We are pleased to announce that our 6th TEFL Praxis Conference will be held at Kochi University of Technology (Kami Campus) in Tosayamada, Japan. Paul Daniels and Darren Lingley will serve as Conference Co-Chairs.

November 20-22, 2026
Location: Kochi University of Technology (Kami Campus), Tosayamada, Japan
Keynote Speaker: David Allen, Ochanomizu University, Japan

Conference Fees
Full in-person (*does not include dinner & accommodation) Members: 20,000 / Non-members: 25,000
Full in-person (student) Members: 7,000 yen / Non-members: 10,000 yen

Register for the conference
To register for the conference, please send an email to: office@teflpraxis.org. Include your name & conference option from above. Payment instructions and invoice detail will be sent after registering via email. 

Presentation Proposals
Accepting presentation proposals related to the following themes. Deadline for proposals is October 23, 2026. Please send proposals to: office@teflpraxis.org. Include your name, title (please make it concise), abstract (about 150 words) and bio (max 50 words).

  • Classroom-based TEFL research
  • Best practice pedagogical approaches/rationales
  • Researcher-practitioner collaboration in TEFL
  • Exploratory practice
  • Action research
  • Interpretive research
  • Technology in TEFL classrooms

6th International TEFL Praxis Conference Program (all times JST)

Friday, November 20

17:00-20:00: Ice breaker / welcome reception

Saturday, November 21

9:00-9:30: Welcome / Opening Address / 2027 Conference Announcement
Conference Chairs: Darren Lingley (Kochi University) and Paul Daniels (KUT)

9:30-10:30: Plenary Lecture
David Allen, Ochanomizu University, Japan
Washback Research: What Does it Involve?
Washback refers to the influence that a test, together with a variety of other factors, has on teaching and learning. Most language teachers hear about washback on MA courses, while some may come across the term earlier in their careers. Regardless, every language teacher and learner has some experience of how an assessment, be it a regular in-class vocabulary quiz, a proficiency test, or a high-stakes graduation or entrance exam, influences their teaching or learning in some way. In this talk, I would like to discuss the scope of washback research as well as its necessity. I would like to consider why washback research is prominent in certain areas of language teaching and why it focuses on some language tests and kinds of language assessments, but not others. I would also like to talk about some of the issues faced by teachers and researchers who engage in their own washback research.

Bio: David Allen is Associate Professor at Ochanomizu University in Tokyo. He has been a teacher and researcher in Japan for over 20 years. He is the Editor of a recent Routledge volume entitled Washback Research in Language Assessment: Fundamentals and Contexts. He has conducted numerous washback studies funded by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, the British Council, Cambridge University Press & Assessment, and Eiken Foundation of Japan.

10:30-10:55: Research presentation
Matthew Miller (Tokyo University of Foreign Studies)
AI Assessment of Foreign Language Writing: Investigating Generative AI Configurations and Human Evaluation
This preliminary study looks at how consistently two AI tools and one human evaluator assessed foreign language writing samples following the CEFR-J framework. The findings show that while the AIs and human scorer generally agreed, some differences arose due to each AI using different evaluation criteria and the human reportedly displaying familiarity bias. In spite of these differences, the results suggest that language teachers may depend on AI to help grade papers accurately and save time, if the AI prompts are clear and detailed. To build on these findings, the next phase of research will examine a greater number of writing samples and test various AI prompts to find which ones produce results consistent with each other and human graders. This work will contribute to the research by Sun-Young Shin and Weejeong Jeong titled Beyond Agreement: Modeling the Measurement Behavior of Generative AI Scoring Configurations in Integrated Writing Assessment.

Bio: Matthew Miller is a Lecturer at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies with over 30 years of TEFL experience. He has served on Japanese national test advisory committees and currently works on the CEFR-Jx28 Multilingual Can Do Tests Project, developing five-skill assessments across 28 languages based on the CEFR-J framework.

11:00-11:25: Research presentation
Mark L. W. Johnson (Kochi Prefectural University)
Improving Peer Interaction Within a Single Lesson
This presentation draws on one part of my MA dissertation research involving an intervention aimed at improving the collaborative quality of peer interaction in an extracurricular English lesson. The intervention focused on awareness-raising and modeling of constructive collaborative learning behaviors and was embedded within a single lesson between two instances of the same collaborative task: co-constructing a story based on random images produced by Rory’s Story Cubes. Comparison between the strategies the students targeted with behaviors observed across the two games showed a complicated but encouraging result. Specifically, students did not always have opportunities to attempt their targeted strategies, but for most participants, when those opportunities were available, an increase in occurrence was seen. Peer interaction analysis was further triangulated by measuring rates of language-related episodes and analysis of interaction patterns. Limitations and implications of the study will be discussed alongside other details of the task and learning context.

Bio: Mark Johnson is an assistant professor in the Faculty of Cultural Studies at the Kochi Prefectural University. His research is focused on Ludic Language Pedagogy, especially the use of collaborative storytelling games.

****** 11:30-13:30: Lunch break @ Bali Jasmine, Tosayamada (Indonesian) *******

13:30-13:55: Research presentation
James Broxholme (Kwansei Gakuin University)
How can a flipped classroom reduce Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA)?
Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) is a major psychological barrier in Japanese higher education, inhibiting communicative fluency. This study investigates whether the flipped classroom model—grounded in Mind, Brain, and Education (MBE) science (Tokuhama-Espinosa, 2011)—mitigates FLA by increasing predictability, managing cognitive load, and minimizing performance-based threats during pre-class preparation. Utilizing a quasi-experimental design, the study compares an experimental flipped group (n>116) with a traditional control group (n>116) across multiple faculties at a public university. Data collected via the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) provide quantitative insights into learner psychology and informative findings. This presentation outlines the instructional design of a flipped classroom, demonstrating how it can potentially lower anxiety and optimize language acquisition.

Bio: James Broxholme is a full-time lecturer at the School of Engineering at Kwansei Gakuin University. His research interests include neurolinguistics, cognitive linguistics, and teacher development. He is also an advocate of implementing brain-friendly pedagogical tools in classrooms.

14:00-14:25: Research presentation
Gareth Perkins (Osaka University)
Beyond Accuracy: Creative Writing and Self-Expression in the Japanese EFL Classroom
In the relatively rigid framework of the Japanese education system, students may have limited opportunities to develop self-expression, creativity, and their own voice. Creative writing can provide a valuable space for fostering these capacities, but it also presents teachers with a number of challenges. Students may lack confidence in their creative abilities while remaining highly focused on grammatical accuracy and concerned about how their work will be judged, reflecting, in part, their previous educational experiences. This presentation explores practical approaches to addressing these challenges, drawing on existing research and personal experience teaching creative writing at Japanese universities. Particular attention will be given to peer review and its potential to help students develop a critical awareness of the reader’s perspective, while also becoming more comfortable with criticism, feedback, and the process of revision. The presentation will also consider the implications of increasingly accessible AI writing tools. While such tools can provide valuable linguistic support, their use also raises questions about how students can develop creativity, voice, and self-expression as writers rather than simply produce more accurate English.

Bio: Gareth Perkins is a Specially Appointed Associate Professor at Osaka University, where he teaches a range of subjects falling under the EFL umbrella. He has taught English in Japan for over 20 years at universities and private language schools. His interests include creative writing, motivation, self-access centres, and student-centred language education.

14:30-14:55: Research presentation
Charlie Robertson (Aoyama Gakuin University)
Aligning Preparation and Practice: Supporting Students’ Transitions to English-Medium Higher Education
This presentation examines two 2026 surveys (a pre-departure survey and a post-program evaluation and individual self-assessment survey) of Japanese post-graduate Science and Engineering students who participated in a three-week program at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). The pre-departure findings identified gaps in listening comprehension, knowledge of academic expectations, awareness of institutional support, and intercultural preparedness. Post-program responses indicated positive evaluations of teaching and perceived skills development, alongside challenges in academic communication, spontaneous speaking, and managing English-medium learning demands. The surveys taken together highlight the importance of alignment between students’ pre-departure preparation and the linguistic, academic, and intercultural demands encountered at the host institution. For the sending institution, Aoyama Gakuin University (AGU), this means developing preparation that reflects authentic disciplinary practices and host-university expectations. For host institutions such as QUT, it requires accessible transition support and ongoing feedback. The findings support collaborative, evidence-informed preparation and support across institutional boundaries.

Bio: Charles E. Robertson is a Professor of English at Aoyama Gakuin University’s College of Science and Engineering. His research interests include English for Science and Technology and student preparedness for overseas study. His current research examines how universities can better prepare linguistically diverse students for participation in overseas higher education.

——————————————–15:00-15:30: Break———————————————-

15:30-15:55: Research presentation
Gerardine McCrohan (Kagawa University)
After They Read, What Next? Creative Extensive Reading Activities with Lower-Level Learners
Extensive reading gives lower-level EFL learners accessible, enjoyable exposure to English. While quizzes and traditional comprehension tasks have their place, creative follow-up activities can extend reading into communicative writing, speaking, and discussion, helping students connect with texts on a more personal and imaginative level. This roundtable presents practical, interactive post-reading tasks designed for lower-level Japanese university students. The session introduces two specific class projects: an Around the World in 80 Days travel log and a Three Tomorrows poster-design activity. Both activities combine creative design, scaffolded writing, and peer discussion. Authentic samples of student work will be displayed and discussed. Participants will then share their own approaches and experiences and explore how post-reading tasks can be linguistically accessible while still allowing students to be creative, keeping lower-level learners actively engaged through reading, writing, speaking, and interaction.

Bio: Gerardine McCrohan is an Associate Professor at Kagawa University, Japan. Her research interests include developing learners’ willingness to communicate and international posture, language exam preparation, and the use of AI in language education. More recently, she has explored ways of integrating extensive reading with creative and communicative classroom activities.

16:00-16:25 Research presentation
Sean Burgoine (Kochi University)
Extensive Listening: A Gateway to English Content
Extensive Reading (ER) has made great inroads into EFL classrooms, especially those in Asia and has become a fully accepted method for the teaching of reading. Lesser known but influenced by many of the same principles of ER is Extensive Listening (EL). With more students at university age and below engaging with technology rather than reading, EL has now become an appropriate and highly accessible gateway to English content, while also serving to improve an essential language skill. In this presentation, I will outline the benefits of EL, highlight some of the best available resources and demonstrate my approach to EL in English language classes.

Bio: Sean Burgoine is an Associate Professor (Applied Linguistics) in the International Studies Course at Kochi University, Japan. His research interests include Pedagogic Phonetics and Phonology, World Englishes, and the use of English as a lingua franca.

16:30-17:00: Annual General Meeting (AGM)

18:30-20:30: Awards ceremony and conference banquet (*Ioya, Kochi City)

Sunday, November 22 (Online)

9:00-10:00:  TEFL Praxis Journal Editorial Advisory Board Meeting

10:00-11:00: Executive Council Officer Reports

11:00-11:30: Executive Council Steering Committee Meeting

11:30-12:00: TEFL Praxis Awards Committee (TPAC)

12:00-13:30: Lunch

13:30-15:00: 7th TEFL Praxis Conference Planning Committee Meeting (2027)

Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (Nov. 21-22, 2027)

15:00-16:00 TEFL Praxis Research Project Reports (2026-2028)

1. Translanguaging in the Japan Context: Naomi Wilks-Smith

2. Language Teacher Journeys; Edited volume book project: Darren Lingley, Paul Daniels, and Naomi Wilks-Smith