This is Victoria Batten, and today’s workshop question and lectures, and content about designing courses were amazing. I learned a great deal, which I can also transfer to the teaching of students in my English courses.

Course Design

With respect to question #1 which is related the aspects of Japanese most challenging to teach online, I found a panelist’s response about interpersonal communication to be relevant even to teaching English to L1 and L2 learners, specifically when group work is required and learners must partner and converse with one another. Another panelist introduced the notion of what becomes challenging is depended upon the mode being used to teach the aspects of Japanese challenging to teach online. A panelist mentioned the following modes—asynchronous (100%), synchronous, in-person, and blended (hybrid). For this panelist, feedback and assessment were challenging depending on the mode being used. This panelist’s response-lecture resonated with my teaching of English with respect to typing versus writing. AI can make it challenging for teachers to teach writing in Japanese, English, or other languages. An AI generated text may be a paragraph the student may have asked of ChatGPT. An AI generated text may be a paragraph summary of a student’s typed text. While this panelist states that “technology must be used to facilitate learning of Japanese characters”, I agree with the panelist that “writing creates deep learning” for the acquisition of Kanji, Katakana, and Hiragana, maybe even Romanji, if allowed a “backwards” learning of characters through the segmented syllables in the words sa-yo-na-ra. In the teaching of English, learning the language’s inventory of sounds (phonology) is key to reading, writing, and spelling the words of the language. So too in the learning of Hiragana, for example. It was mentioned that some L2 learners of Japanese language move to the next level, let’s say, from basic to intermediate without having mastered the full Hiragana Syllabary. It would be very important for students to learn the full Hiragana Syllabary in order to move toward Japanese mastery, specifically in reading, writing, and spelling.

Victoria Batten

This is Victoria Batten, and today’s workshop question and lectures on scaffolding students’ learning were insightful. I learned a great deal, which I can also transfer to the teaching of students in my English courses.

Scaffolding

Panelists provided salient insight into scaffolding students’ learning, which for me, can even be used with my English language students. Using the Flipped Classroom is an ideal teaching model for scaffolding the learning of writing and speaking the Japanese language. I have used this model in my English classes. What I have learned in using this model in my English classes is what panelists have discussed as a place where scaffolding needs to take place. Writing, speaking, and reading are essential areas of learning that needs to scaffolded when students return to the classroom. In the Japanese language classroom, a panelist suggests intensive reading, perhaps Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) without dictionaries, in essences a sort of “backwards learning.” This definitely is a method in second language acquisition, much like the “group reading and writing” method and the writing of “short books” method with an introduction, body, and conclusion. One panelist mentioned scaffolding student learning of the Japanese language through “spontaneous speaking” which is “not rehearsed.” To ensure that scaffolding occurs, another panelist said “reflection through Google Form” is an effective tool, especially for student-teacher assessment. The assessment, which is the “student’s reflection on their own learning” can become the assessment data the teacher uses for reporting. One panelist says that extensive reading strategies for Katakana, Hiragana, and Kanji help to scaffolding handwriting at a later time, especially when students observe that the English -th- becomes -z- in Katakana. For this panelist, phonology is key in sound comparison and scaffolded learning. This understanding of phonology in general ties into students learning that sa-ku-ra entail three different Hiragana characters and that reading in Japanese language can scaffold the Hiragana Syllabary for students who have not mastered it.

Resources

According to one of the panelist, there are selected criteria expected of the resources provided to students in online classes:

Copyright Free

U.S. Websites Only (for classes in America)

Text Readers

Comprehensible Tasks/Assignments

Accomplish Tasks/Assignments

While there may be many more, the allotted time to share them all was limited. Some of those the panelist did share definitely align with second language acquisition methods. Krashen’s “comprehensible input,” an hypothesis mainly for learning a second language, is essential for L2 learners of Japanese or even English. If students do not understand what the verbal or written requirements and meanings of an assignment are, they will have difficulty accomplishing and completing the assignment. For this reason, the panelist may limit technology in the classroom and return to a more traditional learning environment. Another panelist uses the “native-speaker, student facilitator, “ provide access to technological learning tools as resources that do not have too many downloads/log-ins, and consider time factor.” For this panelist, short and concise tasks, assignments, and videos are essential for learning, and even AI can become a resource for explaining/summarizing the main points of a short article. AI can also engage students in the target language first, then students can use guided AI tools to understand, for example, cultural context and content (teachers can activate students’ prior knowledge). Learning can become a cultural comparison analysis with respect to the example of course assignments panelists shared such as Japan’s and America’s subway transportation system. The cultural specific items in a McDonald’s menu for Katakana words of food items. This reminds me of how in Hawai’i, I can buy saimin and Portuguese sausage and eggs from the McDonald’s menu, while in South Carolina I cannot buy saimin or Portuguese sausage and eggs because these food items are not culturally specific in South Carolina but a comparison or discussion about this in the Japanese or English classroom can be used to allow students to understand, embrace, celebrate, and internalize cultural contexts and contents different from or similar to their own.

Another challenge is teaching handwriting. While typing is practical for online submissions, handwriting is crucial for mastering stroke order, character balance, and cultural aspects tied to Japanese calligraphy. Without guided in-person practice, students may develop incorrect writing habits that are hard to correct later.

Finally, avoiding cheating and designing fair evaluations is a constant concern. In online settings, it is harder to ensure that students are completing assessments without external help, especially when answer keys or translation tools are readily available. Teachers must create tasks that assess higher-order thinking, such as open-ended responses or live performance assessments, to more accurately measure students’ skills.

In writing, I incorporate handwriting practice alongside typing to reinforce kanji recognition, stroke order, and cultural understanding. I always use a document camera to model correct writing in real time, and I encourage students to become strategic, autonomous learners by focusing not only on what has been explicitly taught, but also on applying strategies to unfamiliar content.

High-quality homework plays an important role in this scaffolding process. When assignments have a clear objective and goal, they support backward planning and make in-class activities more purposeful, ultimately leading to more meaningful summative assessments.

Japanese students may be more likely to need scaffolding in an online environment because the teacher cannot as easily observe real-time struggles, and cultural tendencies toward perfectionism can make students hesitant to ask for help. Careful scaffolding helps bridge these gaps, promoting confidence and independence.

When creating assignments or teaching materials online, teachers must pay close attention to the fonts they use—especially for Japanese. Some fonts do not accurately reflect handwritten forms. For example, the character さ (sa) in many digital fonts differs from its handwritten version, which can confuse students.

When teaching true beginners, I find it incredibly difficult to dedicate sufficient time to handwriting instruction. Since they are still grappling with the foundational grammar, which is fundamentally different from English, the limited class time is often prioritized for oral practice and grammar explanations. As a result, students tend to rely exclusively on typing for assignments and communication.

Although I require students to complete their workbook answers in handwritten Japanese, there are still significant challenges. Students submit photos or PDFs of their work, which I must then correct manually. This creates an analog workflow within a digital environment, and it is nearly impossible to track whether the students have actually reviewed the corrected work. This lack of a clear feedback loop makes it difficult to ensure they are truly improving their handwriting skills.

For reading, I create PowerPoint slides that combine images and listening exercises based on the practice problems in the textbook. I share my screen to guide students visually and aurally through different scenarios, helping them understand how the text is constructed. Due to the 50-minute class time limit, I choose not to use breakout rooms. Instead, I foster an open Q&A format in the main Zoom session where students are encouraged to ask questions freely. This approach allows more advanced students to reinforce their knowledge by answering, creating a supportive environment where peers help each other.

For writing, I ask students to write about topics closely related to their own lives, encouraging them to provide personal examples. Students submit their drafts directly to me via the private chat function as they finish. I correct their work in the order it's received and share the common mistakes with the entire class, without revealing whose work it is. This method prevents students from simply copying others' answers and removes the feeling of shame, encouraging them to revise and resubmit their work independently. I use simple emoji stamps like 👍 for correct answers, 👎 for incorrect ones, and a 'try again' type of mark for those needing more work, which has been an effective and motivating way to provide feedback.

My scaffolding approach is specifically designed to work within the constraints of a short online class and to foster a supportive learning environment, where students feel comfortable taking risks and learning from their mistakes without judgment.

First, pedagogical alignment is key. While the course uses a designated textbook, I supplement it with materials that focus on practical, everyday Japanese. For instance, if the goal is for students to be able to "order food at a restaurant," I ensure my resources include realistic dialogue between a customer and a server. I also ensure that all materials align with the clear learning objectives I set, such as "writing a simple self-introduction" by the end of the course.

Second, I consider its digital usability. I create and share my own visually clear resources that can be accessed without special software. For example, I design visual reference sheets in PDF format that map common questions to potential answers, which goes beyond a simple Q&A format. This visual tool helps students understand situational context and communication flow.

Finally, I value authenticity and cultural relevance. I go beyond the textbook by introducing "sub-talks" on real-world Japanese used in daily life, such as social etiquette and manners. By sharing insights on topics not easily found online or in books, I leverage my unique position as a native Japanese teacher. This not only boosts students' motivation but also deepens their curiosity about Japan, making their learning experience more authentic and engaging.

By applying these three criteria, I ensure that the resources I use are not only effective for language acquisition but also relevant, engaging, and culturally rich for my online students.

What I think of challenging online compared to in-person mode is to create a sense of community which is a big part of learning process.

One reason is that it's difficult to convey nonverbal communication—such as facial expressions, gestures, and natural pauses—through a screen. These elements are essential for successful role-playing and communication practice. As a result, students seemed less engaged, and the interaction didn’t feel as natural as in a face-to-face classroom.

In the following class, we review the article together using the completed worksheets. I incorporate group activities where students share and compare their answers. This peer interaction allows them to clarify their understanding and learn from one another, rather than just passively receiving information from the teacher. I see this group work as a key scaffolding technique, as students support each other in completing the task.

Although I haven’t applied this exact method in writing classes yet, I believe a similar approach could be effective. For instance, I could use worksheets for idea development or structure planning, and also encourage peer review as a way to provide scaffolding in writing.

Above all, I pay close attention to cultural appropriateness. This is especially important when I use authentic Japanese materials in culture-related classes. Sometimes these resources include stereotypical portrayals or refer to sensitive topics such as religion. If not chosen carefully, such content may cause misunderstandings or discomfort among students. To avoid this, I always review the materials to ensure they are respectful, inclusive, and appropriate for learners from diverse backgrounds.

Scaffolding are: pre-reading analysis and meta awareness; empowering the reading process; and then post-reading discussion. I have noticed that many students will feel the need to rush straight to reading, and can become quickly frustrated with their own understanding. Therefore, in a way scaffolding is a method of building in blocks to slow them down, encouraging more critical thinking, and not to try to 'skip to the end'.

-it is aligned with learning outcomes

-it is at a level with which students can engage

-it will be somehow entertaining or spark interest

-it does not re-enforce Japanese cultural stereotypes

When I first started teaching online, I wasn’t quite sure how frequently or in what ways to use breakout rooms (on Zoom), especially for beginners. At that level, each conversational activity tends to be short, and constantly switching partners or moving between breakout rooms and the main room felt excessive and sometimes even distracting.

However, as Revae-sensei mentioned, I’ve been trying to incorporate more structured/model conversations and provide scaffolding to help students maximize their speaking time and overall learning.

Another challenge is that, when blended instruction isn’t available and classes are conducted solely online, students often have never met each other in person. This lack of in-person connection makes it harder for them to feel comfortable and build the kind of trust necessary for deeper conversations. I believe that whether online or in-person, the classroom should be a safe and supportive community where learners feel connected as 仲間 (nakama) — peers in learning. I want students to interact beyond textbook dialogues and build relationships with each other, so community building is another essential but challenging aspect of online teaching.

Ultimately, I want students to walk away from class with the sense that “I was able to use this grammar point!” or “Now I know how to say XX in this kind of situation.” To achieve that, I’m continually exploring ways to create appropriate and engaging tasks — such as guided conversations — in a comfortable setting, so that students can relax, take risks, and gradually build their Japanese communication skills step by step.

This might include vocabulary or expression checks, short searches, showing relevant video clips or images, using realia, or even sharing personal experiences—either from the teacher or the students—depending on the content and purpose of the main task. The same principle applies to post-tasks as well.

What I believe is crucial in any case is, as a teacher, to clearly decide why we are doing a particular task and what specific skill students are expected to develop through it. This helps us take a "backward design" approach, allowing us to identify the necessary small steps to reach the goal and better support students as facilitators throughout the process.

For my Extensive Reading class next year, I plan to add simple handwritten-style pop-up notes to some books to help students choose more easily, especially since many tend to stick to their comfort zones. If the class is online, I’ll use shared comments or highlights instead. I once had a student fixated on a difficult book who became excited after discovering a similar, easier title by another author. This showed me the importance of gently guiding students with support while respecting their interests. Through this, I hope to help students explore more widely and build confidence in their reading choices.

The latter aspect, which relates directly to learners, also requires careful and accurate assessment of what students need, what they are capable of at the moment, and how to best utilize resources to maximize their learning. Even if a resource offers high-quality, culturally rich content about Japan, it becomes ineffective if it is not level-appropriate or lacks proper scaffolding—students may simply feel overwhelmed.

By showing students that they can engage with authentic or semi-authentic materials through the support of appropriate scaffolding, we can enhance their sense of achievement and boost their motivation to learn further.

First, students often lack a solid foundation in the vocabulary needed for conversational topics. This leads to frequent pauses or unnatural, textbook-like dialogue. They might struggle to express their own thoughts or ask follow-up questions effectively because they don't have the words at their disposal.

Second, there is a significant gap between what they learn in class and what they hear in real-life contexts. In the classroom, students learn polite Japanese (teineigo), but they are not taught casual speech (tameguchi) which they often hear in anime. This creates confusion about how to appropriately use different speech styles. This challenge is compounded by the lack of practice partners in schools where there are few native Japanese speakers.

Lastly, online interactions pose unique difficulties. Depending on internet stability, non-verbal cues like gestures and timing of interjections (aizuchi) can be delayed or misaligned. Furthermore, since conversations are limited to the upper body within the camera frame, discussions that involve spatial concepts, like using demonstrative pronouns such as kore, sore, and are, become particularly challenging to convey.

My exposure to Japanese occurred throughout my years of grammar school in Hawai’i, where many of my sensei shared Kanji and Hiragana with my classmates and me. I also took an undergraduate college-level Japanese course, and I intend to share what I have learned about Japanese pedagogy in the 2025 NFLRC Japanese Online Workshop with colleagues in the Department of English, Foreign Languages, and Mass Communication.

I share all of this information to get to the point of the first question related to the “biggest challenge using Japanese during learner to learner interaction.” What I learned in today’s session about Japanese interaction among students in relatable to English interaction among students. Magara Maeda Sensei, Revae Bostwick Sensei, and Lisa Kobuke Sensei have shared much information about learner interaction which relates to my teaching English.

“Communcation strategies” facilitate learner interaction is relatable. “Self-Awareness” as a metacognition tool can encourage students’ interaction when they discuss with others what they “think” have learned on a particular lesson.

“AI Practice” can facilitate acquisition of Japanese vocabulary and structures before speaking face-to-face with a partner.

The “Two Truths and One Lie” speaking assignment engages students in interaction as they follow the instructions: 1) post the speaking assignment; 2) view one classmate’s post; 3) speak on the opinion of others’ truths and lie posts; 4) review feedback on your truths and lie post. I expect to use this interactive assignment in my English classes for student interaction and will give credit.

Synchronous challenges related to students with disabilities are relatable in my English classes. Students need accommodations when they have anxieties and are required to socially interact with other students. Addressing this challenge requires the right resources. I deal with student support and accommodations on the daily at my Institution, so the methods shares by sensei in this Workshop will be borrowed and adapted with credit given through APA documentation.

Student interaction in break rooms are challenging too with respect to the “time factor.” For this reason, I rarely use break rooms and instead use “poll quizzes” as an interactive tool. There is less reporting from student groups and more of a synchronous, one-group classroom discussion in an open, online classroom environment.

As for reading, I typically have students read before class (e.g., flipped-classroom organization) and then read singular sentences aloud during class time. I have basically transferred this exactly 'as is' to teaching online, although I do think there's a lot of room for growth. For example, this workshop series made me think about how GoogleDocs could also be used for reading, such as through the highlighting and commenting features.

I also make extensive use of Zoom's chat function. For writing assignments, students submit their work to me privately. This removes the pressure of public submission, as many students, similar to those in Japan, prefer not to make mistakes in front of their peers. I read each message aloud (without naming the student), point out errors, and send a hint with an icon. Students listen to the feedback, correct their own mistakes, and resubmit their work. We move on to the next problem only after everyone submits the correct answer, and this method has been very successful.

Occasionally, I use the whiteboard to visually demonstrate the difference between casual (tameguchi) and formal language, using examples from the textbook and daily life. For beginners, I type sentences with kanji but add furigana (readings). I also explain the meaning of both the kanji and the okurigana (inflectional endings) to help them naturally understand the function of each part.

Finally, to break up moments of low energy, I use pre-prepared Kahoot! quizzes to refresh the mood and boost student motivation. I always have about 10 questions ready for each lesson, which I use whenever I feel the class needs a change of pace.

First, I use the private chat function for individual writing assignments. This allows students to receive direct, personal feedback without feeling the pressure or fear of making a mistake in front of their classmates. This approach has proven to increase their willingness to take risks and experiment with the language, which is vital for successful interaction.

Next, I utilize a collective feedback loop where everyone learns from each other. After students submit their assignments privately, I read the submitted answers aloud to the entire class. Without identifying individuals, I point out common mistakes. This turns individual feedback into a group learning opportunity. I then give hints and use simple icons to guide students to the correct answer.

This method effectively promotes interaction by fostering a sense of community and mutual support. Students are motivated to help each other and actively participate, knowing that their classmates' progress affects the entire group. This process shifts the focus from individual performance to collective achievement, allowing students to participate in online communication more confidently and proactively.

Other technology that I have had some success with has been Discord, which is a hub typically used for gaming. A lot of students who do sign up for online classes are familiar with Discord and use it regularly, so using what learners already use and leveraging it for building an online language learning community has been very rewarding, both for students by allowing them to interact outside of Zoom, get help from peers, and bonding over language learning, as well as myself, who can monitor what they may report to struggle with and their language learning anxiety.

Writing and reading feedback is much harder to give feedback on synchronously, but I do think that having classes online and using GoogleDocs have been useful when I have taught online. I also liked the idea from the previous panel that discussed harnessing AI for communication practice and feedback giving, so I may look into this more!

When I was an undergraduate during the COVID period, online classes were new, and one of my non-language courses required a lot of discussion in breakout rooms. In those sessions, some students only spoke when the teacher popped into the room, and only a few were truly engaged in the conversations.

From that experience, I learned that designing activities that naturally spark learners’ passion to speak and use Japanese—regardless of whether the teacher is present—is ideal. As a teacher, I need to create tasks that intrigue learners’ curiosity. For example, as Maeda-sensei mentioned, classroom activities like “Two Truths and a Lie” are effective in promoting interaction.

Besides task design, I believe learners must feel comfortable interacting with each other, which requires building a supportive and inclusive learning community. Starting community building from the very first class of the semester is crucial, and I want to explore ways to create an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere.

Additionally, as several panelists pointed out, providing students with expressions related to communication strategies is especially useful. I want my students to actively try these out because online interaction can make it harder to read others’ feelings.

This may be slightly different from traditional technology or online resources, but I have also used Instagram as the main platform for a course, which received very positive feedback from students. In that course, teachers created two original Instagram accounts—one used by instructors to share engaging posts and useful expressions, and another for students to post their own content based on given topics. Through a series of small, step-by-step tasks, students were able to design individual posts, write captions, and comment and reply in the comment section, all in Japanese.

More importantly, they gained confidence through the process of creating social media content and interacting with classmates in Japanese.

Even though the course ended some time ago, I still see some students using Japanese on their personal social media accounts. This experience made me realize the potential of using social media as a meaningful tool for language learning.

When I pose such questions, I usually say, “Does anyone have an idea?” rather than “Who knows the answer?” in order to lower the pressure and encourage students to speak up, even in the online setting. Alternatively, I may ask students to discuss the correction with a partner first, giving them time to think and work through the error together. I try not to provide the correct answer immediately; instead, I give students hints and time to take initiative in processing the feedback and working toward improvement.

For writing tasks, I sometimes give whole-class feedback by summarizing and categorizing well-used expressions, common errors, and “plus-alpha” expressions that can take their writing to the next level. This approach helps advanced students continue to grow, while giving struggling students clear guidance on how to improve and master the basic goals set for the task.

I was genuinely surprised and inspired to hear from several panelists that feedback doesn’t always need to be in written form—it can also be delivered via video, audio, or text. Moving forward, I want to be more intentional in choosing the most appropriate format for feedback depending on the nature of the task.

In breakout rooms, the teacher cannot share their screen so students often struggle with knowing what to say or how to say it. As some panelists mentioned, providing a list of key words or prompts is a smart idea - it can help students initiate conversations more easily. When I observed some breakout rooms during conversation practice, I noticed common struggles among students, such as nervousness and uncertainty about who should speak first.

Another difficulty is the timing of speaking up, which applies to both breakout rooms and the main room. Since students are usually muted, they need to unmute themselves to speak, and this can create awkward timing. Sometimes, both students and the teacher try to speak at the same time. Managing the timing of speaking turns is definitely one of the key challenges during interactive sessions.  

One key theme was the importance of transferring effective in-person practices to the online environment. Examples included designing communicative strategies using Google Slides and encouraging students to track their language use with self-awareness checklists, such as counting how many target sentences they used in breakout rooms. I appreciated the emphasis on focusing on growth rather than perfection, which helps lower student anxiety and keeps them motivated.

When visiting breakout rooms, the advice was to encourage rather than police student behavior, creating a safe space for participation. Several panelists recommended preparing students with AI-based practice before live sessions, and using tools like Padlet for asynchronous engagement. Activities such as “true or false” self-introductions, peer evaluation, and even memes were highlighted as fun and engaging ways to promote interaction.

Allowing enough time for students to talk was another important point, as rushed activities often limit authentic communication. I was also intrigued to learn that some teachers are experimenting with chatbots to support interaction. If I have the opportunity, I would like to explore this approach further.

Overall, the discussion inspired me to incorporate these ideas into my own teaching by focusing on intentional design, positive reinforcement, and using a variety of interactive tools to enhance meaningful peer-to-peer communication in my online classes.

I was especially interested in the way Nozaki sensei uses Google Docs for online debates, having students prepare both opening and rebuttal statements. I could see how this format not only promotes critical thinking but also creates a concrete record of their ideas, which could be revisited later for reflection or assessment. Shadowing with a shared note also struck me as a simple but effective way to keep students engaged while practicing listening and speaking in real time.

Hearing about the drag-and-drop activity, Nearpod for individual feedback, and the Zoom whiteboard reminded me that I sometimes fall back on lecture when I could instead design activities where students are producing language. The reminder that synchronous sessions should be real practice—not just information delivery—really resonated with me.

I left the session with a clearer sense of how I want to approach my own teaching: reducing my talk time, building in more interactive elements, and experimenting with debate, collaborative writing, and structured reflection. My goal is to make technology an active partner in communication, not just a backdrop for it.

Some senseis emphasized creating a safe environment where students can come out of their shell. This includes giving the correct answer along with the explanation of why, and paying attention to cultural and linguistic nuances. For Japanese specifically, this could mean explaining gender-specific pronouns, teaching the cultural use of expressions like ありがとう, or guiding students on natural 相槌 and appropriate alternatives to あなた in questions.

As a native instructor of Japanese, I realize that knowing what is difficult for EFL learners is both challenging and essential. The discussion reminded me that effective feedback is not only about correcting errors but also about helping students notice patterns, understand cultural context, and feel confident enough to try again in future interactions. I want to be more intentional in integrating these elements so my feedback supports both accuracy and engagement in the online learning environment.

I also assign speaking and typing tasks early on, using tools like Google Docs or typing quizzes, so students can get comfortable with IME input. To build confidence, I use lots of praise and feedback, and encourage repetition and review through fun mini-games or challenges.

Once students are comfortable with hiragana, I introduce katakana, then gradually move to basic kanji tied to vocabulary they’ve already learned. Everything is paced intentionally to reduce overwhelm and maximize retention.

Another challenge is that some students feel shy or anxious speaking in front of peers, particularly in a synchronous online setting. To help with this, I give them time to prepare in advance, pair them with supportive partners, and use low-stakes activities like games or collaborative Google Slides tasks to keep the tone light and engaging.

For intermediate to advanced students, itʻs especially helpful to introduce peer feedback. I ask students to give each other feedback first, followed by feedback from the teacher. This process enhances their language awareness and supports deeper learning. 

Before I incorporate an online resource like a textbook from an Open Educational Resources (OER) into a Canvas course I will be teaching, I first read the resource’s information on copyright and licensing.  This information is useful because it grants restricted, limited, or free use of the resource with preferences on how to cite the source in the Canvas course.  If allowed to link the OER textbook into my course, I will.  The online OER textbook can successfully facilitate synchronous activities.  The Table of Content in many online OER textbooks provides links to specific chapter information related to the synchronous activity, allowing students access to the content necessary to engage, interact, and succeed together on graded poll quizzes over the content in real time, to share their oral and written responses to textbook questions related to the content, and/or to engage and interact in group chats over the content.  An instructor-generated course outline guides students’ completion of the required content reading of chapter links related to the activities.

I provide students with feedback in real time and privately in online conferencing.  I find that online classroom time set aside for feedback encourages student engagement in learner interaction.  I first share with students generally the good news about their reading, writing, speaking, and thinking.  I then share the not-so-good news.  This practice does not target or isolate any student in general.  As a result, students engage in learner interaction when they are asked to read the Microsoft word comments on their oral or written speech, essay, exercise, and/or assignment; then in the online classroom, time is set aside for students to address some of the not-so good news in their own work and to brainstorm ways to eliminate these issues in an online Canvas post for further discussion.  As students become aware about their issues, improvements, and mastery through my feedback, more of them are encouraged and find interaction helpful to their and their classmates success in the online environment.  The key is to encourage students to interact not just for themselves but also for others in the class.

I also emphasize the importance of mastering hiragana by explaining its role as furigana (the small hiragana above kanji). By the end of the semester, students will learn about kanji meanings, radicals, and the difference between on'yomi and kun'yomi readings.

First, hiragana should be introduced in stages, group by group, using online quizzes and digital whiteboards to reinforce reading and writing.

For katakana, use familiar topics like country names, store names, and names of family or friends to keep students engaged.

Next, for kanji, the key is not rote memorization of individual characters, but to introduce them within words and context. Start with common kanji and use radicals and mnemonics (stories) to help students understand the meaning as you go.

By combining these methods, you can leverage the advantages of the online environment to guide students in mastering Japanese characters without overwhelming them.

This chart serves as our universal reference point. When a student types a character incorrectly, I can simply point to the correct entry on the chart to explain their mistake. This method ensures everyone in the class learns from the same visual guide, making it easy for students to understand their errors and the correct solutions.

When students write, I ask them to show me their work after they finish so I can help fix mistakes.

When I used to teach first year, we had a typing workshop day in one of our class schedule in a term. Everyone goes to a computer room that day and practice typing together. But we do not do that anymore as we figured most students can figure out on their own now with all the available resources.

I start with their favorite comments which provide a visual classroom for me. Then, I discuss their pedagogy, which I would emulate and implement in an online Japanese class.

Saito Sensei - the use of various platforms, the flipped classroom, uses a middle school pedagogy with college students

Saito Sensei - starts with Hiragana’s sound system; uses Hiragana Sensei to facilitate the self-paced study in Japanese; I want to study Japanese using Hiragana Sensei.

Nozaki Sensei - seeing all students’ faces on the screen and not having to move around; facilitates using power point slides for all students to see

Nozaki Sensei - teaches reading and writing in online Japanese starting with the inventory of sounds and graphics. Using the White Board, Nozaki Sensei can illustrate strike order, length, and endings, which I believe is the morphology. I like this pedagogy because it starts with the phonology, endings (morphology), and syntax of Japanese. In the teaching of English reading and writing, I too start with their favorite sounds, endings, an sentences.

Kobuke Sensei - being able to use the latest tech in the online environment; creating activities

Kobuke Sensei - begins teaching reading and writing using the Hiragana Chart; discusses how Japanese is pronounced similarly to Hawaiian. This similarity would facilitate my learning and teaching Japanese. I have a very good handle of reading and writing Hawaiian; Kobuke Sensei uses Nearpod and memory games/matching activities for teaching writing, including Flashcards

Luft Sensei - providing accessibility to students who otherwise may not have access to learning Japanese

Luft Sensei - starts teaching reading and writing in Japanese by immediately getting students to communicate in the target language; provides authentic texts to identify Hiragana, Katakana, and Romaji; allows AI tools to help students learn at the beginning. I believe that this practice helps students learn well because I allow students to see an original draft after AI has revised/summarized it only for them to realize they liked the original.

In summary, Sensei Luft teaches handwriting with an IPad and Apple Pen to teach Kanji. This is very illustrative. When I took my first Japanese class in college, there was no technology. It was in-person with a book, paper, and pen. I can relate to Sensei Luft’s demonstration of “Kanji clues.”

Nozaki Sensei teaches Katakana and Kanji online through feedback to let students know how they are doing. Practice time is given to students to perfect their writing. Nozaki Sensei asks students how they practice to memorize the characters and have learned that many use apps and technology.

Kobuke Sensei uses awesome technology and shared them in the session—Wordwall is used to teach writing and listening. Extempore is used to teach Kanji. Traditional practices in conversations and reading are also offered to students in class.

All of the pedagogical knowledge shared by the Sensei panel is so valuable. Based on what I have learned thus far, I could use the contrastive analysis method to teach students similarities and differences between English and Japanese.

Nozaki Sensei once said, and I summarize, that acquiring the Japanese sound system is key to eliminating challenges. I agree. Kobuke Sensei says students need to distinguish when to write in Hiragana and Katakana. For Saito Sensei, Romaji does not always connect with the sounds in Japanese language. Calling Romaji “training wheels”, Saito Sensei lets us know that the system affects learning. Thank you, because I learned to write Hiragana using Romaji sound equivalents. I now have learned that the sound connection is not always equivalent. In my Japanese class, we focused on reading and writing and not speaking or listening. Luft Sensei ensures his students write Japanese language so that they can pass the “handwritten test” whose Japanese characters in sentences must look good to pass. The focus on writing is awesome, but I wonder about the spoken Japanese.

They can read them, and they can learn cultural context from the usage of kanji.

Luft Sensei mentioned that tools are helpful to teach how to write kanji, which is what I usually do on the Zoom whiteboard. I feel it is not perfect to show learners 止め、はね。

For Kanji, I would explain the meaning and structure of each kanji, often by showing images or visual stories that illustrate how the kanji were created or what they represent. Since learning kanji can be difficult, using visual aids can make them more memorable. 

For both Kana and Kanji, I like using authentic materials to demonstrate how the kana and the kanji are used in real-life contexts.

In the beginning, it can be difficult to connect sounds and characters, but I believe that if students rely on romaji from the start to learn how to read (as Saito-sensei mentioned), it may negatively affect their pronunciation and delay their reading acquisition. Therefore, I aim to avoid using romaji at any level, so that students can smoothly connect sounds and characters from an early stage.

For practice, I was impressed by the variety of tools I could incorporate, such as those introduced by Kobuke-sensei. I would like to study these tools further and begin integrating them to maximize student learning and better accommodate different learning styles.

I learned from Luft-sensei the importance of taking time to explain radicals, as this can help students read kanji more effectively later on. I also found Saito-sensei’s ideas about mini-quizzing students—such as using Google Forms and the game “Waterfall”—very practical. In particular, the Google Forms mini-quiz, where students see hiragana or katakana and must know how to spell them, is something I would be very interested in trying in my future classes.

Nowadays, students may have more opportunities to type and chat with friends in Japanese online or to post on social media, so I would like to help them broaden their horizons and express themselves as comfortably and confidently as possible.