Hello, and welcome to another monthly edition of JALT Talk, the announcements newsletter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching. If you'd like to join an early summer networking session, look no further than tonight's ZPD session (June 30, 8 PM, https://go.jalt.org/zpdrsvp). We hold these sessions on the final Tuesday of each month. In other news below, several calls for presentations are open, details below, all over Japan and overseas as well. The JALT2026 conference fees are announced, as well as many other events and professional development opportunities for language teachers and researchers.
In this issue:
JALT International Conference NewsJALT2026 Basic details:
Registration Opens Early August
Registration for JALT2026 will be open by early August. Please watch https://jalt.org/jalt-international-conference/ for links to all necessary information.
| Early-bird registration (until October 31st) |
Regular Registration (from November 1st) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registering For: | JALT Member | Nonmember | JALT Member | Nonmember |
| 3 Days (Nov 20-22) | 23,000 yen | 40,000 yen | 32,000 yen | 46,000 yen |
| 1 Day (Nov 20, 21, or 22) | 18,000 yen | 25,000 yen | 21,000 yen | 29,000 yen |
| Senior / Student 3 Days (Nov 20-22)* | 12,000 yen | 14,000 yen | 14,000 yen | 18,000 yen |
| Senior / Student 1 Day (Nov 20, 21, or 22)* | 8,000 yen | 10,000 yen | 10,000 yen | 12,000 yen |
| JALT Junior 2 days (Nov 21-22)** | 12,000 yen | 14,000 yen | 14,000 yen | 18,000 yen |
| JALT Junior 1 day (Nov 21 or 22)** | 7,000 yen | 9,000 yen | 9,000 yen | 12,000 yen |
| Global Professional** | 14,000 yen | |||
|
Note: The pre-registration period will open in August, and finish October 31st.
* If you will be 65 on or before 20 November 2026, or are a full-time student, you are eligible for discounted conference fees.
** JALT Junior is a satellite conference that focuses on teaching children and training teachers to teach children. *** Global Professionals applies to nationals currently residing in the country of their nationality where the country has a gross national income as defined by the World Bank of less than $15,000. The countries this applies to can be found in this list on the TESOL website. |
||||
JALT2026は、下記の機関より後援をいただいております。We received koen meigi for JALT2026 from the following organizations:
What is koen meigi?
A koen meigi is a letter of endorsement from a government body, media group or organization that sees merit in a program or event that is being held by another organization. This letter is offered as a way to increase visibility and raise the status of the event in the eye of the general public. The organization sending the koen meigi generally has no financial interest in or legal responsibility for the event.
JALT2026 Plenary Speakers
Dr. Noriko Ishihara (JALT Junior Plenary)
Professor of Applied Lingustics and TESOL, Hosei University, Japan
https://ishi0029.wixsite.com/norikoishihara
Dr. Loy Lising
Senior Lecturer and Graduate Research Supervision Fellow, Macquarie University, Australia
https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/persons/loy-lising-lising/
Dr. Kazuyoshi Sato
Professor Emeritus, Nagoya University of Foreign Studies, Japan
"EFL Teacher Development through Collaborative Action Research Projects"
https://www.yoshi-sato.com/
JALT2026 Invited Speakers
Kevin Cleary Invited Speaker: Kip A. Cates
Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Regional Sciences, Tottori University, Japan
https://tinyurl.com/9p7hddpj
Bill Balsamo Asian Scholar Invited Speaker: Dr. Willy A. Renandya
Principal Lecturer, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
https://willyrenandya.com/
Childcare Available
Professional childcare will be available at JALT2026 to help care for your children during the conference.
Guardian and Caregiver Program
One guardian or caregiver may accompany you at the JALT2026 conference without charge if you would like to have someone available to:
After registration opens, you can arrange this by contacting jco@jalt.org
Show up in style! JALT2026 t-shirts, hoodies, bags and more!
Find JALT2026 conference goods on our online shop! Also, JALT 50th Anniversary goods are still available! https://suzuri.jp/JALT/products
Following from the success of last year's online workshops, once again, the TnT/PD Workshops will be online, September 11th.
They will be run in two streams: (1) Technology in Teaching and (2) Professional Development.
The Call for Abstracts runs from June 1 to July 31, 2026. To submit go to https://events.jalt.org/event/96/abstracts/
We accept submissions from JALT members and non-members alike. We want to learn from you!
All sessions will be recorded and made available to attendees for 3 months after they are uploaded.
Do you know a JALT member who has made important contributions to our field? Be sure to nominate them for one of these awards brought to you by the JALT Awards and Recognition Committee! JALT has awards for teachers and researchers at various stages of their careers: Early Career Excellence Award, Mid-Career Scholar Award (Teaching / Research), and Lifetime Achievement Award. Any member is welcome to nominate another JALT member for an award—simply complete this Google Form in English or Japanese by Monday, September 28, 2026.
For reference, please see the 2025 JALT Awards Winners page.
JALT receives a number of job advertisements each month. If you're looking for a new position, please check out our job posts on our JALT Publications site: https://jalt-publications.org/tlt/departments/career-development-corner/jobs
PanSIG is an annual spring conference organized by many of the Special Interest Groups (SIGs) of JALT.
PanSIG Journal Volume 12 – Call for Papers Now OPEN
The PanSIG Journal Editorial Board is pleased to announce that the Call for Papers for Volume 12 is now OPEN.
All vetted presentations from the PanSIG 2026 Conference are invited to be developed into manuscripts for submission. We welcome both research-based and practice-oriented papers from across the diverse focus areas of the JALT SIGs.
We warmly encourage submissions from both first-time and experienced authors.
PanSIG 2026 Photos
The JALT PanSIG 2026 Conference was held in Nagoya at the Chukyo University on May 23-24, 2026. Photos by Becky Alp, Gabriel Misaka, and Robert Moreau.
PanSIG 2027
PanSIG 2027 will be held at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) in Beppu City, Oita Prefecture, May 15-16, 2027. There may be activities on Friday, May 14th as well.
PanSIG Archive
Information about past PanSIG conferences (including photos, conference handbooks, etc.) can be found in the PanSIG Archive.
This Joint Symposium is a collaboration between the Busan-Gyeongsang-Daegu Chapter of Korea TESOL (KOTESOL) and the Fukuoka Chapter JALT. This event will feature speakers from both countries, selected by their respective organization. Presentations will be 25 minutes, with a 5-minute discussion period and should focus on topics related to the symposium theme of "collaboration across borders" in the context of language learning and teaching.
The Global Englishes SIG will hold its fourth online conference on Saturday 5th December. The deadline for submissions is Monday 31st August. See the website for more information: https://jaltgesig.wordpress.com/
The Study Abroad SIG is hosting its annual conference on October 17th at Kyushu Sangyo University in Fukuoka. The call for proposals is now open with a deadline of September 17th.
We look forward to welcoming you in Fukuoka!
Taking place on Sunday, December 6, 2026, from 11:30 AM to 4:30 PM at Chuo University, Myogadani, Tokyo, CCLT10 offers a space for students and teachers to share ideas, present, and discuss in a supportive, low-stress environment. It’s a wonderful opportunity to build connections and gain a tremendous sense of achievement.
Schedule: https://jaltlistening.wordpress.com/2026/06/09/schedule-for-the-listening-sig-conference-2026/
We have now confirmed all of our speakers for the next Listening SIG Conference 2026. The conference is scheduled to run from 10am to 4pm with over 15 presentations scheduled in two rooms for the entire day. This is our fifth SIG event and we will be a face-to-face event. There will be a social to wrap up the conference on Saturday 11th July, 2026
JALT's Performance in Education (PIE) SIG Podcast has 11 episodes and will soon be starting season two! Tune in to hear experienced educators from season one talk about the creative ways they approach education. Guests include David Kluge, Ashley Ford-Mihashi, Kevin Bergman, Dr. Dawn Kobayashi, Dr. Kim Rockell, Heather Kretschmer, Professor Yukari Saiki, JALTCALL SIG President Brian Gallagher, and Gordon Rees.
You can listen on the PIE SIG website (https://jaltpiesig.org) or through your preferred podcast platform.
Kobe JALT Journal is in need of experienced teachers to join its publication team as peer reviewers. Duties as a reviewer include working closely with the editors of Kobe JALT Journal and the Kobe JALT publication chair to ensure manuscripts are thoroughly vetted and ready for publication. This is a volunteer position with loose time requirements, as reviewers can review as many or as few manuscripts as they wish. Guidance and peer review examples are provided to all new reviewers. Previous reviewing experience is not necessary, but reviewers are expected to have knowledge of basic concepts in second language acquisition.
In addition, Kobe JALT Journal invites previously unpublished research for consideration in the next issue of Kobe JALT Journal. Articles with a strong research focus, as well as classroom practice-oriented articles, in any area of English language teaching/learning are welcomed. First-time authors are also encouraged to submit manuscripts.
Inquiries can be directed to the publication chair at kobe-publications@jalt.org.
Interested in forming an editorial team and working together with a group of contributors on developing research and personalised writing into an area of learner development that intrigues and excites you? If so, we'd love to hear from you about your ideas and proposal for editing (with one or more others) issue 12 of The Learner Development Journal (LDJ12). For full details & guidelines for your proposal, see https://ldjournal.ld-sig.org/issues/ldj12-call-for-editors/
The JALT Listening Podcast's latest guest, Singapore-based researcher and teacher Professor Christine Goh, talks to host Andrej Krasnansky about learner agency and the important role educators have in bringing this agency to the listening classroom. Even with our best efforts, students addressing a listening text can feel without direction and can find themselves wrestling with questions as simple as where even to start. During this episode, Christine discusses not just her research but also her own teaching experiences and thoughts on the dawning of a new era in education with AI. Ultimately, Goh feels, the future is bright for teaching Listening, especially if we can connect our students to the process of listening and encourage them to consider how they see themselves as listeners.
Link: https://jaltlistening.wordpress.com/2026/05/29/e24-hear-us-out-podcast/
My Share sessions are short presentations (15–20 minutes) where teachers can share practical classroom ideas, tools, and techniques that other educators can use right away. It's a friendly, supportive space to exchange ideas, connect with colleagues, and spark new inspiration.
Presentations on practical teaching tips and classroom activities are welcome from all of our YoJALT members. We'd love to learn from you wherever you teach--elementary school to university--and at whatever stage of your teaching career you are.
Whether you're a seasoned presenter or stepping up for the first time, your ideas matter, and this is the perfect place to share them! Following your presentation, there is then an opportunity to publish in a special edition of Accents Asia.
The Accessibility for Language Learning SIG (ALL SIG) formally launches the campaign period of the ALL Learning Incentive for Teaching (LIFT) Scholarship on the 4th of July 2026. Year 3 of the LIFT Scholarship celebrates the collaboration of the ALL SIG with different JALT SIGs and Chapters. For details, head to: https://allsig.jalt.org/scholarship
As an Affiliate with TESOL International Association, JALT is able to award seven TESOL International Association Complementary Memberships to selected JALT members.
Over the past weeks, we have received a number of expressions of interest from JALT members via a publicized Google Form for consideration for these seven TESOL International Complementary Memberships. After the submission deadline on June 15, 2026, seven lucky JALT members were selected through a randomized draw from those who expressed interest. These JALT members have been contacted and given the good news, and are organizing their complementary memberships with TESOL International Association.
Congratulations to the JALT members who have been awarded these TESOL International Association Complementary Memberships!
All JALT members are welcome to join the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL) for a big discount! JALT is an Associate Member of IATEFL, so all JALT members are eligible. Details: https://jalt.org/2026/04/09/jalt-members-join-iatefl-at-a-big-discount/
A new year marks the season of new beginnings! The new academic year means that some of us are moving on to new jobs, perhaps even in new cities.
To ensure you stay connected, we'd like to remind you to update your mailing or email address if it is changing. Keeping your information current ensures you receive JALT publications and news without any interruptions.
Yamagata Chapter is currently recruiting presenter's for its 2026 Fall Mini Conference to be held Saturday September 26. The deadline for submissions is July 31st.
Interested in forming an editorial team and working together with a group of contributors on developing research and personalised writing into an area of learner development that intrigues and excites you? If so, we'd love to hear from you about your ideas and proposal for editing (with one or more others) issue 12 of The Learner Development Journal (LDJ12). For full details & guidelines for your proposal, see https://ldjournal.ld-sig.org/issues/ldj12-call-for-editors/
The Teacher Development SIG are thrilled to announce a call for presentation proposals for this year's Teacher Journeys Conference in collaboration with JALT Hokkaido Chapter.
The Teacher Journeys conference focuses on sharing innovate practices and research grounded in educators' professional experiences. We cordially invite you to share your insights and experiences through a presentation. Whether your focus aligns with the theme of teacher/student journeys or encompasses broader language education topics, we eagerly anticipate your contributions.
At its heart, CTC 2026 is about bringing together a community of researchers and practitioners to share their findings and experiences related to critical thinking in the language classroom. If you're interested in encouraging deeper thinking in your classes, this is where your ideas, from pedagogical approaches to classroom-ready materials, belong.
Areas of interest may include, but are not limited to, higher-order thinking, evaluating sources, thinking dispositions, viewpoint taking, debate and argumentation, academic writing, and of course, critical thinking. Presenters will receive a 45-minute time slot (35 minutes for their presentations and 10 minutes for Q&A). Presentations will be given in English.
Speakers will also be invited to write a paper on their presentation in the CTC 2026 post-conference publication.
The CUE & GALE SIG Joint Fall 2026 Conference is now accepting proposals.
We welcome proposals from members and non-members for:
Submissions may address CUE-related topics, GALE-related topics, or areas where both overlap. Possible themes include equity, identity, agency, gender awareness, tertiary education, classroom practice, assessment, professional development, and learner or teacher empowerment.
All presenters will also have the opportunity to publish.
We look forward to receiving your abstracts and welcoming you to Kanazawa in October.
It is with great pleasure that we invite you to register to our annual face-to-face collaborative conference. This conference will explore how language education serves as a meeting ground for diverse identities, experiences, and perspectives. We will contact you again about social activities, networking gathering and lunch options.
For a full list of all of JALT's publications (including SIGs, chapters, and conferences), please see https://jalt.org/jalt-publications/
These are the events in JALT in July 2026. For details and events happening later, please see https://jalt.org/events.
JALT ZPD (Zoom for Professional Development Networking Event) in June
June 30, 8:00 PM-9:00 PM
https://go.jalt.org/zpdrsvp
CEFR and Language Portfolio SIG
CEFR LP SIG and Tokyo Chapter Joint event
July 4, 1:00 PM-5:30 PM
Listening SIG Conference 2026
July 11, 9:00 AM-4:00 PM
Imadegawa Campus, Doshisha University, Kyoto
Kyoto Chapter
Unlocking the CEFR: What It Is and How to Use It Effectively
July 11, 1:00 PM-4:00 PM
Hiroshima Chapter
Presentations from Shimane, plus Eikei student presentations
July 11, 5:30 PM-8:00 PM
Hokuriku Chapter
2nd Annual Hokuriku JALT Poster Presentation on Language Education
July 12, 2:00 PM-4:00 PM
Matsuyama Chapter
The Teachers' Tempered Communication Toolkit: Leveraging Change That Supports Learner Engagement and the Faculty Culture Without Making Waves & Identify and Navigate Communication Flow in Your Organization
July 18, 2:00 PM-4:00 PM
Yokohama Chapter
More Than Storytime: Interactive Read-Alouds That Spark Thinking and Feeling! by Alison Hasegawa
July 19, 1:00 PM-5:00 PM
Ibaraki Chapter
Three presentations
July 19, 1:00 PM-5:00 PM
Fukuoka Chapter
My Share 2026
July 25, 4:30 AM-6:30 PM
Sendai Chapter
Curtis Kelly on Neuroscience, TBLT, ER, and Snoop DetectiveCurtis
July 25, 6:00 PM-8:00 PM
Art, Research, and Teaching SIG, Nagoya & Gifu Chapter, Toyohashi Chapter
Nagoya-Gifu, Toyohashi, and ART SIG July Forum
July 26, 1:00 PM-5:00 PM
Niigata
Using Sight Translation in the ESL Classroom
July 26, 2:00 PM-4:00 PM
Extensive Reading
PresentERs: ER in Vietnamese EFL university context: Did our first attempt make meaningful changes?
July 26, 7:00 PM-8:00 PM
If interested in representing JALT at one of our international partner conferences, please complete the following Google form (https://forms.gle/ERn7KiYjM4E5QVoHA) and contact international@jalt.org
That's all for this month. You can subscribe and / or access back issues here. Alternatively, if you'd rather not receive more information from JALT, you can unsubscribe here: https://hosted.jalt.org/membermail/unsubscribe-success.php?c=231
Best regards,
Bill Pellowe
JALT Director of Public Relations
pr@jalt.org
https://jalt.org