Stories, Music & the Human Brain feat. JALT Brain SIG President, Dr. Amanda Furutaka - Part 1
Send us Fan Mail A girl writes her injury in the sand and her rescue in stone. That is how Professor Amanda Gillis-Furutaka, President of the JALT Brain SIG, opens Part 1. It is the kind of story you can take into class tomorrow. What follows is the path that led her to a PhD and a life in language teaching: school in England, drama and music, a visit to the Austrian Alps, the move from student to teacher, and years of work in Japan. She talks about music among early humans, what it does to t...
25 Aug 2026
Speech Contests in Japan: The Good, the Bad, and the Salvageable feat. Educator & Editor Philip Head
Send us Fan Mail AI is usually cast as the villain in education stories. Educator and editor Philip Head sees things differently. In this episode he explains how artificial intelligence could actually level the playing field in Japan’s junior high school speech contests. Drawing on years of research and classroom experience, Head takes us behind the scenes of contest preparation, examines what works and what doesn’t, and offers clear ideas for improvement. He also shows teachers practic...
28 Jul 2026
Building Spontaneous Communication Through Improv feat. Educator & Podcaster David Gray
Send us Fan Mail Do your students sound fluent in rehearsal but freeze up in unscripted situations? In this opening episode of Season 2, veteran Canadian educator David Gray makes the case for improvisation as a powerful tool for Japanese EFL learners. He shows how improv helps students develop genuine, spontaneous communication. Although improv feels spontaneous, it rests on clear, teachable principles: deep listening, accepting offers, and co-creating meaning in the moment. Drawing on years...
22 Jun 2026
Episode #12: Why Settle for Student Participation When You Can Have Student Engagement? feat. Mari Nakamura
Send us Fan Mail Episode 12: Why Settle for Participation When You Can Have Real Engagement? Episode Summary Educator and entrepreneur, Mari Nakamura, joins Darren to share her personal journey in English language teaching. Through engaging stories from her career, Mari explores the educational and social benefits of Project-Based Learning and how it creates meaningful student engagement that goes well beyond simple participation. Darren discusses the natural overlap with Performance in...
26 May 2026
Episode 11: By the way…You’re Teaching Drama Now, feat. Educator Gordon Rees
Send us Fan Mail Associate Professor Gordon Rees recounts the moment when he suddenly had to take over a drama class at his university after the teacher suddenly left their position. Uncertain how to teach such a course, he joined the PIE SIG to get some ideas. He never looked back and now regularly uses filmmaking, readers' theater and radio dramas to reach what he calls reluctant learners. Tune in to learn what he has learned about what works and why. Gordon Rees, BA, MA Associate Pro...
27 Apr 2026
Episode 10: CALL X PIE feat. JALTCALL SIG President Brian Gallagher
Send us Fan Mail Are CALL and PIE Compatible? When should we embrace computer technology… and when does it make more sense to use pen and paper? Can students use AI without losing their creativity and humanity? In Part 1 of this powerful two-part series, JALTCALL SIG President Brian Gallagher (Meijo University) takes us on a deeply personal journey — from his childhood in Greenock, Scotland, through his early drama and elocution training, to his time at IBM, and finally to his life as an educ...
7 Apr 2026
エピソード#9: 舞台から広がる学び、心でつながる —— 斉木ゆかり教授を迎えて Japanese Language Edition
Send us Fan Mail エピソード概要（日本語版）： このエピソードでは、街頭で絵カードと語りで演じられていた伝統的な日本の「紙芝居」について短い物語をお届けします。紙芝居は現代のマンガやアニメの重要な先駆けとして広く認識されています。その後、東海大学の教授・斎木由香里さんが、留学生に日本語を教える経験から得たパフォーマンスベースの指導法について洞察を共有します。 斎木さんは、この伝統芸術や他のパフォーマンス技法を革新的にアレンジし、学習者に主体性を持たせ、協働を育み、教室での自信を築く方法を探求します。 パート1: 斉木ゆかりによる紙芝居の物語 パート2: 斎木教授の背景 パート3: 紙芝居（Paper Theater）を逆転させる 斎木さんが、この古典的なストーリーテリング形式を「受け身の見るだけ」から「学習者が主体的に創り出す」ものにどう変えるかを発見してください。 パート4: ドラマプロジェクトに関する報告のまとめ ドラマを活用したプロジェクトの明確な概要と、言語カリキュラムへのパフォーマンス統合に関する主な学び。 パート5: ボルド...
23 Mar 2026
Episode 9: Paper on the Stage, Connection in the Heart feat. Professor Saiki, Yukari (English Edition)
Send us Fan Mail Episode Description (English): このエピソードの日本語版は2026年4月7日に公開されます。 A Japanese-language version of this episode will be released on April 7, 2026. This episode begins with a brief story about KAMI-SHI-BAI 「紙芝居」 Japanese "paper theater" once performed on street corners with picture cards and dramatic narration, regarded as a predecessor to modern manga and anime. Then, former professor Saiki Yukari of Tokai University shares insights from her experience teaching Japanese to internat...
23 Feb 2026
Episode 8: Just Beyond the Comfort Zone with Educator Heather Kretschmer
Send us Fan Mail What happens when the very thing that once unsettled you becomes exactly what your students need? In this episode, we explore the development of a teacher who once stepped away from performance because of anxiety. Heather Kretschmer, English coordinator at the University of Göttingen and editor of JALT’s Mind, Brain, and Education Think Tank Bulletin, found herself shaped by three converging forces. Through her work with the Brain SIG, she has engaged deeply with research on ...
27 Jan 2026
Episode 7: Rhythm and Embodied Learning feat. Dr. Kim Rockell - Part 2
Send us Fan Mail Episode 7 : Rhythm and Embodied Learning - Part 2 Dr. Rockell’s path moves through ethnomusicology and language teaching in Japan and Taiwan, and back to New Zealand for graduate study supported by a PhD scholarship. Across this movement, a recurring theme emerges: the hidden melody inside speech. Drawing on research showing improvements in vocabulary recall and intonation, he treats rhythm and melody as parallels to stress and pitch in spoken English. The episode moves betwe...
22 Dec 2025
Episode 6: Rhythm and Embodied Learning feat. Dr. Kim Rockell
Send us Fan Mail Can teachers who do not consider themselves musical still use music to help students develop a sense of English rhythm? In this episode, Dr. Kim Rockell, an ethnomusicologist and language educator at Komazawa University in Tokyo, reflects on a life shaped by music, discipline, and teaching. From early listening at home to formal study in cello, guitar, and ethnomusicology, and time spent playing bass in a hard rock band, his path shows how musical understanding develops throu...
24 Nov 2025
Episode 5: The Path to Pro-c Creativity feat. Dr. Dawn Kobayashi
Send us Fan Mail Episode 5: The Path to Pro-c Creativity feat. Dr. Dawn Kobayashi Dr. Dawn Kobayashi (Onomichi City University) first encountered drama as a shy teenager on England’ssouth coast, when a high-school drama elective gave her a safe, structured way to explore perspective, emotion, and communication. She later moved to Japan, taught kindergarten and primary classes, completed a PhD, and now works in higher education, where she also supports teachers who want to integrate performanc...
21 Oct 2025
Episode 4: The Transformative Power of Theatre feat. Educator Kevin Bergman - Part 2
Send us Fan Mail Join host Darren Kinsman for a captivating dive into the power of performance in education with Juilliard-trained actor and educator Kevin Bergman. Step into the magical world of theatre, where tough boys rediscover play amid props and vibrant costumes, and shy peers unveil hidden talents under the spotlight, leaving teachers awestruck. In today’s AI-driven world, Bergman reveals why theatre remains essential, igniting courage, resilience, and authentic human connection. Perf...
29 Sept 2025
Dr. Thomas Robb on Extensive Reading (Past Present, & Future) PIE SIG Podcast+ Episode #1
Send us Fan Mail PIE SIG Podcast+ is a sister podcast to the PIE SIG podcast, but focuses on current activities on the PIE scene, like upcoming conferences, recently published PIE articles, and student performances. In this episode, Darren interviews Dr. Thomas Robb, Professor Emeritus at Kyoto Sangyo University and Extensive Reading Foundation Chairperson about the 2026 STEAM Conference in Naha, Okinawa. 2026 STEAM Conference in OKINAWA! Conference: Full STEAM Ahead! Date: Febru...
22 Sept 2025
Episode 3: The Transformative Power of Theatre feat. Educator Kevin Bergman - Part 1
Send us Fan Mail ----------------------------------------- Over three decades, educator Kevin Bergman has directed more than 100 student dramas. A Juilliard-trained actor, he discusses with Darren how theatre can revolutionize language learning and enhances students' social skills. Discover practical strategies that any teacher can implement to harn...
22 Aug 2025
Episode 2: Drama & Film in the Classroom feat. Educator, Ashley Ford-Mihashi
Send us Fan Mail Episode 2: Performance and Student Filmmaking with Ashley Ford-Mihashi When shy students step on stage or in front of a camera, they find confidence they didn’t know they had. Ashley Ford-Mihashi, lecturer at Nagoya City University and organizer of the Reel Voices Language Learning Film Festival, joins Darren to share her journey, including formative years immersed in music and language, and how those experiences shaped her approach to teaching. They discuss the nerves before...
22 Jul 2025
Episode 1: From Readers’ Theatre to AI: Inside the PIE SIG, feat. PIE Founder, David Kluge
Send us Fan Mail What if acting, debate, and even song lyrics could actually help students learn better? That’s exactly what David Kluge believes, and he’s been putting these ideas into action for decades. David, a former professor at Nanzan University and founder of JALT’s Performance in Education (PIE) SIG, joins Darren to break down how performance techniques can revolutionize the way we teach. You don’t need any drama training to start using these valuable methods in your classroom today....
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