We are pleased to announce the 27th CATJ conference to be held at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on April 28 (Saturday)-29 (Sunday), 2018. The conference will serve as a perfect context to pay tribute to Professor Naomi McGloin at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who will be retiring after the spring 2018 semester.

The theme of the conference is “Imagining the Future of Japanese Language Education (これからの日本語教育に向けて).” The recent technological advancements and the change of climate surrounding liberal arts education are altering the environments where the Japanese language learning and teaching takes place as well as the language learners themselves. Our profession is facing a difficult time with the growing instability of teaching careers and decreased student interest in learning foreign languages. In this era of change, it is especially important to strengthen our academic networks and to exchange ideas on the future of Japanese language education. In line with the increasing attention paid to the need of developing language learners’ transcultural and global competencies, it is essential, in particular, to advance our knowledge on sociocultural and functional aspects of the Japanese language and to make a connection between such knowledge and the current and future educational innovations. The 27^th annual conference addresses the following questions:

• How do the findings of recent research in Japanese linguistics, broadly defined, inform the future of Japanese language education?

• What kinds of knowledge, experience and dispositions are expected of Japanese language educators today, when language programs are required to reevaluate their mission and approaches in response to the changing realities of globalized society?

Two plenary speakers, Professor Haruko Minegishi Cook (University of Hawaii) and Professor Shigeko Okamoto (California State University, Santa Cruz) have been invited, as well as two invited speakers, Professor Yoshiko Matsumoto (Stanford University) and Professor Satoko Suzuki (Macalester College). We are also planning a panel considering knowledge-base, experience, and dispositions necessary for future Japanese language educators. The Conference Schedule will be posted as events and sessions are confirmed.

We invite papers related to the main theme or any topic related to Japanese language education (linguistics, second language acquisition, and pedagogical innovations, among others). Go to the Call for Proposals section to submit your proposal.

We will also have a banquet on April 28 honoring Professor McGloin. If you would like to attend, please purchase a banquet ticket.

To register for the conference or to purchase a banquet ticket, go to the Registration section.

We have arranged room blocks at local hotels for conference participants, go to the Accomodationssection.

We look forward to meeting you all in April 2018!

Japanese Language Program
Department of Asian Languages and Cultures