Noriko Taira Yasohama
Professor of Instruction
M.Ed., University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Noriko Taira Yasohama is the recipient of the 2026 Daniel I. Linzer Award for Faculty Excellence in Service and the 2012 Arts and Sciences Alumni Teaching Award. She has extensive experience in world language education and curriculum development, along with training in second language acquisition research design and oral proficiency assessment. She has contributed to several textbook chapters on Japanese language, English as a second language and intercultural communication. Taira has demonstrated sustained leadership in language programs, serving as Director of Language Programs in the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures (2013-2023) and as the inaugural Co-Director of the Weinberg Language Resource Center (2023-2026). Since 2023, she has also served as President of the Illinois Association of Teachers of Japanese (IATJ). 
