In his two decades at Franklin & Marshall, Ken-ichi Miura built a vibrant Japanese program with a loyal following among students. In the words of one student, Miura “is not only an exceptional professor, but also one of the kindest and most selfless people I have ever met. His passion for teaching made me enjoy every second I spent learning Japanese and left me deeply grateful that I chose to come to F&M and take his classes.”

Professor Miura joined the faculty in 2006 as Director of the Japanese Program. He taught beginning, intermediate, and advanced Japanese courses, as well as an English-language course on Japanese Popular Culture and travel courses to Japan. Professor Miura focused his pedagogical efforts on helping students develop communicative proficiency through meaningful tasks. His embracing of the concept of a learning community informed his courses in profound ways by giving his students agency in their experience with Japanese and motivating them to achieve both linguistic and cultural competency.

Professor Miura’s focus on engaging students with the richness of Japanese culture extended beyond the classroom. In addition to a weekly Japanese Tea Hour, he brought guests to campus for large events, such as interactive Japanese drumming and pottery demonstrations. His annual Sakura Festival brought hundreds of visitors to campus for a daylong celebration of Japanese culture.

Professor Miura is a widely recognized expert in language proficiency. As an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) facilitator for the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), he completed a rigorous training and qualification program. His standing in the OPI and Second Language Acquisition scholarly community led him to offer numerous presentations and training sessions and contribute to significant publications. His decades of dedication to the Japanese language education culminated in his 2024 book, “Japanese Language Education through PBI (Proficiency-Based Instruction): Instructions to Enhance Proficiency and Oral Skills.”

Professor Ken-ichi Miura’s impact on the College is undeniable. One of his students expresses it best: “Even though Miura sensei will no longer be at F&M, his legacy will be everlasting through the Japanese program he has devoted his career to.”

Ken-ichi Miura, Senior Teaching Professor and Director of the Japanese Program