​Dear Japanese teachers,
Thank you very much for your continued support.

Year 12 speaking sessions/Year 10 online sessions
Due to ongoing restrictions, we have just cancelled planned face-to-face excursions for the week 8-12 November. As such, we now have following dates available for both sessions:
1-3 and 8-12 November.
(We may offer more dates during November and December depending on the COVID restrictions on face-to-face excursions to the centre.)

Full details on these sessions are available on our post from 22 October 2021.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Nihongo Tanken Centre
T: (02) 9542 5745 F: (02) 9542 5749
E: nihongo.tanken@det.nsw.edu.au  

Seeking full-time temporary teacher at Epping Boys High School, Years 7-12. All lessons are already planned and ready to go.
Dates: 17/11/2021 – 20/12/2022 with a possible extension until the end of Term 1 2022.  
Approval to teach Japanese (Years 7-12) required. 
Email Luke Symonds by 5 November 2021.

Dear Japanese teachers,
Thank you very much for your continue support.

Year 12 speaking sessions
The Tanken Centre has been offering online group speaking sessions for new Year 12 students in Term 4. Due to ongoing restrictions, we have just cancelled planned face-to-face excursions for the week 1-5 November. As such, we now have these dates available for online speaking sessions, if you would like to book an online session.

(We may offer more dates during November and December depending on the COVID restrictions on face-to-face excursions to the centre.)

Each session runs for 40 minutes, through Zoom.

Students will be divided into breakout rooms and the Tanken Centre staff and class teacher will spend 10 minutes with a set of questions in each room. Staff will rotate through the rooms to ensure students have the opportunity to practise with 3 different speakers.

After the speaking rotations are complete, the groups will come back together in the main room and students will be given feedback.
​
Year 10 online sessions
We are offering 30-minute online sessions for Year 10 students.
The session includes:
1. Talking with staff (3 breakout rooms, 5 minutes x 3 times)
2. Quiz 

Each session runs for 30 minutes, through Zoom.
​
1. Talking with staff: Students will be divided into breakout rooms and the Tanken Centre staff will spend 5 minutes conversing about a topic in each room. Staff will rotate through the rooms to ensure students have the opportunity to talk with 3 different speakers.
2. Quiz: After talking with the staff rotations are complete, the groups come back together in the main room and try 2 types of quizzes:
- Which is correct? Two Katakana words are shown on the screen and students have to choose the correct one based on what they hear by typing into the chat box.
- True or false: Students listen and see Japanese sentences on the screen and press the reaction button for true or false.

​These sessions are free of charge. At this stage, sessions are only available to NSW public schools.
​
If you are interested in booking a Year 12 or Year 10 session for your students, please email the Tanken Centre with the following details:
- the course (please include Beginners or Continuers for Year 12)
- preferred dates and times (please provide at least 2 options)
- names of all attending students.
 
Bookings will be made on a first-come, first-served basis. As there is a high chance that you will not be able to get your first preference, please send several preferred dates with times. Please note that your session is not confirmed until you receive a confirmation email.

Nihongo Tanken Centre
T: (02) 9542 5745 F: (02) 9542 5749
E: nihongo.tanken@det.nsw.edu.au  

JTAN nengajyo competition
JTAN is holding its annual 年賀状 (nengajyo) competition for primary students of Japanese, and Year 7 and Year 8 students in NSW. There will be 3 divisions available – Stage 2, Stage 3 and Stage 4. Each school may enter a maximum of 10 postcard-sized 年賀状 (9cm x 14cm).
 
The following requirements must be adhered to:

• - all work must be original work by the student (including art, illustrations and design)

- the new year’s greeting should be written in hiragana (kanji may be included too)
- on the back of each individual postcard, clearly state the student's name, school and entry division (Stage 2, 3 or 4)
- please also include a contest entry sheet list with the school name, postal address, principal’s name, Japanese teacher’s name & email, and student’s names for contact purposes
- students may use the following website to gain inspiration: Nengajyo  年賀状　無料ダウンロード.

Entries are to be mailed to:
JTAN new years card competition
c/o Mrs Sally Mizoshiri
Languages
North Sydney Girls High School
365 Pacific Highway
Crows Nest NSW 2065

Winners will be selected by nominated art teachers and announced early in Term 1 2022. Prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in each division. Five highly commended prizes will also be awarded for excellent submissions. Students will receive a JTAN certificate and a small Japanese-themed prize.

Prescribed issues and grammar booklet for Japanese Extension
This new resource consists of 60 pages of supplementary reading comprehension texts across all three prescribed issues, with vocabulary and tasks (comprehension questions, discussion questions, writing prompts) as well as approximately 20 pages of explanations of prescribed grammar and practice exercises. There are also 10 pages of exam technique/tips/hints for all sections of the exam and additional context to support the film and associated vocabulary.

Further details regarding the booklet are available online.

World Tour from Our Classroom (WTOC) connects Japanese and international schools and promotes communication between students. Seisa International High School in Kanagawa prefecture are seeking a partner school to conduct cross-cultural English/Japanese sessions.

2 session times are to be attended by the interested school from the dates below: 
- 10, 17 or 24 November (select one date) and
- 1 or 15 December (select one date).

There will be 2 x 1-hour sessions ideally conducted between 12-2:30 pm via Zoom. The sessions are facilitated by members of the WTOC program, based in Japan. Teachers who interested to contact Miki Kurogo Tran. 

More information about the program can be found at the WTOC website. ​

NSW public schools seeking to establish a sister school relationship need to refer to the Agreements with foreign entities (including sister schools) policy of the Department of Education. 

Due to the challenges faced this year, the JTAN AGM and conference will be held online in a shortened format. Registrations will open at 8:45 am and the event will conclude at approximately 2 pm.

The Annual General Meeting will be accompanied by engaging presentations from Japanese teachers, with a keynote workshop on teaching proficiency through reading and storytelling and comprehensible input in the Australian context from Mr Beau Pett, CCLT convenor from the MLTAQ.  

More details can be found at this link. 

Extension monologue workshop
This free after-school Zoom workshop aims to disseminate best practice from experienced teachers of Japanese Extension, with the goal of assisting students to succeed in understanding and performing the spoken monologue.
Venue: Zoom
Date: Tuesday 2 November 2021
Time: 3:45-5:15 pm
The workshop leader will present examples of relevant and effective pedagogy to develop student skills in this area, as well as providing a range of exemplars of a range of student achievement. 
If you would like any further information about the workshop, please email with the subject line ‘Exam writing workshop 1’. Applications to participate in the monologue workshop can be made online.

Road to NSJLE Seminar Series
This year, two seminars are available for Japanese language educators. The sessions include a presentation and question time. The sessions are varied and designed specifically for teachers. These seminars are free of charge.
​
Seminar 1: Transformational Change in Primary Years' Language Programs
Date: Saturday 23 October 2021
Time: 1:00-2:00 pm
Further information is available online.
 
Seminar 2: Introducing and Understanding Non-standard Script Use in Contemporary Japan?
Date: Thursday 4 November 2021
Time: 7:00- 8:00 pm 
Further information is available online.

All interested Japanese language educators are welcome to attend. Please email Anne Dekrester if you have any questions. 

Dear Japanese teachers,
Thank you very much for your continued support.
 
Bookings in 2022
Bookings for 2022 have opened. We are excited to introduce you our new booking form. We hope that this change makes your booking process easier.
We look forward to seeing you in 2022.

Excursions in Term 4
Excursions to the Tanken Centre are not currently permitted as the centre is located in a Level 3 plus school area. If there is any change in this advice, we will inform you. Your school will not be charged for cancellation until further notice. We would be grateful if you could let us know if your school has already decided to cancel the excursion to the centre this term.
 
Kind regards,
Mieko, Taka and Rachael
T: (02) 9542 5745 
E: nihongo.tanken@det.nsw.edu.au

The JTAN Annual General Meeting (AGM) and mini-conference 2021 will be held online in a shortened format on Saturday 16 October 2021. Registrations will open at 8:45 am and the event will conclude at approximately 2 pm.
All members are invited to attend. If you are unable to attend the AGM, you may participate in the decision-makings by completing the Proxy form (click here to download).
Please express your interest in joining the JTAN Committee 2021-22 by completing the Nomination form (click here to download). Nomination forms are due by Friday 8 October, 2021.  

The Annual General Meeting will be accompanied by engaging presentations from Japanese teachers, with a keynote workshop on Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling and Comprehensible Input in the Australian Context from Mr Beau Pett, CCLT Convenor from the MLTAQ.
There will no fee to participate in this event. 
Interstate participants who are members of their state Japanese Teachers' Association are also welcome to attend. Please email enquire@jtan.org.au with proof of membership and your details to be added to the list of of participants. 
Apply for the AGM here!

​Would you like to learn how to write HSC-style questions for Japanese Beginners and Continuers? 
This workshop aims to teach members the processes involved in writing formal exam questions for Preliminary Yearly and HSC Trial examinations. Members will also benefit from the opportunity to participate in peer discussion and review what makes suitable exam-style questions in a collaborative environment.
There will be NO FEE to participate in this event.
The purpose of this workshop is to develop the skills and confidence of our members in exam writing, as opportunities to engage in professional exam writing are limited. By upskilling our members, we hope that more members would be able to contribute to the writing of our JTAN examination papers. Subsequent exam writing workshops will be held from early 2022.
Registration closes on 21 October. Should you have any questions, please email enquire@jtan.org.au with subject line ‘Exam Writing Workshop I’.
​Apply for the Exam Writing Workshop here!

Special support for COVID-19
The purpose of this grant is to support schools in purchasing online teaching materials to aid in the teaching of Japanese language programs online due to COVID-19.
Successful applicants will be eligible for the reimbursement of 100% of the purchase price of approved materials up to AU$700.00
This is a special grant where applications will be accepted throughout the application period, and each application will be considered upon submission. Please be mindful that applicants are requested to complete purchasing, and all reimbursement-related original documents must arrive at JPF Sydney by post no later than 24 February 2022.
Please note the following key dates:

• Application period: 19 April 2021 - 27 January 2022
• Purchasing period: from application approval until 10 February 2022  
• Final date to submit reimbursement documents: 24 February 2022

Further details can be found here.

Japan Foundation Teaching Resources
Please be reminded that the Japan Foundation has produced a collection of resources on their website to assist teachers in teaching and learning. Activities available cater to all levels, including primary, junior secondary and senior secondary.
Click 👉 here to start browsing