Message from the President

Hajimemashite!

As the newlyelected President of SIETAR Japan, I would like to introduce myself. I have been participating in SIETAR workshops, meetings and conferences for more than ten years now and I always feel comfortable and relaxed, as if I were at home at every SIETAR meeting. This is because in SIETAR all members are treated equally and can act freely regardless of their nationality, race, age or gender. This welcoming and relaxed atmosphere is one of the most fantastic and valuable characteristics of SIETAR, and one which I will make every effort to maintain.

After obtaining my M.A. in TEFL in the U.S.A., I started teaching English at Tokai University in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa. I teach English, sociolinguistics, international studies and intercultural communication.

My research interests include not only English language teaching and applied linguistics but also sociolinguistics, particularly discourse analysis. For my doctoral dissertation, I gathered dinner-time conversational data and analyzed bilingual socialization. I have also conducted research on turntaking and politeness in English and Japanese. I have long been interested in how to apply intercultural training to English language education in Japan.

Yuko Iwata (Tokai University)