The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles：Nurturing Generation X Leaders in Japanese Language Education in the US

The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles

The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles, hosted the 3rd Annual Leadership Workshop in Los Angeles from August 12-13, 2010. This year, we invited six potential leaders in the Japanese language teaching community from all across the United States for the two-day workshop. In attendance was Nobuko Hasegawa sensei (NECTJ). Masahiko Minami sensei (ATJ&NCJTA), Yoshiko Mori sensei (Georgetown University), Tomoko Takami sensei (University of Pennsylvania), Doug Welton sensei (IMATJ), and Kazumi Yamashita (NCJLT). Yasu-Hiko Tohsaku sensei (ATJ) and Maki Watanabe Isoyama (JFLA) were the lecturers at this workshop and they focused on the topics of networking, advocacy, and grant writing during the two day session.

The need to be proactive as a teacher was definitely a big topic during this year's workshop with the rising number of teacher layoffs and the dwindling amount of government funds available due to the budget deficits of many states across the country. There was also a rising need to train teachers to become future leaders in the Japanese language community to represent the field in the near future. Advocacy as always was an important aspect of teaching that cannot be overlooked as effective leaders must be diligent in promoting their programs. The workshop wrapped up with a tutorial on grant writing with plans to meet again in a few months. This is the first of a two part workshop which will conclude at this year's ACTFL Conference in Boston.

This program aims to offer them the opportunity to build a network of contacts in the field of policy-making in both U.S. and Japan

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