Japanese K–6 Syllabus - Japan Foundation



APPENDIX 1

Japanese K–6 Syllabus – New South Wales

|MEETING PEOPLE |

|Communicative Functions |Examples of Expressions |

|• Greeting and introducing |ohayoo gozaimasu |konbanwa |

| |konnichiwa | |

|• Asking names and |onamae wa? |boku … |

|responding |watashi … | |

|• Addressing others |…sensei |hajimemashite |

| |…san |doozo yoroshiku |

| |…kun | |

| |…chan | |

| | | |

|• Introducing yourself | | |

|• Asking and telling age nansai? |nansai? |hassai |

|• Taking leave and saying |ja mata ne |mata ne |

|goodbye |bai bai |mata ashita |

| |ja ne |sayonara |

|Language |Sample Cultural |Suggested Teaching/ |

|Structures |Aspects |Learning Experiences |

|• greetings and |• division of the Japanese day |• students exchange greetings with |

|farewells |• bowing when addressing |teacher and other students |

|• forming questions |• levels of politeness |• greeting songs |

|• rising intonation |• appropriate language to be used |• use of finger puppets |

|• male and female |by students |• students role-play greeting each other |

|forms of address |• gender use of: |and other people |

|• particle: |boku |• exchanging name cards |

|wa |• inversion of Japanese names: |• students ask and tell each other their |

| |surname followed by first name |full names and ages |

| |• writing system of |• number bingo, counting games |

| |kanji |• interviewing class members using |

| |for numbers |questionnaire |

|• numbers 1–13 |• use of: |• counting out loud |

|• numbers + |kun |• sharing and graphing results |

|sai |chan |• students farewell each other on a |

|• use of: |• respect for age |daily basis |

|nan |• distinction with use of: |• role-play greetings, introducing |

|nani |ja ne |oneself with name, age and taking |

| |and |leave |

| |sayonara |• cartoon speech bubbles |

| |• how the Japanese use their hands | |

| |to count | |

|ABOUT ME |

|Communicative Functions |Examples of Expressions |

|• Asking and telling: |nihonjin? |juusho wa? |

|- nationality |un, nihonjin |shidonii |

|- grade |hai, nihonjin |paaku sutoriito |

|- address |uun, chuugokujin |denwa bangoo wa? |

|- phone number |oosutorariajin |moshi moshi |

|- birth month |doitsujin |tanjoobi nangatsu? |

| |nannensei? |ichigatsu |

| |yonensei |rokugatsu |

| |gonensei | |

| |uchi doko? | |

|• Describing one’s |me (ga) aoi |ookii, nagai, mijikai, |

|appearance |mimi (ga) chiisai |aoi, akai, shiroi, |

| |se (ga) takai |midori, kuroi, |

| |se (ga) hikui |orenji, pinku, |

| |atama, te, kao, ude, |burondo |

| |me, ashi, hana, | |

| |kuchi, karada, kami, | |

|• Asking and telling about |chokoreeto (ga) suki? |futtobooru (ga) |

|likes and dislikes |un, chokoreeto (ga) |kirai |

| |suki | |

|ABOUT ME |

|Language |Sample Cultural |Suggested Teaching/ |

|Structures |Aspects |Learning Experiences |

|• rising intonation for |• the Japanese zodiac |• students ask and answer questions |

|questions |‘Juunishi’ |about themselves and others |

|• name of country plus |• Japanese addresses: |• developing characters from |

|jin |written from larger location to |descriptions |

|• appropriate use of: |smaller, eg |• shadow profiles to create student |

|un |Sydney/Park St/52. |portraits |

|hai |Most addresses in Japan don’t |• biographies |

|uun |have a street but are numbered |• sketching self and others |

|iie |by the block. |• guessing games |

|• number plus |• related folktales, eg |• describing pictures and people |

|nensei |‘Issun booshi’ |• labelling of pictures and charts |

|• use of: |(Inch-high boy) |• writing captions |

|doko |• gesture of pointing to your nose |• using magazine pictures to identify |

|• use of: |when you talk about yourself |characteristics, make composite |

|no in phone numbers |• |photos and label |

|• introduce |fukuwarai game |• identifying students by characteristics |

|zero |• Japanese food |• ‘Head, shoulders, knees and toes …’ |

|• number plus | |song |

|gatsu | |• making and playing ‘Fukuwarai’ — |

|• introduce body parts | |funny face game |

|• introduce names of | |• students ask and answer questions |

|colours | |about likes and dislikes |

|• use of: | |• charades |

|suki | |• cooking lesson, eg |

|kirai | |yakitori, |

| | |onigiri |

| | |• birthday train with each student’s |

| | |name in the appropriate month |

| | |• making birthday cards and tracing the |

| | |captions |

|MY FAMILY |

|Communicative Functions |Examples of Expressions |

|• Identifying family |kono hito dare? |oniisan, oneesan, |

|members |imooto no Karen |otooto, imooto, |

| |okaasan, otoosan, |akachan |

| |obaasan, ojiisan, | |

|• Asking and telling about |otooto nansai? |kazoku nannin? |

|family members |otooto hassai |rokunin, |

| |oneesan nannensei? |okaasan to otoosan, |

| |oneesan gonensei |oniisan futari, |

| |ojiisan mimi (ga) |imooto to watashi |

| |chiisai |oneesan iru? |

| |okaasan no namae wa? | |

|• Talking about pets |petto iru? |Sanbiki |

| |inu iru | |

| |nanbiki? | |

|MY FAMILY |

|Language |Sample Cultural |Suggested Teaching/ |

|Structures |Aspects |Learning Experiences |

|• use of question word: |• traditional and |• interviewing others and graphing |

|dare ? |contemporary family |results using |

|• introducing family |roles |database software |

|members |• awareness of Japanese |• labelling family members |

|• word order |counters and classifiers |• introducing family members |

|• counting people |for people and pets |• using a family portrait to introduce |

|• verb iru |• animal noises in |family |

|• describing pets |Japanese |members |

|• counting animals | |• making a family mobile |

| | |• making a family tree |

| | |• ‘Happy Families’ card game |

| | |• making an origami house |

| | |• students ask and answer questions about|

| | |family |

| | |• develop family profiles from |

| | |descriptions |

| | |• family portrait |

| | |• guessing games |

| | |• information gap activities |

| | |• board games |

| | |• counting songs, eg |

| | |‘Juunin no Indian /Juunin no Tomodachi’ |

| | |• song for counting pets |

| | |• making origami animals song: |

| | |‘kobuta, tanuki, kitsune, neko’ |

| | |• making shapes of people from playdough |

| | |and |

| | |labelling body parts |

| | |• three-hint game — matching pictures |

| | |with |

| | |descriptions |

|SCHOOL LIFE |

|Communicative Functions |Examples of Expressions |

|• Greeting students |minna ohayoo |gozaimasu |

| |minasan ohayoo | |

|• Addressing teacher and |sensei, ohayoo |ohayoo gozaimasu |

|principal |gozaimasu | |

| |koochoo sensei | |

|• Classsroom expressions: |sumimasen |yoku dekimashita |

|- apologising |gomen ne |joozu |

|- excusing |gomen nasai |sugoi |

|- offering and thanking |sumimasen |wakarimashita ka |

|- praising |doozo |hai (wakarimashita) |

|- expressing understanding |arigatoo |iie (wakarimasen) |

| |yoku dekita | |

|• Identifying classroom items |nihongo de nani? |isu |

| |kokuban |enpitsu |

| |tsukue | |

|• Identifying ownership |dare no hon? |Ben no |

| |watashi no | |

|• Understanding classroom |suwatte (kudasai) |enpitsu choodai |

|instructions: |kiite (kudasai) |kudasai |

|- teacher to student |enpitsu (o) dashite |pen aru? |

|- student to student |(kudasai) | |

| |kashite | |

|• Identifying and locating |gakkoo doko? |ofisu doko? |

|places and buildings |kyooshitsu doko? |migi |

| |asoko |booru doko? |

| |toire doko? |isu no shita |

| |soko | |

|• Asking for and giving |nanyoobi? |shukudai suru |

|information about: |getsuyoobi |taiiku |

|- days of the week |nanji? |ongaku |

|- times of the day |goji |juudoo |

|- things we do |hiruyasumi |rika |

| |sansuu |zukoo |

| |sansuu suki? |shakai |

| |piano joozu | |

| |benkyoo suru | |

|• Understanding and |ichi tasu ni wa san |wa ni natte |

|responding to Japanese used |sen hiite |nori tsukete |

|across KLAs: |nan senchi? | |

|Mathematics | | |

|PE | | |

|Craft | | |

|Music | | |

|Art | | |

|• Identifying items of |dare no booshi? |seifuku kite |

|clothing — uniform |kurisu no |jaketto nuide |

| |kutsu wasureta | |

|• Asking and telling about |undookai itsu? |suiei taikai nan ji kara? |

|special days |shichigatsu |juuji kara |

| |kinyoobi | |

| |ashita | |

|SCHOOL LIFE |

|Language |Sample Cultural |Suggested Teaching/ |

|Structures |Aspects |Learning Experiences |

|question particle: |• schools in Japan |• name labels |

|ka |• respect for authority |• rollcall |

|• |• bowing |• students given name, pronounciation and|

|nihongo de |• compare Australian |script |

|• vocabulary for |and Japanese |• ‘Find-a-word’ |

|classroom |classroom |• greeting teacher and visitors |

|• reinforcing formal/ |• taking off shoes when |• integrating classroom expressions as |

|informal usage |entering school |part of the |

|• use of possessive | |classroom routine |

|particle: | |• students role-play class situations |

|no | |• lost-property box |

|• use of request form | |• matching games |

|of verb or noun | |• following directions ‘Sensei says …’ |

|plus | |• song to reinforce classroom |

|kudasai | |instructions |

|• use of: | |• Pictionary — students guess what is |

|aru | |being drawn |

| | |• playing memory games — showing objects |

| | |for a |

| | |minute and students describe object from |

| | |memory |

|• location words |• uniformity of school buildings |• labelling |

|• days of the week |and surrounds |• matching games |

|• use of: |• school grounds |• treasure hunt |

|yoobi |• standardisation of the: |• plan of school |

|• use of: |textbooks, school organisation, |• perspective drawing |

|ji |uniform, timetable, |• giving directions and sending |

|• school subjects — |curriculum |messages |

|activities: |• lunch time |• identifying school times |

|taiiku |• cleaning the school |• reading TV guide |

|ongaku |• ensoku — |• reading timetables |

|juudoo |school excursions |• clock face |

|rika |•shuugakuryokoo — school |• times at school |

|zukoo |trip |• time games |

|shakai |• juku — coaching |• ‘What’s the time Mr. Wolf?’ |

|• maths vocabulary: |colleges |• daily diaries |

|tasu |• Japanese art/craft and music |• making: |

|hiku |•Hina Matsuri |hina matsuri displays in origami |

|kakeru |(Doll’s Festival) on 3 March |• song: |

|waru |•Kodomo no hi |hina matsuri |

| |(Children’s Day) on 5 May |• making: |

| |• other annual festivals |koi nobori |

| | |• song: |

| | |koi nobori |

| | |• creating a school brochure |

| | |• teaching some mathematics in |

| | |Japanese |

| | |• writing timetables |

| | |• barrier games |

| | |• learning Japanese dances |

| | |• performing Japanese music and songs |

|• clothing vocabulary |• school uniform in Japan |• labelling |

|• use of: |•randoseru (back satchel for all |• puzzles that include vocabulary |

|kite |primary students up to year 6) |• fashion parade, students describing |

|nuide |• traditional clothing: |clothes |

|• relative time words: |kimono |• class questionnaire about children’s |

|kinoo |• school yearly planner — |daily routines and publish results |

|kyoo |compare with Japanese model |• matching pictures and words |

|ashita |• national Japanese holidays |• making picture and big books |

|• use of: |• national sports day: |• art/craft-related activities for |

|kara |‘Taiiku no hi’ |special |

|• vocabulary for special |(October 10) |days |

|days |• sports carnivals: | |

| |‘Undookai | |

|DAILY ACTIVITIES |

|Communicative Functions |Examples of Expressions |

|• Describing daily routine |shichiji ni okiru |(uchi ni) kaeru |

| |asagohan taberu |shukudai suru |

| |gakkoo (ni) iku |terebi miru |

| |benkyoo suru |ofuro (ni) hairu |

| |obentoo taberu |kuji ni neru |

| |supootsu suru | |

|• Asking and telling about |famikon suki? |teepu kiku |

|hobbies |oneesan (wa) dansu |bideo miru |

| |suru? |shiidii kiku |

| |kyoo sakkaa suru? | |

| |manga yomu | |

|• Telling about what you have |terebi mita |moo hon yonda? |

|done |shukudai shita |kinoo tenisu shita? |

| |gakkoo (ni) itta | |

| |obentoo tabeta | |

|DAILY ACTIVITIES |

|Language |Sample Cultural |Suggested Teaching/ |

|Structures |Aspects |Learning Experiences |

|• vocabulary for daily |• meal-time customs and |• role-playing daily routines |

|activities |expressions |• charades |

|• use of appropriate |• |• board games with dice/activity cards |

|verbs |‘itadakimasu — gochi• use of chopsticks |• matching games |

|• vocabulary for meal |and table |• songs |

|times |etiquette |• write personal diary |

|• use of: |• daily life expressions: |• writing a daily timetable of activities|

|ni after specific |itte kimasu, |• answering/asking questions about |

|time |itterasshai, |activities in the house |

|• use of: |tadaima, |• graph activities/sports/hobbies in a |

|ni after place you |okaeri nasai, |class |

|go |oyasumi nasai |• make sumoo |

|• past tense |• Japanese bathing customs |ring and wrestlers |

|• time words |• traditional Japanese sports, eg |• publish a personal account of daily |

| |sumoo |activities/hobbies/sports etc |

| |karate |• relating art and craft activities to |

| |kendoo |special occasions, eg |

| |juudoo |tanabata |

| |• |• origami |

| |• famikon |• playing Japanese games: |

| |(TV games) |kendama and |

| |• manga |daruma otoshi and |

| |(comics) |otedama |

| |• contemporary Japanese sports, |• making manga |

| |eg baseball, soccer | |

| |soosama’ | |

|OUT AND ABOUT |

|Communicative Functions |Examples of Expressions |

|• Identifying and describing |tomodachi no mari |atama (ga) ii |

|friends |suiei (ga) joozu | |

|• Planning activities |puuru (ni) ikoo |basu de ikoo |

| |eiga (ni) ikoo | |

| |nan de ikoo? | |

|• Asking permission |itte (mo) ii? | |

| |mite (mo) ii? | |

|• Granting and refusing |ii yo | |

|permission |dame | |

|• Exchanging information |doko (ni) itta? |tanoshikatta |

|about holidays |yama (ni) itta |omoshirokatta |

| |nani shita? |tsumaranakatta |

| |haikingu (ni) itta | |

| |doo datta? | |

|• Commenting on the |atsui |samukatta |

|weather |soo ne! |ame futta |

| |soo desu ne | |

|DAILY ACTIVITIES |

|Language |Sample Cultural |Suggested Teaching/ |

|Structures |Aspects |Learning Experiences |

|• vocabulary for |• Japanese transport system: |• introducing class friends |

|descriptions |shinkansen |• developing pen friends |

|• verb formation (let’s |chikatetsu |• sketching friends |

|go) |• Japanese restaurants |• dice games |

|• vocabulary for places, |• Tokyo Disneyland |• making holiday diary |

|transport |• Japanese department stores |• creating a holiday postcard |

|• particle: |• |• making: |

|de after means of |oshoogatsu (New Year) |nengajoo (New Year) cards |

|transport |• tsuyu |• karuta |

|• use of: te mo ii |(rainy season) |(Hiragana) card game |

|• use of: |• setsubun |• takoage |

|nan / nani |• hanami |(kite flying) |

|• past-tense adjectives |• map of Japanese famous places |• hane tsuki |

| |and landmarks |(shuttlecock) |

| | |• making: |

| | |hagoita• |

| | |teru teru boozu |

| | |• music/art |

| | |• oni masks |

| | |• bean-throwing ceremony |

| | |• cherry blossoms art display |

| | |• poetry — listening and writing |

| | |• weather charts |

| | |• picture/word match |

| | |• seasonal songs: |

| | |sakura, |

| | |aka tombo, |

| | |haru ga kita |

| | | |

|Spoken Communication |

|Outcome 1 |• understands words and simple |yoku dekita |

| |everyday classroom expressions and |sensei, ohayoo |

| |instructions in Japanese, eg |gozaimasu |

| |classroom instructions and games |koochoo sensei |

| |Examples |konnichi wa |

| |sumimasen |ja ne |

| |suwatte, kiite | |

|Outcome 2 |• understands and uses simple |boku … |

| |Japanese words and everyday |watashi … |

| |expressions in predictable social |nansai? |

| |exchanges and structured learning |hassai |

| |situations, eg greetings, songs, |sakkaa suki |

| |games |empitsu kudasai |

| |Examples | |

| |onamae wa? | |

|Outcome 3 |• understands and uses Japanese |yonin, otoosan to |

| |phrases or short sentences, which |okaasan to oniisan |

| |incorporate familiar language |to watashi |

| |patterns in predictable social and |okaasan (wa) se |

| |structured learning situations, eg |(ga) takai |

| |describing self, others, the familiar |imooto (wa) me |

| |environment |(ga) aoi |

| |Examples | |

| |kazoku nannin? | |

|Outcome 4 |• understands and uses Japanese |tanoshikatta |

| |language with some flexibility in |doko (ni) itta? |

| |familiar social and predictable |Daboo no obaasan |

| |learning situations, incorporating |no uchi |

| |new language items into well-rehearsed |nani shita? |

| |language patterns, eg |doobutsuen (ni) |

| |socioculturally appropriate address, |itta |

| |tries to self-correct language |nani mita? |

| |pronunciation, sings well-known |saru to kirin to tora |

| |songs |omoshirokatta |

| |Examples | |

| |yasumi doo datta? | |

|Written Communication — Reading |

|Outcome 1 |• identifies Japanese script and |mado, doa |

| |recognises some hiragana |sensei no tsukue |

| |and kanji |ichi, juu |

| |Examples |nihon |

| |tsukue, hon, isu | |

| |ao, aka, midori, | |

|Outcome 2 |• reads and understands |kokuban |

| |characters and words, eg |tenki |

| |shared reading, recognising |(kyoo wa) ame |

| |kanji for days of the week and |(kyoo wa) samui |

| |date, classroom labels, topic-related |empitsu |

| |flash cards, matching |fudebako |

| |pictures to words, weather |getsu (yoobi) |

| |charts |ka (yoobi) |

| |Examples | |

| |namae | |

|Outcome 3 |• reads and understands a |kyuusai |

| |limited number of short |petto iru |

| |sentences containing familiar |inu no Miki |

| |language, eg reading own |kuroi |

| |texts, class-made books |mimi nagai |

| |Examples | |

| |boku John | |

| |yonensei | |

|Outcome 4 |• reads and understands texts |kazoku to asagohan |

| |containing a limited number |tabeta |

| |of linked sentences containing |kuji ni jitensha de gakkoo |

| |familiar language, eg simple |(ni) itta |

| |narratives and recounts |tomodachi to asonda |

| |Examples |tanoshikatta |

| |kinoo hachiji ni okita | |

|Written Communication — Writing |

|Outcome 1 |• traces some characters, eg own |Rini |

| |name and numbers |Mario |

| |Examples |ichi |

| |sensei |go |

| |Sue | |

| |Hanako | |

|Outcome 2 |• copies and reproduces characters |tsukue |

| |and words related to class stimulus |ame |

| |material, eg labelling pictures, |hare |

| |charts and classroom items, |hon |

| |completing missing characters or | |

| |words Examples | |

| |isu | |

|Outcome 3 |• writes phrases or short sentences |watashi Suu |

| |using well-rehearsed language to |watashi no uchi |

| |convey simple information, eg |sumoo omoshiroi |

| |writing own texts |origami daisuki |

| |Examples | |

| |boku Jon | |

|Outcome 4 |• writes two or three linked |Examples |

| |sentences using well-rehearsed |kinoo tomodachi no uchi |

| |language patterns to convey |ni itta |

| |information and ideas, eg writing a |oyogi ni itta |

| |diary, journal, reporting events, |tanoshikatta |

| |facts and ideas in a chart or list | |

The following table charts the likely learning progression of students as they enter

their formal learning of Japanese at the different stages of schooling.

| | |Written Communication |

| | Written Communication |Reading |Writing |

|Early Stage 1 |Outcome 1 |Outcome 1 |Outcome 1 |

| |Outcome 2 | | |

| |Outcome 3 | | |

| |Outcome 4 | | |

|Stage 1 |Outcome 1 |Outcome 1 |Outcome 1 |

| |Outcome 2 |Outcome 2 |Outcome 2 |

| |Outcome 3 | | |

| |Outcome 4 | | |

|Stage 2 |Outcome 1 |Outcome 1 |Outcome 1 |

| |Outcome 2 |Outcome 2 |Outcome 2 |

| |Outcome 3 |Outcome 3 |Outcome 3 |

| |Outcome 4 | | |

|Stage 3 |Outcome 1 |Outcome 1 |Outcome 1 |

| |Outcome 2 |Outcome 2 |Outcome 2 |

| |Outcome 3 |Outcome 3 |Outcome 3 |

| |Outcome 4 |Outcome 4 |Outcome 4 |

|Beginners |Beginners |Beginners |Beginners |

|Early Stage 1 |Stage 1 |Stage 2 |Stage 3 |

| | | | |

Explanation

• The expected progression of a student beginning formal study of Japanese in

Kindergarten could be represented by the white areas.

• The student beginning formal study in Year 6 could be represented by the

darkest shading.

Planning a Japanese Language Program

The following considerations should be taken into account when planning a

Japanese program to meet the needs of the students and the school community:

• an informed and supportive school community

• adequate and suitable physical and personnel resources

• an appropriate syllabus or course framework

• a valid pedagogy and methodology

• reliable and valid assessment and evaluation procedures.

Integration with Other Key Learning Areas

In planning a Japanese program, the following principles for curriculum

integration should be observed:

• The strategies and activities must support children in working toward

outcomes in each Key Learning Area.

• The integrity of identified Key Learning Areas should be preserved in the

organisation of content regardless of the dominance of a particular Key

Learning Area.

• Opportunities to make connections across the curriculum should be utilised

where practicable in order to assist students to consolidate knowledge and

understandings, skills, values and attitudes by applying these in a range of

contexts.

• The professional judgement of teachers will determine when it is opportune

to integrate the curriculum.

• The organisation of the learning environment sets the conditions for

curriculum integration.

Class Organisation

The organisation of lessons in Japanese will depend to a large degree on the

diversity of the student group within and across classes, and the mode of teaching

considered appropriate by the school.

Where there are background speakers of Japanese in the school, consideration will

have to be given to whether class groups for Japanese will be conducted in mixed

groups of background speakers and non-background speakers or separate class

groups for background speakers and non-background speakers.

Multiple Entry Points

In learning Japanese at school, a range of entry and exit points is possible: learning

can begin at any period of a student’s schooling and along with other variables

can affect the student’s achievement of outcomes. Therefore, there needs to be

flexibility in the interpretation of content and outcomes.

Learners in Stages 1 and 2 with little or no Japanese background are still

developing skills and understandings in English. Their productive capacity to

initiate communication is limited, focusing on known language in familiar

situations. Their receptive skills, although limited in range, can exceed their

productive skills.

Beginners in Stage 3 have more developed literacy skills, an increased awareness

of social communication, and a capacity for interaction with their peers. Because

of the extent of their experience, their receptive capacity will be much greater but

their productive capacity, ie the language needed to express themselves, can only

remain within their known language resources and will therefore be initially very

limited.

In many schools there may be a further group, ie students with varying degrees of

background in and/or prior experience of Japanese or languages other than

English. Such students are themselves living language resources within a mixed

student group, but the need to challenge and extend them is significant.

Time Allocation

The allocation of time to the Japanese language program will depend to a large

extent on the total number of students undertaking the program and the supply of

an appropriate teacher of Japanese. The Japanese teacher may be the classroom

teacher, a teacher within the normal establishment or an above-establishment

teacher. In general, a regular program allowing frequent contact with Japanese

during the week is preferable to an extended single lesson per week.

Timetables in primary schools can be organised for the Japanese programs to

operate in a variety of ways, depending on the number of Japanese teachers and

the range of Japanese learners. Some examples of timetabling patterns include:

• team-teaching sessions where Japanese teachers work with other language

teachers or with the class teacher;

• team-teaching sessions where the Japanese teacher works with the class

teacher;

• whole-class sessions where the Japanese teacher teaches the entire class

group;

• whole-class or group sessions where the mainstream classroom teacher is

also the teacher of Japanese;

• withdrawal groups across a grade where a selection of students attend

Japanese classes from class groups in the same grade;

• withdrawal groups within a class group where a selection of students attend

Japanese classes in separate background speaker or non-background-speaker

groups.

Resources

The selection of resources for the languages program should be directly related to

the aims, objectives, content and outcomes of this Japanese syllabus and the

Japanese program.

In this regard, the selected resources should:

• promote communication

• be relevant to the primary-age learner

• provide a context for meaningful use of Japanese

• be authentic and culturally sensitive.

There are three systems of written communication in Japanese:

• hiragana: 46 phonetic characters

used to write Japanese

words

(Japan)

• katakana: 46 phonetic characters

used to write words

borrowed from other

languages

(Australia)

• kanji: ideographs that

represent whole words

or concepts,

originating from the

Chinese writing

system.

(Japan)

Additionally, Japanese can be written using the Romanised alphabet:

• roomaji: Romanised version of

Japanese used to assist

the learner with

pronunciation

Nihon

(Japan)

This syllabus promotes the use of hiragana as the medium of written

communication in the primary stages of schooling for the following reasons:

• accurate pronunciation is enhanced

• hiragana is the authentic Japanese script

• it provides a sound basis for further Japanese study

• learning hiragana can be an enjoyable and aesthetic experience for students.

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