All webinars are free and open to both JALT members and non-members. Join us online to connect, share, and learn!

Osaka JALT Online (OJO) is a free webinar series dedicated to bringing together English language teaching professionals from Japan and beyond in a friendly, supportive, and low-pressure online environment. We welcome both JALT members from the wider JALT community as well as non-members to share presentations about their passions and interests related to language teaching and teaching in Japan in a friendly, supportive, low-stakes environment. Ultimately, OJO aims to foster professional growth, expand networking opportunities for presenters and attendees, and build deeper connections among our community. 

Held two to three times each year, each webinar in the OJO series is built around a central theme or concept, providing opportunities to explore ideas from multiple perspectives. Individual presentations are 20–25 minutes in length, followed by a brief Q&A if time allows. The event concludes with extended breakout-room discussions, giving presenters and participants the chance to exchange ideas, ask questions, and build meaningful professional connections.

Whether you’re presenting for the first time, sharing classroom practices, discussing research in progress, or refining a conference presentation, OJO provides a welcoming space to exchange ideas and receive constructive feedback. We especially encourage first-time presenters to use OJO as a confidence-building launch pad, while experienced educators can explore new ideas and connect with colleagues. We hope to see eager educators taking the opportunity to share practical activities, practice the rough version of their presentation before a conference, and participate in constructive dialogue with audience members. 

Presenters are also invited to publish research papers, reflective pieces, and other contributions in the Osaka JALT Journal. Please see our journal website for more information on publication guidelines.

Webinar Topics

Language as Movement

This presentation looks at ways the gestures we make are not separate from, but potentially part of the language itself. Embodied cognition is an emerging field in linguistics and thus attendees are invited to rethink how their gestures and movements impact their classrooms and whether this could be utilized to help students achieve learning outcomes.

Heather Gulick is an ESL educator for both business and Schools with over 10 years teaching experience in Japan across various levels and ages. She has a Bachelor’s in Linguistics with a minor in Japanese and is currently pursuing a Masters in Neuroscience and Education. 

Connecting Global Issues to Our Lives: Teaching Development, Poverty, and Gender in Japan

This webinar reflects on my attempt to teach development studies and sociology to encourage students to explore global and local issues, connect these issues to their lives, find their own questions, and consider how they might contribute to well-being and social change from where they stand. My experiences in the Philippines and UN development cooperation deepened my understanding of global issues, while childbirth and parenting in Japan helped me connect those issues to my own life, showing me how close poverty, gender inequality, and isolation can be to anyone’s life. I will share students’ varied responses, challenges, and strategies.

Hanayo Hirai, PhD, is Professor at Otemon Gakuin University and specializes in development studies from a sociological perspective. Her research connects Japan and the Philippines, focusing on poverty, gender, care, and inclusion, especially vulnerable children and families. Drawing on UN agency experience, her teaching links global issues with local communities.

We are pleased to release the schedule for the Back to School 2026 Conference, and look forward to seeing you all next weekend on April 26th at OJU.

This year’s conference will again be in person at Osaka Jogakuin University, near Tamatsukuri station on the JR Loop Line and Nagahori Tsurumi-Ryokuchi Metro line. We expect to have about 50 presentations, and we will again have an after-conference dinner party at a nearby restaurant. Join us for what is sure to be another great day of sharing, networking, and learning!

¥1000 – ¥2000 (1000 yen for JALT members and full-time students, 2000 yen for others)

You can check the details of the presenters and their presentations here.

You can find the PDF of the schedule here.

To kick off our annual conference, Osaka JALT is excited to host a relaxed evening of networking. All members and non-members are warmly welcome — whether or not you plan to attend the conference, we would love to see you there.

Date: April 25th
Time: 4:00–6:30 PM
We’ll finish early so everyone has time to prepare for the conference. You’re welcome to drop in at any time, and drinks will be ¥100 off between 4:00–4:30 PM.

Venue: Casablanca Namba
https://www.casablanca-osaka.jp

A variety of dietary options will be available, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and pork-free dishes.

RSVP is strongly encouraged to help us plan, though it is not required. Those who RSVP by April 23 can enjoy a ¥3000 buffet with additional orders available.

To RSVP, simply click “Going” on the Facebook event, or email us at programs@osakajalt.org. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at the same address or via Instagram (@osaka_jalt).

We look forward to seeing you all at OJU on Sunday, April 26th. 

Here is the list of presenters and the presentations they will be giving:

Olivia Allanson - Pronunciation Support: Bridging the Rhythm gap between English and Japanese

Katakana pronunciation in English communication by Japanese speakers is not uncommon trait which has quite often lead to an unnatural output and flow, as many pronunciation teachings often fail to address the different rhythms of L2 English (stress-timing) and L1 Japanese (mora-timing). This presentation will focus on the differences between the rhythms and tips on how to support Japanese students for smoother output in English Communication.        

Olivia Allanson is from Australia and a TESOL Masters graduate from Sydney University. She currently is working in universities across Kansai, including Ritsumeikan, Kindai, and Kobe International.        

Christopher Andrews - What Constitutes Ethical AI Use in EFL Writing? Teacher and Student Perspectives

In light of recent technological developments, assessment policies which clearly delineate appropriate AI use guidelines are increasingly important. Despite this, teachers and students alike may interpret what constitutes ethical AI use quite differently. This presentation will discuss areas of consensus and divergence both within and between the 32 teachers and 280 students surveyed at a university last year. Practical implications will be discussed.        

Christopher Andrews is from the UK, holds a master’s degree in Applied Linguistics and TESOL, and currently works at a university in Kanagawa Prefecture.        

Manuel Avenido, Mike Lawrence Ratunil, & Margarette Anne Fraser - Teaching How to Edit and Rehearse English Oral Presentations with AI

This presentation introduces a practical workshop for EFL teachers in Japan on using AI to support the editing and rehearsal of English oral presentations. Guided by the AI-TPACK framework, the workshop demonstrates a human–machine–human approach that integrates AI feedback with critical thinking and metacognitive reflection. Participants explore hands-on activities and pedagogical strategies that promote ethical AI use while strengthening students’ presentation skills and communicative competence in English.        

Manu Avenido is a Practical English lecturer at Kyoto Sangyo University. His research interests focus on the intersection of EFL, literature, and communication, particularly within the contexts of Japan and the broader ASEAN region.       

Mike Lawrence Ratunil is an English educator with over 10 years of teaching experience in both ESL and EFL contexts, currently at Ritsumeikan Uji Junior and Senior High School. He has spent several years teaching in Japan, focusing on helping students develop strong communication skills, critical thinking, and intercultural understanding.

Margarette Anne Fraser is a secondary teacher with a decade of ESL teaching experience and an advocate for inclusion in ESL education for students with exceptionality. Having recently attained her Master's Degree in Education, she continues to expand her teaching experience in both ESL and inclusive education for the Osaka City Board of Education. 

Zoe Barber - Not just 'distracted': Supporting ADHD learners in the language classroom

Neurodivergent learners are increasingly visible in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. Learners with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) face additional challenges beyond common stereotypes held among language educators. At the same time, language teachers receive little special and additional educational needs training, creating a disconnect between student needs and classroom practices. This presentation will explore common barriers to success in the language classroom and discuss practical strategies for supporting neurodivergent students.        

Zoe Barber holds a M.Ed (TESOL) and specializes in diversity and inclusion in education. Her research focuses on best practices in the diverse language classroom and supporting students with special and additional educational needs.        

Andrew Blaker - Training Open Source Models: Fine-tuning Existing Models for Specific Language Level Output

This presentation outlines the project to modify open-source AI models, and outlines the process of data collection, fine-tuning, and comparing outputs. The goal of the project is to create an AI model that can output level-specific materials using the CEFR levels as a benchmark.        

Andrew Blaker is from New Zealand, and is an instructor at Kyōto Sangyō University.        

Oliver Cakebread-Andrews & Zoe Barber - Bridging the gap: Teaching critical evaluation skills to digital native students

This presentation shares findings from a pilot study revealing significant gaps between Japanese university students' digital comfort and critical evaluation abilities. Despite high confidence finding information online, students struggle to assess source reliability - a disparity that persists even after digital literacy coursework. We present a redesigned intervention course emphasizing concrete evaluation strategies, including lateral reading techniques and systematic credibility assessment. Participants will explore evidence-based pedagogical approaches for explicitly teaching digital critical thinking skills within EFL and general education contexts.        

Oliver Cakebread-Andrews is studying for his PhD in Computational Linguistics, focusing on sarcasm detection. He is an Associate Lecturer of English at Kwansei Gakuin University. His research interests are sentiment analysis, corpus linguistics and NLP.        

Zoe Barber holds a M.Ed (TESOL) and specializes in diversity in education. Her research focuses on best practices in the diverse language classroom and supporting students with special and additional educational needs.

John Carle - Designing ESL materials for motivation, accountability, and cooperation

This practice-oriented presentation explores how ESL materials can be designed to support motivation, accountability, and cooperation in language classrooms. Through examples of discussion prompts, vocabulary tasks, translation activities, and structured task sequences, the presenter demonstrates how materials can encourage participation and peer interaction. The session highlights practical design strategies that help teachers create classroom materials that motivate learners, promote responsibility for learning, and support cooperative classroom environments.        

John Carle, author of The English Gym series (as Jon Charles), runs Oak Hills Press, supporting independent writers. He is president of JALT’s Materials Writers SIG. Learn more at mwsig.jalt.org and englishgymjapan.com.        

Daniel Chesmore - Narrative Elements and Ludic Pedagogy in Debate Exercises

Debate and discourse have long been a part of classroom activities. However devoid of tangible repercussions, students can struggle to see the application of their skills or consequences of their choices. This study introduced a student created country, parties, and issues for them to debate. The study sought to assess whether such elements lead to increased participation and motivation.        

Daniel Chesmore is a graduate of Gloucestershire University. Currently a High school and University teacher his area of research is looking at how games and narrative can be used in the classroom.        

Gordon Clark & Alex Harris - Language, Culture, and Community: Designing Impactful Co-curricular Visits for English-learning Students

This presentation explores a framework for designing/executing short-term English language and culture programs and includes models/activities from real-world examples in Japan and America drawing on principles of co-curricular integration, corporate and community outings, academic department involvement, and service-learning opportunities. This approach supports program structures that foster language development, intercultural competence, potential career introductions, and meaningful engagement with others. Examples, models, pedagogical rationales, and assessment strategies will be shared, offering practical insights for educators and administrators.        

Gordon Clark, Director, IELI, University of North Texas, is Co-chair of NAFSA's Japan Interest Group and a long-term IEP director. He started his career in Osaka and visits often. He's hosted dozens of international groups.      

Alex Harris has worked as an instructor/administrator in America/Japan. As an Assistant Director, Special Programs, he built programs for international groups. He led UNT’s Super-IES Program at Kansai Gaidai and continues as a teacher/administrator there  

Joshua Cohen - Exercise Snacks and Sustained Attention in L2 Learning

What if two minutes of movement could make the next 30 minutes of language study more effective? This brief session introduces the concept of “exercise snacks” — short bursts of physical activity — as a tool for supporting cognitive readiness in EFL classrooms. We'll look briefly at how strategically timed movement breaks can recalibrate attention, reduce mental fatigue, and support deeper processing during language learning tasks.        

Joshua Cohen helps coordinate the Intensive International Program at Kindai University. His research interests include reading fluency development and the influence of physical activity on cognitive performance.        

Paul Dickinson - The effects of ER on reading attitudes: a review of the research

This poster presents the findings of a systematic review of research on the effects of extensive reading (ER) on reading attitudes in various language learning contexts. The results indicate that ER can have positive effects on learner reading attitudes such as reducing reading anxiety and improving levels of comfort and self-confidence. This session discusses such effects, as well as recommended practices and learning conditions for using ER to foster positive reading attitudes.        

Paul Dickinson teaches at Meijo University in Nagoya and at other universities in Aichi and Gifu. His teaching and research interests include extensive reading, CALL, and instructional design.        

Krithika Ganesan - Star of the week: Encouraging participation in speaking classes through positive reinforcement

Speaking classes are often filled with silences, students’ disengagement or L1 interference. This presentation explores how teachers can enhance students’ participation by integrating a positive reinforcement technique called “Star of the week”. It outlines speaking class expectations that teachers can establish to bring students out of their comfort zones and build their fluency. This technique aims to boost learners’ motivation to engage more actively in speaking tasks and speak only in English in classrooms.        

Krithika Ganesan is a TESOL certified English instructor at Kindai University, Osaka. She holds an MA in English language and Linguistics and her research interests are learner motivation and strategies to enhance fluency.        

Paul Goldberg - Links: Merging Extensive Reading and Task Based Learning for Meaningful Language Development

Links coursebooks integrate ER and TBLT into a unified system. Sustained reading builds vocabulary and fluency, while meaning focused tasks activate and extend that language. By linking input to purposeful communication, the series promotes motivation and confident language use in engaging ways. In this workshop, the presenters will discuss this innovative new coursebook series from the perspectives of the publisher who developed the concept, and a teacher who uses the book with their university classes.        

Paul Goldberg has taught English for over 20 years, and is the founder of the online system, Xreading, which he developed to make extensive reading more accessible for students and easier for teachers to manage.        

Tim B. Green - The Neuroscience of Using Effective Reinforcement in Any Classroom

Reinforcement means rewarding students to increase desired behaviors. What matters is when, how, and why. Unfortunately, continuous reinforcement — praising everything, all the time — is the least effective yet most common classroom strategy. Short-form internet content is addictive because it uses variable, intermittent reinforcement schedules, keeping users engaged without constant reward. The same principle keeps students striving without constant praise. After this talk, you'll have everything you need to apply it in any class.        

Tim B. Green has a B.Sc. in Neuroscience. He's a lifelong student of learning, memory & success, an organizational consultant, executive trainer & freelance ESL teacher who's taught in Japan for over 18 years.        

Malcolm Harding - Cambridge English Journeys for Students, Teachers and School Success

This presentation explores how the Cambridge English Journey and Cambridge Teacher Journey support students, teachers and schools through clear pathways, internationally recognised standards, and a full range of free and paid professional development opportunities, including qualifications such as CELTA. Through practical examples, it shows how schools can strengthen teaching, improve learner outcomes, and move towards sustainable whole-school improvement.        

Malcolm Harding has lived in Japan for many years and has worked across all levels of education, from preschool to university. He runs two international preschools and has been Manager of Cambridge Centre since 2007.        

Allan Harrison - Attitudes and Perspectives of Japanese Eikaiwa Teachers

This research explores the attitudes of Japanese Eikaiwa teachers toward Japan's English educational landscape. Utilizing survey data from Osaka-based educators, it investigates perceptions of foreign teachers, the efficacy of the national curriculum, and the role of pronunciation. Findings reveal a significant emphasis on teacher personality and appearance over formal qualifications, while highlighting systemic dissatisfaction with Japan’s testing-focused education system and a lack of communicative focus in schools        

Allan Harrison is a graduate of the University of Canterbury and currently serves as a part-time university lecturer in Japan. He has taught English in many fields, including immersion English and Eikaiwas.        

Shiori Hidaka - Japanese University English Instructors' Practice and Perceptions of Game-Based Learning

This study investigates Japanese university English instructors' practices and perceptions of Game-Based Learning (GBEL), finding it primarily used to boost speaking, motivation, and anxiety reduction. Despite engagement benefits, challenges include time constraints, passive student attitudes, and viewing games as mere entertainment. A key finding is that GBEL may fail to meet intended academic objectives in higher education, highlighting a distinct challenge for instructors.        

Shiori Hidaka recently earned a Master's degree from Osaka Jogakuin University. A former junior high school English teacher, they research Game-Based Learning and instructor perceptions in Japan.        

Kitiphong Inthaxay & Samia Hasseeb Khan - Building survival English skills

This presentation describes a simple and entertaining activity that can be used at any level, from Elementary schools to Senior High Schools. It is an activity in which teachers show a few pictures connected to a topic (food, Japan, or animals for example)and where students working in pairs have to help each other to guess the content, within a set time limit. Students will often change partners, which allow them to practice with students of different levels and keep them active during the whole activity.        

Inthaxay Kitiphong is from Shiga, and is a graduate of the University Jean Jaures 2, France, teaching foreign languages in local high schools.       

Samia Hasseeb Khan is from India and was raised in Oman. She teaches part-time at Mukogawa Women's University and other educational institutions in Kansai while pursuing her research projects. 

Samia Haseeb Khan, Inthaxay Kitiphong, & David Wybenga - Hanafuda cards help teach seasons, culture, strategy, memory, and probability through play.

In this talk, I share how I used the traditional Japanese card game hanafuda to make my lessons more interactive and culturally rich. The game’s seasonal themes and beautiful artwork opened new ways for students to connect with language, art, and history. I adapted the gameplay and materials to fit different levels, encouraging teamwork and conversation along the way. The talk includes examples of classroom activities, student reactions, and reflections on what worked best. My goal is to show how a simple game can spark curiosity, creativity, and deeper cultural understanding in everyday teaching.        

Samia Haseeb Khan was raised in Oman and India. She has been instructing learners of all ages and skill levels for over 1.5 decades, having established her base in Kansai. She has been juggling personal research with translation efforts lately.

Inthaxay Kitiphong, A long term ALT and educator based on Shiga. International human who loves to connect and teach. 

David Wybenga teaches children and adults. He has a background in social work and education. He writes a weekly blog on picture books.

Samia Haseeb Khan & Inthaxay Kitiphong - Fill in the Lyrics - Learning through Music 🎶

In this activity, students listen to a popular song while following a printed lyric sheet with missing words. As the music plays, they fill in the blanks based on what they hear. This improves listening accuracy, vocabulary recognition, and spelling. Teachers can pause the song for discussion or replay challenging parts. Afterwards, students compare answers in pairs and discuss the meaning of the lyrics. This activity creates an energetic classroom atmosphere while reinforcing language learning through music and teamwork        

Samia Haseeb Khan was raised in Oman and India. She has been instructing learners of all ages and skill levels for over 1.5 decades, having established her base in Kansai. She has been juggling personal research with translation efforts lately.     

Inthaxay Kitiphong is a long term ALT and educator based on Shiga. International human who loves to connect and teach. 

Julia Kimura & Elisabeth Fernandes - Revisiting engagement: New twists on familiar tasks

In this presentation, we introduce new and adapted low-preparation classroom activities designed to increase student engagement. Drawing on our experience in Japanese university EFL contexts, we demonstrate practical techniques for setting up structured pair and group tasks. Participants will leave with ideas to use on Monday morning that are adaptable for varied proficiency levels, class sizes, and instructional goals, plus strategies for fostering participation and student voice across a range of settings.        

Julia Kimura is an associate professor at Mukogawa Women's University's School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. She now serves as JALT’s Director of Membership and is an editor for The Language Teacher.        

Elisabeth Fernandes has taught languages (English, French, Portuguese) in Canada, the US, Thailand, and Japan. She serves on several educational and social committees. Interests include intercultural communication, learner autonomy, and neuro-education.

Hiroki Konishi - Japanese University Students’ Attitudes Toward English Diversity

Global English challenges native-speaker norms (Intachai et al., 2025), but many learners in Japan tend to maintain accent-based stereotypes that lead to more critical judgement of non-native accents (Ito, 2019). The presenter surveyed 347 undergraduates from seven faculties at a university in Osaka. The results indicated that, although many students expressed a preference for learning native-speaker English, they also struggled to distinguish it from non-native speakers. The researcher will discuss ways to increase student awareness.        

Hiroki Konishi is a master's degree student in the Graduate School of Foreign Language and Research at Kansai University and is supervised by Prof. Simon Humphries.        

Owen Kozlowski - Accountable sausage-making: AI-integrated process writing for the language classroom

In the large language model (LLM) age, language instructors struggle to ensure learners’ personal involvement in writing processes and verifying the authenticity of writing. This presentation introduces a simple, actionable, student-centered approach to process writing intentionally embracing LLMs. This process prevents illicit AI use (“cheating”), encourages critical thinking, and requires minimal resources/class time. Attendees will be walked through easy steps for implementing a transparent, iterative editing process, LLM text integration, and instructor feedback.        

Owen Kozlowski is a Tokunin instructor in Kansai University’s faculty of Foreign Language Studies. His research interests include ethical AI usage, task-based learning, and teacher autonomy. He wrote this without AI’s help.        

Arthur Lauritsen - The Numbers Game

Need a fun activity after a difficult test day? Maybe you would like to do some team building or just try a new way to practice numbers. In this presentation we will be designing "number quiz cards." Audience participation required, so don't forget to bring your thinking caps. BONUS: Participants will receive a copy of my free GR.        

Arthur Lauritsen has taught English in America, Thailand, Korea, and now Japan. Students include kindergarteners, secondary and tertiary students, over 65 lifelong learners, immigrants, and university students.        

David Lees & Scot Matsuo - PDF-Materials: Creation, Deployment, and Stakeholder Perspectives

Following the normalisation of digital devices, educators can better tailor courses to their contexts by creating their own PDF-based textbooks. Drawing on Constructive Alignment, humanization principles, and media affordances, this poster outlines points to consider while making such materials. It highlights benefits reported by students and instructors—including accessibility, editability, convenience, and hyperlinking to online resources—while noting drawbacks. Though educational contexts vary, this poster offers practical ideas for instructors designing their own materials.        

David Lees is from England, is a graduate of Liverpool University, and currently teaches at Kyoto University in Kyoto.        

Scot Matsuo, Ritsumeikan University: Scot Matsuo is a lecturer at Ritsumeikan University, where he also supervises at the Kinugasa Campus Self-Access Center. His research interests include learners' motivation.  

Thomas Legge, Alexandra Serebriakoff, Yoko Yaku, & Tsuguko Tatsumi - Discussing cultural and language assumptions in speaking tests: from English to Japanese

This workshop draws on the development of a Japanese speaking test to examine how cultural and linguistic assumptions shape speaking assessment in English language tests. We will explore how references to everyday life, social relationships, and leisure, as well as expectations about discourse and interaction, may advantage or disadvantage different learners. Participants will then discuss these issues and the extent to which culture and language should be considered when designing speaking assessments.

Thomas Legge is a lecturer in the Faculty of Business Administration at Momoyama Gakuin University. His research interests are study abroad, working holidays, and IELTS. He is president of the JALT Study Abroad SIG.   

Alexandra Serebriakoff has been teaching in Japan for 15 years. She currently works at Momoyama Gakuin in the south of Osaka. Her research interests include IELTS, gender and AI in Language Education.

Yoko Yaku works at Momoyama Gakuin University in Osaka. Her research interests include motivation and vocabulary learning.

Tsuguko Tatsumi works at Momoyama Gakuin University in Osaka teaching Japanese as a second language. Her research interests include honorific language and the career development of international students in Japanese society.

Thomas Legge - Preparing Students for English Challenges on Working Holidays

Increasing numbers of young Japanese are choosing working holidays instead of traditional study abroad. In this presentation, I draw on my recent research examining changing motivations behind this shift. While language and cultural learning remain important drivers, financial considerations are increasingly prominent. What does this mean for English educators? If students view English simply as a tool for mobility and income generation rather than academic study or cultural enrichment, how should classroom practice respond?        

Thomas Legge is a lecturer in the Faculty of Business Administration at Momoyama Gakuin University. His research interests are study abroad, working holidays, and IELTS. He is president of the JALT Study Abroad SIG.        

Abram Leon - International connections: Online exchange between Japanese and Filipino students

I describe the first iteration of online intercultural exchange activities held in 2025 between students at a Japanese university and a partner institution in the Philippines. Drawing on data from student surveys, I discuss how the program promoted student engagement, language learning, and intercultural competence. After comparing program satisfaction and outlining issues that were encountered, I conclude by sharing students’ suggestions for improvements and explaining how these are being implemented in 2026.        

Abram Leon is originally from New York, holds a MSEd in TESOL from Temple University Japan Campus, and teaches at Osaka International University. His research interests include multilingualism, study abroad, and English for tourism purposes.        

Peter Lutes - Designing and Managing Successful Student Internships: Strategy, Support, and Risk Management

The presenter shares practical strategies for designing and managing successful student internships. Key topics include clarifying educational purpose, structured planning, risk assessment, and faculty support during overseas placements. Based on experience developing multiple international internship models, the session presents adaptable frameworks institutions can apply immediately. Participants will gain practical guidance to strengthen academic value, student safety, and program quality while building professional expertise in internship design, an increasingly valuable skill for educational leadership and internationalization.        

Prof. Peter Lutes is in charge of English language education and serves as Chair of International Exchange in the Faculty of Agriculture, Kagawa University. He has designed, managed, and led numerous international internship programs.        

Lewis MacLeod - NEST and JTE Synergy in Secondary Immersion: A Case Study of Collaborative Success

This study examines teacher synergy in a Japanese secondary immersion context. Findings reveal high teacher self-efficacy (Mean: 4.5) and a strong commitment to collaborative practice (Mean: 4.5). The research highlights how diverse backgrounds facilitate "hybrid" strategies—integrating project-based learning with strategic L1 scaffolding. Highlighting gains in student vocabulary and confidence, the study offers teacher-led recommendations for program sustainability.        

Lewis MacLeod is a tenured high school immersion teacher. He holds an MA in Modern History (2011) and is currently a University of Portsmouth MA candidate in Linguistics and TESOL. He has taught in Japan since 2012.        

David McCurrach - A Hybrid Model for Understanding Technological Transformation in Education

This poster introduces a hybrid model for understanding technological change in education. The model combines an ecological perspective, drawing on the concept of technology as an invasive species, with a systems psychodynamic perspective. Together, these approaches provide a holistic framework for examining how new technologies affect educational ecosystems and help explain why teachers, in particular, respond to technological change in specific ways.        

David P. McCurrach is an associate professor at Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan. He holds a BA from Durham University, an MA in TESOL from the University of Nottingham, and is currently a doctoral student at the University of Bath, where he specialises in educational research. His interests include computer-assisted language learning (CALL), System Psychodynamics, and virtual reality learning environments (VRLEs).        

Stuart McLean - A Free Online and In-Person Vocabulary Program

This presentation explores the advantages of a free vocabulary program. Students first complete an online diagnostic test and add unknown words to a notebook. In pairs, learners test each other by asking partners to recall and spell target words, marking successful attempts. This method integrates hearing, reading, spelling, and speaking. Finally, the presentation provides evidence of learning outcomes and explains the benefits of this four-skills approach.        

Stuart McLean teaches and tries to publish. You can see a list of successful attempts here. https://scholar.google.co.jp/citations?hl=ja&user=yL_1NxsAAAAJ        

Regulus Miranda - Improving presentations through performative skill instruction and guided practice: a proposal for action research

This poster explores difficulties students face when asked to prepare graded presentations, including speaking anxiety, limited performative skill development, and ineffective preparation. It proposes participatory action research to investigate the potential benefits of explicit presentation skill instruction and in-class guided practice. It draws on the science of learning and cognitive load theory. The study focuses on first-year undergraduates in an oral communications course, where presentations serve as summative assessments.        

Regulus Miranda is affiliated with OTC Co., Ltd. through which he has worked at Ryukoku University for more than 8 years. He is currently completing his M.Ed. at the University of Essex.        

Deepti Mishiro - Learners use embodied cues to manage emerging interactional trouble during pair interaction

In L2 pair interaction, there are often moments of silence or limited student responses, which can be interpreted as a lack of participation. However, learners may display nonverbal cues before their trouble becomes explicit while actively engaged in interaction. This presentation outlines how learners use embodied actions during peer interaction tasks to manage interactional difficulties. It highlights how increased awareness of learners’ cues can help teachers better interpret student participation.        

Deepti Mishiro is a graduate student at Kobe University and an EFL instructor teaching at several universities in the Kansai region. Her research interests include multimodal conversation analysis and classroom communication. She is also an active JALT officer.        

Wade Muncil - The Science and Practice of Kindness

This presentation will first talk about the neurological, social and educational benefits of kindness, then move on to some practical uses in the classroom. Muncil will point out the advantages for students, teachers, and their educational institutions. Research shows that acts of kindness support the processing and retention of information. In short, “Kindness is not extra—it is foundational to learning.”        

Wade Muncil is a retired English teacher who over the past 46 years has taught in Japan and the UAE. His focus during his teaching career was international student collaboration, reflective writing, and team building.        

William Patton - Novel Phonological Awareness and Differentiated Learning Strategies

The outcomes of utilizing the New Dolch Word List informed lessons centered on emotional positioning and story-based teaching, encouraging self-motivated phonological awareness skills practice. The purpose of the presentation is to assess the effectiveness of these strategies in an elementary school classroom.        

William Patton is a Canadian teacher with a Master's in Education from Queen's University, in Kingston Ontario. He has been working in education for over a decade with specific experience designing and implementing curriculum at Riseisha Sports Medicine College as well as Minoh Jiyu Elementary School.        

Thomas Peet - Why Do Students Switch to Japanese? Student Perspectives on Code Switching in EFL Classrooms

This presentation examines why lower intermediate Japanese university students use their first language (L1) during communicative English activities. Survey data from 41 students enrolled in an intensive university EFL course were analysed to explore the factors influencing Japanese use. The results suggested that students primarily switch to Japanese when they lack the linguistic resources to express complex ideas or clarify meaning with peers. Task difficulty and peer language behaviour also influence language choice. The presentation discusses how providing useful communicative phrases and clear task instructions can encourage greater English use during classroom interaction.        

Thomas Peet is from the UK, is a graduate of Portsmouth University, and currently teaches at Kwansei Gakuin University at the Uegahara campus.        

James Rankin - From Research to Performance: Structured AI Integration in TBLT

This poster presents a five-lesson TBLT model that integrates AI as a structured support for language development. Rather than generating content, AI functions as a thinking partner that strengthens pushed output, precision, and critical thinking. Introduced only after students complete research and synthesis, AI supports revision, clarity, and performance preparation. The framework preserves learner ownership while using technology to enhance coherence, reflection, and communicative competence.        

Originally from the UK, James Rankin holds a degree from the University of Sheffield and postgraduate qualifications from Liverpool and Birmingham Universities. He currently teaches at Kansai Gaidai University.        

Christopher Regier - Reimagining dictation: A creative use of student-selected media in EFL

Reading-listening dictation activities enhance EFL learners’ listening performance (Miao, 2021). In addition, integrating authentic television and film materials supports vocabulary development and exposure to informal communicative language in EFL contexts (Frumuselu et al., 2015; Sánchez-Auñón et al., 2023). However, textbook-based dictation rarely incorporates a sufficient variety of media aligned with every learner’s interests. This session outlines procedures for integrating student-selected TV and film into a structured dictation activity that also extends beyond face-to-face pair work.        

Christopher Regier is a Canadian educator and graduate of the University of British Columbia and King’s College London. He teaches at Kyoto Prefectural University and other institutions, bringing over 17 years of teaching experience.        

Thomas Robb - Simplifying text to your learners' level with AI

Using an original Sherlock Holmes short story, the presenter will demonstrate how to adjust the level to that of your students. This process can be used for any scanned text or out-of-copyright text from the Internet. Vocabulary lists can also be created in any language. We will also see how it can be saved so that your students can read it easily on the smartphone. A downloadable PPT will be provided.        

Thomas Robb, Ph.D., University of Hawaii, is Professor Emeritus, Kyoto Sangyo University. He is a long-time user of CALL and the Internet and has created a number of websites and applications for Extensive Reading, student projects, interactive learning, and professional exchange. He is Chair of the Extensive Reading Foundation.        

Cameron Romney - I don’t think that word means what you think it means

Many students assume that words are like Lego blocks that can be easily swapped between languages. However, many cross-linguistic pairs are plesionyms (near synonyms) and are not actually interchangeable. These pairs often lack nuances of semantic meaning, pragmatic distinctions, and cultural differences. Paired images, however, can quickly and easily communicate these differences. In this presentation I will demonstrate how images can be used to teach cross-linguistic nuances by exploring some commonly misused Japanese-English lexical pairs.        

Cameron Romney is currently an Associate Professor of Intercultural Studies in the English Department at Kyoto Women’s University. His research interests include visual communication and the intersection between Japanese and Anglophone cultures.        

Andy Rushton - Helping EFL Students Produce Longer Speaking Turns

Many Japanese university EFL students give very short spoken answers in class. This presentation introduces simple speaking frameworks that help students organize ideas and produce longer responses with greater confidence. Frameworks such as AREA, PREP, CDA, and BASICS provide clear structures for extended speaking turns. Drawing on classroom experience with first-year university students in Japan, the session shows how these frameworks can be integrated into everyday speaking activities to increase fluency and reduce speaking anxiety.        

Andy Rushton, a graduate of the University of Leicester, currently teaches English at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto. His teaching and research focus on helping Japanese EFL learners develop greater speaking fluency and confidence.        

Drew Sanford - 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, and global issues. These topics are taught in Global Studies, a content-based course in the Alabama Super IES Program at Kansai Gaidai University. This poster presentation will introduce the Global Studies course by showing the curriculum, detailing the learning outcomes, and analyzing student feedback.        

Drew Sanford is from the United States. He received his MA in TESOL from the University of Memphis. He is the coordinator of the Alabama Super IES Program at Kansai Gaidai University in Hirakata, Osaka.        

Manami Sato - From Student Interests to Classroom Materials: AI in ESP Course Design

This presentation introduces an ESP-oriented classroom approach in which students conduct a simple needs analysis and use generative AI to explore materials related to their interests or fields. Students generate vocabulary, topics, and discussion prompts, sometimes drawing on authentic sources such as social media. The instructor then refines these outputs into classroom materials. The session discusses how this process supports student agency while enabling teachers to design ESP-informed learning activities adaptable to different academic contexts.      

Manami Sato - Using Acronyms to Support DEI Awareness in EFL Classrooms

This poster introduces a classroom approach to supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) awareness in university EFL classes. After presenting basic DEI concepts, the instructor introduced acronym-based classroom guidelines such as S-M-A-R-T and R-E-I to encourage respectful communication and inclusive participation. The poster also explores an interactive activity in which students submit keywords related to classroom values through an online form, and AI generates acronyms reflecting students’ perspectives, promoting collaborative reflection on inclusive classroom practices.        

Manami Sato is an EFL lecturer at Kyoto University of Advanced Science and Doshisha University in Japan. Her work focuses on ESP, speaking pedagogy, and the use of generative AI in language education.        

Alexandra Serebriakoff - Streamlining Google Classroom: Let’s automate your admin.

Are you using Google Classroom? Looking to simplify your teaching experience? This workshop is designed for busy educators juggling multiple classrooms. Learn how to quickly create assignments, schedule tasks with ease, and devote more time to engaging with your students. Technophobes are welcome! If you can copy and paste, I’ll show you how to automate tedious tasks and make grading a breeze.        

Alexander Sheffrin - Financial Planning and Investing Basics for Students and Teachers

Financial planning and investing are necessary educational topics for both students and teachers. This presentation will address the lack of financial planning and investing resources and learning opportunities in education and how teachers can teach and introduce these topics to their students. This presentation will also discuss the importance of financial planning and investing and how these topics can be adapted and introduced to students through practical speaking, reading, writing and listening activities in classrooms.        

Alexander Sheffrin is an instructor at Ritsumeikan University. He has taught ESL/EFL in both the United States and Japan at primary and secondary schools, universities, and global corporations. He earned his MA in TESOL from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.        

Tomotaka Shiroyama - The Effects of Synchronous and Asynchronous CMC Impact on Oral Performance

This study examines how synchronous (SCMC) and asynchronous (ACMC) computer-mediated communication within a task-based framework can support learners’ oral performance. Drawing on prior findings that ACMC promotes syntactic complexity while SCMC enhances fluency and interaction, parallel decision-making tasks are implemented via Zoom text chat and Microsoft Teams forums. Japanese intermediate learners complete pre- and post-speaking tests, and their oral production is analyzed for linguistic complexity and grammatical accuracy to inform TBLT pedagogy and materials design.        

Tomotaka Shiroyama serves as a reviewer for The EUROCALL Review. His research on technology-mediated task-based language teaching was recognised by the British Embassy and British Council Japan in 2025.       

Tomotaka Shiroyama & Gwen Elizabeth Shail  - Drawing Teacher Identity: Visualising Multilingual Voices in ELT

This presentation explores teacher identity in English Language Teaching through the lens of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF), where English is used as a global means of communication among speakers with diverse first languages. Drawing on Barbara Seidlhofer’s work, it considers how double standards between L1 and L2 English speakers influence perceptions of legitimacy in ELT. The session highlights how visual and artistic approaches can help teachers represent and reflect on multilingual identities.        

Tomotaka Shiroyama graduated from the University of Reading and teaches English at universities in Nagoya, Japan. His research on technology-mediated task-based language teaching was recognised in 2025.      

Gwen Elizabeth Shail is a graduate of the University of Leeds and Newcastle University in the United Kingdom. She currently works as a freelance English teacher and plans to pursue a PhD.   

Thomas Stones - Research-based strategies for vocabulary learning in-class and beyond

Lexical development is essential for language competence, yet many programmes underutilize research on vocabulary acquisition. This presentation explores simple, research-based adjustments, drawing on theories like distributed practice, retrieval effort, and the spacing effect, as well as meta-analyses of common classroom activities, to enhance vocabulary learning. Attendees will learn how to select and implement the most effective, time-efficient tasks and assessment methods, boosting both in-class and out-of-class vocabulary outcomes.        

Thomas Stones currently teaches at the School of Economics at Kwansei Gakuin University. His research interests include vocabulary acquisition, assessment validation and developing speaking such, especially interactional competence.        

Masako Sugie - Empowering Learners: Competency Development Through Student-Led Activities in a Self-Access Center

This presentation explores how student-led language activities in a university Self-Access Center support the development of key learner competencies. Drawing on examples from student-facilitated language and intercultural events, it examines how students who design and lead activities develop communication, leadership, collaboration, and learner autonomy. The session outlines the structure of these events, discusses observed outcomes, and considers how self-access environments can empower learners to take active roles in language learning.        

Masako Sugie holds an MA in TESOL from the University of Illinois, Chicago. She currently works as an English Learning Advisor at the Self-Access Center at Kyoto Sangyo University, supporting learner autonomy through advising and student-led language activities.        

Camilo Villanueva - Creative writing activities for the EFL classroom

Creative writing remains underutilized in EFL teaching contexts (Maloney, 2019). In this practice-based presentation, the presenter shares a range of creative writing activities that EFL teachers can incorporate into their classrooms. The activities are organized around the three main genres of creative writing: creative nonfiction, poetry, and fiction. Several activities are adapted from Randolph and Ruppert’s (2020) New Ways in Teaching with Creative Writing.        

Camilo Villanueva is a lecturer at Nagoya City University. He has a Doctor of Arts in English Pedagogy/Literature and an MFA in Creative Writing. He researches creative writing and literature in the language classroom.        

Anthony Walsh - Factors Influencing a One-Week International Fieldwork Programme

This presentation reports a qualitative case study examining cultural learning during an intensive one-week international fieldwork programme in Melbourne, Australia. Focusing on two participants, the study explores how structured immersion activities and reflective engagement influenced cultural understanding beyond linguistic competence and willingness to communicate (WTC). Data from reflective journals, interviews, and critical incident reports indicate that intentional, high-contact cultural tasks can produce significant cognitive and affective shifts, suggesting programme design plays a greater role than duration in short-term learning outcomes.        

Anthony (Tony) WALSH is an Associate Professor coordinating the English programme at the University of Fukuchiyama, Kyoto. His research focuses on action research, willingness to communicate, and creating engaging presentations that encourage audience participation and discussion.        

Krystle Wright - Those who teach, learn: Teacher Training and Development in Jamaica and Japan

Comprehensive teacher training (TT) and professional development (PD) engender effective teachers. This session will compare programs in Jamaica and Japan to examine how approaches are shaped by policy initiatives and sociocultural contexts. Participants will be invited to reflect on their own TT and PD experiences. Through guided discussions, participants will identify transferable strategies, contextual constraints, and consider implications for their own practice and policy environments.        

Krystle Wright has lived in Japan for 10 years and has held numerous roles in Chugoku and Kansai. She currently works as an Adjunct Lecturer at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine and Kwansei Gakuin University.        

Back to School 2026 is Osaka JALT’s 16th annual spring conference sharing ideas on a wide range of topics related to language teaching and learning in a low-key environment to help everyone in the new academic year. The Call for Presentations is now open, with the deadline of March 15. Teachers, researchers, and students of all backgrounds and experience levels are welcome to submit a presentation proposal, and we’ll do our best to make room for everyone.

This year’s conference will again be in person at Osaka Jogakuin University, near Tamatsukuri station on the JR Loop Line and Nagahori Tsurumi-Ryokuchi Metro line. We expect to have about 50 presentations, and we will again have an after-conference dinner party at a nearby restaurant. Please check back later for more details, and plan to join us for what is sure to be another great day of sharing, networking, and learning!

Come join us for some friendly peer-, near-peer-, and community mentoring and networking at our annual hanami social in Osakajokoen (Osaka Castle Park)! It’s FREE and open to everyone, so please join us with family, friends, colleagues, students, pets, and acquaintances. All are welcome! Look for our blue JALT banner on the south side of the park, due south of the castle (and south of the south moat), and directly north of the NTT Building and to the west of the bus parking area. It’s a short, easy walk from Morinomiya or Tanimachiyonchome metro stations or JR Loop Line. We’ll have plastic sheets to sit on and a few snacks to share, so stop by with a beverage and possibly more food to share, and maybe an additional sheet to sit on to be sure we have plenty of room to stretch out. Most importantly, be sure to bring a happy vibe to celebrate the cherry blossoms, the coming of spring, and the start of the new academic year! 
Please stop by whenever you can for as long or as short as you like. We look forward to seeing you! 

In case of rain, this event may be canceled, so please check back closer to the date to be sure it’s on. Fingers crossed for good weather!!

Abstract
Questions such as “Where are you from?” and “What is your mother tongue?” have been recurring themes throughout my life. Although they may seem straightforward, providing concise answers to them has consistently proven challenging. In this presentation, I will discuss how my cultural and linguistic background has influenced my personal identity and development.
For fun, let’s practice a few words of Portuguese.

Bio
Elisabeth Fernandes has been teaching languages for more than 30 years in Canada, Thailand, and Japan. She currently resides in Hyogo and is teaching mainly at OMU in Osaka. Interests include intercultural communication, learner autonomy, and neuro-education.

Sign-up form (for friends who might be interested)

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeoeYvZYVN3CoE246YIBeDUlCtCQcbquKwnfHzYRGa5pUBacA/viewform

In an age where student use of AI can feel alarming, IMPACT 2025 offers an EFL alternative: project-based learning. PBL requires students to communicate with each other, collaborate, and create meaningful outcomes. JALT ART SIG and Critical Thinking SIG welcomes educators from elementary schools to universities to a full-day workshop dedicated to integrating multimodal projects with art and critical thinking in EFL classrooms. IMPACT 2025 is a workshop that features... team building opportunities,

inspirational student ART exhibitions, presentations on projects designs, links to tutorials and materials, PROJECT-building sessions, and design discussions and reflections... all designed to help create pedagogically sound multimodal sample projects for teachers to use in their EFL courses.

Venue

Kwansei Gakuin University

Uegahara campus, Building B

1-155 Uegahara 1 bancho,

Nishinomiya, Hyogo 662-8501

Workshop Schedule

December, 20th. Open from 9:00.

• 09:30 - 10:10 = CourseAssignments
• 10:20 - 12:00 = Presentations
• 13:00 - 15:00 = Project Building
• 15:10 - 16:30 = Panel Discussions
• 18:00 - 20:00 = Reflection (opt.)

Workshop Fees

JALT Members: ¥1,000. Others: ¥2.000

Participation Survey (Due 12/12)

To help organize needs and teams more efficiently, all participants are asked to fill out a survey. Click the LINK or QR Code:

The flyer is available here.