The Future of Education

An effective support structure is vital if educational authorities want to encourage teachers to stay in the teaching profession (Farrell, 2025). This presentation introduces an innovative professional development initiative for pre-service English teachers in Japan, implemented within a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) research project (Kaken B No. 21K18371). Since 2022, the project members have designed and delivered a series of intensive, practice-oriented workshops that address the specific needs of novice teachers and prepare them for the realities of today’s classrooms. A recent workshop, “Ideas and insights for early-career teachers” exemplifies this approach. Co-facilitated by university faculty, an experienced high school teacher, and two early-career English teachers, the program combined expert knowledge with authentic classroom voices. Its four sessions addressed: (1) integrating horizon technology to support teachers and learners;            (2) fostering learner autonomy; (3) inclusive strategies for neurodiverse learners; and (4) reflections from novice teachers in their first two years of teaching. Feedback from the workshop participants (n=18) provided insights into the challenges faced by pre-service and novice in-service teachers, such as confidence building, classroom management, and inclusive teaching. These findings shed light on how collaborative, technology-enhanced, and experience-driven workshops can bridge the gap between theory and practice, ultimately fostering more resilient, reflective, and innovative English teachers. The presentation will share the workshop model, highlight key findings, and discuss its implications for designing sustainable professional development pathways for English teachers in Japan and beyond.