Hiroki Shinohara

Hiroki Shinohara is a pioneering Japanese educator whose globally integrated teaching model is transforming how young people learn languages, understand the world, and discover their future paths. His approach centres on daily online English conversations with individuals from over 110 countries, strategically aligned with students’ developmental stages, curriculum content, and local context. These conversations are not simple language exchanges; they become deeply meaningful learning extensions – such as Year 8 interviews on family and childbirth during health education, or Year 9 discussions on ethical consumption during lessons on environmental impact. Supported by rigorous safeguarding measures, his classroom offers a safe, structured gateway to the world. 

Hiroki’s innovation lies in embedding real global experiences into ordinary lessons with unparalleled frequency, depth, and cross-curricular integration. Students challenge cultural assumptions, debate social norms, and gain nuanced perspectives by speaking directly with adults around the world. Whether exploring human rights in civics, marriage traditions in social studies, or digital access in technology classes, students develop cultural intelligence grounded in authentic human interaction. 

The measurable outcomes of this model are extraordinary. Students regularly progress from below CEFR A1 to B2 or higher (IELTS 6.0–6.5). Over six years, students typically log more than 30,000 minutes of English conversation, interacting with speakers from 40-70 countries. Every student in the first cohort achieved CEFR B2 or above, with subsequent cohorts following the same pattern. His students excel in major competitions, earning awards in the World Presentation Competition (involving 16 countries) and national essay contests such as those hosted by JICA, which receives over 20,000 entries annually. 

Beyond academics, Hiroki empowers students to turn learning into action. He founded a high-school social entrepreneur programme, guiding students to create real products – such as the Shoin Tartan ribbon and Shoin Donuts, selling over 170 ribbons and 700 donuts while partnering with local businesses. During a regional learning programme in Nagano, students created tourism videos so compelling that local officials were speechless. 

His climate action education follows the same philosophy of inquiry and impact. Through the year-long Service Day programme, students investigate global environmental issues and design local solutions, such as reducing schoolwide paper use after interviewing NGOs in the Philippines – an initiative that permanently changed school policy.

As a leader in educational innovation, Hiroki advances the profession through teacher training, publicly shared resources, and recognitions such as Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert (MIEE) and Canva Education Ambassador. His embodied-learning lessons as a Chikugashi® Sensei and his widely accessed teaching frameworks – viewed over 70,000 times – help educators adopt replicable inquiry-based models. He has conducted more than 20 teacher training sessions and is frequently featured in educational media. 

Hiroki defines global citizenship not as a lesson but a lived reality. His students connect with the world daily, learning to respect diverse perspectives, reflect on their own culture, and develop the empathy and agency needed for a complex 21st-century world. Through joy, measurable success, and a belief that every learner can lead change, Hiroki is shaping a new generation of globally minded, socially responsible changemakers.