Exam writing workshop II – writers needed, Saturday 5 March 2022 (9:00 am - 2:00 pm)

The production of JTAN examinations requires teacher support. This is a great opportunity to develop your skills and to collaborate.

Each year, JTAN provides Preliminary yearly and HSC trial examination papers, developed collaboratively by members. We are once again calling for volunteers to help create both Beginners and Continuers papers. The workshop provides teachers the opportunity to engage in formal assessment writing practice.

Participants may be allocated according to their preference for Beginners or Continuers, and will work in small groups to develop the listening, reading and writing items for HSC-style examination questions. For members who attended the first writing workshop last year, this workshop will hone your skills and develop your writing ability.

Participants will be rewarded with an honorarium (monetary payment) for their time and contribution. Participants may also be invited to the third workshop (tentatively to be held on Sunday 27 March) in order to refine question items.
​
Participation in this workshop can contribute to 4 hours of NESA Elective PD.

This is a face-to-face workshop at The Japan Foundation Sydney and we look forward to seeing everyone in person for networking and collaboration. 

If you cannot make it on the day but would like to contribute, please email enquire@jtan.org.au with subject line ‘Exam Writing Workshop II’ to see if there is another way or alternative date where you can assist. 

Primary TeachMeet, Saturday 12 March 2022 (10:00 am - 12:00 pm)
All primary teachers are welcome to attend the Term 1 TeachMeet session to share ideas, experiences, as well as network. Bring along a lesson, an idea, or a project from your teaching to share in a supportive environment with other primary school teachers.

This event is free for JTAN members and $10 for non-members.

Please email any questions or enquires to enquire@jtan.org.au with subject line ‘Primary TeachMeet’. Registration closes on 10 March.

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

The Tanken Centre has been offering online group speaking sessions for Year 11 and 12 students in Term 1 on the following dates:
14, 15, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23 February 
7, 8 March 

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 2 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 of charge. At this stage, sessions are only available to NSW public schools.

If you are interested in booking a Year 11-12 session for your students, please email the Tanken Centre with the following details:
- the course (please include Beginners or Continuers)
- 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. We recommend you book 2 sessions if you have more than 10 students. 

Nihongo Tanken Centre

• tel: 02 9542 5745
• fax: 02 9542 5749
• email: 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  

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.

JTAN is offering an online Extension workshop focusing on preparing students for their HSC monologue on Saturday 25 July 9:00am-1:30pm.

Students will attend a one-hour presentation on monologue and essay writing skills. Students will then attend one of the sessions, in which they will be provided 4 sets of 10-minute HSC-style monologue practices  (7 minutes of preparation + 3 minutes of speaking), along with 5 minutes of feedback.

In order for this event to run smoothly, teachers of participating students must be available for the duration of the event (excluding the morning one-hour presentation). Due to the very limited capacity, each teacher may bring up to a maximum of 5 students. 

Teachers may register their students through the JTAN website. Students may also register and pay for themselves on the JTAN website here, however teachers must register themselves as well. Only credit card payments will be accepted, and places are strictly limited to 45 students.
Student ticket: $40.00
Password: Itomori
(Students should only be given the password once their teacher has registered so that their registration is not rejected.)

The new Extension resource workshop on 11 May is now NESA Registered PD. Completing this workshop contributes to 4.5 hours of NESA Registered PD addressing 6.2.2 and 7.4.2 of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW.

• Please do not forget to apply for Continuers Day (1 June), Beginners Day (15 June) and the Online Year 12 Speaking Day (29 June). Student names are to be submitted at least 2 weeks in advance.


• Any teachers wishing to conduct speaking practice in one of the above speaking events, please contact Megumi Mamone at jtan.workshop@gmail.com – we will be grateful for your contribution and it will be good experience for teachers!

 
JAPAN FOUNDATION SYDNEY – Teaching Materials Grant
This grant is for schools in Australia who wish to supplement their budget to purchase teaching materials for their Japanese language program. There are 2 kinds of programs in this grant. Please check the guidelines below to determine which program you should apply for:
1.      establishing new program
2.      expanding existing program.

The application deadline has been extended to Monday 20 May 2019.
For further details and application procedures, please see 
https://jpf.org.au/language/for-teachers/grants/teaching-materials-grants/

The Tanken Centre will host a workshop for beginning Japanese teachers on Friday 8 March 2019.

This workshop is to support new secondary Japanese teachers in:

• - building their skills in using Japanese in the classroom
• - learning more about the Tanken Centre
• - networking.

 
Date: Friday 8 March 2019
Time: 9:30am-2:30pm
Venue: Tanken Centre, Kirrawee HS
Target audience: Beginning (in their first 3 years) teachers of Japanese
Cost: $55 (including lunch)
 
This workshop is designed for you to experience the activities run by Tanken Centre, with the aim of using the ideas and strategies in your own classroom. You will also have the opportunity to network with other Japanese teachers.
 
Please refer to the attached program for full details.
 
Travel and accommodation subsidies are available for temporary/permanent rural and remote teachers, through the department’s Rural and Remote strategy. To apply for a subsidy, please email aris.cao1@det.nsw.edu.au with your details.
 
This workshop has 20 places, allocated on a first-come first-served basis. If you are interested, please resister:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1C6Br0C49yWnbOHzGl-SQeCkv6_zxkX78Ed313Ba4tQ0/edit
When your place is confirmed, we will contact you via email.
 
For more information contact:
Nihongo Tanken Centre
Email: nihongo.tanken@det.nsw.edu.au
T: 02 9542 5745
 
Standards
Attending this meeting will contribute 5 hours of Teacher Identified professional development towards maintaining Proficient Teacher accreditation in NSW, meeting standards 6.2, 6.3 and 7.4 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.

The Tanken Centre will host a workshop for beginning Japanese teachers on Friday 8 March 2019.

This workshop is to support new secondary Japanese teachers in:

• - building their skills in using Japanese in the classroom
• - learning more about the Tanken Centre
• - networking.

 
Date: Friday 8 March 2019
Time: 9:30am-2:30pm
Venue: Tanken Centre, Kirrawee HS
Target audience: Beginning (in their first 3 years) teachers of Japanese
Cost: $55 (including lunch)
 
This workshop is designed for you to experience the activities run by Tanken Centre, with the aim of using the ideas and strategies in your own classroom. You will also have the opportunity to network with other Japanese teachers.
 
Please refer to the attached program for full details.
 
Travel and accommodation subsidies are available for temporary/permanent rural and remote teachers, through the department’s Rural and Remote strategy. To apply for a subsidy, please email aris.cao1@det.nsw.edu.au with your details.
 
This workshop has 20 places, allocated on a first-come first-served basis. If you are interested, please resister:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1C6Br0C49yWnbOHzGl-SQeCkv6_zxkX78Ed313Ba4tQ0/edit
When your place is confirmed, we will contact you via email.
 
For more information contact:
Nihongo Tanken Centre
Email: nihongo.tanken@det.nsw.edu.au
T: 02 9542 5745
 
Standards
Attending this meeting will contribute 5 hours of Teacher Identified professional development towards maintaining Proficient Teacher accreditation in NSW, meeting standards 6.2, 6.3 and 7.4 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.

Applications for The Japan Foundation’s January 2019 intensive seminar, to be held in Sydney, have been extended to Monday 22 October 2018.

This intensive seminar delivers 19 hours of NESA-registered professional development.

​The seminar enables teachers to develop their language skills, gain confidence using Japanese, and to develop language teaching strategies and skills which they can apply in the language classroom.

Specific focuses include the Australian Curriculum, and ICT-based learning. Participants will be immersed in a Japanese language environment suited to their level and will have ample opportunity for networking.

New in 2018:
- teachers who have attended the intensive seminar in previous years are now also eligible to apply
- teachers who are Japanese native speakers can now attend on Day 2 (there will be no registered hours, however,  a certificate for 6 hours participation will be issued).

Venue:
Japan Foundation, Sydney

Dates:
Monday 14 January to Thursday 17 January 2019 

Target audience:
1. secondary teachers in Australia and New Zealand currently teaching Japanese (conditions apply)
2. preservice teachers (currently studying or recently graduated as a Japanese teacher in Australia – conditions apply)

Note: Teachers of other year groups may also apply as spaces in the course are still available.
Successful teachers from NZ can receive travel support (return flights and travel insurance only) from ILEP.

Participation in this event is FREE.

Online applications for the seminar close on Monday 22 October 2018.

Please note: The Japan Foundation Travel Grant for Professional Development Event is no longer available. All travel and accommodation expenses are the responsibility of the participant.

Enquiries can be directed to the Japan Foundation via email, or on (02) 9239 0055. Further information about the application process is available on the Japan Foundation website.

Showko Comedy will present a Rakugo workshop for artists and teachers on Saturday 28 July 2018 from 12:00-4:00pm at the Bondi Pavilion. 

Tickets are $80 and can be purchased at the door (pre-reservation required) or through eventbrite.

Rakugo is a form of entertainment best described as Japanese sit-down comedy or comic story telling. During a show, the Rakugo performer sits on a small pillow (zabuton) dressed in a kimono and acts out the whole story by themselves equipped with only a fan (sensu) and hand towel (tenugui) to help convey ideas. A Rakugo story is told through the conversations between characters, therefore, the performer must be able play the role of each distinct character by changing personality, facial expression, mannerisms, and speech.

This workshop offers a rare opportunity for Australian performers to learn from Showko – the only professionally trained Japanese Rakugo artist currently working outside of Japan.