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.
In Year 9, students studying Japanese expand their understanding of the language and culture. This course offers important sequential preparation for further studies of Japanese at the senior levels. Students will be given additional opportunities to improve their written and oral skills in the language. Leongatha Secondary College has a sister school in Toyama, Japan, allowing students studying Japanese opportunities to use the language in ‘real’ situations outside of the classroom. Students studying Japanese in the middle years will have the opportunity to participate in Japanese exchange programs, such as the bi-annual Japanese Study Tour and/or pen-pal programs.
Unit Topics
- Hiragana characters and some kanji characters
- Extended self-introductions
- Friends and Family
- Comparing Australian and Japanese geography, food, school and daily life
- Learn about Japanese culture through the study of the film “Spirited Away”
Skill Development
- listening: using a range of media including a Japanese film and listening tests.
- speaking: using Japanese to talk about yourself, friends,family, school and likes/ dislikes.
- reading: pen friends and specific reading tasks from textbooks
- writing: use Japanese scripts to produce personal letters and complete assessment tasks
Possible Assessment Tasks
- Presentations and Assignments
- Reading comprehension tasks
- Listening/speaking tasks
Career Options
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. Students studying Japanese can pursue various career opportunities, including, translation and interpretation, education, content creation, international business, politics, diplomacy and international relations, technology and innovation, tourism and hospitality, media and journalism, arts and entertainment, research and academia, customer service and support. These roles leverage language skills and cultural knowledge, offering diverse professional paths.
Whether or not students use Japanese in the future, learning a second language teaches students about the importance of intercultural understanding which is essential for thriving in a diverse and interconnected world.
Year 9