Iwate-Aomori JALT

26/04/2026

Live at our presentation with Brian Birdsell on eEmbodied Learning and Movement.

06/04/2026

Hi everyone. How is is the new work year so far? I hope you all get time to enjoy those cherry blossoms while they are blooming.

I just have a quick reminder about our meeting on April 26 with Brian J. Birdsell. We are looking forward to seeing everyone there. I've posted the official JALT event below for more information.

This presentation discusses topics from a recently published book by the presenter entitled Moving Bodies, Wandering Minds: How Movement Enhances Creativity and Language Learning. 

17/02/2026

Good evening everyone. I'm happy to announce our next live event. it will be held at KIOXIA AIINA on April 26 and feature a presentation by Brian Birdsell. We have all the information below. I hope to see you all there.

This presentation discusses topics from a recently published book by the presenter entitled Moving Bodies, Wandering Minds: How Movement Enhances Creativity and Language Learning. 

11/02/2026

This presentation explores how growth mindset theory can empower learners to see ability as something that can be developed rather than fixed. Drawing on research in educational psychology and classroom-based practice, the presentation examines how beliefs about intelligence influence motivation, ri...

02/02/2026

Hi everyone. Just a reminder that we have a great event coming up on February 15.

This presentation explores how growth mindset theory can empower learners to see ability as something that can be developed rather than fixed. Drawing on research in educational psychology and classroom-based practice, the presentation examines how beliefs about intelligence influence motivation, ri...

17/01/2026

Hello everyone! I am happy to announce our first presentation event of the year. It will be held on February 15 at Kioxia AIINA at Rm602 from 1:30pm until 4:00pm . We will be welcoming Adrian Leis and his presentation is called "A Growth Mindset for Language Education." Please click on through to the event page for more information.

This presentation explores how growth mindset theory can empower learners to see ability as something that can be developed rather than fixed. Drawing on research in educational psychology and classroom-based practice, the presentation examines how beliefs about intelligence influence motivation, ri...

13/01/2026

Hello! I hope everyone is having a good 2026 so far. I just wanted to pass this along. If you are interested, feel free to sign up.

https://jalt.org/event/conference-planning-committee/how-to-write-a-better-abstract-for-the-jalt2026-conference-call-for-presentation-submissions/

Hybrid event (online, and in-person in Fukuoka)

Conference proposals for JALT2026 opened on January 6th and close on March 1. Every year, the JALT conference receives many more submissions than it is possible to accommodate, so many submissions must be rejected. Acceptance or rejection depends entirely on the quality of the abstract, so understanding the submission and vetting process is essential to improving your chances of acceptance. In this workshop, I will review the submission process and different categories of submission, including common mistakes that will result in rejection. I will then explain the vetting process and rubric that reviewers use and show some sample abstracts to illustrate common weaknesses in submissions. Participants are encouraged to bring their own abstracts for peer-review following the presentation.

About the speaker: Trevor Holster is the Program Chair for the JALT2026 International Conference. He teaches English at Fukuoka Jogakuin University and has a Masters of Applied Linguistics degree from the University of Southern Queensland and a Professional Certificate in Language Assessment from the University of Melbourne. His research interests include formative classroom assessment and peer-assessment.

This event is cosponsored by the PSG (JALT Writers Peer Support Group) and the Fukuoka JALT Chapter. Everyone is welcome to attend

13/01/2026

For your information.

Link in the comments for the JALT2026 call for presentation proposals

27/11/2025

Our next event will be coming up on December 14. Please join us at AIINA in Morioka. Our guest presentor will be Emily MacFarlane.

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Emily MacFarlane: Proven Techniques for Building EFL Speaking Fluency
December 14 @ 1:30 PM – 4:00 PM
AIINA 1:30pm to 4pm. Room 817.

Abstract: This workshop equips EFL teachers with five research-backed techniques to dramatically improve students’ speaking fluency through structured practice and strategic communication training. The session will also introduce recent fluency research findings from Tohoku University examining an online fluency tool for first-year university EFL students. This research explores the impact of filler words on speech rate, the effect of repeated tool usage on fluency improvement, and student perceptions of both the online tool and their own fluency development. Designed for Japanese EFL contexts, the workshop addresses common challenges including students’ silent pauses, accuracy obsession, and unnatural rhythm patterns. Teachers experience each technique firsthand before learning practical implementation strategies, classroom troubleshooting, and fluency-focused assessment methods. Participants will leave with concrete tools to transform hesitant speakers into confident communicators.

Teaser: Transform your students from hesitant speakers into confident communicators! Learn five research-backed techniques including 1-minute speeches, 4-3-2 activities, and shadowing practice. Experience each method yourself for immediate classroom implementation. Perfect for all EFL levels.

Bio: Emily MacFarlane is an experienced English language educator who teaches at various universities in Sendai. Her most recent research is on improving speaking fluency in Japanese university students.

16/11/2025

Finally, we have Jacob talking about his conference presentation.

16/11/2025

Next up, Edo Forsythe is speaking about Free writing, Smartphone vs handwriting.