Conferences

From Akita Wiki

Prefecture-wide conferences are usually held at the Akita Prefectural Education Center (秋田県総合教育センター; Akita-ken Sōgō Kyōiku Sentā) in Katagami, slightly north of Akita City. Block meetings are held at different locations within their respective blocks. Tokyo Orientation is held in Tokyo, usually at the Keio Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku.

Tokyo Orientation is run by CLAIR. The Skills Development Conference is run by the Akita Prefectural Board of Education. All other conferences are run by the Akita Prefectural International Affairs Division.

Conference calendar

The following is a calendar with the approximate time frames of each JET conference held throughout the year. Be aware that it is just a reference, and the timing of each conference within any given year my vary.

Month Conference Organizer* Attendance
January Block Meeting IAD by Block
February
March
April Tokyo Orientation CLAIR April Arrivals
May Leavers Conference IAD JETs scheduled to end their appointment in summer
June
July Tokyo Orientation CLAIR Group A arrivals
August Tokyo Orientation CLAIR Group B arrivals
Akita Orientation IAD All new JETs
September
October Skills Development Conference Pref. BoE All JETs
November
December

*Abbreviations used in this table:

  • CLAIR: Council of Local Authorities for International Relations
(The national governing body for the JET Programme)
  • IAD: Akita Prefectural International Affairs Division
(The oversight body for JET Programme administrative affairs in Akita Prefecture)
  • Pref. BoE: Akita Prefectural Board of Education
(The governing body of educational affairs in Akita Prefecture)

Tokyo Orientation

April, July, and/or August. This is the 2-day Tokyo conference for new JETs. This conference is run by CLAIR and usually held at the Keio Plaza Hotel in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward, though other venues in Tokyo or the Kanto region have been used in the past for various reasons. It is held multiple times a year, based on the arrival date for each arrival group. Each arrival group attends two full days of conference workshops, and then departs for their JET placements on the third day.

Generally speaking, April arrivals arrive on the first or second Sunday of April; Group A arrives on the last Sunday in July; and Group B, JETs from countries with a small number of participants, and SEAs arrive on the first Sunday of August. The following respective Mondays and Tuesdays are Tokyo Orientation, and the following respective Wednesdays are the departure date for placements. However depending on the year, the arrival date for Group A is sometimes moved forward or pushed back one week; Group B always arrives the week after Group A (and JETs from countries with a small number of participants and SEAs arrive with Group B).

CLAIR usually operates smaller-scale orientations on a case-by-case basis for JETs who do not fall into any of the five major categories listed in the table bellow (such as upgraded waitlist candidates who are selected to replace JETs who end their employment before the end date of their terms of appointment).

In Japanese, this conference is called the 来日直後オリエンテーション (Rainichi Chokugo Orientēshon).

Information from past Tokyo Orientations can be found here. Note that the structure (date, length, venue, mode, etc.) of Tokyo Orientation varied radically during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Tokyo Orientation Schedule for 2024 was as follows:

Arrival group Arrival in Japan Tokyo Orientation Departure for Placement
April Arrivals 7 Apr, 2024 (Sun) 8-9 Apr, 2024 (Mon-Tue) 10 Apr, 2024 (Wed)
Group A 28 Jul, 2024 (Sun) 29-30 Jul, 2024 (Mon-Tue) 31 Jul, 2024 (Wed)
Group B 4 Aug, 2024 (Sun) 5-6 Aug, 2024 (Mon-Tue) 7 Aug, 2024 (Wed)
JETs from countries with a small number of participants 4 Aug, 2024 (Sun) 5-6 Aug, 2024 (Mon-Tue) 7 Aug, 2024 (Wed)
SEAs 4 Aug, 2024 (Sun) 5-6 Aug, 2024 (Mon-Tue) 7 Aug, 2024 (Wed)

The Tokyo Orientation Schedule for 2025 is as follows:

Arrival group Arrival in Japan Tokyo Orientation Departure for Placement
April Arrivals 6 Apr, 2025 (Sun) 7-8 Apr, 2025 (Mon-Tue) 9 Apr, 2025 (Wed)
Group A 27 Jul, 2025 (Sun) 28-29 Jul, 2025 (Mon-Tue) 30 Jul, 2025 (Wed)
Group B 3 Aug, 2025 (Sun) 4-5 Aug, 2025 (Mon-Tue) 6 Aug, 2025 (Wed)
JETs from countries with a small number of participants 3 Aug, 2025 (Sun) 4-5 Aug, 2025 (Mon-Tue) 6 Aug, 2025 (Wed)
SEAs 3 Aug, 2025 (Sun) 4-5 Aug, 2025 (Mon-Tue) 6 Aug, 2025 (Wed)

Akita Orientation

Akita Orientation is usually held in August. This conference for new JETs has information on Akita, lesson planning ideas, travel, etc. It is the first chance for all of the new JET arrivals in Akita to attend a conference together. Akita Orientation is run by the International Affairs Division and usually held at the Prefectural Education Center or the Personnel Training Center in Katagami.

In Japanese this conference is called the 秋田オリエンテーション (Akita Orientēshon).

Akita Orientation
V • T
2008 2009
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

Skills Development Conference (SDC)

This conference is usually held in October. Up until 2010, this was known as the Mid-Year Conference due it being held halfway into the Japanese fiscal year. In 2011 CLAIR revised its guidelines and goals, giving us the then brand-new Skills Development Conference, or SDC. This conference includes many JTEs as well as the JETs. Presentations range from increasing communication between JTEs and JETs, lesson ideas, improving the quality of team teaching, etc.

As of 2019, the SDC has been a single-day conference. Up until 2018 it was a two-day conference, with overnight lodging available in the Education Center dormitory for attendees commuting from municipalities far away from the Center.

This conference is run by the Akita Prefectural Board of Education and is usually held at the Prefectural Education Center in Katagami. In Japanese it is called the 外国語指導助手の指導力等向上研修 (Gaikokugo Shidō Joshu no Shidōryoku-tō Kōjō Kenshū).

Mid-Year Conference

This was the name used for the SDC up until 2010. In Japanese it was called the ALT中間期研修 (Ē-eru-tī Chūkanki Kenshū).

Skills Development Conference
V • T
Mid-Year Conference 2008 • 2009 • 2010
Skills Development Conference 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

Block Meetings

These conferences are held in January, usually in the last week of winter break before the start of the third school term. These one-day conferences provide a forum for exchanging teaching ideas, tips to survive and thrive in winter, and also are a great way to reconnect with JETs within your Block after the holidays. The PAs also use this opportunity to talk to the JET community about the recontracting decision (unless the deadline has passed).

The Block Meetings are run by the International Affairs Division and held at various venues within their respective Blocks. Venues are usually decided by the Block PA (BPA). In Japanese, Block Meetings are called ブロック会議 (Burokku Kaigi).

As of 2018, the IAD has held each Block Meeting on different dates of the year. Up until 2017, multiple (if not all) Block Meetings were often held on overlapping dates. Block Meetings began in 2010.

Block Meetings
V • T
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025

Akita Leavers Conference

the Leavers Conference is a one-day conference for JETs who will be leaving the JET program, and focuses on explaining the many procedures and things to do regarding visas, pension, etc. It is usually held in May. This conference was first held in 2019, after the discontinuation of the Returners and Recontractors Conference.

The Leavers Conference is run by the International Affairs Division and is usually held at the Prefectural Education Center or the Prefectural Personnel Training Center in Katagami. In Japanese it is called the 帰国者研修会 (Kikokusha Kenshūkai).

Akita Leavers Conference
V • T
2019
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

Akita Recontractors Conference

As of 2024, material for the Recontractors Conference is distributed by email to JETs who are scheduled to stay in Akita one more year; there is no in-person segment. Materials are focused on making new goals for JETs in the upcoming contracting year; they are usually distributed in late June or early July.

From 2019 to 2023, the Recontractors Conference was a one-day, in-person conference with the same focus. It was also usually held in late June or early July. This conference was first held in 2019, after the discontinuation of the Returners and Recontractors Conference. It was held at the Prefectural Education Center or the Prefectural Personnel Training Center in Katagami when it was held in person. As of 2024 it was decided, after surveying all Akita JETs and sharing the results with the IAD, that the content of the Recontractors Conference would be consolidated and distributed to JETs by email.

The Recontractors Conference is run by the International Affairs Division. In Japanese it is called the 再任用者研修会 (Sainin'yōsha Kenshūkai).

Akita Recontractors Conference
V • T
2019
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

Returners and Recontractors Conference

Often referred to as R&R, this one-day conference was held in May or June. R&R was a conference with only JETs that ran two sets of workshops simultaneously: one which focused on helping those leaving the JET Program (Returners) and the other for making new goals for those who were going to stay in Akita one more year (Recontractors). Despite being held simultaneously, the two halves usually had little to no overlap in workshop sessions.

As of 2019, the Returners half and the Recontractors half were split into separate conferences, and the R&R conference was discontinued. Reasons cited for this split included, but weren't limited to, the difficulty in setting one date for the conference which was equally beneficial to both returners and recontractors or the difficulty in splitting the PAs and presenters between the two halves of the conference. In the final year of its existence R&R was rebranded as Akita ReOrientation in an attempt to tie the whole conference together under one, unified theme (though the content was still split between returners and recontractors; the same as R&R).

The R&R conference was run by the International Affairs Division and usually held at the Prefectural Education Center or the Prefectural Personnel Training Center in Katagami. In Japanese R&R was called the 帰国者及び再任用者研修会 (Kikokusha oyobi Sainin'yōsha Kenshūkai). The Japanese name did not change with the English rebranding in 2018.

Akita ReOrientation Conference
V • T
Returners & Recontractors Conference 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Akita ReOrientation Conference 2018

Other Conferences/Seminars

There are also several other conferences and seminars that are run by either CLAIR or organizations that are not directly related to Akita Prefecture. Whether or not you can attend and how much these conferences will cost you depends on your contracting organization.

The Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT) A nonprofit organization dedicated to the improvement of language teaching and learning.

Translation/Interpretation Course Training Seminar. A week-long seminar aimed at developing interpreting and overall Japanese language skills. Widely thought to be the best language course that CLAIR offers. ALTs can attend but should consult their CO for permission/details regarding travel costs. More info can be found [at http://jetprogramme.org/documents/course/2011_2012/Ling_Ped_and_Trans_Int_course.pdf here].

After JET Conference (formerly known as the Conference for Returning JETs). (Not to be confused with Akita's Leavers Conference held in May/June!) This is a 2 day conference for those completing their tenure on the JET Programme. It is held at the Tokyo Bay Makuhari Hotel in Chiba. The JET Career Forum (Tokyo) is also held concurrently at the After JET Conference.

  • 2018-2019: February 28-29

Training Programs for Teachers of the Japanese-Language. Run by the Japan Foundation Japanese-Language Institute, this program has multiple programs taking place throughout the year that is aimed towards people who want to become Japanese language teachers in the future. This program is not for studying Japanese.
Held in Urawa City, Saitama Prefecture. Information for the 2019 program can be found here.

See also

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