Do you want to get involved with the language teaching community? Are you interested in expanding your resume? Come get involved. Get involved with Tokyo JALT by applying to be a member of our team! Nominations will be accepted from April 1st to May 15th. For more details on team positions, please check out our Current Chairs page. To nominate yourself or another JALT member, please click HERE.

Do you want to get involved with the language teaching community? Are you interested in expanding your resume? Come get involved. Get involved with Tokyo JALT by applying to be a member of our team! Nominations will be accepted from April 1st to May 15th. For more details on team positions, please check out our Current Chairs page. To nominate yourself or another JALT member, please click HERE.

Why me? What kind of people are you looking for?

Your participation as an officer in Tokyo Chapter gives us (and the membership) a great gift, but it also benefits you by burnishing your credentials, by helping shape the nature of our events (from relaxed social events to ones with invited speakers), and by learning from the network of passionate professionals that you will surely make. To the committed and conscientious, please consider nominating yourself for a position on our team.

When is the nomination period? When is the election?

Nominations will be accepted from April 1st to May 15th. After that, applications will be reviewed by the Tokyo JALT team and the final ballot will be announced by June 1st and the online election will be held until June 30th. Election results will be announced at our State of the Chapter event on Friday, July 5th.

When do positions start?

After the election results are announced, you can start easing into your new role right away. There is a 6 month period where the current officer will meet with you and show you the ropes. It’s a very inclusive process with lots of support. The two-year term officially starts on January 1st, 2020, but it’s best to start easing in soon this year.

What positions are open?

Note that all positions become open for election every two years, or earlier if an officer retires before the end of their term, and this means that not all positions are available now. However, if the position you are interested in is not currently available, please consider joining as an assistant chair. In addition, if there is a position you believe should be created, please consider applying below. We are here to serve the community.

Who can become an officer?

If not already a member, nominees should become a member of the Tokyo JALT Chapter upon acceptance of their position. We apologize, but members of other Chapters are not eligible to be members of the Executive Board. However, local members or members of nearby chapters are able to hold non-executive positions. If you would like to nominate yourself or another Tokyo JALT member for an officer position, please do so by visiting the links above.

Do we do good work and have fun at the same time?

Yes! We have regular dinner meetings where we socialize while working on chapter business. In addition, officers are invited to join us for dinner after events and this is a fun and valuable opportunity to meet speakers.

3) Schedule

Okay, give me those details again.

- Nomination period: April 1st to May 15th

- Voting ballot set and announced by June 1st

- Online election period: June 1st to June 30th

- Election results at our State of the Chapter event in July

- Shadowing period for new officers: roughly until the end of the year

Executive Board

The Executive Board has the power and responsibility to run the Chapter, according to NPO and JALT regulations. These responsibilities, in addition to those mentioned below, include holding elections, planning budgets, following and revising the constitution & by-laws, and more. These positions determine the direction of the chapter.

• President

The President is the face of the chapter, speaking at conferences and events in and outside of Japan, and the chief executive of the chapter, guiding the direction of the chapter and supporting the various Chairs as needed.

• Secretary

The Secretary plans officer meetings, sends out reminders, and helps ensure that internal documents are kept in order.

• Membership Chair

The Membership Chair's main duties are to keep track of membership counts, to send welcome messages and renewal notices, and to support the Publicity Chair by providing the up-to-date membership list.

• Publicity Chair

The Publicity Chair's main responsibilities are to assemble the Tokyo JALT newsletter and to update the content of the website. The Publicity Chair works with the team to ensure that all information, including job postings, event details, and more are accurate and up-to-date.

• Treasurer

The treasurer oversees all financial aspects of the chapter; this includes the funding of events, donations to other Chapters and SIGs, and planning the yearly budget.

• Programs

The Programs Chair works with the President and the Treasurer to create budgets for events, seeks possible speakers and groups for events, plans, and runs events.

Officers

While the Executive Board makes decisions about the Chapter, the Chairs are responsible for and in charge of their area, including creating budgets, goals, teams, etc. If you have a specific goal for Tokyo Chapter, an Officer position might be perfect for you.

• Research/Grants Chair

The Research Chair helps ensure that our events, grants, showcase, and more include only the best research. This means that they must be skilled in research techniques and more. The Research Chair also lead the Grants team when the Tokyo JALT Grants are being distributed.

• Public Relations Chair

The Public Relations Chair expands the reach of the Tokyo Chapter through our various social media accounts, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Youtube. The Public Relations Chair works with the Programs Team and the Publicity Team to make sure that information about events, jobs, and more is disseminated effectively.

• Outreach Chair

The Outreach Chair communicates with SIGs, research groups, and universities to create opportunities for collaboration on future events.

• Publications Chair

The Publications Chair, with the Editor and the Editorial Review Board, oversees the publication of the Tokyo JALT Journal (TJJ), from the initial request for manuscripts to the release of the latest issue. The Publications Chair ensures that all procedures are followed and that the TJJ is published on time. The Publications Chair also may help to develop content for the site.

• Webmaster

The Webmaster is in charge of keeping our link Tokyo-JALT.org up and running and also helps ensure our overall website health.

• Teaching Younger Learners Chair

The Teaching Younger Learners chair coordinates the organization of regular events (3 times per year) for teachers of preschool through high school learners with the Younger Learners SIG and the venue. This involves finding speakers, communicating with possible presenters and scheduling events. If you are interested in helping to find great speakers and presenters at all levels or to spread the word to more teachers in both English & Japanese as well as student teachers, ALTs and JETs. Those with skills in Japanese, producing flyers and helping extend our online presence are especially encouraged to join the team.

• Facilities Chair

The Facilities Chair organizes the venue for our events and acts as the liaison between venue and the Tokyo JALT team.

• Social Events Coordinator

The Social Events Coordinator plans networking and socializing opportunities for Tokyo area members and prospective members. Events include drinks, dinner, discussion groups, and more.

• JET/ALT Coordinator

The JET/ALT Coordinator works closely with the TYL coordinator and liaises with the JET and ALT community to bring Professional Development events to public and private schools JETs and ALTs.

• Ed Tech Chair

The Educational Technology Chair promotes applications of educational technology in language teaching and organizes EdTech focused workshops/talks. The aim is to enhance the teaching-learning experiences with technology. If you are interested in promoting educational technology, please email the Educational Technology Chair.

• Your idea

Is there something you think Tokyo JALT should be doing? If you are interested in creating a new position, please email TokyoJALTPresident@gmail.com because we are always happy to consider new ideas to help our chapter better serve the community.

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