Fumie Kato

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Associate Professor of JapaneseFumie Kato photo
Office: COED 447
E-mail: fkato@uncc.edu

Overview
Fumie Kato is a Japanese Associate Professor of Japanese Studies Program in the Department of Languages and Culture Studies. She was named a Bonnie E. Cone Early-Career Professorship for Teaching in 2014. Student motivation, learning strategies and international and global studies are among her teaching and research interests. Kato built and is directing one of the largest undergraduate Japanese programs in North Carolina. She has created a thriving Japanese major from scratch, sent a record numbers of student abroad to Japan, involved her students with the greater Japanese community of Charlotte, secured an unprecedented number of grants for the Japanese program, and published her pedagogical successes in scholarly venues so that other instructors can benefit from her expertise.

Professional Appointments

  • UNC Charlotte since 2002
  • The University of Melbourne, 1999-2001
  • The University of Sydney, 1989-1997

Research Interests

  • Student motivation
  • Learning strategies
  • Second language acquisition
  • Applied Linguistics

Teaching Areas

  • Japanese language acquisition
  • Japanese research
  • Japanese culture

Selected Courses

  • JAPN 1201-3202: Japanese language courses (Elementary to Advanced)
  • JAPN 3400: Teaching Practicum
  • JAPN 4050: Advanced oral communications
  • JAPN 4100: JLPT Prep for N2
  • JAPN 4300: Introductory research project
  • JAPN 4410: Japanese Internship
  • LACS 4690: Senior Seminar

Honors & Awards

  • 2015, Recipient: Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendations in Honor of the 70th Anniversary of the End of the War with the United States of America
  • 2014, Finalists of 47th Annual Bank of America Award for Teaching Excellence
  • 2014, Recipient: Bonnie E. Cone Early-Career Professorship in Teaching
  • 2014, Recipient: Faculty International Education Award
  • 2014, Nominated: CLAS Teaching Award

Educational Background

  • Ph.D. 2001                    The University of Sydney
  • M.Ed. Honors. 1995      The University of Sydney
  • M.Ed. 1992                    The University of Sydney

Research Grants Awarded                                                                                                          

  • 2014, PI: KAKEHASHI Project by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan: Invitation of 23 students and two staffs to Japan for 10 days ($251,580).
  • 2014, PI: The Japan Foundation Japanese-Language Education Grant ($3,000).
  • 2014, PI: Diversity mini grant ($700) was awarded in October.
  • 2013, PI: Diversity mini grant ($850) was awarded in October.
  • 2013, PI: AAS (Association for Asian Studies) grant ($4,000) was awarded in November.
  • 2013, PI: Diversity mini grant ($1,000) was awarded in April.
  • 2013, PI: The Japan Foundation Grant Program for Assisting Salary Grant ($25,000) was awarded.
  • 2009: UNC Charlotte Reassignment of Duties, Spring.
  • 2008, PI: The Japan Foundation Grant Program for Japanese-Language Courses Abroad ($34,000) was awarded.
  • 2007, PI: AAS (Association for Asian Studies) grant ($1,000) was awarded.
  • 2007, PI: FLANC (Foreign Language Association in North Carolina) mini grant ($500) was awarded jointly to Dr. McCollough.
  • 2007, PI: CID (Curriculum and Instructional Development) grant ($5,100) was awarded jointly to Dr. McCollough at UNC Charlotte.
  • 2005, PI: Japanese-language teaching materials grant ($800) by the Japan Foundation was awarded.

Selected Professional Affiliations

  • Southern Eastern Association of Teachers of Japanese: SEATJ
  • Association for Asian Studies: AAS
  • Association of Teachers of Japanese: ATJ
  • American Association of Applied Linguistics: AAAL
  • The Japanese Society for Language Sciences: JSLS
  • Foreign Language Association in North Carolina: FLANC
  • North Carolina Japanese Language Teachers Association: NCJLT
  • Japanese Teachers Association in Charlotte: JTAC
  • Japanese Association in Charlotte: JAC

Public Service

  • 2014-2015, Chair, Southern Eastern Association of Teachers of Japanese: SEATJ
  • 2002-         Member, Japanese Teachers Association in Charlotte: JTAC

Selected Publications

Book:

  1. Kato (July 2010). 日本語教育への指針　学習者のやる気を伸ばす！Improving Student Motivation toward Japanese Learning. Tokyo: Gakujutsu Shuppannsha

Journal Articles:

  • Kato, F., Spring, R. & Mori, C. (Summer 2016). Mutually Beneficial Foreign Language Learning: Creating Meaningful Interactions Through Video-Synchronous Computer-Mediated Communication. Foreign Language Annals, 49.2, pp. 355-366.   DOI: 10.1111/flan.12195.
  • スプリング・ライアン、加藤冨美江、森千加香 (2016) 「東北大学・ノースカロライナ大学間 のスカイプ・パートナー・プログラム：英語コミュニケーション能力向上ツール としての効果に関する調査」高度教養教育・学生支援機構紀要, Vol.2, pp. 261-268 印刷. (ISSN 2189-5945)
  • Kato, F. (Feb 2016). Enhancing integrative motivation: The Japanese-American Collaborative Learning Project. Cogent Education, 3 (1) DOI: 10.1080/2331186X.2016.1142361              http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/9FVFVc3KQ7pafNI2eHAw/full
  • 加藤冨美江、スプリング、ライアン、森千加香（2015）「会話能力向上のためのスカイプ利用の有効性」第二言語習得研究会（JASLA)予稿集 印刷.
  • Kato, F., Mori, C. & Spring, R. (May 2015). Pilot Study: Investigation of the Effectiveness of    Skype for Enhancing the Oral Abilities of Japanese and English Learners. SEATJ    Proceedings. 87-100
  • Kato, F. (May 2012). Senior Seminar as a Capstone Course for Japanese BA Degree at UNC Charlotte. SEATJ proceedings.
  • Kato, F. (February 2011). UNC Charlotte as One of the Exchange Partners of Oita University. Bulletin for IPOU Symposium.
  • Kato, F. (April 2009). Student Preferences: Goal-Setting and Self-Assessment Activities in a Tertiary Education Environment. Language Teaching Research, 13-2, 177-200.
  • Kato, F. (July 2007). A comparative study of motivation: Foreign language learners of Spanish, French, German and Japanese in tertiary education. Studies in Language Sciences, 6. 97-112.
  • Kato, F., Yasumoto, S and Van Aacken, S. (April 2007). A comparative study: motivation of learners of Japanese among four universities across two countries. Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, 4, 1, 41-57.
  • Kato, F. (January/February 2002). Efficacy of intervention strategies in learning success rates. Foreign Language Annals, 35, 61-72.
  • Kato, F. (November 1999). Classroom activity: Learning strategies report. On JALT98: Focus on the Classroom: Interpretations, 110 – 118
  • Kato, F. and Harvey, J. (January 1997). Learning strategies of successful language learners in the use of CALL program through the analysis using audit trail. The Proceedings of the First International Conference on Multimedia Language Education. 59 – 69
  • Kato, F. (December 1995). Japanese learning within a computer-rich environment. Learning with Technology, 281-287

Recent Presentations                                                                        

  • AAAL (American Association for Applied Linguistics): April 9-12, 2016 in Florida (Title: Skype as an Effective Tool for Increasing Oral and Aural Ability: An Investigation of Learners of Japanese and English).
  • JASLA (Japanese Association of Second Language Acquisition): Dec. 19 & 20, 2015 in Tohoku, Japan. (Title: Effectiveness of the Skype Usage for Enhancing the Oral Abilities).
  • FLANC (Foreign Language Association in North Carolina): October 23 & 24, 2015 in      Durham (Title: Exploring the effectiveness of Skype to improve oral communication skills).
  • 30th SEATJ (Southeastern Association of Teachers of Japanese) Annual Conference. March 7 & 8, 2015 at UNC Chapel Hill Campus (Title: Pilot Study: Investigation of the Effectiveness of Skype for Enhancing the Oral Abilities of Japanese and English Learners).
  • FLANC (Foreign Language Association in North Carolina) October 3 & 4, 2014 in Winston-Salem (Title: “K-16 ‘Fureai Nihongo’ Vertical Articulation through Collaborative Presentation”).
  • SEATJ (Southeastern Association of Teachers of Japanese) Annual Conference: Chair: February 22 & 23, 2014 at UNC Charlotte Center City Campus (Title: “Keeping Japanese alive: prospects and possibilities for strengthening Japanese programs in the southeastern United States”).
  • FLANC (Foreign Language Association in North Carolina) October 11, 2013 in Winston- Salem (Title: “New Experiences with the Improved Sophia University and UNC Charlotte   “Pen-Pal Project””).
  • SEATJ (Southeastern Association of Teachers of Japanese) March 9 and 10 2013 at Charleston University (Title: Integrating Peer-tutor strategy into Japanese language courses at UNC Charlotte).
  • FLANC (Foreign Language Association in North Carolina) October 13, 2012 in Winston- Salem (Title: “Investigation of the Effectiveness of Pen-Pal Project conducted by UNC Charlotte and Sophia University” ).
  • AMPRA/ICUP Conference, October 19-21, 2012 in Charlotte (Title: “Teachability of Pragmatic Aspects of Japanese, Russian and Spanish”).
  • SEATJ Feb 24-26 in 2012 in Clemson, SC (Title: Senior Seminar as a Capstone Course   for Japanese BA Degree at UNC Charlotte).
  • FLANC October 15-16 in 2011 in Winston-Salem, NC (Title: Correlation between Attendance and Final Grades in the Japanese Studies Classroom).
  • SEATJ March 19-20 in 2011 in Raleigh, NC (Title: Intervention Study Improving Student Motivation).
  • SEATJ May 8-9 in 2010 in Durham, NC (Title: Evaluating the effectiveness of tracking in third year Japanese language courses).
  • IPOU 10th Anniversary Symposium March 5 and 6 in 2010 in Oita, Japan (Title: UNC Charlotte as one of the exchange partners of Oita University) Invited as one of the guest    presenters and panelists.
  • FLANC September 24-26 in 2009 in Raleigh, NC (Title: Investigation of the effectiveness of the activities in a Japanese language class improving four skills).
  • JALTCALL May 31 to June 1 in 2008 at Nagoya University of Commerce & Business in Nagoya, Japan (Title: Web-enhanced interactive multimedia Japanese program).
  • UNC-TLT March 12-14 in 2008 in Raleigh, NC (Title: Mixing it up for increased student success: Blended learning in Japanese courses).
  • SEATJ February 29 to March 2 in 2008 at University of Alabama, Alabama (Title: Introduction of tutor blog as a Japanese notice board and class blog in the culture class).
  • FLANC October 4-6 in 2007 in Winston-Salem, NC (Title: Introducing various usages of class blog in the Japanese language and culture classes).
  • JALTCALL June 1-3 in 2007 at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan (Title: A class blog as a tool for Enhancing Japanese literacy skills in beginning university JFL students).
  • UNC-TLT March 21-24 in 2007 in Raleigh (title: Interactive multimedia in elementary language classes).