 |
Prof. Katsunori Hizawa
Special Contract Faculty Instructor since 2001
Japan Foundation Assistant Professor of Japanese 1996-1999
Lecturer of Japanese since 1988
M.A. Linguistics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 1983
University Fellow, University of Illinois 1980-1981
University Fellow, University of Illinois 1979-1980
GLCA Exchange, DePauw University, Greencastle, Indiana 1975-1976
B.A. English Linguistics, Waseda University 1979
Tokyo Institute for Advanced Study of Language 1978-1979
I come from downtown Tokyo. Unlike what you might think, it is a very down-to-earth place (Lower Town). After finishing my BA in English Literature and English Linguistics at Waseda University, I went to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to study Linguistics. I came to North America after the end of the Linguistic War. (No, it's got nothing to do with Quebec vs. the rest of Canada. It refers to an intense debate that took place in the late 60' and the 70's among generative grammarians who were working under the paradigm set forth by Noam Chomsky.) My teachers were the proponents of the so-called Generative Semantics and it was very, VERY exciting to be able to attend their courses. I immensely enjoyed studying Linguistics there. I originally intended to become a teacher of English back in Japan after my studies in North America. Well, life is full of surprises (even to this day). Ever since I started working on Japanese data, I was quite intrigued by the Japanese language. My curiosity led me to teaching (and learning how to teach) Japanese. And eventually, I moved to Montreal, Quebec, and started teaching Japanese at McGill University. In 1988, I started teaching a Japanese course at Bishop's and ever since I've been teaching Japanese here.
If you care to know what I'm interested in, click here.
Office: NIC 203
Work Phone: 822-9600 ext. 2437
kat@ubishops.ca or nori@cooptel.qc.ca
BU-YPU Teaching Assistants
Bishop's University and Yamaguchi Prefectural University (YPU) have a unique tri-part, bi-lateral exchange agreement, which includes the teaching assistant exchange program. YPU sends their teaching assistants (Japanese as Second/Foreign Language) to Bishop's and we send our students as ESL teaching assistants to YPU. Here are the teaching assistants past and present.
 |
Mihono Imai
BU-YPU Teaching Assistant 2011-2012
We have Mihono Imai from Yamaguchi Prefectural University this year. She comes from Iwakuni, Yamaguchi, like her predecessor Kaho. Mihono has a very high energy level and she's very much willing to help our students. In no time, she made many friends through her teaching. Her skills in making takoyaki (たこ焼き) are amazing, according to those who witnessed Mihono in action. She is good at making personalized drills to supplement the textbooks we use. She takes my comments (and occasional criticism) very well, and won't repeat the same mistakes. We are happy to have her this year.
Office: NIC 203
Work Phone: 822-9600 ext. 2437
Email: mihono39@yahoo.co.jp
Teaching Assistants from previous years
 |
Kaho Yonemoto
BU-YPU Teaching Assistant 2010-2011
We had Kaho Yonemoto from Yamaguchi Prefectural University for the year 2010-2011. She comes from Iwakuni, Yamaguchi. Her house is right by the famous Kintai bridge. Kaho now teaches Japanese at Centre College, Danville, Kentucky as teaching assistant. Her experience here at Bishop's must have been evaluated highly to have yet another year of teaching at another university. The experience of this kind could look as if one were making a detour. What is interesting about life is, however, that bend in the road. We don't know what life has in store for us until we make the turn. Kaho will surely have yet another important opportunity to grow further. [Updated on November 13, 2011]
 |
Aya Tanaka
BU-YPU Teaching Assistant 2009-2010
We had Aya from Yagaguchi Prefectural University for 2009-2010. She arrived here on September 2, 2009. Unlike last year, all the flights were on schedule and obtaining a work permit was without a hitch. I personally thank Stephen Sheeran and Jamie Crooks for providing me a little help when I needed to prepare the dossier for Aya. Aya comes from the City of Ube, Yamaguchi. A very hard working girl. In order to raise enough funds to come here, she was working part-time for many hours very close to her departure day for Canada. We welcomed her to our community and we had fun studying Japanese that year as well. Aya's background in music is quite something. She has been playing the piano, the baritone saxophone, the clarinet and the mandolin, starting from the junior high. She was also a member of a youth choir. She seems to have a soft spot for the Massawippi mud pie at the Pilsen's in North Hately...! [Updated in July, 2010]
 |
Nozomi Maehara
BU-YPU Teaching Assistant 2008-2009
We had Nozomi for the year 2008-2009. She is no stranger to the BU community as she was one of the Summer ESL Program participants from YPU in 2006. Professor Robert Schalkoff of YPU accompanied the group. As part of their extra-curricular activities, the group went to see "Les légendes fantastiques" in Drummondville. (The summer of 2006 turns out to be the very last season of "Les légendes fantastiques".) She was very conscientious and very hard working. In my opinion, she understood why I do what I do at Bishop's. Her level of awareness about teaching Japanese was quite on a par with mine and it was a pleasure to work with Nozomi and I was always able to count on her. She caught a bug for singing a capella and I am very happy that she came to enjoy singing with us. We even continued our practise into Spring 2009. She also had a rigorous traing in French (courtesy of the Governments of Canada/Quebec and was able to see yet another aspect of Canadian society. [Updated in July, 2009]
 |
Rie Hirano and Sayaka Kamura
BU-YPU Teaching Assistants 2007-2008
Exceptionally for the year 2007-2008, we had 2 assistants from YPU. They arrived here in late August, and we went to Drummondville to see "La Fantasique Légende AO" on its last day of performance for the season. Having two assistants allowed me to do a lot more things for the courses as well as the extra curricular activities.
 |
Rie and Sayaka were quick in learning new things. For each class, they came up with very creative drills and their willingness to help students after class was very commendable. They organized an excursion to Mount Orford on October 13, 2007. It was a lot of fun for everyone participated. Here are some of the photos. I have learned from them that there are several versions for the Frog Song in Japan where the onomatopea for fogs are: ge-ge-ge-ge, kero-kero-kero-keo, or even gero-gero-gero-gero, etc.! [Update Sept. 5, 2009] Rie graduated from YPU this year and now works in Nagoya while Sayaka is in her final year at YPU.
 |
Chiari Sugiyama
BU-YPU Teaching Assistant 2006-2007
Chiari just finished her mandate (Spring course, ended on June 11, 2007) and she is on her way to Tennessee. She does everything I ask her (advanced drills, task-oriented drills, game-based drills, etc.) and further she also takes care of some of the students, giving them regular tutorials. A very hard-working teaching assistant. The only draw-back is that she and chocolate don't seem to agree with each other. She is unbelievably passionate about cookies. Sesame Street Cookie Monster, eat your heart out! [Updated in June, 2009]
 |
Naomi Rokujo
BU-YPU Teaching Assistant 2005-2006
Naomi has been working for a company, in her home prefecture of Kagawa, which makes "udon" noodles since April, 2007. The company has been around for more than 100 years. Naomi developed a good taste for French and regional cooking as well as for locally brewed beers in the Eastern Townships, thanks to, ahem!, yours truly. She is very reliable and intuitive. Even if I don't say it in class, she knows what I want to do next and gets ready for it for me. Naomi came back to BU twice so far and always brings me a whole bunch of "udon" noodles, which I appreciate immensely. This spring I saw her three times in fact. Once here at BU, the second time in Toronto at the wedding of Mark Reynolds and Michiko Iwamoto and the third time in Yamaguchi for the 2nd reception for Mark and Michiko. [Updated in June, 2009]
 |
Miyoko Terada
BU-YPU Teaching Assistant 2004-2005
The cute little Miyoko did so many things besides teaching Japanese: stayed in an Amerindian reserve, studied French in Chicoutimi, saw the fjords of Saguenay, made many, many friends, went to Europe, etc. Miyoko really developed an insight into Quebec. She now teaches English to children in Hiroshima. Thanks to her, I came to know a wonderful music group Hana*Hana. [Update Sept. 5, 2009] She has now moved to Australia (the holiday working visa program) and stays with her boyfriend. So her adventure still continues.
 |
Ayuka Komo (now Ayuka Komo Goobie)
BU-YPU Teaching Assistant 2003-2004
Ayuka was the first teaching assistant. She started the Japanese Club and set the path for future teaching assistants from Yamaguchi Prefectural University. She came to Bishop's when there was a fear of SARS going on. She is very resourceful and creative. Her drills are always interesting to watch. Now she is happily married to Mr. Stephen Goobie and they reside in Vancouver, British Columbia. Ayuka came to see me on May 31, 2009. I took just a few photos. You can view them here. [Updated in June, 2009]
