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Communication Toolkit: Leveraging Change That Supports Learner Engagement and the Faculty Culture Without Making Waves��教師のためのテンパード・コミュニケーション・ツールキット：波風を立てずに学習者エンゲージメントと教員組織文化の変革を促す� ��

Matsuyama JALT

14:00~

July 18th, 2026

Stacey Vye Ed.D.

Professor/Director

Center for English Education and Development

Saitama University

Meirin-chan

Saitama University Mascot

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Cleveland High School

Traditional

Junior High

School ☹, Madison.

Visual Resume

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Tempered Tool Kit

The Tempered Change Framework: Four Unique Actions (Meyerson 2001; 2008)

Workshop Participation: Exploring Changes That You Can Make No Matter What Your Role is in Your Organization(s)

Embracing Limitations

Barriers to Communication in the Classroom

The Overuse of Directives and Underuse of Levels of Politeness

The Misuse of Coordination Conjunctions or FANBOYS

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Meyerson (2001a, p. 100)

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Tempered change is more diffuse, less visible, modest, and more localized than traditional forms of leadership.

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“Tempered radicals (TR) bear no banners, they sound not trumpets. Their ends are sweeping, but their means are mundane.”

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Most Personal Most Public

(Single Individual)🡸=============================🡺 Most Public (Working with Others)

(Single Individual) (Working with others)

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Meyerson (2001; 2001; 2008)

A spectrum of tempered change strategies

Disruptive Self-Expression

Verbal Jiujitsu

Variable-Term Optimism

Strategic Alliance Building

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Images: Pixabay.

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Disruptive Self-Expression: �pushes the status quo door ajar for alternative practice

  • To increase learner engagement:

- Students’ anxiety to enter our self-access center (Hughes et al., 2012)

  • an teacher brought their taught classes into the center
  • others followed
  • We highly increased student participation

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Workshop Participation:

Exploring Changes That You Can Make No Matter What Your Role is in Your Organization(s)!

Your Examples and Future Ideas for Using Disruptive Self-Expression

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Verbal Jiujitsu�(without appearing accusatory, yet voicing tensions in a diplomatic way)

  • Teacher demonstrated displeasure at not being able to students’ funds for the personal use.

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  • I noted that, “It’s a voluntary position and it’s perfectly fine to step down from the post. You don’t have to be here.”

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  • I preserved the funds for student use.

Meyerson (2001a)

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Variable Term Optimism: Capitalizing on Serendipitous Circumstances in the Short Term: In the long-term it can be more proactive (Meyerson, 2021a)

2009 Original Small Grant Awarded

2017-2021 Grant Split to Each Volunteer Advisor: One kept student resources.

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2023 Center Releases Full Grant to the Remaining Volunteer Advisors: Administrative Transparency. One-Third of the grant was not revealed.

Short Term

Optimism

Medium Term

Optimism (Previously thought LONG!)

Long Term

Optimism

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Variable Term Optimism

At the Monthly Dean and Directors Meeting:

Discussion: 埼玉大学の全学臨時休講等の基準

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Saitama University Guidelines

for University-Wide Class Cancellations

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I proposed that classes should be canceled 3 hours prior instead of 2.

Meyerson (2001a)

Image: Geralt @ Pixabay

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Workshop Participation:

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Workshop Participation: Exploring Changes That You Can Make No Matter What Your Role is in Your Organization!

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  • Your Examples and Ideas for Future Variable-Term Optimism

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  • Designed the ECR Online Portal
  • Made an accountable ERC learner budget approval system
  • Re-introduced our in-person TA system
  • Cleaned two years of a dusty closed room and introduced infection prevention protocols
  • MacGyvered our old and new computer systems where learner preferences and attendance data are secured
  • Launched our in-person and hybrid Zoom ERC Online group advising sessions

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Workshop Participation:

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Workshop Participation: Exploring Changes That You Can Make No Matter What Your Role is in Your Organization!

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  • Your Examples and Ideas for Strategic Alliance Building

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Who are Your Collaborators? �Support each other as much as you can!�

List at least 3 colleagues that you can collaborate with and write how to contact them:

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List at least 3 people outside your profession that you can collaborate with and write how to contact them:

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Collaboration Exercise: Focusing on One Teaching Issue to Improve

Write Down Issues to Improve Instructions: Each participant receives a blank card

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Keep each issue a secret as you collect the cards

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Place the responses to each other and discuss solutions as a team.

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The reason is so your team can focus on the issues, ideas, and solutions rather than who submitted focusing on the ideas themselves makes the collaborative discussions fruitful, and increases enthusiasm 

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Ruth, A. (2016, June 28). Five team-building exercises that increase

collaboration. Forbes.https://www.forbes.com/sites/yec/2016/06/28/five-team-building-exercises-that-increase-collaboration/#468e196d351a

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Burkeman (2024): Hacks I feel are useful

Week One: A Finite Existance

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Day 3: You Need Only Face the Consequences: On Paying the Price

  • The problem: Is it worth it
  • Acknowledge the problem; face the truth; reduce the agongy, so what?

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Day 4: Against Productivity: A Power of A Done List

  • Reduce the feeling of anxiety of things you feel you have to schedule
  • Just write down what you have done

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Barriers to Effective English Communication: The Yakudoku Method

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Related Literature

Sources

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An acceptance of translations of written English to Japanese, or the yakudoku method will help secondary students pass English entrance exams for universities in Japan.

(Aspinal, 2006; Browne & Wada, 1998; Butler, 2011; Butler & Iino, 2005; Falout, Elwood, & Hood; 2009; Gorsuch, 1998; 2000; 2001; Glasgow & Paller, 2016; Hino; 1988; Humphries & Burns, 2015; Kavanagh, 2012; Kikuchi, 2009; Kikuchi & Browne, 2009; Kitao & Kitao, 1995; Kuramoto & Koizumi, 2016; Nishino, 2011, Nishino & Watanabe, 2008; O’Donnell, 2005; Reesor, 2005; Sakui, 2004; Tahira, 2012; Underwood, 2012)

University students have reported they are not motivated to learning English based on their secondary classes learning through yakudoku.

(Falout, Elwood, & Hood, 2009; Kikuchi, 2009; Kikuchi & Browne, 2009)

Yakudoku inhibits MEXT’s policy reforms for students to be more proficient at English in secondary schools.

(Browne & Wada 1998; Faout, Elwood, & Hood, 2009; Gorsuch, 1998; Nishino, 2008; O’Donnell, 2005; Sakui, 2004; Takase, 2007; Underwood, 2012; Willaims & Andrade, 2008).

Insufficient teacher training time and resources limits opportunities for students to improve their English proficiency.

(Butler, 2011; Glasgow & Paller, 2016; Kavanaugh, 2012; Laurier, et al., 2011; Nishino & Watanabe, 2008; Reesor, 2005; Sakamoto, 2012; Taguchi, 2005; Tahira, 2011)

Barriers to Effective English Communication: The Yakudoku Method

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Possibilities for Textbook Adaption & Selection in JHS in Japan

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Possibilities for Textbook Adaption & Selection in SHS in Japan

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The Overuse of Directives and the Underuse of Levels of Politeness (Pragmatics)

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  • A lack of advance levels of politeness in English secondary textbooks in Japan.
  • Teachers give directives to students, and students imitate ‘teacher talk.’

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Creating Unintentional Young English Dictators

Image: Irasutoya

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(2018, May 15)

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10 Levels of Politeness in English

  1. Check!
  2. Check it!
  3. Please check it!
  4. Can you check my assignment, please?
  5. Could you check my assignment, please?
  6. Could you possibly check my assignment, please?
  7. Could you possibly check my assignment, please when you have time?
  8. Could you possibly check my assignment, please when you have time –if you don’t mind?
  9. I was wondering whether you could possibly check my assignment, please when you have time –if you don’t mind?
  10. Dear Dr. Vye, I was wondering whether you could possibly check my assignment, please when you have time –if you don’t mind?

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Adapted from Purland Training (2018, May 15)

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2009 motion picture FANBOYS

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The Lack of coordinating conjunctions in many textbooks in Japan could be impacting students’ entrance exam scores.

For Example:

I participated in an English speech contest, but I felt I did well.

I participated in an English speech contest. But I felt I did well.

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Let’s have fun! Could you please shout out or type in what are:

F

A

N

B

O

Y

S

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The Mum Educates (2019)

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Tempered Tool Kit

The Tempered Change Framework: Four Unique Actions (Meyerson 2001; 2008)

Workshop Participation: Exploring Changes That You Can Make No Matter What Your Role is in Your Organization(s)

Barriers To Effective Communication in the Classroom

-Possibilities for Secondary Textbook Adaption/Selection

-Overuse of Directives and Underuse of Levels of Politeness

-Misuse of Coordination Conjunctions or FANBOYS

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References

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Burkeman, O. (2024). Mediations for mortals: Four weeks to embrace your limitations

and make time for what counts. Macmillian.

Hughes, L. S., Krug, N. P., & Vye, S. (2012). Advising practices: A survey of self-access

learner motivations and preferences. Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal, 3(2), 163-181. https://sisaljournal.org/archives/jun12/hughes_krug_vye/

Meyerson, D. E. (2001a). Radical change, the quiet way. Harvard Business Review’s 10

Must Reads on Change, 39, 92-101.

Meyerson, D. E. (2001b). Tempered radicals: How people use difference to inspire

change at work. Harvard Business Review Press.

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Meyerson, D. E. (2008). Rocking the boat: How tempered radicals effect change without making trouble. Harvard Business Review Press.

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Stacey Vye

vyesl@mail.Saitama-u.ac.jp

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staceyvye.com

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