Participants - School of Languages and Cultures

Akiko Okamura

I taught English at high schools in Japan for 9 years. After completing Graduate Diploma in Education at Monash University in 2023, I taught Japanese at a public secondary school in Geelong, Victoria for 9 years, which was followed by teaching at private schools for a few years. Then moved to Maryborough in QLD and had contract jobs and supply teaching jobs for about half a year. I have been teaching at Peregian Springs State School since 2019. My interests are traveling, walking and Japanese martial arts.

School: Peregian Springs State School

Contact: axoka0@eq.edu.au

Alexander Walsh

I taught Japanese in secondary schools (Grades 7 - 12) for nearly 10 years, where I have worked as a senior teacher, subject co-ordinator, and shadow head of department. Around the time I left the teaching profession I was working on a bilingual education programme for my school which led me to pursue further studies in the field, completing a Master of Education Studies at UQ where I specialised in Leadership and Curriculum. At every opportunity within the course of study, I focused my efforts on BEPs with the hope of one day entering a PhD with this area of focus.
While I am no longer teaching in schools, I am one of the Japanese network convenors for Languages Teachers Queensland (LTQ), formerly MLTAQ. My interests with language education vary, but currently I am most interested in the development and etymology of languages and the connections they share with other languages. Outside of Japanese I am currently learning Shona - a language spoken in Zimbabwe.

Contact: mltaqconvenorjapanese@gmail.com

Amy MacDonald

Andrew Haverd

Anna Yamaura

Brendan Worrell

Chani Murtagh

Charles Mackenzie-Smith

I am a Japanese teacher with over 25 years experience in Primary and Secondary Schools in both Private and State School settings. I am currently teaching from Pre-Prep to Year 6 at a North Brisbane PP-Year 12 school. I studied to a Master’s level at QUT and spent a year on student exchange at Nagasaki Wesleyan University in Japan. My area of interest is the seamless integration of technology in language lessons to enhance student engagement and to improve learning outcomes.

School: St Paul’s School, Bald Hills

Contact: c.mackenzie-smith@stpauls.qld.edu.au

Cheyne Sandercoe

Chiara O'Reilly

I began as a LOTE teacher at CapSDE at the start of 2024. Prior to this, I was a primary school classroom teacher. I lived in Japan for 4 years, however returned to Australia in 2017 and until this year have not had much opportunity to practice my language and engage with Japanese culture. I am looking forward to refreshing my skills and perspectives on Japan to further enrich my lessons.

School: Capricornia School of Distance Education, Rockhampton

Contact: cxore1@eq.edu.au

Christie Or

I’m from Hong Kong and brought up in a bilingual environment with Cantonese as my main language and English as my second language. I started learning Japanese since late Year 9, after I started listening to J-POP and got interested in anime and reading manga, by attending Japanese language lessons once a week. The aim was to understand Japanese without the need of subtitles and I am still getting there. I started my tertiary education in Brisbane since 2012 from foundation through Environmental Science Hons degree and completed Masters of Secondary Teaching in 2019. I decided to teach Japanese since I would love to maintain the skill of the language I acquired.

School: Ipswich State High School

Contact: cor0@eq.edu.au

Claudette Andrie

Corinne Pipers

Daniel Weldon

Emily Willis

Graeme Kenny

Ian Brazier

Jacqueline Mikami

As an Educator for over ten years I aim to inspire and empower students in mastering Japanese communication and cultural skills. My journey in education teaching Prep through to Year 12 has equipped me to craft dynamic language programs tailored to diverse learning needs. What drives me is creating a collaborative and supportive learning ecosystem for both students and teachers.

School: St Andrew’s Lutheran College

Contact: Jmikami@salc.qld.edu.au

Jaime Nakahara

I have previously worked as a translator, specialising in biomedical sciences. In 2020, I returned to Australia from Japan with my family and began teaching in Queensland. I currently teach both junior and senior Japanese at Craigsea State High School, including a composite senior (10/11) class. I am interested in how we can leverage ICT and the kouhai/senpai relationship to get the most out of composite classes. I'm also interested in the latest research in comprehensible input and research-based language pedagogy.

School: Craigslea State High School

Contact: jxnak2@eq.edu.au

Jasmin Singlewood

Jay Killoran

Jennifer Fukushima

After graduating from university I spent 18 years living and teaching in Japan. From kindergarten to university, I have extensive experience teaching English to Japanese speakers. I have been back in Australia for just over 12 years and recommenced my teaching journey here in Queensland Secondary Schools. I spent 6 years as the Head of Japanese at a Brisbane private school and I am now residing in Cairns, still teaching Japanese in Years 10,11,12 while taking on a pastoral care role. I have worked hard to continue and expand the Japanese language programs in the schools I have worked in. I take students to Japan annually and hope some of my experience can benefit up and coming Japanese teachers. I have been heavily involved with the QCAA over the past 12 years and am very comfortable with the new syllabus and the changes that will commence in 2025.

School: Trinity Anglican School

Contact: jfukushima@tas.qld.edu.au

Jenny Johansen

Jess Mitmannsgruber

Jessica Peterson

I have been teaching for just over 15 years but this is my first year teaching Japanese. Prior I have taught all grades as a classroom teacher. I studied Japanese in Primary, High school and university. I completed a minor in Japanese in my Arts degree but didn't think it would ever lead to teaching the language. I am constantly learning and would love any ideas and suggestions to improve my teaching.

School: Good Shepherd Catholic Primary School

Contact: jadaniels@bne.catholic.edu.au

Jessica Riley

Jillian Smith

I spent 1 year in Japan as an exchange student. Went on to graduate from CQU with a Bachelor of Education through immersion - LACITEP. Spent 3 years as a Primary School Japanese Teacher in Biloela before moving to England. I spent 9 years in England being a Generalist Classroom Teacher and then moved back to Australia. I went back into teaching Japanese for 8 years on a circuit of 3 schools. My family and I moved back to England for 2 years - back to being a Generalist Teacher. When I returned to Australia in 2018, I did a classroom contract in a Primary School and did not like it, so was offered High School. I love teaching the older students and preferred the way behaviours are dealt with, so stayed. Currently teaching years 7, 8 and 10 Japanese. I did have seniors for 3 years, but due to small classes and a shortage of teachers, they stopped offering it as an option. Seniors were a lot of work, but so worth it!

School: Mackay North State High School

Contact: jsmit1405@eq.edu.au

Jo Ridgers

Joy Balfour

Joy is the Japanese Coordinator at Cavendish Road SHS, since 2015. She has taught at Brisbane SHS (2004-2014) and in Sydney and rural NSW. Joy lived in Hanno City, Saitama, as JET Programme participant for three years. She taught at Komaba SHS, Tokyo on a NSW- Tokyo Government Exchange Teacher Scholarship. She has studied at the Japan Foundation in Urawa and Osaka and escorted study tours to Japan. Joy is interested in language syllabus design and the training of Languages teachers.

School: Cavendish Road State High School

Contact: jbalf7@eq.edu.au

Julia von Berky

I am a 2023 UQ Graduate (Secondary Education - Japanese and History) currently teaching Year 7 & 8 Japanese at Craigslea State High School. I have a keen interest in kanji and calligraphy. I am interested in joining a community of like-minded people and expanding my skills with professional development with the Queensland Japanese School Teacher Enhancement Forum Website.

School: Craigslea State High School

Contact: jcvon0@eq.edu.au

Kara Olver

Karen Nishimura

Karen Palfreyman

Karla Waterman

In 2020 I moved to Gunma to teach English to primary school and kindergarten students at a cram school. The following year I made the shift to Okayama prefecture to intern at a permaculture center. Since coming back to Australia I have completed my master's in teaching and taken up a position in Dalby. I am particularly interested in teaching sustainability through Japanese traditions and beliefs such as furoshiki, the concept of 'mottainai', satoyama, living with the seasons and Buddhism.

School: Dalby State High School

Contact: krwaterman99@gmail.com

Karolyn McKeon

I have been teaching Prep to Year 6 students at Cannonvale for the last 7 years. We currently have 31 classes of 30 minutes each week. I also run a lunchtime origami club. I have previously worked in various English teaching roles in Japan and as a personal assistant to executives of a Japanese company in Australia. I am interested in ways to engage young learners and promote the benefits of learning languages.

School: Cannonvale State School

Contact: 72snowman@gmail.com

Kat Sheppard

Kathryn Tominaga

I have been studying Japanese for over 40 years and teaching Japanese for almost 20 years. Although secondary trained, I have spent the vast majority of my teaching career in the primary sector, working across three primary schools. I have a keen interest in second language acquisition research and am always looking to improve my practice to better serve the needs of my students. In recent years I have also started teaching an adult class and enjoy the challenge of adapting my teaching to suit a different context.

School: St Mary MacKillop Primary School

Contact: ktominaga@bne.catholic.edu.au

Katrina Dwan

Konnichi wa! I am a Japanese Primary School Teacher on the Sunshine coast and have been teaching in schools across Queensland over the past 20 years. Originally, I taught Years 5 & 6 and over the last 4 years at Mountain Creek State School, along with my teaching partner, we have introduced Japanese from Prep through to Year 6. Through this journey, TRPS and CI have sparked my interest, and I am always looking for ways to further develop my classroom language and develop engaging activities, so that students are provided with the opportunity to be surrounded by and feel motivated to be engaged with Japanese language and culture.
I look forward to working with other language teachers across Queensland.

School: Mountain Creek State School and Woombye State School

Contact: kdwan1@eq.edu.au

Kimberly Fukushige

Kimberly is a Japanese Teacher at Cavendish Road State High School, where she has worked from 2022. Previous to this, she was Dean of Languages & Japanese Co-ordinator at Redlands College from 2004-2021. She has had experience in teaching Japanese from Grades 6-12 as well as implementing the QCAA curriculum for Japanese. In that time, she has led multiple study tours to Japan. She lived and worked in Tokyo from 1996-2003 as an ESL teacher at K.International School, Tokyo. She is interested in engaging methods to retain students until senior in languages, in addition to inspiring the next generation to continue with their Japanese studies.

School: Cavendish Road State High School

Contact: joshmattalex@gmail.com

Krisztina Mesch

I'm the Curriculum Leader for Japanese and teach across the primary and secondary schools. My areas of expertise include self-regulated learning in second language acquisition and creating engaging resources and activities for learners. I'm interested in developing students' love of Japan and all it has to offer. More broadly, I’m halfway through my Master of Educational Studies at UQ with a field of study in the Science of Learning, so I’m interested in finding ways to translate and mobilise research into practice to support learning. I look forward to learning and working with everyone.

School: St Aidan's Anglican Girls' School

Contact: k.mesch@staidans.qld.edu.au

Kyoko Rodgers

After teaching in NSW for over 20 years, I moved to Brisbane in 2022. Most of my teaching took place in the private sector in country NSW and Sydney. Within those schools, I built popular Japanese language programmes and supported students who achieved outstanding results in the HSC. I was engaged in the HSC exam production, marking, and assessing process each year. I also designed, coordinated, and led multiple school trips to Japan with many of my students sharing that it was the most cherished experience of their high school life. I enjoy and treasure the time with my students in the classroom.

School: Clairvaux MacKillop College

Contact: kyokomiura00@gmail.com

Laura Booth

Laura has a Bachelor of Education and Arts from the University of Queensland and is an early career English and Japanese teacher. While at university, she studied an Intensive Japanese Program at Showa Women’s University for a 6-month exchange and worked as a Japanese speaking guide in Brisbane. She has been to Japan 7 times studying, volunteering teaching and travelling. She is a passionate advocate for the teaching pedagogies of TPRS and CLIL. Laura has developed a strong relationship with her school’s sister school in Hachinohe and is hoping to offer exchange opportunities in the future.

School: St Ursula’s College Toowoomba

Contact: LBB@st-ursula.qld.edu.au

Leighton Gilmour

Lilian Chan

Linden Baulch

Lisa Furuya

Lisa Thompson

I have been teaching Japanese in Queensland Government Schools for the past 33 years. I have taught Primary School and at Distance Education but mostly in High School. I have been the Head of Department for Languages for the past 26 years and I now look after French, German, Mandarin, Spanish and Japanese. I am also in charge of international students. We have 1450 students studying a Language at Corinda. I currently teach Years 10 and 12. I have been to Japan 23 times, most recently in January to study for 4 weeks. I love travelling, jet skiing, walking near any water and reading. My favourite Japanese food is Tempura and obviously I love Japan and anything Japanese.

School: Corinda State High School

Contact: lthom23@eq.edu.au

Lynette Rumsey

Mari Iinuma

Mari Uithol

Mark Andersen

Masako Onoda Ware

Matthew Strain

Megan Corfield

Megan Corfield is currently working part-time in a Queensland State Primary School running the Japanese program across Years 5 and 6. Megan is a Sessional Academic for Curtin University, Western Australia and Unit Coordinator for Japanese Society and Culture. Previous appointments include Secondary School Japanese and Science teaching in Australia, England and ESL in Japan.
Megan worked for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the Japanese Consulate in Perth for a period of 4 years. Along with working within both Australian and Japanese government systems, she has worked in the private sector running the Sydney division of a Team Building and Corporate Development company. Megan has presented at MLTAQ – Skype for Business and facilitates workshops for AIM Australia/NZ (Accelerated Integrated Method). Megan received Highly Accomplished Teacher status in 2022 via AITSL National Accreditation and she is excited about developing creative uses for AI with colleagues within the educational setting particularly language learning.

School: Tallebudgera State School

Contact: mcorf5@eq.edu.au

Megan Strandquist

Melissa Jarvis

Although not as fluent as I used to be, I still enjoy the challenges of language learning and am always looking for opportunities for further study. My passion is teaching through differentiation. Although difficult, it ensures that all in my classes are given a chance for success; learning in the way that best suits them. I’ve taught in rural/regional areas and have taught languages from prep-Y12.

School: Chancellor State College

Contact: mjarv24@eq.edu.au

Midori Ushiro

Nathan Williams

Nicola Zwart

My connection with Japan spans 27 years and over this time I have fostered deep personal relationships with Japan and Japanese friends. Having worked in Marketing for many years, I became a Maths/Science teacher in 2016. Upon completing Language Upskilling for Teachers, I realised a dream of becoming a teacher of Japanese in 2022. With AI making the ‘utilitarian’ aspect of language learning virtually redundant, engaging students with language learning as a human experience through human connections is what I strive for in my classroom.

School: Kelvin Grove State College

Contact: nxzwa2@eq.edu.au

Norihiro Yamada

Odette Bronwyn Tuitama-Roberts

I have been a teacher for over 20 years, spanning a few countries, different levels and types of education. I originally started teaching Japanese to international students on various overseas study programs, when I lived in Japan. This ignited my interest in teaching Japanese as another language. I have also had some amazing experiences in the fields of interpreting/translating and have been able to also take this experience into the language classroom, teaching both beginners and advanced language professionals.

School: Capricornia School of Distance Education

Contact: obrob0@eq.edu.au

Peter McCosker

Peter has been a teacher since 2017 and has taught Japanese in Qld schools to Prep, Years 6-12 as well as an extension course for students aiming for the JLPT (N1-5). As a learner of Japanese since he was a Year 6 student on the Gold Coast, he continued learning Japanese as a Rotary Exchange student, JET programme participant and worked for a Japanese marketing company in Japan and South East Asia. He has recently completed a research Masters thesis titled, “Exploring the gaps between the intended and enacted syllabus: A study of Japanese as a foreign language in Queensland”.

School: St Hilda’s School, Gold Coast

Contact: pmccosker@sthildas.qld.edu.au

Pippa Tomane

I have been teaching Japanese at Kenmore State High School since 2013. I teach senior and junior classes. Before this I taught at Mansfield SHS for one year, and even further in the past I taught Japanese at the National University of Samoa and Griffith University (Gold Coast). I haven’t always been a teacher. I have worked overseas for Japanese organisations as an interpreter and office worker. I have a Master of Arts (Applied Linguistics) and I also teach junior maths. I enjoy teaching and strive to make my lessons engaging.

School: Kenmore State High School

Contact: pxtom0@eq.edu.au

Tasha Damon

Rebecca Emery

Rebecca Murray

Rebecca Murray currently teaches Japanese and is a pedagogy coach at Kenmore State High School. She lived and worked in Japan for five years where she taught English and studied Japanese. Upon returning to Brisbane, she continued to teach English to international adults before finally making the switch to high school teaching. She was also the international student coordinator for a number of years, has taken student groups to Japan, and is an ensemble member of Tenteke Taiko.

School: Kenmore State High School

Contact: rmurr17@eq.edu.au

Renae Duffy

Renae Mason

I have 15 years experience as a Japanese school teacher. I spent the first 13 years teaching Prep to Year 6. The last two years has been a transition to private education and teaching Year 6 to Year 9. My strengths include classroom management and student engagement. I love teaching the language and culture of Japan to my students. I am a very visual and tactile teacher and have a completely device free classroom.

School: All Saints Anglican School

Contact: rmason@asas.qld.edu.au

Rita Liu

Sarah Fenton-Wolski

With a background in ESL and a degree in Aisan Studies, I started out in the teaching world via the Japan Exchange Teaching Programme. I have since been teaching Japanese for almost 15 years in the Australian school system and have tried to pass on my enthusiasm for the language to my students (and my own children who attend a bilingual Japanese school). I would welcome any opportunity to enhance my language skills for the classroom, as well as the chance to collaborate with fellow Japanese teachers.

School: Anglican Church Grammar School

Contact: sarah.fenton-wolski@churchie.com.au

Sarah Rice

Sarah Themsen

Satomi Blake

Satomi Blane is a Japanese teacher with a diverse background in teaching Japanese in the UK and Australia, she currently teaches Japanese at Holland Park State school. Satomi is also an IML Japanese tutor, she brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her teaching practice. Outside of work, Satomi enjoys swimming, music, and playing the piano. Her passion for language learning and cultural exchange drives her commitment to helping students achieve their language goals. With a vibrant personality and a dedication to excellence, Satomi continually seeks to inspire and empower learners on their journey to mastering the Japanese language.

School: Holland Park State School

Contact: satomi-blake@hotmail.co.jp

Shan-Ju Lin

I am a full time Japanese Teacher at Redbank Plains State High School. I've been teaching for 22 years. I've done BA in Language & Applied Linguistics from Griffith University and Master of Teaching from QUT. I am interested in languages learning and developing visual based resources to help the students to learn another language.

School: Redbank Plains State High School

Contact: slin65@eq.edu.au

Shannon Griffin

Simone Lydiate

Sohee Chu

Susan Slater

Tiffany Phipps (Watson)

I have been teaching Japanese for 12 years. In 2024, I will be teaching years 10, 11 and two junior high school classes. I studied Japanese at Brisbane State High School, and double-majored in Japanese and Chinese at the University of Queensland, St Lucia. I also work as a Lead Endorser, Confirmer and External Marker of Japanese for the QCAA. I lived in Japan in 92/93 on a working holiday visa for one year. I love learning Kanji, drawing anime/manga and eating Japanese cuisine.

School: Burpengary State Secondary College

Contact: tlwat4@eq.edu.au

Valerie Tan

My ethnicity is Malaysian-Taiwanese-Japanese. I was born in Malaysia and grew up in Brisbane, Australia. I was enrolled at Macgregor State High School and began to learn Japanese in Grade 9. I was inspired by my high school Japanese teacher and decided to pursue teaching. I now teach languages in secondary education school. My specialised areas are Japanese and Mandarin Chinese. My interests include language learning, crafting, and travelling.

School: Pine Rivers State High School

Contact: vtan1@eq.edu.au