Australian Curriculum: Japanese
This section provides direct access to the complete Australian Curriculum: Japanese.
Language Learning Space
Understand how Japanese works
Context statement
Japanese is the official language of Japan, Australia’s northern neighbour in the Asia region. It is also widely used by communities of speakers in Hawaii, Peru and Brazil, and learnt as an additional language by large numbers of students in the Republic of Korea, China, Indonesia and Australia.
PDF documents
Resources and support materials for the Australian Curriculum: Languages - Japanese are available as PDF documents.
Filters
Year levels:
Curriculum elements
Strands:
Foundation to Year 2
Foundation to Year 2 Band Description
The nature of the learners
Children enter the early years of schooling with established communication skills in one or more languages and varying degrees of early literacy capability. For young students, learning typically focuses on their immediate worlds of family, home, school, friends and neighbourhood. They are learning how to socialise with new people, share with others, and participate in structured routines and activities at school. Typically they have little to no experience of Japanese language and culture.
Japanese language learning and use
The initial focus is on listening to the sounds and patterns of Japanese through language-rich activities such as rhymes, songs, clapping and action games. Repetition and recycling help children to identify frequently used words, simple phrases and non-verbal communication strategies employed in greetings and other social interactions. Learners experiment with simple responses to prompts and cues.
They are introduced to the scripts through initial exposure to high-frequency kanji, focusing on their ideographic nature before learning the associated Japanese sounds. They learn hiragana using a play-based approach that incorporates chanting, the use of mnemonics and a focus on the creative and crafted process of writing Japanese kana. As they learn to read hiragana they draw on first language literacy skills such as predicting the meaning of unfamiliar elements using contextual cues or by linking them to known elements.
Reading skills begin with recognition of single kanji or hiragana and progress to reading whole words and familiar phrases. Writing skills progress from labelling pictures with single kanji and tracing and copying words in hiragana to scaffolded writing of words and short phrases.
As they progress to using Japanese for functions such as asking and answering questions, responding to classroom instructions, singing songs, and taking turns in games and simple shared tasks, children begin to notice that language behaves differently in different situations and that Japanese speakers communicate in some ways that are different from their own. They practise and repeat formulaic expressions and gestures such as bowing that differ in Japanese from ways of communicating in English. Creative play provides opportunities for exploring these differences and for using Japanese for purposeful interaction.
Contexts of interaction
Children use Japanese to interact with one another and the teacher, with some access to wider school and community members. Information and communications technology (ICT) resources provide additional access to Japanese language and cultural experiences.
Texts and resources
Learners engage with a variety of spoken, visual and written texts. They listen and respond to teacher talk, share ideas, and join in stories, songs, plays and simple conversations. Written and digital texts include stories, wall charts, Big Books, and teacher-produced materials such as games, captions and flashcards.
Features of Japanese language use
Learners become familiar with the sound systems of the Japanese language, including pronunciation and rhythm. They learn to pronounce individual sounds and sound combinations. They understand basic word order in simple sentences, indicate affirmative or negative responses, respond to requests, and notice different levels of formality when addressing friends, family and teachers. They discuss similarities and differences that they notice between Japanese and their first language(s) and culture(s), such as adjective–noun patterns, adding か to ask a question, and ways of showing respect.
Level of support
Learning is supported through the provision of experiences that are challenging but achievable with appropriate scaffolding and support. This involves modelling and monitoring by the teacher, provision of rich and varied sources of input, opportunities for recycling and reviewing, and regular cues, feedback, response and encouragement. At this stage, play and imaginative activities, music, movement and familiar routines provide the essential scaffolding for language development.
The role of English
While children are encouraged to use Japanese whenever possible, with the teacher providing rich and varied language input, English is used as a medium of instruction, and for explanation and discussion. This allows learners to discuss differences and similarities they notice between Japanese and their own language(s) and culture(s), to ask questions, and to express their reactions to the experience of learning and using an additional language.
Foundation to Year 2 Content Descriptions
Communicating
Socialising
[Key concepts: self, interaction, politeness, preferences; Key processes: greeting, interacting, introducing, describing] (ACLJAC109 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: play, action learning, collaboration; Key processes: participating, turn-taking, interacting] (ACLJAC110 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: routines, rules, interactions; Key processes: participating, responding, requesting, apologising] (ACLJAC111 - Scootle )
Informing
[Key concepts: information, meaning, text, context; Key processes: listening, identifying, demonstrating, making meaning] (ACLJAC112 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: self, family, immediate environment; Key processes: naming, labelling, presenting, describing] (ACLJAC113 - Scootle )
Creating
[Key concepts: imagination, response, expression; Key processes: responding, performing, sharing, expressing] (ACLJAC114 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: performance, narration, image, rhythm; Key processes: acting, creating, composing, expressing] (ACLJAC115 - Scootle )
Translating
[Key concepts: meaning, translation, explanation; Key processes: translating, demonstrating, interpreting] (ACLJAC116 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: meaning, vocabulary, bilingualism; Key processes: creating, matching, selecting] (ACLJAC117 - Scootle )
Reflecting
[Key concepts: language, culture, similarity and difference, respect; Key processes: noticing, comparing, considering] (ACLJAC118 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: identity, self, group, communication; Key processes: describing, explaining, identifying] (ACLJAC119 - Scootle )
Understanding
Systems of language
[Key concepts: mora, rhythm, intonation; Key processes: listening, distinguishing, recognising] (ACLJAU120 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: script, kana, kanji, phonemic awareness, meaning; Key processes: recognising, tracing, copying] (ACLJAU121 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: grammar, vocabulary, syntax; Key processes: recognising, describing, indicating] (ACLJAU122 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: text, meaning, genre, metalanguage; Key processes: recognising, identifying, describing] (ACLJAU123 - Scootle )
Language variation and change
[Key concepts: variation, context, culture; Key processes: exploring, identifying, comparing] (ACLJAU124 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: language, change, word borrowing; Key processes: noticing, recognising, classifying] (ACLJAU125 - Scootle )
Role of language and culture
[Key concepts: language, culture, meaning; Key processes: noticing, reflecting, questioning] (ACLJAU126 - Scootle )
Foundation to Year 2 Achievement Standards
Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 2, students interact with the teacher and peers through play- and action-related language. They use formulaic expressions and appropriate gestures in everyday interactions such as exchanging greetings and farewells, for example, おはようございます、おはよう、こんにちは、さようなら、また、あした, thanking and apologising, and giving and receiving, for example, どうぞ、どうも. They use visual, non-verbal and contextual support such as pictures, gestures, facial expressions and props to make meaning of simple texts. When listening to simple repetitive spoken texts, they identify key words such as names or numbers of objects or people, and demonstrate comprehension by actions, drawing or labelling. They respond to instructions through actions, for example, きいて ください。みて ください 。, and respond to questions, for example, だれなに どこ with single words and set phrases and by selecting images or objects, for example, いぬ です か。ねこ です か 。. They present information about themselves, their family, friends and favourite things at word and simple sentence level, using formulaic and modelled language. They describe people and objects using adjectives to indicate colour, shape and size, for example, あかい りんご、おおきい、まるい. They indicate ownership by using, for example, だれ の ですか。わたし/ぼく の です。 They mimic Japanese pronunciation, intonation and rhythm through shared reading and singing. Students recognise and begin to write single kanji, such as 人, 木, 山、川、月、日、一、ニ、三, the 46 hiragana symbols, and some hiragana words such as くち、ねこ、あお、しかく. They demonstrate understanding of hiragana as well as kanji by actions such as matching, labelling and sorting. They translate and interpret examples of everyday Japanese language use and cultural behaviours such as the exchange of greetings or thanks, terms of address and some formulaic expressions and behaviours.
Students identify the three different scripts in Japanese, hiragana, kanji and katakana. They understand that hiragana represents the basic units of Japanese sound and apply that knowledge in their communication. They know that kanji represents meaning as well as sounds, and that katakana is used for borrowed words. They know that stroke order in writing characters is important. Students identify patterns in Japanese words and phrases and make comparisons between Japanese and English, for example, the word order in greetings, such as Smith せんせい、and in simple sentences, such as おりがみ が すきです。ぞう は おおきい です。. They provide examples of different ways of addressing friends, family and teachers or other adults. They use pronouns, such as わたし/ぼく, and titles/suffixes, such as ~せんせい/~さん/~くん, to address different people. They identify Japanese words that are often used in English-speaking contexts, for example, 'sushi', 'origami' and 'karate'. They give examples of Japanese words and phrases that have been borrowed from other languages, such as ピンク、テレビ、パン. They identify similarities and differences between Japanese and their own languages and cultures.
Foundation to Year 2 Work Sample Portfolios
Years 3 and 4
Years 3 and 4 Band Description
The nature of the learners
At this level, children are developing awareness of their social worlds and of their memberships of various groups, including of the Japanese class. They are further developing literacy capabilities in English, and while this highlights differences between writing in alphabetic and character-based languages, it also assists to some degree in learning Japanese. They benefit from varied, activity-based learning that builds on their interests and capabilities and makes connections with other areas of learning.
Japanese language learning and use
The development of oral proficiency at this stage continues to rely on rich language input in different modes. Learners listen and respond by actions to build active listening and comprehension skills. They participate in classroom routines and tasks and use some spontaneous language to describe feelings related to classroom activities. They participate in games and activities and engage with texts through teacher-generated questions and prompting. They give short presentations related to their personal worlds, including simple descriptions. With support they create labels, captions and short sentences. Language experience and input include authentic texts with some modification, familiar vocabulary and simple sentence structures. Children are supported to expand their use of the language in familiar interactions and situations, such as exchanging simple information and participating in shared tasks, performances and play. They continue to control simple grammatical forms and build vocabulary that can be adapted for different purposes. Students learn the use of diacritic marks to create voiced sounds. They learn to produce and pronounce characters with the support of flashcards, mnemonics, digital games and exercises. They read and write words written in hiragana and in high-frequency kanji with support and scaffolding. There is a combined focus on grammar, vocabulary building, pronunciation, and non-verbal and cultural dimensions of language use through purposeful communicative activities and experiences.
Contexts of interaction
The context in which learners interact is primarily the language classroom and the school environment, with some access to wider communities of Japanese speakers and resources through digital technology.
Texts and resources
Children develop literacy skills and textual knowledge through supported interaction with a range of spoken, written, visual and multimodal texts. Imaginative and interactive texts such as picture books, stories, puppet plays, songs and games develop the expressive and cultural dimensions of language. To support the development of cultural knowledge, learners may have access to resources developed for Japanese children, such as storybooks, songs, television programs or interactive games.
Features of Japanese language use
Learners recognise the predictable nature of pronunciation in Japanese and apply their knowledge of sound–letter associations to spell new words. They recognise and use elements of grammar such as simple verb forms, adjectives, interrogatives and some particles to understand and create simple spoken and written texts. They use appropriate word order and sentence structures, including time, counter classifiers, and present, past and negative forms. Learning Japanese contributes to learners' general literacy development and to the process of making sense of their worlds that characterises this stage of their development. As they encounter elements of Japanese language they make comparisons with their own language(s) and culture(s) and consider their own ways of communicating.
Level of support
This stage of learning involves extensive support. Tasks are carefully scaffolded. Teachers provide models and examples; introduce language, concepts and resources needed to manage and complete the task; make time for experimentation, drafting and redrafting; and provide support for self-monitoring and reflection. Learners use the hiragana chart as a systematic framework to support reading and writing.
The role of English
Learners are supported to use Japanese as much as possible for classroom routines, social interaction, structured learning tasks and language experimentation and practice. English is used for discussion, explanation and reflection, enabling learners to develop a language (metalanguage) for sharing ideas about language and culture systems and experience. Using both Japanese and English in the classroom develops awareness of what it means to be bilingual.
Years 3 and 4 Content Descriptions
Communicating
Socialising
[Key concepts: communication, information, self, family, respect; Key processes: introducing, interacting, describing] (ACLJAC127 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: collaboration, participation, task, performance; Key processes: following instructions, rehearsing, performing, presenting] (ACLJAC128 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: interaction, negotiation, response; Key processes: responding, requesting, rehearsing] (ACLJAC129 - Scootle )
Informing
[Key concepts: information, research, data; Key processes: locating, collecting, classifying, recognising] (ACLJAC130 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: family, relationships, routines; Key processes: describing, explaining, annotating] (ACLJAC131 - Scootle )
Creating
[Key concepts: response, expression; Key processes: participating, imagining, creating, interpreting] (ACLJAC132 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: fantasy, imagination, dramatisation; Key processes: imagining, creating, experimenting, performing] (ACLJAC133 - Scootle )
Translating
[Key concepts: meaning, culture, translation, interpretation; Key processes: identifying, explaining, interpreting, comparing] (ACLJAC134 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: bilingualism, expression, code-mixing; Key processes: translating, performing, creating, adapting] (ACLJAC135 - Scootle )
Reflecting
[Key concepts: respect, culture, similarity and difference, communication; Key processes: identifying, explaining, experimenting, reflecting] (ACLJAC136 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: identity, community, family, culture; Key processes: selecting, creating, representing, comparing] (ACLJAC137 - Scootle )
Understanding
Systems of language
[Key concepts: consonant, vowel, kana, foot, mora, rhythm, pronunciation; Key processes: recognising, differentiating, demonstrating] (ACLJAU138 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: character, kana and kanji, stroke order, font; Key processes: recognising, tracing, reading, writing] (ACLJAU139 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: verb conjugation, particles, word order, vocabulary, counter; Key processes: describing, indicating, identifying, questioning] (ACLJAU140 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: text, genre, language features, mode; Key processes: comparing, analysing, recognising] (ACLJAU141 - Scootle )
Language variation and change
[Key concepts: register, context, variation; Key processes: observing, recognising, reflecting] (ACLJAU142 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: language status, standard language, multilingualism; Key processes: recognising, comparing, classifying] (ACLJAU143 - Scootle )
Role of language and culture
[Key concepts: cultural expression, values, respect, gestures; Key processes: observing, comparing, discussing, interpreting] (ACLJAU144 - Scootle )
Years 3 and 4 Achievement Standards
Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 4, students interact with the teacher and peers in regular classroom routines and structured interactions. They understand and respond to instructions related to classroom organisation and activities, for example, ペア に なって ください。大きい こえ で いって ください。. They use formulaic and rehearsed language to exchange information about their personal worlds and in familiar interactions such as praising or encouraging one another, for example,
がんばって. They use language spontaneously in simple familiar communicative exchanges, for example, やったー!だいじょうぶ?. They respond to simple questions using short spoken statements, for example, いつ です か。なに が すき です か。. They use counter classifiers in response to questions such as なん 人 、なん 月 、なんじ、なんさい. Students identify specific items of information, such as facts about or key characteristics of people, when listening to or viewing texts such as short stories, weather reports or video clips. They use cues such as context, visual images and familiar vocabulary to assist comprehension. They create short spoken informative and descriptive texts related to their personal world with the support of modelled language, scaffolded examples and resources such as word lists. They describe people and events using adjectives, time-related vocabulary and appropriate verb forms, such as ます、ましょう、ました and ません. They read and write the 46 hiragana, including long vowels (for example, おとうさん、おおきい), voiced sounds (for example, かぞく、たべます), and blended sounds as formulaic language (for example, きょう、でしょう), as well as high-frequency kanji such as 月、日、先生. They apply word order (subject–object–verb) in simple sentences. They comprehend short written texts such as captions, labels, signs and stories that use familiar and repetitive language. They translate simple texts using classroom resources such as charts or word lists, noticing that some words and expressions do not translate easily. Students identify examples of cultural differences between ways of communicating in Japanese and in their own language(s).
Students identify both vowel and vowel–consonant sounds of hiragana, recognising that vowel sounds can be elongated and that this can change meaning. They identify ways in which rhythm is used to chunk phrases within a sentence. Students use the hiragana chart to support their reading and writing, recognising its systematic nature. They demonstrate awareness of the predictable nature of pronunciation. They know the role of particles, for example, は、を、と、も、に; the rules for simple verb tense conjugations; and how to create questions using the sentence-ending particle か. They understand and use the rules and phonetic changes that apply to counter classifiers, for example, はっさい、ひとり、ふたり. They identify language variations that occur according to the age and relationship of participants, and according to the situation, for example, なまえ/ おなまえ、はし/ おはし. They demonstrate their understanding of the importance in Japanese of non-verbal communication such as the use of gestures, for example, bowing to replace words and to communicate meaning. Students identify ways in which Japanese language reflects ways of behaving and thinking.
Years 3 and 4 Work Sample Portfolios
Years 5 and 6
Years 5 and 6 Band Description
The nature of the learners
At this level, students are widening their social networks, experiences and communication repertoires in both their first language and Japanese. They continue to need guidance and participate in structured, collaborative tasks that both recycle and extend language. Students are gaining greater independence and becoming more conscious of their peers and social context. They are gaining a greater awareness of the world around them. Learners are noticing similarities and differences between Japanese language and culture and their own.
Japanese language learning and use
Learners use Japanese with peers and the teacher for a widening range of purposes: asking and responding to questions, exchanging information, expressing ideas and feelings, performing, responding to learning experiences, and interacting with Japanese language resources. They are developing greater fluency and accuracy in communication. As they draw on a growing range of vocabulary resources and grammatical structures, their pronunciation, intonation and phrasing improve. They begin to use Japanese more spontaneously when interacting with one another, and use an increasing range of body language and gestures. Shared tasks provide a context for purposeful language experience and experimentation. Focused attention on language structures, literacy skills development and exploration of cultural elements of communication are conducted at least in part in Japanese. Learners use digital media to support their learning in increasingly independent ways, such as exchanging resources and information with other Japanese speakers. In doing this, they may access music and media resources.
Contexts of interaction
Learners use Japanese with one another and with the teacher for a growing range of purposes. They may have some access to other Japanese speakers and cultural experiences in wider contexts and communities through the use of information and communications technology (ICT).
Texts and resources
Learners engage with a growing range of oral, written and multimodal texts, including published texts such as modified folk stories, songs and computer games, as well as teacher-generated resources such as language games, exercises and presentations. In addition, learners have some access to Japanese language and culture through texts created for young Japanese people, such as stories, music clips, anime/manga and video clips.
Features of Japanese language use
Learners notice the relationship between stress, pacing and meaning, and use appropriate intonation patterns to exclaim, make a statement or ask a question. They continue to acquire a wider range of vocabulary and to build grammatical and textual knowledge. They use verbs, nouns and adjectives, a variety of particles, prepositions, counters and conjunctions. They differentiate between animate and inanimate objects and apply their knowledge of こそあど in context. They develop metalanguage to describe patterns, rules and variations in language structures. As they use Japanese to interact in different situations, they develop understanding of how language and culture influence each other, and reflect on their own ways of communicating and using language. Learners begin to experience and reflect on the challenges and opportunities involved in moving between languages and different ways of making meaning.
Level of support
While learners work more independently at this level, ongoing support is incorporated into tasks and activities. Systematic feedback and review assist the interactive process of learning. Support includes provision of models, stimulus materials, scaffolded opportunities for reflection, and resources such as word and character charts, vocabulary lists, dictionaries and electronic reference materials. Learning tasks and activities take account of both learners' current level of Japanese capability and their more general cognitive and social levels of development.
The role of English
While the use of Japanese in the classroom increases at this level, the use of English for discussion, reflection and explanation ensures the continued development of learners' knowledge base and intercultural capability.
Years 5 and 6 Content Descriptions
Communicating
Socialising
[Key concepts: communication, correspondence, exchange, interests; Key processes: interacting, communicating, greeting, describing] (ACLJAC145 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: collaboration, performance, transaction; Key processes: planning, organising, introducing, explaining, transacting, budgeting] (ACLJAC146 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: roles, interaction, communication; Key processes: reading, naming, describing, requesting] (ACLJAC147 - Scootle )
Informing
[Key concepts: interests, behaviours, social interactions, cultural expression; Key processes: researching, compiling, presenting, identifying] (ACLJAC148 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: content, profile, audience, format; Key processes: presenting, profiling, referencing] (ACLJAC149 - Scootle )
Creating
[Key concepts: character, plot, context, values, emotion; Key processes: analysing, discussing, responding, expressing, comparing] (ACLJAC150 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: performance, audience, rhythm, digital text; Key processes: creating, performing, designing] (ACLJAC151 - Scootle )
Translating
[Key concepts: meaning, culture, interpretation, equivalence; Key processes: explaining, interpreting, demonstrating, experimenting, reflecting] (ACLJAC152 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: bilingualism, learning resources, translation; Key processes: classifying, glossing, annotating, composing] (ACLJAC153 - Scootle )
Reflecting
[Key concepts: language, culture, similarity and difference, values; Key processes: identifying, analysing, comparing, reflecting] (ACLJAC154 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: identity, communication, stereotype, protocol; Key processes: reflecting, identifying, exploring] (ACLJAC155 - Scootle )
Understanding
Systems of language
[Key concepts: phonemic awareness, spelling, rhythm; Key processes: identifying, discriminating, pronouncing, spelling] (ACLJAU156 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: scripts, characters, stroke order, punctuation; Key processes: reading, writing, recognising] (ACLJAU157 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: metalanguage, grammar, counters; Key processes: identifying, explaining, discriminating, applying] (ACLJAU158 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: textual features, context, variation; Key processes: recognising, identifying, explaining, reflecting] (ACLJAU159 - Scootle )
Language variation and change
[Key concepts: register, context, tenor; Key processes: observing, reflecting, comparing] (ACLJAU160 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: language contact, word borrowing, globalisation, technology, change; Key processes: identifying, classifying, reflecting] (ACLJAU161 - Scootle )
Role of language and culture
[Key concepts: language, culture, expression, values, perspectives; Key processes: noticing, identifying, comparing, reflecting] (ACLJAU162 - Scootle )
Years 5 and 6 Achievement Standards
Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 6, students use formulaic and modelled language in classroom interactions to carry out transactions and to share or convey information about daily routines, activities and events, using time expressions such as まい日、ときどき. They ask and respond to questions in familiar contexts using complete sentences and appropriate pronunciation, rhythm and intonation. They ask for clarification and assistance, negotiate turn-taking and follow instructions. They extend their answers by using conjunctions such as そして、それから. They show concern for and interest in others by making enquiries such as だいじょうぶ?, and apologise and express thanks using appropriate gestures. They read and write all hiragana, including voiced sounds, long vowel sounds, double consonants and blends, and high-frequency kanji, for example, 犬 , 小さい、 雨 . Students locate specific information and some supporting details in a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts on familiar topics. They express reactions to imaginative texts, such as by describing qualities of characters, for example, やさしい 人 です。. They create connected texts of a few sentences, such as descriptions, dialogues or skits. They structure sentences using particles, for example, へ、で、を、がand prepositions, for example, の 上 に, and apply the rules of punctuation when writing. They describe and recount events and experiences in time, for example, adjective です。noun です/でした。 and present/past/negative verb forms, for example, のみます、たべます、 見 ました、いきません. They use counter classifiers in response to questions such as いくら です か。なんびき?なんこ?. Students translate familiar texts, recognising formulaic expressions and culturally specific textual features and language use. They comment on similarities and differences in ways of expressing values such as politeness, consideration and respect in Japanese compared to other languages and cultures.
Students understand and use the hiragana chart to pronounce contracted and blended sounds and exceptions to phonetic rules, such as を、へ、は, and です. They understand and apply the rules and phonetic changes related to counter classifiers, such as さんぜんえん、いっこ、はっぴき. They apply their knowledge of stroke order to form characters. They give examples of ways in which languages both change over time and are influenced by other languages and cultures. They identify words from other languages used in Japanese, such as パソコン、メール、パスタ, and how the pronunciation, form and meaning of borrowed words can change when used in Japanese. Students identify behaviours and values associated with Japanese society and incorporate these into their own language use, such as ways of deflecting praise, for example, じょうず です ね。いいえ。.
Years 5 and 6 Work Sample Portfolios
Years 7 and 8
Years 7 and 8 Band Description
The nature of the learners
These years represent a transition to secondary school. Students in this sequence are continuing to study Japanese, bringing with them an established capability to interact in different situations, to engage with a variety of texts and to communicate with some assistance about their immediate world and that of Japanese speakers. They have experience in analysing the major features of the language system and in reflecting on the nature of intercultural exchanges in which they are involved.
Japanese language learning and use
Japanese is used for classroom interactions and transactions, for creating and maintaining a class dynamic, and for explaining and practising language forms. Learners work both collaboratively and independently in Japanese, exploring a variety of texts, including songs/raps and role-plays, with particular reference to their social, cultural and communicative interests. They share language knowledge and resources to plan, problem-solve, monitor and reflect. They use modelled and rehearsed language in familiar and unfamiliar contexts and increasingly generate original language. They make cross-curricular connections and explore intercultural perspectives and experiences. They plan, draft and present imaginative and informative texts and participate in collaborative tasks and games. They use vocabulary and grammar with increasing accuracy, drafting and re-drafting to improve and clarify meaning.
Students learn to use katakana and develop their understanding of the relationship between hiragana, katakana and kanji in texts. They read, view and interact with a growing range of texts for a variety of informative, transactional and communicative purposes. They are developing a broader range of vocabulary and expression and creating more complex sentences using structures such as まい 日 、 友 だちとバスでがっこうに 行 きます。.
Contexts of interaction
The primary context for learning and using Japanese remains the language classroom; however, there may be increasing opportunities for interaction with peers in a range of Japanese-speaking communities through the use of technologies, partner-school arrangements and community connections. Learners have access to additional Japanese language resources through websites, video clips and other multimodal texts.
Features of Japanese language use
Learners expand their range of vocabulary to subjects beyond their immediate world and familiar experiences. They develop broader grammatical knowledge, using verbs and い/な adjectives, negative conjugations, various particles, counters, superlatives and conjunctions, to describe and sequence events. With support they create a range of texts and participate in information sharing and performances. They recognise and apply Japanese punctuation conventions and the characteristic features of text types such as self-introductions and letters. They analyse more critically and imaginatively the relationship between language and culture, identifying cultural references in texts and considering how language reflects and influences perspectives and values, for example, the use of the prefixes ご/お to show respect. They make comparisons between their own language(s) and Japanese, and reflect on the experience of moving between languages and cultural systems. They monitor and reflect on their intercultural experience and capability as language learners, and identify their personal and community practices that reflect cultural influences.
Texts and resources
Learners work with a variety of texts specifically designed for learning Japanese in schools, including video clips and online resources. They also access materials created for Japanese-speaking communities, such as films (subtitled), websites and advertisements that provide opportunities to make connections between texts and cultural contexts, perspectives and experiences.
Level of support
Opportunities to review and consolidate prior learning are balanced against provision of engaging and relevant new experiences and connections. Students are supported to develop increasing autonomy as language learners and users, to self-monitor and peer-monitor, and to adjust language in response to their experiences in different contexts.
The role of English
While Japanese is used in more extended and elaborated ways for classroom interactions and routines, task participation and structured discussion, English is used for more complex elements of instruction and discussion, analysis and reflection. Learners continue to develop metalanguage for thinking and talking about language, culture and identity and the experience of learning and using Japanese.
Years 7 and 8 Content Descriptions
Communicating
Socialising
[Key concepts: lifestyle, communication, experience, opinion; Key processes: interacting, recounting, responding, elaborating] (ACLJAC163 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: negotiation, transaction, presentation, instruction; Key processes: planning, budgeting, comparing, sequencing] (ACLJAC164 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: discussion, reflection, suggestion; Key processes: suggesting, clarifying, responding, requesting] (ACLJAC165 - Scootle )
Informing
[Key concepts: research, data, media; Key processes: researching, collating, designing, presenting] (ACLJAC166 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: information, experience, perspective, audience; Key processes: managing information, shaping text, composing] (ACLJAC167 - Scootle )
Creating
[Key concepts: representation, culture, context, values, expression; Key processes: identifying, evaluating, comparing, contextualising] (ACLJAC168 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: mood, drama, effect, audience; Key processes: creating, performing, composing] (ACLJAC169 - Scootle )
Translating
[Key concepts: culture, equivalence, idiom; Key processes: translating, comparing, mediating] (ACLJAC170 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: bilingual text, glossary, meaning; Key processes: annotating, explaining] (ACLJAC171 - Scootle )
Reflecting
[Key concepts: intercultural experience, perspective, insight, self-reflection; Key processes: comparing, analysing, reflecting, choosing] (ACLJAC172 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: identity, family, community, communication, culture; Key processes: reflecting, comparing, representing] (ACLJAC173 - Scootle )
Understanding
Systems of language
[Key concepts: pronunciation, loan words, voiced/unvoiced sounds, contractions, blends; Key processes: pronouncing, recognising] (ACLJAU174 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: script function, kanji readings; Key processes: identifying, differentiating, writing, reading] (ACLJAU175 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: metalanguage, verb conjugation, sentence structure, register; Key processes: describing, categorising, analysing] (ACLJAU176 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: genre, text features, text structure, cohesion; Key processes: analysing, describing, comparing] (ACLJAU177 - Scootle )
Language variation and change
[Key concepts: register, tenor, respect; Key processes: differentiating, explaining, comparing] (ACLJAU178 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: language change, word borrowing, intercultural exchange, globalisation; Key processes: identifying, analysing, explaining] (ACLJAU179 - Scootle )
Role of language and culture
[Key concepts: cultural expression, status, harmony, humility; Key processes: recognising, explaining, comparing] (ACLJAU180 - Scootle )
Years 7 and 8 Achievement Standards
Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 8, students use Japanese to interact with peers, the teacher and others to exchange information, recount experiences and express opinions. They use verb ましょう for planning and making arrangements and offering suggestions. They ask and respond to a range of questions, for example, だれと、 何 で、いつ、どこで、using both rehearsed and some spontaneous language, giving opinions and making comparisons, for example, でも or が、わたしは フットボールが 好きです。でも、母は フットボールが 好きじゃないです。. Students apply rules of pronunciation, rhythm, stress and intonation to a range of sentence types and vocabulary, including double consonant and long vowel sounds and borrowed words. Students read and write hiragana, read katakana, and write familiar katakana words, including elongated vowels, double consonants and contractions. They read and write high-frequency kanji for verbs (for example, 行きます、見ます、来きます), nouns (for example, 先生、父、母、月よう日), adjectives (for example, 早い), and the pronoun 私. They read some compound words such as 日本語. They locate, analyse and summarise information from a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts, such as video clips, letters, posters, notices and advertisements. They plan, draft and present informative and imaginative texts with the support of modelled resources. They use counter classifiers in response to questions, for example, いくつ、何まい、何本、何分. They build cohesion in their texts and elaborate on meaning through the use of grammatical elements such as conjunctions (for example, だから), and adverbs of frequency (for example, いつも), time (for example, 時、半、分、 前 ) and direction, for example, みぎ、ひだり、前、うしろ. They use a variety of verb tenses to express ideas and experiences, and a range of particles, such as が、へ、から、まで、including for exampleに to indicate timeframes. Students translate and interpret short texts from Japanese into English and vice versa, providing alternative expressions when equivalence is not possible. They share their reactions to intercultural experiences, describing and explaining why some elements fit easily with their sense of their own identity while others do not.
Students understand that the pronunciation of katakana is the same as that of hiragana, and that the pronunciation of borrowed words is influenced by the Japanese sound system. They apply appropriate word order in their spoken and written language, varying the order of noun phrases without altering the meaning. They understand and use いandなadjectives when appropriate, and apply the rules of phonetic change to counter classifiers, such as ひとつ、さんぼん、じゅっぷん. They identify and reproduce features of familiar text types such as emails, descriptions and dialogues. They identify words (for example, お母さんand 母), phrases (for example, どうぞよろしく。), prefixes (for example, お and ご), suffixes (for example, ~さん and ~さま) and titles (for example, ~先生) that indicate different levels of formality. They recognise values that are important in Japanese society, such as maintaining harmony and a sense of collective well-being, and how these are reflected through language and behaviours, such as indirect forms of refusal or disagreement, for example,もうすこしがんばりましょう。. They explain how cultural values and ideas are embedded in all languages and how their own communicative behaviour might be interpreted from other cultural perspectives.
Years 9 and 10
Years 9 and 10 Band Description
The nature of the learners
At this level, students bring to their learning existing knowledge of Japanese language and culture and a range of learning strategies. They are increasingly aware of the world beyond their own and are engaging with youth-related and social and environmental issues. They require continued guidance and mentoring but work increasingly independently to analyse, reflect on and monitor their language learning and intercultural experiences. They are considering future pathways and options, including the possible role of Japanese in these.
Japanese language learning and use
This is a period of language exploration, vocabulary expansion, and experimentation with different modes of communication, for example, digital media, collaborative performance and group discussions. Learners become more confident in communicating in a wider range of contexts through greater control of language structures and vocabulary and increased understanding of the variability of language use. They use Japanese to communicate and interact; to access and exchange information; to express feelings and opinions; to participate in imaginative and creative experiences; and to create, interpret and analyse a wider range of texts and experiences. They sequence and describe events using a range of cohesive devices, and complete communicative tasks that involve planning, performance, collaborative and independent work. They use language more fluently, with a greater degree of self-correction and repair, and use あいづち to facilitate communication. They reference the accuracy of their language use against a stronger frame of grammatical knowledge.
Learners at this level are able to read and write using hiragana, katakana and an increasing number of kanji in all texts. Their writing is more sophisticated, using connectives and conjunctions, and they engage with more complex language structures.
Contexts of interaction
Learners interact with peers, the teacher and other Japanese speakers in immediate and local contexts, and with wider communities and cultural resources via virtual and online environments. They may access additional cultural experiences through events such as school exchanges, festivals, interschool events or cultural performances.
Texts and resources
Learners engage with texts designed for language learning, such as teacher-generated materials and online resources. Learning is enriched by exposure to a range of authentic materials designed for or generated by young Japanese speakers, such as video clips or advertisements. Students take some responsibility for sourcing additional materials to support their own learning.
Features of Japanese language use
Learners use more complex language in oral, written and multimodal forms. They expand their knowledge and control of grammatical elements such as the て form and plain form of verbs, for example, ~ています、~てもいい、~と 思 います、and ~たり~たり、and conjugation patterns for both verbs and adjectives. Their language production includes elements of interpreting, creating and performing. They engage in analysis of texts such as advertisements and media reports, identifying how language choices reflect perspectives and cultural contexts.
Learners examine the processes involved in using a different language, recognising them as cognitive, cultural and personal as well as linguistic. They explore the reciprocal nature of intercultural communication: how moving between different languages and cultural systems impacts on ways of thinking and behaving; and how successful communication requires flexibility, awareness, and openness to alternative ways. They develop the capacity to 'decentre' from normative ways of thinking and communicating, to consider themselves through the eyes of others, and to communicate in interculturally appropriate ways.
Level of support
Support at this level of learning includes provision of rich and varied stimulus materials, continued scaffolding and modelling of language functions and communicative tasks, and explicit instruction and explanation of the grammatical system. Learners are provided with opportunities to discuss, clarify, practise and apply their knowledge. Critical and constructive teacher feedback is combined with peer support and self-review to monitor and evaluate learning outcomes, such as through portfolios, peer review, or digital journals.
The role of English
Japanese is used in more extended and complex ways. English continues to be used for discussion, explanation and analysis. This allows learners to communicate in depth and detail about the experience of learning Japanese and about their thoughts on culture, identity and intercultural experience. English is the language of analysis and critique, supporting discussion of concepts such as stereotypes, difference, diversity and values. It allows for a degree of expression and reflection that is beyond learners' communicative capabilities in Japanese.
Years 9 and 10 Content Descriptions
Communicating
Socialising
[Key concepts: perspectives, relationships, youth culture, social practices; Key processes: discussing, describing, reciprocating] (ACLJAC181 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: collaboration, intercultural experience, active learning; Key processes: planning, cooperating, rehearsing, mediating] (ACLJAC182 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: metalanguage, reflection, review; Key processes: expressing, analysing, comparing, evaluating] (ACLJAC183 - Scootle )
Informing
[Key concepts: register, standpoint, representation, themes; Key processes: scanning, summarising, comparing, analysing] (ACLJAC184 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: social media, promotional material; Key processes: composing, selecting, editing, presenting] (ACLJAC185 - Scootle )
Creating
[Key concepts: humour, emotion, effects, culture; Key processes: interpreting, evaluating, analysing, comparing] (ACLJAC186 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: imagination, stimulus, context, values; Key processes: adapting, creating, interpreting, expressing, engaging, performing] (ACLJAC187 - Scootle )
Translating
[Key concepts: meaning, interpretation, cultural expression; Key processes: translating, comparing, analysing, reviewing] (ACLJAC188 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: bilingual learning resources, bicultural contexts; Key processes: classifying, translating, glossing, referencing, mediating] (ACLJAC189 - Scootle )
Reflecting
[Key concepts: reciprocity, intercultural experience; Key processes: reflecting, evaluating, exemplifying, comparing] (ACLJAC190 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: identity, culture, communication; Key processes: comparing, analysing, evaluating, profiling] (ACLJAC191 - Scootle )
Understanding
Systems of language
[Key concepts: phrasing, intonation, variation, meaning; Key processes: identifying, discriminating] (ACLJAU192 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: script conventions, kanji readings, radicals; Key processes: recognising, discriminating, writing, decoding] (ACLJAU193 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: metalanguage, plain form, て form conjugation, word functions; Key processes: identifying, defining, classifying, sequencing] (ACLJAU194 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: textual conventions, language features, cohesion; Key processes: comparing, analysing, identifying] (ACLJAU195 - Scootle )
Language variation and change
[Key concepts: 内 / 外 , respect, social relations, variation, register; Key processes: selecting, applying, comparing, evaluating] (ACLJAU196 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: globalisation, exchange, influence, contemporary culture, language revival/reclamation; Key processes: mapping, classifying, analysing, reviewing] (ACLJAU197 - Scootle )
Role of language and culture
[Key concepts: intercultural exchange, meaning, reciprocity, values; Key processes: analysing, questioning, discussing] (ACLJAU198 - Scootle )
Years 9 and 10 Achievement Standards
Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 10, students use Japanese to share information, experiences and views related to their social worlds using rehearsed and spontaneous language. They use correct pronunciation, including that of borrowed words, and adopt appropriate rhythm and phrasing to allow for others' use of あいづち. They ask and respond to questions, elaborating responses by providing reasons or explanations, using a range of adjectives and adverbs such as ぜんぜん or かなり. Students begin to use plain form to communicate with their peers. They use kanji to read and write verbs, for example, 思います、来ます、聞きます、食べます、 飲 みます, nouns, for example, 新聞、 会話 , 外国語 and adjectives, for example, 早い、上手な、 下手 な. Students extract, analyse and evaluate information from extended spoken, written and multimodal texts, such as films, blogs, brochures, itineraries and journals. They predict the meaning of unfamiliar words and expressions from context, grammatical knowledge and familiar kanji, and by drawing on their knowledge of textual characteristics and features. Students produce informative and imaginative texts, appropriate to audience and purpose, using the て form and plain form to express preferences, permission and prohibition and to describe past experiences. They build cohesion and complexity in written texts by using conjunctions, such as ですから、けれども, and indicate frequency by using a range of intensifiers, for example, よく、たいてい. Students discriminate appropriately in their use of kanji, hiragana and katakana. They translate and interpret texts, explaining words and expressions that are difficult to translate or that have embedded cultural meanings, such as にゅうがくしき、おぼん、サラリーマン. They discuss elements of interaction in Japanese, such as the importance and use of あいづち in meaning-making. They make connections and comparisons between their own and others' culturally shaped perspectives, reflecting on the influence of perspectives on intercultural communication.
Students understand the functions of the different scripts within text, for example, hiragana for grammatical elements; katakana for borrowed words and some onomatopoeia; and kanji for nouns, verbs, adjectives and some adverbs. They distinguish, for example, between おくりがな and ふりがな, and understand the concept of おん/くん readings. They identify multiple readings of kanji, and begin to use kanji radicals as a tool for indicating meaning. Students use the て form and plain form verbs as a basis for grammar conjugations. They use metalanguage to describe and compare language features and rules of sentence construction. Students choose です/ます or plain form based on age, relationship, familiarity and context. They identify hybrid terms that combine Japanese and English, such as コピペ、オーガナイズする、ダンスする. They explain how key Japanese cultural values such as community, 内 / 外 and humility, いいえ、まだです。, and consideration of others are reflected in language and behaviours.
Years 7 and 8
Years 7 and 8 Band Description
The nature of the learners
Students are beginning their study of Japanese and typically have had little prior exposure to the language and associated culture. Many will have learnt an additional language in primary school, while some have proficiency in different home languages and bring existing language learning strategies and intercultural awareness to the new experience of learning Japanese. Students' textual knowledge developed through English literacy learning supports the development of literacy in Japanese. Skills in analysing, comparing and reflecting on language and culture in both languages are mutually supportive. Students may need encouragement to take risks in learning a new language at this stage of social development and to consider issues of how the experience impacts on their sense of 'norms' associated with their first language and culture.
Japanese language learning and use
Students are encouraged to speak, listen to, read and write Japanese in a range of interactions with the teacher and one another. They use modelled and rehearsed language and gestures in familiar contexts and begin to use learnt language to express their personal meaning. They experiment with sounds and use high-frequency words and expressions, gradually broadening their range of vocabulary and language functions. They develop knowledge of Japanese word order and of grammatical features such as particles, adjectives, verb tenses and politeness forms. They apply this knowledge in simple oral and written texts such as self-introductions and statements relating to themselves and their personal worlds. They become aware of the systematic nature of Japanese grammar and of its importance in conveying meaning. They develop metalanguage to talk about Japanese grammar and to make comparisons and connections with their own language(s).
Students are exposed to all three scripts, hiragana, katakana and kanji, and develop a working knowledge of how these are used to create meaning. They develop proficiency in reading and writing hiragana and use high-frequency katakana and kanji to read and write words and sentences. They work collaboratively and independently, exploring a variety of simple texts with particular reference to their current social, cultural and communicative interests.
Students read, view and listen to a range of texts, and apply modelled language to create and present their own texts. They share grammatical knowledge and language resources to plan, problem-solve, monitor and reflect. They begin to use vocabulary and grammar accurately, drafting and editing texts to improve structure and to clarify meaning. They develop linguistic and cultural awareness through analysing texts, comparing languages, and applying their knowledge in language exercises and tasks.
Learners use a range of processes such as observing, comparing and reflecting on language use to identify how cultural values and perspectives are embedded in language and how language choices determine how people, issues and circumstances are represented. They reflect on intercultural perspectives and on their experience of intercultural communication, exploring aspects of environment, lifestyle and social practices associated with Japanese culture and making comparisons with their own. They develop metalanguage for discussing the nature of language and culture, and monitor and reflect on their language and culture learning through discussion, journalling or contributing to shared digital spaces.
Contexts of interaction
Japanese is used by the teacher and learners in classroom routines, structured interactions and learning tasks. Opportunities for interaction in Japanese are also provided through a range of resources and materials. There may be interaction beyond the classroom with guests or members of Japanese-speaking communities or via digital technology or student exchanges.
Texts and resources
Learners work with a range of resources designed for language learning, such as textbooks, audio recordings, teacher-generated materials and online resources. They read, view and interact with a variety of spoken, written and digital texts created for different purposes (social, informative, transactional, imaginative and expressive). Authentic texts such as advertisements, commercials, film excerpts or recorded conversations provide opportunities for discussion and analysis of the relationship between language, communication and culture.
Features of Japanese language use
Learners become familiar with the sounds and patterns of spoken Japanese, including pronunciation, rhythm and intonation. They identify words borrowed from English, noting differences in pronunciation and spelling. They use Japanese in classroom interactions and short communicative tasks. They participate in scaffolded activities to exchange information and complete transactions. They listen to and read texts to obtain specific details or to understand gist. Learners understand and apply rules/patterns applying to elements of Japanese grammar such as word order, simple verb forms, nouns, adjectives and particles. They understand that language is organised as text, and that texts use different structures and language features to achieve different purposes. They use modelled examples and apply knowledge of language features to create texts for different purposes, such as informative, personal or descriptive. Students develop an awareness of different cultural perspectives. They identify words, phrases and behaviours that convey Japanese traditions and values such as politeness and humility and use these appropriately.
Level of support
Learning at this level is supported by rich and varied language input and the provision of experiences that are challenging but achievable. Opportunities to review and consolidate learning are balanced against provision of engaging and relevant new experiences and connections. Learners rely on teacher talk, instruction, modelling, feedback, and structured opportunities for practising and understanding new language. They are supported to develop increasing autonomy as language learners and users. Support resources include word lists and dictionaries, visual organisers, images and gestures. Learners collaborate with peers in structured pair and group tasks that have clear roles and expectations.
The role of English
English serves two main functions in the Japanese class: it represents a point of reference for learning the new language by enabling students to compare structures, features and cultural meanings in each language, and it is used when appropriate for explanation, reflection and discussion.
Years 7 and 8 Content Descriptions
Communicating
Socialising
[Key concepts: self, family, home, interests; Key processes: interacting, describing, expressing] (ACLJAC001 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: tasks, transactions, collaboration; Key processes: planning, making arrangements, purchasing, performing, participating] (ACLJAC002 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: roles, routines, interaction patterns; Key processes: responding, requesting, apologising, thanking] (ACLJAC003 - Scootle )
Informing
[Key concepts: information, data, culture; Key processes: researching, classifying, interpreting, presenting] (ACLJAC004 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: community, cultural practice, personal world; Key processes: composing, designing, presenting, reporting, comparing] (ACLJAC005 - Scootle )
Creating
[Key concepts: imagination, fantasy, character, effects, values; Key processes: responding, reflecting, creating, comparing] (ACLJAC006 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: adaptation, mode, performance, intercultural experience; Key processes: creating, interpreting, expressing, performing] (ACLJAC007 - Scootle )
Translating
[Key concepts: meaning, translation, equivalence, context; Key processes: translating, interpreting, comparing, explaining] (ACLJAC008 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: bilingualism, equivalence, context, meaning; Key processes: translating, reasoning, explaining] (ACLJAC009 - Scootle )
Reflecting
[Key concepts: intercultural experience, cultural frames, response; Key processes: identifying, reflecting, expressing] (ACLJAC010 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: self-expression, identity, community, communication; Key processes: reflecting, comparing, identifying] (ACLJAC011 - Scootle )
Understanding
Systems of language
[Key concepts: mora, pitch, rhythm, intonation; Key processes: listening, distinguishing, recognising] (ACLJAU012 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: script, kana, kanji, hiragana, katakana, furigana, stroke order, pictograph; Key processes: recognising, copying, applying, distinguishing] (ACLJAU013 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: grammar, vocabulary, syntax, metalanguage; Key processes: recognising, describing, indicating, comparing] (ACLJAU014 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: text, genre, mode, tenor, audience; Key processes: identifying, sequencing, comparing] (ACLJAU015 - Scootle )
Language variation and change
[Key concepts: variation, context, relationship; Key processes: identifying, distinguishing, analysing] (ACLJAU016 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: language change, intercultural contact, loan words; Key processes: identifying, reflecting, making connections] (ACLJAU017 - Scootle )
Role of language and culture
[Key concepts: culture, language, values, meaning; Key processes: analysing, explaining, comparing] (ACLJAU018 - Scootle )
Years 7 and 8 Achievement Standards
Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 8, students interact with one another and the teacher in classroom routines and activities, exchanging greetings, wishes and information about their personal and social worlds. They use gestures and formulaic expressions appropriately, for example, おくれて すみません。しつれいします。 They comprehend and respond to familiar questions, such asだれ、 何 、 どこ、 いつ、 何 よう 日 、 どんな、 and instructions, such as たって ください。三人の グループに なって ください。、 using rehearsed and some spontaneous language. They ask for assistance and clarification, for example, ~は 何 ですか。十四ページ ですね。. They pronounce voiced and unvoiced sounds, long vowels, blends, double consonants and high-frequency loan words with developing rhythm and intonation. They read and write texts in hiragana and katakana, with some kanji for numbers, days of the week and high-frequency nouns, adjectives and verbs, such as人、 先生 、 日本 、 大 きい、 小 さい、 友 だち、 行 きます、 食 べます. Students identify key points of information in short predictable written, spoken and multimodal texts, understanding descriptions of people, objects, places and activities. They use non-verbal, visual and contextual cues to assist in making meaning. Students use rehearsed language related to their personal world to convey information in both written and spoken texts. They produce short sentences involving nouns, verbs (for example, 何を しますか 。ゲームを します。), common counter classifiers (for example, ~人、 ~ひき、 ~さい), and adjective, noun and verb predicates. They apply correct stroke order to all characters, and use appropriate punctuation and textual features in texts such as captions, greeting cards, profiles, emails or timelines. They structure sentences using correct word order, and link information using conjunctions such as そしてandそれから. They translate and interpret short spoken texts, explaining Japanese gestures and expressions that do not readily translate into English, for example, はじめまして、どうぞよろしく。. They adjust their language to suit different contexts and situations, for example, the use of appropriate titles and forms of address, and respond in culturally appropriate ways to interactions with other Japanese speakers, such as bowing when greeting, and using appropriate eye contact.
Students recognise the nature and roles of the three Japanese scripts, understanding that hiragana represents the basic unit of Japanese sound, kanji represents meaning, and katakana is used for borrowed words. They use the hiragana and katakana chart as a tool when writing and reading, recognising their systematic nature. They know that hiragana and katakana are pronounced identically and that the pronunciation of borrowed words is determined by the Japanese sound system. Students understand and apply grammatical concepts such as the use of particles, for example, の、 へ、 に、 で、 と、 も、 が、 は、 を、 か、 よ、 and conjugation of present, past, positive and negative forms of verbs. They understand and use いand なadjectives, and apply the rules of counter classifiers such as ~人、~ 月 、 ~ひき/びき/ぴき. They explain how language and behaviour change according to participants, context and relationship, and that politeness and respect are expressed explicitly in Japanese through greetings, vocabulary, formulaic expressions and actions. They understand that languages and cultures change over time, and provide examples of how languages borrow words from one another. Students make connections and comparisons between elements of the Japanese language and culture and their own, identifying how languages reflect ways of thinking and behaving. They identify how Japanese values such as humility and harmony are reflected in language, such as by deflecting praise, for example, じょうず ですね。
いいえ。、 softening responses with expressions such asちょっと or あんまり、 and using indirect forms of refusal or disagreement.
Years 7 and 8 Work Sample Portfolios
Years 9 and 10
Years 9 and 10 Band Description
The nature of the learners
Students have prior experience of learning Japanese and bring a range of capabilities, strategies and knowledge that can be applied to new learning. They are expanding the range and nature of their learning experiences and of the contexts within which they communicate with others. They have a growing awareness of the wider world, including the diversity of languages, cultures, and forms of intercultural communication. They are considering future pathways and prospects, including how Japanese may feature in these.
Japanese language learning and use
This is a period of language exploration and vocabulary expansion, and of experimentation with different modes of communication, collaborative performance and guided group discussion. Increasing control of language structures and systems builds confidence and interest in communicating in a wider range of contexts. Students use Japanese in classroom interactions and activities, to communicate and interact, to access and exchange information, to express feelings and opinions, to participate in imaginative and creative experiences, and to design, interpret and analyse a range of texts. They use a wide range of formulaic expressions that are essential for everyday Japanese interactions. They use an increasing range of culturally appropriate gestures and behaviours, with a greater degree of self-correction, spontaneity and repair. They monitor their own language use in relation to cultural context, situation, purpose and audience. They develop a greater understanding of Japanese cultural norms, for example, in relation to responding to praise, communicating refusal, or the use of eye contact. Students initiate and sustain interactions with other speakers of Japanese in spoken and written modes. They use familiar language patterns as a foundation for generating increasingly original language in the contexts of their physical and social environments. They develop broader knowledge of vocabulary and grammar to produce more sophisticated language for a variety of audiences.
Students build on their mastery of hiragana and katakana and understand sound variation in the pronunciation of borrowed words. They use a greater number of kanji and increasingly apply their understanding of known kanji to predict the meaning of unfamiliar words.
They explore and produce a range of texts associated with different contexts, and analyse information and concepts relevant to their social, cultural and communicative interests. They read, view and interact with texts for a variety of purposes, for example, social, informative, transactional, imaginative, expressive and instructional. They draw on modelled examples to understand and use more complex structures. They engage in drafting and editing their texts to clarify meaning.
Contexts of interaction
Learners use written and spoken Japanese to interact with peers, teachers and other speakers of the language in immediate and local contexts, and may also interact with other Japanese speakers through online environments.
Texts and resources
Learners engage with a range of language-learning texts and supporting materials, such as textbooks, modified and authentic texts, film/video clips, media texts and online materials. They also draw increasingly on texts produced for young people in Japan, such as short stories, songs, poems, films, video clips, blogs and social media texts.
Features of Japanese language use
Students become more fluent and accurate in both spoken and written language production. They gain more control of grammatical and textual elements. They use expressive and descriptive language to discuss feelings, opinions and experiences. They demonstrate understanding of language variation and change, and of how intercultural experience, technology, media and globalisation influence forms of communication. They develop understanding of the nature of both translation and interpretation, noticing the relationship between language, texts and culture. They understand that many Japanese phrases convey values and beliefs that underpin Japanese culture and cannot be translated into English. A balance is maintained between activities that focus on language forms and structures and those that involve communicative tasks, performance and experiences. Tasks involve collaborative as well as independent language planning and performance, and development and strategic use of language and cultural resources. Learners analyse text more critically, identifying how language choices reflect perspectives and shape meaning. At this level, learners are developing understanding of the relationship between language, culture and identity. They identify how meaning-making and representation in a different language involve interpretation and personal response as well as literal translation and factual reporting. They explore the reciprocal nature of intercultural communication: how moving between different languages and cultural systems impacts on the learner's ways of thinking and behaving; and how successful communication requires flexibility, awareness and openness to alternative ways. They develop the capacity to consider their own cultural practices through the eyes of others, and to communicate in interculturally appropriate ways.
Learners draw from authentic and modified resources to apply their developing linguistic and cultural understandings. They compare, analyse and reflect on their understandings of Japanese language and culture and of their own language(s) and culture(s), and question their preconceived ideas about Western and Japanese values. They continue to build metalanguage to think and communicate about Japanese and about their own language(s) and culture(s), using English to discuss their experience of language learning. Students identify aspects of culture embedded in Japanese words, expressions and behaviours, and recognise contexts in which particular values are expressed for different purposes and audiences.
Level of support
This stage of learning involves consolidation and progression. Learners are provided with new challenges and engage in more independent learning experiences. Continued scaffolding, modelling and monitoring support these challenges. Students are encouraged to develop increasing autonomy as language learners and users and to self-monitor and adjust language in response to their experience in different contexts. They analyse and reflect on texts and intercultural experiences through discussion, documenting and journaling. Continued focused attention on grammatical and textual features supports learners' development as text producers.
The role of English
Japanese is used in more extended and complex ways by both learners and teachers. English is used for substantive discussion, elaboration, comparison, analysis and reflection.
Years 9 and 10 Content Descriptions
Communicating
Socialising
[Key concepts: discussion, social experience, popular culture, views; Key processes: interacting, responding, comparing, expressing opinions] (ACLJAC019 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: social exchange, transaction, negotiation; Key processes: planning, transacting, making decisions, performing] (ACLJAC020 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: discussion, reflection, interaction; Key processes: requesting, responding, clarifying, enquiring] (ACLJAC021 - Scootle )
Informing
[Key concepts: information, representation, modality, audience; Key processes: reviewing, recording, summarising, comparing] (ACLJAC022 - Scootle )
Creating
[Key concepts: character, theme, expression; Key processes: reviewing, responding, adapting, comparing] (ACLJAC024 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: fantasy, entertainment, expression; Key processes: imagining, creating, performing] (ACLJAC025 - Scootle )
Translating
[Key concepts: culture, translation, equivalence, meaning; Key processes: comparing, analysing, critical and cultural reading] (ACLJAC026 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: bilingual text, representation, interpretation; Key processes: composing, selecting, translating, glossing] (ACLJAC027 - Scootle )
Reflecting
[Key concepts: frames, norms, reciprocity, reflection; Key processes: comparing, analysing] (ACLJAC028 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: identity, perspective, change; Key processes: reviewing, presenting, reflecting] (ACLJAC029 - Scootle )
Understanding
Systems of language
[Key concepts: phonetic changes, intonation patterns, pacing; Key processes: distinguishing, vocalising] (ACLJAU030 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: script forms and functions, meaning; Key processes: decoding, identifying, prediction] (ACLJAU031 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: syntax, verb conjugation, cohesion, classifiers; Key processes: describing, identifying, classifying, applying] (ACLJAU032 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: text, mode, scripts; Key processes: composing, selecting, analysing, explaining] (ACLJAU033 - Scootle )
Language variation and change
[Key concepts: register, tenor, context, culture; Key processes: analysing, exemplifying, comparing] (ACLJAU034 - Scootle )
[Key concepts: language change, intercultural contact, popular culture; Key processes: reflecting, identifying, comparing] (ACLJAU035 - Scootle )
Role of language and culture
[Key concepts: language, culture, intercultural experience; Key processes: analysing, reflecting, reciprocating] (ACLJAU036 - Scootle )
Years 9 and 10 Achievement Standards
Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 10, students use written and spoken Japanese to interact with peers, the teacher and other Japanese speakers to exchange information and opinions about personal interests and experiences. With support they share information about broader topics of interest, such as education, travel, sport, teenage life and popular culture. When collaborating in shared tasks and activities, they use set phrases and modelled language to transact and make arrangements, for example, 来週 の土曜日にサッカーをしませんか。土曜日はちょっと…。 Students ask and respond to questions, such as どのぐらい、いくつ、 using spontaneous language. They provide explanations, opinions and reasons, for example, by using ~と思います、 ~からです. They maintain and extend interactions by requesting repetition or clarification and by using あいづち. They apply appropriate conventions of pronunciation, rhythm and phrasing in speech to allow for others' use of あいづち. Students read and write hiragana and known kanji, read katakana, and write familiar katakana words, including elongated vowels, double consonants and contractions. They analyse and extract information from a range of spoken and written texts and multimodal sources. They understand gist and predict the meaning of unfamiliar words and expressions from context, grammatical and vocabulary knowledge. Students create and present informative and imaginative texts, taking into account audience and purpose, such as by using て form (~てはいけません、~てもいいです、 ~ています), and the plain form (~たり~たりします、 ~と思います、~つもり). They extend or qualify their message by using adverbs such as とくに、 時々 、 and link ideas by using conjunctions, such as それに、 だから、 けれども. Students translate and interpret texts, explaining words and expressions that are difficult to translate and those with embedded cultural meanings, such as ただいま, おかえり. They describe their reactions to intercultural experiences and reflect on how their own assumptions and identity influence and are influenced by their language use.
Students identify the functions of different scripts within texts: how hiragana is used for particles, conjunctions, and verb and adjective endings; katakana for borrowed words and some onomatopoeia; and kanji for nouns and verb and adjective stems. They apply their understanding of kanji to identify word boundaries and know its role in assisting with the identification of linguistic elements. They distinguish between おくりがな and ふりがな、 and recognise that kanji can be pronounced differently using 音 (on) or 訓 (kun) readings. Students understand the function of verb stems, and of て form and plain form verbs, and conjugate a range of verb tenses and forms. They apply their understanding of conjugation to produce negative and past adjectives. Students identify and use a range of case particles such as か (or), より、 で (purpose/by) and に (location). They use metalanguage to describe and compare language features and rules of sentence construction. They choose between using です/ますor plain form based on age, relationship, familiarity, context and text type, such as using plain form in a personal diary. They understand that languages change over time through contact with other languages and cultures, and identify the particular impact of technology and media on contemporary forms of communication, for example, the widespread adoption of English terms into Japanese, such as コピペ. Students explain how Japanese cultural values such as the importance of community, 内 / 外 、 respect, and consideration for others are embedded in language and behaviours such as がんばりましょう。 だいじょうぶ?。
Years 9 and 10 Work Sample Portfolios
Last updated 8 August 2019
Australian Curriculum Version 8.4 in Queensland
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