Ruth Iida
Rainbow Phonics English School
I've been the owner and head teacher of an eikaiwa in Kanagawa Prefecture for twenty one years. My profession incorporates things I love doing on a daily basis: developing and implementing curriculum, teaching and learning together with children and adults, exchanging teacher talk with my colleagues, engaging in continual professional development and reflection, polishing my storytelling skills, singing and dancing, rearranging furniture, and organizing flash cards. I'm an avid reader of both fiction and nonfiction. I'm a walker, not a driver, and I need a bit of yoga and a bit of nature every day to stay sane.
Sessions
Moving Beyond McEnglish: Recognizing Eikaiwa as a Legitimate Professional Community
In this forum, former and current eikaiwa teachers come together to share and discuss their perspectives on private English conversation (eikaiwa) schools and their position within the larger professional community of Japanese ELT. In response to negative stereotypes of the eikaiwa industry prevalent in the English teaching field and society at large, the forum participants will discuss the complex nature of eikaiwa and its legitimate role within English education in Japan. This forum is sponsored by the School Owners SIG.