Pathways to Becoming a Japanese Language Educator | Spring 2026
Are you a JET alum or Japanese language enthusiast interested in teaching Japanese?
Join us for a free 90-minute virtual session that brings together a panel of educators, including JET alumni teaching at the high school and university levels, as well as experts from Middlebury Language Schools and the American Association of Teachers of Japanese (AATJ).
Explore pathways into Japanese language education, from credentialing and certification to navigating career opportunities in K-12 and higher education. Our panelists will share their experiences, offer practical advice, and discuss resources to help you get started. The format will include informative presentations, a panel discussion and space to virtually network with our presenters and fellow participants. Whether you're considering teaching for the first time or looking to expand your career, this session will add value to your exploration into becoming a Japanese language instructor.
Date & Time
US: Tuesday, April 21, 2026 @ 7:00pm ET
Japan: Wednesday, April 22, 2026 @ 8:00am JT
This event is free for USJETAA members (must be a JET or JET alum) and $5 for the general public. If you do not have a membership with us, you can sign up for a free or supporting membership here.
Featured Speakers:
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Cameron Chien is a Japanese language teacher and instructional coach at North Salinas High School in Salinas, California. He was a Coordinator for International Relations (CIR) with the JET Program in Tokamachi, Niigata between 2008-2013.
Beyond Japanese language instruction in the classroom, Cameron has been involved in developing professional development workshops for world language teachers through the Monterey Bay World Language Projects (MBWLP), leading trainings for US and Japanese teacher participants in the Japanese Language Education Assistant Program (J-LEAP) (a “reverse JET Program”), and presenting at state and national conferences. In addition to supporting in-service teachers, Cameron also led a methodology course for a single subject credential program student candidates at CSU Monterey Bay. Cameron was recognized by the California Language Teachers’ Association Outstanding Teaching Award in 2023.
Cameron served as President for the California Association of Japanese Language Teacher (CAJLT) between 2022-2025 in addition to being on the CAJLT board since 2016.
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Jeremy Kitchen is a Japanese language teacher at Lynbrook High School in San Jose, California. He previously served as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) on the JET Program in Kashima, Kumamoto (2000–2003). He holds multiple teaching credentials and has also taught social studies and physical education. Jeremy is an active member of the California Association of Japanese Language Teachers and collaborates with the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco to promote Japanese language education in the Bay Area.
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Laurel Taylor is a teacher, researcher, translator, and poet. She teaches courses on Japanese language, translation, and literature at the University of Denver, and her research focuses on the effects of the early social internet on literary production and publication. She is the co-translator of Mieko Kawakami's Sisters in Yellow (with Hitomi Yoshio), and her translations of Maiko Seo's Someone to Cook For is forthcoming. She has also translated works by Kaori Fujino, Minae Mizumura, Tomoko Shibasaki, and Aoko Matsuda, among others. Her first book of poetry, Human Construct, was published in 2024.
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Motoko Tabuse is the Director of the School of Japanese at Middlebury Language Schools and a Professor Emeritus at Michigan University. She received her Ph. D. in Foreign Language Studies from The Ohio State University. She is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences.
She has served as President of the American Association of Teachers of Japanese, Chief Reader of the AP Japanese Language and Culture Examination, World Languages Consultant for the College Board, and Teacher Certification World Languages SPA program reviewer of the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), formerly known as NCATE, and other organizations.
At Middlebury she created a master’s degree program (2021) and actively recruit JET returnees. She will launch a doctorate program in Japanese Language and Culture (teaching focus) and Secondary Japanese language certification program (Vermont) in Summer of 2025.
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Thor Sawin has taught in the Language Teacher Education programs at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey (MIIS) in 2013, and started as Associate Dean for the Language Schools in 2023. Thor taught in Middlebury’s German School from 2018-2022 and has taught both German and English as an Additional Language in 7 countries at the high school, undergraduate and graduate levels. Dr. Sawin’s research focuses on language learners’ comfortability with technological tools and on learning methods to carry out social impact work in multilingual settings. He has also consulted and done contract teaching in this area with the State Department, the Fulbright Program, the Air Force, several international organizations, as well as many universities around the world.
Funding support for this event provided by:
