May 2017

AATJNEWSLETTER

VOL. 6
NO. 2

President’s Message

Yoshiko Saito-Abbott 齋藤アボット佳子
新緑の美しい頃となりました。皆さまお健やかにお過ごしのことと思います。この3月にトロントにて開催された学会は210人の参加者があり盛会のうちに幕を閉じました。AATJの春季学会ではCo-Director のウェイ諸橋麻里子先生、近松チャンドラー
信子先生のご尽力がありました。またAATJ事務局のSusan Schmidtさん、Kathy
Ajisakaさんにご協力いただきました。そして基調講演にはAATJでLifetime
Achievement Awardを受賞されたプリンストン大学名誉教授牧野成一先生をお迎えしました。先生はATJの会長を務められ、この教師会で日本語教育に多大な貢献をされました。「省くか、繰り返すか、それが問題だ」というテーマで一時間以上にわたる熱演と質疑応答がありました。学会を盛りたてて下さいました先生方、事務局の皆さまに深く感謝いたします。
また、AATJ J-CANのイニシャティブの一つの活動として4月15日にケンタッキーでAATJとJapanFoundation LAとの共催で “Global Business & Japanese Language Education” という題でますます進む
グローバル化に向けて日本語教育とビジネス、並びに21世紀の言語教育の基礎であるCore Practices
について一日研修の機会がありました。研修の準備、開催にあたりケンタッキー教師会会長長谷川敦
志先生のご協力を得ました。こころから感謝いたします。長谷川先生による研修報告がこのニュースレターに掲載されています。ご一読下さい。今回のインタビューコラムにはAATJ Executive Director
Susan Schmidtさんへのインタビューが載っています。AATJの事務局で長い間要としてご尽力いただいています。合わせてご一読下さい。
今秋11月にテネシーで秋季学会が開催されます。その案内がこのプログラムに掲載されています。
奮ってご参加ください。 11月の学会で発表されるAATJでのK-12、大学レベルでのTeacher Awardsのノミネーションが5月30日に締め切られます。たくさんの応募をお待ちしています。それではテネシーで皆様とお目にかかれることを楽しみにしています。良い夏休みをお過ごしください。
I hope you are enjoying wonderful spring weather. It is the beautiful season to enjoy colorfulflowers and refreshing greenery. The AATJ Spring conference was held in Toronto in March, and it wasa great success. The Toronto conference hosted almost 200 participants. I want to express sincere
appreciation to the Spring Conference co-directors Dr. Mariko Moroishi Wei and Dr. Nobuko
Chikamatsu-Chandler. And, of course, to Susan Schmidt and Kathy Ajisaka, at the AATJ office. Dr.
Seiichi Makino, Professor Emeritus of Princeton University was our keynote speaker and the recipient of
AATJ’s Lifetime Achievement Award for 2016-2017. Dr. Makino spoke about “To Delete or To Repeat,That’s the Question.” Dr. Makino is a past president of ATJ, and is one of the people who most helped
the organization develop into what it is today. His talk was followed by a Q and A session; it was over
one hour, and it was well attended.
In addition, the J-CAN workshop was held in Kentucky in collaboration with AATJ and the JapanFoundation Los Angeles. The theme of the workshop was ‘Global Business & Japanese Language
Education,’ and the attendees discussed the connections between business and Japanese language
education and learned about Core Practices in 21st-century language education. Thanks to Dr. Atsushi
Hasegawa, President of the Kentucky Association of Teachers of Japanese, for hosting this event. A
report on the workshop from Dr. Hasegawa is also included in this newsletter. Please also enjoy myinterview with Executive Director Susan Schmidt of the AATJ office. Mrs. Schmidt has been withAATJ for a long time and plays a key function in the AATJ office. The interview questions only
introduce a small portion of her life, but I hope you enjoy knowing more about her.
Finally, next Fall’s Conference is going to be held in Tennessee in November, as you can see fromthe schedule in this issue of the newsletter, I hope many of you will be able to attend. The deadline fornominations for the 2017 Teacher Awards, for K-12 teachers and college teachers, is May 31. We hope toreceive many nominations. I hope you all have a great summer and look forward to seeing you in
Tennessee!

AATJNEWSLETTER May 2017

Table of Contents
Pages

1

President’s Message

3

AATJ Announcements
・2016 Annual Spring Conference Report4・2017 Annual Fall Conference at ACTFL

10・Special Interview with Susan Schmidt, AATJ Executive Director

13・How Do I Integrate Nengajo Contest into My Lesson?

14・Nengajo Contest for College Students

15

・Professional Development Report: JOINT Webinar on Technology

16・Cheng & Tsui Professional Development Grants for 201717

・2017 AATJ Teacher Award

18

・New Issue of Japanese Language and Literature

19

AATJ Affiliate News・AKATJ: 14th Annual Alaska Nihongo Contest

21

・JLCTIA: A Japanese Teacher Goes Above and Beyond; Julie Cain and Our Daughter

22

・KAJLT: Report on J-CAN Workshop in Kentucky

23

・MAATJ: Recent News25

Job Opening Announcements

34

AATJ Membership Renewal Information

36

Support Our Sponsors

Check out AATJ’s Facebook page, and “Like” us to receive updates and the latest news.
Click the link on our home page (www.aatj.org), or search for “AATJ-American

Association of Teachers of Japanese” on Facebook.

2

2016 Annual Spring Conference Report
AATJ’s 2017 Annual Spring Conference took place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on Thursday,
March 16. As usual, it was held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of the Association for
Asian Studies (AAS), which took place March 16-19 at the Sheraton Centre Hotel in
downtown Toronto.
Almost 200 registrants attended the full day of panel and paper presentations on Japanese
language pedagogy, literature, and linguistics. The program can be viewed (with and without
abstracts) online at http://www.aatj.org/conferences-spring.
At the conclusion of the day’s presentations, the attendees heard a keynote talk by Professor
Seiichi Makino of Princeton University, the recipient of the 2017 AATJ Lifetime Achievement
Award. He spoke about aspects of repetition in language learning.
AATJ’s sponsored session at the AAS Annual Meeting was a panel on teaching translating andinterpreting, organized by the Translating & Interpreting Special Interest Group (SIG).
Many thanks to the co-chairs of this year’s conference, Nobuko Chikamatsu and Mariko
Moroishi Wei.
The next Annual Spring Conference will be held in Washington, DC, on Thursday, March 22,
2018.

Dr. Seiichi Makino and Dr. Yoshiko Saito-Abbott

3

AATJNEWSLETTER May 20172017 Annual Fall Conference at ACTFL
by Kiyomi Chinen

The AATJ Fall Conference will be held during the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign
Languages (ACTFL) Annual Convention and World Languages Expo, Friday, November 17, throughSunday, November 19, 2017, at Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee. The ACTFL Annual
Convention and World Languages Expo will feature over 800 educational sessions covering a wide
spectrum of the language profession addressing the theme Experience It. The ACTFL Convention isan international event bringing together over 7,000 language educators from all languages, levels,and assignments within the profession. This year, AATJ sponsors three concurrent sessions including
18 research paper presentations and 22 one-hour learning sessions (see schedule below).
Online registration and housing is now open.
Registration: Early-Bird Registration
by Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Advance Registration
by Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Onsiteafter Wednesday, October 25, 2017

To register for the ACTFL Convention, please go to the website(https://www.xpressreg.net/register/ACTF1117/landing.asp?o=&pb=&sc=&aban=&hkey=&iq=&vip=&tm=)

BE SURE TO SCROLL DOWN AND SELECT OPTION 2: “MEMBER OF CONVENTION PARTNER
ORGANIZATION”; THEN SELECT “AATJ” IN ORDER TO REGISTER AT THE LOWER MEMBER RATE.

Housing: For details regarding hotel reservations, please go to (http://www.actfl.org/convention-expo/housing).
Official Hotels:
Omni Nashville (HQ hotel)
Westin Nashville$224 Single/Double$259 Single/Double(adjacent to Music City Center)(adjacent to Music City Center)

4

Hilton Nashville Downtown$209 Single/$275 Double(1/2 block to Music City Center)

Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown$219 Single/Double(1 block to Music City Center)

Hilton Garden Inn Downtown$249 Single/Double(1 1/2 blocks to Music City Center)

Hyatt Place Downtown$209 Single/$229 Double(2 blocks to Music City Center)

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Downtown$219 Single/Double(3 blocks to Music City Center)

Renaissance Hotel$199 Single/$209 Double(3 blocks to Music City Center)*Courtyard by Marriott Downtown$195 Single/$205 Double(4 blocks to Music City Center)*Homewood Suites Downtown$209 Studio King Suite$219 One Bedroom King Suite(4 blocks to Music City Center)*Hotel Indigo$219 Single/Double(6 blocks to Music City Center)*Please note that ACTFL will be providing shuttle service to and from these three hotels to theMusic City Center in the morning and evening from Friday through Sunday.
To take advantage of the special ACTFL rates, you must book your reservation through the ACTFL
Housing Bureau and by Monday, October 23, 2017. After that date, ACTFL room blocks will be
released and hotels may charge higher rates. All rates are per room and are subject to 15.25%
occupancy tax and a $2.50 city tax.
General Membership Meeting and Reception: The AATJ General Membership Meeting andReception will be held from 6:30-9:00PM on Sat, 11/18.
Scholarship Opportunities:
To apply, please go to (https://www.actfl.org/convention-expo/convention-scholarships).
ACTFL First Time Attendee Scholarship Program
ACTFL and EMC School co-sponsor this scholarship program which offers ACTFL members who
have never attended an ACTFL Annual Convention and World Languages Expo the opportunity toapply for a $250 scholarship. This scholarship is to provide some assistance with the expenses
associated with attending the convention.
New Teacher Scholarship Program

Rolando Hernandez Scholarship Fund

The Rolando Hernandez/ACTFL Scholarship Fund was created in 2013 with support from four
major publishing houses (Cengage, Pearson, McGraw Hill, and Wiley) to honor the legacy ofRolando Hernandez who dedicated more than three decades to the service and passion for teaching
languages. A $250 scholarship will be awarded to four (4) world language teachers to provide
assistance with the expenses associated with attending the convention. Scholarship applicants mustbe ACTFL members, be registered as a first-time attendee of the ACTFL Annual Convention &World Languages Expo, and be within the first three years of their teaching career.
Robert J. Ludwig Scholarship Program

Robert Ludwig, former ACTFL President in 1989, left a bequest to ACTFL to create the Robert J.
Ludwig Scholarship Program, which annually awards three (3) world language teachers with a $250
scholarship that is to provide assistance with the expenses associated with attending the convention.
Scholarship applicants must be ACTFL members, first-time attendees of the ACTFL Annual
Convention & World Languages Expo, and within the first three years of their teaching career.
Stephen L. Levy New Teacher Scholarships

Beginning with the 2017 ACTFL Annual Convention and World Languages Expo, ACTFL willaward two scholarships of $250 each to new teachers to attend the convention. These awards are
given in honor of Stephen L. Levy, leader, author, and world language advocate who served thelanguage profession for over 50 years.
Luncheon: The AATJ Luncheon will be held from 12:30-1:45PM on Sat, 11/18. This year, studentsof Priya Ananth-sensei (Middle Tennessee State University) will perform J-POP dances. It will be a
lot of fun! The tickets are $35, and the last day to purchase tickets is November 12. Pleasepurchase a luncheon ticket when you register for the conference. AATJ will not sell tickets at ourbooth, and ACTFL will not have tickets for sale on-site. If you have already registered but did not
request a luncheon ticket, please go back online to your account on the ACTFL website and add theluncheon to your registration, or contact ACTFL.

5

AATJNEWSLETTER May 20172017 ACTFL-AATJ Schedule
FRIDAY, November 17
8:30am 10:00am
10:00am 11:00am
11:00am 12:00pm

Mockingbird 3 at Omni Hotel
Mockingbird 4 at Omni Hotel
Opening General Session
Exhibit Hall Opening/Welcome Coffee
Creating a Path to Autonomous
Learning through the Use of Can-Do
Statements
Michi Shimura
The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles
Hiroko Katsuta
The Japan Foundation

AATJ Research Paper Session I
Making Sense and Making Use of Diversity in
the Japanese Classroom
Yasuko Akiyama
Indiana University

Effective Accounts in Conflicted Situations inJapanese Enterprise
Kanako Yao
Washington University in St Louis

Instructing communication processes for

Co-constructing Conversation

Takae Tsujioka
The George Washington University
Tomoko Hoogenboom
University of Maryland Baltimore County
12:00pm 1:00pm
1:15pm 2:15pm

AATJ Local Affiliate Council Meeting
Five Courses & Two Buildings:
Schoology as a Tool for Effective
Teaching
Rebecca Allen
Dublin Jerome High School

AATJ Research Paper Session II
Evaluation of Learning of Less Engaged
Students in Language Classrooms
Takuya Kojima
The University of New South WalesThe Dynamic Nature of the Motivation of College
Students Learning JapaneseKiyomi Chinen
California State University Long Beach
Shingo Satsutani
College of DuPage'Let's Eat Out at a Restaurant!': Creating
Authentic Situational Learning
Denise Ebisuzaki
Clarendon Elementary School
Junko Tanaka
Clarendon Elementary School
Yuka Hashimoto
Clarendon Elementary School
2:30pm 3:30pm

Implementing the 6 Core Practices
in Japanese Class
Kazumi Yamashita-Iverson
Maloney Interdistrict Magnet School

6

AATJ Research Paper Session III
A Modular Model of Intensive Elementary
Japanese Pedagogy
Jason Herlands
Grand Valley State University

2:30pm 3:30pm

Cultivating Global Competence in BeginningLevel Japanese Courses
Ayako Nagai
University of California - Irvine
Etsuko Barber

St. Mark's School of Texas / Global Online
Academy Online Lecture Videos & Quizzes as
Preparation for Beginner Japanese Class
Mariko Kawaguchi
Michigan State University
3:45pm 4:45pm

Developing a Digital Curriculum forJapanese Programs in Secondary
Schools
Molly Jeon
BHS North
Keiko Kuriyama
Indiana University Purdue University
Indianapolis

AATJ Research Paper Session IV
Effects of Performance-based Achievement
Testing on Oral Proficiency
Mariko Wei
Purdue University
Atsushi Fukada
Purdue University
Saori Houston
Purdue University
Mayu Miyamoto

Purdue University An Automatic Evaluation
System of L2 Oral Simultaneous Reproduction
Tasks
Yutaka Yamauchi
Tokyo International University
Kayoko Ito
Kyoto University
Nobuaki Minematsu
The University of Tokyo

Creating Japanese Reading Proficiency Test
Items Using ACTFL Guidelines
Shinsuke Tsuchiya
Brigham Young University
Yoshihiko Ariizumi
Deseret Two Institute for Learning Improvement
Robert Russell
Brigham Young University

5:00pm –6:00pmEngaging Your Students with Social
Justice Driven Lessons
Mio Nishimura
Alisal High School
Michelle Lupisan
North Salinas High School

AATJ Research Paper Session V
Developing Literacy Skills in Japanese with
Reading While Listening
Makiko Fukuda
University of Texas San Antonio
Erina Romanowich
University of Texas San Antonio

Encoding English Words into Katakana: Harderfor Learners than We Think?
Yumiko Tashiro
Washington and Lee University

Functional and Orthographic Written Errors
by L2 Japanese Learners

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AATJNEWSLETTER May 2017

Katherine Martin
Southern Illinois University
Noriyasu Li
University of Pittsburgh
6:30pm –7:30pm
7:30pm –9:30pm

ACTFL Awards Ceremony
AATJ Board Meeting

SATURDAY, November 18
Mockingbird 3 at Omni Hotel
8:00am –9:00amWhat's Truly Possible in HighSchool Japanese 1? Witness &Experience It!
Junko Hosoi
Aragon High School

Mockingbird 4 at Omni Hotel
AATJ Research Paper Session VI
Developing and Validating a Japanese
Vocabulary Size Test
Aurora Tsai
Carnegie Mellon University
Vedran Dronjic
Northern Arizona University

Phonological Advantages of Heritage Learnersof JapaneseTomonori Nagano
LaGuardia Community College, CUNY
Ai Mizoguchi
CUNY Graduate Center
Mieko Sperbeck
John Jay College, CUNY
Jun Choi
LaGuardia Community College, CUNY

9:00am 10:00am
10:00am 11:00am

Machine Translation as a Pedagogical Tool forFlash Fiction in Japanese
Catherine Ryu
Michigan State University

Exhibit Hall Visit Free Time
Experience High-Leverage
Teaching Practice that Promotes
Social Actions

The Community of Inquiry to Connect
Learners Online in Real World Tasks

Just In Time Teaching: Teachingand Learning Japanese for a
Digital Age

5C’s into Project Design: Learning Culture
through Business Case Projects

Yoshiko Saito-Abbott
California State University
Monterey Bay
Yo Azama
North Salinas High School

11:15am 12:15pm

12:30pm1:45pm

8

Noriko Gonzales
South Kitsap School District
Yasu-Hiko Tohsaku
University of California - San Diego

Masahiro Tanaka
United Nations International School
Tomoko Graham
Noble and Greenough School
Noriko Okubo
Knox English Network

Noriko Takeda
Emory University
Tomoko Takami
University of Pennsylvania

AATJ Luncheon (Music City Center)2:00pm –3:00pm

3:00pm –4:00pm
4:00pm –5:00pmInfographics and TED Talks for
Alternative Presentational
Communication

Yasutomo Horikoshi
Foreign Service InstituteRika Brent
Foreign Service Institute
Ikuno Imaizumi
Foreign Service Institute

Masako Douglas
California State University Long Beach
Hiroko Kataoka
California State University Long Beach

Exhibit Hall Visit Free Time
Let’s Experience Powerful 4 “R”
Strategies to Get You Out of a Rut

Fostering Global Perspectives in the Novice
Level Classroom

Lesson Design in Preparation for
IB and AP Japanese Courses andExams

Intermediate to Proficiency: Engaging
Language Learning Experience

Mieko AvelloMiami Palmetto Senior High School
Kazue Masuyama
California State University Sacramento

5:15pm –6:15pmImmersive Learning with Virtual Reality

Kumi Kobayashi
Lynbrook High School
Yukari Salazar
Cupertino High School
Tomoki Kuwana
North Salinas High School

Kyoko Shoji
Notre Dame High School
William Collazo
Deerfield Beach High School

6:30pm –9:00pmGabriel Culbertson
Cornell University
Erik Andersen
Cornell University
Naomi Larson
Cornell University

AATJ Membership Meeting and Reception

SUNDAY, November 19
8:00am –9:00am

Mockingbird 3 at Omni Hotel

Mockingbird 4 at Omni Hotel

Introduction to OJAD for Practical
Prosody Training of Japanese

Digital Portfolios: Motivating
Student Learning

Nobuaki Minematsu
The University of Tokyo

9:00am –10:00am
10:00am 11:00am

11:15am 12:15pm

Rie Tsuboi
San Dieguito High School Academy
Yasuharu Higure
J-LEAP

Exhibit Hall Visit Free Time with Coffee
Differentiated Instructions ofPronunciation for K-16 Japanese Learners
Asako Takakura
University of California Los Angeles
Kyoko Shoji
Notre Dame High School
Tetsuo Harada
Waseda University

Developing the Hearts & Minds ofJapanese Learners through Interculturality
Minako Kamimura
Salinas High School
Erica HashibaEverett Alvarez High School
Cameron Chien
North Salinas High School

The Art of Coaching: Designing
Effective Internships in Study
AbroadSanae Eda
Middlebury College
Misako Chapman
Cornell University

Tell Me about Your Favorite animeor Movie and Why You Like It
Naoko Takei
Simon Fraser University

9

AATJNEWSLETTER May 2017

Special Interview with Susan Schmidt, AATJ Executive Director
by Yoshiko Saito-Abbott

In this newsletter, I featured AATJ Executive Director, Susan Schmidt. We all are familiar with her
name and I wanted to get to know her more about the works she does for the AATJ. Please enjoy!
Saito-Abbott: Susan, Thank you for taking time today. We’ve just finished the Spring Conference inToronto, and I hope you had a moment to relax. AATJ organizes a lot of events and activities andadvocates for learning and teaching Japanese language and culture and you are involved in all ofthem. Would you explain your activities as Executive Director to the membership?
Schmidt: I am in charge of the AATJ office, which is on the campus of the University of Colorado in
Boulder, Colorado. The university donates space for our activities. There are three staff members –two full-time (myself and Kathy Ajisaka), and one part-time (Kyoko Hanes). We manage AATJ
membership; produce two publications (a journal and a newsletter); coordinate two annual
conferences (in conjunction with ACTFL in the fall and with the Association for Asian Studies in thespring); manage a website and Facebook page; and administer the Japanese National Honor Society,the annual National Japanese Exam, and the JOINT online courses and webinars. In addition, we are
the national administrative office for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (日本語能力試験) in
the United States. Another big project is administering the Bridging Scholarship program, which
awards scholarships to 100 undergraduate students each year for study abroad in Japan.
Saito-Abbott: Would you tell us the areas on which you are primarily focused at this time?
Schmidt: We are paying a lot of attention to advocacy these days, working to publicize theimportance of foreign language education in general and of Japanese language education inparticular. We participate in national advocacy organizations; we help teachers who need support for
their programs by writing letters to administrators and in other ways; and we try to raise the profile
of Japanese education in the United States.
Another focus of attention for us is professional development for Japanese language teachers,
through our conferences, publications, online courses and webinars, and special interest groups(SIGs). Our most active SIGs are Japanese for Specific Purposes, Heritage Japanese Language,Classical Japanese, and Translating and Interpreting.
Saito-Abbott: What are some of the challenging things in your work andwhat makes you feel rewarded?
Schmidt: The AATJ office is in charge of a lot of projects, and sometimes
it is hard to keep up with it all! But the rewarding part is working withand being able to support almost 1500 wonderful teachers. It is inspiring
to see the great work that they do.
Saito-Abbott: When did you start your position? Would you tell us how
you became involved in Japanese language education?
Susan Sensei

10Schmidt: I started working for AATJ in 1997. I was hired with grant funding, to administer the
Bridging Scholarship program and promote study abroad in Japan. Gradually the work expanded toinclude all the activities that AATJ conducts.
I do not have a background as a teacher: my earlier career was working as an editor for publishingcompanies in the US and Japan. My previous job was at the University of Tokyo Press, which taught
me a great deal about the academic environment and the Japanese Studies field.
But I do have the experience of being a student and learning Japanese as an adult, which is valuable
in its own way.
Saito-Abbott: As you have been involved in the AATJ for 2 decades and have seen changes in thehistory of Japanese language education in U.S., from your view, how has it changed?
Schmidt: In the 20 years I have worked in the Japanese language education field, I have seen a lot ofchanges. One change is in the reasons young people want to study Japanese and also to study inJapan. In the early 1990s many students had economic motivations; then Japan’s pop culture became
the most important motivation. Now, many students are interested in changes in Japan’s society andnatural environment.
Another change is the emergence of standards-based, proficiency-based, and content-based
instruction.
Professionally, a big change is that since the 1990s teachers at different levels have joined together,so K-12 teachers and higher education teachers are collaborating more and working to help students
make smooth transitions from one level to another. The development and growth of the AP Japanese
Language and Culture program is an important part of this effort.
Saito-Abbott: As Executive Director, you are involved with the professional associations of otherworld languages. Can you give us some examples of what you do?
Schmidt: I attend meetings and conferences with colleagues from other language organizations,working together to promote foreign language education in the United States. We are much stronger
when we work together.
One of those organizations, the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG), has been our“senpai” in many ways, serving as a role model for many of our projects like the National Japanese
Exam and the JOINT online course program. In turn, we have been a role model for the Chinese
language teachers organizations with our professional development program and our example ofcollaboration between K-12 and higher-education levels.
Saito-Abbott: By the way, how did you learn Japanese and attain such a high level of proficiency?
Any advice for language learners?
Schmidt: My own Japanese is not as good as I would like it to be. Most of my learning took place inJapan, where I was a “naturalistic learner” who developed my listening and speaking skills by
working in a Japanese company. So my conversational “fluency” is pretty good, although I make a
lot of mistakes; my reading and writing skills are quite lacking by comparison. My advice to learners
would be (1) take advantage of all the resources that the Internet offers now for exposure to “realworld” Japanese, and (2) don’t be afraid of making mistakes! I myself can get very nervous about
making mistakes, especially when I am talking with Japanese teachers - so don’t follow myexample!

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AATJNEWSLETTER May 2017

Saito-Abbott: As I recall, you lived in Japan for many years. What attracted you, and how you areable to use the experience in your current job?
Schmidt: For me, Japan will always be a second home, and Tokyo is my “furusato.” I treasureespecially my friends and work colleagues there, who continue to be a very important part of mylife. I love Japan’s modern art and contemporary design; and of course I love Japan’s food. I also
admire the courtesy and “omotenashi” spirit of people in all walks of life.
I believe that my experience with Japan’s education system (both as a parent of children who
attended Japanese 小学校、中学校, and 高等学校, and as a staff member at a university press on auniversity campus), as well as my experience working with Japanese government agencies andorganizations, has helped me in my work with teachers and administrators of education in the UnitedStates.
Saito-Abbott: In your opinion what are the merits of studying Japanese? How do you think American
students can utilize their Japanese language knowledge and skill?
Schmidt: Japan is a fascinating country, and Japanese is a fascinating language! The language isconstantly changing, and it gives the people who learn it a special entrée to a society and a culturethat have so much to offer. Americans can learn a great deal from Japan’s, and the Japanese people’s,
way of being in the world and of interacting with others in a respectful and tolerant way. The
language is a first step to entering this world.
I have found that American students who have studied Japanese, and especially those who havespent some time in Japan on study abroad programs, are very eager to stay connected with Japan.
There are opportunities in the working world on both sides of the Pacific; there is the JET Program;and there are internships and volunteer opportunities.
Saito-Abbott: Is there anything you want to start as a hobby or in your job?
Schmidt: I still hope I can improve my Japanese reading skills, by reading more in Japanese. I lovemusic, and I would like to study the piano (again, as I did in childhood) and maybe sing in a choral
group.
Saito-Abbott: It is nice to relearn the music instrument you learned when you were small, isn’t it?
Any message to AATJ members, and people who are thinking of becoming involved in teaching
Japanese?
Schmidt: Japanese language educators in the United States are an amazing community of dedicatedpeople who inspire me every day. You have also inspired many other people in the foreign-language
education community, who look to the Japanese field as an example to follow. There will always be
struggles and challenges, but the passion so many learners bring to their Japanese language study
makes the future bright for our field.
Saito-Abbott: Thank you for your time and all of the work you do for AATJ.

12

How Do I Integrate Nengajo Contest into My Lesson?
by Satoko Fisher, Broward Virtual School

Hello, my name is Satoko Fisher, and I teach Japanese in Broward County, Florida. I work for
Broward Virtual School and I teach my students virtually. About 800 – 1300 elementary school
students are leaning Japanese through videoconferencing each year. Classroom teachers sign up forthe program called “Tomodachi” voluntarily, and their students learn Japanese as their enrichment
activity. Students attend this virtual classroom once a week for 35 minutes and learn fundamental
Japanese and many cultural aspects of Japan.
Teaching culture is a big part of the “Tomodachi” program. Since 2-6 schools attend each session,
the class needs to have a good pacing and rhythm so all students can engage in the entire 35 minutes
lesson. Each session usually consists of memorizing unit vocabulary, applying the vocabulary to one
or two sentences or having a conversation, focusing on seasonal or unit related cultural topics, andending with a mini quiz or having a discussion of what they learned that day.
In order to teach culture, I use many video clips and teacher made PowerPoints. I usually downloadinteresting videos from YouTube and edit them. I do not want them to watch a long video in my 35
minutes class, so each video lasts about 3 minutes. My PowerPoints feature Japanese events such as
Valentine’s Day and Girls’ Festival, and different topics such as Japanese educational systems andmythology.
Seasons play a huge roll in Japanese culture. So, I emphasize many Japanese seasonal events in myclass. Nengajo is one of them. This American Association of Teachers of Japanese (AATJ)’s
Nengajo Contest motivates my students to deepen their knowledge about Japanese New Year’scelebrations. In one of my December class, I teach how Japanese people celebrate New Year’s Day
by using a video and PowerPoint. I mention that people exchange Nengajo in Japan and often they
design the zodiac sign of the year for their Nengajo. I show some of the actual Nengajo I received
from my friends to my students by using a document camera. Then, I share about this Nengajo
Contest with my students. I go over the rules and show some sample Nengajo which were done byother students in the past. I also encourage my students do some research about Japanese New
Year’s and incorporate some cultural aspects in their drawing. After the session, I send theguidelines to these classroom teachers and ask them to monitor if their students are following therules. Some teachers do it as their classroom activity, and some do not do anything but their students
do it at home.
Writing their name in Japanese is the hardest part since I do not have them in my classroom
physically. These teachers send me the list of the names, and I write them in Japanese and send themby scanner. Then, students are asked to write their name in Japanese on their Nengajo. The
classroom teachers collect their students’ Nengajo and send them to me by our school mailingsystem. I receive about 50 of them each year and select the ones which have winning potential.
Even though I emphasize the importance of the rules, I do receive Nengajo which are written on
different sizes of index cards, nothing to do with the zodiac sign, have no Japanese writing, etc. It is
unfortunate, but these entries would be disqualified.
In Broward County, the Japanese program in public education has been declining. There were 3
elementary schools offering Japanese in the past, but now it is only one – and it is not even in a

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AATJNEWSLETTER May 2017classroom. Teaching Japanese via videoconferencing limits some of the hands-on activities andteaching content. However, it can serve many students at the same time and still promote Japanese
language and culture in Florida.
This AATJ’s Nengajo Contest motivates my students to learn Japanese culture and brings theawareness of the Japanese distance learning program to our administrators, teachers and students.
When I find that my students win, I email their teachers and principals right away. Many schools
feature these students’ accomplishments on their morning show. When we meet in the virtual
classroom, I announce the winners and all other school students acknowledge them. They love
contests, and they keep asking me when next contest will be! Thank you to AATJ for offering thisnational contest and enhancing my students' cultural learning.

Nengajo Contest for College Students
by Masako Mako Beecken, Colorado State University

Our department recently changed its name from the Department of Foreign Languages andLiteratures to the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. The word “Foreign”
immediately implies that you are an outsider, forgetting that you are living and breathing in yourown culture, as are others in their own cultures. Therefore, this is a welcome change that will aligncloser with the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages as culture becomes an importantpart of our discipline.
The Japanese program at our institution has three instructors; one full-time and two part-time
instructors, teaching about 140 students last fall. We have a four-year Japanese Minor Program. It is
not exaggerating if we say that culture is interwoven in our curriculum throughout the coursework,
rather than having “a separate cultural component” even when we teach the language.
The Japanese New Year is one of the most important cultural aspects of Japan, and the AATJ
Nengajo Contest provides an excellent opportunity to learn about it and for students to explore
cultural implications of Japanese New Year’s cards. First-year students of Japanese may have somefragmented knowledge about New Year’s in Japan, possibly learned through manga or anime. The
Nengajo Contest gives instructors an opportunity to talk about New Year more thoroughly before theactual New Year’s time, just like Japanese people start writing New Year’s cards before January
amid the hustle and bustle of December (師走). I knew about the contest for a long time. However,
it is embarrassing to say that it was only last year that I realized the contest was open to college
students. So, last December, an announcement of the contest was sent to all students of Japanese andthey were encouraged to participate. Meanwhile, I modified teaching plans for my first year course
and incorporated activities that may take place in Japan in December into regular chapter work. This
worked well since students were learning the dates of a month, different verbs, and about National
Holidays and were reviewing interrogative words. In order to personalize activities, students talked
about their own activities that they usually do in December. Due to the diverse religious and ethnic
backgrounds of students, learning from each other, including the instructor, always made the lessons
more interesting and meaningful. Finding one’s own zodiac sign is always fun, as well. Pointing out
customary differences even between Asian countries such as China and Korea as to when New
Year’s cards are delivered or not sent to someone who has had a death in the family is also of interest

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For upper-division courses, “nengajo” is a great topic for research: the history of nengajo, religious
influences, literacy, the influence of the postal system, changes in style and design along with thedevelopment of technology, etc.
Then in the first week of the spring semester, we had a New Year’s Event (新年会) even though it
was already late January and the excitement of the New Year had subsided by then. Therefore, it wasa great addition and gave us excitement that many nengajo contest entries from our university
received awards or honorable mention. Particularly exciting was that the student who took firstplace in the original category researched and chose a piece of wood that was most suitable to make awoodblock print and used special ink to print the card. The students were proud to display theirartistic talents that wouldn’t have been known otherwise and which made our New Year’s Event
more personalized. These students were also recognized at our department’s Award Ceremony.
As for the actual contest, since two entries are allowed in each category, I took charge of keeping
track of which student desired to enter the contest and in which category. Because college students
may mail their entries individually, there was little supervision instructors gave the students, which
led to invaluable real-life learning lessons for the students. We educators, especially at the college
level, not only teach the subject, but also aim to nurture students to become responsible, successful
constituents in society. I always tell students the first step is to be able to follow directions, whether
writing an essay, giving a presentation or entering a nengajo contest.
I’m glad the nengajo contest has clear, strict rules. Such rules as including the Chinese year, writing
one’s own name in Japanese vertically and including the word “gan tan,” give students a real-lifetask and remind them of the importance of reading the instructions carefully and following them.
One of our students’ entries was disqualified because he wrote his name in Japanese horizontally.
Otherwise, his entry would have scored high because it was extremely well-done with precision.
This student certainly learned a hard lesson, but so did other students. Another student did create her

Professional Development Report: JOINT Webinar on
Technology
AATJ’s online professional development program presented its latest webinar this spring:“Technology for Busy Teachers: Useful on-line tools for blended/hybrid Japanese courses and tips
for flipping class activities” was presented live on March 12, and made available online for viewing
until April 24. Eighty-five people participated in the live session or watched the presentation online –a record high number for a JOINT class or webinar.
The JOINT webinar series aims to provide professionals with opportunities to gain/increase/update
their knowledge of Japanese language education without traveling, through online presentations led
by experts.
The presenter of this year’s webinar was Asako Hayashi-Takakura, a lecturer of Japanese at
University of California Los Angeles. Her research focuses on language development of JapaneseEnglish bilingual children, curriculum development for Japanese heritage language speakers, andcomputer assisted language learning (CALL). Dr. Hayashi-Takakura earned her MA in Japanesepedagogy from Columbia University and a Doctor of Education (Ed.D) degree from Boston

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AATJNEWSLETTER May 2017

University. She was selected as a member of the curriculum evaluation committee of the Defense
Language Institute Foreign Language Center of the Department of Defense in 2013. Her recent
presentations include “Development of blended language instruction for Japanese-language learners”(ACTFL 2016) and “Language ability of Japanese English immersion children and graduates:
Implications for Japanese language learning as lifelong education” (AATJ 2017).
The webinar addressed a wide range of language backgrounds and needs of the current learners inglobal communities. Then it discussed the pros and cons of the use of online materials and activities
in language learning. Finally, it concluded by sharing a sample of flipped classroom activities andstudent-centered projects for K-8 and high school/college students.
Information on the JOINT program of classes and webinars is online at http://www.aatj.org/joint.

Cheng & Tsui Professional Development Grants for 2017
The Cheng & Tsui Professional Development Grant offers financial assistance to Japanese language
teachers in grades K-16, especially those new to the field, for the purpose of attending training
workshops, seminars, conferences, and other local, national, or international in-service learning
experiences. The grant may also be used to collaborate with a mentor teacher. The grant may NOT
be used to purchase textbooks. Teacher training workshops and seminars attended by the applicant
should be focused on pedagogy and issues of teaching and learning.
Cheng & Tsui Publishers, the sponsor of the grant, has designated an annual amount of $1,000 to be
divided between at least two teachers each year; each recipient will receive a maximum of$500. Those interested in applying for the 2017 Cheng & Tsui Professional Development Grant
should submit the following:
1. An application describing how they would use the grant (download from the application
form from https://www.aatj.org/prodev-cheng-and-tsui);
2. The amount of subsidy requested and a proposed budget (included on the application form);
3. A current Curriculum Vitae.
Applicants must be current members of AATJ. Recipients are also asked to write a brief report after
attending the event for which they were awarded money, summarizing their experience and what
they learned.Applications will be evaluated by a panel of reviewers selected by the American
Association of Teachers of Japanese and who have no professional or personal connections withapplicants. The application form and CV should be sent via e-mail attachment
to aatj@aatj.org by September 10, 2017.
AATJ is grateful to Cheng & Tsui Publishers for their support of teacher professional development.

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2017 AATJ Teacher Award
The AATJ Teacher Awards recognize outstanding teachers who demonstrate excellence in teaching,advocacy, and leadership in Japanese education both locally and nationally. AATJ presents theawards to the recipients at the AATJ Awards Luncheon during the ACTFL Annual Convention.
Recipients also receive prizes from some of the companies and organizations that support AATJ.
Awards are given in two categories:• K-12 Level Teacher Award• Community College/College and University Level
Teacher Award candidates must have a minimum of three years’ teaching experience at the level forwhich they are nominated and also must hold current membership in AATJ. If the nominator teaches
Japanese (language, literature, culture, etc.) s/he must be a current member of AATJ as well. A nonmember of AATJ (such as a principal, department chair, student or others) can also nominate acandidate. For information on the nomination procedure, please go online to: http://www.aatj.org/
prodev-awards-recipients

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AATJNEWSLETTER May 2017

New Issue of Japanese Language and Literature
The April 2017 issue of AATJ’s journal Japanese Language and Literature (Vol. 51 No. 1) has been
published. If your membership includes the journal, you should have received your copy by the endof April. If you did not include the journal in your membership but would like to add it, you can doso online at our website: go to http://www.aatj.org/store/journal.
The journal has a new cover design beginning with this issue. The contents of the issue are as
follows:
Articles• How Reliable Is Daily Grading? The Inter-Rater Reliability of Daily Grades Assigned by Trained
Teachers / Stephen D. Luft
• Nana-nin or Shichi-nin: Acceptability of Variable Numeral Pronunciations in the JapaneseClassifier Construction by Japanese Language Teachers in North America / Rika Ito• Popular Musical Star Tokuko Takagi and Vaudeville Modernism in the Taishō Asakusa
Opera / Charles Exley• Transmigration and Metaphor in Hamamatsu chūnagon monogatari / Terry Kawashima• Thematizing Storytelling: The Metanarrative Elements in Enchi Fumiko’s “A Tale of False
Fortunes” / Ka Yan Lam• Echoes of Silence: Shared Defiance in Enchi Fumiko’s “Skeletons of Men” / Sohyun Chun

Reviews• Kyle Ikeda—Okinawan War Memory: Transgenerational
Trauma and the War Fiction of Medoruma Shun / reviewed by
Davinder L. Bhowmik• Sarah Pasfield-Neofitou and Cathy Sell with manga artist
Queenie Chan, eds.—Manga Vision: Cultural andCommunicative Perspectives / reviewed by Priya Ananth• Davinder L. Bhowmik and Steve Rabson, eds.— Islands ofProtest: Japanese Literature from Okinawa / reviewed by Kyle
Ikeda
• Noriko Iwasaki and Yuri Kumagai—The Routledge
Intermediate to Advanced Japanese Reader: A Genre-BasedApproach to Reading as a Social Practice / reviewed by
Masayuki Itomitsu• Masayoshi Ogino, Penelope Shino, and Dallas Nesbitt, eds.—
Creating New Synergies: Approaches of Tertiary Japanese
Programmes in New Zealand / reviewed by Michiko Kaneyasu

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AKATJ: 14th Annual Alaska Nihongo Contest
by Shunji Ninoyu, President of Alaska Association of Teachers of Japanese

Alaska Nihongo Contest and a workshop for the Japanese language teachers are two major annual
events in AKATJ (Alaska Association of Teachers of Japanese)We had our 14th Annual Alaska
Nihongo Contest at University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) on March 25, 2017.
Unlike other speech contests, AKATJ’s Alaska Nihongo Contest is an unique and enjoyable event
among the presenters and participants. We have four major categories: skits, songs, poetry andspeech. The speech category has five divisions: Elementary, Beginning, Intermediate, Advance,
Open and Aurora (what is aurora?). The speech category is divided by the level of their studies at aschool or a college. Any students in Japanese immersion grade K-3, non-immersion high school
Japanese 1-2 or college Japanese 101 can compete in the Elementary Division. There is an
immersion elementary school in Anchorage and those students speak excellent Japanese. Sand Lake
Elementary School students took the top three places in the Elementary Division this year. DimondHigh School students took the top three places in Advanced Category. Hannah (last name?) of
Dimond High School took the first place in the Aurora Division and she is in a process ofparticipating in Aurora Contest at University of California Irvine on May 27, 2017. Her speech was「みんなに知ってもらいたい私のお母さんの話」 (The Story of My Moms Life That I wanteveryone to know) and it was a heart-breaking story.
「かさじぞう」(Stone Statues with Straw Hats) took the first place in Elementary Non-Heritage
Group Skit. The players of the skit were Rae, Keller, Daxon, Devlin, Weskey, Avery, Anora, Ailafo
and Fuasala (I would add their last names) from Sand Lake Elementary School.
Song is always a popular category in Alaska Nihongo Contest. We divide two categories: Song I for
the elementary school students and Song II for the middle school, high school and college students.
We had 28 entries in Song II this year and it took nearly two hours to complete all presentations.
Jane of UAA took the first place in Song II. She sang 「赤いスイートピー」 (Red Sweet Pea).
Catrina, Kaitie, Kate and Jessee, the group of Colony High School took the Best Group Award. This
was their second year in row. They sang 「いつも何度でも」 (Always with Me) and the song is atheme from “Spirited Away.”
We have an Open Division for speech in our Nihongo contest because we have some students whowant to participate in Alaska Nihongo Contest but the students do not belong to any other divisions.
The students are a studied by private tutor, heritage Japanese speakers and the students who want tochallenge beyond their usual division. Aoi took the first place in Open Division this year. The title ofher speech was 「ヒカレ」	
  (Make It Shine). Aoi is a Japanese student who came from Tokyo, Japanas an exchange student and she studies at Colony High School. The audience made excellent
comments on her speech such as “Her speech was awesome.” and“ It was worth to be at the contest
to listen her speech.”
Alaska Nihongo Contest also presents many cultural demonstrations every year. They are wadaiko or
Japanese drum by Tomodachi Daiko, Karate by Tanaka’s Martial Arts Academy, Kendo by Alaska
Kendo Club and Ikebana by Ikenobo Ikebana Society Anchorage Alaska Chapter. A piece of ikebana

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AATJNEWSLETTER May 2017at the podium always creates a Japanese atmosphere at the contest and the audience loves to observe
the taste of Japanese culture. There are also tables for Japanese calligraphy, origami, igo etc. Origami
table is always popular among participants in all ages. AKATJ added a new event to be a part ofcultural event in 2016. As you know, one of famous attractions in Alaska is aurora. We invited Dr.
Syun-Ichi Akasofu to introduce and to share his aurora research in University of Alaska Fairbanks.
His lecture and presentation is always interested in people.
AKATJ wants thank to all co-organizers, supporters and volunteers. Without their support, AKATJ
will not be able to hold Alaska Nihongo Contest every year. Our supporters are Consular Office ofJapan in Anchorage; Japan Foundation L.A.; Japanese Program, UAA Department of Language;
Japanese Studies Program, UAF Department of Foreign Language and Literature; UAA
Montgomery Dickson Center for Japanese Language and Culture; Tomo no Kai, Anchorage School
District and many volunteers. We want special thanks to Chitose City, Monbetsu City, Saroma-cho,
UAA Japanese Culture Club and UAA College of Arts and Sciences.
316 students were applied to perform in Alaska Nihongo Contest this year. 281 students actually
performed in the contest. AKATJ usually rented out two large rooms from UAA for the contest.
Because of the number of participants this year, we had to have three different rooms and the extra
volunteers to manage all events. The closing/awarding ceremony took a place from 4:00 pm to 5:00
pm at a theatre of Arts Building. It took more than 10 hours from the beginning to the end of contest.
AKATJ had another successful and ever growing year for the Alaska Nihongo Contest. Everyone
went home with smiles.

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JLCTIA: A Japanese Teacher Goes Above andBeyond; Julie Cain and Our Daughter
by Mary Noland Houtz

Since our daughter Glenna Houtz started Japanese as a freshman at Washington High school [inCedar Rapids, Iowa], she talked about going to Japan on an exchange trip in her junior year. As
parents Joe and I had a lot of apprehension on sending our oldest child so far from home. Would she
be able to handle the responsibilities that would be required of her on a three week “journey of alifetime”? We talked to Glenna’s Japanese teacher for three years, Julie Cain. There would be a lotof work; the Japanese language did not come easily to Glenna. Julie spent countless hours helping
Glenna, to improve her knowledge of the Japanese language, both spoken and written. Glenna
worked hard to make it through Japanese 3, which is required to participate in the trip to Japan.
Glenna and her classmates left on June 14, for Okinawa, Japan. They were to spend a week as
exchange students at Koyo High School, living with exchange families, going to school andtravelling in the Okinawa area. The last two weeks they were to travel to Kyoto, Hiroshima, and to
Tokyo. Glenna’s trip was cut short with a fever high enough for Julie Cain to take Glenna to adoctor and the subsequently to the hospital. Glenna was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia andthen with one simple blood test it was discovered Glenna had leukemia. Julie kept us updated on all
the test results, telling us it was serious enough that we should book tickets and fly out as soon as wewere able. Within 12 hours of knowing Glenna had bilateral pneumonia, her father and I were at theEastern Iowa Airport waiting to board our flight. We received a call that would change our lives
forever. Julie told us that the blood test results had come back, and that Glenna had leukemia. Her
next question was, what should she tell her? And that she would do whatever we wanted her to do,so we asked Julie to tell Glenna she has leukemia. I don’t know what hit us the hardest, not being
with Glenna or having to ask Julie to tell our daughter she has cancer. I remember Julie telling methat a calm came over Glenna, once she knew why so was so sick.
After a 17-hour flight and a 5-hour layover in Seoul, South Korea, Joe and I arrived in Okinawa.
Seeing Glenna was a relief and frightening all at once. Julie had been with Glenna since day one,and continued to stay with us as a family in the hospital. You can only imagine the gravity of having
a child so sick and not really being able to communicate with the doctors and hospital staff. Julie
was a tremendous help for our entire family in translating and helping us to navigate the paperworkthat needed to be filled out during Glenna’s hospital stay. We became like family, as Julie spent timewith us in our “Japanese apartment”, Glenna’s hospital room. Three days after we arrived, Julie left
us so she could rejoin the rest of the students.
Julie had spent seven days of this trip with
Glenna and her father and me.
As a parent herself and an educator, Julie
understood what needed to de done for Glenna
and never gave it a second thought about
missing part of the Okinawa stay. Glenna, Joe
and I are thankful that Julie Cain is our teacher/counselor and friend; going through this ordeal
was made tolerable only with her help.

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AATJNEWSLETTER May 2017

KAJLT: Report on J-CAN Workshop in Kentucky
by Atsushi Hasegawa, President of Kentucky Association of Japanese Language Teachers

On Saturday, April 15, 2017, KAJLT hosted a professional development meeting titled “Global
Business and Japanese Language Education” on the campus of the University of Kentucky in
Lexington, KY. This meeting was co-sponsored by AATJ and the Japan Foundation, Los Angeles(JFLA). The meeting was attended by a total of 31 participants—K-16 world language teachers from
Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee; community and government leaders in the region; andhuman resource administrators of Japanese corporations based in Kentucky and Michigan.
The meeting began with opening remarks by Dr. Jeanmarie Rouhier-Willoughby, Chair of the
Department of Modern & Classical Languages, Literatures, and Cultures at the University of
Kentucky, followed by Mr. Hideki Hara, Director of JFLA. The morning session was led by Dr.
Yoshiko Saito-Abbott, President of AATJ, and Dr. Motoko Tabuse, Immediate Past President of
AATJ, and was mainly devoted to a discussion of AATJ’s initiative on J-CAN and the Core
Practices, as well as the AP Exams.
The afternoon session was focused on the main theme, “Global Business and Japanese Language
Education,” with invited speakers from the Japan-America Society of Kentucky, the Lexington City
Government, the Kentucky Department of Education, and several Japanese companies. The session
started with Mr. Hara’s overview of the current state of Japanese language education in the UnitedStates, followed by a presentation by Ms. Mizuki Eguchi of the Consulate General of Japan-Detroit
on case examples of joint efforts among education, government, and business sectors. After a break,the invited speakers shared their experiences and perspectives on support for language education.
The session closed with a small-group discussion on the possibilities and challenges forcollaboration.
This meeting set an important agenda and provided ameaningful opportunity for all of us involved in Japanese
language education. Despite the strong presence of Japaneseowned corporations in Kentucky (i.e., about 180 companies),
there has not been substantial collaboration with various
stakeholders until now. While, understandably, such an
endeavor is not without challenges, this meeting will surely
serve as a starting point for future partnerships and efforts. We
are truly grateful for the support provided by JFLA and AATJ.

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MAATJ: Recent Newsby Koji Otani, Co-President of Mid-Atlantic Association of Teachers of Japanese

The MAATJ has the new Co-President, Takae Tsujioka (George Washington Univ.), replacing Aiko
Kitamura sensei. We will be in charge of facilitating the inter-state articulation project, J-CAN, in
our region. The project members will give updates at this year’s FLAVA conference (October 5-7)
and we hope to solicit more members. At the FLAVA conference, we are also excited to invite
Takami sensei (Univ. of Penn.) to hold a workshop and panel discussion on business Japanese.
The annual MAATJ Haiku Contest had over 80 submissions this year. We plan to make somepromotional materials (video / lessons) to increase the future participation among college students.
The area schools have also been active in participating various community based events such as New
Year Celebration hosted by Japan Commerce Association of Washington DC, Cherry Blossom
Festival and National Japan Bowl competition hosted by the Japan-America Society of Washington(JASW).
Most recently, the annual Japanese festival was held at Fox Mill ES (Immersion Program) on theChildren’s Day (May 5th 2017). One of the highlights this year was the first annual Jr. Japan Bowl,
where two of the area Japanese immersion programs, Fox Mill ES and Great Falls ES, competed forthe trophy. The JASW President and CEO, Amb. John Malott, who is the most recent Kyokujitsu
Sho (Order of the Rising Sun) recipient, was there to congratulate the participants.
The fifth bi-annual workshop offered by Yuki Johnson sensei (Johns Hopkins Univ.) gathered over
40 teachers from VA, MD, and as far as W.Va. The series of free workshops for the area teachers
made possible by the generosity of Johnson sensei have provided us with great opportunities forlearning instructional strategies, as well as networking.
The MAATJ will support the third annual J.LIVE Talk, a new brand of speech contest, hosted by
George Washington University, which will be held on November 5th, 2017. This year, 20 highschool students will be invited to the event as audience in order to solicit the future interests.

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Job Opening Announcements
Augustana College
The Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures / Japanese at Augustana College, Rock
Island, Illinois, invites applications for the position of part-time instructor in Japanese, beginning
November 2017. Augustana College is a selective liberal arts college of approximately 2,500 students,
most of whom live on a wooded 115-acre campus. Rock Island, Illinois, is part of the Illinois-Iowa
Quad Cities along the Mississippi River, a diverse metropolitan area with 400,000 residents, locatedabout three hours west of Chicago and 45 minutes east of Iowa City, home of the University of Iowa.
Masters degree or foreign equivalent required. Near-native or native fluency in Japanese and English
are required. The ideal candidate has experience teaching beginning and/or intermediate Japanese andshows an ability to teach a diverse student body to support the Japanese program and the mission of thecollege. The teaching load for 2017-18 is five 3-credit Japanese language courses, spread over two tenweek trimesters.
Details about Augustana College, our expectation of the faculty, the selection process, and the Quad
Cities all are available at the Faculty Search website: http://www.augustanafaculty.org.
Augustana College is an equal opportunity employer and actively encourages applications from womenand persons of diverse ethnic backgrounds. We do not discriminate based on age, race, color, ethnic
origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, or creed.
To apply, please email application materials to sherrydocherty@augustana.edu using subject line:"Search #118-17 Japanese". Alternatively, application materials can be mailed to: Search #118-17
Japanese, c/o Wendy Hilton-Morrow, Associate Dean, Augustana College, 639-38th Street, Rock
Island, IL 61201.
Application materials include: a letter of application, curriculum vita, copy of graduate transcripts,
statement of teaching philosophy, evidence of teaching effectiveness or summary of teachingevaluations, and two letters of recommendation (including contact information).
Questions may be directed to the co-chair of the department, Lisa Seidlitz,
at lisaseidlitz@augustana.edu. Review of applications will begin immediately, and will continue until
the position is filled.
Case Western Reserve University
The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at Case Western Reserve University invites
applications for one full-time lecturer position in Japanese starting Fall 2017. The position is a nontenured one-year appointment, renewable upon the approval of the Dean's office. Primary teaching
duties are three courses each semester at all levels of Japanese. Credentials: M.A. (Ph.D. in SLA,
applied linguistic, and related fields a plus), evidence of excellence in undergraduate language
teaching, and native/near-native language ability both in Japanese and English.
Please send all application materials (letter of interest, current CV, a teaching-demo video [CD, etc.])
and three letters of reference (sent directly from the referees or a University placement service)electronically to dmll-japn-search2017@case.edu. Review of the applications will begin May 19,
2017and continue until the position is filled.
In employment, as in education, Case Western Reserve University is committed to Equal Opportunity
and Diversity. Women, veterans, members of underrepresented minority groups, and individuals withdisabilities are encouraged to apply.
Case Western Reserve University provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.
Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process
should contact the Office for Inclusion, Diversity and Equal Opportunity at 216-368-8877 to request areasonable accommodation. Determinations as to granting reasonable accommodations for any
applicant will be made on a case-by-case basis.

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AATJNEWSLETTER May 2017

Cuyahoga Community College
Cuyahoga Community College, in Cleveland, OH, seeks applicants for an Adjunct Faculty position in
Japanese. The responsibilities of the position include teaching a full range of courses in Japanese
language, literature and culture.
Required Qualifications:
Master’s degree in Japanese;
Willingness to learn and/or have experience in the use of instructional technologies to teach traditional,
hybrid and/or distance learning classes, and /or as a supplement;
Knowledge and skills in a variety of computer usage and software applications, including but notlimited to Microsoft Office Applications (Outlook, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint).
Preferred Qualifications:
Previous teaching experience in a higher education environment.
In addition to the qualifications listed for the position, the ideal candidate will show evidence of:• Demonstrated teaching experience;• Minimum of one year experience teaching in an online or blended environment;• Experience using quality metrics (i.e. Quality Matters, Sloan 5 Pillars, etc.) to design and develop
courses;• Ability to develop new curriculum and learning units in anticipation of changes in market discipline;• Belief that individuals can make a difference in the lives of students;• Excellence in teaching and facilitating the learning process for students, learning and using newtechnology, and applying diverse instructional strategies in response to using new technology, andapplying diverse instructional strategies in response to learner demographics and learning styles;• Belief in the value of working and learning in a diverse environment;• Excellent oral, written and listening skills;• Ability to adapt to dynamic multi-campus organizational work environments;• Being a successful advocate for new initiatives in curriculum or delivery;• Understanding and embracing the mission of the community college;• Capability to teach in more than one discipline;• Possessing the energy and persistence to motivate and support others to pursue the larger goal;• Being skilled in building strategic alliances both within and across disciplines, and within and outside
the College.
Work Schedule:
To be determined based on need at three Cuyahoga campuses in the Cleveland area. Classes may beoffered during the day, evening and/or weekend. Please indicate your availability when applying forthis position.
Special Note:
This is a part-time (adjunct) faculty position. Adjunct faculty positions are ongoing pooled positions.
Therefore, your application materials will remain on file and be reviewed on an as needed basis.
In the event you are called for an interview, please have copies/unofficial or official transcripts for therequired degree and 2 professional letters of reference available to bring with you at the time ofinterview.
Special Instructions to Applicants:
During the application process, you may be required to attach a cover letter and/or resume. It is
recommended that you have these documents ready to be attached electronically to the online
application. This system accepts only MS Word or PDF attachments. Any employment with theCollege is contingent upon satisfactory completion of a background check and drug screen.
Affirmative Action Statement: Cuyahoga Community College is committed to attaining excellence
through the recruitment and retention of a qualified and diverse workforce. Cuyahoga Community
College is an equal employment/educational opportunity institution.
Please apply at: https://careers.tri-c.edu/postings/70176.

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Emory University
The Department of Russian and East Asian Languages and Cultures (REALC) at Emory University
invites applications for a temporary position in Japanese language for the academic year 2017-18.
Applicants should have a minimum of an MA in Japanese linguistics, cultural studies, pedagogy, or aclosely related area and possess native or near-native proficiency in Japanese and in English. A recordof successful teaching at the college level and familiarity with technology in teaching is required. The
candidate should be prepared to teach all levels of courses in Japanese language.
Please send a letter of application, CV, statement of teaching interest and three letters ofrecommendation to Japanese Search Committee, REALC, 532 Kilgo Circle, Atlanta, GA 30322. Eapplications can be sent ccrowle@emory.edu. Review of materials will begin May 1 and continue until
the position is filled. Emory University is an AA/EOE employer.
Harvard University
The Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University anticipates an opening
for a full-time Drill Instructor/Teaching Assistant in Japanese expected to begin August 1, 2017 toextend through December 31, 2017. Drill instructors teach small-group drill sections in Japanese
language classes under the supervision of a course head and assist the course head in preparing classmaterials, grading, and providing individual assistance to students. Candidates must have native or nearnative fluency in all modalities of Japanese (reading, writing, listening, and speaking); a bachelor’s
degree or higher; experience teaching Japanese, preferably at the college level to students whose native
language is English; and computer literacy.
This is a term appointment for one semester.
Candidates interested in applying for the position should submit (1) a letter of application, (2) acurriculum vitae, and (3) the names and email contact information of two or three references to http://
academicpositions.harvard.edu/postings/7564. The references will be contacted separately at our option
and invited to upload letters of recommendation. Candidates should also send a 20-minute teachingdemo by URL through the ARIeS portal.
Review of applications will begin immediately, and will continue until the position is filled. Harvard
University is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for
employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protectedveteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Murray State University
The Department of Modern Languages and Murray State University is accepting applications for aposition of Visiting Assistant Professor of Japanese beginning in August 2017. The successful
candidate will teach all levels of language, literature, and culture and engage in related service
responsibilities in our thriving program. Candidate must have native or near-native fluency in Japaneseand English and demonstrate success in teaching at the college/university level in the USA.
Applicants must hold a Ph.D. or be ABD by July 1, 2017 in Japanese literature or Japanese Studies. We
are looking for candidates with a strong commitment to teaching.
This is a one-year 9 month position, which will teach 12 hours per semester (service at appropriate level).
If a full time, regular position becomes available, applications will be accepted through the standard
hiring process.
Please submit materials electronically including a letter of application addressed to Department ofModern Languages, Murray State University, vita, three recent letters of recommendation, transcripts,
and recent teaching evaluations. http://www.murraystatejobs.com/postings/6426

Western Kentucky University
The Department of Modern Languages at Western Kentucky University invites applications for a oneyear visiting Assistant Professor of Japanese position beginning in August 2017 on WKU's main
campus in Bowling Green, KY. This position is pending grant funding and is renewable contingent
upon funding.
The successful candidate is a dynamic teacher who engages students in learning both in and outside theclassroom, and who contributes to the academic and extracurricular life of the language program.

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AATJNEWSLETTER May 2017

The individual hired will teach Japanese courses at all levels, connect the curriculum with the campus
community and industry, and aid the department in shaping the next stage of program growth. Western
Kentucky University aspires to be the University of choice for faculty and staff who are dedicated tohelping advance academic excellence. True to its spirit, WKU offers an inviting, nurturing, andchallenging work environment, which is responsive to the needs of a diverse and ambitious learning
community. WKU's main campus is located on a hill overlooking the city of Bowling Green(population est. 60,000), and is acclaimed as one of the most beautiful in the nation. In addition, WKU
serves the communities of Elizabethtown/Fort Knox, Glasgow and Owensboro through its regional
campuses. We invite you to consider WKU as a place where your academic and professional dreams
can be realized.
The Department of Modern Languages at WKU offers majors and minors in Arabic, Chinese, French,
German, and Spanish. There are Japanese and Russian courses through the intermediate level, and firstyear courses in Korean. Faculty members may earn additional income through a variety of teaching
opportunities during winter and summer terms. The university provides excellent support for
professional development. New faculty members receive mentoring.
Job Requirements:
Doctorate in Japanese, or related field required (ABD considered);
Eligibility to work in the US required;
Native or near-native fluency in Japanese;
Ability to teach Japanese at all levels;
Evidence of excellent teaching ability, effective uses of technology, and commitment to proficiencyoriented instruction aligned with ACTFL standards.
Application Instructions:
The following items must be submitted by visiting http://wku.interviewexchange.com/
jobofferdetails.jsp?JOBID=84091. The deadline for submitting applications is May 31, 2017, although
expressions of interest may be considered until the position is filled:
Letter of Application; Curriculum Resume or Vita; Statement of Teaching Philosophy; Unofficial
Graduate Transcripts.
Names and contact information of three reference providers will be collected during the application
process. Reference letters will be requested by the Search Committee through an online process at alater date. You will receive email confirmation once you have successfully completed the application
process.
Additional Information:
Kentucky state law requires all public institutions of postsecondary education to conduct preemployment criminal background checks to determine suitability for employment.
Western Kentucky University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex,
sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, religion, veteran status, or marital status in admission
to career and technical education programs and/or activities, or employment practices in accordancewith Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972,
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Revised 1992, and the Americans with Disabilities Act
of 1990.
Persons with disabilities, who need reasonable accommodations to participate in the application and/or
selection process, should notify The Office of Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action/
University ADA Services at (270) 745 - 5121, a minimum of five working days in advance.
University of Arizona
The Department of East Asian Studies at the University of Arizona invites applications for a one-year
visiting assistant professor position in Japanese linguistics. Teaching load will be six courses (3-3).
Primary responsibilities include teaching Japanese language classes at the basic and advanced levels,
several survey linguistics courses at the basic level, and a seminar in the candidate’s area ofspecialization. The candidate will also be supervising teaching assistants. The successful candidate
should have a minimum of 3 years teaching experience (including Japanese language and content

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courses) at the college level in the US. Native/near native proficiency in Japanese and English isrequired. A PhD in (Japanese) linguistics or related field is required by August 1, 2017. Applicants
currently A.B.D. will be considered.
Outstanding UA benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability
programs; UA/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; state andoptional retirement plans; access to UA recreation and cultural activities; and more!
Accepting a new position is a big life step. We want potential candidates and their families to be able to
make informed decisions. Candidates who are considering relocation to the Tucson or Phoenix area,and have been offered an on-site interview, are encouraged to use the free services offered by Above &Beyond Relocation Services (ABRS). Ask your department contact to be introduced to ABRS prior toyour visit.
The University of Arizona has been recognized on Forbes 2015 list of America’s Best Employers in the
United States and has been awarded the 2016 Work-Life Seal of Distinction by World@Work! For
more information about working at the University of Arizona, please visit http://www.whyua.com/.
At the University of Arizona, we value our inclusive climate because we know that diversity inexperiences and perspectives is vital to advancing innovation, critical thinking, solving complex
problems, and creating an inclusive academic community. We translate these values into action byseeking individuals who have experience and expertise working with diverse students, colleagues andconstituencies. Because we seek a workforce with a wide range of perspectives and experiences, we
encourage diverse candidates to apply, including people of color, women, veterans, and individuals
with disabilities. As an Employer of National Service, we also welcome alumni of AmeriCorps, Peace
Corps, and other national service programs and others who will help us advance our Inclusive
Excellence initiative aimed at creating a university that values student, staff, and faculty engagement inaddressing issues of diversity and inclusiveness.
Position open until filled; review begins on April 15, 2017. APPLY HERE: http://uacareers.com/
postings/17281.
University of Arkansas
The Department of World Languages at the University of Arkansas invites applications for a full-time
Instructor of Japanese, to begin August 2017 and with the likelihood of annual renewal, subject toprogram needs, availability of funds, and satisfactory performance of duties. With a student body ofmore than 26,000, the University of Arkansas is a national research institution located in Fayetteville,
part of a growing metropolitan area of some 500,000 people which frequently receives accolades as
one of America’s “best places” to live.
Duties: This non-tenure track position will teach four classes per semester of Japanese language
courses at all levels (true beginners to advanced learners), with the possibility of additional teaching
appointments in summer for additional pay. Instructors are also expected to assist in curriculum
development in the basic language component of the Japanese Program and in administering theofficial Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT; an international certification examination ofJapanese language proficiency) on campus. Duties also involve teaching in close collaboration withother instructors teaching the same class. Openness to different teaching methods is essential. Regular,
reliable, and non-disruptive attendance is an essential job duty, as is the ability to create and maintaincollegial, harmonious working relationships with others.
Qualifications: M.A. degree in Japanese Linguistics, Curriculum & Instruction, or a related field;
native or near-native proficiency in both Japanese and English; experience in teaching to Englishspeaking students; and a vibrant and outgoing teaching style. Demonstrated experience in preparing
students to reach JLPT N4 proficiency or higher will be considered favorably.
Applicants should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, transcripts, three current work-related lettersof reference, a brief statement on second-language teaching philosophy, a sample course syllabus, andoptionally, a link in a word document to a video recording of a regular class meeting, together with thelesson plan used for the recorded class, to http://jobs.uark.edu/postings/19521. For references,candidates will be required to provide either Interfolio document email addresses or individual contact
information during the application process, and candidates are responsible for making certain that
letters are received. Completed applications received by 4 May 2017 will receive full consideration.

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AATJNEWSLETTER May 2017

Late materials will be reviewed as necessary to fill the position. We expect that skype interviews will
be arranged for finalists in early May.
The University of Arkansas is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution.  The University
welcomes applications without regard to age, race, gender (including  pregnancy), national origin,disability, religion, marital or parental status, protected veteran status, military service,  genetic
information, sexual orientation or gender identity.   Persons must have proof of legal authority to workin the United States on the first day of employment. All applicant information is subject to public
disclosure under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.
University of California at Davis
The Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures (EALC) at the University of California, Davis,
invites applications for the position of Lecturer of Japanese for the 2017-2018 academic year. Primary
duties are to teach up to seven modern Japanese courses at various levels as assigned. Salary iscommensurate with qualifications and experience. This appointment is renewable contingent on
departmental teaching needs.
Requirements include an MA or above in second-language pedagogy, Japanese linguistics, applied
linguistics, or any closely relevant field; native or near-native proficiency in Japanese and English;
and a demonstrable record of excellence in teaching. Preference will be given to candidates withcollege teaching experience in the U.S., knowledge of current developments of second language
pedagogy, strong skills in written Japanese, and the ability to apply modern technology in classroom
teaching.
Complete application should include: 1) cover letter, 2) curriculum vitae, 3) sample sets of student
evaluations, 4) names of three references, and 5) video demonstration of recent classroom teaching.
Please upload application materials 1-5 to https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/apply/JPF01574 by May 25,
2017. Position will remain open until filled.
The University of California, Davis, is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer with a strong
institutional commitment to the achievement of diversity among its faculty and staff. The position iscovered by a collective bargaining agreement.
University of California at San Diego
The School of Global Policy and Strategy (GPS) at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD)
invites applications for a part-time lecturer position in Japanese language starting July 1, 2017. The
appointment is one year, with the possibility of renewal on a yearly basis based on performance andfunding availability.
Qualified candidates must have native or near-native proficiency in Japanese and English and an M.A.
in linguistics, Japanese language, education, foreign language pedagogy, and/or other language
education-related areas. Qualified candidates also must have at least five years of experience inteaching all levels of Japanese language courses. A Ph.D. is preferred, but not required.
The GPS Language Program offers intermediate and advanced levels of Japanese language courses for
professional purposes. The successful candidate is expected to work with existing faculty members todesign and develop professional-oriented, thematic-based courses. We welcome applications fromthose who demonstrate strong or potential accomplishments in areas contributing to diversity, equity
and inclusion, and a desire to play a leadership role in advancing UC San Diego’s commitment toachieving excellence and diversity.
Salary is commensurate with teaching experience, and is based on University of California salaryscales. Review of applications will begin June 19, 2017 and will continue until qualified candidate is
selected. Apply online via: https://apol-recruit.ucsd.edu/apply/JPF01419.
Candidates should submit: a curriculum vitae; three letters of recommendation, recent course
evaluations, a personal statement that includes a description of teaching and a summary of past or
potential contributions to diversity (see http://facultyequity.ucsd.edu/Faculty-Applicant-C2D-Info.asp).

30

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. GPS is committed
to academic excellence and diversity within the faculty, staff, and student body. All qualified applicants
will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin,disability, age or protected veteran status.
University of Denver
The Department of Languages and Literatures at the University of Denver will hire a one-year Visiting
Teaching Assistant Professor of Japanese. This is a non-tenure track position with full benefits and a
9-month contract. The position may be extended for an additional year, contingent on departmental
need and funding. We are especially interested in qualified candidates who can contribute to diversity
and inclusive excellence through their teaching, research, and service. The teaching load for thisposition is eight classes over three academic quarters. The successful candidate will teach courses inthe elementary and possibly the intermediate sequence, and/or a general education course in English,
depending on program needs.
The Department of Languages & Literatures of the University of Denver is an undergraduate
department offering nine modern languages, including majors in French, German, Italian, Russian, andSpanish, minors in those languages plus Chinese, Hebrew, Japanese, and Latin, and electives in Arabic
and classical Greek.
Required Qualifications:• MA in Japanese literature, Japanese linguistics or related field by the time of application.
• Experience teaching Japanese language to diverse students at the U.S. college or university levelwith proven excellence and effectiveness.
• Native-level or near-native fluency in Japanese and English
Essential Functions:• Course instruction and grading.
• Coordination of first-year Japanese.
• Assessment of the first-year Japanese language sequence.
• Participation in program promotion activities outside the classroom.
• Participation in Japanese program meetings and departmental meetings.
Please refer to the job advertisement on the University of Denver Careers page for full details of
the position, and to apply:
https://du-openhire.silkroad.com/epostings/index.cfm?
fuseaction=app.jobinfo&jobid=2363&source=ONLINE&JobOwner=995326&company_id=16973&vers
ion=1&byBusinessUnit=&bycountry=&bystate=&byRegion=&bylocation=&keywords=&byCat=&proxi
mityCountry=&postalCode=&radiusDistance=&isKilometers=&tosearch=no&city=
Application Instructions:This position is open until filled, although applications received after Wednesday, May 31, 2017 are notguaranteed consideration. Candidates must apply online through dujobs.silkroad.com to be considered;
only applications submitted online will be accepted. Once within the job description online, please click
New Resume/CV at the bottom of the page to begin application.
Please include the following documents with your application:
1. Letter of Application (Cover Letter)
2. CV
3. One page statement on how the candidate can contribute to DU's inclusive excellence(diversity, equity, and inclusion) mission (See http://www.du.edu/cme/resources/inclusiveexcellence.html)
4. Teaching philosophy statement.
5. Evidence of excellence in undergraduate Japanese language instruction: (a) recent, complete
course evaluations; (b) a link to an unedited sample teaching video, preferably of a first- or
second-year language class (maximum 15 minutes long); (c) syllabi and sample lesson plan forelementary and intermediate language, proposed or actual.

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AATJNEWSLETTER May 2017

The University of Denver is committed to enhancing the diversity of its faculty and staff and encourages
applications from women, minorities, members of the LBGT community, people with disabilities andveterans. The University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.
PLEASE NOTE: For non-U.S. citizens or permanent residents interested in applying and who will needimmigration sponsorship for this position, please contact Marcy Cozzens, Manager of Recruiting
Services at Marcy.Cozzens@du.edu. All offers of employment are based upon satisfactory completion ofa criminal history background check.
University of Illinois at Chicago
The School of Literatures, Cultural Studies & Linguistics, University of Illinois at Chicago, invites
applications for the position of Lecturer in Japanese.
Responsibilities: Teach six Japanese language courses over two semesters and serve as Japanese basic
language program coordinator. Supervise placement process. Create opportunities and activities to use
Japanese and learn about Japanese outside of class, for example, weekly conversation hours and film
screenings. Review and evaluate study abroad offerings. Supervise student tutors.
Qualifications: Must have MA degree in a related subject and have expertise in Japanese language andculture. Native or near-native competence in Japanese is required. Previous teaching at the college levelis preferred.
For fullest consideration please complete an on-line application at https://jobs.uic.edu and upload a C.V.,
cover letter and sample syllabus and the names and email addresses of 3 references by April 5, 2017.
The University of Illinois at Chicago is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer, dedicated to
the goal of building a culturally diverse and pluralistic faculty and staff committed to teaching andworking in a multicultural environment. We strongly encourage applications from women, minorities,
individuals with disabilities and covered veterans. The University of Illinois may conduct backgroundchecks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer. Background checks will be performedin compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
University of Lethbridge
The Department of Modern Languages at the University of Lethbridge invites applications for a term
position (8 – 10 months) beginning August or September 2017, at the rank of Instructor or AssistantProfessor of Japanese depending on qualifications. This position is subject to budgetary approval.
An M.A. or a Ph.D. (or near completion) is required, combined with a strong independent teachingrecord in Japanese language teaching. Specialization in Japanese language (e.g., Japanese linguistics,
applied linguistics, second language acquisition or pedagogy) is required. The successful candidate willteach six Japanese language courses (JPNS1000 – Beginner I; JPNS1100 – Beginner II, JPNS1500 –Intermediate I; JPNS 2000 – Intermediate II) over two semesters.
The University of Lethbridge hires on the basis of merit and is committed to employment equity anddiversity. All qualified persons are encouraged to apply. In accordance with Canadian Immigration
requirements, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given preference. The University
aspires to hire individuals who have demonstrated considerable potential for excellence in teaching,research and scholarship, and especially those who have well established research programs.
Located in southern Alberta, Canada, near the Rocky Mountains, Lethbridge offers a sunny, dry climatethat is surprisingly mild for the prairies, excellent cultural and recreational amenities and attractive
economic conditions. Founded in 1967, the University has an enrollment of over 8,000 students. Our
focus on liberal education, selected professional programs, smaller classes, co-op placements, andinvolvement of students in faculty research provides the very best education available. For more
information about Modern Languages and the University of Lethbridge please visit our web siteat www.uleth.ca.
All applications must be submitted online, and should include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, copies oftranscripts, statement of teaching philosophy, outlines of courses previously taught, teachingevaluations, a representative sample of written work, and contact information for at least two
references from scholars in the field who are qualified to comment in particular on the candidate's
qualities as an instructor. For details on how to submit your application, please visit our Human
Resources website at https://uleth.peopleadmin.ca and choose the Academic postings option.

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References will be contacted directly, with information on how to submit their reference letters.
Review of completed applications will begin on April 15, 2017, and will continue until the position has
been filled.
University of Memphis
The Department of World Languages and Literatures at The University of Memphis is seeking
applicants for a one-year, non-tenure track instructor in Japanese starting August 2017 pending
availability of funds.
For more information regarding this position, or to apply, please see http://www.memphis.edu/fl.
The University of Memphis is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer. Appointment will
be based on qualifications as they relate to position requirements without regard to race, color, national
origin, religion, sex, age, disability or veteran status.
University of Pennsylvania
The Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations at the University of Pennsylvania invites
applications for the position of a full-time Lecturer in Japanese language, beginning Fall 2017. Two
positions are available. The appointment will be for an initial year with the possibility of annual
renewal for up to an additional two years, contingent upon a satisfactory performance review andapproval of the Dean. Applicants for the position should demonstrate a primary focus on language
education, and have received at least a Master’s degree in applied linguistics, foreign/second language
education, or a related field. Native or near-native competency in Japanese language and fluency inEnglish are required. Preference will be given to applicants with teaching experience at all levels ofJapanese language at post-secondary institutions in the United States. Knowledge of and experience incurrent trends in second/foreign language teaching methodologies and meaningful application oftechnologies in language instruction are highly desirable. Duties include teaching Japanese language
classes (five classes per academic year) at any assigned levels, participating in meetings and activitiesof the Japanese language program, and working with the Director of the Japanese Language Programand East Asia faculty on curriculum development.
Candidates are to apply at: http://facultysearches.provost.upenn.edu/postings/1139
Please submit: a cover letter, CV, teaching statement; and contact information for a minimum of two
individuals who have agreed to provide a recommendation letter. The University will contact therecommenders with instructions on how to submit their letters. We also encourage the applicants to
upload additional documents if available: 1) recent teaching evaluations including written comments,
2) a link to a video recording of a class, and 3) a description of the video and relevant materials.
The review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.
The Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations is strongly committed to Penn’s Action
Plan for Faculty Diversity and Excellence and to establishing a more diverse faculty (for more
information see: http://www.upenn.edu/almanac/volumes/v58/n02/diversityplan.html.) The Universityof Pennsylvania is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Minorities/Women/Individuals with disabilities/
Protected Veterans are encouraged to apply.
Washington & Lee University
The Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures at Washington & Lee University invites
applications for a three-year renewable position as Visiting Instructor in Japanese to begin July
2017. The ideal applicant should have a M.A. or higher degree with native or near native fluency inJapanese and English, a demonstrated success teaching at the college/university level in the U.S.,
commitment to foreign language instruction, competence in developing teaching materials, afamiliarity with language-learning technology, ability to offer one course in English during the spring
term, and a willingness to create opportunities for use of Japanese outside the classroom.

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AATJNEWSLETTER May 2017

Primary responsibilities include the teaching of Japanese at all levels. Preference will be given to
candidates who have taught Japanese in a liberal arts college environment.
Review of applications will begin May 15, 2017 until the position is filled. Interviews will be
conducted via Skype. Candidates should submit a cover letter, current curriculum vitae, graduatetranscript, statement on teaching philosophy and professional goals, sample syllabi from two different
levels of language, most recent teaching evaluations and 3 letters of recommendation to the http://
jobs.wlu.edu/postings/3332 . In addition, please provide an online link to a teaching demo video of 30
minutes in length.
Washington and Lee is an Equal Opportunity Employer. As such, we are interested in candidates whoare committed to high standards of scholarship, performance and professionalism and to thedevelopment of a campus climate that supports equality and diversity in our faculty, staff and student
body. Job description requirements are representative, but not all-inclusive of the knowledge, skill, andabilities needed to successfully perform this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable
qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. For any questions about the
search, contact Janet Ikeda (ikedaj@wlu.edu).

Have You Renewed Your AATJ Membership This Year?
Thank you to the many members who have renewed their membership for 2017!
If you have not renewed yet, please take a moment to make sure you are included in all the benefits
that membership brings: professional development opportunities like conferences and webinars;
activities for your students like the Japanese National Honor Society; publications and otherresources.
Renew online by going to http://www.aatj.org/membership or use the membership form on page 35of this newsletter.

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AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF TEACHERS OF JAPANESE
1424 BroadwayUCB 366Boulder, CO 80309-0366
303-492-5487/Fax 303-492-5856 aatj@aatj.orgwww.aatj.org

Membership Application/Renewal
Membership in AATJ is on a calendar-year basis and entitles you to:•present research at and attend the annual AATJ Conferences in conjunction with AAS and ACTFL•
nominate students for induction into the Japanese National Honor Society•
participate in activities of regional/state affiliates and Special Interest Groups•
benefit from the Association's work on behalf of education in Japanese language, literature, linguistics, andculture.
The categories of membership and the corresponding dues are indicated below.
Please return the form with your check (US dollars) or VISA/MasterCard number to the address above.
Online registration is also available at www.aatj.org/membership.
Name (print):

Date:

Address:Tel:
E-mail:School/Organization where you work:
Area of specialization:
 K-12
 Post-secondary Corporate Language Teaching Linguistics

Membership Category (check):
Regular Member

$ 45

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Student Member$ 30

Journal (optional)$ 15

Japanese Language & Literature Journal (2 issues/yr.)Institution$100(includes all publications)

Shipping & handling$ 20(outside of U.S.)

Total Payment (U.S. Dollars)

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Northeast (NECTJ)
Ohio (OATJ)
Oregon (ATJO)South Central (SCATJ)Southeastern (SEATJ)Southern Nevada (SNJTA)
Texas (JTAT)
Washington (WATJ)
Wisconsin (WiATJ)

I live outside of the U.S.

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AATJNEWSLETTER May 2017

American Association of Teachers of Japanese, Inc.
1424 Broadway, Campus Box 366
University of Colorado
Boulder, CO 80309-0366Support Our Sponsors
The ALLEX Foundation is proud to be a sponsor of AATJ. ALLEX provides professionally trained Chinese,
Korean and Japanese instructors, sabbatical replacements, and teaching assistants to language programs atover 200 universities. Learn more at www.allex.org
Nippon Express Travel USA is a corporate sponsor of AATJ. Nittsu Travel wants to help teachers takestudents to Japan. Find out more about their services at http://www.nittsutravel.com/e_index.php .
JTB USA is a sponsor of AATJ’s annual conferences. Visit http://www.jtsusa.com to find out about thecompany’s travel services focusing on travel to and within Japan.
NHK Cosmomedia America, Inc., broadcaster of the TV JAPAN Channel in the USA and Canada, is a
corporate sponsor of AATJ. Visit www.tvjapan.net to find out how to subscribe to TV JAPAN at home orcontact scott@nhkcma.com to find out how to add TV JAPAN to a Campus CableTV system.