We have just published new resources for Stage 5 Japanese, through which students develop the language skills and understanding for travelling in Japan – places of interest, travel etiquette, accommodation, travelling around and making comparisons to recommend best options.

You will find a sample unit of work (with embedded resources - both online and to print/share electronically), a sample assessment task (with marking guidelines) and an updated scope and sequence.

The resource set can be accessed from the Japanese Stages 4 and 5 section of our website, under the heading 'Stage 5 - Japanese'.

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.
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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.

AoYama Japanese Camp (AYJC) is currently offering 2 options for learners of Japanese:
1. 2022 winter 冬 holiday camp on 13-14 July 2022 in Castlereagh NSW. Applications are open for students in Years 8-12 students until 13 May 2022.  We accept both school groups and individual applications. 
2. In-school taster workshops. You choose an incursion workshop which can be tailored to your learners based on your current topic of study. Please contact AYJC for availability and to confirm we can travel to your school.

Current taster workshop options include:
1. Undokai (sports day) – high energy team-building activities run outside or in your school hall. This workshop is aimed at students in Years 7-8. It encourages functional language use and can provide an exciting way to learn Japanese.
2. Escape room – activities aimed to get your students thinking and using their Japanese. This workshop is aimed at students in Years 9 -12 and is catered to learned topics/content.
3. Race around Japan – a geography-inspired game that gets students working together to complete the challenges before time is up. This workshop is aimed at students in Years 7-12 and is catered to learned topics/content. 
 
AYJC's in-school taster workshops are usually priced at $25 per student, however if you book during Term 1, discounts are available.

Please see attached flyers for more details or contact AYJC at info@ayjc.com.au.

Seeking part-time temporary teacher at Georges River College Peakhurst Campus.

Dates: 3 days per week till the end of 2022
Week A: Monday, Tuesday & Friday
Week B, Monday, Thursday and Friday.
Approval to teach Japanese (Years 7-12) required.

For more information contact the school.
tel: 02 9153 9966
email: giulia.testa1@det.nsw.edu.au

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

Professional learning schedule
All scheduled 2022 JTAN events can be found here.

2022 membership
JTAN continues to provide support for member teachers of Japanese in NSW. We are again offering a variety of professional development opportunities and student workshops throughout the year. Renew your membership to stay up to date with current Japanese language education news and JTAN events.

If you would like to become a new member of JTAN, please sign up on the JTAN website. 

If you are an existing member of JTAN, please login to the JTAN website and go through the renewal process. Use your email address as the username and reset your password if required. Do not use the login details sent to you at the start of 2021 or prior. Email JTAN if you require assistance finding your current username. Click 'I’m not a robot', otherwise you will be locked out. Once logged in, hover over your name in the top right-hand corner and select 'my memberships' to renew your membership.

Multi-teacher memberships with discounts are available. The teacher purchasing (paying) needs to select the number of memberships required at the checkout. Once the multi-teacher membership is approved by JTAN an email will be sent to the purchaser with instructions on how the other teachers can sign up with their invite codes.
 
Kimi no Na wa teacher and student extension workshop
This online workshop is an excellent opportunity for teachers of the Extension course and their students to gain a deeper understanding of the prescribed text Kimi no Na wa and the text analysis component of the course. The cost is $25 per attendee (teachers and students).
Teachers can register on behalf of their students (schools collect money and pay JTAN in one transaction for the whole group) – register here. Alternatively, students can register and pay directly through JTAN, as individuals – register here.

Exam writing workshop II
Would you like to contribute to the writing of JTAN examination papers? This is a great opportunity to develop your skills and collaborate with experts. Each year JTAN provides quality Preliminary yearly and Trial HSC examination papers. This has always been a collaborative effort amongst members and we are once again calling for volunteers to help create both Beginners and Continuers papers. This workshop provides teachers with the opportunity to engage in formal assessment writing practice, which may lead to further professional pathways within education. The workshop will be held on Saturday 5 March. 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 exam 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.

Registration closes on 25 February. Should you have any questions, please email JTAN with the subject line ‘Exam writing workshop II’.

Stage 4 and 5 skill building workshop series
Throughout 2022, JTAN will be running a series of free, after-school 90-120 minute workshops to share expertise around our teaching community and add value to your membership. In 2022 these workshops will focus on Stage 4 and 5 engagement & skill building. Each workshop will be facilitated by an experienced teacher who will share strategies and approaches to assist you in increasing engagement in the classroom.
 
The first workshop will be held on Wednesday 16 February. The topic for this workshop is teaching hiragana and katakana. Registrations open soon. All 2022 professional learning events can be recorded as NESA Elective PD.

2022 exam purchases
2022 JTAN exams are available for 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 is subject to specific terms and conditions in addition to our normal terms and conditions all of which can be found on the JTAN website.
 
Year 11 Beginners $115
Year 11 Continuers $115
HSC Trial Beginners $115
HSC Trial Continuers $115
HSC Trial Extension $70

JPF online Japanese tutor support courses
The Japan Foundation, Sydney is offering 3 tutor support courses through the Minato online e-learning platform from upper beginner to upper elementary levels, perfect for those who want to brush up on their Japanese. These paid online courses are open to participants from around the world, with priority given to applicants living in Oceania. Courses run from 11 February to 17 May 2022. Information regarding the three courses can be found online. Applications close 2 February, or once capacity has been reached. Please contact the Japan Foundation via email with any enquiries regarding these courses.

2022 MJS grant applications for Japanese language teachers in Australia
The MJS Centre (Japanese Studies Centre for Teaching Development) would like to invite applicants for a MJS grant for Japanese language teachers in Australia. The grant scheme is provided by the Nippon Foundation Fund for Japanese Language Education Program (NF-JLEP). All grant recipients will also receive a lifetime membership of the NF-JLEP fellows. The grant scheme is designed to support teachers’ professional development to enhance their aptitude as leading Japanese language teachers in Australia.  

The grant may be used for language/cultural immersion and/or field work in Japan, enrolment in a formal language course, research, conference presentation and/or teaching relief for such activities. It may also be used collectively for the development/establishment of a workshop, website or resources for teachers’ professional development. Each grant will be $3000 for up to three successful applicants. Information regarding eligibility and conditions as well as how to apply can be found online. Please contact the MJS Centre via email with any enquiries regarding the grants.

The Japanese Government MEXT Scholarship 2022 Teacher Training Category is now open, and applications close on Friday 18 February 2022.
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Details and application forms are available on the Embassy of Japan in Australia website  https://www.au.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/education_mext_scholarship_en.html. Please address any enquiries to the Embassy via cultural-application@cb.mofa.go.jp or (02) 6273 3244.