In response to Akiko Hayashi's "Teaching Expertise in Three Countries: Japan, China, and the United States," the author celebrates the power of reflective practice and the inspiration and guidance of colleagues and mentors.

Results from research about language learners can be strengthened by including the learners themselves in the data analysis, and inviting them to check researcher interpretations to confirm the validity of the data, to search for alternative interpretations, and to delve deeper into their beliefs. Using critical participatory looping (CPL), the…

Generally, in Japanese as a Second Language (JSL) teacher education, various teaching approaches are introduced to trainee teachers by highly experienced teachers or specialists. This training helps trainees acquire a particular body of knowledge about JSL, and hopefully through this approach, teaching methods that are commonly perceived to be…

This paper uses the case study method to describe the characteristics of Japanese school-based inservice teacher training programs, which are designed to help teachers improve their competence and the quality of their teaching activities. Data come from observations of and interviews with teachers in classrooms within 10 public elementary schools.…

Two teachers' experience with using reflective journals to help both teachers and students reflect on the teaching and learning processes is described. The technique was implemented in English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) classes in a Japanese university. Specific guidelines were established for students, and the journal format was a worksheet…