Courses That I Teach

JAPN1A Elementary Japanese

JAPN116A

JAPN150

Spring 2026

JAPN1B

JAPN116B

JAPN110

Minor in Japanese

Haiku Box Installation (10/2/2025)

Shinshu Summer Program

Japan Day

J-Words

Textbook Genki (3rd edition): The fall semester will start on August 25th. I highly recommend that you would start learning Japanese Kana (Hiragana and Katakana). We will spend the first couple of weeks in working on Hiragana, but this early learning will significantly help your learning for JAPN1A class.

Free Hiragana learning apps: https://minato-jf.jp/Home/JapaneseApplication

• HIRAGANA Memory Hint English Version - Free
• KATAKANA Memory Hint English Version - Free

Self-study courses (Free)

• Hiragana A1 Self-Study Course
• Katakana A1 Self-Study Course

Other Hiragana/Katakana Learning sites

• Marugoto Site
• Usagi Genki Resource Page by Andrea Shea and Kazue Masuyama - Try drag-n-drop Hiragana

Research Interests & Publications

Published one book (Learning Language Through Literature 1 English Edition. まんが坊ちゃん Manga Botchan. 2011) and its workbook and website (see below). Also published 8 book chapters, approximately forty short published writings (journal articles, newspaper and newsletter articles, and commentaries on Japanese AP Exam). These publications are in the field of Japanese language pedagogy, Japanese literature, hybrid/online course development, international education, and history.

In addition, (by the end of 2019) I gave ninty-eighty (98) professional presentation/workshops, including thirty-three (33) invited lecture locally, nationally and internationally. Most recent ones was “Transformative Teaching: 7 inspiring activities empower learner and teacher” (With Mieko Avello) at the 53rd Annual American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Conference in Washington DC, Nov. 23, 2019. I also invited to talk about Japanese AP for the Illinois Association of Teachers of Japanese (IATJ) on October 19, 2019 and the Association of Northern California Japanese Language Teachers (NCJLT) on November 10, 2019 at University of California, Berkeley.

My sabbatical project (2010 & 2017-18) is a translation project of 1941-1946 diaries of an issei woman who lived in Sacramento, California.I have developed several web pages including Usagi-chan Genki Resource page (with Andrea Shea) that has been used globally since 2002. The followings are selected work (CV will be sent upon a written request).

Sabbatical Research Project 2017-2018 :

The Wartime Diaries of a Local Issei Woman [日記から見る日米戦争を生き抜いたある一世女性の人生]

• I transcribed (翻刻), translated（翻訳) the Japanese language World War II era diaries of Kikuyo Nakatani (1941-1946), an Issei (first generation) woman who lived in Sacramento, California. I am currently annotating her diaries. Sacramento State has Sokiku Nakatani Tearoom and Garden. Sokiku is Kikuyo's chamei (tea name).
• Published 日本にいる息子のために書き綴った一世キクヨの戦時日記：日系史再発見―戦争から何を学び、何を語りつづけて行くか― 」 『愛媛国文と教育』　第50号 (2018年3月) 10-18. “What We Learned from WWII and Need to Pass on to Future Generation: Rediscovery of the Japanese American History through War Diaries That Issei Woman, Kikuyo, Wrote for Her Son in Japan.” Ehime Kokubun and Education, vol. 50, Mar. 2018, pp. 10–18.
  
  

Japanese Literature and Language Teaching

• Learning Language Through Literature 1: "Manga Botchan" Yumani Shobo, Tokyo, Japan (2011). This book is a recreation of Natsume Sosaki’s Botchan (1906), which is considered to be one of the most popular novels in Japan, for Japanese language and literature education.
• Botchan Project - Teaching Literature Using Manga 2008 - Present This section posts my selected presentation on Manga Botchan.
  
  

Japanese Language Teaching and Learning

• Chapter 5 "Shinsai Tanka: Hisaisha no Koe" (Poems of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami: Voices of the Victims) in Monty’s Bridge to Tomorrow (advanced Japanese language and culture online textbook) by ScholarWorks@UA (the University of Alaska Anchorage).
• Presentations (2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010) at ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) with Mieko Avello sensei.
  Visit Kazue & Mieko J- Learning and Teaching Website.
  
• Workshop at Teachers of Japanese in Southern California 南カリフォルニア日本語教師会: Promoting Intercultural Competence, Sunday, April 23, 2017
• Presentation, Teaching Using Technology at Ehime University in 2015 - Presentation PPT
• Constructivism - Vygotsky's educational theory
  ヴィゴツキーの教育理論に基づく上級カリキュラム作成の試み “An Attempt to Develop an Advanced Level of Japanese Language Instruction Based on Vygotsky’s Educational Theory” (with Masako Taguchi). In Bulletin of the ICU Summer Courses in Japanese, Vol. 18:133-154. Tokyo, Japan: International Christian University. 2002.
  
  

Language Assessment

• 第７章　複式授業にけるアセスメント：文学を取り入れた日本語クラス「アセスメントと日本語教育—新しい評価の理論と実践」“Chapter 7: Assessment in multi-level courses: Case of Japanese language class that focuses on literature”) in Assessment and Japanese language education: New assessment theory and its practice.) Tokyo: Kuroshio Publisher, 2010.
• Served as a Development Committee of College Board Japanese SATII (2013-2016), AP Japanese Language and Culture Exam Development Committee or 4 years (2007-2011), and AATJ's National Japanese Exam.
  
  

Professional Development

• Basic Concepts of Japanese Language Teaching through the JOINT (Japanese On-line Instruction Network for Teachers) project by the American of Associations of Teachers of Japanese (AATJ) This is an online professional development course for Japanese language teachers in the world. Fall 2010 & Spring 2012.
  
  

Global Education

• Two articles in「第２章送出し側から見た日本とEUへの短期留学、言語・文化対策との関連」佐藤(編)『日本とEU諸国における短期留学の特徴と高等教育の国際化に果たす役割の比較研究』東京工業大学 (2011)

  「米国の事例１ 米国の派遣留学戦略から学ぶもの」 (With Misako Takeuchi) “US Case Study 1: US Strategies to increase the number of participants in study abroad program,” 87-124.「米国の事例２　海外での日本語・文化教育と連携し、日本への派遣留学を促進するモデルの提言」“US Case Study 2: Importance of Japanese language and culture learning overseas: A suggested model based on the US case studies,”125-142.

• "Chapter 3: Foreign Language Education.” In W. Cummings, and J. Hawkins (Eds.), Transnational Competence: Rethinking the U.S. - Japan Educational Relationship. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 2000. 41-55.
• The Task Force for Transnational Competence. Towards Transnational Competence. Rethinking International Education: A US-Japan Case Study. New York: Institute of International Education, 1997.

Other Professional Services

• Co-Director (2014 - 2016), Fall Conference (ACTFL-affiliated), American Association of Teachers of Japanese (AATJ)
• Review paper/presentation proposals of Japanese language educational conferences/meetings for AATJ and other organizations.
  

Professional Work & Projects

Past Online Learning Projects

• Usagi chan Web Site with Andrea Shea (Hiragana, Katakana, Kanji Learning)

Consulting & Contracted Work 

Currently serving as Japanese AP Chief Reader (CR) and manage all aspects of College Board’s AP Japanese Language and Culture Exam. Also served as Japanese AP Chief Reader Designate (AY 2017- 2018) and AP Reading as Question/Content Leader (2011-17, 7 years); Table Leader (2010); and Reader (2008 & 2009). Also Served as Japanese Language Expert for the College Board AP World Languages Course and Exam Review Commission (AY2007-08) and College Board Best Practices Study of World Languages (AY2006-08).

Exam Item Developer: Served the College Board Japanese SATII Japanese Exam Development Committee: 2013-16 (3 years), College Board AP Japanese Language and Culture Exam Development Committee: 2007-11 (4 years), and National Japanese Exam (NJE) administrated by the American Association of Teachers of Japanese (AATJ) for 5 years.

Other Work: Served as a course developer for AATJ’s online professional development course. Language Expert for 2003 Foreign Language Primary Adoption: Report of the Curriculum Development and Supplemental Materials Commission in California. Task Force Member for “Rethinking US-Japan Educational Relationship” at State University of New York at Buffalo (1994-96).

Awards & Recognition

• 2014-2015 Outstanding University Service Awards from Sacramento State
• Award Ceremony Photo (March 2015) and Thank you note
• 2010 Outstanding Advisor Awards Runner-Up by Student Organizations & Leadership, Sacramento State
• 2006 NCJLT Teacher Award for the College Level. The National Council of Japanese Language Teacher (NCJLT) is an organization dedicated to the promotion and development of Japanese language teaching at all educational levels across the United States. Recently, the organization was merged with the American Teachers of Japanese Languages (AATJ).
• 2005 FLAGS Outstanding Teacher. Foreign Language Association of Greater Sacramento (FLAGS) is an affiliate of the California Language Teachers' Association, a non-profit, multi-language professional membership organization. Members of FLAGS teach languages other than English and ESL at all levels, kindergarten through university.

Professional Associations

• College Boards - Advanced Placement
• The Association for Asian Studies (AAS)
• Phi Beta Delta Omicron Chapter
• The Association of American Teachers of Japanese (AATJ)
• American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)
• Northern California Japanese Teachers' Association (NCJTA) (Vice President 2007-2011)
• The Association of Japanese Language Teachers in Greater Sacramento
• California Language Teachers Association (CLTA)
• California Association of Japanese Language Teachers (CAJLT)
• Foreign Language Association of Greater Sacramento (FLAGS)
• American Association of Teachers of Japanese (AATJ) – Leadership roles including AP Japanese Chief Reader (2018–2023).