TEACHERS HELPING TEACHERS (THT) HELPING TEACHERS is a grassroots organization founded by Bill Balsamo and members of the Himeji City Chapter of JALT in 2004. THT is dedicated to offering friendship and assistance for fellow educators in and around Asia. We fulfill this mission by introducing presenters to teacher-training conferences, seminars, and workshops that exhibit practical, student, and teacher-friendly approaches to language education that are informed by current research in the field.
Since its inception, THT has given well-received programs annually in Bangladesh, Vietnam, Laos, the Philippines (currently on hiatus), and most recently in Kyrgyzstan. Future plans include repeat visits to all of these countries and expansion to other areas where our friendship is needed.
We have had presenters from Europe, North America, Australia, South America and Asia whose native languages have been English, German, Spanish and Japanese. Anyone interested in joining our programs to present at our upcoming seminars is invited to submit proposals (usually 3 or more) on topics of interest to teachers in the host countries. This year in Laos we also offered support for Jack Richards visit to the Lao TESOL Conference as a self sponsored plenary speaker.
Delegates are expected to possess post-graduate degrees and have experience in giving presentations at academic conferences. Elementary, Junior High, High School, and University level teachers are encouraged to apply.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย The past year and future years 2025 -2026
BANGLADESH In 2025 and in 2026, we have had and will be planning to hold 2 day programs in Bangladesh (Face to Face and online) at Shinto Mariam University of Technology in Uttar in Dhaka and at Sylhet International University.
KYRGYZSTAN AND UZBEKISTAN: over 9 days of programs were held and are planned to be held at Bishkek State University and other venues.
LAO PDR 7 days of programs were and will be offered in 2026. Our next program will be similar to our 2025 program and will be held in Laos in late February where we will offer support to theย Lao TESOL Committee by offering presenters for: pre-conference workshops and for conference, plenary, parallel and workshop sessions. In addition workshops will be offered for teachers at the National University of Laos and teacher support will be offered in rural high schools, elementary schools and at a rural Teachers Training College. Applications from teachers in Japan are now open for late February 2026 programs.
JALT BALSAMO SCHOLARSHIP In addition over the past year THT was instrumental in helping select a suitable candidate from Laos and in setting up the Four Corners Tour for the 2025 Balsamo Scholar, Ladomchanh Khantry, Head of the English Department at the National University of Laos, and her husband Alounsavath Sendduangpeth, Deputy Director of the Laos-Japan Human Resource Institute also at the National University. As part of this support we also assisted Ladomchanh and her husband with their presentations and with publicity, including an article placed in the November edition of the Language Teacher and in ensuring that their visit comfortably fitted both their and JALT`s budgets.
THT worked closely with: JALT National; Osaka, Hiroshima and Kyoto JALT Chapters and the Gale SIG; as well as Hiroshima and Soka Universities; in order to ensure that the 2025 Balsamo Scholar Program was not only a budget success but was also an interesting program for JALT members, students and members of the public to participate in.
Constitution: Download
Contact: jalt.tht@gmail.com
Publications: 2025 Teachers Helping Teachers Journal (19th Edition) tht-japan.org/tht-journal/
Website: tht-japan.org
Officers:
- President: Chris Ruddenklau
- Treasurer: Anthony Torbert
- Membership Chair: Marian Wang
- Program Chair: Roger Palmer, Michael Furmanovsky, and Brent Jones
- Publicity Chair: Shirley M. Ando
- Publication Chair: Patrick T Dougherty
- Web Administrator: Shirley M. Ando
- Member-at-large: Bangladesh Patrick Dougherty Country Coordinator, KyrgyzstanBrent Jones Country Coordinator, Kyrgyzstan Roger Palmer Country Coordinator, Michael Furmanovsky Country Coordinator, and LAO PDR Christopher Ruddenklau Country Coordinator
