Team-teaching and collaboration on lessons and activities is fairly common between Japanese and foreign colleagues at the junior high and high school level in Japan. However, it is less common at the tertiary level. Working together on projects and course planning can prove beneficial on several levels for both Japanese and foreign university instructors though. While working together at Tokai University’s campus of Marine Science and Technology, the presenters held an English Cafe and developed community outreach projects for students. They also designed and team-taught an English communication class, and created unique activities to help students learn to speak English more naturally. Their collaboration was beneficial on several levels. They exchanged their expertise and taught each other about various aspects of applied linguistics, pragmatics, teaching practices, and technological skills. Collaborating also helped them improve their English and Japanese language skills and become more confident in their professional identities.

This presentation will discuss some of the activities the presenters collaborated on together and how this collaboration benefitted them professionally. It will also give advice about ways to develop good relationships between Japanese and foreign colleagues, which will also result in positive learning experiences for students.