CONFERENCES & EVENTS
Discover upcoming research gatherings, practical workshops, and performances sponsored by JALT PIE SIG.
PIE sig
PERFORMANCE IN EDUCATION
ABOUT PIE SIG CONFERENCES
The Performance In Education SIG of the Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT) sponsors several conferences a year, usually in convenient and interesting locations, with workshops, presentations, and performances. Families are always welcome.
“We are always trying to grow and spread our message through collaboration with YOU.”
What draws many people to the PIE SIG are the amazing and effective activities described by SIG members, the creative talents of the teachers/performers, and most of all, the warm, friendly atmosphere that we work hard to create. We are useful and FUN.
Contact us at jaltpiesig@gmail.com if you are in the collaborative mood or come and see for yourself what we are about at our annual Performance in Education Research & Practice Conference.
LATEST EVENT
PIE SIG on Lake Nojiri Conference 2026
August 14, 2026PIE SIG on Lake Nojiri Conference 2026
"Performance in Education at Lake Nojiri"
📌 Conference at a Glance
Aug 31 – Sep 2, 2026
Monday through WednesdayShinanomachi, Nagano
Reformed Elementary School SitePIE SIG
Annual Summer Gathering
🌲 About the Conference
This is the PIE SIG Conference in the beautiful resort area of Lake Nojiri in northern Nagano. The site of the 3-day conference on Performance in Education is right on the lake.
PIE SIG conferences have always been family-friendly events, and this conference is no exception. The Lake Nojiri area is a place that has everything necessary for a great vacation: impressive natural scenery, interesting sights to see, a variety of family entertainment spots, many good restaurants, and many types of accommodations from top-class hotels to pensions and campgrounds. Come to the conference with your family!
If you haven't reserved a room yet, we recommend:
- Nojiri Lake Resort (recommended for the lake view)
- Elan Hotel Lake Nojiri
🏫 Site & Venue Details
The conference is hosted at a reformed elementary school site with beautiful facilities, free parking, and a slope entrance.
Room #1 (Second Floor - Accessible by Elevator):
- Empty room with tables and chairs available in a storage area in the room
- Air conditioning available
- Maximum Capacity: 30 (Expected Attendance: 8–10)
- Large room with space for tables and a workshop area as desired
- Equipped with a whiteboard and 2 chalkboards
- Screen and projector provided for rent
- Free Wi-Fi available throughout the building (access details posted on the room wall)
- Restrooms located on both floors (barrier-free restroom available on the 1st floor)
🎟️ Registration, Submissions & Resources
📅 Detailed Program Schedule
Monday, August 31 — Day 1
* Bicycle Tour around Lake Nojiri has been cancelled — Replaced by optional local museums or souvenir shopping on demand.
- Recommended Souvenirs: Soba cha (Shinano-machi sourced), jams, wine, wood or wickerware, sweet corn, and peaches (shipping available).
- Meals: Lunch and/or dinner by choice.
Tuesday, September 1 (9:00 – 17:00) — Day 2
- 9:00 — Doors Open
- 9:00 – 9:30 — Room Set-up
- 9:45 – 9:55 — Welcome Message (Kevin Bergman & David Kluge)
- 10:00 – 10:45 — “Life Lessons: A PIE SIG-based English Textbook” – David Kluge with Takahiro Iida
- 11:25 – 11:35 — BREAK
- 11:35 – 12:00 — Morning DISCUSSION
- 12:00 – 14:00 — Lunch at Lumberjack lakeside restaurant or Capitan Italian Restaurant
- 14:00 – 14:50 — “JOEE to the World” – Ruth Gilmore Ingulsrud
- 15:00 – 15:45 — DISCUSSION: Theatre vs. Drama (Kevin Bergman & David Kluge)
- 15:45 – 16:40 — Afternoon DISCUSSION
- 16:40 – 17:00 — Room clean-up
Wednesday, September 2 (9:00 – 14:30) — Day 3
- 9:00 — Doors Open
- 9:00 – 9:20 — Room set-up
- 9:20 – 9:30 — Welcome Message
- 9:30 – 10:15 — “Down the Rabbit Hole: The Superpower of Multimodality” – David Kluge
- 10:20 – 11:10 — “Perform or Die: The Argumentative Performance of Werewolf in ELF Classrooms” – Michael McGehee
- 11:15 – 11:40 — “Doodles in the Margins: Art as Performance, Participation, and Meaning-Making” – Ariel Taback
- 11:40 – 12:00 — Room clean-up
- 12:00 – 12:15 — Transport to restaurant and short tour of the facilities
- 13:00 – 14:30 — Lunch at St. Cousair Winery Restaurant (A-la-carte ordering: 760–1,650 yen)