Alison Hasegawa
Rikkyo University, Tokyo, JAPAN.
About
Alison Hasegawa is from the UK and holds a B.Ed. in Primary Education. She taught children in Fukushima for over 20 years (1989-2012), then became a teacher trainer at Miyagi University of Education (2012-2022), gaining her MA in Teaching English to Young Learners in 2015. She has used picturebooks extensively in a range of learning contexts with young learners, and currently, as a Specially Appointed Professor at Rikkyo University, is investigating their potential as a catalyst for holistic learning with university students. Today, in the shifting educational landscape, where learners and instructors are increasingly relying on AI solutions, Alison encourages teachers to create 'inclusive and engaging conversations around books' that encourage learners to activate their minds, listen to their hearts, and use their voices.Sessions
Young Learners Developing Social-Emotional Learning: Weekly Picturebook Read-Alouds more
Sun, Sep 7, 14:35-15:20 Asia/Tokyo
"The Happy Reading Project" is a specialized curriculum developed for English language immersion kindergartens in Nagoya, Japan, with the objective of fostering essential social-emotional competencies through weekly interactive picturebook read-aloud sessions. As Ghosn (2013) asserts, “Children’s literature not only enhances language learning…but it can also nurture moral reasoning skills, emotional intelligence, and empathy” (p. 39). Building on this premise, the curriculum incorporates a carefully curated selection of almost 30 picturebooks, spanning years K1 to K3, with an emphasis on first cultivating self-awareness before progressing to social awareness and balance. Supplementary lesson plans offer kindergarten teachers structured guidance on pre-, during, and post-reading activities, including art, music, games, and movement-based exercises. This presentation will provide detailed teacher feedback on the project's impact on both young learners and educators, providing insights into its initial successes and the ongoing challenges observed during its first implementation across kindergarten classrooms in the 2024/25 academic year.