The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures hosted a national professional development workshop for Japanese language educators, bringing educators from across the country together to explore AI’s role in language education.
The hybrid workshop was held in collaboration with the Association of Florida Teachers of Japanese (AFTJ) and the Japan Foundation and welcomed 120 participants.
Following opening remarks from Mieko Avello, president of AFTJ, Yamile Silva, chair of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, welcomed participants and introduced the workshop and department.
Silva remarked that “Hosting this workshop reflects our department’s commitment to fostering innovation in language education and building meaningful connections across our profession. AI is transforming the way we teach and learn languages, and it is essential that educators have the space to explore these tools together, critically and creatively. We are proud that UCF and the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures could serve as that space for colleagues from across the country.”
The featured speaker was Junko Tokuda of the University of California, San Diego, who presented “Japanese Language Education in the Age of AI: Fostering Agentic AI-Ready Learners.” Tokuda shared practical examples of AI-integrated language instruction before participants took part in hands-on activities and exchanged ideas with educators from institutions nationwide.
For Kyoko Blanchard, an instructor of Japanese at UCF, the workshop provided an opportunity to connect with other Japanese language educators and explore new tools for the classroom.
Yukari Nakamura-Deacon, vice president of AFTJ and an associate instructor of Japanese at UCF, said hosting the workshop also highlighted UCF’s role in supporting professional development for educators beyond the university and Florida.
The workshop allowed Japanese language educators to learn from one another, explore emerging approaches to AI in language instruction, and build connections with colleagues from across the country.
Interested in learning more about Japanese language education and upcoming events hosted by the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures? Join us for “Knight for a Day“ on Oct 3, Oct 17, Nov 7 and January 23. Learn more about the department’s programs, events and opportunities here.