DECEMBER 2023 | VOL. 12 | NO. 4

AATJ NEWSLETTER
全米日本語教育学会 American Association of Teachers of Japanese
このニュースレターがAATJ会長としての最後の挨拶になります。1年間、様々な形で支えていただきながら会長の任期を終えることにな
りこの場を持って皆さんに心より御礼申し上げます。
This newsletter will be my final address
as AATJ President, and I would like totake this opportunity to thank you all foryour support over the past year as I
complete my term as President.

In this issue...
OFFICERMESSAGES
2023 ACTFL
ANNUAL FALLCONFERENCEREPORT
AWARD
RECEPIENTMESSAGESELECTIONRESULTSICJLE ‘24 UPDATENATIONAL
JAPANESE EXAMJUNIOR JAPANBOWL
AND MORE!

つい先日、パンデミック明け対面二年目の全
米 外 国 語 教 育 学 会 (ACTFL) が 開 催 さ れ 、7000人近いアメリカ中の世界言語教師がシカ
ゴで一堂に会しネットワークを再構築したり、語学教育に関する様々な情報や学びを共有したりすることができました。ご参加くださった日本語教師の皆さんをはじめ関係者の方々に厚く御礼申し上げます。また、学会中AATJのブースのあるJapan Pavilion に和気藹藹とお集まりいただいた日本語教師の皆さん に は 、 AATJ 役 員 一 同 感 謝 の 念 に 堪 え ま せ
SHINGO ん 。 来 年 、 フ ィ ラ デ ル フ ィ ア で 開 催 予 定 の
ACTFL学会へも多くの先生方が足をお運びに
SATSUTANI なるようよろしくお願いします。

Messagefrom thePresident

continued to page 2

With
DeepestSympathy
We grieve the death of
Naoko Takemaru, Associate
Professor of Japanese andhead of the Japanese Studies
program at the University of
Nevada Las Vegas. A victim ofgun violence on the UNLV
campus December 6th, wesend our deepest condolences
to her family, colleagues, andstudents. May she rest inpeace and her family findsolace in the memories of her
remarkable life.
1

Dr. Nahoko
Takemaru

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Just a few weeks ago, the second convention of post-pandemic ACTFL was held, bringing
together nearly 7,000 world language teachers from across the United States in Chicago toreestablish networks and share information and learning about language education. We
would like to thank all of the Japanese language teachers and others who participated in
the conference. The AATJ Officers and Directors would also like to thank Japanese
language teachers who gathered at the Japan Pavilion, where the AATJ booth was locatedduring the conference, to create a friendly atmosphere. We hope that many more teachers
will visit the ACTFL convention held in Philadelphia next year.
学会では教室での実践に関する報告や提案以外に、言語学習者数の減少、教員不足、人工知能 (AI) の教育全般さらに言語教育への影響、に関する発表が数多く見られました。AATJも最近のウェビナーで當作先生にAIを取り上げて頂きました。その中でも議論されましたが今後はAIとうまく付き合いながらそれを教育活動に効果的に取り入れていける教員になるための研修機会が必要です。また、パンデミックの悪影響と相俟って今まで以上に何らかの「学習障害」のある学習者が急増しています。理論
的には理解している教師も教室ではどのように実践すればいいのか慌てることも多く、そのような子
供 の 保 護 者 へ の 対 応 な ど に 関 し て も 問 題 が 山 積 し て い ま す 。 こ れ ら に 対 応 す る た め に AATJ も
ChatGPTなどのプロンプトの書き方などその実践に関する研修や、「学習障害」に関する具体的な対応策に関する研修なども積極的に計画していきたいと思っています。僕の地元のイリノイ州からですが「学習障害や発達障害など何らかのチャレンジを求められている学習者」の親の立場からの声とそれに対する教師としての対応に関するハイブリッド座談会を計画しています。AATJのE-Bulletin な
どを通じて皆さんにも開催情報を共有する予定ですのでよろしくお願いします。
In addition to reports and suggestions on classroom practices, there were many
presentations on the declining number of language learners, teacher shortages, and theimpact of artificial intelligence (AI) on overall education, in particular for language
education. As discussed in the webinar, there is a need for training opportunities forteachers to be able to deal with AI and effectively incorporate it into their teachingactivities. In addition, the number of learners with some kind of "learning disability" isincreasing more rapidly than ever before, coupled with the negative effects of thepandemic. Teachers who understand the theoretical aspects of this issue are often
flustered about how to put it into practice in the classroom, and there are also a number ofissues regarding how to deal with the parents of such children. In order to address theseissues, AATJ would like to actively plan trainings on how to write prompts for ChatGPT
and the like, as well as trainings on specific measures for "learning disabilities.”
I am planning a hybrid roundtable discussion on the parental voices of "learners withlearning disabilities, developmental disabilities, or other challenges" and how we asteachers can respond to them. We will share this information with you through the AATJ EBulletin and other channels.
先日からお伝えしているように2024年8月初めの3日間はカナダ日本語教育振興会と共催で日本語教
育国際研究大会 (ICJLE)をウィスコンシン大学マジソン校で行います。今からカレンダーに印を付けておいて下さい。一緒に世界中から集まる人々とネットワークを広げましょう。詳細は別途AATJから配信されるBulletinをご参照ください。
AATJ will host the International Conference of Japanese Language Education (ICJLE) in
August 1st-3rd, 2024 with the Canadian Association of Japanese Language Education(CAJLE). ICJLE will be held at University of Wisconsin at Madison. I truly hope that manyteachers in the US will be able to enhance their professional network through various
activities during the convention. Stay tuned for more detailed information from the AATJ
Bulletin.
AATJでは2024年から改定されたBy-Lawsに基づき副会長を2人（K-12からとHigher Edから）置くことになりました。先に実施された選挙で決選投票の結果、ピッツバーグ大学のLuft先生が2人目の副会長として選出されました。同時に次期会長として選出されたディポール大学の近松先生をはじめ役
員全員ボランティアながら全力で頑張ってまいります。
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AATJ will have two vice presidents (one from K-12 and one from Post Secondary)based on the revised By-Laws starting in 2024. After a runoff election, Dr. Luft of the
University of Pittsburgh was elected as the second Vice-President. Dr. Chikamatsu of
DePaul University was also elected as President-Elect, and all the board members will
do their best as volunteers.
さて、個人的には毎春実施しているスプリングブレーク京都花見研修は定員に達しました。また、春学期は全米最古で最大の大学外国語オナーソサイアティαμγ(Alpha Mu Gamma)の年
次大会の会場として協力することになり忙しくなりそうです。私人としての僕ですが長女は2年
間は僕の大学で教養単位を取りながらアイスダンスの全国大会出場を目指し、次女は引き続き、「芸術系」で頑張るようです。相方は作家として忙しく過ごしています。
2024年は「前会長」となりますがsatsutan@cod.eduまでいつでもご連絡ください。

もうすぐ今年も終わりという時期にさしかかり、副会長として約2年間、皆さ
まからの温かい支援と指導を受けながら会長を支える役割を務めさせていただきましたことを心より感謝申し上げます。
9月には、全米日本語教師協会（AATJ）による優秀教師賞の選考が行われ、今年も多くの素晴らしい教師の候補者を迎えることができました。推薦してくださった先生にAATJの役員一同深く感謝しています。次年度のAATJ優秀
教師賞に向けてのご推薦もぜひよろしくお願いします。
11月17日から19日にかけてシカゴで開催されたACTFL秋の学会では、多くの先生方とお会いし、親睦を深めることができました。地方の教師会から多数の役員や会員の方々が参加されたローカルアフィリエイトミーティングでは、様々な課題について意見交換を行い、有意義な時間を過ごすことができました。また、今年度は地方教師会間の連携を強化し促進するために、Zoom
を通じてミーティングを2回開催しました。このような交流を来年度も続ける
予定ですので、ご支援いただけると嬉しいです。

Messagefrom theVice 来年度も、より多くの教師の皆さまのご意見に耳を傾け、お力になれるよう
President 全力を尽くします。引き続きのご支援を心からお願い申し上げます。
MIEKO AVELLO

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Annual Fall Conference ACTFL 2023 in Chicago
YUKO PREFUME, NOBUAKI TAKAHASHI & JAIME TATEYAMA GUSMANFALL CONFERENCE CO-DIRECTORSThe 2023 AATJ Fall Conference was held from November 17th through the 19th in conjunction with the American
Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Annual Convention and World Languages Expo. The format
this year was in person and approximately 150 Japanese teachers registered for the convention. There were 12 AATJsponsored sessions (45-minute) and three paper sessions (total of 8 papers, three 15-minute paper presentations
per session). In addition, there were 4 other sessions presented by AATJ members at the conference.
In the Exhibition Hall, Japan-related organizations and companies, including publishers and bookstores, joined us
at the Japan Pavilion. This year, thanks to the support from the Wisconsin Association of Teachers Japanese(WIATJ), Consulate General of Japan in Chicago, AATJ Advocacy and DEI co-directors, we were able to host threedifferent hands-on activities, Flower Arrangement Demonstration and Workshop, Edamame Championship, badge
making and a DEI talk session at the AATJ booth. Besides the wonderful activities that happened at the booth, AATJ
also provided original AATJ logo t-shirts, pens, keychains, folders and Ninja posters for sale. Many people stopped
by the booth and participated in the activities and we would like to express our gratitude to all of the task force
members for helping to carry out the activities and making our booth both successful and memorable for everyone.

DEI Talk Session
Edamame Champion

AATJ Members at the booth

Flower Arrangement Workshop

Badge Making
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AATJ Original T-Shirts

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On Saturday, AATJ hosted its Annual TeacherAwards Luncheon, and approximately 120
people attended. The luncheon began withwelcome remarks from AATJ President Shingo
Satsutani followed by remarks by AATJ’s guestsof honor: Mr. Jun Yanagi, Consul General fromthe Consulate-General of Japan in Chicago andDirector Yasuko Uchida from the JapanFoundation Los Angeles. We were also
fortunate to have a special koto and choir
performance from Ms. Yumi Fujimoto, Ms.
Kazuko Komoda, Ms. Makita, and Japaneselevel 2, 3, 4 and AP students from Glenbrook
South High School.
During the luncheon, AATJ presented thisyear’s Teacher Awards to Dr. Makiko Fukuda(University of Texas at San Antonio) in theCollege and University category and Ms.
Marisa Utida Bellini (American Fork HighSchool in Utah) in the K-12 category. We
received generous prizes for the award
recipients from the various sponsors. (Please
see the ACTFL 2023 Sponsors’ List at the end of
this article.)

AATJ President
Shingo Satsutani’s remarks

Special Koto Performance during Luncheon

Dr. Makiko Fukuda
AATJ 2023 Teacher Award(Post Secondary)

Ms. Marisa Utida Bellini
AATJ 2023 Teacher Award(K-12 Category)5

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Saturday night, AATJ hosted a general membership meeting from 6:30pm-8:30pm, and over 80 AATJ members
attended. This event began with welcome remarks from AATJ President Shingo Satsutani followed by remarks by
Director Yasuko Uchida from the Japan Foundation Los Angeles. Announcements and reports were also shared by
AATJ directors and representatives. (Presidents’ reports, Membership, National Japanese Exam, Advocacy, DEI,
JNHS, Nengajo contest, Newsletter, Professional Development, AATJ Fall Conference, and AATJ Spring
Conference). Following the reports, the Aurora Foundation shared about their activities and Ms. Sachiko Dorsey
from Cheng & Tsui shared about the 2023 grant recipients and information about the 2024 Cheng & Tsui
Professional Development Grants. Then, we recognized and honored the AATJ officers and directors who would
complete their term at the end of this year: Suwako Watanabe, Past President; Elizabeth Hojo, Newsletter, Noriko
Otsuka;Advocacy Director; Shinsuke Tsuchiya, Spring Conference Director; and Jaimelynn Tateyama, Fall
Conference Director. At the closing, we had raffles. Thanks to the generous support of our sponsors, all theattendees went home with door prizes. (Please see the ACTFL 2023 Sponsors’ List at the end of this article.) At theend of the general meeting, all participants sang “Arigatou” by Inoue Yousui together. It was wonderful to reunite
again with teachers, spend time together and thank everyone for their hard work this past year.

Recognition and Appreciation of Past Officers

Report by AATJ President Shingo Satsutani

Minna no Nihongo Memo Pad and Origami
Raffle Winners

AATJ Advocacy Ninja Poster Raffle Winners

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Call for Proposals ACTFL 2024
The 2024 AATJ Annual Fall Conference will be held during the annual convention of ACTFL, which will take placefrom Friday, November 22nd through Sunday, November 24th, 2024, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The
submission deadline for proposals is Friday, January 26, 2024 at 11:59 Eastern Time. We look forward to seeing you
again next year!
*The AATJ Teacher Award Luncheon will be held on Saturday, November 21st. Please be sure to purchase a ticket
separately when you register for the ACTFL Convention.
*The AATJ Annual Membership Meeting will be held in the evening of Saturday, November 21st. It is free and open
to all the AATJ members.
Call for Proposals: 2024 Annual Convention and World Languages Expo
If you want your session or paper presentation to be considered for a part of the AATJ program, please pay
attention to the following two points in the ACTFL online proposal submission form:
1. Please choose “Japanese” under “Applicable Language.”

2. For Question 2 under “Other,” please choose “Not Applicable (N/A).” If you choose one of the ACTFL Special
Interest Group (SIG), your proposal will be reviewed by the SIG first. Once your proposal has been accepted by the
SIG, we cannot include your session or presentation in the AATJ program.

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Door Prizes from Generous Donors- Thank you so much for your generosity and support!-

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ACTFL 2023 Sponsors’ List
Teacher Award
3A Corporation
Cheng & Tsui Publishers
Japan Foundation Los Angeles
JPT America, Inc.
Kodansha USA Publishing, LLC
Kuroshio Publishers
Lighthouse
Sanshusha Publishing Co., Ltd.
The Japan Times Publishing Ltd.

Door Prize
3A Corporation
Cheng & Tsui Publishers
Japan Foundation Los Angeles
JPT America, Inc
Kinokuniya Book Stores of America Co., Ltd.
Kintetsu International Express (U.S.A.), Inc.
Kuroshio Publishers
Lighthouse
Morinaga America
The Japan Times Publishing, Ltd.
Kyoto Convention & Tourism Bureau
Hyogo Convention & Tourism Bureau
Nara Convention & Tourism Bureau
Wakayama Convention & Tourism Bureau
Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau
Sanshusha Publishing Co., Ltd.
The Japan Times Publishing Ltd.
Anonymous donors

KANSAI ~ Hyogo

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AATJ 2023 Teacher of the Year K-12

MARISA BELLINIAMERICAN FORK HIGH SCHOOL, ALPINE SCHOOL DISTRICT, UT

I am deeply gratified that AATJ has acknowledged me for this award. I would like to thank from the bottom of myheart the AATJ Teacher Award Committee for this honor to represent the Utah Association of Teachers of Japanese(UATJ). I am also truly grateful for being part of this amazing association in Utah that always inspires and supports
me every month during our collaborations.
I was born in Brazil, and I was once a Japanese learner myself. I know how difficult it could be to learn a foreign
language and all the struggles that come with it. When I started teaching at American Fork High School in 2006 asan hourly teacher, I only had 2 small classes. My dream was to create a full-time program so that I could help asmany students as possible that once struggled to learn Japanese like me. Thanks to the great support of mycolleagues from my school and district, I was able to build the biggest Japanese program in the state and the only
Japanese AP program. I know that I would never be able to reach my goals without all the support I have received
throughout these years.
I This award definitely encouraged me to keep working hard to
help other teachers in Utah to build their programs andcontinuously help each other. Unfortunately, the Japanese
programs in secondary schools are still small in Utah, but I
sincerely believe that one day we will grow through the support of
UATJ and AATJ.
Lastly, I would like to thank my family and students that wereconstantly supporting and believing in me.

AATJ 2023 Teacher of theYear Post Secondary
MAKIKO FUKUDA
UNIVERSITY OF AUSTIN AT SAN ANTONIO, TX

I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude for this distinguished award. Over the years, I have had the privilege ofattending the AATJ award ceremony, celebrating the exceptional professors who have been honored, and I neverimagined that I would one day be the recipient of this prestigious recognition. Receiving this award is a surreal
experience, and I am deeply honored to accept it.
Teaching the Japanese language at the university level has been my lifelong career, one that I had the opportunity
to pursue after graduating from a university in Japan. I began my journey as an EEP participant (now known as
ALLEX), which proved to be a transformative experience for me. I aspired to build a career in the United States, one
where my unique abilities would be valued. After the two-year contract with EEP, I enrolled at Purdue University
and completed my terminal degree. Following my graduation, I was blessed with the opportunity to work for Trinity
University and the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), where I have continuously worked to expand theJapanese program. While I teach at UTSA, I had the privilege of participating in the Japan America Society in San
Antonio (JASSA), which enabled me to collaborate with the Japanese community and engage with individuals fromthe city of San Antonio, contributing to the enhancement of Japan-America bilateral relations. Furthermore, I
joined the Japanese Teachers Association of Texas (JTAT) and had the honor of serving as a board member – anorganization for which I hold deep and lasting gratitude. JTAT has provided an invaluable platform where I've had
the honor of connecting with committed Japanese language educators not only from within Texas but also beyond
its borders. My affiliation with JTAT has been an enriching experience, allowing me to grow both personally andprofessionally.
Throughout my journey, I've had the privilege of meeting numerous individuals to whom I owe a deep sense of10

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gratitude. These are the people who believed in me, offered me opportunities, and played an integral role inshaping the person and teacher I am today. Without their guidance and support, I would not have achieved thisremarkable honor. I want to express my sincere appreciation to EEP (ALLEX), Purdue University, my colleagues at
UTSA and Trinity, the Japanese teachers in San Antonio, and all the members of JTAT. I also would like to offer mywarmest thanks for my husband and children for their unwavering support and encouragement, as well as for myparents in Japan, who generously allowed me to pursue my studies in the United States. Last but foremost, I would
like to express my profound thanks to AATJ for selecting me as the recipient of this year's Teacher Award.
This award marks the beginning of a new chapter in my journey, and I remain dedicated to work for a brighter
future for Japanese education in the United States. Thank you very much.

CULTR Grant Recipients Attend ACTFL 2023
Thanks to funding from CULTR (the Center for Urban Language Teaching and Research) at Georgia State University,
two AATJ members who are early in their careers were awarded grants to support their first-time attendance to the
AATJ’s Annual Fall Conference at this year’s ACTFL Convention in Chicago, November 17th-19th.
The awardees were Reina Horikawa (in 4th year of teaching) of Jane Addams Junior HS, Schaumburg, IL, and Naomi
Fujii (4th year of teaching) of Utah State University. They will receive $450 in grant funds to help with travel andregistration expenses for the conference.
AATJ is grateful to CULTR for its support of this program. Read more about CULTR and its projects online athttps://cultr.gsu.edu.
Horikawa sensei and Fujii sensei will record short videos about their experience at their first ACTFL conference; thevideos will be posted online at https://cultr.gsu.edu/conference-grants/. Recipient messages to follow on the next
page.

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CULTR Grant Recipient Message

REINA HORIKAWA

JANE ADDAMS JHS, SCHAUMBURG, IL
Hello everyone! My name is Reina Horikawa, a Japanese dual language teacher at Jane Addams Junior High Schoolin Illinois. I am thrilled to share the incredible impact the ACTFL conference had on me this year, and it wouldn't
have been possible without the generous grant from AATJ.
From the moment the ACTFL conference kicked off until its conclusion, I found myself thinking about the questions
like, "Which session do I want to attend more in this time slot?" or "Which session would better benefit my students
in that slot?" The abundance of fascinating presentations and booths kept these questions forming in my mind
throughout the event. Over those three days, I eagerly ran from one session to another, immersing myself in a sea ofknowledge. The presentations proved to be a goldmine of innovative teaching methods and strategies that I am
eager to implement in my classroom. Yet, what truly made this experience unforgettable was the opportunity toconnect with fellow Japanese teachers across the US. We shared our passion for language education, andwitnessing the dedication of so many educators in one place was truly inspiring.
This connection was particularly significant for me, being the sole Japanese teacher in the middle school. Often
feeling like I was hitting my head against a wall, these newfound connections allowed me to step out of my comfort
zone and tap into a wealth of resources. The knowledge and teaching methods acquired at ACTFL are not just for mybenefit but also for my students and their promising future. This experience served as a refreshing change andprecisely what I needed to innovate my teaching.
Receiving the AATJ grant was a game-changer in my career, and I am eager to share my experience with otherlanguage teachers and my students. Once again, I want to express my deepest gratitude to AATJ for making thisenriching experience possible. Arigatou-Gozaimashita!

CULTR Grant Recipient Message

NAOMI FUJIIUTAH STATE UNIVERSITY

Thanks to CULTR support, I was able to attend the ACTFL 2023 conference in Chicago. I set out with two main goals
in mind. The first was to interact with teachers from other institutions, especially those teaching at levels otherthan I normally teach. The second was to share ideas for incorporating cultural content into my classroom activities.
I have been seeking better ways to include cultural content in day-to-day classroom activities. I am happy to reportthat I feel I accomplished both goals in ways beyond my expectations.
Utah State University, where I teach, is located in a small town with a very small Japanese community and no Asianmarkets. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, we relied on activities with exchange students from Japan on campus forauthentic cultural exposure. Since the exchange programs have still not fully resumed, cultural understanding islimited to that which students glean from things like anime and manga. The results of the National Japanese Exam
(NJE) that my students took last year indicated that our students need help in cultural understanding. To remedy
this shortcoming, I am acutely aware that it is crucially important to incorporate cultural components intoclassroom activities.
The presentations given by teachers of AP Japanese gave me some helpful ideas to use in the future. In addition,some of the presentations made me realize my potential ‘native speaker bias’ when introducing culture to mystudents. By attending the conference in person, I was able to engage in lively discussion with fellow participants
coming from a wide range of backgrounds.
Attending the conference in person was an invaluable experience for me. I was inspired by my fellow Japanese
language educators in ways that would not have been possible with a virtual medium like Zoom. Although I had toforgo a first-time opportunity to tour the city of Chicago, spending the whole day with colleagues was well worth
my time. I sincerely appreciate CULTR for providing me with this opportunity.
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AATJ / JFLA Leadership Summit

YOSHIKO SAITO-ABBOTTPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
I am excited to report on the recent Leadership Summit organized by AATJ and JFLA in California. It washeld in Los Angeles from Friday, October 13th to Sunday, October 15th, 2023. This year's event brought
together leaders from three established Japanese teacher organizations in California: CAJLT (California
Association of Japanese Language Teachers), NCJTA (Northern California Japanese Teachers' Association),and TJSC (Teachers of Japanese in Southern California).
Termed the "Leadership Summit," the gathering aimed to achieve several key outcomes. Firstly,
participants sought to familiarize themselves with the structures and roles of various national, state, andlocal language education organizations affiliated with and connected to AATJ. Secondly, the summit
focused on identifying current challenges in Japanese language education and developing a supportive
structure to address these issues within California's Japanese language education organizations. Lastly,
the summit aimed, by creating shared visions and action plans—both short-term and long-term—for the post-pandemic revitalization of Japanese language organizations in California, including CAJLT,TJSC, and NCJTA.

豊穣化

Thirty-four teachers, including local educators from Los Angeles, convened to collaboratively identify the
resources and strengths of each organization. This collective effort ignited discussions on how toarticulate and support each other, further strengthening and promoting Japanese language education not
only within California but also beyond.

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Updates for ICJLE 2024

JUNKO MORIGLOBAL NETWORK DIRECTOR

As has been reported in the previous issues, AATJ is co-hosting the International Conference on Japanese
Language Education (ICJLE 2024) on August 1-3, 2024. Under the theme of “Exploring Issues of Diversity
and Expertise in Japanese Language Education,” the conference will feature various activities, including
the following three keynote speakers:

Patricia Duff
Professor
University of British
Columbia

Yo Azama
Lead Instructional CoachSalinas Union School
District

Ginny Tapley TakemoriTranslator

What is central to this conference, however, is a wide range of presentations and interactive workshops
delivered by teachers, researchers, and graduate students around the world. To this end, I am happy toreport that we have received nearly 350 submissions by the deadline of October 31st. Thank you for thoseof you who submitted proposals and those who agreed to serve as reviewers! Your contributions are
essential for the development of the conference program. The submission review process is currently
underway. We hope to complete the review process by the end of January 2024 and to finalize theprogram by April 2024.
In the meantime, the members of the conference organizing committee are working hard for grantwriting and fundraising. We have successfully secured grants from Shoyu Club, Japan Foundation Los
Angeles, and UW-Madison Anonymous Fund, and have approached various potential donors andcorporate sponsors. We would appreciate it if any member who has some ideas for sponsorship could
contact us (Susan Schmidt, Tomoko Takami, and Junko Mori) and/or share the information on this website
with potential donors, sponsors, and exhibitors.
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Election of New Officers for 2024
Thanks to all the members who voted in AATJ’s recent
election of a new President-Elect and a new Vice President(college level), The newly elected officers for 2024 are:President-Elect:
Nobuko Chikamatsu (DePaul University)
Vice President (Post Secondary):
Stephen Luft (University of Pittsburgh)
The two new officers will join the following continuing
officers to make up AATJ’s five-member decision-making
leadership group:
President:
Yoshiko Mori (Georgetown University)
Immediate Past President:
Shingo Satsutani (College of DuPage)
Vice President (K-12):
Mieko Avello (Miami Palmetto Senior High School)
Please see the following web page for a complete list of
Officers, Directors, and staff members.

AATJ Nengajo Contest - Year of the Dragon
ANDREW SCOTTNENGAJO CONTEST DIRECTOR
Akemashite Omedetou! Happy almost Year of The
Dragon! We are excited to be offering the annual
AATJ Nengajo Contest! This year, as in previous
years, the contest is opened to grade-levels from
Elementary to College, and has four categories(depending on grade-level) including: comical,
artistic, encouragement, and CGI. We are looking
forward to your students’ beautiful artwork!
You may find the rules, lesson-plans, and schedule
for this year’s contest by visiting the following link.
Please do read the slideshow carefully to avoid
disqualification.
The application/submission form can be foundhere. (All cards must be submitted digitally.)
The submission deadline is 12/30/23.
If you have any questions or issues with thetechnology, please email Andrew Scott.
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JNCL-NCLIS Advocacy Action Day

YOSHIKO MORI
AATJ PRESIDENT-ELECTJNCL-NCLIS Advocacy Action Day, a one day in-person world language education and networking event
organized by the Joint National Committee for Languages and the National Council for Languages andInternational Studies (JNCL-NCLIS), took place on Monday, October 16, 2023 in Washington DC. This was anew, in-person opportunity for language advocates to meet with federal legislators on Capitol Hill to
advocate for the World Language Education Assistance Program (World LEAP) Act (H.R. 5603), recently
introduced by Rep. Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), House Co-Chair of the America’s Languages Caucus. The WorldLEAP Act will establish the first K-12 world language and dual language education grants program at the
U.S. Department of Education in over 14 years.
AATJ is one of the World LEAP Act endorsing
organizations, and I attended the event as the AATJ
representative. I also visited the offices of Rep. Gerry
Connolly (VA-11) and Sen. Tim Kaine (VA)on Capitol Hill
to meet with their representatives to garner support for
and advance the language education legislation. You
can find more information about the event andlegislation at:
JNCL-NCLIS Advocacy Action Day
World LEAP Act
As a member organization of JNCL-NCLIS, AATJ
continues to advocate for world language educationaligning with JNCL-NCLIS. Also, advocacy resources forJapanese language education can be found at AATJ ‘swebsite, here.

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INVITATION TO THE 8TH ANNUAL
JUNIOR JAPAN BOWL COMPETITION
J-LEARN (Japanese Language Education and Resource Network) cordially invites students in Grades
one through eight (Gr. 1-8) who are studying Japanese to compete in the eighth annual Junior Japan
Bowl (J2B) competition. The competition, which is provided free of charge to all students, will be held
virtually on Friday, April 26th, 2024, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
Junior Japan Bowl is a team-based academic competition modeled after the National Japan Bowl hosted
by the Japan-America Society of Washington, DC, where elementary and middle school students answer
questions about the Japanese language, history, and culture in a quiz-bowl format. In 2023, 380 students
from California, Oregon, Wisconsin, Illinois, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia competed.
Click HERE to see how much fun we had. We expect students from new states to join us in 2024!
Competition Information
Who: All elementary and middle school students, including Japanese heritage students, who are
studying Japanese, are eligible to compete as long as they have not attended a school in Japan
where Japanese is the primary language of instruction for more than two academic years after theage of six.
What: A free academic competition on the Japanese language, history, and culture.
When: Friday, April 26th, 2024, on Zoom
Why: It’s fun and easy to prepare for J2B. All questions for J2B come from the official J2B Study
Guide, which J-LEARN develops. The J2B2024 Study Guide and other study resources (self-paced
and classroom enrichment) can be accessed at our WEBSITE. Teachers can also contact J-LEARN(admin@jcc-gfes.org) to access a list of links to Quizlet and Kahoot games designed for use byteachers in classrooms.
How: Create a team of 2-3 students and choose a team name that includes your school initials. Every
student must register by March 31st, 2024. Registration opens on January 1st, 2024.
Resources
All About Jr. Japan Bowl for Teachers (Tips andInformation)
All About Jr. Japan Bowl for Students(Introduction to Jr. Japan Bowl)
About Jr. Japan Bowl for Administrators andParents
J-LEARN Website
The 2024 Study Guide2024 Flyer in PDF with Registration QR code
If you are new to J2B or want to learn more, pleasecontact Yuka Ohta at admin@jcc-gfes.org.

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INVITATION TO THE 8TH ANNUAL
JUNIOR JAPAN BOWL COMPETITION
日本語教育関係者の皆様、第８回ジュニアジャパンボウルについて下記の通りご案内申し上げます。
大会日時：2024年4月26日（EDT 5:00-8:30）
登録受付：2024年1月1日～3月31日
登録費無料
登録フォーム
学校ごとによる参加チーム数の制限はありませんが、トピックをしっかり学び参加するようお声
がけください。
１チームは２名または３名です。大会レベルが同じであれば学年を超えてチームを組むこともで
きます。
生徒用教材
公式スタディガイド
ウェブサイト
先生用資料
教師用Google Sheet：教室でKahootをホストできるリンクが掲載されていますのでぜひご活用ください。(こちらのSheetは生徒さんへの共有はお控えください）
All About Jr. Japan Bowl for Teachers (大会や登録時の注意点等の説明)
All About Jr. Japan Bowl for Students (ジャパンボウルの紹介)
About Jr. Japan Bowl for Administrators and Parents（学校や保護者への紹介）
J-LEARN Website
2024 Flyer in PDF（白黒印刷で映えるようデザインしました）
連絡先
J-LEARN代表 太田由佳 admin@jcc-gfes.org
2024年大会トピック
言語：挨拶・教室で使う表現、擬音語・擬態語・
諺、漢字
地理：日本の基本的な情報、都道府県、山、川、湖、島
歴史：室町、安土・桃山・江戸時代・戦国時代ス
ペシャル（忍者・武士・城）
文化：歌舞伎・浮世絵・和菓子・季節の行事
尚、全米24校より約400名の生徒が登録した2023年４月の大会の様子は、６月に行われた日本大使館主催の日本語教育定期懇談会にて、参加校やご協力くださった先生方も含めて報告いたしました。
今年も日本語プログラムの発展と生徒たちの日本理解を深める機会を楽しく作り上げていきたいと思いますので、何卒よろしくお願いいたします。
ご質問等はいつでもお気軽にご連絡ください。
大塚紀子
Fox Mill Elementary School, VA
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8th National Junior Japan Bowl
小中学生の日本語・日本文化全米大会
Invitation to Students in Grades 1-8

When
Friday, April 26, 2024
Level 1 (Gr. 1-3): 5:00 pm EDT
Level 2 (Gr. 4-6): 6:15 pm EDT
Level 3 (Gr. 7-8): 7:30 pm EDT

Registration
Free Registration
January1-March31, 2024.

About
Junior Japan Bowl is a national team-based academic competition that is free forstudents of the Japanese language and culture in Grades 1-8. It’s a fun andexciting way to learn more about Japan, build teamwork, and win prizes. Become
one of nearly 380 students from all over the country who participate in theannual competition.
*Any student who has not attended a school in Japan where Japanese is the primarylanguage of instruction for more than 2 consecutive years after the age of 6 can compete.

Free Study Materials
Everything you and your teammates need to know to compete has
been prepared for you. Access the official Junior Japan Bowl Study
Guide and study resources at the J-LEARN website. (Search“J-LEARN” on Chrome. Teachers, please contact us to receive theteachers' resources so you can host Kahoot in your class!

武士に二言なし
ぶしににごんなし

SAMURAI HONOR THEIR PROMISES

Contact
Yuka Ohta: admin@jcc-gfes.org
J-LEARN, part of the Japanese Cultural Committee of Great Falls Elementary School,organizes the Junior Japan Bowl. Japan Bowl is a registered trademark of
the Japan-America Society of Washington, DC.

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National Board Certification Petition

CAMERON CHIENCAJLT PRESIDENT

Please consider signing a petition to support Japanese andGerman teachers who are proposing a Special Interest
Group (SIG) at ACTFL to extend National Board
Certification to all World Language educators, beyond
Spanish and French teachers.
By becoming a NBCT (National Board Certified Teacher),teachers can help their students and schools benefit withimproved quality in teaching and leadership capacity.
With a decrease in the number of active teachers andJapanese programs, developing more teacher leaders who
can lead and grow the next generation of teachers isimportant.
Visit this link to learn more about our proposed SIG andto sign the petition.
Please share the petition with anyone you think would beinterested in signing it as well. Thank you!

AATJ Membership Renewal
Thank you to the members who have alreadyrenewed their AATJ membership for 2024!
If you have not renewed yet, please take amoment to make sure you are included in thebenefits that membership brings: professional
development opportunities like conferences andwebinars; activities for your students like theJapanese National Honor Society; publications
and other resources.
Renew online by going tohttps://www.aatj.org/membership. We’ll lookforward to seeing next year, online or inperson!

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Japanese Language and Literature
Fall 2023 Issue of the Journal is PublishedThe most recent issue of AATJ’s journal “Japanese Language and Literature” has been
published. Volume 57, No. 2 (October 2023) features two research articles, a JLL Forumcommentary, and three book reviews:
Articles
An Advanced Reading Course in Japanese with Wikipedia: A Case Study
Yoko Hasegawa, Kiyono Fujinaga-Gordon, Jun Kanagawa, and Eri Nakagawa
Epitaphs to Empire: On Abe Kōbō and the (Un)Making of the Repatriation Narrative
Christina Yi
JLL Forum
Finding the Mind in the Eyes: A Note on the Wife’s Testimony in Akutagawa’s “In a Grove”
Matthew M. Davis
Reviews
Yuko Prefume, Akiko Murata, and Hiroshi Tajima—Diving into Japanese Culture and Society
through Food
Hironori Nishi
Leith Morton—How Dark Is My Flower: Yosano Akiko and the Invention of Romantic Love
Marianne Tarcov
Matthew W. Shores—The Comic Storytelling of Western Japan: Satire and Social Mobility in
Kamigata Rakugo
Esra-Gökçe Şahin
The current issue of the journal, as well as
issues from the past 5 years, are available
online, free to all readers through Open
Access. You can read and download journal
articles, and sign up to be notified of newissues, at https://jll.pitt.edu/ojs/JLL .

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2024-25 Bridging Scholarships
Applications OpenThe application for 2024-25 Bridging Scholarships for Study Abroad in Japan will
open at the beginning of January 2024. Students who plan to study in Japan
during the Fall 2024 semester, the 2024-2025 academic year, or the Spring
2025 semester should apply at this time. The deadline for applications is March
15th, 2024.
AATJ administers the Bridging Scholarship program on behalf of the US-Japan
Bridging Foundation, with support from the Japan-US Friendship Commission.
Since 1999, when the program began, 2,500 undergraduate students from US
colleges and universities have received scholarships of $2,500 for a semester’s
study program of $4,500 for an academic-year program. Awardees join the
Bridging Scholar community and gain access to our extensive alumni, donor,
and supporter network.
Please encourage your students who plan to study in Japan during the 2024-25
academic year to apply for these scholarships. At least 50 awards will be made.
Application information is online at https://www.aatj.org/japan-bridgingscholarships/.

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DEC 2023 | VOL. 12 | NO.4

2024 Summer M.A. Program in Japanese Pedagogy at Columbia University
The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures) at
Columbia University invites applications for the summer M. A. program in Japanese Pedagogy. The
2024 program will begin on Monday, June 3rd and last until Friday, August 2nd, during which thefollowing courses will be taught:
I. Three-week Pedagogy Course (6/3-6/21):- Elementary Japanese Pedegogy
II. 3 MA Courses (6/24-8/2):- Second Language Acquisition Theory- History of Japanese Language- Instructional & Learning Technology
Degree candidates may fulfill the requirements for the M.A. degree in three consecutive summers
or in any three summers within a period of six years by taking eleven courses and writing an M.A.
thesis. The thesis is required to have a focus on a particular area of Japanese pedagogy. Students
take courses for six weeks in one summer and nine weeks during the other two summers.
We also welcome non-degree students for the three-week Elementary Japanese Pedagogy
course.
Special Admission Requirements: B.A. or equivalent from an acredited institution in the U.S.,
Japan or elsewhere, proficiency in English (for native Japanese speakers: TOEFL iBT 88 or above)or Japanese (for non-native Japanese speakers/ACTFL: Advanced-High or above).
More information is available at the following websites.
http://ealac.columbia.edu/program/language-programs/japanese/jlp-summerprograms/
https://www.gsas.columbia.edu/content/japanese-pedagogy
Application deadline: February 22nd, 2024
Online Application: https://gsas.columbia.edu/degree-programs/admissions
Successful applicants will be notified of their admission by the middle of March.
Contact: Shigeru Eguchi
Administrative Director of the 2023 Summer M.A. Program in Japanese Pedagogy
Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures (EALAC) 407 Kent Hall
Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
Email: se53@columbia.edu

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CALL FOR PROPOSALS:
Princeton Japanese Pedagogy ForumThe 30th Princeton Japanese Pedagogy Forum (PJPF) will be held in
person May 4th-5th, 2024. The theme of the Forum is "Study Abroad:
Significance and Possibilities." Professor Ostheider Teja (Kwansai Gakuin
University) has been invited to give a keynote speech on this theme.
The Forum invites papers related to the main theme for both pre-college
and college level as well as heritage Japanese language and culture
education. In addition, we welcome any paper related to Japanese
language education in general, including second language acquisition,
linguistics, and technology in language learning and teaching, among
others.
We have two types of presentations: (1) oral presentation (20 minutes
and 10 minutes of discussion) and (2) poster presentation. When you
submit your proposal, please tell us your preference. The submission
deadline is January 10th, 2024. Notification of accepted papers will besent in February 2024. Please note that an abstract and a paper in theProceedings should be written in the same language as the one used in
the presentation. Accepted papers will be published on the website. If
you have any questions, please send e-mail to ssato@princeton.edu.
We are looking forward to seeing you at the Forum.

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AATJ Officers, Directors and Staff
Officers
President: Shingo Satsutani (College of DuPage, IL)
President Elect: Yoshiko Mori (Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.)
Immediate Past President: Tomoko Takami (University of Pennsylvania, PA)
Vice President: Mieko Avello (Miami Palmetto Senior High School, FL)

Directors
Global Network: Junko Mori (University of Wisconsin, Madison)
Newsletter: Elizabeth Hojo (The Woodlands College Park High School, TX)
Professional Development: Yoshiko Saito-Abbott (California State University, Monterey Bay)
Advocacy: Noriko Otsuka (Fox Mill Elementary School, VA), Junko Tokuda Simpson (University ofCalifornia, San Diego)
Diversity and Inclusion: Will Matsuzaki (All Saints Episcopal School, TX), Yasuko Takata Rallings(Wake Forest University, NC)
Student Activities (Nengajo Contest): Andy Scott (Kamehameha High School, HI)
Japanese National Honor Society: Yayoi Takeuchi (University of North Texas), Kumi Kobayashi(Los Gatos High School, CA)
National Japanese Exam: Tomomi Sato (University of Virginia)
Fall Conference (ACTFL-affiliated): Nobuaki Takahashi (Elizabethtown College, PA), Yuko Prefume(Baylor University, TX), Jaime Tateyama Gusman (Moanalua High School, HI)
Spring Conference (AAS-affiliated): Jae DiBello Takeuchi (Indiana University), Yoshihiro Mochizuki(University of Michigan), Shinsuke Tsuchiya (Brigham Young University, UT)

Staff
JLPT Assistant: Yoshie Arima
Membership Assistant: Maiko T. Bacha
JLPT Coordinator: Michiyo Colclasure
Executive Director: Susan Schmidt

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Share your Japanese Program news via social media!
Contact our social media director, Junko Tokuda Simpson HERE!

American Association ofTeachers of Japanese, Inc.
Campus Box 366
University of Colorado
Boulder, CO 80309-0366