Building community one JET at a time.

Finding a Niche in Japan Research: JET Program Participants and Alumni

Jeanne Beck

PhD student in Applied Linguistics and Technology, Iowa State University

Nagano, 2008-2011

Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) and alumni are valuable sources of knowledge on workplace relations in Japanese schools. Despite the long history and large number of participants and alumni of the JET Program, limited research on and with JET ALTs and alumni has been conducted. In this paper, I will recount the process of turning a replication study project for a graduate-level sociolinguistics class into a JET-themed qualitative study, highlighting the connections found between the participants and my own experience on JET. These findings have not only shed light on many research gaps, but also opened the door to my research in Japan.

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About the Author

Jeanne Beck (2008-2011, Nagano ALT) is a PhD student in Applied Linguistics and Technology at Iowa State University. She holds an Educational Specialist degree (Ed.S.) in Education Administration from William Woods University and an M.Ed in TESOL Education, a BS in Middle School Education, and a BA in International Studies with an East Asia focus from the University of Missouri. After JET, she worked as a study abroad advisor; taught undergraduate, graduate, and teacher training courses in South Korea; and taught ESL, language arts, and technology classes in rural K-12 Missouri public schools. Her interests include second language assessment, teacher-training, computer assisted language learning, and project-based learning.

About the JETs on Japan Forum

The JETs on Japan Forum is a partnership between USJETAA and Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA (Sasakawa USA) that features selected articles of JET alumni perspectives on U.S.-Japan relations. The series aims to elevate the awareness and visibility of JET alumni working across diverse sectors and provides a platform for JET alumni to contribute to deeper understanding of U.S.-Japan relations from their fields. The articles will be posted on USJETAA’s website to serve as resource to the wider JET alumni and U.S.-Japan communities on how alumni of this exchange program are continuing to serve as informal ambassadors in U.S.-Japan relations.

Submissions are encouraged from mid-to-senior level professionals who are established in the current fields OR current/recent graduate degree students in both masters and doctoral programs. Click here for more information on how to submit a proposal for consideration.