Japanese (Version 8.4)

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Context statement

The place of Japanese culture and language in Australia and in the world
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.

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PDF documents

Resources and support materials for the Australian Curriculum: Languages - Japanese are available as PDF documents. 
Languages - Japanese: Sequence of content
Languages - Japanese: Sequence of Achievement - F-10 Sequence
Languages - Japanese: Sequence …

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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(にち)(とも)だちとバスでがっこうに()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 / 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 / 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

Socialising

Interact with others to share interests and experiences, exchange information and express opinions and feelings

[Key concepts: lifestyle, communication, experience, opinion; Key processes: interacting, recounting, responding, elaborating] (ACLJAC163 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • engaging in face-to-face or online discussions with peers and other Japanese-speaking contacts about shared interests and experiences, such as sport, food, study or music, for example, からてをしますか。いいえ、でも()きです。
  • expressing opinions such as サーフィンはかっこいいです。 えいがはたのしいです。
  • recounting experiences such as holidays, special events or celebrations through email or face-to-face conversations, for example, どこでパーティーをしましたか。だれときましたか。
  • sharing and comparing information about teenage life, daily routines and responsibilities, for example, わたしはうちからがっこうまであるきます。でも、(とも)だちはバスで行きます。
    にねます。 いつも(ちち)とそうじをします。
  • introducing themselves to other Japanese speakers, じこしょうかい, using appropriate formulaic expressions such as はじめまして、 (school name) の デニス です。 and culturally appropriate gestures
  • using formulaic language spontaneously in interactions to express feelings, for example, あー、つかれた、 えー、むずかしい、たのしかった、できた
  • using cohesive devices such as conjunctions when sequencing or elaborating an account of experiences, for example, 土よう日にかいものに行きます。だから、はやくおきます。
  • sustaining and extending conversations by seeking additional information or asking additional questions, for example, しゅみはなんですか。
Engage in activities that involve collaboration, planning, organising, negotiating and transacting

[Key concepts: negotiation, transaction, presentation, instruction; Key processes: planning, budgeting, comparing, sequencing] (ACLJAC164 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • participating in scenarios related to accepting and declining invitations, planning, making arrangements and negotiating details, using language related to place, time and activity, for example, 月よう日に 日本のレストランに行きましょうか。月よう日は、ちょっと…。火よう日は どうですか。
  • budgeting for virtual shopping expeditions, consulting online catalogues and websites, comparing prices and value, and discussing intended purchases, for example, ゲームが/を  かいたいです。二千円(にせんえん) あります。どれが一ばんやすいですか。
  • participating in authentic or simulated transactions that involve making requests, considering options, buying, selling or ordering, for example, この T シャツは L サイズですね。ちょっと 大きいです。M サイズを ください。
  • creating displays, presentations or performances for family, friends or the school community to showcase their progress in learning and using Japanese
  • giving and following instructions to play games, follow recipes, or carry out traditional Japanese activities such as calligraphy, origami or martial arts, using language forms and vocabulary associated with sequencing, such as さいしょに、つぎに、それから、そして
Interact in whole-class and small group activities that involve seeking information from peers or the teacher, asking and responding to questions, making requests, and asking for and providing clarification

[Key concepts: discussion, reflection, suggestion; Key processes: suggesting, clarifying, responding, requesting] (ACLJAC165 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • using modelled structures in simple and compound sentences, and cohesive devices such as だから, でも to state opinions, make suggestions or provide clarification
  • asking and responding to questions such as テストはいつですか。 きょうゲームをしますか。 ロッカーに行ってもいいですか。(なん)ページですか。
  • participating in class activities such as word, board or digital games, using phrases such as わたしの ばん、みぎ、ひだり、ざんねん、つぎは だれ?
  • obtaining additional information from the teacher and peers by requesting repetition or clarification or by asking how to say something in Japanese, for example, 日本語(にほんご)(なん)ですか。
  • expressing their responses to learning and using Japanese, such as by detailing preferences, likes and dislikes in relation to aspects of the experience, for example, かんじはむずかしいですが、おもしろいです。
  • enquiring about and describing the location of classroom items and materials using prepositions, for example, ワークシートはどこにありますか。テーブルのうえにあります。

Informing

Access, summarise and reorganise information obtained from a range of texts on a variety of topics, and present it in different formats

[Key concepts: research, data, media; Key processes: researching, collating, designing, presenting] (ACLJAC166 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • Sustainability
  • gathering, classifying and summarising information from class surveys, realia, notices, timetables and announcements, and presenting findings in formats such as digital presentations, posters, wall charts or oral summaries
  • identifying key details, expressions and information in authentic or modified texts, for example, signs, weather reports, print advertisements, menus, packaging, brochures or websites, and using the information to create their own texts for specific purposes and audiences
  • listening for key points of information and cultural references in short spoken or recorded texts such as phone messages, announcements or weather reports, and transposing them to note form for their own reference or to communicate to others
  • collating information from sources such as magazine articles, recorded interviews or website postings about high-profile individuals or events to edit and represent in timelines or profiles on a shared database
  • drawing on content, language, images and presentation formats from a range of Japanese media resources to design posters or leaflets on topics such as environmental sustainability or youth-related issues
    • Sustainability
Present information about events, experiences or topics of shared interest, using modes of presentation such as charts, diagrams or digital displays to suit different audiences and contexts

[Key concepts: information, experience, perspective, audience; Key processes: managing information, shaping text, composing] (ACLJAC167 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • using data collected from one another to analyse and communicate information about themselves, their interests and experiences to other Japanese speakers
  • researching a Japanese cultural event, such as ゆきまつり、おしょうがつ、花見(はなみ)、お月見(つきみ), and creating an informative multimodal text that communicates key elements of that event for other learners of Japanese
  • creating texts such as brochures, posters or website posts to inform others about upcoming events such as Languages Week, a Japanese-language performance or a school exchange visit
  • creating a video clip or a photographic or journal record of activities such as a school camp, excursion, performance or sporting event as a contribution to a school or community event
  • creating a virtual introduction to the school and neighbourhood for Japanese-speaking visitors

Creating

Analyse and respond to a range of imaginative texts, noticing cultural elements and comparing with English-language texts created for similar audiences

[Key concepts: representation, culture, context, values, expression; Key processes: identifying, evaluating, comparing, contextualising] (ACLJAC168 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Ethical Understanding
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
  • responding to imaginative texts such as songs, stories, films or video clips, for example, by identifying favourite elements or characters and recording key vocabulary and expressions
  • reading and evaluating a story or manga, for example, by rating it and creating a short modelled review to present orally to the group or to post on a shared website
  • reading or viewing simple むかしばなし, identifying key messages and values and comparing them to familiar folk tales or stories associated with their own early literacy experience
  • comparing popular contemporary Japanese and Australian music by listening to and viewing music video clips, identifying similarities and differences in expression, themes and styles of performance
  • comparing how key messages and beliefs are communicated across cultures through the visual and creative arts, for example, comparing the role and representation of animals or landscapes in Indigenous Australian Dreaming stories and Japanese mythology or folk tales
    • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
Create a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts that involve imaginary characters, places and experiences to entertain others

[Key concepts: mood, drama, effect, audience; Key processes: creating, performing, composing] (ACLJAC169 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia
  • creating and performing imagined experiences in intercultural contexts, using expressive language, gestures and supporting materials to create dramatic effect, for example, gesture games or theatre sports
  • creating cartoons, short plays or stories to present in class or to share with a wider virtual audience about personal past or future imagined experiences
  • creating and performing texts that reflect cultural behaviours which are associated with Japanese contexts and communities and which contrast with their own cultural experience
  • creating imaginative texts to entertain younger audiences, for example, audio Big Books, puppet plays, cartoons or short video clips, selecting language, rhythms and images that enrich the visual or listening experience
  • creating the next scene, a new character or an alternative ending to a Japanese story, drama or film script
  • composing simple songs, jingles, posters and advertisements for real or imagined situations or products, such as an Australian product for the Japanese market

Translating

Translate short texts such as signs, simple dialogues or phone conversations from Japanese into English and vice versa, noticing when it is difficult to transfer meaning from one language to the other

[Key concepts: culture, equivalence, idiom; Key processes: translating, comparing, mediating] (ACLJAC170 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • creating captions to translate short segments of a video clip or アニメ, noticing when direct translation is not possible
  • identifying Japanese words and expressions that involve cultural meanings which are difficult to translate into English, such as もしもし、よろしくおねがいします
  • comparing translations of short Japanese texts such as signs, conversations, audio messages or digital texts, identifying differences and similarities between their tone and style and that of equivalent texts in English
  • reflecting on challenges associated with transferring meaning from one language to another
  • translating short conversational exchanges between Australian or Japanese speakers, comparing content and style of communication and discussing how to translate culturally embedded terms
Work collaboratively to design bilingual resources to convey information to the school community

[Key concepts: bilingual text, glossary, meaning; Key processes: annotating, explaining] (ACLJAC171 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • creating bilingual subtitles, captions or commentaries for texts such as brochures, slideshows or digital video clips that inform the school community of aspects of Japanese culture such as mealtime protocols, festivals, or social behaviours
  • producing bilingual texts in print or multimodal formats to promote school events such as multicultural activities, Japanese performances or Languages Week activities
  • composing menus or programs for Japanese-themed events, with key items and information in Japanese and explanatory footnotes or glossaries in English
  • creating bilingual texts that involve subtitles or captions to introduce non-Japanese speakers to aspects of Japanese cultural expression, such as celebrations, the exchange of gifts and wishes, or aspects of hospitality
  • creating digital texts such as songs, dialogues or instructions, with options for displaying in either Japanese or English

Reflecting

Participate in intercultural interactions, identifying and comparing aspects of culture that affect communication and noticing how own culture impacts on language use

[Key concepts: intercultural experience, perspective, insight, self-reflection; Key processes: comparing, analysing, reflecting, choosing] (ACLJAC172 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Ethical Understanding
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • recognising the link between language and culture by reflecting on frequently used expressions such as しつれいします、おくれてすみません, and ways in which values and culture are embedded in the language
  • making a list of perceived benefits of learning Japanese and developing an intercultural capacity, for example, access to different perspectives and experiences, and insights into their own language and cultural experience
  • experiencing authentic or virtual interaction with Japanese language and culture, for example, through face-to-face or online interactions with other Japanese speakers through exchanges, excursions, school visits or web-chatting
  • making appropriate language choices for particular social situations in different cultural contexts, for example, using appropriate familial terms to refer to their own or to others’ family members
  • reflecting on how their own cultural etiquette and behaviour may be interpreted when interacting with Japanese people, noticing their own body language and modifying gestures, such as beckoning with the palm facing upwards or downwards, or avoiding eye contact when talking to older people
Consider how their own biography, including family origins, traditions, interests and experiences, impacts on their sense of identity and ways of communicating

[Key concepts: identity, family, community, communication, culture; Key processes: reflecting, comparing, representing] (ACLJAC173 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • reflecting on their own response to learning and participating in cultural behaviours such as bowing and using respectful language, identifying degrees of comfort, discomfort, challenge and enjoyment
  • creating written, spoken or multimodal texts such as identity maps, timelines, digital presentations or family trees with captions to describe significant life influences such as key people, events, educational experiences, community affiliations or travel experiences, for example, そふは イタリア人です。でも、そぼは イギリス人です。1950 (ねん)に オーストラリアに きました。
  • reflecting on the experience of learning and using Japanese, and considering whether own previous attitudes or assumptions in relation to Japan or the Japanese language and culture have changed
  • considering their identity as a ‘second language learner’ and whether it involves changes in aspirations, career considerations or social-networking opportunities
  • sharing and comparing cultural and intercultural experiences and language capabilities, and exchanging views on the benefits of speaking more than one language, such as having a larger vocabulary to draw on, additional insights and perspectives, and opportunities for new experiences

Systems of language

Understand that katakana is used for loan words, and that these words must be pronounced within the combinations of available Japanese sounds

[Key concepts: pronunciation, loan words, voiced/unvoiced sounds, contractions, blends; Key processes: pronouncing, recognising] (ACLJAU174 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • accurately pronouncing all combinations of kana, including voiced and unvoiced elements, and all combined sounds (contractions and blends)
  • recognising that in the copula desu and the verb suffix masu, the ‘u’ is devoiced in normal speech
  • using available combinations of katakana to experiment with Japanese pronunciation of unfamiliar loan words, for example, ホワイトボード
  • understanding that some new combinations of sounds have been devised to allow for pronunciation of loan words, for example, ティ
Recognise and use all katakana and understand the relationship in texts between hiragana, katakana and kanji

[Key concepts: script function, kanji readings; Key processes: identifying, differentiating, writing, reading] (ACLJAU175 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • reading and writing all katakana, including voiced, unvoiced, contracted and blended sounds, using the kana chart
  • understanding that many kanji are made up of more than one component and that radicals often represent meaning, for example, the radical means something to do with ‘wood’
  • noticing that kanji can clearly differentiate the meanings of words that are pronounced identically, such as and
  • learning to write words and phrases using both kana and kanji, for example, 大きい(くるま)、小さい木
  • using furigana to support the reading of unfamiliar kanji
Understand how to control elements of the Japanese grammatical system to express a range of ideas and experiences in written and spoken forms, and recognise the systematic nature of verb conjugation

[Key concepts: metalanguage, verb conjugation, sentence structure, register; Key processes: describing, categorising, analysing] (ACLJAU176 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • further developing metalanguage to describe and increase control of grammatical concepts and language elements, such as noun modifiers or speech styles
  • creating learning resources such as verb and adjective charts and lists of vocabulary and sentence structures
  • understanding the different functions of a range of particles, such as:
    • (topic marker)
    • (object marker)
    • (time, date, place, destination, for)
    • (and, with)
    • (location, action, means)
    • (direction, destination)
    • ~から ~まで (from,as far as, distances)
  • describing daily routines and schedules for a week, using a range of particles to form sentences, for example, 六時(ろくじ)に うちで (あに)と ごはんを ()べます。
  • using and adjectives in the present tense, for example, おいしい、たのしい、しずかな、 and negative forms, for example, (たか)くない
  • using adverbs as formulaic expressions, for example, (はや)く、おそく
  • understanding that the exact word order of noun phrases is not important as long as they appear before the verb and are accompanied by correct particles
  • understanding the role of sentence-ending particles in conversation, such as for confirming or expecting a response and for emphasis
  • using both affirmative and negative forms of particular grammatical elements in different tenses
  • creating cohesion and flow by using conjunctions, for example, だから、それで、それに
  • understanding how to indicate politeness using and prefixes, for example, ()(まえ)、先生の ごかぞく
  • using counter classifiers: ~時、~分、~つ、~まい、~本
  • using superlatives, for example, 一ばん 好きです
Understand how and why different scripts are used in different types of texts, such as announcements, tickets, advertisements, public signs or manga

[Key concepts: genre, text features, text structure, cohesion; Key processes: analysing, describing, comparing] (ACLJAU177 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • recognising key features and structures of familiar texts in Japanese, such as lost child announcements, spoken commercials or print advertisements, for example, by identifying formulaic expressions, and comparing with expressions in similar texts in English
  • recognising the format of different Japanese texts and punctuation conventions in either たてがき or よこがき, and understanding how this varies according to the context, purpose and intended audience
  • understanding how to create textual cohesion, using elements such as paragraphing or conjunctions to sequence and link ideas and to maintain the flow of expression, for example, だから、それで、それに
  • comparing and contrasting the structures of a variety of authentic community texts in Japanese and English, exploring how the audience, purpose and context influence each language version

Language variation and change

Explain variations in Japanese language use that reflect different levels of formality, authority and status

[Key concepts: register, tenor, respect; Key processes: differentiating, explaining, comparing] (ACLJAU178 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • explaining variation in language use between people of different ages and relationships, for example, (はは), お(かあ)さん and ~先生, ~さん; avoiding あなた when showing politeness; the frequent use of わたし to avoid foregrounding oneself; using ~くん or ~さんwhen speaking with close friends, family members or other young people; and using surnames ~さん or ~先生 for adults
  • understanding that Japanese expressions can be made more or less formal with very slight changes, for example, the presence or absence of formal endings, such as the difference between 先生、ありがとう。 先生、ありがとうございました。 and おやすみ。おやすみなさい 。
  • analysing language used to express different levels of formality in a variety of texts such as conversations, letters, emails and text messages, noting differences between written and spoken texts
  • finding examples of informal forms of language used by young Japanese speakers, such as the use of abbreviations or emoticons when texting and the use of loan words when talking about popular culture, for example, ‘J-rock’, ‘J-pop’, ‘fast food’
Understand that the Japanese language has evolved and developed through different periods of influence and change

[Key concepts: language change, word borrowing, intercultural exchange, globalisation; Key processes: identifying, analysing, explaining] (ACLJAU179 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • recognising words ‘borrowed’ by Japanese from other languages such as English, French or Portuguese, for example, パン、ズボン、and noting how these words are pronounced by Japanese speakers
  • recognising that all languages carry histories of contact with other cultures, such as the adoption of kanji from Chinese into Japanese
    • Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia
  • understanding that languages and cultures change continuously due to contact with one another and in response to new needs, ideas and developments in communications, design and technology; and considering why some types of words and expressions are most frequently borrowed, such as グローバル、パワーアップ、カラー
  • identifying words that have similar meanings and pronunciation across different languages, reflecting on the origins and associated cultures of such words, and how they came to be part of Japanese and other languages, for example, パスタ、エネルギー
  • discussing reasons for changes in the Japanese language, such as globalisation, exposure to other languages and cultures through media, travel, and digital communication forms and representations

Role of language and culture

Understand that Japanese language and culture, like all languages and cultures, are interrelated, both shaping and reflecting each other

[Key concepts: cultural expression, status, harmony, humility; Key processes: recognising, explaining, comparing] (ACLJAU180 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Ethical Understanding
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • explaining language associated with familiar routines that reflects cultural values, for example, きりつ、れい and しつれいします。
  • interpreting the significance of differences in family kinship terms when referring to one’s own or others’ family, for example, (ちち)/お(とう)さん、あね/おねえさん
  • reflecting on the cultural significance of the presentation of information in simple Japanese texts, for example, じこしょうかい, how the ordering of information on business cards (company, title, surname, given name) reflects the relative importance of company/collective, family and individual status
  • explaining language used in Japanese interactions that reflects humility or deference, for example, expressions used to refuse or deflect praise of self or family, or to defer to others
  • considering how and why Japanese speakers use conversational strategies to avoid conflict, such as using indirect or softened language, for example, もうすこし がんばりましょう。
  • comparing core cultural concepts reflected in Japanese language, such as () (‘harmony’), with similarly significant cultural concepts reflected in some Australian terms or expressions, for example, mateship

Years 7 and 8 Achievement Standards

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、(なん)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 . 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、(まえ)) 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 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 andadjectives 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 ), phrases (for example, どうぞよろしく。), prefixes (for example, and ), 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.