PIE SIG Podcast

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 goe...

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. ...

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 , thro...

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...

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 ma...

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 th...

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 tr...

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 tim...

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’s south 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...

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...

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,...

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 harness...

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...

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....