Chapter Initiative - Membership 🌱 Growing Our Community - New Membership Options Coming! Okinawa JALT is opening its doors wider than ever before. A new membership diversification initiative proposes flexible tiers that make participation accessible to everyone - from students just starting out to retired educators with decades of experience. Our current membership structure may unintentionally limit participation from key groups. The new proposal, submitted by President Norman Fewell for Executive Board review, introduces five new membership pathways designed to meet people where they are. Proposed Membership Tiers 🎓 Student Membership - Significantly Reduced / Free (volunteer option) Reduced fees to lower the financial barrier for student participation. Students who volunteer as conference or event staff may qualify for a complimentary membership, creating a mutually beneficial relationship between the chapter and the next generation of educators. 🌅 Retiree / Gold Membersh...
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Chapter Initiative - Awards Program 🏆 Introducing the Okinawa JALT Awards & Recognition Program Every great presentation, every volunteer who set up chairs, every member who stayed for years - deserves to be recognized. Okinawa JALT is launching a comprehensive awards program that celebrates excellence at every level. For too long, outstanding contributions to our chapter have gone without formal acknowledgment. That changes now. President Norman Fewell has proposed a new awards framework that covers conference presentations, volunteer service, and long-term dedication - and the first awards will be presented at the Global Summit 2026 in October. Conference Awards - Presented at Every Event 🥇 Best Presenter Award Recognizes the most outstanding presentation of the event, judged by a designated panel. 🎨 Best Poster Award Celebrates excellence in poster design and academic content - a proven motivator of quality. 💡 Outstanding Innovation in Teaching Honors exceptional crea...
JALT National Conference 2026 🎯 JALT2026 Nagoya - Okinawa JALT Will Be There! The biggest language teaching conference in Asia is coming up in November, and Okinawa JALT will have a presence. Here is what you need to know about JALT2026 and our special participation this year. JALT2026, the annual JALT International Conference, takes place November 20-22, 2026 at WINC AICHI in Nagoya. This flagship event draws 1,500+ educators from Japan and around the world for three days of presentations, workshops, a publishers exhibition with 55+ publishers, and of course the Annual General Meeting. Meet the Chapters - Okinawa JALT Showcased! This year JALT is introducing a special dedicated session called Meet the Chapters - a poster session where local chapters get to showcase their activities to the broader JALT community. Think of it as our chapter's shop window to the world. Okinawa JALT has secured a spot in this session. It is a fantastic opportunity to advertise our 2026 and 2...
Chapter Governance 📋 Okinawa JALT's New Constitution - What's Changing and Why Okinawa JALT is updating its Constitution and Bylaws for the first time since 2014. This is a significant moment for our chapter - and we want our members to know exactly what is being proposed and why it matters. The new 2026 Constitution represents a major modernization of how our chapter operates. Drafted by President Norman Fewell and reviewed by the Executive Board in sessions including a detailed working meeting on May 26, 2026, the revised document transforms a short, basic set of rules into a comprehensive governance framework fit for a growing, internationally active chapter. Key Changes at a Glance A New Preamble For the first time, our constitution opens with a Preamble that explicitly recognizes Okinawa's bilingual, multicultural, and island character. It commits the chapter to transparency, accountability, and inclusivity - values that now have a formal home in our founding d...
Chapter News 📱 OkiJALT Goes Digital - Big Updates Across Our Social Media! The past few weeks have been busy ones for Okinawa JALT! Our chapter president Norman Fewell has been working hard to give our online presence a major upgrade across multiple platforms. Here is a roundup of what is new. We believe that a vibrant online presence helps us connect with more educators, share our work more widely, and bring the Okinawa JALT community closer together - wherever you are in the world. What's New 📺 YouTube Channel - Fresh New Look! Our YouTube channel has been fully refreshed with new thumbnails and a polished layout. It now features presentations from our events and a special collection of music created specifically for Okinawa JALT. Subscribe and explore! 🎧 SoundCloud - Okinawa JALT Podcasts! We now have a SoundCloud channel with 25+ AI-generated brief summaries of selected presentations from our YouTube library. Think of them as quick previews that drive traffic back t...
Save the Date - December Conference 🎄 Okinawa JALT International Conference on Trends in Language Teaching Two major conferences in one year! Following the Global Summit in October, Okinawa JALT is also hosting its flagship International Conference on Trends in Language Teaching this December - and yes, it will be a holiday season to remember. The Okinawa JALT International Conference on Trends in Language Teaching has a long and distinguished history dating back to 2014, bringing world-class keynote speakers and cutting-edge research presentations to the Ryukyu Islands. Conference Details 📅 Dates: December 26-28, 2026 📍 Location: Okinawa, Japan 🎯 Theme: Trends in Language Teaching 🌴 Season: Warm Okinawa winter - the perfect time to visit the island! Details on keynote speakers, registration, and the call for proposals will be announced soon. Watch this blog and our social media channels for updates. In the meantime, mark December 26-28 on your calendar now! A Conferenc...
Important Dates - Global Summit 2026 📅 Global Summit 2026 - Key Dates to Know Don't miss a single deadline! Here is your complete timeline for the Okinawa JALT Global Summit 2026. Key Dates June 15, 2026 Call for submissions opens July 31, 2026 Abstract / proposal deadline - submit via Google Form August 22, 2026 Acceptance notifications sent to presenters August 25, 2026 Attendee registration opens September 12, 2026 Presenter registration deadline October 7, 2026 Online registration closes October 9-11, 2026 Conference! Onsite registration available Conference Awards Four awards will be presented at the closing ceremony on Sunday, October 11: 🏆 Best Presentation - Top-rated across all formats (in-person & digital eligible) 🎨 Best Poster - Outstanding visual design, clarity & research content 🤝 Best Poster Presenter - Excellence in engaging attendees during poster sessions 💻 Best Digital Presentation - Most compelling pre-recorded video submission Judging c...
Call for Proposals - Conference 2026 🌏 Okinawa JALT Global Summit 2026 - Submit Your Proposal! Innovations in Language Education comes to Naha this October! The Okinawa JALT Global Summit 2026 is now open for proposals - and we want to hear from YOU. Whether you are an experienced presenter or sharing your ideas for the first time, the Global Summit is your platform. This year's conference coincides with one of the most spectacular festivals in all of Japan - making it an event you will never forget. Conference Details 📅 Dates: October 9-11, 2026 (Friday-Sunday) 📍 Location: Naha, Okinawa, Japan 🎯 Theme: Innovations in Language Education 🔗 Website: sites.google.com/view/joinokinawa Conference Themes 💻 Technology in ELT - AI, CALL, digital tools, EdTech & blended learning innovation 🌏 Culture & Global Context - Intercultural communication, World Englishes & Okinawan identity 🔬 Interdisciplinary Studies - STEAM, psychology, neuroscience & cross-di...
Research 🔬 Research Resources for Language Teaching Scholars Whether you are writing your first research paper or your fiftieth, having the right tools makes all the difference. Here are the research resources trusted by OkiJALT members and scholars. Language teaching in Japan is supported by a rich ecosystem of academic resources. From database searches to writing guides to social research networks, the tools below will help you find, read, and share the research that matters to your practice. 🔍 Google Scholar Search across articles, theses, books, and court opinions from academic publishers and universities worldwide. ✍️ Academic Phrasebank A collection of academic phrases for research writing - invaluable for non-native English writing scholars. 📖 OWL Writing Lab (Purdue) The gold standard ...