Saeko Ogiso

Profie photo of Saeko Ogiso

Associate Professor / Associate Dean

Ph.D. in Education, Trinity College Dublin

Email:
sogiso [at] fc.ritsumei.ac.jp (Replace "[at]" with "@")
Office Location:
AC5311
Office Hours:
Friday 13:00-14:00 (Make an appointment by email in advance)

Education

  • Ph.D. in Education, Trinity College Dublin
  • M.Phil. in Applied Linguistics, Trinity College Dublin

As an undergraduate student, I studied Japanese Linguistics including methodologies of teaching Japanese as a foreign/second language at Sophia University. After gaining experience in teaching Japanese, I started to study for my master's degree at the Centre for Language and Communication Studies at Trinity College Dublin, and obtained my M.Phil. in Applied Linguistics on the use of authentic texts with beginners in Japanese. I continued working toward a doctoral degree at the School of Education at the same university, completing my Ph.D. in Education on vocabulary learning for novice English-speaking learners of Japanese.

Message to Students

I have taught Japanese inside and outside Japan, including in Tokyo, Toyama, Cardiff and Dublin. As someone who lived in Europe for more than 15 years, I feel I can relate to my students' experiences of moving to, living and studying in Japan. My experience of studying and teaching in foreign countries has helped me to understand the importance of language learning and cultural understanding. I am really looking forward to working with you to help you enjoy studying Japanese at GLA and to help you make the most of your time in Japan.

Courses Taught

  • Japanese Language I & II
  • Japanese Language and Culture I

Japanese Language and Culture I

In this course, students will read Japanese texts on various topics from traditional culture to recent trends. By reading materials written in Japanese, they are expected to expand their Japanese vocabulary and grammatical knowledge as well as well as deepen their knowledge about Japanese culture and society. As one of the tasks for this course, students will give a presentation on a chosen topic of interest then lead a discussion. By giving a presentation and leading a discussion session, students are also expected to enhance their Japanese communication skills.

Research Interests

Japanese Language Education, Second Language Vocabulary Learning, Kanji Learning Strategies, Learner Autonomy

My principle research interests lie in the fields of Second Language Acquisition and Japanese Language Education, specifically Vocabulary Acquisition / Learning, Learner Strategies, CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) and ELP (European Language Portfolio). I have written and presented papers in these areas. I am particularly interested in Kanji Learning Strategies, which I find important for learners of Japanese from non-logographic language backgrounds to develop. I am also currently researching collaborative learning between international students and Japanese students, analyzing how they can improve their intercultural communication skills through class discussions.

Supervision Information

Japanese Language

Representative Publications

To be added.

Teaching History

After graduating from Sophia University, I taught Japanese as a second language in Tokyo for four years. While taking a Postgraduate Diploma course in London to develop my teaching skills, I found myself enjoying both teaching and researching and decided to pursue postgraduate studies. I taught Japanese in three universities in Dublin while studying for my M.Phil. and Ph.D. at Trinity College Dublin.

After studying and teaching in Dublin for seven years, I took a full-time position at Cardiff University and taught there as a Lecturer in Japanese Language for eight years. Before joining Ritsumeikan University I was an Associate Professor at the University of Toyama for four years.