Eigo Ganbare: Team-Teaching Resource

Project: Eigo Ganbare — EdTech platform for JTEs & ALTs in Japan

Role: Founder, UX/UI Designer, Product Designer

Focus: UX redesign, information architecture, design system, usability testing, content strategy

Goal: Strengthen team‑teaching between Japanese Teachers of English (JTEs) and Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) through intuitive lesson resources, digital activities, and AI‑powered tools.

Website: http://www.eigoganbare.com

Manuscript: https://annettelee.eigoganbare.com/team-teaching-sample-manuscript

Team‑teaching in Japan often breaks down due to:

• ALTs not knowing what JTEs have already taught

• JTEs and ALTs having different teaching styles

• Lack of shared lesson planning tools

• Fragmented resources across worksheets, notebooks, and digital files

Educators needed a centralized, intuitive platform that supports collaboration and reduces friction in lesson preparation.

I designed for two primary educator groups:

Interviews, community feedback, and years of field experience revealed a shared need: simple, culturally aware resources that support real classroom communication.

• identified gaps in curriculum visibility

• Mapped the full ecosystem: worksheets → digital notebooks → AI tools

• Prioritized clarity, cultural sensitivity, and low cognitive load

• Consolidated scattered resources into a unified structure

• Created low‑fidelity wireframes for lesson navigation, Pen Pal Project, and digital notebooks

• Explored how to blend traditional printouts with modern digital activities

• Built mid‑ and high‑fidelity mockups with a clean red‑and‑white visual system inspired by the Japanese flag

• Designed intuitive pathways for lesson planning, digital activities, and AI‑powered tools

• Introduced the AI Study Hub, vocabulary games, and conversational AI companion

• Created a cloud‑drive interface for older teachers familiar with folder systems

Conducted usability testing with educators to evaluate:

• How easily they could find lesson materials

• Whether they understood the difference between traditional vs. digital resources

• How quickly they could prepare a team‑teaching lesson

Insights led to clearer categorization, simplified navigation, and more intuitive labeling.

• Reduced redundancy across pages

• Improved lesson hierarchy

• Strengthened visual consistency

• Added culturally relevant microcopy and supportive messaging

The redesigned platform includes:

• Unified lesson ecosystem (printouts, digital notebooks, AI tools)

• Clear navigation for JTEs and ALTs with flexible teaching styles

• Interactive digital activities for speaking, vocabulary, and pair work

• Pen Pal Project hub with traditional and digital versions

• AI Study Hub for student research and speaking practice

• Cloud‑drive interface for teachers who prefer folder‑based organization

• Culturally resonant visual identity using red/white palette and simple typography

These improvements make lesson planning faster, more intuitive, and more collaborative.

Eigo Ganbare has grown into a trusted resource for educators across Japan:

• The ALTing in Japan community expanded to 6,800+ members, reflecting strong engagement

• Educators reported clearer lesson preparation and more confidence in team‑teaching

• The platform strengthened communication between JTEs and ALTs

• Students gained more opportunities for real English communication through structured activities and the Pen Pal Project

This project deepened my understanding of cross‑cultural UX, education systems, and designing for both traditional and modern teaching environments. It remains my most mission‑driven work — a platform built to empower teachers and students through thoughtful, culturally aware design.

Here is the platform in action, demonstrating how the final product supports both educators and students in a meaningful way.

https://eigoganbare.com