Japanese stamp making workshops
Create and design your own stamps to take home in a step-by-step workshop with arts educator Ben Soedradjit. Taking inspiration from the sentō pilgrimage stamp collection featured in the Steam Dreams: The Japanese Public Bath exhibition, participants will learn how to design and carve a stamp made from either styrofoam or lino tiles.

On Saturday 8 May, children will be able to enjoy stamp making using materials found around the home such as styrofoam and pens and pencils. This workshop is suitable for children between ages 7-13. The  workshop on Saturday 15 May introduces a more advanced method of stamp making including how to use carving tools to carve stamps out of lino tiles. This workshop is recommended for children aged 13 and over.

Workshop 1
Date: May 8 2021 (10 am-12 pm)
Cost: $15 + booking fee. Bookings can be made online.

Workshop 2
Date: May 15 2021 (10 am-1 pm)
Cost: $15 + booking fee. Bookings can be made online.
 
2021 JPF teaching materials grants.
Applications are now open for the 2021 JPF teaching materials grants.
The Japan Foundation is offering grants to support schools that wish to establish new Japanese programs, develop existing programs, or have been affected by COVID-19 and/or natural disasters. Further information for each grant is listed below.

Establishing new programs 
This grant supports schools that are establishing new Japanese language programs by providing financial support for the purchase of Japanese language teaching materials. Successful applicants will be eligible for the reimbursement of 100% of the purchase price of approved materials up to $700.
Applications can be completed online. Applications close on 24 May 2021.

Expanding existing programs
This grant supports schools that are seeking to further develop their existing Japanese language programs by providing financial support for the purchase of Japanese language teaching materials. Successful applicants will be eligible for the reimbursement of 50% of the purchase price of approved materials up to $700.
Applications can be completed online. Applications close on 24 May 2021.

COVID-19
This grant supports schools to purchase online teaching materials to aid in teaching 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 $700.
Additional information can be found online. Applications close on 13 September 2021.

Natural disasters
This grant supports schools that have been affected by natural disasters such as bushfires and floods in 2020 and 2021 by providing financial support for the loss of Japanese language teaching materials. Successful applicants will be eligible for the reimbursement of 100% of the purchase price of approved items up to $1000.
Additional information can be found online. Applications close on 1 March 2022.

HSC Japanese speaking days 
JTAN is holding online speaking days in 2021 for Japanese Continuers and Japanese Beginners via Zoom. 

Dates
Japanese Continuers – Saturday 29 May
Japanese Beginners – Saturday 19 June

Approximately 40-50 teachers are required to assist at these events by examining on the day. Teachers who do not have students attending are welcome to participate in this professional learning experience and JTAN would like any available JTAN members to consider assisting on any days possible. Without teacher participation, these days cannot run. Participating teachers receive an honorarium in recognition of the time given up to assist.

As in 2020, students can register directly with JTAN or be registered by their teacher. In both cases, student registrations will only be accepted where an accompanying teacher from their school is examining.

Examining teachers are required to join an online training session approximately 1 week prior to the event. In this training session, teachers will be shown how Zoom will be used to organise and run the event, how to use Zoom for their examining role, how to provide feedback to students and any questions about the event will be answered.
 
Japanese Continuers speaking day
Date: Saturday 29 May (at this stage there will not be a second day for Continuers)
Ticket sales close: Friday 14 May 10 pm
Cost: $20 per student

Teacher registration is available online.
Student direct registration is available online. A password is required (password: himitsu).

Event details
1. Students are provided 4 sets of 7-minute HSC-style conversation practices + 3 minutes of feedback.
2. Students will only be allocated to one session and must be available to be placed in any session throughout the day. It will not be possible to offer students a choice.
3. Students will be informed directly of their exact practice time one week before the event. Please advise students to attend the pilot session to test their equipment, and to log in 10 minutes before their allocated session time. Please also advise them that students who arrive later than the allocated time may miss the practice.
4. If you enrol your students then you are expected to be available to examine across all 5 sessions for the duration of the event. Please note the day has been shortened to run in an online format.
5. Teachers registering on behalf of their students will need to collect specific information for each participating student before registering them.
6. Each teacher may bring up to a maximum of 15 students (be aware that this number may reduce once the event nears capacity). If the number of students is more than that, an additional (separate) application must be made by a second accompanying JTAN member.
7. Please note standard JTAN terms and conditions apply to this event.
8. Please email as soon as possible if there are any adjustments required to support student participation with the subject line "Continuers speaking day".
Questions regarding this event should be directed to JTAN by email.
 
Japanese Beginners speaking day 
Date: Saturday 19 June
Ticket sales close: Friday 4 June 10 pm
Cost: $20 per student

Teacher registration is available online.
Student direct registration is available online. A password is required (password: himitsu).

Event details:
1. Students are provided 5 sets of 5-minute HSC-style conversation practices + 3 minutes of feedback.
2. Students will only be allocated to one session and must be available to be placed in any session throughout the day. It will not be possible to offer students a choice.
3. Students will be informed directly of their exact practice time one week before the date. Please advise students to attend the pilot session to test their equipment, and to log in 10 minutes before their allocated session time. Please also advise them that students who arrive later than the allocated time may miss the practice.
4. If you enrol your students then you are expected to be available to examine across all 5 sessions for the duration of the event. Please note the day has been shortened to run in an online format – there is no separate afternoon session.
5. Teachers registering on behalf of their students will need to collect specific information for each participating student before registering. 
6. Each teacher may bring up to a maximum of 10 students. If the number of students is more than 10, an additional (separate) application must be made by a second accompanying JTAN member. Please note this number may change as the event reaches capacity.
7. Please note standard JTAN terms and conditions apply to this event.
8. Please email as soon as possible if there are any adjustments required to support student participation with the subject line "Beginners speaking day".
Questions regarding this event should be directed to JTAN by email.

The 2022 MEXT research and undergraduate scholarship applications are now open.
 
The deadline for applications is Wednesday 26 May 2021. Completed, hard-copy applications must arrive at the Embassy of Japan by 5:00 pm on this day.
 
Application forms and details (including the application timeline) are available on the Embassy of Japan website. There is an “Instructions by the Embassy” document for each scholarship on the website which should be read with the "MEXT Undergraduate/Research Application Guidelines" information.
 
All enquiries should be addressed to the MEXT Scholarship Advisor at the Embassy of Japan in Canberra via phone or email.  

Caringbah High School is seeking a Japanese teacher for a full-time temporary position for a 4-week block from 11 May to 4 June 2021. 
​
For more information or to apply, please email Richard Riley. 

FREE member 'Bullet PL' after-school workshop in Week 1.

Senior skill building – developing senior conversation skills – Continuers

Thursday 22 April 3.45-5.15 pm via Zoom.

Sign up from the event page.

Generously funded by the Macquarie Japanese Studies Centre for Teaching Development and presented by experienced HSC teacher Victoria Hay.

​Registrations close Monday 19 April 6 pm sharp.

Mama Dojo is offering interactive incursions in 2021 for schools in NSW.

​Games Boy JP investigates aspects of Japanese culture through interactive theatre, with level appropriate Japanese language featured throughout. There is an optional workshop available after the performance in which students learn additional games and related vocabulary. There is currently availability for NSW schools from 3 May – 6 June.
​
Show information can be found online. To make a booking or find out further information please email Mama Dojo.

Australian Olympic Connect Tomodachi 2021 Program
The Tomodachi 2021 Program is structured to promote international connections between young people in 2 countries, fostering a learning environment which provides a unique insight into each country’s customs, lifestyle and activities in the lead up to and during the Olympic Games.
 
Australian/Japanese schools and their respective language educators will be invited to participate through a registration process. Classes will be matched according to age or year level, and the program is available for students aged between 10-16 years old. Educators will be introduced, and contact details shared. A communication guide will be provided, with suggested themes to assist in meaningful collaboration. Educators are encouraged to engage in regular communication from the commencement of the program.

Important dates:
22 February – registrations open
19 April – registrations close
1-19 April – classes connected and educators introduced
19 April-23 July – program active

Further details about the program, including registration details, can be found online. 
 
Online seminar – Marugoto textbooks

The Japan Foundation is conducting a series of seminars for Japanese teachers introducing the Marugoto Japanese language and culture textbooks.

"Japanese Learning For Communication -A Marugoto Approach" is a series of 2 seminars in April and May. With a focus on the Elementary (A2) level, participants will learn about a teaching method based on audio input. Both sessions are conducted in Japanese.
 
Audio Input For Communication
April 18 2021, 1-3:30 pm AEST
Registrations open: 19 March 2021  
Registrations close: 13 April 2021 

Cost: The cost is free but registrations are essential.

Please note that this seminar covers the same content as the Marugoto seminar held in March and November 2020.
 
Understanding Grammar For Communication
May 16 2021, 1-3:30 pm AEST
Registrations open: 19 April 2021
Registrations close: 11 May 2021 

Cost: The cost is free but registrations are essential.

Please not that this seminar covers the same content as the Marugoto seminar held in December 2020.
 
Further details and registration information can be found online.
 
Japanese cooking workshops with Chef Dekura 🍣
Chef Dekura is continuing his popular school incursions in 2021. Participants have the opportunity to learn the values, traditions and history of Japan through hands-on cooking lessons with Chef Dekura. The workshops include a wide variety of maki-sushi styles, tea ceremony, shojin ryori, and cha-kaiseki ryori. Booking information and 2021 workshop details can be found on the information sheet.
 
Employment opportunities
Japanese teacher – Caringbah High School
A position is available at Caringbah High School to cover for a teacher on leave from 11 May to 4 June 2021. Please contact Richard Riley  for further information.
 
Japanese speaker – Australian Olympic Committee
The Australian Olympic Committee is seeking a Japanese speaker to travel to Japan during the Olympics to take on the role of a language translator. Please contact Hee-Kyung Lee for further information.

​The Nihongo Tanken Centre (located on the grounds of Kirrawee HS) is seeking a Japanese teacher to fill a full-time temporary position for Terms 2-4 2021.
 
Start date: 19 April 2021
Finish date: 17 December 2021
 
The Nihongo Tanken Centre provides an authentic Japanese immersion environment where students can use and further develop their Japanese language skills. From the initial welcome to the last goodbye, all communication is in Japanese, with centre staff experienced in communicating effectively with both Japanese and non-Japanese speakers from Kindergarten to Year 12. The centre offers 4-hour excursions for students K-12 from all educational sectors, online speaking sessions for Stage 6, as well as April and July holiday workshops for HSC students.
 
The successful applicant will support the development and implementation of innovative and effective Japanese language programs at the Tanken Centre.
 
Selection criteria:

• 1. Native speaker or near native speaker proficiency in Japanese.
• 2. Demonstrated ability to develop and implement engaging Japanese language programs for students within the K-12 range, including support materials.
• 3. Demonstrated ability to integrate ICTs into language programs.
• 4. Ability to work as a team member, working collaboratively with the Tanken Centre staff.

 
Please complete the attached expression of interest (EOI) and the attached application form, including the names and contact details of 2 referees. Your EOI should address the selection criteria and be no more than no more than 3 pages in length
 
Applications close 5 pm on Tuesday 30 March 2021.
 
Please email your application with the subject line ‘Tanken Centre EOI’ to Elisabeth.robertson@det.nsw.edu.au
 
Applicants must have DoE approval to teach.

Bookings
Please note that the Tanken Centre visits are fully booked for Terms 1-3 2021.

April online holiday workshop for Year 12
The Tanken Centre is facilitating Year 12 holiday workshop for Continuers on Thursday 8 April 2021.

Further details and the application form are available in the attached file. Please send the application form (page 2 only) at your earliest convenience to secure a place.

Please kindly note that these workshops are offered to the NSW public schools only.
Students who attend the April online holiday workshop are ineligible to attend the July workshop.
 
Kind regards,
​Nihongo Tanken Japanese Language Centre
nihongo.tanken@det.nsw.edu.au   

Dear Japanese teachers,
Thank you very much for your continued support. We appreciate your cooperation with our new online booking system.
 
Excursion bookings
Please kindly note that the Tanken Centre visits are fully booked for Semester 1 and we have only these dates available in Term 3:
- 16 July
- 1 September.
 
We have some dates available in Term 4.
​
If you are planning to the excursion to the centre, please send us the initial booking form at your earliest convenience.
 
Before the visit

1. Please read the attached the COVID safety plan carefully and be mindful of following points.
2. Visiting groups must minimise contact with Kirrawee High School students and staff when entering/leaving the centre. Groups enter and exit via school gate 9 (Kirk Crescent) as quickly as possible.
3. Please do not use any other gates but gate 9 to access the center.
4. On your arrival, please call the centre (9542 5975) and we will come to open the gate. If you arrive early, please wait outside the gate, not within the Kirrawee HS premises.

 
Morning tea (packaged rice cracker and individually packed fruit drink) is provided. If students have any dietary requirement, please ask them to bring their own morning tea.
 
Thank you very much for your attention in this matter.
We are looking forward to your visit to the centre.
 
Kind regards,
Nihongo Tanken Japanese Language Centre
Languages and Culture | Curriculum Secondary Learners
21 Hunter St, Kirrawee NSW 2232
T: (02) 9542 5745 F: (02) 9542 5749 | education.nsw.gov.au/languages
E: nihongo.tanken@det.nsw.edu.au