Mayumi Ishida

My work in Japanese language pedagogy focuses on proficiency-based and performance-oriented instruction, project-based and experiential learning, authentic communication, and content-based curriculum design. I am particularly interested in developing curricula that help students progress systematically from beginning through advanced levels while connecting language learning with Japanese society, culture, and professional contexts.

For more than twenty-five years, a central focus of my work has been the pedagogically informed integration of emerging technologies into language teaching and learning. Beginning with web-based materials and online learning communities in the early 2000s, my work has explored multimedia and video, blogs and wikis, mobile and tablet-based learning, asynchronous communication and feedback, and digital material development. More recently, my research has focused on the opportunities and challenges presented by generative AI for language learning, teaching, writing, and assessment.

I have published and presented regularly on Japanese language pedagogy at regional, national, and international conferences, including ACTFL, AATJ, JLTANE, SEATJ, and CASTEL-J. My recent work has focused particularly on generative AI and language education, including an invited presentation and discussion on the pedagogical implications of generative AI at the 2025 SEATJ Annual Conference.

My experience also includes extensive teaching and program leadership in intensive and study-abroad language programs in the United States and Japan. I have served in instructional and leadership roles at Middlebury College, Beloit College, the University of California, Berkeley, CET Academic Programs in Osaka, and Kanda University of International Studies. At Dartmouth, I have also directed Japanese study-abroad programs and developed curricula for language instruction in Japan.

Beyond the classroom, I serve as Faculty Advisor to the Dartmouth Japan Society and support opportunities for students to use Japanese and engage with Japanese culture through activities such as the weekly Japanese Language Table, Onigiri Hour, and other cultural events. I also contribute to the broader professional community as a board member of the Japanese Language Teachers Association of New England (JLTANE) and as a reviewer of technology-related conference proposals for the American Association of Teachers of Japanese (AATJ).

In addition to my work in language education, I am a trained English–Japanese and Japanese–English translator and interpreter with more than two decades of professional experience, particularly in medical translation and interpretation.