Yasuko Takata Rallings granted 2026 SEATJ teacher of the year 

Professor of the Practice in Japanese in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures Yasuko Takata Rallings, was recently selected as the 2026 Southeastern Association of Teachers of Japanese (SEATJ) Teacher of the Year. A prominent annual recognition, the SEATJ Teacher of the Year award honors educators who demonstrate excellence in teaching, mentorship, and leadership, and have an outstanding dedication to advancing Japanese language education in the southeast. 

Rallings first came to Wake Forest as a visiting Japanese instructor in 1998 and originally thought that teaching Japanese was teaching language, culture, and communication skills. She now believes her role as a professor is much greater, as she helps her students become more responsible, compassionate, and contributing citizens in their communities through the study of Japanese.  

“This award gives me conviction that I need and want to continue improving as a teacher to basically help my students become better human beings,” shared Rallings. 

Rallings enjoys teaching both new and advanced Japanese language students. 

“JPN101 is one of my favorite classes to teach! Their growth in one semester is amazing, and I always tell them that I’m proud of their hard work and achievements, and they should be proud of themselves too,” she said. 

When she teaches advanced-level Japanese language students, Rallings enjoys discussing cultural and social issues in Japanese and appreciates students’ critical thinking and thoughtful discussions. 

“Another aspect I love about teaching advanced level is working as a close-knit learning community,” said Rallings. “Students take our courses in a sequence and move up the level as a cohort, so they form wonderful camaraderie and friendship through many semesters together. I emphasize the importance of learning communities from the very beginning, and it is so heart-warming to see how well students work together with kindness.”

In 2020, Rallings received the Foreign Language Association of North Carolina’s Higher Education Teacher of the Year Award and is a recipient of the 2018 WFU CAT Innovative Teaching Award. She is also currently serving on the board of directors of the American Association of Teachers of Japanese.

Rallings received her Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics from Ohio University in Athens and her Bachelor of Arts in English from Seinan Gakuin University.

Learn more about the SEATJ Teacher of the Year awards.