Mehrasa Alizadeh Sunday Keynote Speech JALTCALL2026

Mehrasa Alizadeh Sunday Keynote Speech JALTCALL2026

In this episode, Associate Professor of Otemon University Mehrasa Alizadeh discusses "From Fail to Prevail: A Reflective Narrative of Immersive Technologies in Language Education" In her keynote session, Mehrasa reflects on her past work with immersive technologies in language education, examining not only what prevailed but also what failed, and how she attempted to address these challenges. By critically engaging with initiatives that did not unfold as planned, she highlights key pedagogical and practical lessons drawn from these experiences. She also demonstrates how these insights have directly informed the design and direction of her current project, offering a reflective account of how learning from failure can ultimately help innovation prevail in technology-enhanced language learning. Sponsored by Eigo.AI, LingoLesson, English Central, Alma Publishing, RDR Services, and XReading. Enjoy the show.

AI Book release June 2026 Author Talk

In this episode we have our first mass interview of the editors and a collection of authors of the book "Artificial Intelligence in Japan’s Language Learning Classrooms" edited by Robert Dykes, Oliver Edwards, Dave Bollen, and Tina Shu-wen Lin. We take time to let each author speak and explain a little about what they researched and wrote in their chapter. We explore how AI is reshaping language learning with insights from this new book. We learn about practical applications and ethical considerations for educators and students. In the ever-evolving landscape of education, artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a pivotal component, particularly in language learning. With the release of the book "Artificial Intelligence in Japan's Language Learning Classrooms", this group of academics and authors dive into the practical applications, ethical considerations, and the future of AI in this field. This event was recorded live on Monday, June 8th, 2026 Enjoy the show.

Agnes Kukulska Hulme Interview w Brian G in Taichung, Taiwan.

In this episode, Brian interviews UK Open University Professor Emerita Agnes Kukulska-Hulme outdoors at the TaiwanCALL/GloCALL Conference held in May 2026 at Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan. Our first ever outdoor recording was full of wind and background noise that we managed to clean in Riverside Studio and produce in Audacity. Thank goodness for high-quality production tools and a great microphone for recording. We start with the on-campus birdsong accompanying our intro and a pre-interview chat about William Shakespeare. Professor Hulme is now retired and living in Stratford-upon-Avon, which is the birthplace of William Shakespeare and where she now volunteers as a local tour guide and expert in several languages, including Polish, French, English, and more. Originally from Poland, Agnes is quite multilingual, which served her very well in her research with migrants and barriers to language learning. She talks about the impact of technology on language learning, navigating the abundance of educational resources available to us all now, and reconsidering communication in language and how we speak to each other. Agnes Kukulska-Hulme, Professor Emerita at The Open University, researches future learning, mobile language learning, migrant learning, AI assistants. Agnes Kukulska-Hulme https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5874-8837 https://oro.open.ac.uk/view/person/ak35.html https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=RndcRYEAAAAJ&hl=en https://conference.twcall.org/index.php

Darren Kinsman PIESIG President Interview w Brian May 2026

In this episode Brian Gallagher interviews Darren Kinsman, the president of (PIESIG) the JALT Performance in Education Special Interest Group. Darren Kinsman is an English language educator based in Japan and host and producer of the PIE SIG Podcast, where he speaks with educators about their teaching and development. He holds degrees in political science, education, and photographic preservation, along with a CELTA and a Canadian teaching license, and has taught at universities in both Canada and Japan. He currently serves as President of the Performance in Education SIG. In his teaching, he uses simple technology to support speaking and writing development. Students record a short self-introduction at the beginning of a course and again later on to compare their progress. They also record conversations, which they transcribe, helping them notice gaps in their language. Work is submitted digitally for feedback, and review activities are supported through platforms such as Google Classroom and Quizlet. The focus is on making progress visible and giving students clear ways to improve. He has also presented on online learning and remote teaching, including “Developing and Adopting Best Practices for Remote Teaching Post-ERT” at the JALT 2021 International Conference.

Roger Palmer & Brent Jones 2026 Site Chairs interview w Brian and Geoff

This episode introduces site chairs Roger Palmer and Brent Jones and includes an in-depth discussion on the upcoming JALTCALL 2026 conference in Nishinomiya. In section 1 we discuss their backgrounds and their research on social semiotics, Genre-Based Pedagogy, Team-Based Learning, and COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) projects. In section 2 they share insights on the conference venue, local attractions, transportation options, getting to the site, and their ongoing projects in language education and international collaboration. In section 3 we wrap up with other upcoming event information and tidbits. Enjoy the show.