Mayumi Ishida
Senior Lecturer
Japanese Language Program Director
I am an educator with a deep passion for the Japanese language and culture. With over three decades of experience in language instruction and a multifaceted background in education, I have dedicated my career to promoting language proficiency, cross-cultural understanding, and the integration of technology in language education.
Since 1993, I have played a central role in the Japanese language program at Dartmouth College. I have taught all levels of Japanese language courses, designed curricula, developed course materials, and created web-based learning resources. In addition, I have actively trained and supervised undergraduate teaching assistants to support instruction.
As Faculty Advisor to the Dartmouth Japan Society, I have worked to enrich the campus language-learning environment through weekly language tables, cultural events such as "Onigiri Hour" (a rice ball-making event), and workshops on traditional Japanese clothing and customs.
My contributions to Japanese language education extend beyond Dartmouth. I have held various summer teaching positions, including serving as Program Director at Kanda University of International Studies (2019), Head Instructor for CET Academic Programs in Osaka, Japan (seven summers), and instructor at Middlebury College, VT (nine summers), Beloit College, WI (seven summers), as well as the University of Michigan and the University of California, Berkeley.
My research centers on the integration of digital technologies into language instruction. I have developed a range of web-based teaching tools and am currently exploring the pedagogical potential of generative AI in language education. My broader academic interests include proficiency-based instruction, project-based learning, the use of film in the foreign language curriculum, and content-based curriculum design for intermediate and advanced-level courses.
In addition to teaching, I am a trained English–Japanese and Japanese–English translator and interpreter with over two decades of professional experience, particularly in the field of medical translation, including manuals for medical devices.
My technical skills include proficiency in Microsoft and Adobe software suites, CMS platforms, and web design using HTML and CSS. A native speaker of Japanese, I possess near-native fluency in English and basic reading proficiency in French and Spanish.
Committed to contributing to the broader professional community, I serve as a reviewer for technology-related proposals for the Association of Teachers of Japanese (AATJ) Annual Conferences. I am also a board member of the Japanese Language Teachers Association of New England (JLTANE), and an active member of several professional organizations, including ACTFL, AATJ, and the Association for Asian Studies (AAS).
Contact
Department(s)
Asian Societies, Cultures and Languages
Education
- B.A. Musashi University
- M.A. Musashi University
- M.Ed. Carthage College
Selected Publications
Ishida, Mayumi. "GPT: How can You Help Students Learn Languages?" Proceedings of Thirty-Ninth Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Teachers of Japanese (2024): 20-30.
Ishida, Mayumi. "Expressing Feelings and Emotions in Japanese", Proceedings of Thirty-Sixth Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Teachers of Japanese (2021): 282-292.
Ishida, Mayumi. "Designing a Self-Reflection Project", Proceedings of Thirty-Fifth Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Teachers of Japanese (2020): 251-263.
Ishida, Mayumi. "Improving Oral Proficiency by Reding Effectively", Proceedings of Thirty-Fourth Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Teachers of Japanese (2019): 47-60.
Ishida, Mayumi. "Effective Project Work through Real Communication" Proceedings of Thirty-Third Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Teachers of Japanese (2018): 86-103.
Ishida, Mayumi. "Incorporating Traditional Performing Arts into Japanese Language Curricula" Proceedings of Twenty-Nineth Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Teachers of Japanese (2014): 52-62.
Ishida, Mayumi. "Asynchronous Feedback: Maximizing In-Class Teaching and Learning Opportunities: Proceedings of Twenty-Seventh Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Teachers of Japanese (2012): 120-129.
Ishida, Mayumi. "Effective Use of Video Technology in Japanese Language Education" Proceedings of Twenty-Fifth Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Teachers of Japanese (2010) 57-69.
Ishida, Mayumi. "Incorporating a Blog into Students' Projects in Japanese Language Education", Oshirase, National Council of Japanese Language Teachers (NCJLT), Volume 15, No. 1. (2007) : 17-20.
Ishida, Mayumi and Omoto, Yasuhiro. "Newspaper and Show & Tell in 21st Century Classroom", Proceedings of Conference on Information Technology in Education (ISBN: 0-9700583-2-2), McGraw-Hill and Addison Wesley (2005): 150-155.
Omoto, Yasuhiro, Ishida, Mayumi and Schneider, Keiko. "WebRing: Online Community for Japanese Language Educators", The Breeze No. 26 (2002): 2-3.
Speaking Engagements
Selected Invited Lectures
"How Can Generative AI Assist Japanese Language Educators?": The 40th Annual Confernece of the Southern Association of Teachers of Japanese, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, March, 2025
Selected to facilitate a discussion table on the topic of Artificial Intelligence during a 90-minute session, consisting of a formal presentation and subsequent hands-on activities aimed at enhancing participant learning and engagement. https://asianstudies.unc.edu/seatj-2025/
"Your Japanese is Good! – How to be Proficient in Japanese": Japan Center for Michigan Universities (JCMU), Hikone, JAPAN, July, 2018 (presented in English)
Selected Conference Presentations
"GPT: How Can You Help Students Lean Languages?" Southeastern Association of Teachers of Japanese (SEATJ), Greensboro, NC, February 2024 (presented in Japanese)
"Creating Curricular for the Advanced-Beginning Level Courses Based on the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines, 2012": Association for the Teachers of Japanese (AATJ), Seattle, WA, March 2016 (presented in Japanese)
"Effective Use of Visual Aids for Intermediate and Advanced Level Courses": American Council On The Teaching Of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), San Diego, CA, November 2015 (presented in Japanese)
"Project Works for Japanese Language Curricula in Japan": Twenty-ninth Conference of the Japanese Language Teachers Association of New England (JLTANE), Tufts University, MA, August 2015 (presented in Japanese)
"Creating Materials for Language Teaching and Learning with iBooks Author": co-presented with Satoru Shinagawa, University of Hawaii, Kapi'olani: American Council On The Teaching Of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), Orlando, FL, November 2013 (presented in English)
"Asynchronous Synchronous Communication with Students Using Technology": Northeast Modern Language Association (NeMLA), Boston, MA, March 2013 (presented in English)
"Innovative Uses of Blogs in Japanese Language Pedagogy": Fourth International Conference on Computer Assisted Systems for Teaching & Learning Japanese (CASTEL-J), University of Hawaii, Kapi'olani, Honolulu, HI, August 2007 (presented in Japanese)
"Enhancing Foreign Language Learning Through an Internet-based Newspaper Project", co-presented with Miyuki Fukai, Columbia University and Yasuhiro Omoto, University of California, Berkeley: North East Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (NECTFL), New York, NY, April 2005 (presented in English)
"Manipulating Your Graphics: Workshop on Graphics for Beginners": Fourteenth Mid-Atlantic Japanese Pedagogy Workshop (MAJPAW), Gettysburg College, PA, March 2004 (presented in Japanese)
"Assisting Teachers' Professional Development: Sharing Materials Online": National Council of Organizations of Less Commonly Taught Languages Fifth National Conference (NCOLCTL), University of Maryland, MD, April 2002 (presented in English)
"Bridging the Gap between Online and Classroom Teaching: Classroom Activities Using the Web", co-presented with Yasuhiro Omoto, University of California, Berkeley: Central Association of Teachers of Japanese (CATJ) Thirteenth Annual Conference, North Central College, IL, April 2001 (presented in Japanese)