John RUCYNSKI

 

Associate Professor        Office: C414         Email: rucyns-j [at] okayama-u.ac.jp

Since graduating from university in upstate New York, I have spent most of my adult life teaching EFL/ESL in different countries. In addition to stays in Morocco and New Zealand, I have lived and worked in Hokkaido, Kansai, and Chugoku here in Japan.  My teaching philosophy can be summed up by two rules:
1. Always try to teach the perfect class.
2. There’s no such thing as the perfect class.

Education
M.A. TESOL (2001), School for International Training, USA
B.A. English (1994), State University of New York at Oswego, USA

Research Interests
Integration of language and culture teaching
Content-Based Instruction
Humor in language teaching
Alternatives to TOEIC

Recent Publications

Rucynski, J., & Prichard, C. (2020). “Bridging the Humor Barrier: Humor Competency Training in English Language Teaching,” edited by J. Rucynski Jr. & C. Prichard. Lexington Books. (edited book)

Prichard, C., & Rucynski, J. (2020). Humor competency training for sarcasm and jocularity, in Bridging the Humor Barrier: Humor Competency Training in English Language Teaching, edited by J. Rucynski Jr. & C. Prichard. Lexington Books. (book chapter)

Rucynski, J., & Prichard, C. (2020). Training English language learners to recognize English satirical news, in Bridging the Humor Barrier: Humor Competency Training in English Language Teaching, edited by J. Rucynski Jr. & C. Prichard. Lexington Books. (book chapter)

Prichard, C., & Rucynski, J. (2019). L2 learners’ ability to detect satirical news and the effect of humor competency training. TESOL Journal. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesj.366

Rucynski, J. (2019). Reactions of Japanese students to a World Englishes approach in a university speaking and listening course. Journal of Research and Pedagogy, Volume 5: Global Englishes and Cross Cultural Communication, Otemae University.

Rucynski, J. (2018). Super glocal education: Exploring and explaining Japanese culture in English classes. Japan in the World, the World in Japan: A Methodological Approach. December 2016 Symposium Proceedings, 19 – 31.

Gordenker, A. & Rucynski, J. (2017). Surprising Japan 2: ニッポンの不思議. Shohakusha Publishing Co., Ltd. (textbook)

Neff, P. & Rucynski, J. (2017). Japanese perceptions of humor in the English language classroom. International Journal of Humor Research, 30(3), 279 – 301.

Rucynski, J. (Ed.) (2016). New Ways in Teaching with Humor. TESOL Press: Alexandria. (edited book)

Gordenker, A. & Rucynski, J. (2015). Working in Japan: Video Interviews with 14 Professionals. Tokyo: Cengage Learning K.K. (textbook)

Rucynski, J. (2013). Foreign reactions to Japan as a teaching resource. In N. Sonda & A. Krause (Eds.), JALT 2012 Conference Proceedings. Tokyo: JALT, pp. 393—401. (refereed article)

Neff, P. & Rucynski, J. (2013). Tasks for integrating language and culture teaching. English Teaching Forum, 51 (2), pp. 12—23. (refereed article)

Gordenker, A. & Rucynski, J. (2012). Surprising Japan: ニッポンの不思議. Shohakusha Publishing Co., Ltd. (textbook)

Rucynski, J. (2011). Using The Simpsons in EFL classes. English Teaching Forum, 2011 (1), 8—17. (refereed article)

Recent Presentations

“Considering the Cultural Context when Incorporating Humor into the Language Teaching Curriculum,” American Association of Applied Linguistics 2020 (canceled conference), March 2020.

“Using Foreign-made Documentaries about Japan as a Basis for Intercultural Discussions,” Multicultural Japan: Effective Methodologies for Teaching Language and Culture to Japanese University Students” Symposium, December 2019. 

“Satirical News for Information and Media Literacy,” JALT International Convention, November 2019. (with C. Prichard)

“Student Reactions to a World Englishes Approach,” JALT International Convention, November 2019.

“Humor in the Language Classroom: Insights from Learners and Educators,” The Applied Linguistics Conference, November 2019. (with P. Neff)

“Training English Language Learners to Detect English Satirical News,” The Applied Linguistics Conference, November 2019. (with P. Neff)

“The Methodological Challenge of Incorporating Humor Competency Training into the English Language Teaching Curriculum: Case Study of English Satirical News,” Professionals and Research in Applied Linguistics 2019 Congress, June 2019. (with C. Prichard)

“Student Reactions to a Global English Approach,” JALT PanSig, May 2019. 

“Incorporating Humor Competence Training into the Language Learning Curriculum,”
TESOL Convention, March  2019. 

“Creating Materials With a Focus on the Students’ Native Culture,” TESOL Convention, March 2019.

“Using Truth or Lie? Icebreakers to Introduce Critical Reading Strategies,” TESOL Convention, March 2019. 

“New Ways in Teaching with Humor,” TESOL Convention, March 2019.

“Training Learners of English to Recognize Verbal Irony,” American Association of Applied Linguistics 2019, March 2019.  (with C. Prichard)

“The Efficacy of Humor Competency Training in Second and Foreign Language Teaching,” American Association of Applied Linguistics 2019, March, 2019.  (with C. Prichard)

“The Humor Barrier in Foreign Language Acquisition,” Multilingual Awareness and Multilingual Practices, November 2018. 

“Reactions of Japanese Students to a World Englishes Approach in a University Speaking and Listening Course,” World Englishes, Bilingualism, and Cross-Cultural Education in Japan, October 2018.

“Cultural Considerations of Implementing Humor into the Language Learning Curriculum: Case Study of English Language Courses at Universities in Japan,” 20th International Congress of Linguists, July 2018. 

“Using Documentaries about Japan as a Springboard for Intercultural Discussions,” Japan in the World, the World in Japan: A Methodological Approach, March 2018.

“Integrating Language and Culture Teaching with a Focus on the Students’ Native Culture,” Hiroshima JALT 2017 Conference and Book Fair, December 2017. 

“Detecting Satirical News: A New Competency for English Language Learners in our Digitalized World” 2017 Association for Teacher Education in Europe Annual Conference, October 2017.

“Using Humor to Enhance Language and Culture Instruction,” TESOL International Association Online Webinar, September 2017.  

“Focusing on Japanese Culture in English Classes for Japanese Students
Japan: Pre-Modern, Modern, and Contemporary Symposium, September 2017. 

“Detecting Online Satirical News: New Competency in the Digital World,” 15th Asia TEFL International Conference, July 2017.

“Building Bridges through Collaborative Projects between Japanese and International Students,” The Fourth Annual Conference on Global Higher Education, June 2017.

“Fake News or Odd News?: Analyzing Japanese English Speakers’ Difficulty in Detecting Satire,” American Association of Applied Linguistics (AAAL) 2017, March 2017. 

“New Ways of Teaching with Humor to Enrich Your Classroom,” TESOL 2017 Convention, March 2017.

“Super Glocal Education: Exploring and Explaining Japanese Culture in English Classes,”
2nd Japan in the World, the World in Japan: A Methodological Approach Symposium, December 2016.

“Using Satirical News for Increasing Media Literacy,” New York State TESOL 46th Annual Conference, November 2016. 

“Using Memes to Provide Insight into Language, Culture, and Humor,” New York State TESOL 46th Annual Conference, November 2016. 

“Stereotypes in Humor: From Taboo to Teaching Tool,” JALT 42nd Annual International Conference on Language Teaching and Learning & Educational Materials Exhibition, November 2016.

“Transforming Humor in ELT from Ha-Ha to Aha,” JALT 42nd Annual International Conference on Language Teaching and Learning & Educational Materials Exhibition, November 2016.

“Designing Japan-Specific Teaching Materials in a Borderless Era,” 55th International JACET Convention, September 2016. 

“Real-World English: Creating Listening Materials for Exposing Students to Varieties of English,” 中国・四国地区大学教育研究会, June 2016. 

“Training English Language Learners to Comprehend and Respond to Humorous Memes,” International Society for Humor Studies 2016 Conference, June 2016. 

“Humor as a Medium for Cultural Education: Views from English Language Learners,” International Society for Humor Studies 2016 Conference, June 2016.

“Using Humor as a Springboard for Exploring Cultural Boundaries in Language Classes,” 4th International Conference on Language, Education, and Diversity, November 2015. 

“Humor-Based Classroom Tasks for Fostering Students’ Real-World Cross-Cultural Competence,” 6th International Conference on Task-Based Language Teaching, September 2015. 

“Factors influencing EFL learners’ reactions to language tasks,” International Conference on Task-Based Language Teaching, Leuven, Belgium, Sept. 2015. (with Neff, P.)

“Humor-based classroom tasks for fostering students’ real-world cross-cultural competence,” International Conference on Task-Based Language Teaching, Leuven, Belgium, Sept. 2015.

“Global skills in language education from policy maker, teacher, and student perspectives,” Bridging Language Acquisition and Language Policy Symposium, Lund, Sweden, June 2015.

“Think global, start local: Focusing on Japanese culture in English language classes,” Annual Conference on Global Education at Lakeland College, Tokyo, Japan, June 2015.

“Teaching digital literacy, culture, and humor through internet memes,” TESOL 2015 International Convention & English Language Expo, Toronto, Canada, March 2015. (with Prichard, C.)

“Borderline funny: Humor in language education,” JALT 2014 National Conference, Tsukuba, Japan, Nov. 2014. (with Gardner, S., Hodson, R. & Namba, A.)

“Targeting English to students’ interest in jobs and work,” JALT 2014 National Conference,Tsukuba, Japan, Nov. 2014. (with Gordenker, A.)

“Stereotypes in humor as a springboard for cross-cultural discussions,” 44th Annual NYS TESOL Conference, Albany, U.S.A., Nov. 2014.

“American joke: How Japanese students perceive humor in the language classroom,” JALT Hokkaido Annual Conference, Sapporo, Japan, Sept. 2014. (with Neff, P.)

“Preparing students for the global job market with work-focused English,” JACET International Convention, Hiroshima, Japan, Aug. 2014. (with Gordenker, A.)

“What do Japanese students really think of humor in English language classes?” International Society for Humor Studies Utrecht 2014 Conference, Utrecht, Holland, July, 2014. (with Neff, P.)

“Measuring various cultural limits of humor in language classes,” Australasian Humour Studies Network Conference, Wellington, New Zealand, Feb. 2014. (with Gardner, S. & Namba, A.)

“Exploring humor and stereotypes in English classes,” JALT Hokkaido Annual Conference, Sapporo, Japan, Nov. 2013.

“Integrating language and culture teaching in EFL classes,” Second International Symposium on Language and Communication, Izmir, Turkey, Nov. 2013. (with Neff, P.)

“Classroom activities for discussing Japanese culture in English,” JALT Hokkaido Annual Conference, Sapporo, Japan, Nov. 2012.

“Foreign reactions to Japan as a teaching resource,” JALT National Conference, Hamamatsu, Japan, Oct. 2012. (with Gordenker, A.)

“Integrating culture into an interview task,” JALT National Conference, Hamamatsu, Japan, Oct. 2012. (with Neff, P.)

“Student reactions to the integration of language and culture,” 7th Intercultural Rhetoric and Discourse Conference, Indianapolis, U.S.A., Aug. 2012. (with Neff, P.)

Professional and Academic Affiliations
ISHS (International Society for Humor Studies), member
JALT (Japan Association of Language Teachers), member
NELTA (Nepal English Language Teachers Association), member
TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), member