Implementing gamification techniques in my courses using online tools such as Quizizz and Quizlet has been an incredible experience in witnessing my students’ increased engagement and motivation. There have been a number of challenges along the way, yet I always take pleasure in exploring their features. One of the key elements I have discovered to heighten students’ motivation and improve learning outcomes is carefully observing and listening to my students. Existing research has given me insights into how I use the online tools, but the main inspiration has been from my students, the little birdies. Their comments are invaluable. The default or basic use of each online application provides an adequate gamification experience; however, it does not stimulate learner autonomy over time. I would like to recount some specific comments (encounters) from my "birdies" and introduce how they enlightened me: updating and progressing the use of Quizizz and Quizlet. Furthermore, I would like to discuss how two kinds of motivation, extrinsic and intrinsic, are incorporated with the online tools, and how these integrations are promoting learner autonomy.

This presentation aims to motivate Japanese university freshmen enrolled in mandatory English courses. It advocates a practical, skills-based class that underscores the real-world importance of English learning. Many students may not realize that even if employed by Japanese companies, fluent English communication may be necessary. This may be daunting to students as achieving fluency can take up to 2,500 hours (Inagaki, 2010). This is especially challenging when most of the students in the class have TOEIC scores below 400. Therefore, students will learn to break this goal into manageable daily increments, by using language-learning apps like Busuu, Memrise, Duolingo, and Lyrics Training on their phones for short daily sessions. In-class demonstrations of these apps will be followed by group exploration, with each student testing an app for approximately 15 minutes and providing feedback to their group, guided by a provided form. Students will then select one app for the semester and deliver two additional reports during designated game days, with points from these reports contributing to their participation scores. This comprehensive strategy may inspire students to see English as a vital tool for future success and equip them with the skills to break down larger goals into achievable tasks.

This workshop will introduce some practical activities to help teachers incorporate Latin and Greek word roots into university and high-school classes in an educational, yet enjoyable way. Since it has been estimated that over three-fifths of Modern English words have their roots in Greek, Latin, and the Romance languages (Hook 1975), presenting these types of activities can be a way to bolster our students’ vocabularies and help them recognize patterns in the English lexicon. In addition, activities and games will be provided that teachers can use to introduce the origins of words and expressions from history (e.g. Armageddon, ‘turn a blind eye,’ etc.), as well as the origins of some words that most English speakers take for granted (e.g. the days of the week and months of the year). It is hoped that these activities will spark the students’ interest, help them remember more of the words they learn, and give them practice speaking English.

This presentation is based on my master thesis, which was written using Autoethnography - reflecting on my own experiences of learning English, teaching English and working for a studying abroad agency. The main focus is on how English education in schools should be reformed for an inclusive society. English has the largest population of speakers in the world and is widely recognised as a world language. Also, there have long been loud calls for improving English language skills in Japan. While many Japanese identify English as a necessity, there is a tendency among some learners to see English as an advantage for higher education and good employment. There is also concern about the possibility of acquiring an English pronunciation specific to the region in which they are staying rather than American or British English when they study abroad. The question of whether there is a connection between such racial and linguistic discrimination and exclusive attitudes in relation to English learning, particularly school English education in Japan, will be examined to see what kind of education can be provided that will lead to inclusive attitudes and social formation.

The purpose of this study is to explore effective ways to use technology to promote independent learning growth among second language learners. Specifically, the study focuses on second language learners' acquisition of understandable pronunciation so that they can speak with confidence. Speaking confidently is an extremely important skill in real-life communication. Pronunciation is a serious concern for Japanese learners, yet not enough time is spent on it in the classroom. The meaning of this study is to find ways to enhance the ability of second language learners to acquire comprehensive pronunciation independently. Currently, I am working on the development of a pronunciation evaluation system. One of the features of this system is that, in addition to automatic feedback by the machine, it will be equipped with a function that allows the learners to perform self-assessment by using five criteria so that the learners can understand what pronunciation features they are confident with. Furthermore, the system will be able to provide pronunciation practice based on texts of interest to the learner through free input. Through this integrated approach, I expect learners to acquire understandable pronunciation autonomously.

In a globalized society where language learning is an essential and critical skill for individuals to obtain, technology has significantly contributed to reshaping the way we learn. One innovation that significantly changed language learning methodologies is the incorporation of technology through Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) and Mobile-Assisted Language (MALL). This enables learners to access online educational materials, blended with the traditional language learning classroom, and made learning possible beyond the confines of place and time. Based on the literatures, "Theories of attitudes toward technology" and "Theories of the impact of technology on users" (Stockwell, 2021), the study was carried out to discover what kind of apps, software, browsers etc. were commonly used among Waseda University students to improve their English abilities. A total of 183 responses were collected with both qualitative and quantitative methods. From this data analysis, the results suggest that the incorporation of videos in lectures as well as the establishment of online study-materials will be an innovative and efficient way for language learning.

Study abroad (SA) has become widespread. Most international students (Int'l Ss) are assumed to want to improve their target language (TL) skills and other related skills/knowledge by interacting with locals and people from other countries. This is referred to as situated learning (Lave & Wenger, 1991). However, TL-mediated socializing opportunities are not automatically taken for granted (Kinginger, 2009). The presenter investigated how Int'l Ss construct their own TL-mediated socializing opportunities and can grow through socializing as his longitudinal qualitative study. He collected qualitative data from nine Japanese undergraduate students who studied in English-speaking countries for short or long periods before, during, and/or after their SA using multiple research techniques. The main findings show that Int'l Ss lived in dynamically changing social environments and that each research participant developed his/her social networks in three patterns (gradual, click, and thin or loose) and then succeeded in co-constructing his/her TL-mediated affinity spaces (Gee, 2004) in different contexts. He also found that their TL-mediated socializing could be ecologically co-constructed by four categories of factors. Furthermore, he clarified that TL-mediated socializing enabled the students to grow as TL users. The presenter will discuss how to promote Int'l Ss' situated learning through socializing.

In previous studies, researchers have argued that teaching in the target language (L2) is the most effective approach (Krashen & Terrell, 1983, p. 9). Recent studies show, however, that using students’ language (L1) can offer a variety of benefits to language learners (LLs) (Leeming, 2013; Bartlett, 2017; Inada & Inada, 2021). In the following presentation, I will present the results of the first stage of a long-term data collection, which explored university LL perspectives regarding English-only and Japanese-only lessons. In this study, students enrolled in compulsory English lessons at a Japanese university completed a survey at 3 different times throughout the first semester. Results from initial data collection show that students prefer neither L1- nor L2-only lessons, but a mixed usage of both. The presentation will conclude with advice for language teachers. Specifically, how to find balance in your language use, and how your language use can affect learner development.

Learning for change and action is now most commonly associated with action-oriented language instructions, through which students are encouraged not only to communicate through the language they are learning but also to practice citizenship for a democratic society using that language (Acar, 2019). While this approach has advocates in Japan (e.g. Hirose, 2022), it is most commonly associated with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), and it has a stronger root elsewhere in the world. This session introduces some of the most innovative, thought-provoking, or successful initiatives around the world. These examples are used as a springboard for the following discussion questions:

(1) What kinds of initiatives may be possible in Japan, in your institution, or in your own classroom? (2) What challenges do you anticipate? (3) What can we do to overcome these obstacles?

The discussion session may inspire novel ideas to be tried, lead to an open discussion of Japanese institutional and individual culture, and exchange various strategies that the audience members have tried in the past to start difficult initiatives.

In the past decade studies on adult language learners, including mature students, has received much attention world-wide. However, language teachers focusing on their own language learning seems to be an under-studied area, especially among those who have taught or currently teach in Japan (Simon-Maeda, 2011; Casanave, 2012; Ellis, 2021). In this Learning Café session, I invite language teachers to participate in two activities: one is self-reflective; the other, collaborative. After I provide my language learning history, teachers will first share their own experiences as language learners. Next, participants will be asked to work in small groups by teaching context to come up with ideas on how to incorporate their own language learning experience into their teaching. By the end of this session, it is hoped that teachers will reflect on their own experiences and work collaboratively to explore ways they can successfully weave them into their teaching in order to motivate and enhance student learning.

Project-based learning (PBL) provides students with opportunities to enhance their proficiency in the target language through vocabulary building, as well as spoken and written communication. Students can also potentially develop other skills. For example, by investigating an issue, processing and organizing material, and developing a final product, learners can explore content in a meaningful way and bolster their researching, note-taking, and critical thinking skills. In this presentation I will discuss the implementation of individual and group-based projects in a first year, Japanese university classroom focusing on global issues using a five-stage framework proposed by Stoller and Myers (2020). Data from the students’ reflective journals and questionnaires regarding their projects will be highlighted in order to give insights into the students’ development, as well as their attitudes and opinions about doing the projects. It is hoped that this presentation will encourage meaningful discussion about the use of PBL and will be of use to teachers who are interested in implementing, or looking for new ways of developing PBL in their language classrooms.

In this presentation, I will report on efforts to collaboratively work with ES teachers and students towards a smooth and more rewarding transition from Gaikokugo Katsudo to English as a compulsory subject. The focus will be on reporting student and teacher voices to better illuminate a growth mindset where classroom practices can be improved through communities of practice. The growth mindset is the idea that effort, grit, and persistence is most important in order to improve performance. In the first year, I reported on research in 2021 with 99 5th grade elementary students from three different schools and 242 7th grade students from one junior high school in southern Japan. Our second year, we compared responses from 60 6th graders in the same school district. The goals for the final year will be to put all our data together and give recommendations to the local boards of education. The project so far seems to suggest that students and teachers need more direct contact and direction as to how to reach MEXT English goals. Future implications will also be discussed. (151 words)

When second language learners participate in Extensive Reading (ER) programs, they have many opportunities to be exposed to materials about social issues and the people who have contributed to our world through activism or just via the stories of their lives. There are many graded readers which address these topics and people, though it is relatively rare for learners to choose such books of their own accord. As part of Hokusei Junior College's ER course, the instructor will choose some short books to read to the students in class. Reading aloud to learners is said to be beneficial and presents the opportunity to expose the learners to various topics of the instructor's choosing. Suddenly introducing a topic without any particular justification beyond the instructor’s whim can seem unnatural, however relating it to a special day can be a convenient way to broach the topic and possibly generate further interest. Every year is full of special days, such as Earth Day, World Bee Day, Malala Day, and even World Chocolate Day. Finding books related to these days and sharing them with students contributes to global issue education, even in the context of a curriculum not necessarily designed to do so specifically.