Student Spotlight: Chinoko Shirakura , Graduate Student, Curriculum Studies, Department of Education and the current Thai Language Lecturer, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Our third student spotlight in 2025 is Chinoko Shirakura , Graduate Student, Curriculum Studies, Department of Education and the current Thai Language Lecturer. Read Chinoko’s story here:
About Chinoko
Chinoko Shirakura was born and raised in Thailand to a Thai mother and Japanese father, in a household where language was not just a means of communication, it was a bridge between cultures. Growing up multilingual in Mae Sot, a city on the Thai–Myanmar border, shaped her core belief that language connects people, honors identity, and builds community. Today, she tries her best to carry that philosophy into her role as a Thai language lecturer at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
Research Focus
Chinoko Shirakura’s research centers on Multicultural Education, examining how culturally responsive pedagogy and brave spaces, learning environments grounded in respect, empathy, and openness, can enhance language learning while developing leadership skills and confidence. Her work highlights the importance of fostering identity development, emotional well-being, and empowerment among multilingual students through inclusive and culturally affirming education.
Dissertation Title
Implementing Brave Spaces in Language Learning Curriculum for Multilingual and Displaced Students in Migrant Communities in Mae Sot, Thailand. She is expected to graduate in the Spring 2026 semester
Current Research interests and Motivation
Chinoko’s academic interests lie at the intersection of multilingual education, migration, and inclusive pedagogy. Inspired by the lived experiences of displaced communities in her hometown of Mae Sot, and shaped by her engagement with the concept of brave spaces through the University of Hawai‘i and the East-West Center community, she explores how culturally responsive teaching and language learning can build confidence and empower individuals. She has witnessed how such spaces can support identity development, multilingual expression, and emotional well-being, particularly for displaced students navigating complex cultural landscapes. From Hawaiʻi to Thailand and across Southeast Asia, Chinoko remains committed to language education that uplifts, connects, and empowers.
Active Projects/Engagement
This summer, Chinoko returned to Mae Sot with a mission to support Burmese migrant communities by fostering brave spaces, classrooms rooted in empathy, respect, and open dialogue, where students feel safe to express themselves while being encouraged to grow. Her aim is to nurture leadership in ways that uphold and preserve students’ cultural identities, rather than challenge or override them.
Teaching & Community Engagement
Since she started her program at UHM, Chinoko has played a central role in revitalizing the Thai language program, infusing it with fresh energy, meaningful content, and implementing student-centered learning. As a graduate student in multicultural education, she integrates what she learns in real time, transforming theory into practice immediately. This direct connection between study and teaching keeps her classroom responsive, relevant, and deeply connected to students’ lived experiences.
With years of teaching experience across Southeast Asia, particularly in Thailand and Hawaiʻi, Chinoko designs her courses around inclusivity and cultural responsiveness. She is especially passionate about creating learning environments that move beyond grammar and vocabulary, spaces that affirm students’ identities, spark curiosity, and build meaningful cross-cultural connections.
In the Fall 2025 semester, she will teach Thai 101 and 102 and introduce Thai 399: Thai Culture and Arts, an advanced course celebrating Thailand’s vibrant artistic and cultural heritage.