic psychological needs of these shared perspectives are fulfilled.

Speaker: Steven Lim (Rikkyo University)

298 Smartphone Screen Time and EFL Academic Performance

Many Japanese university students spend a considerable amount of time on their smartphones every day. What is the relationship between smartphone screen time and EFL academic performance? Does excessive smartphone use negatively affect academic outcomes, or is there no clear relationship? The presenters will review the literature on this topic and report the findings from a study of first-year university students. Daily screen time, app-category use, and final EFL course grades are examined.

Speakers: Christopher Saarna (Asia University), Mark Goodhew (Meikai University), Daniel Anderson (Asia University)

299 Perspectives on Happiness to Inform Pedagogical Practice

Speaker: Yoshi Joanna Grote (Kyoto Sangyo University)

300 Brain-friendly Study Skills: Beware of the Mobile Phone

Supported by research findings, Brain-friendly Study Skills proposes a bottom-up, holistic approach to learning for you and your students. The mobile phone is taking a large portion of student life, affecting both their health and academic performance, but are we educators entirely safe from such a harm? And can we make changes with such a now-integral aspect of life? This session delves into the risks of screen time and provide practical solutions using digestible science.

Speaker: Dr MASDA Yuka (Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences)

301 Structured English Progression with Pathways Awarua

Pathways Awarua is a free online platform developed in Aotearoa/New Zealand, supporting English development from foundation to higher proficiency levels. This session demonstrates how structured modules, scaffolded progression, and formative feedback support mixed-proficiency tertiary ESOL/EFL learners while fostering learner agency. Drawing on implementation in Japanese university contexts, participants will explore practical models for integrating structured English skill development into foundation and first-year courses, particularly where proficiency diversity and limited contact hours present instructional challenges.

Speakers: Mr Michael Grawe (Pathways Awarua, Ako Aotearoa/Massey University (NZ)), Mr Matthew Cotter (Hokusei Gakuen University)

Room 1106: Task-based Learning

302 Using PBL to Develop Research Skills in Science Students

Project-Based Learning (PBL) can help science students develop research skills while strengthening their academic English. This presentation introduces a course design in which students learn how to conduct a short literature review, design peer surveys, analyze data, and write and present research reports based on their findings. Participants will receive a practical step-by-step instructional framework for guiding students from research questions to final reports in student-led research projects.

Speaker: Mark Firth

303 Linguistic Landscape in Teaching Functional Literacy

By combining sociolinguistic research with hands-on teaching strategies, this paper discusses how the public signs that learners experience in their linguistic environment can be used to to leverage and enhance learner engagement in the classroom and serve as an impetus for contextualized instruction.
The study employed the classroom-action research cycle. It involved output, observed participation, recorded and assessed learning. To measure literacy improvement, mixed methods were used which combined both quantitative and qualitative data. Results indicate that engagement with linguistic landscape (LL) tasks enabled students to critically analyze the sociolinguistic appropriateness of public signage, fostering heightened sensitivity to context-specific language use, and developed an awareness of how linguistic choices in signage can reflect and shape sociocultural norms within diverse communities.

Speaker: Glenda Cadiente (Leyte Normal University)

Room 1107: Global Issues and DEI

304 Designing Community Research Tasks on International Themes

Taking students out of the classroom into the local community to research international themes can be an exciting way to promote language proficiency, research skills, community engagement, personal growth and global awareness. This session will describe how Japanese students researched and presented on international topics such as international marriage, sister cities, foreign residents, ethnic food, sports exchanges and world religions as part of a compulsory 1-year “Regional Research” course at a Japanese national university.

Speaker: Kip Cates (Tottori University)

305 English language learning and the manosphere

Speaker: Luke Lawrence (Nihon University)

306 Effects of Peer Oral Feedback on Students' Essays

Speaker: Neil Satoquia (Higher College of Technology)

307 A CLIL Approach to Teaching Social Issues in a University Classroom

Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) offers a way to connect language development with meaningful content. This presentation shares approaches used in a university English course that focuses on contemporary social issues. The course uses English as a means to explore these issues through a CLIL-oriented approach. The presentation introduces several classroom approaches, such as vocabulary preparation, multimedia materials, structured discussion, and proposal-based tasks. It also presents sample activities and task sequences from actual classroom practice. These examples show ways to make complex social issues more accessible to university English learners and provide opportunities for discussion, critical thought, and collaboration. The session aims to share practical approaches that other teachers can adapt to their own courses and classroom contexts.

Speaker: Mrs ANA MARIA FLORES (CHUKYO UNIVERSITY)

308 Continuities and Change: Generations of DEI Advocacy at JALT

As rising ethnonationalism, anti-DEI backlash, and growing polarization challenge commitments to equity and inclusion in Japan and around the world, it is more important than ever for us to reflect on the work of creating more just academic communities at JALT and beyond. This panel brings together long-time and newer JALT members committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion to explore the evolution of DEI efforts within our organization; from early initiatives to contemporary challenges and emerging priorities.

Through an intergenerational dialogue, panelists will reflect on successes, tensions, and lessons learned over the years, considering how far JALT has come and the work that remains. The discussion will invite us to envision collective strategies for sustaining and deepening DEI commitments in an increasingly complex landscape.

Speakers: Prof. Amanda Gillis-Furutaka (Kyoto Sangyo University), Benio Suzuki (Utsunomiya University), Ms Deepti Mishiro (Kobe University), Jennie Roloff Rothman (Kanda University of International Studies, JALT SIG Representative Liaison), Natsuho Mizoguchi (Nagoya University of Foreign Studies), Dr Yaya Yao (Kyushu University)

309 Inclusive Hiring Practices in Language Programs

This presentation begins by reviewing research into discriminatory hiring practices based on speakerhood, race, gender, age, and disability. Then, employing a relational view of inclusion, it offers practical guidelines for language program managers at the pre-hiring, in-hiring, and post-hiring stages. The aim is to help audience members avoid exclusionary practices in their own institutions and adopt a hiring process that promotes fair and effective outcomes for their program, their teachers, and their students.

Speakers: Matthew Schaefer (Sophia University), Robert Lowe (Ochanomizu University), Davey Young (Sophia University)

310 Margin Walkers: Fixed-Term Faculty in Japanese Universities

This presentation examines how fixed-term employment contracts shape faculty integration and well-being in Japanese higher education institutions, situating the discussion within broader research on academic casualisation and precarious work. Drawing on Bourdieu's concepts of habitus, capital, and field, it explores how fixed-term status affects faculty positioning and access to valued institutional resources, including departmental participation and well-established professional networks. It extends existing Japan-focused literature by comparing international and Japanese fixed-term faculty and by incorporating the perspectives of tenured faculty with prior fixed-term experience.

Drawing on a nationwide questionnaire (n=94) and 17 semi-structured interviews from a wider mixed-methods study, this presentation focuses on three closely linked findings: fixed-term faculty often experience weaker departmental integration than tenured colleagues; this frequently coincides with marginal positioning within the academic field, including constrained participation in decision-making and uneven recognition of teaching and research; and these gaps in integration and participation are closely tied to lower workplace satisfaction and well-being.

Speaker: Brian Dubin (Kansai University)

Room 1107: Listening

311 Perceived Changes After Fast-Rate Listening Practice

This study investigates how fast-rate listening practice influences Japanese EFL learners’ speed adaptation, confidence, and perception. Learners were trained with time-compressed speech, then heard the same passage at normal speed, which sounded slower and may have strengthened their sense of progress. Post-training surveys showed high perceived gains in adaptation to faster speech. Although transfer to authentic materials (film / YouTube) was limited, the survey suggested that fast-rate listening practice can foster student confidence and motivation.

Speaker: Kazue Tsuruta (Juntendo University)

312 Podcast Journals: A Routine for Extensive Listening

This session introduces "Podcast Journals," a framework designed to scaffold autonomous extensive listening and bridge out-of-class study with classroom participation. Drawing on a semester-long project with university students, the presentation illustrates how this structured routine supports not only the development of listening skills but also vocabulary and speaking fluency, in addition to cultivating engagement and psychological safety. Participants will examine the framework’s adaptability and leave with a low-prep model for their own teaching contexts.

Speaker: Kriti Arora

Room 1108: Assessment, Evaluation, and Testing

313 Ecological Approaches to Rethinking EFL Assessment

This presentation introduces ecological principles that view language development as emergent and shaped by learners’ engagement with affordances. It guides EFL instructors in examining limitations of product oriented assessment and exploring process focused alternatives for university contexts. Through step by step reflection, analysis of assessment examples, and collaborative design tasks, participants learn to evaluate assessment purposes, structures, and classroom evidence of development. The workshop also provides a customizable portfolio template to support more responsive, learner centered assessment practices.

Speaker: Noriko Nagai (Ibaraki University)

314 Rethinking participation assessment in Japanese classrooms

This presentation reports an exploratory action research project probing how participation can be defined and assessed in a Japanese university context. Students were invited to co-create a rubric and shared teacher–student assessment system reflecting multicultural perspectives. Although students valued participation, views on assessment differed. Scores increased over time, but students consistently rated themselves higher than the teacher. Results suggest learners may equate participation with personal effort while the teacher emphasised contribution to an English-speaking learning community.

Speaker: Mr John Shaw (Westgate)

315 A Japanese speaking test...for English Teachers?

This study examined how experiencing a communication-based Japanese speaking test influenced the pedagogical beliefs of university test preparation instructors. Participants completed pre-test interviews, undertook a Japanese speaking test conducted by native Japanese teachers, and participated in post-test interviews. Qualitative thematic analysis revealed increased teacher empathy and heightened awareness of the cognitive and emotional demands faced by learners, alongside a shift from strategy-focused instruction toward greater emphasis on overall communicative competence.

Speakers: Alex Serebriakoff (Momoyama Gakuin Daigaku), Thomas Legge (Momoyama Gakuin University), Yoko Yaku (桃山学院大学)

316 Connecting Pronunciation Practice to TOEIC Listening

This presentation investigates how to support first-year university students prepare for TOEIC exam. These students often report they "know the words but cannot hear them," suggesting a gap between lexical knowledge and spoken-word recognition (Field, 2008). This presentation introduces a weekly shadowing cycle in which students identify difficult TOEIC audio segments, practise shadowing, and submit recordings via an LMS. Attendees will examine practical examples of how to implement this and learn to set up this cycle in their own classes.

Speaker: Shizuka Brooks (Kyoto Sangyo University)

317 Validating a Grit Scale for L2 Learners: Beyond Scores

We report a 10-item L2 grit scale, provisionally developed for Japanese university EFL learners (n = 298). Confirmatory factor analysis and Rasch calibration both supported two dimensions, perseverance of effort and consistency of interest, correlated at .73. Beyond scores, the dimensions differed in their partial associations with the criterion variables: consistency of interest exceeded perseverance of effort on both L2 self-guides, whereas the two converged on intended effort.

Speakers: Alex Toyoda (Temple University), Hitomi Ametani (Temple University Japan)

318 “No Answer” Has Meaning: Affective Change in Reading

Students with low English proficiency frequently leave reading-test items blank, even missing opportunities to earn points by guessing on multiple-choice questions. In this study targeting 45 EFL college students, a significant decrease in “No Answer” responses was observed over 15 weeks, suggesting a positive shift in attitudes towards English reading. Reduced reading anxiety and increased self-efficacy further support this interpretation. Viewing “No Answer” responses as meaningful data enables teachers to better support low-proficiency students.

Speaker: Sachi Oshima (Chuo Gakuin University)

319 Best Test Design Using Rasch Measurement

In this presentation, we demonstrate how to design high-quality tests characterized by good targeting of test-takers, high reliability, and precise measurement. We focus on three aspects of test design: height, width, and length (Wright & Stone, 1979). Height is the average difficulty of the test items, width indicates the range of item difficulties, and length concerns the number of test items. By adjusting these factors, short, reliable tests can be created.

Speakers: David Beglar (Temple University, Japan Campus), Dr Tomoko Nemoto (Temple University, Japan Campus)

320 A Comparative Analysis of New TOEFL iBT and IELTS Listening

Speaker: Yasunori Matsuzono (Meiji Gakuin University)

321 Assurance of Learning in AI-Present Japanese University EFL

This study examines how university EFL instructors in Japan justify claims that students have achieved course learning outcomes in AI-present contexts. Drawing on syllabus analysis and interviews with 18 instructors, the study identifies variation in outcome clarity, assessment alignment, and evidentiary reasoning. Three patterns of assurance-of-learning practices emerged, with verification-based approaches demonstrating stronger justification. Implications for assessment design and instructor assessment literacy will be discussed.

Speaker: Hesborn Ondiba (Tokyo University of Science)

322 Using Rubrics to Support Confidence and Competence

This presentation explores how rubrics clarify learning goals and assessment criteria in language classrooms. Commonly used for performance-based tasks such as role-plays and oral presentations, rubrics make expectations transparent and support consistent evaluation. Combined with timely, constructive feedback, they help students build competence and confidence. The session reviews best practices in rubric design and implementation, highlighting how rubrics build student awareness, guide improvement, and improve learning outcomes through practical classroom strategies.

Speaker: B.Bricklin (Brick) Zeff (Hokkai-Gakuen Univeristy)

Room 1109: Pragmatics

323 Embodied Resources for Managing Progressivity in Interaction

Studies in conversation analysis demonstrate that participants prioritize progressivity by self-selecting when a speaker encounters trouble or by continuing the ongoing trajectory rather than correcting linguistic errors (Ikeda, 2008; Hauser, 2017). The present study investigates how embodied resources are used to sustain progressivity. The findings suggest that L2 learners deploy embodied resources, such as gaze shifts, hand gestures, and facial expressions, to project trouble before it becomes verbally explicit. Orienting to these embodied displays of trouble, recipients propose candidate understandings, thereby supporting the progressivity of interaction.

Speaker: Ms Deepti Mishiro (Kobe University)

324 Perfectly Anxious? Pragmatics of Speaking Self-efficacy

Using a pragmatics focus, this study examines how perfectionism, social anxiety, classroom community, and English proficiency influence speaking confidence among Japanese university students. High-proficiency learners are most sensitive to perfectionistic pressures, while study abroad experience boosts tolerance for mistakes. Classroom community strongly benefits lower-proficiency students, highlighting the interplay of personal traits, social factors, and experience in shaping EFL speaking self-efficacy.

Speaker: Stachus Peter Tu (Shimane University)

Room 1109: SIG Forums

325 Fostering a Culture of Care and Accessibility

Following a fourfold increase in students with special educational needs (2014–2023) and 2024 legislative mandates requiring reasonable accommodations, Japanese higher education faces an urgent pedagogical shift. Grounded in the social model of disability, this forum will discuss structural barriers for special educational needs students and instructional challenges for faculty. Through diverse case analyses and shared experiences, we explore transitioning from rigid compliance to a proactive culture of care. Effective inclusion demands flexibility, consistent communication, and equitable assessment. Ultimately, educators must evolve into metaphoric 'shape shifters' or mediaries who restructure the learning experience, embracing diverse identities to cultivate inclusive spaces benefiting the entire academic community.

Speakers: Dr Andrew Reimann (Aoyama Gakuin University), Dr Catherine Takasugi (Jissen Women's University), Natsuki Suzuki (University Lecturer, Tokyo), Ryota Moriya (Chuo University)

326 ART SIG Forum/AGM 90 minutes

Physical & Digital: Teaching Materials and Student Products

This ART SIG Forum explores how physical and digital materials can support creative, engaging EFL teaching and learning. Through three short presentations, presenters will share examples of teaching materials, student-created products, multimodal projects, and practical classroom activities that integrate the arts into language learning. The presentations will highlight a range of resources, including books, worksheets, cards, visual materials, slides, video, online platforms, and other digital tools, with attention to how these materials can encourage participation, creativity, communication, and meaningful language use.

Following the three presentations, the forum will conclude with a panel discussion and audience Q&A. Presenters and participants will consider how art, visual media, multimodality, and student production can be used to enhance EFL teaching practices across different contexts. The session aims to provide practical ideas while also creating space for discussion about how teachers can adapt physical and digital resources to their own classrooms.

Speakers: Alison Groves (Aichi Shukutoku University), Ayako Taguchi, Jeanette Fukao

327 LLL SIG Forum/AGM 90 minutes

As well-being gains increasing attention in language education, this forum explores how it can be meaningfully embedded into everyday teaching practice rather than treated as an optional add-on. Drawing on research in positive psychology (Seligman, 2011), self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000), and language learner wellbeing (Mercer & Gregersen, 2020), speakers examine sustainable learning through task design, interaction, and assessment that foster belonging, agency, motivation, and engagement. Panellists from Japanese university contexts share practical examples, successes, and challenges, followed by participant discussion. The session offers realistic, research-informed strategies for human-centred, sustainable language classrooms.

Speakers: Bill Snyder (Soka University), Chiyuki Yanase (Keio University), Eucharia Donnery (Soka University), Joseph Dias (Aoyama Gakuin University)

Room 1201: College and University Educators

328 Assessing student experiences in a General English classroom

Speaker: Parvathy Ramachandran (Kanazawa Institute of Technology)

Room 1201: Pragmatics and Intercultural Exchange

329 From Script to Interaction: Japanese Service Encounters

Speaker: Todd Allen (Kansai University)

330 International Posture in Japanese Pharmacy Education

In this presentation, I report on an ongoing replication and extension of Yashima’s (2002) International Posture framework among Japanese female pharmacy majors in a women’s university. While internationalization has become an increasingly important goal in Japanese higher education, relatively little research has examined how STEM learners, particularly women in health sciences, perceive international engagement and the role of English in their imagined futures.
Using a cross-sectional design, the study compares first-, second-, and third-year students in two pharmacy-related programs: a six-year program in which students are eligible to obtain pharmacist licenses, and a four-year program in which graduates often pursue careers in the pharmaceutical sciences, including work as cosmeticians or researchers. Participants complete the original Japanese version of Yashima’s International Posture survey along with supplementary open-ended questions concerning future academic goals and perceived relevance of English to participation in scientific and professional communities.

Speaker: Dr Julia Kimura (Mukogawa Women's University)

331 Using theDMIS to Measure Growth in Intercultural Sensitivity

This presentation is a summary of a paper published in February 2026. The study utilized the DMIS to measure the growth in intercultural sensitivity of Japanese university EFL students after on-campus intervention efforts. The literature review explains IC measurement in overseas study programs and local educational interventions and summarizes the stages of the DMIS. The preliminary analysis proved that the DMIS functioned as a basic measurement tool of IS using the qualitative data collected.

Speaker: Hui Ling Wang (Morioka University)

332 Using Intercultural Rhetoric in L2 Writing Classes

Speaker: Mark Frank (Toyama University of International Studies)

333 Community-based multilingual research for glocal citizenship

Reflecting the increasing diversity of Japanese society and classrooms, this presentation will demonstrate how to leverage students’ background, curiosity, and agency to develop not just their linguistic repertoire but also their critical thinking, social conscience, and transversal skills. Participants will become familiar with the guiding principles, basic building blocks, and implementation process of this methodology as well as ways to tailor the approach to different class types, levels, and student cohorts.

Speaker: Claudia Kunschak

334 From Rice Fields to Global Audiences: Teaching Sake Culture

Speaker: Mark Frank (Toyama University of International Studies)

335 Exploring University Students’ Perspectives on Silence

This study explores how 42 Japanese undergraduate students perceive silence during speaking activities in university EFL classrooms. Using questionnaires administered across multiple sessions over three weeks, the questionnaire examines learner interpretations of silence as negative, neutral, or positive, alongside changes in affective engagement and perceived speaking performance. The findings reveal increasing courage and engagement in speaking tasks, while performance evaluations fluctuate, highlighting the dynamic and situational nature of silence in language learning.

Speaker: Yasmin Moraes (Soka University)

Room 1202: Teacher Development

336 Matching Instructional Support to EFL Learner Needs

This presentation uses the Situational Leadership® (SLII®) framework as a practical tool to support decision-making by university EFL instructors. Originally developed for managers, the SLII® framework is applied in this session to support classroom teaching. Using hypothetical student profiles, participants identify learner competence and commitment, then discuss how instructors can adjust direction and support across a range of tasks. The goal is to help instructors better meet individual learner needs.

Speaker: Jonathan Shachter (Kyushu Sangyo University)

337 Using Appreciative Inquiry for Dialogic Teacher Reflection

This project reports on a collaborative reflective practice intervention utilizing an Appreciative Inquiry (AI) framework conducted with four English teachers in Japan. Dialogue sessions were administered in pairs to explore meaningful areas of teacher curiosity and to generate actionable changes in teaching practice.

Speakers: Daniel Hooper (Chuo University), Mr Gabriel Misaka, Mr Russell Chan (Nagoya University of Foreign Studies), Tomoko Kaji

338 Microteaching and EFL Pre-Service Teacher's Readiness

Speakers: Raisa Fadilla (Lambung Mangkurat University), Ms Noor Eka Chandra (Lambung Mangkurat University), Ms Dini Arini (Universitas Lambung Mangkurat)

339 Grammar for Real-World Communication

Teaching English in English-speaking environments often prioritizes communicative fluency, as learners expect rapid improvement through constant exposure outside the classroom. This emphasis, however, can unintentionally marginalize grammar instruction. This presentation demonstrates how explicit grammar teaching can be integrated into communicative lessons in ways that support both fluency and accuracy. Drawing on classroom examples, the session provides practical strategies that help teachers present grammar as a supportive tool rather than a barrier to communication.

Speaker: Magda Smith (ILSC Education Group)

340 Perceptions and Attitudes Towards Professional Development

Speakers: Bladimie Germain (Reitaku University), Jonathan Baker (Reitaku University), Subhrajit Chowdhury (Reitaku University)

341 Managing Cognitive Load in Teacher Talk

Speaker: Ms Bellarina-Dung Nguyen

342 Exploring Academic Emotions in the University Classroom

Speaker: Nicholas Marx (Kanazawa Seiryo University)

343 Structured Reflection: Lessons from DELTA

This presentation explores how structured reflection can support professional growth in language teaching. Drawing on insights from Cambridge DELTA Module Two, it illustrates how guided cycles of planning, class observation, feedback, and reflection can reshape pedagogical decision making. A practical reflection model adaptable to Japanese higher education contexts will be introduced.

Speaker: Haruko Shimazaki (Tsuru University)

344 Duoethnographic Reflections: Elements of EAP Program Success

This presentation reports on findings from a duoethnography study involving two English for academic purposes (EAP) scholar-practitioners based in Canada and Japan who reflected on their experiences and research in answer to the question “What makes an EAP program successful?” Key themes are shared related to positive experiences and outcomes in and beyond the EAP classroom. Attendees have the opportunity to consider meaningful pathways for providing holistic approaches to EAP teaching and learning.

Speakers: Dr Michael Landry (Akita International University), Scott Roy Douglas (University of British Columbia)

345 An arts-based trioethnography of minoritized women educators

This trioethnography explores the traumas experienced by minoritized teachers in Japan and their collaborative reflection and research for practicing ethics of care (Kamlongera & Katenga-Kaunda, 2023). Although distrust toward our professional status rooted in linguistic racism has culminated in emotional distress and trauma, we could verbalize and interpret our trauma with trioethnography, processing our distress collaboratively and turning negative experiences into growth points (Johnson & Golombek, 2016).

Speakers: Miso Kim (The University of Osaka), Yael Miyama (Nagoya City University), Dr Yaya Yao (Kyushu University)

346 Beyond Language Barriers: Student Subjectivity on Translanguaging in Multilingual EMI Classrooms of Thailand’s Deep South

Speaker: Nasree Pitaksuksan

347 Creativity in LOTE Teaching in Thai Higher Education

Speaker: Patumporn Boonchum

Room 1203: Learner Development

348 The Ethic of Care: An Autoethnographic Reflection on Action

Grounded in an ethic of care and informed by autoethnographic reflection, this practice-oriented session examines how small, intentional outreach strategies were used to support failing and disengaged EFL university students in achieving academic success. This session introduces practical, sustainable approaches to teacher–student communication and presence, and also considers how lecturers can provide meaningful relational support without substantially increasing workload.

Speaker: Chris Regier

349 What Can We Learn From Expert Language Learners?

People who speak 6 or more languages are called ‘polyglots’ in language acquisition research literature. In this practice-oriented presentation, we will review the literature on these very successful language learners in order to understand what qualities and learning practices polyglots share in common, and so that we can then apply these polyglot practices to the teaching of learners of all levels and abilities.

Speaker: Nathan Cohen (Tokyo International University)

350 Student-centered AI Feedback for Pronunciation & Writing

Tired of the endless cycle of manual grading on writing and speaking tasks, but AI feedback seems overwhelming for both you and your students? Come explore classroom-tested and easy to implement AI prompts for scalable feedback on writing structure (clarity, organization, and word choice) and pronunciation (suprasegmentals like stress, rhythm, and intonation). Learn to navigate student trust while avoiding feedback fatigue to balance automation. Participants will leave with a ready-to-use toolkit for immediate classroom impact.

Speaker: Ms Denise Lo (Douglas College)

351 The Playful Path: Managing Emotions in Language Learning

This presentation offers language teachers a scaffolded framework for integrating mindfulness, learner autonomy, and emotional resilience within a gamified "Learning Stations" circuit. Grounded in the dynamic model of autonomy, these experiences integrate affective, cognitive, and social components to build learners'emotional awareness. Participants will explore how to implement these strategies with their students in diverse educational spaces. Ultimately, the session intends to help teachers improve the overall classroom climate and support student well-being.

Speaker: Maria de la Paz Adelia Peña Clavel (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico)

352 Self-Efficacy and Foreign Language Anxiety in French EFL Students

Speaker: Najoua MOHIB (University of Strasbourg)

353 From Gaps to Gains in L2 Peer Interaction

Speaker: Sophie Otsuru

354 Second Chances vs Knowning When to Quit

Speaker: Jeremy Chambers (Temple University, Japan Campus)

355 Target Language Use in University English Classes

This study examines how university English instructors in Japan use English and Japanese in classroom instruction and how language choice affects students’ learning experiences. Using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, it explores variations in language use according to instructional context, instructor background, and student proficiency. By analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data, the study aims to clarify the benefits of English-dominant instruction and strategic first-language use, providing evidence-based recommendations for university English education and bridging secondary and tertiary educational practices.

Speakers: Jerry Miller (Yamagata University), Yukiko Koizumi (Yamagata University)

356 Boosting Motivation via Media-based Trigger Sessions

This presentation examines “Trigger Sessions” that integrate language and culture using audiovisual media to enhance motivation. The proposed instructional design facilitates the internalization of abstract cultural concepts through multimodal input. Based on data from Thai JFL learners using anime as a case, the study demonstrates how this approach stimulates noticing and boosts motivation toward media-based learning. These strategies address challenges in acquiring complex cultural vocabulary, suggesting a potential pathway for autonomous learning.

Speaker: Natsuki Matsui (Kyoto University of Advanced Science)

357 Exploring practitioners’ views of practice and research

In this forum, we will first share insights and questions from a collaborative inquiry with six teachers passionate about learner development, by focusing on their visual and written reflections about the practice-research relationship. By relating these personal theorisations to their own practices and life-worlds, participants will create their own visual representations before discussing their experiences and perspectives with fellow attendees. This process will highlight connections, differences, and contradictions in how we understand practitioner research.

Speakers: Andy Barfield (Chuo University), Ivan Lombardi (University of Fukui), James Underwood, Lorna Asami (Gakushuin University), Megumi Uemi (Toyo University), Tim Ashwell (Komazawa University)

Room 1204: AI

358 AI Policy Challenges in Language Education

Speakers: Dini Arini (Universitas Lambung Mangkurat), Fahmi Hidayat (Universitas Lambung Mangkurat), Raisa Fadilla (Lambung Mangkurat University)

359 Instructor, Peer, & AI: Learner Preferences for Feedback

Speakers: Jacob Dunlap (Kyoto University), John Rylander (Kyoto University)

360 Fostering Global Competence and Linguistic Proficiency in AI-Driven EMI Contexts

Speaker: Hiroyuki Obari (Globiz Professional University)

361 AI-Assisted Coding of Multilingual Data with NotebookLM

This practice-oriented session demonstrates how NotebookLM (i.e. Gemini Notebook) can support the coding and analysis of bilingual and multilingual qualitative data in EFL and ESL research. Presenters will share practical prompt-engineering strategies and workflows for organizing, summarizing, and identifying themes across languages. Participants will see examples of multilingual transcription, data display, and AI-assisted querying. The session aims to help educators and researchers integrate AI tools into multilingual research while developing practical AI literacy skills.

Speakers: Ms Rebecca Clippard (Soka University), Yasmin Moraes (Soka University)

362 AI-Resistant Capacities in Japanese University EFL

When AI can produce the output, the output stops being the point. This research examines how Japanese university EFL students use generative AI, what this reveals about gaps in educational design, and how a neuroscience-informed Intention–Action–Reflection framework develops the metacognitive, ethical, and communicative capacities that AI cannot replicate.

Speaker: Anthony Lavigne (Doshisha University)

Room 1204: Writing and Vocabulary

363 Written vs. Aural Lexis: Challenging Modality Equivalence

This paper challenges the assumption that written vocabulary knowledge accurately represents aural knowledge present in L2 listening research for decades (Stæhr, 2009; Durbahn et al., 2024). Comparing 72 lexical items across modalities among 304 Japanese students, results showed that despite high correlations, significant differences exist across 1-3K frequency bands. These findings invalidate using written measures to predict listening comprehension. The study advocates for modality-specific aural assessments to correctly capture lexical demands in pedagogical and research contexts.

Speaker: Stuart McLean (Kindai University)

364 IMPAR³: A Scaffolding Framework for Stronger EFL Writing

How can teachers scaffold low-proficiency EFL writers beyond fragile classroom drafts toward stronger writing? This workshop introduces IMPAR³, a recursive teaching framework that provides structured revision and purposeful retelling. Comparisons of Week 1 and Week 14 timed writing tasks (n=43) show measurable gains in structural clarity. Participants will gain adaptable insights, particularly on implementing the Retell stage, for use in their own teaching contexts.

Speaker: Mr Prumel Barbudo (Meikai University)

365 Student blogs for building fluency and motivation

This practice-oriented session demonstrates how to adapt weekly digital journaling for diverse learner needs. The presenters contrast two distinct approaches: a scaffolded model using Padlet prompts to bridge writing and speaking for lower-confidence learners, and an authentic model using public blogs (Blogger/X) to build fluency and digital literacy.

Speakers: Li-hsin Tu, Martin Sedaghat (Sanjo City University)

366 Graphic Organizers in University EFL Academic Writing

How can graphic organizers help multilingual university students write logically and independently in English? In this presentation, we explore how color-coded graphic organizers can support idea generation, structural clarity, and peer collaboration while also helping students build confidence and avoid over-reliance on generative AI in the writing process. We will provide original examples of graphic organizers for compiling research, developing paragraphs, and planning essays that can be implemented across varied educational contexts and levels.

Speakers: Rachel ODell, Robin Ramsey (Tokyo International University)

Room 1205: CALL and AI

367 L2 Skills Enhancement and Identity Presentation Via TikTok

Speaker: Robertgie Piañar (Assistant Professor, Leyte Normal University)

368 Student use of LLMs to correct low context phrases

Speaker: Dr Cameron Smith (Aichi Gakuin University)

369 Having Fun (While Saving Face) with Poll Everywhere

Poll Everywhere, an Audience Response System (ARS) software, has been widely lauded as a tool for increasing student participation in higher education instruction. In this session, attendees will engage in a demonstration of two innovative, interactive uses of Poll Everywhere that have proven successful with undergraduate EFL learners in China. Takeaways will include both experiential knowledge of and written instructions for these techniques for teaching presentation skills and academic writing.

Speaker: Katie Hibner (Southern University of Science and Technology)

370 ChatGPT and Language Learning: Students’ Views and Practices

This presentation reports the results of a questionnaire completed by 2,521 Japanese university students about their experiences with and views on ChatGPT. The findings indicate that half had used it to study at least one language, with qualitative and quantitative data providing insights into use for L2 learning. Views on teachers’ use of ChatGPT and their roles in guiding student use are also shared, along with students’ perceptions of ChatGPT’s impact on language education.

Speaker: Prof. Louise Ohashi (Gakushuin University)

371 L2 Motivational Development in Asynchronous COIL

This study examines how participation in asynchronous COIL is perceived to influence university L2 learners’ motivation to develop English listening, speaking, and intercultural communication skills. Japanese and Norwegian university students engaged in a four-week exchange involving video presentations. While Norwegian students’ motivation remained consistently high, Japanese students reported increased confidence, interest, and perceived importance of English communication. The findings highlight the potential of asynchronous COIL to support motivation and intercultural engagement among L2 learners.

Speakers: Jacob Petersen (Iwate University), Dr Kaori Takamine (UiT The Arctic University of Norway), Nadiia Zaitseva (Kwansei Gakuin University)

372 Speed Reading 2.0: Implementation for Students and Teachers

This presentation demonstrates version 2.0 of ESL Speed Reading, the free speed reading application and learner management system. The software suite has been rewritten to be more responsive, and new features have been added. The presenter will demonstrate these features, compare digital reading with paper-based reading, and describe how teachers can use the software in their classes. Attendees will receive access to the software suite.

Speaker: TJ Boutorwick (Kindai University)

373 Rethinking WTC in Digital Contexts: Online Exchange Insights

This study examined how asynchronous virtual exchanges affect willingness to communicate (WTC) among low‑proficiency Japanese university students. Most participants showed increased digital‑context WTC, with mid‑proficiency and highly engaged students benefiting most. Interview data indicated that written messaging reduced anxiety by giving learners time to confirm ideas before responding. However, gains varied, as differences in proficiency, expectations, and communication habits shaped individual outcomes. The findings highlight how comfort with asynchronous written interaction influences WTC development.

Speakers: Dr Kayoko Horai (Sojo University), Dr Robert Remmerswaal (Sojo University)

374 Authorship Familiarity Can Distinguish Human and LLM Writing

This study examines whether authorship can be distinguished through process-based evidence of engagement with written text. The Content Restoration Authorship Familiarity Test (CRAFT) assesses writers’ ability to restore lexical and structural elements of texts. Sixty undergraduate English education majors completed CRAFT tasks based on self-authored and LLM-generated texts. CRAFT scores strongly differentiated conditions (Cohen’s d = 5.34), suggesting that access to cognitively encoded compositional decisions provides an interpretable, process-based approach to authorship assessment in educational contexts.

Speaker: Richard Rose (Hankuk University of Foreign Studies)

375 Automated Pronunciation Assessment of Corpus and Class Data

Automated speech assessment is increasingly used in language learning, yet independent validity evidence remains limited. This study evaluates Microsoft Azure Pronunciation Assessment using an argument-based framework and corpus (n = 3,510) and classroom (n = 306) data. Analyses examine relationships with CEFR proficiency, lexical indicators, internal score structure, and expert human ratings. Results support construct-relevant interpretations of Azure scores, particularly for prosody and accuracy, while revealing weaker fluency alignment and substantial systematic human–machine calibration differences.

Speaker: Richard Rose (Hankuk University of Foreign Studies)

Room 1205: Learner Development

376 Multimodal Literacy in English for Medical Purposes

Speaker: Dr 恵美子 松本 (長野県立大学)

377 Comparing Collaborative and Individual Writing in an EFL Academic Writing Course: A Corpus-Based Analysis

Collaborative Writing (CW) activities are low-stakes exercises that engage learners through social interaction, promote peer instruction, and develop critical thinking skills. This study compares individually and collaboratively written output by analyzing CAF (Complexity, Accuracy, Fluency) measures from a learner corpus of writing collected from students over the course of a semester (N = 37, ~50k words). The analysis also takes task type into consideration.

Speaker: John Galindo (Kwansei Gakuin University)

378 Fostering Metapragmatic Awareness via a Video-Making Task

Speaker: Benio Suzuki (Utsunomiya University)

Room 1206: International Partners

Convener: Richmond Stroupe (Soka University)

379 Status as a Barrier to Professional Development

This phenomenological study of 14 female English language teachers in Nepal challenges the assumption that high socio-economic status (SES) supports professional growth. Drawing on socio-cultural, feminist, and capability perspectives, it shows elite family expectations and patriarchal norms can restrict career development. Participants reported ongoing struggles to sustain their professions amid pressures related to care, tradition, and prestige. The study concludes that higher SES may impose subtle constraints, requiring continuous negotiation of autonomy and professional identity.

Speaker: Dr Ganga Laxmi Bhandari (Tribhuvan University; NELTA)

380 Using AI to Bring Local Stories to Global Audience

Teachers participated in an AI training teach students how tools like ChatGPT and Leonardo AI can empower them to share local narratives, such as Madurese festivals, with a global audience. Attendees will see specific student outputs and learn a replicable model for bridging local culture for global communication.

Speaker: Prof. Zuliati Rohmah (Universitas Brawijaya)

381 AI Writing: Perceptions, Creativity and Critical Thinking

This study examines the impact of AI-assisted writing on students’ creativity and critical thinking in contemporary academia. Using a five-point Likert-scale questionnaire, data will be collected from 200 university students and 100 teachers across India. Statistical analysis will explore perceptions of AI’s influence on creativity, reasoning, and writing development. The findings will help identify stakeholder differences, inform future research hypotheses, and contribute to developing effective teaching policies and strategies for responsible AI integration in education.

Speaker: Dr Kishore Selva Babu (ELTAI x CHRIST UNIVERSITY)

382 ARAL: Inclusive Learning and Global Engagement

The Department of Education’s Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program advances inclusive education in the Philippines beyond addressing learning loss. Through localized interventions, partnerships, volunteerism, and culturally responsive teaching, it strengthens literacy, numeracy, equity, and learner empowerment. By engaging schools, communities, and institutions, ARAL fosters resilience, social cohesion, cultural understanding, and global citizenship while supporting national development and international goals for quality, inclusive, lifelong learning.

Speaker: Dr Margarita Consolacion Ballesteros (Ministry of Education Philippines)

383 EMI and translingual practices in South Asian education

Research shows that translingual practices (TPs) enhance learning by increasing students’ metacognitive, metalinguistic, and sociolinguistic awareness. They increase student participation and foster a democratic, decolonized linguistic ecology in classroom spaces. TPs also develop a ‘translingual disposition,’ promoting respect for other languages and cultures. However, the persistent presence of linguicism associated with EMI in South Asia is alarming. The presentation calls for a constructive dialogue on recognizing TPs in South Asian language-in-education policies.

Speaker: Prof. Shaila Sultana (Dhaka University)

384 EdYouFest: Empowering New Voices in Global ELT Description

JALT Partner, EdYouFest, is a global grassroots initiative fostering the exchange of ideas through inclusive, accessible professional development. With free and low-cost face-to-face and online events and resources, it empowers new and early-career educators to connect, collaborate, and grow. This session introduces EdYouFest Tokyo 2025 & 2026, as well as the upcoming online EdYouMarathon and EdYouFest Japan 2027, inviting JALT members to join a growing movement where every voice helps shape meaningful change in education.

Speakers: Chiyuki Yanase (Keio University), Mr Forrest Nelson (Soka University)

385 4Rs through TikTok-Assisted English Teaching

This presentation explores TikTok as an innovative tool for English teaching through the 4R framework: Repeat, Reflect, Rehearse, and Respond. Aligned with Thailand’s “Learn Anywhere, Anytime” policy, it shows how short-form videos support vocabulary, grammar, and engagement. Students create and interact with content to develop speaking, listening, and writing skills. The session highlights reward systems and active learning strategies that foster inclusive, technology-enhanced classrooms and promote lifelong learning for 21st-century language education.

Speaker: Mr Cheewin Wattanasin (Thailand TESOL)

386 Teaching Short Stories to EFL College Students in Taiwan

Short stories by women writers with manageable length are used to teach a college level EFL literature course. Students’ immersion in authentic texts and their engagement in class activities are instrumental to improving their language proficiency, promoting cultural awareness, developing critical thinking, and deepening understanding of the English literary texts.

Speakers: Richmond Stroupe (Soka University), Yiu-nam Leung (Dept. of English Language and Literature, Soochow University)

387 A Tasting Menu: Food, Culture, Sharing and Asking

This presentation uses food as an entry point for intercultural and cultural development in homogeneous classrooms. Moving through a tasting menu of cultural lenses, from ingredients and dishes to the social rituals that surround them, it argues that food offers a rich, personally meaningful route to cultural self-awareness and genuine curiosity. The core framework is simple: ask students what they want to share about their culture, and what they want to ask about others.

Speaker: Michael Free (Chuncheon National University of Education)

388 Amplifying Teacher Voice through Instructional Coaching

This narrative inquiry examines how instructional coaching can amplify local teacher voice and support agency in a rural Sarawak secondary school. It traces a teacher’s experience of implementing culturally relevant, SDG-driven PBL with multilingual learners, showing how coaching dialogue and reflection helped her move from procedural compliance toward context-responsive pedagogical judgement. By positioning local knowledge as a resource rather than a constraint, the study connects teacher professional learning with global educational impact beyond the classroom.

Speaker: Dr Felicia Tersan (Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) (Sarawak))

Room 1207: Nagoya University Graduate Student Showcase

Conveners: Dr Patrick Kiernan (Meiji University), Rie Koizumi (University of Tsukuba)

389 Validating AI-Driven Interaction and Diagnostic Feedback

Sponsored by Nagoya University Graduate Student Showcase: This study proposes and validates an AI-driven approach to interactional competence (IC) pedagogy that integrates practice and feedback. AI serves as an interlocutor during interaction tasks and provides immediate learning-oriented diagnostic feedback on learners’ strengths and weaknesses with actionable suggestions. After configuring AI through prompt engineering, ten learners complete the same role-play dyadic tasks with AI and a trained human teacher, then receive feedback from them.

Speaker: Xiaohan Yu (Nagoya University)

390 Effects of Task Repetition on L2 Fluency

Nagoya University Graduate Student Showcase: This study examines the immediate and retention effects of task repetition on oral fluency by manipulating repetition intervals and cognitive demands of tasks. Employing a 2 × 2 design, participants are assigned to massed or distributed repetition conditions and further divided into open-task and closed-task conditions. The massed repetition group repeats the task six times at a 15-minute interval, whereas the distributed repetition group do so once a week.

Speaker: Shiona Naruse (Nagoya University)

391 Effects of preparation with chatbot on learners’ motivation and performance

Sponsored by Nagoya University Graduate Student Showcase: This study investigates how AI-assisted preparation affects task motivation and speaking performance among high school EFL learners who value speaking practice but cannot overcome speaking anxiety. By implementing pre-task planning between individual and generative AI (Gen-AI) such as chatbots before oral text retelling, we evaluate learners' motivation and oral performance in subsequent activities with peers, clarifying Gen-AI’s role in enhancing overall engagement in oral pedagogical activities.

Speaker: Yushin Takeda (Nagoya university)

392 The Role of Interaction in Emotions and Rapport Building

Nagoya University Graduate School Showcase: Humanistic Language Teaching (HLT) emphasizes both intellectual and socio-affective dimensions. Focusing on emotions and interpersonal relationships, HLT is highly compatible with interactional competence (IC; Galaczi & Taylor, 2018). However, how emotional and interpersonal variables moderate IC development remains underexplored. This study assigns 60 Japanese university students to an experimental and control group (n = 30 each). Performing identical conversation tasks, the experimental group focuses on emotions and relationships (HLT).

Speaker: Ms Aya Yanagida (Nagoya University)

393 Modality effects in task repetition on L2 oral fluency

This presentation is sponsored by Nagoya University Graduate Student Showcase: This ongoing study investigates how task repetition promotes second language oral fluency. Although task repetition may facilitate proceduralisation in speech production, the durability and transferability of fluency gains remain underexplored. As an approximate replication and extension of Lambert et al. (2017), this study refines the original design by controlling interlocutor input, incorporating unfilled pauses, and modelling repeated-measures data with GLMM.

Speaker: Shin Noguchi (Nagoya University)

394 Mediation and Moderation of SRL Between L2 Grit and Speaking

This presentation is sponsored by Nagoya University Graduate Student Showcase: This study investigates whether Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) mediates or moderates the relationship between L2 Grit and speaking functional adequacy among Japanese high school EFL learners. Questionnaire data on L2 Grit scale (Teimouri et al, 2022) and SRL scale (Pintrich et al, 1991) will be collected, and speaking performance will be assessed through classroom-based speaking tasks.

Speaker: Mr Tomoya Ohata (Nagoya University)

Room 1208: First-time Presenters

395 Adopting digital gamification in the EFL classroom

This practice-oriented session shares how one ALT in rural Nara integrates digital gamification into JHS and SHS EFL classrooms. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory and flow state, the presenter outlines five principles for adopting gamified tools: accessibility, learning objectives, game design, mechanics, and dynamics, illustrated through case studies using Quizlet and Gimkit for vocabulary acquisition. Attendees will leave with a practical framework for evaluating and implementing digital games suited to their own classroom contexts.

Speaker: Melissa Chung (NaraJALT)

396 Chapter First-time Presenter

Speakers: Prof. Ariel Tabak (Temple University, Japan Campus), Prof. Michael McGehee (Temple University, Japan Campus)

397 Ibaraki Chapter First-time Presenter

Name: Maryna Nekerova
Presentation Title: "Verbal Aspect in Japanese: A Comparative Study of Ukrainian Learners and Native Japanese Speakers"

Speaker: Marina Nekerova (University of Tsukuba)

398 Nagoya-Gifu First-time Presenter

Room 1208: Soka University Graduate Student Showcase

Conveners: Dr Patrick Kiernan (Meiji University), Richmond Stroupe (Soka University)

399 Dyslexia-Friendly Inclusive Practices in Indonesian ELT

Dyslexia can inhibit language learning progress, including within the ELT context. A mixed-methods design guided by the UNESCO Policy Review Framework was conducted to examine multilevel perspectives across seven regions in Indonesia. Data were collected from key participants: school teachers, leaders, teacher educators, and ministerial officials. This presentation will synthesize key findings and practical insights across current concepts, policies, systems, and practices for bringing dyslexia-friendly inclusive practices into Indonesian ELT classrooms.

Speaker: Hidayat Polim (Soka University)

400 Comparing AI and Teacher Feedback: EFL Students' Perceptions

This study examines EFL university students’ perceptions and motivation toward teacher-generated and Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI)-generated feedback in academic writing. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory, it explores how both feedback sources support learners’ needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Using a mixed-methods approach in a Japanese university context, the study compares students’ experiences of these feedback sources and considers how they may complement each other in supporting writing development and learner motivation.

Speaker: Fonjah Videge Mbenugwe (Soka University)

401 Development of Language Teacher Identity of ALTs

This study explores Language Teacher Identity (LTI) development among Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) working in Japan. The mixed-methods research reveals complex roles influenced by student investment and classroom experience. Interview results highlight narrow functional expectations, objectification metaphors, and the "fun teacher" identity. The findings suggest that ALTs navigate between claimed and assigned identities.

Speaker: Rebecca Clippard

402 Narrating Teacher Agency: TESOL Graduates Teaching in Japan

Grounded in the Ecological Framework of Agency (EFA), this qualitative narrative inquiry investigates how multinational male MA-TESOL graduates navigate the Japanese ELT context. Sampling across the three concentric circles of World Englishes, this study constructs participant life stories across the iterational, practical-evaluative, and projective dimensions. The presentation outlines how sociolinguistic background, professional experience, and institutional context shape the construction and enactment of teacher agency.

Speaker: Jyotirmaya Kar (Soka University, Japan)

403 Self and Collective Efficacy Among Vietnamese Students

This mixed-methods study examines how cooperative learning tasks in virtual group discussions influence collective efficacy and self-efficacy among Vietnamese non-English major EFL students. Through four rounds of virtual sessions involving repeated tasks and group discussions, the study investigates how collective efficacy influences learner confidence, examining how learners attribute the effects of cooperative tasks and group work on perceptions of self-efficacy regarding English competence.

Speaker: Ms Nhi Thuan Vu (Soka University)

404 An AI Competency Course for Pre-service English Teachers

This proposal presents an AI competency course for pre-service Japanese teachers of English, grounded in the UNESCO AI Competency Framework for Teachers and informed by a comprehensive needs assessment. A 30-lesson course will be designed to develop not only foundational AI literacy but also AI pedagogical competencies, enabling future English teachers to critically evaluate AI-generated content, integrate AI tools effectively into their teaching practice, and promote responsible AI use among their students.

Speaker: Hanh Nguyen

Room 1209: Domestic Partners

Conveners: Naomi Fujishima (JALT), Trevor Holster (Kyushu High-school)

405 Finding the baseline: Preparing nurses for a new reality

As the foreign resident population grows, subtle forms of discrimination are becoming an increasingly relevant issue. These experiences can contribute to miscommunication and substandard medical care. Language educators are uniquely positioned to help address this challenge by preparing nursing students to recognize discrimination toward foreign residents and respond appropriately. This presentation will describe common forms of discrimination and offer non-confrontational classroom strategies to better equip nursing students for an increasingly diverse healthcare environment.

Speaker: Jeffrey Barnett

406 Fostering Intercultural Acceptance through Mediation

Mediation, central to the CEFR (2001) and expanded in the CEFR Companion Volume (2020), addresses how people bridge linguistic, cultural, and communicative differences. This study examines the mediational communication of students with international backgrounds in Japan, who still face difficulties because intercultural acceptance remains insufficient in Japanese society. Through changes in university students’ writing activities, it explores how learning about these mediational experiences may influence their intercultural acceptance and attitudes toward diversity in Japan today.

Speaker: Takehiro Sato (Nagoya University of Foreign Studies)

407 Preparing Young Learners for Tertiary Education as an ALT

By reviewing existing literature on Language Learning Strategies, including articles on Second Language Acquisition theory related to learner autonomy, this study surveys a variety of language learning strategies and synthesizes research-informed approaches for implementation in the classroom.
(Oxford 2016, Littlewood 1996, Mekala, S., Shabitha, M. P., & Ponmani, M. 2016)

The main questions this study seeks to answer are:
(1) What are ways strategy based instruction can be integrated within the existing and prerequisite English courses at the senior high school and junior high school level?
(2) What kinds of learning strategies are the most useful to meet the needs of college-bound EFL students? This study provides insights to guide teachers looking to build autonomous language learners as they prepare EFL learners for the rigors of higher education.

Speakers: Bobby Nawbary (San Francisco State University, Oma SHS), Cadely Paton (Chair of National AJET)

408 Growth Mindset: Are We Practising What We Teach? [TAIP]

We ask our students to be curious, take risks, learn from mistakes and keep trying but are we modelling those same behaviours as teachers? This practical session explores what a growth mindset looks like from the teacher’s perspective, regardless of experience or age.

Through reflection, discussion and practical strategies, we’ll explore how learning from colleagues, asking questions, embracing feedback and being comfortable saying “I don’t know — let’s find out” can help us grow as educators. Participants will leave with simple, practical ways to make their own professional learning part of everyday teaching.

Speaker: Emily Donkin (TIK International School)

409 JASAL Forum: Connecting and Growing Together

This year’s JASAL Forum brings together three SALC-related initiatives that extend learning beyond the classroom. The presentations explore creative open mic events, voluntary student support networks, and intercultural exchange between universities. Together, they show how self-access learning spaces can foster creativity, accessibility, relational safety, learner autonomy, and community building. The forum invites discussion on how SALCs can support students’ academic, social, and personal growth.

Speakers: Joely Giacomelli (Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University), Katherine Thornton (Otemon Gakuin University), Luke Armstrong (Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University), Misato Saunders (Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University)

410 DAC Business Meeting

The Domestic Affairs Committee will hold a meeting with our DAC partners to discuss issues of interest to foster a community of language teachers throughout Japan. This is a rare occasion for JALT and DAC partners to come together to exchange ideas and experiences. We hope to be able to learn about each organization in more detail and find ways to support each other. Our current DAC partners are JACET (The Japan Association of College English Teachers), JANET (Japan Association for Nursing English Teaching), National AJET (The Association for Japan Exchange and Teaching), JASAL (The Japan Association for Self-Access Learning), and TAIP (The Tokyo Association of International Pre-schools).

Speaker: Naomi Fujishima (JALT)

Room 1209: Extensive Reading

411 Home assigned reading? How to motivate students to read more?

Speaker: Dilafruz Sarimsakova (Uzbekistan State World Languages University)

Room 1210: Mind & Body

Convener: Dr Masatoshi Shoji (Shokei Gakuin University)

412 From the Inside Out: Working with Your Inner World

This session brings together two frameworks, Effortless Mindfulness (EM) and Internal Family Systems (IFS), to offer a direct, experience-based introduction to your inner world. We start with a short EM practice drawn from the work of Loch Kelly, just enough to help you step out of the constant stream of thinking and find a steadier, more open place to work from. From there, we explore the IFS idea of "parts," the inner voices, feelings, and protective habits that shape how you respond to stress, self-doubt, and the pressures of life as an educator in Japan. The goal is not insight for its own sake. It is to give you a felt sense of how to work with what is happening inside you, with more curiosity and less self-judgment. Whether you are dealing with burnout, cultural friction, or just a general sense of being stretched too thin, this session offers practical tools you can take home and use.

Speakers: Robert Cvitkovic (Teikyo University), Yoko Kita (Kyoto Notre Dame University)

Dr. Richard Schwartz explains Internal Family Systems (IFS) (7 min YouTube video)

Introduction to Internal Family Systems (4 hour audiobook)

What is Effortless Mindfulness? (4 min YouTube video)

413 Thai Yoga Massage: Promoting Relaxation & Releasing Tension

Thai Yoga Massage combines assisted stretching and acupressure to release physical tension and promote relaxation. The assisted yoga poses loosen tight muscles to improve flexibility and boost circulation, while the pressure techniques shift the nervous system into a parasympathetic state which promotes relaxation.

This workshop will introduce some simple massage techniques that participants can give and receive with a partner. Please wear loose, comfortable clothing that allows for a full range of motion. If you have a yoga mat, bring it along with you.

Whether you are feeling nervous before a presentation or exhausted by the daily grind, this workshop will provide a safe space to relax and refresh.

Speaker: Amy Toms (Fukuoka Women's University)

414 Toki Pona: Open your Mind with a Minimalist Language

Toki Pona is a minimalist constructed language created in 2001 and spoken by thousands of people around the globe, mainly through social media. With a total of only 140 words, speakers report a change in their worldview, as well as a release from the restrictions that their own languages place on their thinking. The phonology and grammar are also minimalist, so it can be learned very quickly.

This workshop introduces the basics of Toki Pona, and participants will get a chance to play around with word combining and sentence building. Join us and feel your mind open up to new possibilities of language and how we see the world.

Speaker: Magda Kitano (Bunkyo University)

415 Practicing RAIN: Dealing with Difficult Emotions

All of us experience difficult emotions in our lives (much as we might not want to). By learning to acknowledge and accept whatever is present – even if it is painful or difficult – we begin to learn how to be with the entire range of human emotions. We can learn how to not react, but instead respond, with greater wisdom and intention. This workshop will explore how we can turn towards difficult moments and emotions in our lives using a mindfulness technique called RAIN (recognize, allow, investigate, nurture).

Speaker: Juanita Nagai (Wellness with Juanita)

416 End-of-Life Education Workshop Saturday 17:00 to 17:30

Write a 5-minute love letter to someone you love as if this is the last love letter.
Saturday 17:00 to 17:30
Masatoshi Shoji, Shokei Gakuin University

Speaker: Dr Masatoshi Shoji (Shokei Gakuin University)

417 Everything Is Energy: Empowerment Through Universal Laws

Universal Laws that are now being proven scientifically will be shared; viz an introduction to the cutting-edge research from the fields of quantum physics and specifically Dr Emoto’s Peace Water Project. This work also includes many success and empowering principles that ultimately show that we can be, do or have anything we desire (within reason), as Napoleon Hill pointed out.

Speaker: Roberto Rabbini (Toyo University)

418 Mini Lecture on Tea Saturday 18:20 to 18:35

Tea connects people and brings a joy for retreat. As a certified tea sommelier, I will give a mini lecture on tea. If you bring hot water and cups, you can taste some decent tea.

Speaker: Dr Masatoshi Shoji (Shokei Gakuin University)

419 Lymph Drainage or Shiatsu Saturday 18:45 to 19:00

Lymphatic massage can reduce swelling and improve circulation throughout the lymphatic system. Lymphatic massage usually forms part of a treatment program called decongestive lymphatic therapy (DLT).

Speaker: Dr Masatoshi Shoji (Shokei Gakuin University)

Room 1207: Tsukuba University Graduate Student Showcase

Conveners: Dr Patrick Kiernan (Meiji University), Rie Koizumi (University of Tsukuba)

420 Functional Adequacy Change in Integrated Speaking Tasks

This presentation is sponsored by Tsukuba University Graduate Student Showcase: Beyond complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF) analysis, growing attention has been paid to functional adequacy (FA), a primary construct of successful task completion. Nevertheless, longitudinal research on FA through integrated tasks (ITs) remains scarce. To address this gap, this study aims to identify which IT features most effectively promote FA. Japanese technical students will be assigned to four IT groups and one control group.

Speaker: Ms Mari Ito (National Institute of Technology, Nara College)

421 Evaluating AI-Mediated Role-Play Prompt Design and Feedback

Sponsored by Tsukuba University Graduate Student Showcase: This study evaluates the prompt design and AI-generated feedback used in an AI-mediated role-play system developed to support younger learners’ English speaking development. The system integrates role-play prompting, CEFR-aligned task design, and focused explicit feedback strategies to generate interactive speaking practice and individualized feedback. Experts and teachers evaluate the pedagogical quality, consistency, and appropriateness of both the prompt design and AI-generated feedback through questionnaires and interviews.

Speaker: Shereen Wong (University of Tsukuba)

422 ICT Washback in Chinese University English Education

Tsukuba University Graduate Student Showcase: This study examined the washback effects of the Intercultural Competence Test(ICT) in China on university students’ learning and teachers’ teaching. Using a mixed-methods design, data were collected through questionnaires from 414 students and 84 teachers, as well as interviews with 3 students and 5 teachers. Results showed that both groups recognized the test’s value, but behavioral-intentional gaps emerged: students adopted mainly utilitarian learning strategies, while teachers made limited pedagogical adjustments.

Speaker: Lingtian Cao (University of Tsukuba & East China Normal University)

423 Does Speaking Change What Readers Recall? A Pilot Study

Tsukuba University Graduate Student Showcase: This study explores whether speaking affects responses to subsequent comprehension questions in integrated reading-to-speaking tasks. When comprehension is measured after learners have retold the text content, their responses may reflect not only what they understood during reading but also retrieval or reconstruction occurring during speaking. Using retrospective verbal reports, the study examines how learners answer comprehension questions administered after speaking and whether they report being influenced by the preceding speaking.

Speaker: Kaito Kogawa (University of Tsukuba)

424 Integrating Perception and Production in L2 Pronunciation

Sponsored by Tsukuba University Graduate Student Showcase: This project investigates the internal structure of L2 English pronunciation ability by integrating three components—perception, phonological processing efficiency, and production—into a unified model. Although previous research has examined perception and production separately, the role of processing efficiency in linking perceived speech information to production remains underexplored. Using structural equation modeling, the project analyzes a comprehensive set of measures based on multiple speech perception and production tasks.

Speaker: 佳子 山田 (名古屋大学大学院人文学研究科)

425 Pronunciation Engagement Trends Among English Learners: An AI-Based Assessment

Tsukuba University Graduate Student Showcase: This study investigates the relationship between pronunciation engagement and intelligible English speech among English learners. Although pronunciation practice is generally considered beneficial, relatively little is known how learners engage in pronunciation activities, how this engagement contributes to spoken communication, and which pronunciation features are most critical or not for producing intelligible speech. Using questionnaires, interviews, and AI-based pronunciation assessment, this mixed-methods study explores learners’ pronunciation experiences, confidence, and engagement.

Speaker: 奥村 眞知 (筑波大学大学院　人文科学ビジネス科学学術院　人文社会科学研究群　人文学学位プログラム　英語教育サブプログラム)

Room 1208: Nagoya University of Foreign Studies Graduate Student Showcase

Conveners: Kevin Ottoson (Nagoya University of Foreign Studies), Dr Patrick Kiernan (Meiji University)

426 Enhancing the English skills by CLT and skills integration

NUFS GSS. My presentation examines how Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) and skills integration can enhance Japanese high school students’ English proficiency, particularly their speaking skills. Over multiple research cycles, I investigate the use of communication strategies, communicative activities, and an integrated three-part instructional framework. Using quantitative and qualitative data, including speaking assessments, questionnaires, student writing, classroom observations, and conversation analysis, I explore changes in communicative competence, learner confidence, interactional skills, and autonomous language use.

Speaker: Nanako Ando

427 Developing EFL Communicative Competence in Older Adults

This study investigates whether teaching communication strategies (CSs) enhances communicative competence (CC) and interactional competence (IC) among third-age learners (TALs) of English in Japan. These learners often experience limited speaking opportunities in teacher-centered classrooms and rely on Japanese during breakdowns. The research reveals that CSs instruction can promote more effective interaction and support meaningful English use.

Speaker: Erik Tsuchiya (Nagoya University of Foreign Studies MATESOL Student)

428 Interactional Competence through Recursive Conversations

NUFS GSS. This presentation reports on an action research project investigating how recursive practice supported students’ interactional competence in a Japanese university oral communication course. Students practiced open conversations through repeated five-minute speaking rounds with different partners while learning conversation strategies such as rejoinders, shadowing, follow-up questions, confirmation questions, and elaboration. Findings from recordings, questionnaires, and reflective interviews suggest that recursive practice helped students notice language, ask more questions, and maintain conversations with more confidence.

Speaker: Mr Russell Chan (Nagoya University of Foreign Studies)

429 Enhancing Communicative Competence Through Skills Integration

Nagoya UFS GSS. According to MEXT, the 2019 National Assessment of Academic Ability found that Japanese elementary and junior high school students struggle to express themselves in English, particularly in writing and speaking. To address this issue, MEXT encourages English classes to provide opportunities for students to share ideas and develop communicative competence. This study investigates a three-part reading framework that integrates the four language skills to promote communication and increase student engagement.

Speaker: Risqika Annisa (Nagoya Foreign University)

Room 1208: Akita International University Graduate Student Showcase

Conveners: Dr Patrick Kiernan (Meiji University), Dr Tomohisa Machida (Akita International University)

430 Raising Teacher Awareness Through Conversation Analysis

Akita International University GSS. Classroom interaction can be challenging for novice teachers, especially in managing turn-taking and awkward silences. This study uses two sets of conversational analysis (CA) classroom interaction data collected before and after CA intervention to examine changes in teacher awareness. The findings show that, through reflective action research, the teacher became more aware of students’ participation opportunities and developed greater confidence in handling classroom silence and interactional difficulties.

Speaker: Haozhe Lu

Room 1207: Waseda University Graduate Student Showcase

Conveners: Dr Patrick Kiernan (Meiji University), Dr Theron Muller (Waseda University Faculty of Human Sciences)

431 When Women Appear, Who Speaks? Women’s Day in China’s Press

Waseda University GSS. This presentation examines how mainland Chinese newspapers localize International Women’s Day and position women through social roles, attributed voice, and represented agency. It will compare a planned stratified sample of 400 articles from 1924–1952 and 2000–2025 using quantitative content and qualitative discourse analysis. A media-literacy task invites language learners to examine quotation, grammatical agency, and evaluation by asking who appears, who speaks, who acts, and who defines the commemoration.

Speaker: Zimao Xiao (Waseda University)

432 Exploring L1 Support Strategies in EMI Classrooms in Japan

Sponsored by Waseda University Graduate Student Showcase. This study examines why EMI teachers in Japanese higher education strategically use students’ first language (L1), Japanese, while maintaining English as the primary medium of instruction. Using classroom observations and stimulated recall interviews, it investigates when teachers shift to Japanese and the pedagogical motivations behind these choices. The study aims to deepen understanding of teachers’ strategic L1 use and the role of Japanese in EMI classrooms.

Speaker: bing jie (waseda university)

433 AI and Speaking Performance Among Japanese EFL Learners

Waseda University Graduate Student Showcase. This study will investigate the effects of ChatGPT-mediated speaking practice on Japanese university students’ English-speaking performance. Using a mixed-methods design, several non-English majors will complete topic-based speaking tasks with both ChatGPT and human peers. Audio-recorded interactions will be analyzed in terms of fluency, accuracy, complexity, and interactional features. The study will aim to provide empirical evidence on the potential of AI chatbots to support oral communication in Japanese EFL contexts.

Speaker: Junwei Shao (Waseda University)

434 Language, Multimodality, and Othering in Threads Comments

Waseda University Graduate Student Showcase. This presentation reports a discourse analysis of reader comments on the presenter's own Threads post, examining how othering unfolds through language and multimodal resources — emoji, images, code-mixing — in an autoethnographic online discourse event. Drawing on Fairclough's CDA, Riggins' othering framework, and Canagarajah's translingual practice theory, the study identifies recurring discursive strategies across English, Japanese, and Malay/Indonesian comments, and shows how conflict-oriented threads structurally dominate audience engagement relative to supportive ones.

Speaker: Mrs Anisah Ghina Wijayanti (Waseda University)

435 Tracing Chinese L2 Writers’ GAl-Assisted Revision Decisions

Waseda University Graduate Student Showcase. As generative artificial intelligence (GAI) becomes more common in L2 English writing, this study examines how Chinese English as foreign language (EFL) learners make revision decisions when working with GAI-generated suggestions. Text history analysis is combined with revision history-based semi-structured interviews to explore why writers accept, reject or modify particular suggestions. The study aims to offer a process-oriented account of how learners’ authorial voices are negotiated during GAI-assisted revision.

Speaker: Peini LI

Room 1109: SIG Forums

Sunday 22 November

Large Hall: Plenary Sessions

Conveners: Amy Braun (Seto Solan Primary School), Ms Yoko Takano (NUFS)

436 Plenary C: The Multilingual Mindset Prepares Language Learners for Social Participation

This year’s JALT theme invites us to consider our language teaching profession as a call for us to prepare our students for engagement beyond the classroom. In this piece, I offer three ways in which we can meaningfully prepare our students for social participation: a shift in our mindset, a shift in our policies, and a shift in our practices.

Speaker: Loy Lising (Macquarie University)

437 Plenary Panel Discussion

Room 1002: Featured and Invited Speakers

438 Building Digital Workflows for Policy Research

This workshop examines the use of digital workflows for language policy research. Participants will explore how digital methods can support the analysis of language education policy documents across different educational and linguistic contexts. Through hands-on activities, attendees will compare human and AI-generated summaries, develop thematic coding categories, and discuss issues of reliability in AI-assisted research. The session will also introduce the use of policy indices for comparative analysis, including approaches to analysing and comparing policies across different languages and systems. In addition, participants will explore methods for building searchable policy corpora and longitudinal repositories for comparative policy research.

Speaker: Kane Linton (Wayo Women's University)

439 Exploring Global Identities in a Multicultural World

The EFL classroom provides a valuable space for developing students’ linguistic knowledge, language abilities and communication skills. It can also be an exciting place for overcoming ethnocentric attitudes, breaking down “us/them” mindsets and empowering students to re-think their identities in an interconnected world. This session will introduce a dynamic set of class activities designed to broaden student perspectives, explore multicultural connections and encourage them to redefine how they see themselves in a global age.

Speaker: Kip Cates (Tottori University)

440 Bill Balsamo Asian Scholar Invited Speaker Presentation

What Makes a Great Language Teacher?

Great teaching is an ongoing journey of continuous learning that takes place in the classroom, and perhaps more importantly, extends far beyond its walls. In this presentation, I explore how language teachers can actively grow and adapt by focusing on six essential areas of professional development: developing professional competence, becoming AI-fluent in a rapidly changing digital world, engaging in reflective practice, embracing student-centredness, committing to life-long learning, and staying gritty when facing daily challenges. Drawing on current research and my own decades of hands-on teaching experience across diverse Asian contexts, I share practical, real-world insights. Through this discussion, I hope to support fellow language teachers in navigating these areas, helping them keep learning, adapting, and improving their craft every single day.

Speaker: Willy Ardian Renandya (National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University)

What makes a great language teacher.docx

441 Plenary Workshop C

Speaker: Loy Lising (Macquarie University)

Room 1006: JALT Sponsors

442 Bringing the NGSL into the Classroom with In Focus

This presentation is sponsored by KINSEIDO.

The four-level In Focus series systematically develops learners' high-frequency vocabulary through the New General Service List (NGSL), with the fourth level introducing the New Academic Word List (NAWL). This presentation explores the corpus-informed principles behind the series, including vocabulary selection, recycling, lexical progression, and integrated skills instruction. Classroom examples will demonstrate practical techniques for teaching vocabulary more efficiently while simultaneously developing learners' communicative competence and critical thinking skills.

Speaker: Charles Browne (Meiji Gakuin University)

443 Getting More from a Textbook: From Structure to Freedom

Textbooks are often treated as a sequence of exercises rather than a springboard for communication. Drawing on examples from the intermediate-level EFL textbook Express It!, this practical workshop shows teachers how to extend model conversations, grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, listening, and speaking tasks into purposeful communicative work. Using a structure-to-freedom approach, participants will explore techniques for scaffolding activities, increasing student output, building fluency, and adapting familiar textbook material for more engaging classroom use.

Speaker: Herman Bartelen (Daito Bunka University)

444 Learner-led conversation analysis in a task-based course

This practical session demonstrates how conversation analysis tasks can be used to draw learner attention to self-selected language forms. Learners listen to, transcribe, discuss, and analyze authentic listenings. After noticing forms that they find of interest, learners try using them in follow-up speaking tasks. These speaking tasks, in turn, can be analyzed by other learners in a sequenced task cycle. Participants will come away with an engaging and effective lesson plan that engages critical thinking.

This presentation is sponsored by Atama-ii Books.

Speakers: Marcos Benevides (J. F. Oberlin University), Pino Cutrone (Nagasaki University)

445 Mistakes Welcome! Building a Growth Mindset

This presentation is sponsored by Oxford University Press.

While educators value a growth mindset, translating those beliefs into every daily classroom routine is often an ongoing practice.This interactive workshop explores how teacher behaviours directly impact student motivation and success. Participants will reflect on their baseline beliefs, identify common situations where practice diverges from intentions, and gain practical, growth-signalling feedback strategies to ensure their classroom actions support student resilience.

Speaker: Michael Stockwell (Sugiyama Jogakuen University)

446 Speaking Matters: Course Methodology of Evolve 2nd edition

This presentation is sponsored by Cambridge University Press & Assessment.

Drawing on insights from language teaching experts and classroom research, this presentation explores practical approaches to developing learners’ speaking confidence. We will look at how engagement, interaction, and meaningful communication can be fostered in the language classroom, and how these principles are reflected in the design of the new 2nd edition of Evolve. Examples and practical teaching strategies will be shared throughout for teachers to explore and adapt as appropriate to their contexts.

Speaker: Andrew Archer (Cambridge University Press & Assessment)

447 AI-Powered Learning and Assessment for Real-World English

Many learners succeed in classroom English yet struggle to communicate effectively in real-world situations. This presentation demonstrates how an integrated cycle of assessment, targeted learning, and reassessment can bridge that gap. Using EnglishCentral and Versant by Pearson as examples, attendees will explore practical ways AI-powered assessment and digital learning can quickly level-set students, identify strengths and needs, personalize practice, and measure progress over time, supporting learners' real-world communicative competence.

Speakers: Mr Alan Schwartz (EnglishCentral JAPAN KK.), Kayo Sato (Pearson Japan)

Room 1007: JALT Sponsors

448 Building Fluency with "Straight Up" and Beyond

This presentation is sponsored by Oxford University Press.

In many parts of the world, the curriculum is shaped by language textbooks, which play a central role in language instruction. In EFL contexts, opportunities to improve speaking fluency outside the classroom remain limited. In this workshop, we will explore OUP’s new textbook series, Straight Up, and its accompanying support materials. The presenter will also share tasks that balance accuracy, fluency, and complexity to support effective communication practice beyond the textbook.

Speaker: Daniel Paller (Kinjo Gakuin University)

449 Teaching CLIL/EAP to Low-Level Learners

This presentation is sponsored by (add sponsor name.)

The 'information shape' of discourse has a major impact on its comprehensibility. And, the difficulty of the content—its semantic load—strongly influences how easily the syntax can be understood. This talk will look at the details about how texts can be simplified, beyond simple lexical analysis. CLIL and EAP content CAN be introduced and used very effectively with low level learners. This talk will discuss how, giving examples of appropriate texts and activities.

Speaker: Alastair Graham-Marr (ABAX Ltd)

450 Xreading plus AI: a Combination for Success

This presentation is sponsored by englishbooks.jp

Xreading is an online library that gives students access to thousands of graded readers and allows instructors to track their students’ reading progress. Since its launch in 2014, the system is being continuously being updated and improved with new features and more books. In this presentation, the founder of Xreading will demonstrate the newest features, including the highly anticipated AI powered “Book Chat”, “Book Whisperer”, and “Story Generator” components.

Speaker: Paul Goldberg (Xreading)

451 Adding a human touch to English for economics

This presentation is sponsored by Perceptia Press

Add a 75-word summary of the presentation here.
This presentation introduces a new textbook for economics and business learners, focussing on basic concepts and also uniquely featuring a number of important female and male historical figures who contributed to the development of the subject, presenting a human side in addition to full coverage of the technical aspects. The newly published Economics: Concepts and People aims to both educate and inspire, while providing a balance of skills and vocabulary and plenty of classroom interaction.

Speaker: Joseph Wood (Nanzan University)

452 The PBL Approach: Using Real-World Problem Solving to Improve Student Ability

Project-Based Learning (PBL) is an approach that goes beyond language learning and develops practical problem solving skills. Through both teacher-guided learning and self-study, students can improve their practical abilities in ten key areas relevant to their future education and working careers. This presentation explores how to harness PBL and create tangible and practical benefits for students.

Room 1008: JALT Sponsors

453 Beyond Chatbots: Designing an AI Tutor for Language Learning

This presentation is sponsored by EnglishCentral.

How can AI conversation partners support language learning beyond the classroom? This session introduces the design principles behind MiMi Chat, an AI conversation partner used at over 50 universities. Drawing on data from more than 15,000 learners and classroom case studies, we explore how guided interaction, CEFR-based feedback, and AI-supported assessment can enhance learner engagement and communicative competence while supporting teachers in higher education.

Speaker: Mr Alan Schwartz (EnglishCentral JAPAN KK.)

454 Using TOEFL iBT Tasks to Strengthen Teaching and Learning

This presentation is sponsored by ETS Japan

This session illustrates how communicative language tasks on the updated TOEFL iBT test can be used to support and strengthen meaningful English language teaching and learning. While assessment tasks are designed to accurately measure English proficiency, they may also guide and promote language learning. The session introduces selected test tasks from each of the four skills and demonstrates how they can be adapted for effective teaching and learning purposes.

Speaker: John Norris (ETS Japan)

455 Strategic Speaking: Building Communicative Competence

This presentation is sponsored by Pro Lingua Learning.

Students’ abilities to interrupt, confirm understanding, ask for clarification, signal (dis)agreement, paraphrase, etc., can be difficult to develop in ways that are truly helpful, engaging, and authentic. The presenters demonstrate effective approaches and provide materials from the new 2026 editions of the bestselling student books Conversation Strategies and Discussion Strategies.

Speaker: Katie Callahan Neginskiy (Pro Lingua Learning)

Room 1009: JALT Sponsors

456 L2 and L3 speaking dynamics while studying abroad in Asia

This longitudinal study explores fluctuations in Capacity to Speak (CTS) among four Japanese exchange students in Taiwan and Korea. Through interviews and journals, it examines the interactions between L2 (English) and L3 (Chinese & Korean). Results highlight that situational momentum and social environments influence learners’ CTS and confidence. Findings also reveal that language switching and dominant English may hinder L3 activation, showing how L2 experience serves as both a cognitive foundation and a competitor.

Speakers: Liao Yu Hsiu, Simon Humphries (Kansai University)

457 Current Trends in English Language Education by DJ West

This presentation is sponsored by McGraw Hill Education.

English language learning continues to evolve in response to technological innovation, globalization, and shifting student needs. This session examines the past practices and then a look forward into the present and the emerging trends impacting K–12 classrooms, including the integration of AI-supported learning tools, blended and personalized approaches, and strategies to foster communicative and intercultural competence. Emphasis will be placed on supporting multilingual learners and implementing culturally responsive practices that promote equity and inclusion. Participants will gain insights and actionable methods to enrich classroom instruction, increase student engagement, and prepare learners to use English confidently in academic and real-world contexts.

Room 1101: Featured and Invited Speakers

458 Project-Based Learning Through COIL and Global Internships

This workshop explores how project-based learning can foster intercultural competence, global engagement, and transferable skills through COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) and international internship programs. Drawing on examples from a Japanese university, Macquarie University's PACE program, and international partnerships, the session demonstrates how students engage in authentic projects that connect academic learning with real-world and cross-cultural experiences. Participants will examine practical approaches for integrating project-based learning into face-to-face, online, and blended courses. The workshop highlights strategies for developing communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and global competence while providing adaptable models for diverse educational contexts.

Speakers: Dr Josh Kidd (Utsunomiya University), Rory Banwell (Utsunomiya University)

459 Using AI as a Language Teaching Resource

AI tools can efficiently support content creation, lesson planning, and curriculum development while adapting materials to different learner needs (Besmer et al., 2025), increasing engagement and motivation (Binhammad et al., 2024). This workshop explores how various large language models (LLMs) can streamline material creation, including designing handouts, simplifying language, and generating ideas. Participants will examine which LLMs work best for different purposes, and how to remain the human in the loop throughout the material creation process. They will also learn to identify and address common AI limitations such as hallucinations, logical errors, and CEFR inconsistencies.

Speaker: Sarah Deutchman

460 AI in Language Education: Insights from Students and Faculty

This presentation examines the integration of artificial intelligence in language education through the perspectives of both students and teachers. Drawing on data from a large-scale student survey of more than 1,500 university students and their teachers, the session explores patterns of AI use, perceived benefits, challenges, and confidence in evaluating AI-generated content. Teacher survey data and classroom experiences will provide a complementary perspective, allowing for comparison between student and teacher perceptions. Attention will be given to areas of convergence and divergence between these groups and the implications for teaching, learning, assessment, curriculum design, and AI literacy development.

Speakers: Dr Josh Kidd (Utsunomiya University), Rory Banwell (Utsunomiya University)

461 The New Auto-Peer: Leveraging GenAI in Automated Feedback

This research-oriented presentation will introduce the new Auto-Peer’s customizations for Japanese foundational level learners, providing a data-informed compliment to our practically-oriented workshop. We will describe the desirable aspects of generative AI (GenAI) output that we leveraged to help students further improve their academic writing. Specifically, we describe how analysis of the discursive features of Japanese (n=68) and UAE (n=81) student texts when compared to GenAI-generated texts demonstrated insufficient cohesion and, for the Japanese students, a lack of consistent verb use. We explain how, using these insights, the new Auto-Peer leverages these more proficient aspects of GenAI writing to ethically inform students about how they could improve their writing, leaving them in charge of and responsible for their texts.

Speakers: Dr Theron Muller (Waseda University Faculty of Human Sciences), Jerry Talandis Jr. (University of Toyama), philip McCarthy (American University of Sharjah)

462 Pilot to Mainstay: Integrated Discussion in EMI Education

In 2017, a pilot Integrated Discussion (ID) program was introduced within the EAP curriculum at Akita International University to provide authentic academic interaction between EAP and international students. Over the past decade, ID has evolved from a small, teacher-dependent pilot into a sustainable, curriculum-wide, student-led initiative. This presentation traces that evolution and considers key lessons concerning sustainability, student engagement, educational impact, intercultural interaction, and long-term curricular innovation within an EMI environment.

Speaker: Prof. Malcolm Sim (Akita International University)

Room 1102: JALT Sponsors

Room 1103: JALT Sponsors

463 How to teach our students to speak “natural” English

This presentation is sponsored by Nellie's English Books.

A typical conversation doesn't unfold the same way in Japanese as it does in English. This presentation outlines the basic principles that shape natural English conversation and shows how to incorporate them into oral communication courses at two levels: CEFR A2, where students usually need to be "unblocked" enough to hold a basic conversation, and CEFR A2–B1, where the focus shifts to developing skills needed to sound more natural, engaged, and friendly.

Speaker: STEPHEN RICHMOND (Bukkyo University)

Large Hall: Meetings and Forums

464 What Counts as Evidence of Language Learning?

What counts as evidence that language learning has occurred? This forum examines that question from three perspectives: interpreting standardized test scores and score gains; redesigning classroom assessment to capture learners’ application of phonetic knowledge; and using measures of core ability and growth to represent learning longitudinally. Together, the presentations consider how different forms of assessment evidence shape the conclusions we draw about learner ability, development, and achievement.

Speakers: Dr Jean-Pierre J. Richard (The University of Nagano), Tophe Zuelke (English Language Education Council of Japan), Tyson Rode (Meikai University)

465 Publishing Opportunities in JALT

Editors from The Language Teacher, JALT Journal, and the JALT Postconference Publication will introduce their publication processes, submission requirements, and opportunities for authors. They will discuss common reasons manuscripts are rejected and share advice for preparing stronger submissions. The session will also highlight professional development opportunities through JALT Publications and include time for audience questions about manuscripts and the publication process. If time permits, attendees may also take part in a brief peer-review activity.

Speakers: Alexandra Terashima (University of Tokyo), Bethany Lacy (Rikkyo University), Greg Dalziel (The University of Tokyo), Heather Yoder, Joe Geluso (Nihon University College of Law)

Room 1001: Meet the SIGs

Convener: Jennie Roloff Rothman (Kanda University of International Studies, JALT SIG Representative Liaison)

466 Meet the SIGs Session 3

Meet officers and members of the various Special Interest Groups (SIGs) in JALT at one of the three introductory sessions. This is your chance to connect, ask questions, and, hopefully, get more involved in the JALT community.

Room 0904: English Medium Instruction

467 Avoiding Generalizations through Exemplification in EMI

English Medium Instruction (EMI) courses can be challenging for students. As a result, they may rely on generalizations or platitudes in writing assignments. However, writing of this nature does not demonstrate students’ understanding of content. In this presentation, an approach based on exemplifying concepts by connecting them to personal experiences will be shown. Additionally, drawing on Bloom’s revised taxonomy, it will be explained how it can demonstrate students’ understanding of concepts.

Speaker: Todd Hooper (Setsunan University)

Room 0904: Intercultural Exchange

468 An Integrated Curriculum for Developing ICC

This presentation introduces an integrated curriculum designed to develop intercultural communicative competence (ICC) among university students in Japan. The program combines three interconnected courses that address theoretical knowledge, communication skills, and applied intercultural strategies. Through case studies, role-plays, discussions, and reflective activities, students analyze intercultural situations and practice communication across cultures. The presentation discusses the curriculum design, classroom practices, and implications for integrating theory, communication practice, and experiential learning in ICC education.

Speaker: Kio Iwai (Toyo University)

469 Teaching French from Zero: Keeping Beginners Engaged

Speakers: Bruno Vannieu (Alma Publishing), Prof. Rudolf Reinelt (Matsuyama JALT)

470 Reframing Diversity in Japan’s Classrooms: Intersectionality Among Overseas Foreign Language Teachers

Speaker: Pilar Gutierrez (Aichi Toho University)

Room 0905: Concurrent Sessions

471 An Intercultural Perspective on Emotional Display: Students’ interpretations and cultural framings of foreign teachers’ emotions in the language classroom

Speaker: Adam Littleton (Toyo University)

472 L1 and Culture in English Language Education in Japan

This paper examines how Japanese culture is essential for understanding why Japanese speakers find it challenging to learn or acquire English. Viewing this process as a communicative practice suggests that achieving fluency requires alignment with the communicative logic inherent in the English language. Since this concerns learners' cultural orientations, their inability to perform certain aspects of the English communicative practice should not be treated as a deficiency.

Speaker: Nobumi Kobayashi

Room 0905: SIG Forums

473 Literature in Language Teaching SIG Forum

The LiLT SIG Forum will address the role of literature in language teaching and learning. The presenters will discuss innovative practices related to creativity, poetry, visual literature, children’s stories and fables, as well as the pedagogical potential of literature within a CEFR-informed framework. Audience members will be invited to discuss these ideas and ask questions. Please join us for a lively exchange of ideas.

Speakers: Abdelwahed Benjlil (Meikai University), Camilo Villanueva (Nagoya City University), Kyoko Kuze (Toyo University), Mary Hillis, Stephen Bruns, Susan Sullivan (Tokai University)

474 BizCom SIG Forum/AGM 90 minutes

Room 0906: Forums and Meetings

475 SPIN Forum

Moving into full-time university work from other teaching contexts can be a significant change, with many roles and responsibilities to adapt to both in and out of the classroom. In an open discussion format with attendees, Martin Sedaghat and Chelanna White will share their positive and negative stories about working in academic settings, from Martin's viewpoint as a new teacher and Chelanna's perspective as an experienced university educator.

Speakers: Chelanna White (Reitaku University), Martin Sedaghat (Sanjo City University)

476 TBL SIG AGM 30 minutes

The TBL SIG Annual General Meeting provides an opportunity to discuss current and future matters related to task-based language teaching and the SIG's activities. Attendees are welcome to join the discussion, raise questions, and share ideas about TBL-related events and activities.

Speakers: Kane Linton (Wayo Women's University), Nicholas Marx (Kanazawa Seiryo University)

477 The Language Teacher Staff Meeting

Speakers: Alexandra Terashima (University of Tokyo), Bethany Lacy (Rikkyo University), Greg Dalziel (The University of Tokyo)

Room 0907: Study Abroad

478 Local to Global: Motivating Study Abroad via Homegrown Texts

Japanese university students often hesitate to pursue study abroad due to language anxiety and limited intercultural exposure. This hands-on workshop showcases an original, in-house university EFL textbook that builds global awareness, cross-cultural communication skills, and local-to-global identity by equipping students to share Japanese culture with their international counterparts. Participants will explore research-based principles for creating such TEFL materials and leave with a ready-to-use design framework to inspire their own students toward meaningful study abroad experiences.

Speaker: Christopher HOLLIS (Tottori University (Tottori JALT))

479 Language Use to Global Mindset: TL Socializing in SA Spaces

This presentation examines how target language (TL)-mediated socializing during study abroad (SA) shapes international students’ TL development and transformative personal growth. Qualitative data collected longitudinally using pre-surveys, social network maps, diaries, informal interviews, and reflective writing were re-analyzed within the Global Competence Framework (Egitim & Harumi, 2025). The holistic analysis provides practical insights for program designers and institutions aiming to foster socially embedded intercultural learning beyond the classroom.

Speaker: Yoshifumi Fukada (Toyo University)

480 Evaluating Tiered Communication for Study Abroad Preparation

This presentation explores a three-tier approach to preparing students for communication during study abroad, moving from low-stakes daily conversation to mid-level cultural discussion and high-stakes debate. Through reflecting on how the approach worked in practice and sharing activities that were effective at each level, this presentation highlights the value of gradually building students’ confidence and communication skills from low-stakes interaction to more challenging discussion.

Speaker: Morgen Livingston (Ritsumeikan University, Biwako Kusatsu Campus)

481 Negotiating Legitimacy: Japanese Teacher Identity in STSA

This presentation explores how Japanese pre-service EFL teachers negotiate identity and legitimacy during short-term study abroad (STSA). Drawing on a longitudinal qualitative study informed by Darvin and Norton’s (2015) investment model, it examines how participants navigate opportunities and constraints in their efforts to become legitimate English users and future teachers. The findings highlight the complex relationship between language learning, identity development, and investment in international educational experiences.

Speaker: Justin Pool (Osaka Kyoiku University, University of St Andrews)

Room 0907: Teacher Development

482 Bridging the Gap: Student Engagement with English Support

Despite the proven benefits of self-access centres in fostering student autonomy, engagement with English Learning Support (ELS) remains persistently low. This research investigates the factors influencing Japanese university students’ service utilisation patterns. By analysing satisfaction and advocacy metrics across support services, this study provides actionable insights for practitioners to bridge the gap between service availability and student usage, ultimately better supporting self-directed English language learning.

Speaker: Hisaka Konishi (Nihon University)

483 Beyond the Gap: High-Stakes TBLT Scenarios

Speaker: Eric LeGros

484 The Versatility of Cornell Notes in the EFL Classroom

Note-taking skills are a vital component in education and student learning; however, explicit note-taking skills in English are often overlooked when teaching EFL learners. There are many available note-taking styles, such as outlining, charting, boxing, and mapping, but these alone lack clear sections and purpose. This session explores the versatility of the Cornell Note-taking System in the EFL classroom for speaking and reading tasks. Participants learn how to modify the original layout and view examples.

Speaker: Cynthia Gonzalez (Nanzan University)

Room 1001: Poster Sessions

Convener: Susan Meiki (JALT Business Manager / Okayama University / Poster Chair)

485 [University] Teaching Opportunities in Central Asia

With Central Asia’s population passing 80 million and over half under 25, the region faces an urgent demand for higher education. In response, countries like Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are rapidly expanding international partnerships and branch campuses. Drawing from firsthand experience across three tertiary institutions in Central Asia, an American EFL/EAP instructor explores career opportunities for educators.

486 AI as a Speaking Partner? Pros and Cons for L2 Speaking

Drawing on current and original research, this poster examines the opportunities and limitations of using generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) as a speaking partner for L2 learners. The focus is on Japanese EFL learners and the potential role of AI-supported interaction in developing speaking skills. The poster aims to encourage discussion among practitioners and researchers about effective ways to design AI-supported speaking tasks for learners at different CEFR levels, with particular attention to A2–B1 students. The poster will present side-by-side comparisons of the advantages and limitations of using GenAI to support L2 learning, with particular attention to speaking skills. These comparisons will serve as a departure point for discussion, inviting attendees to reflect on current research and classroom practices. GenAI for speaking practice and consider how such tools may be integrated effectively into different EFL learning contexts.

Speaker: John Andras Molnar (Kinjo Gakuin University)

487 Critical Thinking and Media Analysis: A Basic Toolkit

Japanese universities often lack training in Critical Thinking or Media Analysis, leaving them vulnerable to manipulation and misinformation in the modern media environment. This session will present lessons learned in the design and teaching of a CLIL course in Critical Thinking and Media Analysis. Course outline, materials, activities and methods used will be presented along with anecdotes from students and future directions of the course.

Speaker: Frank Bailey (Baiko Gakuin University)

488 English Learning Coaching at a University: Significance and Challenges

Speaker: Mayumi Watanabe (Tokiwa University)

489 Investigating a Peer-to-Peer Reflection-Discussion Activity

This presentation explores the implementation of a discussion-based reflective activity in a first-year university language learning context. The presenter will describe the steps in introducing a reflection-discussion task based on Gibbs’ (1988) six-stage framework. Additionally, how student post-task reflections were analyzed using both thematic coding, and Fleck and Fitzpatrick’s (2010) levels of reflection, will be explained. The talk concludes by discussing future improvements for the activity.

Speaker: Robert Moreau (Meiji University)

490 Needs-Supportive Behaviors from Teachers and Peers

The current study aims to examine the extent to which needs-supportive behaviors from teachers and peers predict student motivation in English language learning. A total of 135 university students in Japan participated in a questionnaire survey, and a series of statistical analyses showed distinctive roles of needs-supportive behaviors. Specifically, the results showed that teachers help boost students’ autonomous attitudes, while peers’ behaviors alleviate a lack of motivation.

Speakers: Tomoko Hashimoto (Tokyo Future University), Yushi Kashimura (Meiji University)

491 Rhetorical Moves in Student-Authored IMRaD Results Sections

Speakers: Alexandra Terashima (University of Tokyo), Anna Bordilovskaya (Tokyo City University)

492 The effect of task type and speaker L1 on speech assessment

This presentation demonstrates that picture description tasks can lead to markedly lower speaking scores across several speech elements compared to monologue-type speaking tasks. Moreover, Japanese L1 speakers in this study rated their speaking proficiency considerably lower than speakers of other L1s. However, listener assessments of Japanese L1 speech samples showed considerably less variation compared to other L1 speaker samples, with substantial variances arising solely in picture description tasks rather than in monologues.

Speakers: Noriko Yamane (Hiroshima University), Philip Head (Osaka Jogakuin University)

493 The Power of Positive Emotion in Group Work

This presentation focuses on the positive impact of foreign language enjoyment on students’ willingness to work in groups in the language classroom. We outline the relationship between group work and enjoyment, as well as sources of student enjoyment when engaged in group work. We also discuss classroom activities to enhance enjoyment and increase the effectiveness of group work based on students interviews and our own professional experience.

Speakers: Larry Xethakis (Tokai University, Kumamoto Campus), Oliver Edwards (Sojo University)

494 Translanguaging as Resistance for Multilingual Learners

This poster uses a Critical Dis/abilities Raciolinguistic (CDR) perspective to trace how colonial language ideologies produce deficit views of multilingual learners labeled with disabilities. Centered on bilingual students identified as needing special education services, we show how monolingual assessment logics obscure students’ full meaning-making repertoires. We argue for translanguaging as an ideological stance for service providers and educators, connecting classroom practice to family, community, and policy advocacy beyond the classroom.

Speakers: Ari Chinchilla (University of Pennsylvania), María Cioè-Peña (University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Education)

495 Using ChatGPT to Enhance Students’ L2 German Skills

This study explores how communicative ChatGPT tasks may enhance L2 German learning for CEFR A2–level university students. An analysis of students’ chat transcripts, along with a post-task survey, revealed that learners perceived the tasks as useful for receiving feedback on their L2 output and for improving their vocabulary, grammar, and writing skills. Despite some linguistic challenges, learners were able to use ChatGPT independently. However, guidance and classroom follow-up are essential for effective learning.

Speaker: Axel Harting (Hiroshima University)

496 Visualizing Student Performance with a Desk Heat Map

Speaker: Adam Stone

497 韓国中学英語教科書におけるSDGsの扱い ―日本の先行研究との比較―

Speaker: 由美 長谷川 (近畿大学)

498 AI Anxiety Among University Faculty in Japan: Early Findings

This study investigates AI anxiety (AIA) among higher education faculty in Japan using a bilingual adaptation of the AI Anxiety Scale (AIAS; Wang & Wang, 2022). An online survey was distributed to faculty at universities across Japan. Preliminary findings establish a baseline measurement of AIA in the Japanese higher education context and explore demographic factors associated with anxiety levels, offering implications for institutional AI policy and faculty development.

Speaker: Aubra Bulin (Okayama University)

499 Attenuation of Spoken Features in ASR/LLM-Mediated Output

Thirty Japanese junior college students produced monologues of up to one minute. Manual transcripts were compared with Whisper ASR output and GPT-4o model texts generated from the ASR transcripts. Disfluency, spoken grammar, and register features were examined across the three text types. Disfluencies largely disappeared in ASR and model texts, ellipsis decreased, and lexical density increased in AI output. The findings suggest that ASR/LLM mediation attenuates spoken-language features, raising pedagogical concerns for interpreting automated feedback.

Speaker: Yuichi Ishikawa (Kokusai Junior College)

500 Beyond the Textbook: AI Storybooks in University EFL

This practice-based poster reports on a classroom intervention using Google Gemini Storybooks to create personalized, AI-generated stories which supplemented a university reading course for CEFR A2–B1 level learners. The activity reviewed target vocabulary from the assigned reading textbook in a motivating way while engaging students in critical analysis of AI-generated images and narrative logic. The poster highlights affordances for learner engagement and critical digital literacy, and invites discussion of practical and ethical considerations.

Speaker: Rebecca Funabashi (Yokohama City University)

501 Developing a Spy-Themed Experience to Teach World Englishes

Speaker: Nicholas Driscoll (Baiko Gakuin University)

502 E Learning Vocabulary Homework and Vocabulary Acquisition

Speaker: Ian Dagnall (Kyushu Sangyo University)

503 Feedback timing and affective individual differences

Speaker: Sato Matsunaga (Keio University)

504 Interculturality at home: TBL outside the classroom

This poster reports on a task in which students took intercultural action outside the classroom. The task encouraged students to consider the cultural complexity of their local environments and draw on their own networks to design and complete courses of action that were both meaningful and appropriate. Instructor observations indicated that students were able to access rich resources for intercultural interaction, although there was a need for explicit critical engagement to challenge essentialist cultural assumptions.

Speaker: Tim Connell (Nagoya City University)

505 Is Gambaru a Universal Belief Among University Students?

This study investigates university students’ beliefs about whether effort leads to success in language learning. Drawing on the cultural notion of ganbaru, it surveyed students in 2023 (N=125) and 2024 (N=122) using the Japanese Language Mindsets Inventory. No cohort differences emerged. Cluster analysis for both years identified high- and low-growth mindset groups, with significant differences across mindset factors. Results suggest that, despite Japan’s emphasis on perseverance, not all students fully believe effort ensures success.

Speakers: Tomoko Hashimoto (Tokyo Future University), Yushi Kashimura (Meiji University)

506 Japanese Returnee Parent's Beliefs About Bilingualism

This presentation reports on a qualitative case study examining how a Japanese returnee parent’s overseas educational experience shapes her beliefs about bilingualism and family language policy. Based on a semi-structured interview, preliminary findings suggest that bilingualism is framed as a resource enabling communication, mobility, and personal enrichment rather than academic achievement. The presentation situates these findings within family language policy research and discusses implications for educators working with returnee and internationally experienced families in Japan.

Speaker: Ryoko Tanaka (Sophia University)

507 Making Japanese EFL Classrooms Work For Learners with ADHD

The expansion of inclusive education policies and practice in Japan has led to increased recognition of neurodivergent learners in post-compulsory educational settings. Neurodivergent students, such as learners with ADHD, face additional challenges and barriers in the language learning classroom. Participants will learn to recognize common barriers and challenges faced by neurodivergent learners and discuss evidence-informed strategies for supporting students with ADHD in the EFL classroom.

Speaker: Ms Zoe Barber (Kansei Gakuin University)

508 Marketing Study Abroad: Discourse in University E-Brochures

This poster presentation presents a study of how Japanese universities promote study abroad programmes through English‑language e‑brochures aimed at international students. Using genre analysis and appraisal theory, three university brochures were analysed to identify rhetorical moves and evaluative language used to construct institutional identity and attract prospective students. The findings reveal common promotional strategies used by universities in Japan and provide insights into how institutional narratives shape international student recruitment.

Speaker: Jarwin K. Martin (Seigakuin University)

509 On Track to Fluency: Brain-Based EFL Task Design

Speaker: Ms Brianna Hamamoto (Hannan University (ECC Japan))

510 Peer-generated Keyword Method sentences in the classroom

This poster describes the results of two pedagogical interventions designed to help increase the use of peer-generated Keyword Method (KWM) sentences among second-year students at a national university in Japan. Experiment 1 substantially increased the number of peer-generated KWM sentences that students had access to, and Experiment 2 looked at whether having student-created images for KWM sentences with high concordance would increase the uptake of peer-generated KWM sentences.

Speaker: Scott Sustenance (Muroran Institute of Technology)

511 デジタル技術を導入した日本観光文化コースにおけるボードゲームガイド設計の教育研究

Speaker: SHIH HSIU CHING (HungKuo Delin University of Technology)

512 LD SIG Forum/AGM

Theme: Exploring Learner Growth in Local and Global Learning Environments

Learning today is shaped by a wide range of experiences that extend beyond formal classroom settings. Learners move through academic, social, digital, and intercultural environments that influence how they develop their skills, identities, and ways of participating in the world. We invite proposals that explore the development of diverse contexts and subject areas. The forum considers how reflective practice, identity exploration, autonomy-building, and learner-centered approaches contribute to meaningful growth in both local and global learning environments. Possible submissions include empirical studies, classroom-based innovations, or practitioner insights demonstrating how lea

Speakers: Prof. Anita Aden (Mukogawa Women's University), Emi Hennessy (University of Fukui), Gareth Barnes (Yokohama City university), Ian Lawrence (Hokuriku Gakuin University), Ji Jia Cheah (University of Fukui), Mr Joselito Bisenio (Ritsumeikan Uji Junior and Senior High School), Kelly King (University of Fukui), Michael Kuziw (Jin-ai University), Mr Mike Lawrence Ratunil (Ritsumeikan Uji Junior and Senior High School), Olivia Saputra (Hiroshima YMCA Gaigo), Mr Prumel Barbudo (Meikai University), Richard Ingham (Kyushu Sangyo University), Sakae Onoda (順天堂大学), Sakurako Maruoka (University of Fukui), Prof. Shannon Saruwatashi (Nagasaki Junshin Catholic University), Thomas Entwistle (the British Council, Japan), Vivian TURK (Nagoya City University)

Room 1003: JALT Junior

513 The small private school’s action research results: How the young learners improved their communicative competence

Speaker: Ms Yoko Takano (NUFS)

514 The Effect of Extended and Focused Phonics Instruction to Decode Written Texts in Japanese Elementary Education

同じ学校に通う異年度の小学校6年生を対象に、授業中の帯活動におけるフォニックス指導改善の効果を検討した。指導の相違点は、一度当たりの量を減らし回数を増やしたこと、rimeと母音の反復指導、母音指導時のビデオ活用である。2グループ間の1か月後の統制文の読みにおける平均正答率と音素正答率を比較分析した。

Speaker: Chieri Shimamura (さいたま市立宮原小学校)

515 Short Intervention for the Enhancement of Phonemic Awareness

This presentation reports on a study that examined the enhancement of phonemic awareness among elementary school students in Japan through a short intervention. The intervention was a 5 ~10-minute tablet-based task conducted once a week for approximately five weeks. The results showed whether there was a statistically significant difference in phonemic awareness improvement between the intervention and control groups. Item facility analyses are also presented, together with possible explanations for the difficulty with specific items.

Speaker: 宇野 晶貴 (早稲田大学、大学院、教育学研究科)

516 Supported Extensive Reading for Children's ER Success

Unlike most extensive reading (ER) programs on the university level, children in most EFL programs in Japan are still learning to read. They need support from their teachers to read even an easy book independently, an integral part of ER. Supported Extensive Reading is a new idea that uses traditional shared reading activities in class for the purpose of supporting ER. Effective, classroom-tested Supported Extensive Reading activities will be demonstrated.

Speaker: Lesley Ito (BIG BOW English Lab)

517 Student Voice in Language Education Research

This presentation draws on two strands of work: a year‑long Exploratory Action Research (EAR) project conducted in a public upper secondary school in Japan during the transition from lower to upper secondary education last year, and a scoping review examining how student voice is represented in language education research. The EAR project aims to support students’ language learning motivation by listening to their perspectives and valuing their ideas and opinions.

Speaker: Yumiko Fujita-Imanishi (University of St. Andrews / 横浜市立横浜サイエンスフロンティア高等学校)

518 Video‑Based and Paper‑Based Storytelling in the GIGA Era: Implications for Children’s English Learning

このセッションでは、動画を用いたストーリーテリングと紙媒体によるストーリーテリングが、小学校における児童の英語学習にどのような違いをもたらすのかを検討します。授業での具体例をもとに、AIによるナレーションと教師によるナレーション、さらにシンプルな絵を用いた読み聞かせと、インタラクティブな読みの違いを比較します。GIGAスクール構想およびマルチメディア学習研究の枠組みの中で、さまざまな提示形態が児童の関与や言語習得にどのように影響するかを明らかにし、教育目的に沿ったストーリーテリング手法を選択するための基準を提案します。

Speakers: Prof. TAKAKO WATANABE (Gunma University), 正樹 紺谷 (群馬大学共同教育学部附属教育実践センター)

Room 1004: JALT Junior

519 Task-Based Learning for Adolescents in a 100-Year Life

Speaker: Namiko Tsuruta (Kanda Jogakuen Junior and Senior High School)

520 Cultural Progression and 4Cs in JHS English Textbooks

This presentation analyzes the extent to which MEXT-approved junior high school English textbooks from six publishers reflect the Course of Study’s objective of fostering cultural awareness through competencies associated with 21st-century skills. Findings indicate that although intercultural awareness has developed, cultural representation remains at a surface level. Cultural content remains a central focus across grades. Regarding the development of 21st-century skills, although communication is emphasized in textbook activities, collaboration and creativity remain limited.

Speaker: Rie Kawamura (Akita International University)

521 Community Ambassadors: A Project-Based Learning Approach

Speaker: Amy Braun (Seto Solan Primary School)

522 Authentic Inquiry: Empowering Through Conceptual Learning

Explore how inquiry-based, concept-driven instruction transforms English language learning for junior and senior high students. Through authentic questioning and conceptual exploration, teachers foster student agency and empowerment while deepening language proficiency. Participants will engage with practical strategies, examine real classroom examples, and access immediately applicable activities and resources to implement concept-based inquiry in their own classrooms. Join this presentation to think about teaching why something matters and how the learning transfers beyond the classroom.

Speaker: Marybeth Kamibeppu (Marist Brothers International School)

523 Designing learning tasks with children

Speaker: Ms Tomoko Kikuchi (Elementary School in Komae, Tokyo)

524 Practical AI Tools for Interactive English Classrooms

Speaker: Swati Arora (Yokohama National University)

Room 1005: JALT Junior

525 Teachers Are Also Human: Emerging Perceptions of Teaching

Speaker: Dr Vu Tran Thanh (Independent Researcher)

526 Enhancing Students’ Metacognition Through Reflection

This presentation introduces a longitudinal classroom practice using ongoing reflective practices and collaborative discussion to support students’ metacognitive development in Japanese high school English classrooms. Students set yearly and semester goals based on their ideal future selves and regularly reflect on their learning using scaffolded prompts through worksheets and peer discussion. Examples of students’ reflections will be shared to illustrate how reflective practices can support metacognitive awareness and engagement with English learning.

Speaker: Miyuki Izuo

527 The Pros and Cons of Implementing Bilingual Education in Taiwan’s Elementary Schools: Voices from the Policy Executors

Speaker: Eric Chia-Hwan Chen (National Taipei University of Education)

528 Narrative Elements and Ludic Pedagogy in Debate Exercises

Speaker: Daniel Patrick Chesmore

529 Grammar-function links in interaction and production

The main purpose of this presentation is to examine communicative grammar examples in terms of language functions and English for interaction and for production. In this study, written data from dialogues and plural sentences used in the sections of English grammar and language functions from textbooks were collected, analyzed, and categorized. Findings in this study suggest that English grammar and language functions can be instructed interdependently, in terms of English for interaction and production.

Speaker: Yukiharu Nakazumi (Kagawa University)

530 Supporting Linguistically Diverse Students in Hyogo, Japan

This study explored how Japanese secondary school teachers in a small city support linguistically diverse students, focusing on their practices and self-efficacy. Responses from twenty-seven teachers revealed factors influencing the success of linguistically diverse students. The quantitative results showed that a majority of teachers reported intermediate self-efficacy, although the qualitative results indicate a reliance on support staff and external resources. Teachers in Japan felt less personal responsibility for integrating linguistically diverse students into their classrooms.

Speaker: Andrew Ahearne (Kitano High School (Osaka))

531 High School Students’ Engagement in Vocabulary Learning

Most high school students eagerly memorize vocabulary using vocabulary books. However, it is unclear whether they truly engage in learning. This research explores high school students’ engagement in vocabulary learning in relation to the satisfaction of their basic psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Positive emotions experienced while learning vocabulary with peers during class significantly influenced engagement in learning. The novelty of vocabulary learning activities during class also enhanced engagement.

Speaker: Ryoko Kishi (Nagoya City Meito Senior High School)

Room 1006: Learner Development

532 Impacts of communicative learning strategies on motivation

Speaker: Marie-Claude Toriida (Hanazono University)

Room 1101: Game-based Learning

Room 1102: Teaching Speaking

533 Co-constructing knowledge & community via post-talk Q&A

Encouraging students to participate in Q&A after peer presentations can be challenging, possibly because they have not been taught how. This session proposes ways to scaffold active participation by introducing question types and strategies to address difficulties. Drawing on systemic functional linguistics (SFL), these are categorized according to how they extend meaning to support knowledge and community building. Student performance and questionnaire results demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach.

Speaker: Ayumi Inako (Kobe City University of Foreign Studies)

534 High School Feedback: Linked to Attitudes, Not Proficiency

Speaker: Junko Takatori (Juntendo University)

535 Jibun Nara Dekiru!: Self-Talk and Emotion in EFL Speeches

How do students feel when delivering speeches in EFL classes? This presentation reports on Japanese university students’ emotional reactions and self-talk during a speech task. The study employs qualitative analysis of written reflections from 132 first-year students to explore learners’ emotions and examples of self-talk following a speech task. The presenter will discuss the factors contributing to both anxiety and positive engagement and suggest pedagogical strategies to support students’ emotional experiences during classroom speech activities.

Speaker: Dawn Kobayashi (Onomichi City University)

Room 1104: Learner Development

536 Overseas Program Impact Across Developmental Stages

This study examines how the impact of overseas programs differs across junior high, high school, and university levels using multiple assessment measures, including the Beliefs, Events, and Values Inventory (BEVI). Data were collected at multiple time points to examine developmental differences. Findings suggest that program effects vary by both program type and developmental stage, with different forms of growth emerging at each stage. The findings highlight the importance of designing developmentally aligned international education programs.

Speakers: Dr Hiroyuki Takagi (Tamagawa University), Noriko Muramatsu (Meiji University Meiji HS Meiji JHS)

537 What Helps Students Speak Up? Real-Time CTS in Game-Based Interaction

This research-oriented presentation investigates how learners’ Perceived Capacity to Speak (CTS) corresponds to their actual speaking behaviour during real-time, game-based English interaction. Using continuous self-evaluation through software-based CTS ratings (idiodynamic method) and post-task interviews, the study examines moment-to-moment changes in speaking confidence. The findings suggest that learners’ CTS closely aligns with their observable participation, highlighting CTS as a useful construct for analysing spoken interaction beyond traditional classroom settings.

Speakers: Ms MEI SHIYI (Kansai University), Humphries Simon (Kansai University)

538 Cyclical Needs Analysis in CLIL Health and Wellness

Grounded in a holistic view of health, this presentation reports the first cycle of a needs analysis for a CLIL Health and Wellness course. Mixed-methods research with elective and first-year students (n=330) explored current health concerns to inform future syllabi. Findings highlighted key student health issues alongside nuanced cohort differences. The presentation discusses these trends and considers how the results support alignment between course content, student health needs, and pedagogical preferences.

Speakers: Jon Mahoney (Rikkyo University), Russell Minshull (Rikkyo University)

539 Teaching Research Through Fieldwork in EMI Courses

How can students develop research skills through real-world experience? This session introduces a staged fieldwork module that guides university EMI students through student-led investigations of international tourists’ experiences in Japan. Scaffolded tasks, guided AI support, field interviews, simple data analysis, and academic presentations support an authentic research experience. Practical materials and student examples will illustrate the module, and attendees will gain adaptable strategies for scaffolding experiential research in their own teaching contexts.

Speaker: Leslie Ono (Kwansei Gakuin University)

540 Why Do We Study Together?: Collective Student Efficacy

Speaker: Natsuho Mizoguchi (Nagoya University of Foreign Studies)

Room 1105: CALL and AI

541 Reconfiguring L2 Self-Efficacy in Posthuman AI Learning

This study theorizes how L2 speaking self-efficacy is reconfigured when generative AI functions as a peer within a posthuman framework of distributed agency. Drawing on Bandura’s four sources, a qualitative case study of Japanese pre-entry university students examined how efficacy formation shifted from individual to relational processes in AI-mediated interaction. Findings support a redistribution of efficacy formation, contributing to a posthuman reconceptualization of L2 self-efficacy.

Speaker: Hiroko Ueda (Kobe University)

542 Can triangulation improve AI-generated text detection?

Speaker: Williams Simon (International University of Japan)

543 Beyond Generic AI: Grounding AI in Teacher Practice

Generative AI can produce lesson plans, activities, and differentiated materials within seconds. But useful educational AI requires more than better prompting: it needs meaningful educational context. This presentation examines an emerging approach to grounding AI-supported instructional decision-making in authentic curriculum language and documented teacher practice. Drawing on the development of a curriculum corpus and Teacher Practice Corpus, the presentation shows how instructional episodes can represent relationships among tasks, resources, language functions, disciplinary practices, assessment, feedback, and differentiation. Examples from multilingual science education illustrate how such evidence can help distinguish generic AI generation from recommendations grounded in what students are learning and what teachers actually do. Participants will consider how evidence-grounded AI architecture could complement existing AI tools rather than replace them, while preserving teacher judgment and adapting to different educational contexts.

Speaker: Frederic Lim

544 The Role of AI Feedback in Writing Tasks: Perceptions and Performance

This study examined 60 Japanese EFL students completing a series of meaning-focused writing tasks over one year. One group received AI feedback, while the other group received teacher feedback. Students revised the writing drafts after receiving feedback and participating in group discussions. Questionnaire results suggested higher perceived value for AI-supported feedback. In addition, evaluators determined that the writing performance of the AI-feedback group was superior to that of the teacher-feedback group. Pedagogical implications are discussed.

Speaker: Ferg Hann (Tokai University)

545 Questioning Taken-for-Granted Assumptions: A Debate-Based Curriculum to Promote Critical Thinking and Perspective-Taking in Japanese EFL Classes

Speaker: Manami Sato (Kyoto University of Advanced Science)

546 Teaching Debate Cross-Examination with AI Mentors

Cross-examination is one of the most difficult skills for second language learners in debate because students must produce strategic questions under real-time interactional pressure. This session introduces a practical approach to teaching cross-examination using a custom AI mentor that allows students to rehearse questioning strategies before mock trials and debates. Participants will see how text- and voice-based AI rehearsal can scaffold questioning skills and help learners participate more effectively in argumentative discussions.

Speaker: Paul Sevigny (Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University)

547 Google Workspace: Teacher Collaboration & Student Learning

Teachers share how they collaborated using Google Classroom, Forms, Sheets, Apps Script, and Sites in a required first-year college English communication class built around the textbook The English Gym. They demonstrate workflows for grading, AI quiz generation, and digital attendance. They also show a public Google Site resource hub with Google Gems for vocabulary, discussion, and other practice. Attendees will leave with practical ideas for managing courses and supporting student learning.

Speakers: Steve McGuire (Nagoya University of the Arts), Chris Huang (Nagoya University of Foreign Studies), Jonathon Pollack (Chubu University, Nanzan University), Julian Honeycutt

Room 1106: Teacher Development and Task Based Learning

548 Podcasting for Interdisciplinary Learning: A Pilot Study

This presentation examines how scholarly podcasting can support interdisciplinary learning in Japanese universities. Drawing on interviews with local podcasters, the study reports on the development of a framework of practices and applies these insights in an institutional pilot. This pilot involved the production of a series of podcast episodes with non-language teaching colleagues to bring about language-scaffolded science-related conversations. Findings highlight practical strategies for structuring episodes, suggesting how podcasting may foster productive cross-faculty engagement.

Speakers: Matthew Schaefer (Sophia University), Matthew W. Turner (Tokyo University of Science), Robert Lowe (Ochanomizu University)

549 Thirty Years of Genre Research: ESP, RGS, and SFL Trends

Speaker: Dr Akiko Nagao (Ryukoku University)

550 Sketching in English

Speaker: Bryan Jennings (Yamagata University)

551 Bridging Assessment Gaps: A Portfolio Tool for All Educators

Speakers: Adam Murray (University of the Ryukyus), Kei Miyazaki (Tokai University), Dr Naoya Shibata (Osaka Kyoiku University), Taiko Tsuchihira (Seitoku University)

552 English for Tourism: An Odyssey of TBL and PBL

This study examines how task- and project-based learning can develop practical English competence and encourage meaningful collaboration in a tourism-focused EFL course. It explores how patterns of group interaction relate to achievement across different tasks and project stages and investigates how task and project design can move students beyond “collaborative seatwork”—working individually alongside peers—toward becoming responsible participants who actively collaborate to achieve shared learning outcomes.

Speaker: Dara Langley

553 Task repetition, task goals, and learner proficiency

This study examined individual cases of beginner- and intermediate-level learners in increasing time-pressured tasks, seeking to determine whether each learner could achieve the goal of repeating the same information in less time. Results suggested that the intermediate learners repeated more information and were more able to reorganize their ideas into shorter utterances in subsequent task iterations. The presentation will also discuss how teachers might evaluate the suitability of task repetition for specific learners.

Speaker: Timothy Doe (Meiji University)

554 Task and project-based design to subvert AI abuse

This workshop introduces a project-based language teaching (PBLT) design framework that has been successfully implemented at a large-scale English program at a university in Tokyo. A PBLT approach was chosen to help avoid the misuse of generative AI in the classroom, to align instruction with task-based principles, and to improve assessment of language learning. Practical, effective, and ready-to-use examples will be shared, and participants will also learn how to develop their own project ideas.

Speaker: Marcos Benevides (J. F. Oberlin University)

Room 1107: Teacher Development

555 Automation in Google Sheets: Efficiency With Formulas

This presentation briefly introduces educators to the automation of a series of routine tasks in Google Sheets using useful formulas. It will explore practical examples for classroom management, such as Form-to Sheet score-collection, attendance-tracking, report-card systems, and importing from multiple Sheets. By using specific formulas for specific situations, teachers can save time, reduce errors, and improve data-driven decision-making in their daily practice.

Speaker: David Lees (Kyoto University (ILAS))

556 Beyond the Bar Chart: Critical Visual Literacy in TESOL

Data visualizations shape how TESOL research is understood, yet educators rarely receive training in reading or producing them critically. This workshop develops two complementary forms of visual literacy: perceptual literacy, which builds skills for designing clearer, more accurate research visuals, and critical literacy, which equips participants to interrogate the assumptions embedded in dominant visual conventions and explore decolonial alternatives. Participants leave with practical tools to expand whose voices are visible in global research communication.

Speaker: Elizabeth Hashimura (University of St Andrews)

557 SFT for FLT: Systemic Functional Theory in Language Teaching

This forum will feature four panelists sharing their language teaching experience using systemic functional theory (SFT), which sees language and other modes as tools for meaning-making across content and context. Each panelist will share their classroom practice, discussing and reflecting on challenges and benefits of applying SFT to their teaching, so that speakers and attendees can together discover how teachers and students can benefit from SFT’s application to language teaching.

Speakers: Dr Leigh McDowell (Nara Institute of Science and Technology), Dr Patrick Kiernan (Meiji University), Dr Thomas Amundrud (Nara University of Education), Dr Akiko Nagao (Ryukoku University)

558 PanSIG: Supporting language teacher community and identity

Speakers: Chelanna White (Reitaku University), Kinsella Valies (Sophia University)

559 How Far Should We Go Down the Level of the Textbook?

Speaker: Mitsuko Imai (Tamagawa University)

560 Community's Role for Identity Construction: A Duoethnography

This presentation reports a duoethnography study of two Latin American English teachers at Japanese universities exploring how migration and career stages shaped their professional identities. Through online reflective dialogue, the researchers analyzed shared experiences of becoming teachers and working in Japan. Findings show that challenges to their professional legitimacy occurred mainly in institutional contexts. The study also highlights their roles as NNEST in promoting multilingual identities and how collaborative communities supported their growth as researchers.

Speakers: Javiera Galaz (Kyoto University of Foreign Studies), Karin Cruz Bujanda (Kanda International Studies University)

Room 1108: Teaching Speaking and Writing

561 Using Journals to Enhance the Reading-Writing Connection

This presentation will offer practical insights and guidance on ways to leverage hand-written journals in the reading/writing classroom to enhance and mutually reinforce both skills. This presentation is grounded in L2 reading-writing research and theory (Grabe & Zhang, 2013; Ferris & Hedgcock, 2023; Hirvela, 2016). Examples and demonstrations used are the result of ongoing classroom research. Benefits and challenges regarding implementation and assessment will also be addressed.

Speaker: Kelly Bolen

562 Ending Script-Dependency via Visual Storytelling

Speaker: Alexander Ito Maitland (Meiji University)

563 How Do Learners Develop in a University Speaking Class?

Many educators assume that communicative classes are the most effective way to improve learners’ speaking skills. However, what are the pedagogical benefits of this approach, and can improvement in such classes actually be measured? Using a mixed-methods research design, this study attempted to answer these questions by investigating the development of Japanese university students’ speaking fluency, interactional competence, and self-efficacy during a highly communicative one-semester speaking and discussion course.

Speaker: Paul Garside (Meiji University)

564 Building Participation Through Structured Speaking Routines

This session explores how structured speaking routines can support participation and fluency in university EFL classrooms. Drawing on classroom practice in a year-long Business English communication course (n = 45), the presenter demonstrates how discussion warmers, pair-to-group interaction sequencing, and repeated speaking tasks can increase student engagement while reducing speaking anxiety. Survey data and student reflections illustrate the impact of these routines. Participants will leave with practical strategies for designing predictable, low-stakes speaking activities.

Speaker: WILLIAM TRAVERS (British Council Japan)

565 Small groups, big confidence in public speaking

This presentation introduces a small-group activity designed for EFL university classes to scaffold public speaking skills and reduce speaking anxiety. Inspired by Professional Learning Communities, each member of the small group assumes a specific role to present a topic of interest, guide peer discussion, and share insights across multiple groups working simultaneously. The purpose of this activity is to provide structured speaking practice that gradually prepares learners to present confidently in front of larger audiences.

Speaker: Kate Piatkowski (Kwansei Gakuin University)

566 Beyond the Journal: Innovative Strategies for EFL Journaling

Speakers: Kate Matthews (Kansai Gaidai University), Sarah Murphy (Kansai Gaidai University)

Room 1109: Teacher Development and Material Writing

567 MW SIG Forum: Materials Development for Study Abroad

60-minute Forum + 30-minute AGM. In this forum, there will be five presentations focusing on materials development to support students preparing to study abroad. Each presenter will share their experiences designing materials that address different aspects of study abroad, including intercultural communication and awareness, as well as the practical, social, and academic aspects of life abroad. The forum will conclude with a Q&A session followed by the MW SIG’s AGM.

Speakers: Adam Littleton (Toyo University), Dr L. G. Michael Brown (Tokyo International University), Matthew Cotter (Hokusei Gakuen University), Rachel Patterson (Kindai University), Stephen Bridge (Tokyo International University)

568 Japanese Undergraduates' Perceptions of EFL Textbooks

Speakers: Rapunzel Tomacder (Reitaku University), Subhrajit Chowdhury (Reitaku University)

569 Adopting Humanistic Tasks to Enhance L2 Learning Engagement

Speaker: Sakae Onoda (順天堂大学)

570 Boosting Productivity Beyond the Classroom: Seven Key Tools

This practical presentation introduces seven low-tech, high-impact productivity tools designed to help language educators manage administrative overwhelm and professional inertia. These freely available systems enable teachers to mitigate digital distractions and reclaim cognitive focus. Attendees will leave with a structured toolkit to boost efficiency, enhance materials development, and improve professional well-being beyond the classroom.

Speaker: Dr Leigh McDowell (Nara Institute of Science and Technology)

571 Beyond Materials: How Pedagogic Input Shapes Output

This presentation examines the relationship between a pedagogic corpus and a learner corpus from a university writing course in Japan. Learner corpus research has often focused on describing learner output without examining instructional input. To address this gap, the study develops a pedagogic focus measure to capture how instructional salience and frequency predict output. By linking classroom materials with learner production, the study demonstrates how local instructional practices influence learner language development, offering pedagogical implications.

Speaker: Jennifer Jordan (Kwansei Gakuin University)

572 University English Instructors' GBL Practice and Perceptions

This study examines Japanese university instructors’ practices and perceptions regarding Game-Based English Learning (GBEL). Data collected through semi-structured interviews and classroom observations revealed that GBEL was most frequently applied to speaking classes. Instructors perceived enhanced motivation and reduced anxiety as benefits, but identified time constraints, students viewing GBEL as mere entertainment, and passive attitudes as challenges. The results suggest GBEL may not always achieve intended educational objectives in higher education.

Speaker: Ms Shiori Hidaka (大阪女学院大学大学院 (Graduate Student at Osaka Jogakuin University))

Room 1201: Learner Development)

573 Evaluating the Outcomes of English Medium Instruction Programs in Mongolia and Japan: Graduates’ Perspectives

Speaker: Dr Sainbayar Gundsambuu (The University of Osaka)

574 The talk must go on: Sustaining progressivity in interaction

While research has documented teachers’ practices for managing stalled progressivity in classroom interaction, comparatively little is known about how L2 learners orient to and manage progressivity in the absence of teachers. Drawing on longitudinal data from a virtual exchange project, this study demonstrates learners’ developing sensitivity to progressivity and the corresponding development in their interactional competence. The findings show how virtual exchange affords opportunities for learners to socialize into interactional practices typically reserved for teachers.

Speaker: Sajjad Pouromid (Setsunan University)

575 Student Use and Perceptions of a Self-Access Learning Center

This study investigates how first-year university students use a self-access learning center (SALC) during their first semester. A survey of 355 students examined usage frequency, purposes, satisfaction, and suggested improvements. Results indicate that although most students had visited the space, regular use was limited. The findings highlight the importance of understanding students’ motivations and needs in order to design more effective self-access learning environments and support services.

Speaker: Miyako Fujii (Utsunomiya University)

576 Cultivating Curiosity and Community

This presentation examines the essential value of teachers in an era increasingly influenced by AI. While AI offers personalized learning experiences, it lacks the emotional intelligence and empathy necessary for fostering creativity and community. Educators inspire and connect with students, building trust and supportive environments that AI cannot replicate. By thoughtfully integrating AI tools, teachers enhance practices without losing the vital human element, reinforcing roles as mentors and advocates in shaping the future of learning.

Speakers: Dr Andrew Reimann (Aoyama Gakuin University), Natsuki Suzuki (University Lecturer, Tokyo)

577 Elicited Metaphor Analysis: University Students on GenA.I.

I describe designing a 3-week unit to promote reflection by eliciting students' metaphors for genAI use in education contexts. Student responses (n=52) to an Elicited Metaphor Analysis prompt in 1st-year basic English courses at two universities revealed mixed and sometimes ambivalent responses to the technology. This presentation will center ways to adapt the EMA method for EFL contexts in Japanese universities and the potential of this method as a classroom intervention.

Speaker: Amanda Kira (Chuo University)

578 Facilitation Skills in Student‑Led Discussions

This study examines how students develop facilitation skills essential for smooth and productive English discussions. Facilitation workshops on initiating talk, managing turns, and summarizing ideas were conducted in CLIL classrooms for 196 technical college students. Survey results showed strong satisfaction and a clearer understanding of facilitation processes. The findings suggest that English proficiency and topic complexity influence facilitation performance, underscoring the need for further exploration of how to integrate language and content learning.

Speaker: Yuri Ichikawa (Nagoya University of Commerce and Business)

579 Change in EFL Motivation Over Four Years of Tertiary Study

This presentation will report on the results of a study investigating the changes in Japanese university students' EFL motivation over four years. Forty-five English majors completed a questionnaire at the end of each semester, followed by interviews conducted with a smaller sample. The results show general patterns as well as individual differences in changes in motivation along with the development of English abilities. Many factors contributed to these changes. The pedagogical implications will be discussed.

Speaker: Chiho Kobayashi (Tenri University)

580 Adapting the GROW support model for university ELLs

Speaker: Charles Brown (Purdue University)

Room 1202: Global Issues

581 Critical Pedagogy: Connecting Research, Theory, and Practice

This presentation reports on a qualitative study of university EFL instructors' awareness and attitudes regarding critical pedagogy (CP), a liberatory approach that positions students as co-creators and investigators of knowledge instead of passive recipients. Examples of CP practices and strategies to overcome obstacles in implementing CP will be explored. Attendees will learn how to apply CP to their own contexts to foster learner agency, equity, and engagement with societal issues in the classroom and beyond.

Speaker: Zoya Erdevig (Tokyo International University)

582 Repositioning Willingness to Communicate in Place-Based Education

Speaker: Dr Hui Chia Shih (Chung Hsing University)

583 GELT-informed materials in Japan: Is the need being met?

This presentation will describe a review of recent EFL coursebook catalogs from publishers in the Japanese market which identified coursebooks whose promotional materials reference features suitable for Global Englishes Language Teaching (GELT). The selected coursebooks were reviewed to determine the degree to which they could help language instructors in teaching English through the Global Englishes paradigm. The results will be used to argue that the market for GELT-informed materials is currently underserved.

Speaker: Andrew McMahon (Fukuoka University)

584 Designing a Global Englishes Course for University Students

This presentation describes how a Global Englishes course was designed to raise students’ awareness of English varieties. While learning about the spread of English as a language, students explored linguistic diversity through interviews with speakers of different English varieties, research on English varieties, and interactive presentations. These activities encouraged students to connect theoretical knowledge with communicative practice, helping them develop greater awareness of English diversity and confidence when interacting with speakers from different linguistic backgrounds.

Speaker: Ms Ma Wilma Capati (Kanazawa Institute of Technology)

585 Teaching Global Competence: Practice-based approaches

Within the global education landscape, the Global Competence framework recommends a shift from knowledge-based to competence-based education in order to promote students’ critical mindset and cultivate their curiosity, empathy, and social engagement. This presentation showcases interdisciplinary, experiential, and team-based approaches to fostering critical thinking and global competence skills at Japanese universities. Specifically, presenters will discuss teaching and learning practices that help cultivate cross-cultural understanding, individual and group accountability, and creative application of knowledge.

Speakers: Incoronata Nadia Inserra (Center for Global Education, The University of Tokyo), Jesus Alberto Pulido Arcas (Center for Global Education. The University of Tokyo.), Sylwia Ejmont (Center for Global Education, University of Tokyo)

586 Becoming a Critical Teacher

In this presentation we draw from a collective case study to examine the experiences and beliefs of self-identifying critical language teachers in Japanese university EFL. We explore the influences on their professional trajectories and pathways to critical teaching, as well as some of the factors that constrained their development as critical teachers. We suggest ways in which professional development could help them to reach their potential.

Speakers: Dr Belinda Kennett (The University of Queensland), Dr Lachlan Jackson (Ritsumeikan University)

587 Adapting Model UN for Intermediate EFL Classrooms

Speaker: Inge Odendaal (Kansai Gaidai University)

Room 1203: Pragmatics and Bilingualism

588 Learning to Manage Interactional Troubles: Repair Strategies

L2 learners need to develop interactional competence for effective communication in English, particularly the ability to negotiate meaning and manage misunderstandings through repair. Despite its importance, repair remains underrepresented in ELT textbooks. This study investigates how instruction in repair strategies affects Japanese university students’ classroom discussions. Preliminary findings suggest that awareness-raising and practice promote the proactive use of conversational repair to support negotiation of meaning and collaborative knowledge building.

Speaker: Akiko Chiba (Kansai Gaidai University)

589 Developing Interactional Competence: Stance-Negotiation

In order to function effectively in today’s ELF contexts, university English education must promote interactional competence, specifically, stance negotiation and coherent turn-taking. Research has identified L2 learners’ difficulties in participating in interaction, including misaligned or absent responses. This study examines Japanese university students’ stance negotiation in group discussions and explores effective pedagogical approaches. Preliminary findings indicate that providing pragmalinguistic resources with practice opportunities enhances learners’ co-construction of meaning as they negotiate their views during discussions.

Speaker: Akiko Chiba (Kansai Gaidai University)

590 IMPAR² and Pragmalinguistic Modal Use in Process Writing

This presentation reports a qualitative descriptive study of pragmalinguistic modal use in learner process writing produced within the IMPAR² instructional framework. Low-intermediate EFL students (n = 43) wrote Draft 1 and Draft 2 procedural paragraphs following explicit instruction and revision. Analysis shows modal verbs functioning as directive stance markers, clustering around obligation and advice forms. The study illustrates how examining learner modal choices can reveal developing pragmalinguistic control in genre-based writing.

Speaker: Mr Prumel Barbudo (Meikai University)

591 Self-Talk to Boost Pragmatics and Reflective Practice

This study reports on a 10-week project of self-talk practice designed for university students, supported by qualitative analyses of their reflections. The results suggest that this simple approach can bring about significant changes in learners’ communicative endeavors, pragmatic awareness, and self-reflection on their learning and daily lives. Such fostered self-reflection may lead to Reflective Practice, promoting continuous learning and improvement both within and beyond the sphere of language learning.

Speaker: Sanae Oda-Sheehan (Ochanomizu University)

592 Cultural Study Enhanced Cross-cultural Collaborative Project

Speaker: Ms Kimiko Koseki (Seijo University)

593 Designing Inclusive Internationalization in EFL Classrooms

As universities pursue internationalization, English often serves as the primary medium of global engagement. However, English-dominant approaches can both facilitate and constrain inclusive participation (Jenkins, 2014; Macaro, 2018). Drawing on comparative qualitative research on internationalization in French and Japanese universities, this interactive workshop examines English as both a bridge and a barrier. Participants will explore multilingual approaches to internationalization and collaboratively design practical classroom strategies that integrate intercultural collaboration and inclusive global learning.

Speakers: Najoua Mohib (University of Strasbourg), 衛 石田 (Okayama University)

Room 1204: CALL and AI

594 AI Integration into ELT in Vietnamese Higher Education

This study explores Vietnamese EFL lecturers’ acceptance and integration of AI, particularly ChatGPT. Using a combined UTAUT2 and SAMR framework, data were collected through in-depth interviews with 10 lecturers and their ChatGPT-generated teaching materials. Findings indicate positive acceptance, shaped by UTAUT2 factors, with ChatGPT primarily integrated for substitution and augmentation rather than for transformative pedagogy. The study highlights ChatGPT’s potential in EFL teaching and emphasizes the need to build lecturers’ ChatGPT literacy to enable deeper integration.

Speaker: Lien Cao (The Education University of Hong Kong)

595 ELF Communication: Insights from a Japan-Taiwan COIL

This study examines the third iteration of a Japan-Taiwan COIL project focused on English as a Lingua Franca (ELF). Using quantitative surveys (Yashima, 2002, 2009) and qualitative reflections based on Deardorff (2022), our research explores student attitudes toward an online intercultural exchange. Findings reveal that while students reported high satisfaction, they experienced significant anxiety. The session discusses strategies students used to overcome communication breakdowns and how the project reshaped their perceptions of non-native English interactions.

Speakers: Gregory Birch (Seisen University), Prof. Yukiko Yabuta (Seisen University), Jeng-yih Tim Hsu (National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, Taiwan)

596 Generative Artificial Intelligence and Student Feedback in L2 Writing

Speaker: Adam Christopher

597 A Digital Typewriter: Focus on Writing, Not on AI

Speaker: Roberto Soto Prado (Kanda University of International Studies)

598 Machine Translation and Learner Psychology

This presentation reports findings from two classroom-based studies examining how machine translation (MT) influences learner psychology. Using Self-Determination Theory as a framework, the studies explored effects on enjoyment, anxiety, and motivation among first-year Japanese university students. While MT supported communication and competence, qualitative findings suggest potential tensions with autonomy. Pedagogical implications for integrating MT in ways that support learner development will be discussed.

Speaker: Simon Cooke (Tohoku Institute of Technology)

Room 1205: Listening, Reading, and Literature

599 Simple Past and Perceived Difficulty in German ER

In Extensive Reading (ER) learners are expected not only to enjoy but also to understand the story. However, reading comprehension (RC) depends on orthography, vocabulary, grammar, background knowledge and metacognitive strategies (Jung, 2009). For beginner Japanese students of German, vocabulary seems the most obvious obstacle, yet each factor can be challenging. This study focuses on the role of grammar, particularly verb forms, and explores the use of authentic texts in simple tenses for German ER.

Speakers: Corinna V. Goto (Tohoku University), 美穂 磯部 (信州大学)

600 Instructional Design for Narrative Reinterpretation Using CLIL Pedagogy

Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) offers a way to connect language use with meaningful subject content. This presentation shares approaches used in a university English course that uses narrative as the basis for language and content work. The course asks students to examine stories, reconsider events and outcomes, propose alternative possibilities, and explain the reasons for their choices in English. The presentation introduces several classroom approaches, such as narrative analysis, guided questions, alternative scenarios, group discussion, and tasks that require students to justify their decisions. It also presents sample activities and task sequences from actual classroom practice. These examples show ways to connect narrative interpretation with purposeful language use, critical thought, and interaction. The session aims to share practical approaches that other teachers can adapt to their own courses and classroom contexts.

Speaker: ANA MARIA FLORES (CHUKYO UNIVERSITY)

601 The Changing Landscape of Language Learning Beyond the Classroom: 2005–2025

Speaker: Ha Anh Thi Nguyen (Hanoi Pedagogical University 2)

602 Text Complexity and Readability in IELTS Academic Reading

This study examines linguistic consistency and variation in 84 IELTS Academic Reading passages from official Cambridge volumes (IELTS 10–16). Using quantitative measures of word count, sentence length, lexical density, complex-word ratio, and composite readability, the analysis finds strong standardisation across test forms, modest progression across Passages 1–3, and limited thematic variation. The findings contribute empirical evidence regarding test comparability and offer pedagogical implications for IELTS preparation and materials development.

Speaker: Thomas Legge (Momoyama Gakuin University)

603 Fast reading aloud for improving listening comprehension

L2 listeners commonly report that speech rate is the primary challenge they experience during listening. Those with lower proficiency tend to rely on bottom-up processing and therefore need to develop this skill to improve comprehension. This study suggests that fast reading aloud may be an effective instructional strategy for promoting bottom-up processing and, consequently, comprehension. Its effectiveness appears comparable to that of shadowing, which has been shown to facilitate both bottom-up processing and comprehension.

Speaker: Katsuya Yokomoto (Sophia University)

604 Latin and Greek morphemes in academic reading comprehension

This presentation explores how Latin and Greek morpheme awareness impacts L2 English majors’ academic reading. A quantitative correlational study of 141 students revealed a moderate positive relationship, where morphological awareness significantly predicts reading success, explaining 25.2% of comprehension variance. Supplemented by interview data on how learners decode complex texts, this session highlights actionable pedagogical strategies for integrating explicit morphological instruction into EFL reading curricula.

Speaker: Thanh Le (Ho Chi Minh City Open University)

605 A Fluency First Approach to Teaching Reading

In this presentation, we first define what is meant by the term reading fluency. We then explore principles of fluency development based on consistency theory, strength theory, ACT* theory, instance theory, and verbal efficiency theory. This overview provides a foundation for examining various classroom activities—extensive reading, timed reading, narrow reading, repeated reading, reading aloud, and rapid lexical processing—that can help learners enhance their reading fluency.

Speakers: Tomoko Nemoto (Temple University Japan Campus), David Beglar (Temple University, Japan Campus)

Room 1206: Critical Thinking

606 The role of elaboration in deepening CLIL group discussion

This study examines how A2/B1-level students develop their group discussion in CLIL. Audio recordings from three classes were analyzed using a two-layered analytical framework to examine cognitive discourse functions (Dalton-Puffer, 2013) and discourse moves (Pastrana et al., 2018). The findings show that while students sometimes expanded feedback using shared experiences, discussions often remained disputational (Pastrana et al., 2018) without elaboration. The study suggests that staged discussions and explicit instruction in elaboration may promote deeper discussion.

Speakers: Ms Emi Fukasawa (Sophia Linguistic Institute for International Communication), Ms Hiroko Aikawa (Sophia Linguistic Institute for International Communication)

607 Teaching Critical Thinking Through Media Text Analysis

Speaker: Cameron Flinn

608 Perspective-switching: a CLIL Scaffolding Strategy

Investigate a parasitic worm’s attack on the human body as a heist. Find out about the layers of the Earth and its atmosphere through a cocktail party mingle. Content and Language Integrated Learning is enhanced by introducing concepts with simple language and creative contexts, then developing academic language once the ideas are understood. In this workshop, you will experience examples of this and have the opportunity to develop similar ideas for your own classes.

Speaker: Alexander Selman (Rikkyo University)

Room 1206: Global Issues

609 JALT–International Partners Meeting

JALT invites representatives of all International Partners to join the JALT–International Partners Meeting, which will explore collaborative opportunities in research, professional development, and other joint initiatives, ensuring our shared expertise supports meaningful educational development. With Pan-Asian Consortium partner representatives, we will also discuss upcoming and future PAC conferences. We look forward to welcoming all International Partner representatives and other interested participants to this meeting. The session will encourage dialogue, networking, and planning for sustained collaboration.

Speaker: Richmond Stroupe (Soka University)

610 Voices for Peace: From Classroom Ritual to Civic Engagement

Inspired by a task-based curriculum, this practice-oriented presentation introduces a series of techniques (or ‘classroom rituals’) for teaching using peace education. More specifically, participants will engage with three rituals designed to cultivate student voice through meaningful interactions. These rituals empower students to express their identities in the target language and create “a common language with which [students] can talk about conflict and work toward peace [within and beyond the classroom]” (Oxford, 2013, p. 13).

Speaker: Sadie Nitta

611 Using CLIL to Increase Motivation in an Interpreting Course

This presentation will demonstrate a CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning)-based approach implemented in a university interpreting course within Japan's EFL environment. Each class session addressed social issues such as plastic waste, integrating student presentations, collaborative learning including pair work, and consecutive interpreting practice. A survey conducted after three months examined whether CLIL increased motivation for interpreting-related learning. Results suggest that collaborative learning and background research enhanced both motivation and students’ interest in global issues.

Speaker: Mrs Yukie Nobutsune (Tokyo Woman's Christian University, Temple University, Japan Campus)

Room 1207: Temple University Graduate Student Showcase

Conveners: Dr Patrick Kiernan (Meiji University), Tomoko Nemoto (Temple University Japan Campus)

612 Untangling /ɾ/ /ɹ/ and /l/ for Japanese learners of English

Temple University GSS. The consonant /ɾ/ often interferes with the mapping of separate phonological categories for /ɹ/ and /l/ for Japanese learners of English. This interference ultimately leads to challenges in accurate reception and production. The first part of the presentation will explore the relevant literature broadly. Part two explains how this research informed the design of a targeted intervention and concludes with a reflection of the efficacy of that treatment in a classroom setting.

Speakers: Caleb Fraser (Temple University), Christopher Maxwell (Temple Japan Graduate College of Education)

613 Teaching Do, Does, and Did Through Socratic Questioning

Temple University Graduate Student Showcase. This study examines guided inductive grammar instruction through Socratic questioning with Brazilian high-beginner EFL learners. Across five weekly sessions, learners analyzed contextualized examples, compared statements and questions, formulated rules, and applied patterns involving do, does, and did. Pretest-posttest performance and written rule formulations indicated substantial gains in question formation and awareness of auxiliary choice, tense, subject, and base-verb form. The presentation discusses classroom applications and limitations of this exploratory intervention.

Speaker: Cláudia M. B. Gambaro (Temple University Japan)

614 A Speaking Course for Beginner University Students

Temple University GSS. A speaking course was created with the assumption that students learned vocabulary and grammar from elementary to high school but not how to apply language to communicative competence. Skills, topics, and activities presented here will help university students build a foundation for communicative competence. The lessons are based on Japanese culture and chosen to inclusive for Japanese university students and build their English abilities by using familiar topics.

Speaker: Evan Shapiro (Temple University Japan Campus)

615 Speaking Fluency Development through the 4/3/2 Technique

This presentation is sponsored by Temple University Graduate Student Showcase
This presentation reports a classroom-based case study of the 4/3/2 speaking technique with an adult Japanese learner of English. Across five instructional sessions, the learner increased speech rate, reduced pauses in shorter timed rounds, and used more paraphrasing while reporting greater confidence. The findings illustrate how repeated meaning-focused speaking under shrinking time limits can support fluency development in one-on-one or classroom settings.

Speaker: Avery Afshari

616 Raising Phonological Awareness through Interactive Media

Sponsored by Temple University Graduate Student Showcase
What makes for a successful language-learning video game? This research project explores studies on games as an educational tool and merges them with evidence-supported practices of language-teaching with the ultimate goal of creating a pedagogically sound educational video game. In addition to presenting the development of such a game, there will be a brief demonstration of a working prototype focusing on the distinction between /r/ and /l/.

Speaker: Victor Allen Wolfe

Room 1208: Bilingualism

617 Language of Instruction: Student Attitudes and Perceptions

Debate continues regarding L1 use in Japanese university EFL classrooms, as institutions promote English-medium instruction despite evidence that L1 use can support learning. This study examined students’ preferred language of instruction and predictors across discipline, level, and language background. A 36-item Likert survey (n>250) at a Japanese university found strong preferences for Japanese in technical contexts but support for bilingual instruction in lectures and language classes, suggesting bilingual approaches may better support confidence and comprehension.

Speakers: Jerry Johnston (Kwansei Gakuin University), Kane Linton (Wayo Women's University)

618 Teacher Translanguaging in Thai EFL: A Systematic Review

This study presents a systematic review of translanguaging practices in Thai EFL classrooms. Drawing on García et al. (2017) ’s strands of translanguaging and Cenoz and Gorter’s (2021) model, it synthesizes 13 empirical studies published between 2009 and 2025. Findings show that EFL teachers widely adopt resource-oriented stances and employ flexible classroom shifts, while structured metalinguistic activities and integrated language curricula remain limited. Translanguaging is expanding, yet continues to operate within an English-dominant educational system.

Speaker: Warangrut Duangsaeng (Kasetsart University)

619 Translation, AI, and Intercultural Communication in EFL

This presentation compares published English translations of Japanese literary works with AI-generated translations to examine differences in nuance, cultural representation, and communicative effect. It also explores translation and interpretation issues in tourism and environmental communication texts collected through fieldwork research in Japan and other international contexts. Through these examples, the presentation discusses the possibilities and limitations of AI-assisted translation in intercultural communication and English language education. Particular attention is given to how AI-generated translations can help Japanese learners of English develop greater awareness of style, audience, nuance, and culturally appropriate expression in literary, educational, and professional communication contexts.

Speaker: Prof. Masayuki Teranishi (University of Hyogo)

620 Reconceptualizing Global Competencies in Local Universities

Japan’s policy defines intercultural understanding as a core global competency but often equates it with English proficiency, promoting English-medium instruction and outward-oriented internationalization. Yet graduates of local universities mainly work in local contexts. Interviews with graduates, employers, and career staff at two North Kanto universities reveal limited demand for outward-oriented global skills in local companies, but strong needs for inward-oriented competencies for multicultural coexistence, especially in schools. Curricula remain outward-focused, exposing a structural mismatch.

Speakers: Kyoko Miyazato (Hakuoh University), Chieko Mimura (Utsunomiya University)

Room 1208: First-time Presenters

621 Nagano Chapter First-time Presenter

With the GIGA School program, Japan has achieved one tablet for one student in most of its public schools. Now AI tools are spreading fast in our daily lives and at work. Surveys on ICT usage from the Japanese government show that students as young as elementary and junior high school have already started using them. Are ALTs and JTEs already using those tools themselves?

Speakers: Miguel Mision (University of Nagano), Yannick Brusaporco

622 Fold Here: Zines in the Writing Classroom

Derived from "fanzine" and "magazine," zines give creators a platform to publish work for niche audiences about topics they love, prioritizing community and passion over profit.

This talk explores zines and how physical zine-making can be integrated into writing classes. Key topics include production tips, material choices, examples of student work, and a comparison between Western and Japanese approaches to zine creation.

Speaker: Mr Matthew French (Okayama University)

623 Presentations Without Notes: Teach the Skills First

Students should be taught the skills necessary for public speaking before being asked to perform under pressure. In this communication course, students work toward a five-minute presentation without notes. Along the way, they learn to organize their ideas, develop presentation materials, practice delivery, reduce their dependence on notes, and respond to audience questions. These skills are introduced and practiced in sequence, giving students repeated opportunities to prepare before bringing everything together in the final presentation.

Speaker: Daniel Dean

624 Digital Neocolonialism: AI & Manufactured Consent

This presentation frames the recent uptake of AI technologies in academia—and in particular in an ESL/EFL context—through a neo-colonial lens. Working from existing research on the socio-economic and environmental impact of AI, we can see this not simply as an emergent technology but as an exploitative tool that continues to perpetuate systems of inequality and is actively invested in exploitation. From this vantage point, I discuss how we can reconcile the ethics of AI with our field's colonial past, our neocolonial concurrences, and to critique the ongoing manufactured consent to AI use within academia.

Room 1209: Vocabulary and Writing

625 Kinesthetic Learning Enhancing Learner Motivation

Learners across all three proficiency levels showed reduced psychological barriers to All-English reading instruction when kinesthetic learning activities, such as Walk & Read and Running Dictation, were incorporated. Lower-proficiency learners became willing to engage independently, intermediate learners showed increased motivation to continue All-English learning, and upper-proficiency learners applied reading strategies during home study and engaged in more output-oriented practice. These results suggest that kinesthetic learning can enhance motivation.

Speaker: Koji Namihira (Meio University)

626 Development of Corpus-Informed ESAP Materials for Geography

This study reports the design and evaluation of corpus-informed ESAP materials for geography undergraduates, integrating vocabulary from a corpus-based wordlist derived from a 1.4-million-word geography corpus. Vocabulary was selected based on topic relevance, L1–L2 distance, and technicality. The study shows that document frequency (DF) strongly predicts pedagogical uptake; corpus-based vocabulary with high DF is more likely to appear in materials. In addition, students found the materials relevant, varied, challenging, and engaging.

Speaker: Andreja Drasler (Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia)

627 An Efficiency Paradox in L2 Vocabulary Learning

This study investigates whether high-involvement output tasks improve the efficiency of L2 vocabulary learning. In a longitudinal study of 178 Japanese university students, increasingly intensive reminder and generative-use tasks were implemented and analyzed using Technique Feature Analysis (TFA). Paradoxically, stronger task conditions resulted in significantly less reported self-study time, yet equivalent vocabulary gains. Findings suggest that deep task-induced processing may optimize learning efficiency while reducing learner workload.

Speaker: Dr Aeric Wong (Osaka Jogakuin University)

628 Gairaigo: An ongoing investigation into their use, reception, and perceptions thereof.

Gairaigo, or loanword cognates, are an important aspect of second language learning. In this presentation, data gathered from Japanese English learners and English L1 speakers aimed to discover to what extent Japanese English learners use gairaigo when speaking in English and to what extent they are understood by English L1 speakers. Data collected from Japanese English teachers revealed the opinions of Japanese English teachers at the primary-level of education. A mixed methods approach allowed data to be collected in a variety of ways, enabling a greater understanding of the topic. The findings indicate that gairaigo are used by Japanese English learners when speaking in English and there is a tendency for them to be understood by English L1 speakers when used in full sentences. The study also revealed that Japanese English teachers at elementary schools have varied views on the source of gairaigo and whether they could be used as an aid to second language acquisition. The presentation concludes by highlighting further potential avenues of investigation and calling on participants to consider their own experiences, thoughts and opinions related to whether gairaigo have a role in second language acquisition in Japan.

Speaker: Matthew Quinn (Sakushin Gakuin University)

629 From Rote to Real: Concept-Checking Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are notoriously difficult for ESL learners due to their idiomatic nature. This session explores how Concept-Checking Questions (CCQs) replace ineffective queries like "Do you understand?" to accurately gauge comprehension. Drawing on a mixed-methods study of 30 teachers in Vietnam, the presenter demonstrates how to integrate display and referential CCQs across lesson stages. Participants will learn practical strategies to design CCQs that facilitate both lower and higher-order thinking skills.

Speaker: Ms Linh Duong Thi My (Vietnam - USA Society English Center (VUS))

630 Acquisition of Collocations via Diverse Multimodal Input

Speaker: Adam Christopher

631 Improving Automated Transcription of L2 Learner Texts

This presentation addresses the problem of creating accurate spoken L2 learner corpora by introducing a hybrid transcription approach combining top-down LLM-mediated ASR (Whisper) with bottom-up wav2vec. Findings from an analysis of word error rate in 200 L2 speech samples show that ASR accuracy varies by task and proficiency. The presenters will demonstrate a prototype tool that aligns ASR and wav2vec transcripts to enable efficient human review and to export a learner corpus for further analysis.

Speakers: Gavin Brooks (Kyoto University of Foreign Studies), Christopher HOLLIS (Tottori University (Tottori JALT))

Room 1210: Mind and Body (M&B)

Convener: Dr Masatoshi Shoji (Shokei Gakuin University)

632 Thai Yoga Massage: Promoting Relaxation & Releasing Tension

Thai Yoga Massage combines assisted stretching and acupressure to release physical tension and promote relaxation. The assisted yoga poses loosen tight muscles to improve flexibility and boost circulation, while the pressure techniques shift the nervous system into a parasympathetic state which promotes relaxation.

This workshop will introduce some simple massage techniques that participants can give and receive with a partner. Please wear loose, comfortable clothing that allows for a full range of motion. If you have a yoga mat, bring it along with you.

Whether you are feeling nervous before a presentation or exhausted by the daily grind, this workshop will provide a safe space to relax and refresh.

Speaker: Amy Toms (Fukuoka Women's University)

Room 1207: Tsuda University Graduate Student Showcase

Conveners: Dr Patrick Kiernan (Meiji University), Saeko Toyoshima (Tsuda University)

633 Productive English Vocabulary for Speaking through CBI

This presentation is sponsored by Tsuda University Graduate Student Showcase. This study explores how content-based instruction (CBI) can promote the development of productive English vocabulary for speaking among students. Students gave presentations on vocabulary learned in three thematic lessons from a textbook. Data were collected through these presentations and two questionnaires. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of CBI by showing vocabulary profile, tokens and accuracy of target vocabulary, and changes of perceptions of productive vocabulary.

Speaker: Yuki Tamakoshi (Tsuda University)

634 Learner Autonomy through Digital Self-Regulated Learning

This presentation is sponsored by the Tsuda University Graduate Student Showcase. Based on findings from the National Assessment of Academic Ability (NAAA), Japanese junior high school students face challenges in English learning and spend less time on home study. This study investigates how digital technology-mediated self-regulated learning, supported by appropriate teacher guidance, can enhance learner autonomy. Data will be collected through questionnaires, achievement tests, and students’ reflections to examine changes in learner autonomy.

Speaker: Ms Kazumi Ito (Tsuda University)

635 The Effects of TBLT on Grammar Knowledge and Motivation

This presentation is sponsored by Tsuda University Graduate Student Showcase. This study examined the effects of TBLT on grammar acquisition and motivation toward learning English among senior high school students by comparing an experimental group that underwent TBLT grammar learning with a control group that participated in non-TBLT grammar learning across two instructional cycles. The results indicated positive effects on both grammar acquisition and learners' motivation, although effectiveness differed depending on the grammatical items.

Speaker: 真衣 小關 (津田塾大学)

636 Reflection Sharing and Changes in EFL Learner Engagement

This presentation is sponsored by Tsuda University Graduate Student Showcase. This study examines how written reflection activities and teacher-led in-class sharing of students' reflections relate to changes in behavioral, cognitive, emotional, and social engagement. Participants were 78 second-year students in an English course at a Japanese college of technology. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed; this presentation focuses on pre- and post-course engagement scale data. Results showed a significant increase only in behavioral engagement.

Speaker: Ms Ikeda Ikuko (Tsuda University Graduate School)

637 The Effects of Group Phonics Practice on Student Engagement

This presentation is sponsored by Tsuda University Graduate Student Showcase.
This research examines how introducing group work into phonics practice affects elementary school students’ engagement in English lessons, focusing on observable changes in participation and classroom behavior. The study was conducted with sixth-grade students at two public elementary schools in Japan. Using an action research approach, the research study explores how group collaboration may foster students’ participation and phonics development in English learning.

Speaker: Tomoko Kokubu (Tsuda University Graduate Schools of English Language and Literature)

Room 1207: Kanda University Graduate Student Showcase

638 Bridging the Motivation-Action Gap in Adult EFL Learners

Adult learners often struggle to translate motivation into action, which can lead to decreased engagement. This presentation proposes redesigning a 10-minute counseling framework based on the preactional phase of Dörnyei and Ottó's (1998) L2 motivation process model. This proposal suggests a support system where goal setting, intention formation, and progress monitoring foster students' self-regulation and sustained engagement, and aims to break the "vicious circle" of disengagement and enhance learner self-efficacy in adult EFL contexts.

Speaker: Miku Iwasaki (Kanda University of International Studies)

639 Self-Regulated Learning Worksheets for Reluctant Learners

Implementing Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) with reluctant learners in EFL classrooms can be challenging. This presentation explores practical approaches to designing SRL worksheets that support goal setting, self-monitoring, and reflection. Drawing on SRL literature, the presenter discusses key considerations for worksheet design and scaffolding, especially for learners who are hesitant to engage in reflective learning. The presentation concludes with pedagogical suggestions for teachers interested in incorporating SRL into their own classrooms.

Speaker: Chizuru Gyofu