Het werk van Diane Nagatomo duikt in de kruising van identiteit, geslacht en het onderwijzen van Engels binnen de Japanse onderwijscontext. Haar onderzoek onderzoekt kritisch pedagogische benaderingen en hun impact op leerlingen, en biedt inzichtelijke perspectieven op de culturele nuances van taalverwerving. Door haar uitgebreide ervaring als opvoeder in Japan onderzoekt Nagatomo hoe academische omgevingen persoonlijke en professionele identiteiten vormgeven. Haar geschriften dragen aanzienlijk bij aan het begrip van de complexiteit van lesgeven en leren in een interculturele setting.
Focusing on Japanese university English teachers, the book explores the development of professional identities among relatively new educators. It highlights the influence of gender on the professional identities of female professors and examines how their teaching practices and beliefs are intertwined with both personal and professional identity.
The narrative unfolds in modern-day Tokyo, centering on Jessie Yamada, an American grappling with guilt after her husband's sudden death, which follows her contemplation of leaving him. As she uncovers the secrets of their marriage, Jessie inherits a rundown café filled with cats, prompting her to rebuild her life with the support of friends and neighbors. Just as she begins to find stability, an unexpected twist challenges her to make a pivotal decision that could alter the lives of those she cares about.
How do teachers who have chosen to settle down in one country manage the difficulties of living and teaching English in that country? How do they develop and sustain their careers, and what factors shape their identity? This book answers these questions by investigating the personal and professional identity development of ten Western women who teach English in various educational contexts in Japan, all of whom have Japanese spouses. The book covers issues of interracial relationships, expatriation, equality and employment practices as well as the broader topics of gender and identity. The book also provides a useful overview of English language teaching and learning in Japan.