As usual, as a domestic partner of JALT, we are able to run a forum at their international conference. This year’s forum will take place on the weekend of 1-2 November, in Tokyo.
If you would like to give a short presentation on SALL-related research or practices at this year’s JALT conference, please consider submitting a proposal for the JASAL Forum.
As per the conference rules, the forum has a maximum of 6 presenters, so submissions will be vetted for quality and relevance to JASAL members. Relevance to the JALT2025 conference theme may also be considered. Please submit your proposal to JASAL using this form by Friday, 16 May 2025.
The exact format of the forum (length of presentations etc.) will be decided once we have vetted the proposals and finalized the line-up.
This year’s JALT theme is: JALT2025: LanguageS: Learning, Teaching, Assessing
Saturday, October 11, 2025 JASAL2025 Conference at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU), Beppu, Oita. (Approx. time: 09:00–18:00) Followed by Evening Networking Reception (details to follow, approx. time: 20:00–22:00)
Sunday, October 12, 2025 Beppu Tour & Post Conference Reflection over Lunch(Approx. time: 10:00–14:00)
Plenary Talk
Addressing affect in self-access learning settings Dr. Maria Giovanna Tassinari Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
Conference Theme
Emotions in Self-Access Language Learning
As anyone who has spent any time learning a language knows, managing emotions is a vital part of the process. Language learning can lead to anxiety, but also great joy, and sustaining motivation is not always straightforward. This is especially the case in self-access environments, where various affective factors can influence the degree to which learners engage with the affordances offered by these spaces, and how they interact with other users. For self-access practitioners, considering emotions can affect the design of our spaces, the services offered, the role of staff and the physical (or virtual) set-up of the facilities, among other factors.
Call for Papers
At this year’s JASAL conference, we invite you to share your own practices and research on the role of emotions in your self-access contexts, and how the consideration of emotions has shaped your spaces.
We welcome submissions on this and other self-access related topics, such as:
Managing and administrating self-access centres
Learning advising/counselling/coaching
SAC design and layout
Self-access and curriculum, learning program design
Learning communities and learner involvement in SACs
Student perspectives on self-access language learning (SALL)
Virtual self-access
Influence of AI on self-access
Assessment of self-access SALL
Research design in SALL
Professional development for SALL / Learning advisor education
Promotion of SACs & SALL
Lifelong learning
Study abroad & SALL
Presentation Formats
We are accepting proposals for the following kinds of presentations. Please note that at this year’s conference we will have a limited number of online presentation slots available.
Research presentation (on-site or online) (20+5 mins)
Practices presentation (on-site or online) (15+10mins)
Workshop (on-site only) (45 mins)
Poster session (on-site only)
When submitting your proposal, please indicate if you are only able to accept an online presentation slot. All presenters should be JASAL members at time of registration. (To join JASAL, please send us an email, and include the information requested on the website.)
We welcome submissions in both English and Japanese. Please note that each presenter should be the lead presenter on only ONE submission, and may appear as a co-presenter on only one other submission.
Undergraduate students are welcome to submit to one of these formats with a member of staff (faculty member or administrator), but we encourage these students to participate in the dedicated student conference and other student-centred events, where they will have more opportunities to interact with peers.
We are proud to announce our 6th annual JASAL Student Forum 2025!
This event is a unique opportunity for SALC student staff, volunteers, and students who regularly use their SALC and want to make a difference to come together with peers from various universities for a lively and meaningful discussion.
Whether you’re supporting your SALC as a staff member or just love using the space to improve your language skills and connect with others, this is your chance to: – Share your ideas and experiences – Learn how other students run their SALC and engage with language learners – Feel inspired by new ideas and creative approaches
Teachers, advisors, and administrators are also welcome to join as listeners or supporters, but please note that this forum is designed especially for students to speak and lead the conversation.
Date: Saturday, June 14th Time: 10:00-12:00 Format: Online (Zoom meeting)
We look forward to seeing you there! Colin Mitchell & Hisako Yamashita JASAL Student Involvement Coordinators
※ Please note that this is a student conference. We only accept submissions from students. For more information on the JASAL National Conferences please see this page.
Greetings to all students involved in self-access language learning centers, their advisors, and teachers!
Are you currently working or volunteering for a self-access center at your university?
Are you interested in sharing your self-access-related experiences with students from other universities?
Do you want to meet and hear the stories of other students with similar experiences?
Then please join us for the 8th JASAL Student Conference and share your stories and listen to the stories of others!
Teachers and advisors are your students working on some amazing self-access projects? Or are they new to self-access and want to hear how other universities are doing?
Then please encourage your students to join, present or just attend the 7th JASAL Student Conference. Your students can introduce their facilities and student staff activities, or share their own experiences of learning languages, studying abroad or using their self-access language learning centers.
Presentations can be either solo or group presentations.
Date: Saturday, December 7th Time: 09:30-13:00 Format: Online (Zoom meeting)
There are two ways to participate:
Option 1 (Present + Attend): Submit your proposal by Tuesday, November 23, 2024, here
Option 2 (Just Attend): Register to participate by Monday, December 01, 2024,here
We, the organizers of Student Conference, are looking forward to seeing you at our online event and hearing your stories about self-access and/or language-learning journeys!
For more information, refer to the PDF below!
※ Please note that this is a student conference. We only accept submissions from students. For more information on the JASAL National Conferences please see this page.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the JASAL Forum at JALT last Saturday, titled Evolutions in self-access language learning. It was a great event, where we got to see both old and new faces!
We had three excellent presentations from members Stacey Vye, Suwako Uehara and Agnes Maria Francis, and a fruitful discussion.
JASAL Journal Volume 5, Issue 2 is soliciting abstracts for the JASAL Journal for December 2024, with a submission deadline of August 31, 2024. The theme of this issue will be integrating self-access into institutional landscapes, but we will consider all proposals related to self-access language learning. Please send submissions by email (jasalorgATgmail.com) indicating whether you are proposing a research, practice, or review article. In the subject heading, please write “Issue 5(2)”. Feel free to make enquiries to the editorial team by email if you are considering whether to submit a paper.
Suggested topics include, but are not limited to:
Self-access and curriculum
Integrating classroom practice and self-access learning
Faculty involvement in self-access
Self-access staff/advisor professional development
A big thank you to the staff and students at the University of Fukui for hosting, on Friday, May 24th, the recent JASAL SAC tour of their Global Hub and LDC! It was great to meet you and to hear about your facilities and initiatives!
JASAL 2024 will take place at Soka University, on Saturday, October 26, 2024.
Format: Hybrid (on-site conference with online participation possible)
Schedule
Friday, October 25, 2024 (afternoon)
We hope to be able to offer a SALC tour in the Tokyo area in the afternoon before the conference. We will confirm this information as soon as we are able to do so.
Saturday, October 26, 2024
09:00-18:00: JASAL2024 Conference at Soka University (1-236 Tangi-machi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo 192-8577). Click herefor access information)
19:00-21:00 (approximate times): Conference Networking Dinner. Details to follow.
Sunday, October 27, 2024
Post-conference activity is being planned by the site team. Details to follow.
Submit a Proposal
Submissions are accepted until Saturday, July 27th, 2024. Please check the Call for Papers below.
JASAL supports its membership by providing registration waivers and travel bursaries to JASAL members without institutional funding and undergraduate/postgraduate students for participation in the annual conference. If you meet the criteria for eligibility below and desire to apply for a travel bursary, please apply using the online form on the conference webpage. Members of the JASAL Executive Board will review all applications and award bursaries as we are able. Please note that bursary amounts are dependent on a variety of unknown factors such as conference revenue and estimated travel costs of all bursary applicants, and may not cover the full cost of travel. We are unable to cover accommodation. Criteria for eligibility:
I am a JASAL member or undergraduate student.
I do not have a source of funding (e.g., institutional budget, research grant) that can cover my travel costs.
I am willing to write a summary of my experience at the conference for publication in JASAL Journal or another publication. (Details will be given to successful applicants.)
We particularly welcome applications from members new to JASAL, undergraduate or postgraduate students, ALTs, or other non-tertiary sector educators. Please apply for the bursary using this form by 31st August 2024.
The Japan Association for Self-Access Learning 