LOTE: Japanese

Description

Learning a second language is an important skill that can improve your brain and memory functions, boost your creativity and self-esteem, improve your intercultural connectedness, help in future career opportunities, as well as increase your understanding of the language you already speak.

Students studying Japanese in VCE expand their understanding of the language and culture. The VCE Japanese course develops students’ listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills while exploring Japanese society, culture, and identity. This course is offered to students who have previously completed the important sequential studies in Years 9 and 10.

Unit Topics

There are three prescribed themes for study in VCE Japanese:

• The individual
• The Japanese-speaking communities
• The world around us

Skill Development

Students will improve their reading and writing skills of hiragana, katakana and 200 kanji characters, as well as Japanese speaking and listening skills.

Possible Assessment Tasks

Speaking – Roleplays, oral presentations, conversation/discussions with their sensei.

Listening – Comprehension of audio & video presentations.

Reading – Comprehension tasks using a variety of reading texts.

Writing – Essays, letters and diary entries using genkouyoushi.

Activities/Camps/Excursions

LSC students have the opportunity to visit our sister school in Toyama, Japan every two years. Every alternate year, students from our sister school visit us and join our classes. This exchange allows students from both Toyama and Leongatha to become friends and use each other’s languages to communicate with each other.

Career Options

Language proficiency opens doors in international trade, diplomacy, translation, education, content creation, technology, arts and entertainment, tourism, and hospitality. These roles leverage language skills and cultural knowledge, offering diverse professional paths. Studying Japanese equips students with the skills to communicate effectively with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds, fostering a balanced understanding of various social and professional practices worldwide. 

Whether or not students use Japanese in their future professions, learning a second language teaches students about the importance of intercultural understanding which is essential for thriving in a diverse and interconnected world.