Contact Information
707 S Mathews
M/C 146
Urbana, IL 61801
Biography
She has dedicated more than two decades to teaching and learning Japanese, with experience teaching students from beginning to advanced levels in both the United States and Japan.
She holds an M.A. in Japanese Linguistics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and an M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language from the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities, as well as a B.A. in English from Tsuda University in Tokyo. Over the course of her career, she has taught Japanese at a variety of institutions, including Washington University in St. Louis, Middlebury College, Swarthmore College, International Christian University in Tokyo, Japan, and the Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies in Kyoto, Japan.
Her teaching philosophy centers on helping students become effective communicators who can use Japanese appropriately in a variety of social and cultural contexts. She also strives to help students develop the skills, strategies, and confidence to continue learning independently beyond the classroom.
Throughout her career, she has worked with a wide range of teaching approaches, materials, and technologies. She remains committed to adapting her teaching to new developments in language pedagogy and technology and to creating engaging, supportive, and innovative learning experiences for her students.
Education
M.A. in Japanese Linguistics, University of Wisconsin-Madison (2005)
M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (2003)
B.A. in English, Tsuda University (2001)
Awards and Honors
List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students (Spring 2025, Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023, Fall 2022)
Facilitating Learning Excellence Award (Fall 2025, Spring 2026)
Courses Taught
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2022 - Present:
JAPN 201 Elementary Japanese I
JAPN 202 Elementary Japanese II
JAPN 305 Advanced Japanese I
JAPN 306 Advanced Japanese II
JAPN 440 Fourth Year Japanese I
JAPN 441 Fourth Year Japanese II
Washington University in St. Louis, 2006 - 2021:
Japan 103D First-Level Modern Japanese I
Japan 104D First-Level Modern Japanese II
East Asia 105 Introduction to Basic Japanese (Online Course)
Japan 213 Second-Level Modern Japanese I
Japan 214 Second-Level Modern Japanese II
Japan 299 Independent Study
Japan 412 Third-Level Modern Japanese I
Japan 413 Third-Level Modern Japanese II
Japan 458 Fourth-Level Modern Japanese I
Japan 459 Fourth-Level Modern Japanese II
Japan 461 Fifth-Level Morden Japanese I
Japan 462 Fifth-Level Modern Japanese II
Japan 499 Guided Readings in Japanese
Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies (Kyoto, Japan), May 2019 - July 2019:
Second-Year Japanese (2A Class)
Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies (Kyoto, Japan), May 2018 - July 2018:
Second-Year Japanese (2C & 2D Classes)
Middlebury College, June 2017 - August 2017:
Beginning Japanese I
Middlebury College, June 2016 - August 2016:
Beginning Japanese I
Middlebury College, June 2015 - August 2015:
Beginning Japanese I
Middlebury College, June 2014 - August 2014:
Beginning Japanese I
Middlebury College, June 2013 - August 2013:
Beginning Japanese I
Middlebury College, June 2012 - August 2012:
Beginning Japanese I
Middlebury College, June 2011 - August 2011:
Beginning Japanese I
Middlebury College, June 2010 - August 2010:
Beginning Japanese I
Middlebury College, June 2009 - August 2009:
Beginning Japanese I
Middlebury College, June 2008 - August 2008:
Beginning Japanese I
International Christian University (Tokyo, Japan), June 2007 - August 2007:
Japanese C5 (Fourth-Year Level)
Swarthmore College, 2005 - 2006:
JPNS 001 First-Year Japanese
JPNS 002 First-Year Japanese
JPNS 012 Third-Year Japanese
JPNS 013 Third-Year Japanese
University of Wisconsin - Madison, 2003 - 2005 (as Teaching Assistant):
ASIANLANG 103 First Semester Japanese
ASIANLANG 104 Second Semester Japanese
ASIANLANG 203 Third Semester Japanese
ASIANLANG 204 Fourth Semester Japanese
Additional Campus Affiliations
Senior Instructor, Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures
Senior Instructor, Center for East Asian and Pacific Studies