Chapter 14: Equity in ELT Japan: Learning through Transparency by Tanja McCandie, Eleanor Smith, Gretchen Clark & Jaime Taylor
Abstract
In this chapter, the authors outline the formation and advocacy efforts of Equity ELT Japan. Created in 2018 in response to female underrepresentation at ELT conferences in Japan, the group functioned as an online directory of women in ELT and their fields of expertise for use by organizations wishing to promote gender parity while planning events. As the site grew, so did awareness of other groups often dismissed or systematically underrepresented in ELT circles. Equity ELT Japan created an online forum showcasing presentations and workshops by and for those frequently overlooked while simultaneously creating space to learn. The event highlighted the extent to which native-speakerism, racism, sexism, ableism, and heterosexism prevail in ELT, how a lack of consciousness of these issues persists, and how many individuals operating in the field may not have been aware of their own agency and opportunities for empowerment. The event also brought about a realization of the authors’ own positionality and privilege.
About the Contributors
Tanja McCandie has been involved in education for over 20 years and is the founder of “Equity ELT Japan”. She teaches at the university level and is currently working with Cambridge University Press and Assessment as their lead teacher trainer and senior tutor in Japan. Her research interests include leadership, gender, and teacher development.
Eleanor Smith is an Assistant Professor of cultural studies at Aichi University. She holds an M.A. in Applied Linguistics from Nottingham University, U.K. Her research interests include developing classroom practices to foster engagement in global social issues, cross-cultural examinations of communication and practices in yoga, and applying principles of yoga to language learning.
Gretchen Clark is currently an Assistant Professor at Ritsumeikan University. She joined the Equity in ELT Japan team in 2020 to help organize the 2021 Forum. She is indebted to the experience of its role in opening her eyes to her own privilege and making her aware of the areas she can help improve.
Jamie Taylor is a language instructor at Nanzan University. She holds an M.A. in Applied Linguistics and is pursuing her doctoral degree in bilingual psycholinguistics. She works to incorporate psycholinguistics and second language acquisition research insights into her classroom. Keenly interested in teacher development, she has co-organized several conferences and professional associations in Japan and the U.S.
Citation
McCandie, T., Smith, E., Clark, G., & Taylor, J. (2023). Equity in ELT in Japan: Learning through transparency. In G. P. Glasgow (Ed.), Multiculturalism, language, and race in English education in Japan: Agency, pedagogy, and reckoning (pp. 340–361). Candlin & Mynard ePublishing. https://doi.org/10.47908/26/14
In this chapter, the authors outline the formation and advocacy efforts of Equity ELT Japan. Created in 2018 in response to female underrepresentation at ELT conferences in Japan, the group functioned as an online directory of women in ELT and their fields of expertise for use by organizations wishing to promote gender parity while planning events. As the site grew, so did awareness of other groups often dismissed or systematically underrepresented in ELT circles. Equity ELT Japan created an online forum showcasing presentations and workshops by and for those frequently overlooked while simultaneously creating space to learn. The event highlighted the extent to which native-speakerism, racism, sexism, ableism, and heterosexism prevail in ELT, how a lack of consciousness of these issues persists, and how many individuals operating in the field may not have been aware of their own agency and opportunities for empowerment. The event also brought about a realization of the authors’ own positionality and privilege.
About the Contributors
Tanja McCandie has been involved in education for over 20 years and is the founder of “Equity ELT Japan”. She teaches at the university level and is currently working with Cambridge University Press and Assessment as their lead teacher trainer and senior tutor in Japan. Her research interests include leadership, gender, and teacher development.
Eleanor Smith is an Assistant Professor of cultural studies at Aichi University. She holds an M.A. in Applied Linguistics from Nottingham University, U.K. Her research interests include developing classroom practices to foster engagement in global social issues, cross-cultural examinations of communication and practices in yoga, and applying principles of yoga to language learning.
Gretchen Clark is currently an Assistant Professor at Ritsumeikan University. She joined the Equity in ELT Japan team in 2020 to help organize the 2021 Forum. She is indebted to the experience of its role in opening her eyes to her own privilege and making her aware of the areas she can help improve.
Jamie Taylor is a language instructor at Nanzan University. She holds an M.A. in Applied Linguistics and is pursuing her doctoral degree in bilingual psycholinguistics. She works to incorporate psycholinguistics and second language acquisition research insights into her classroom. Keenly interested in teacher development, she has co-organized several conferences and professional associations in Japan and the U.S.
Citation
McCandie, T., Smith, E., Clark, G., & Taylor, J. (2023). Equity in ELT in Japan: Learning through transparency. In G. P. Glasgow (Ed.), Multiculturalism, language, and race in English education in Japan: Agency, pedagogy, and reckoning (pp. 340–361). Candlin & Mynard ePublishing. https://doi.org/10.47908/26/14
Information About the Book
Title: Multiculturalism, Language, and Race in English Education in Japan: Agency, Pedagogy, and Reckoning
Editor: Gregory Paul Glasgow
Publication date: March 2023
Read more...
Title: Multiculturalism, Language, and Race in English Education in Japan: Agency, Pedagogy, and Reckoning
Editor: Gregory Paul Glasgow
Publication date: March 2023
Read more...