Optimizing the future of language teaching with technology in Japan.

Pandemic-era teaching has taken many forms: online, face-to-face, hybrid, and hyflex, among others. In this article, I make four predictions for the future of language teaching with technology in Japan and provide my recommendations for optimizing this future. First, I predict that online instruction will quickly fall back to pre-pandemic levels without interventions to prevent this. One area ripe for change is in virtual international experiences, such as online study abroad. Second, most institutions will adopt bring-your-own-device policies. Teachers will need more tech literacy to take full advantage of these devices. Third, institutions will recognize a growing variety of learning differences among students and rely on teachers to accommodate them. To support all learners, universal design will become standard. Fourth, although most instruction will return to the physical classroom, teachers will need to be constantly prepared to shift instruction online again. Emergency remote teaching will be inadequate. To prepare to meet these challenges and optimize the outcomes, teachers need quality professional development. Although current offerings from our institutions are inadequate, CALL experts can help to fill some of the unmet needs. I encourage CALL experts to push for the future of technology in education that they would like to see.