Virtual Event
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Research in and Researching Eikaiwa: March 6, 2026 (Online via Google Meet)
Virtual Event
March 6 @ 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Three educators explore the professional development and research journeys of English language teachers in Japan, highlighting the transition from eikaiwa teaching to graduate study, the promotion of grassroots research within language school classrooms, and the investigation of interactional competence in after-school contexts.
- Date: March 6, 2026
- Time: 18:00 – 20:00
- Format: Online (Google Meet)
Abstracts
Fostering Interactional Competence: A Study of Japanese Junior High School Students in an After-School Context
Mayumi Kako, MA TESOL
This study examines the development of interactional competence among four junior high school students in an after-school English course. Analysis of questionnaires, interviews, speaking/writing test results, and transcribed conversations reveals a shift in the participantsโ mutual understanding and engagement in talk-in-interaction, which first oriented to classroom expectations for linguistic accuracy and later oriented to co-constructing spontaneous conversation.
Mayumi Kako is a teacher of English and school owner with over twenty years of experience teaching Japanese learners across various age groups, from preschoolers to adults. She recently completed an MA in TESOL and is expanding her career into university-level instruction in Nagoya, Japan. Her research interests include interactional competence, sociocultural theory, and intercultural communication.
Research Starts Here: Doing ELT Research from the Eikaiwa Classroom
Despite their substantial, long-term role in Japanโs English language teaching landscape, eikaiwa schools sadly remain underrepresented in published research. One contributing factor is that many eikaiwa teachers lack access to professional development opportunities and are unsure how to begin engaging in classroom-based research, even when they are motivated to do so. This presentation hopes to address this gap by showcasing several grassroots research projects that were initiated and conducted by an in-service eikaiwa teacher and later published in academic journals. By tracing how these projects emerged from everyday teaching concerns, in this presentation, I aim to demystify the research process and challenge assumptions about where โlegitimateโ ELT research in Japan can (and should) take place. Drawing on these examples, I will also offer practical tips and key considerations for teachers interested in starting their own research journey from the eikaiwa classroom, with particular attention to feasibility, ethics, and sustainability.
Daniel Hooper (PhD, Nagoya University of Foreign Studies) is an Associate Professor in the Department of English Communication at Tokyo Kasei University. He has been teaching in Japan for 20 years in a variety of contexts, including primary/secondary schools, English conversation schools, and universities. His research interests include teacher and learner identity, reflective practice, self-access learning communities, and communities of practice.
From Eikaiwa to Graduate Study: A Journey of Learning, Community, and Teacher Growth
Aya Takeuchi
This presentation outlines my professional journey from eikaiwa teaching to graduate study in TESOL, highlighting key moments that shaped my teacher identity. My early years in eikaiwa were enjoyable but eventually led to a sense of routine and stagnation. Completing the CertTESOL renewed my motivation while leading me to reflect on the suitability of the limited approaches I had been relying on and on my role as a non-native English-speaking teacher. A major turning point came when I became involved in professional communities such as JALT and ETJ, where legitimate peripheral participation (Lave & Wenger, 1991) allowed me to become gradually more involved and deepen my learning. Teaching part-time in vocational schools further expanded my understanding of diverse learners and classroom contexts. Ultimately, deciding to pursue an MA program became an investment in professional growth, helping me integrate theory and practice and shift from seeking a single โbest methodโ to making informed and context-sensitive teaching decisions. My journey illustrates how community and reflection support continuous teacher development.
Aya Takeuchi is a part-time English instructor teaching at various institutions in Japan, ranging from private language schools to universities. Her professional interests include communicative language teaching from a sociocultural perspective. She has taught EFL for over ten years and is currently completing an MA in TESOL, with a focus on ongoing professional development.
