2021 JTAN exams purchases
2021 JTAN exams are available to purchase now. Please note that the exam files will be made available from July, but orders must be made prior to the end of June to allow time for administrative checks to be completed. The purchase and use of JTAN exams are subject to specific terms and conditions outlined on the information page when purchasing exams in addition to normal JTAN terms and conditions. In 2021 the exam declaration will be completed digitally. 

Year 11 Beginners $115
Year 11 Continuers $115
HSC Trial Beginners $115
HSC Trial Continuers $115
HSC Trial Extension $70
 
Japanese speech contest
The Japanese language speech contest is held annually at state and national level. The aims of the contest are to encourage learners who are studying Japanese to showcase their language skills in a challenging context and to advocate Japanese language learning in general. The NSW Japanese language speech contest is organised by the NSW Japanese speech contest steering committee, consisting of members from NSW universities and high schools. This year the NSW contest will be held via Zoom on Sunday 22 August. The shift  to online delivery in 2021 opens doors for learners in schools and universities located away from Sydney CBD to participate in the contest.
 
Information regarding the contest format, eligibility, divisions, judging criteria and prizes can be found on this document. Applications must be lodged via the registration website. Please email any enquiries about the contest to the organisers.

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.

In response to teacher feedback, we have updated our sample speaking questions for Japanese Continuers. The questions we originally published were adapted from the old HSC Online site, and feedback indicated that the types of questions asked during the oral examination have changed since HSC Online was first published.

​You can access the updated questions from our Stage 6 Japanese Continuers page.

The Tanken Centre is again offering 40 minute online group sessions to assist Year 12 students with their speaking practice. Sessions will take place during school hours using Zoom. Students will be divided into 3 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. These sessions are free.
​
Please choose the dates for this session below:
- 24, 28, 30 July
- 3, 5, 11, 14, 20, 21, 25, 27 August
- 8, 10 September.

Please kindly note that these sessions are offered to the NSW public schools only.

If you are interested in booking a session for your students, please contact the Tanken Centre via email, including:
- the course (Beginners or Continuers)
- preferred dates and times (please provide at least 2 options)
- name list of attending students.
 
Bookings will be made on a first-come first-served basis.

There is a high chance that you will not be able to get your first preference. Please put several preferred dates with times. As we expect a large volume of inquiries, please make sure you include the above information in your email. Your session is not confirmed until we send you a confirmation email.
 
Priority goes to schools which have not participated in this session in Term 2. Schools which participated in Term 2 will be placed on waiting list.
 
We are looking forward to hearing from you.
 
Kind regards,
Tanken Centre
nihongo.tanken@det.nsw.edu.au​

The Year 12 HSC July online holiday workshops for Beginners and Continuers are now fully booked. Any further requests received will be placed on the waiting list. There are places still available in the Extension workshop on 15 July. Further details and the application form are available here. 

Please kindly note that these workshops are offered to NSW public schools only.

The Tanken Centre is facilitating Year 12 HSC July online holiday workshops on the following dates:
Beginners – Wednesday 8 July
Continuers – Thursday 9 July
Extension – Wednesday 15 July

Further details and the application form are available here. Please send the application form (page 2 only) at your earliest continence to secure a place.

Please kindly note that these workshops are offered to the NSW Government schools only.
Students who attended the April online holiday workshops are ineligible to attend these workshops.

JTAN online speaking days
We would like to remind teachers that a second Continuers day has opened on June 20 for those who missed out on the first day.

Continuers day #2 (online)
20 June 2020 (9:00am-1:30pm) – applications open.
 
We are pleased to announce that this event will go ahead due to the high demand of student registrations. As above, if you are able to provide additional support on the day as an examiner, please email JTAN. 

JTAN examination papers
The following 2020 JTAN examination papers are available for purchase from now until the end of June via the JTAN website. Please read the terms and conditions carefully, as we enforce strict embargo dates in order to maintain the validity of the papers across the state.
 
Year 11 Beginners Preliminary Yearly 
Year 12 Beginners Trial HSC 
Year 11 Continuers  Preliminary Yearly 
Year 12 Continuers Trial HSC 
Year 12 Extension Trial HSC 

National Symposium on Japanese Language Education (NSJLE) 2021
The Monash Japanese Language Education Centre together with The Japan Foundation, Sydney is committed to supporting Japanese language educators across Australia. We are also committed to the well-being of our colleagues and with that at the forefront of our thinking we have decided to postpone the National Symposium on Japanese Language Education 2020.The NSJLE will now be held in November 2021 in Melbourne at The State Library of Victoria.

The call for papers facility remains open so please consider submitting a paper. We greatly appreciate those who have submitted a paper for consideration and we will contact you shortly. Those who have registered for the NSJLE 2020 will also be contacted in the coming weeks.

We are pleased to announce that our featured keynote speakers for the NSJLE 2020, have been secured for 2021. Their biographies, further details and important dates can be found on the NSJLE website.

The Tanken Centre is introducing 40 minute online group sessions to assist Year 12 students with their speaking practice this term. Sessions will take place during school hours using Zoom. Students will be divided into 3 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 three different speakers.

After the speaking rotations are complete, the groups will come back together in the main room and students will be given feedback. These sessions are free.
​ 
If you are interested in booking a session for your students, please contact the Tanken Centre via email with your preferred date and time.

New JTAN website
The new JTAN website is up and running. If you try to log in to the new website using your old JTAN login, your account becomes blocked as a security measure. Passwords must be reset using your email – click 'LOGIN' and then reset your password via the "Lost your password?" link. If you require further assistance, please view the video instructions.

Online speaking days
Continuers Day: Saturday 30 May, 2020 (9:00AM-1:30PM)
Beginners Day: Saturday 13 June, 2020 (9:00AM-1:30PM)

Year 12 online speaking day applications are now open via the JTAN website. Teachers may register with their students as usual, however students are now able to register and submit payments online as well.
For students to purchase event tickets independently, their teacher must first register for the event and then email to receive a password for students to use when registering online.
The Year 12 speaking days have always been popular so please register your students as soon as possible to avoid missing out. 

JTAN examination papers
The following 2020 JTAN examination papers are available for purchase from now until the end of June via the JTAN website.
 
Year 11 Beginners Preliminary Yearly - $115.00
Year 12 Beginners Trial HSC - $115.00
Year 11 Continuers  Preliminary Yearly - $115.00
Year 12 Continuers Trial HSC - $115.00
Year 12 Extension Trial HSC - $70.00
 
JTAN examination papers – new embargo dates
Due to several schools delaying assessment periods as a result of COVID-19, there are new embargo dates for JTAN examination papers:
• Trial HSC Examination papers are embargoed until 4 September 2020 (previously 21 August 2020)
• Preliminary Yearly Examination papers are embargoed until 18 September 2020 (previously 11 September 2020)

'Kimi no Na Wa' Extension resource booklet
This 100+ page booklet guiding teachers and students through the prescribed film is now available to all JTAN members via the JTAN website. Thank you to Benjamin Gibbs (Epping Boys High School) and Eva Truong (Cheltenham Girls High School) for creating and sharing this valuable resource with the Japanese teaching community. 

Contacting JTAN
If you would like to contact JTAN with a question or suggestion, please use the new website's Contact Form.
Alternatively, you can send an email – messages will then be forwarded to the relevant committee member.

Mieko and Taka from the Tanken Centre have created videos of HSC speaking sample questions for Year 12 Japanese Beginners and Continuers courses. They have also created lists of sample questions. Please share these resources with your students to assist them with practising their speaking skills.

Continuers – personal world, education
Continuers – daily life, health
Continuers – leisure
Continuers – future plans, miscellaneous
Beginners – family, neighbourhood, education
Beginners – friends, holidays
 
Continuers sample questions
Beginners sample questions