Megumi Iida

After participating in the ALLEX (Alliance for Language Learning and Education Exchange) program during the summer of 2013, Megumi taught for a year at Claflin University, a historical black university (HBCU) in South Carolina. Later, she studied Japanese linguistics at the University of Arizona to further her knowledge and perspective of the field and to become a better Japanese language teacher. Broadening her students’ horizons through Japanese language learning is her ambition.

Megumi honed her skills in various teaching methods through participating in different institutions including Nihon University, Ryan Catholic College, Claflin University, University of Arizona, Mori no Ike, and Middlebury College. She brings her passion for teaching Japanese language and culture and learning new teaching strategies when she joins the department.

Her goal is to contribute to our academic communities and the world by encouraging members of different communities in their pursuit of success and happiness. Aside from her teaching duties at the University of Arizona, she volunteered at the Tucson Japanese Language School. In addition to helping young heritage learners, she has organized weekly Tucson Nihongo café meetings to provide a learning space for those outside of the formal classroom setting. Taking advantage of the on-line format, she invited volunteer conversation partners from the city of Anjo, Japan to provide an even more diverse environment.

Conference presentations include:

Iida, M. (2021). Recipients’ Behaviors in Storytelling by L1 and L2 Speakers of Japanese. Paper presented at AATJ Annual Spring Conference, Live online. (March 26)

Noma, N. & Iida, M. (2018). The Ways to Greet in Japanese: Power, gender identity, and in-group/out-group. Paper presented at AATJ Annual Spring Conference, Washington, DC. (March 22)