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Teaching Resources

Most of the resources listed below have been created by Japan Foundation Japanese language advisors. For the resources where this is not the case the resource creator’s name is given. You can download them and use them instantly with your class, or adjust them to your needs.

The Japan Foundation welcomes your feedback on the resources featured on the website. Please email your comments to info.language@jpf.org.uk. Please note we cannot guarantee the quality of resources made by other creators. If you would like to share your own teaching ideas with members of the Japanese teaching community in the UK please click here.

The Japan Foundation London Japanese Language Advisors

The Japan Foundation team of Japanese Language Advisors are working to support you with their extensive experience of teaching Japanese. They will be happy to advise you on any issues from selecting appropriate resources for your course to examination related queries.

You can make an appointment to visit them at the Centre by emailing info.language@jpf.org.uk.

Featured Websites

Erin's ChallengeErin’s Challenge! I Can Speak Japanese

A growing number of young people are studying Japanese language because they are attracted to Japan’s “cool” culture. For these young people, the Japan Foundation has developed the series “Erin’s Challenge! I Can Speak Japanese.” The programme features mini-dramas by up-and-coming actors together with clear and fun explanation by animated characters. In addition to language study, the programme is designed to help learners develop an attitude conducive to cultural understanding.

Erin’s Challenge is available to view free online at www.erin.ne.jp and is also available as a DVD and textbook set in the UK from JP-Books and Japan Centre.

Japanese in Anime and MangaJapanese in Anime and Manga

The purpose of this site is to give Japanese learners and anime/manga fans from all over the world an opportunity to learn Japanese in an enjoyable way, using the anime and manga they enjoy as a gateway to their studies. The site to deepen learners' understanding of the Japanese language and culture, and to give an added incentive to study.

Ready Steady NihonGO!Ready Steady NihonGO!

Ready Steady NihonGO! is a unique scheme of work for teaching Japanese at Key Stage 2. It was produced jointly by Japan 21 (now the Japan Society) and the Japan Foundation London. The scheme comprises ten structured 45-minute lessons, with comprehensive teachers' notes, National Curriculum Links and a set of accompanying Culture Notes. The course is available free online from the link above. A CD-ROM version is also available from the Japan Society.

力CHIKARA Japanese Teaching Resources for Secondary Schools力CHIKARA Japanese Teaching Resources for Secondary Schools

CHIKARA is a comprehensive set of teaching resources to support the GCSE curriculum. The resources are designed for students to learn the structure of Japanese language and to practise the language learnt in a communicative setting.

JF Standard for Japanese Language EducationJF Standard for Japanese Language Education

JF Standard is a tool to help Japanese teachers consider how Japanese can be taught, and how learners’ achievements can be assessed.

NIHONGO e-na Portal for Learning JapaneseNIHONGO e-na Portal for Learning Japanese

The site features various websites and online tools useful for studying Japanese, and aims to provide support for learners from all over the world who are looking for fun ways to study.

Minna no Kyozai SiteMinna no Kyozai Site

Minna no Kyozai is a website for Japanese-language teachers around the world create suitable teaching materials for their students. It features resources, a forum and advice on creating effective learning materials.

Japanese Language Proficiency TestJapanese Language Proficiency Test

The official website of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), featuring test guides, sample questions, resource lists and more.

Lingu@net WorldwideLingu@net Worldwide

Lingu@net Worldwide is a portal site leading to information and links to excellent online resources relating to the teaching and learning of any language. There are over 150 Japanese related sites and it is possible to view the interface in Japanese.

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Script

1. Japanese handwriting fonts - Install them here!

For instructions on installing these fonts, please refer to Microsoft's homepage here.

Copyright

The copyright for these fonts belongs to Techno Advance Ltd, Japan. The company has agreed to share these fonts with teachers of Japanese on the proviso that they are for educational use and no profit is made by the use of the fonts. The company has not agreed for these fonts to be used commercially so these fonts cannot be used in any publication that is to be sold. Techno Advance Ltd and Tadashi Sakai cannot take any responsibility for any damage caused by the use of these fonts.

2. Download the hiragana and katakana chart.

3. Hiragana and Katakana practice mat.

4. Games for reviewing Hiragana and Katakana.

Click here to learn the rules of play!

5. Genkou Youshi Wizard

Click here to download a template for creating Word documents with Japanese written in vertical columns.

6. Hiragana and Katakana laminated practice boards

Recommended by Anne Rajakumar of South Wolds Community School, as a great way to get students to revise hiragana and katakana every night. To cover costs, Anne suggests asking students to bring in 50p to cover the pen and 20p for the laminating.

Instructions

  • For each board, download and print out both pages, so you have two matching sides.
  • Put the two sides back to back, then laminate them. Each student should get their own boards (one for hiragana, one for katakana).
  • Order a fine non-permanent OHP (overhead projector) pen for each student, so they can write on their laminated boards.
  • They can practice the kana every night.
  • The next day, simply wash the pen off and start again!

Other Resources

You may also be able to find other resources for teaching and studying Japanese script at Nihongo e na , Minna no Kyozai Site and Ling@net Worldwide

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Basic

Click here for a selection of worksheets which can be used for WJEC and GCSE (including numbers, colours and verbs).

Click here to download resources and a scheme of work made by Tom Lockley of Meadowhead School for his classes with Year 9 students. This downloads as a zip file (12MB). You will need ActiveSoftware to open the ActivStudio files. If you do not already have this, you can download this free Flipchart Viewer.

Other Resources

You may also be able to find other resources for teaching and studying basic Japanese at Erin’s Challenge! I Can Speak Japanese, Nihongo e na, Minna no Kyozai Site and Ling@net Worldwide.

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Primary

Extensive research into the Primary languages field in general and Japanese provision in particular provided the foundation for the Ready Steady NihonGO! Primary Japanese Course, a unique scheme of work for teaching Japanese at KS2, produced by the Japan Foundation London Language Centre (JFLLC) and Japan Society. The scheme comprises 10 45 minute lessons designed to be delivered by a Japanese native speaker teacher working with the class teacher. Each lesson is clearly structured, with comprehensive teachers' notes, National Curriculum Links and a set of accompanying Culture Notes. The course has been hugely popular during two successful trial periods with teachers and pupils alike who enjoyed the experience of working with an unusual language.
Ready Steady NihonGO! is available to use online from the Japan Society website.

The CD version will be available on 1 March 2007. See the Japan Society website for more information and to order your copy.

Resources for Primary Japanese
A Japan Foundation compiled list of useful publications for teaching primary level Japanese, which are all available from our library.

JFL Japanese Scheme of Work for Key Stage 2

Japanese Scheme of Work Trial Version

We are pleased to announce the release of the draft version of our Scheme of work for Key Stage 2 Japanese, designed for use in primary schools.

The first resource of its kind for Primary Japanese, this Scheme of Work is designed to meet the requirements of the KS2 Framework for Languages and has been based on Schemes of Work created for French. Packed with lesson plans, supplementary resources, target vocabulary and teaching tips, this Scheme of Work will give teachers of Japanese at primary level all they need to hold effective, engaging and enjoyable Japanese lessons.

This launch of the draft version marks the beginning of the trial phase of the document. We encourage Primary School teachers of Japanese to download this document and use it in your lessons or Japanese club. We would be extremely grateful if you could send any feedback from this document to the Japan Foundation, at info.language@jpf.org.uk. Your feedback will contribute to the future development of the complete version of the Japanese scheme of work.

Click here to download the JFL Japanese Scheme of Work for KS2

Other Resources

You may also be able to find other resources for teaching and studying primary Japanese at Erin’s Challenge! I Can Speak Japanese, Nihongo e na, Minna no Kyozai Site and Ling@net Worldwide.

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GCSE

Tanabata Kamishibai and Resources

Other Resources

You may also be able to find other resources for teaching and studying GCSE Japanese at Erin’s Challenge! I Can Speak Japanese, Nihongo e na, Minna no Kyozai Site and Ling@net Worldwide.

Click here for information about the Japanese GCSE Exam

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AS

List of Resources for A Levels
A Japan Foundation compiled list of useful publications for teaching AS and A2, which are all available from our library.

South Wolds Community School – AS Resources

Reading materials for AS Japanese - Motto Yomu Chikara
This project has produced three units of reading materials to complement the current 'Chikara for Reading' resources already available from the Japan Foundation. These new materials provide reading texts and grammar exercises along with cultural information to help students bridge the gap between GCSE and AS level. The trial version of this resource has been completed and over 60 CDs have seen sent out to teachers of AS Japanese.

AS kanji list (based on the old specification) (PDF)

AS kanji list (based on the old specification) (Excel)
Created by Tadashi Sakai, Wolverhampton Girls' High School

Tanabata Kamishibai and Resources

Other Resources

You may also be able to find other resources for teaching and studying AS Japanese at Erin’s Challenge! I Can Speak Japanese, Nihongo e na, Minna no Kyozai Site and Ling@net Worldwide.

Click here for information about the Exam

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A2

List of Resources for A Levels
A Japan Foundation compiled list of useful publications for teaching AS and A2, which are all available from our library.

South Wolds Community School – A2 Resources

A2 kanji list (based on the old specification)
Created by Tadashi Sakai, Wolverhampton Girls' High School

Click here for information about the Exam

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Higher Education

The following three textbooks are currently the most frequently used at the initial stages of university level Japanese courses in the UK:

  • Japanese for Busy People
  • Minna no Nihongo
  • Genki

Basic Kanji Book is also popular as supplementary material for kanji study.

Apart from 'Basic Kanji Book', the information sheets consist of 2 parts; Kanji and Grammar. JLPT stands for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test.

In contrast to the Kanji sections, it is impossible to to make judgements of some of the grammar structures, since the styles of classification vary according to the textbooks.

Other Resources

You may also be able to find other resources for teaching and studying Higher Japanese at Erin’s Challenge! I Can Speak Japanese, Nihongo e na, Minna no Kyozai Site and Ling@net Worldwide.

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Teachers Pages in Mado newsletters

Click here to download Mado newsletters, including teachers’ pages.

 

 

 

Mado
Issue
Number
Topic
(Teacher’s Page)
Level
Skill
KS2
KS3
KS4
AS
A2
HE
Adult
Reading
Writing
Listening
Speaking
1
 Teaching in the Target Language/ Tamagotchi lesson plan    
X
        
X
X
X
X
2
 Travel and Holidays
X
X
3
 Personal and Social life
X
X
X
X
4
 Food Health and Fitness
X
X
X
5
 Talking Timetables
X
X
X
X
6
 Omikuji
X
X
X
X
7
 Let’s Recycle
X
X
X
X
X
X
8
 Talking about Careers
X
X
X
X
X
9
 Kanji families
X
X
X
X
X
10
 Motivating through Manga
X
X
X
X
11
 Making a speech in Japanese
X
X
X
12
 Writing a Diary
X
X
X
13
 Teaching Japanese through Mathematics
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
14
 A place near me
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
15
 Haiku for the New Year
X
X
X
X
16
 Using ICT to keep up with current issues
X
X
X
X
X
17
 Plan your dream trip to Japan with Dragons, snakes and ladders
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
18
 Laughter brings good luck: fukuwarai
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
19
 Reading for A level
X
X
X
X
20
 Kanji Mix & Match
X
X
X
X
X
X
21
 CV for the future
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
22
 Haruko takes the train
X
X
X
X
X
23
 Dealing with Dilemmas
X
X
X
X
X
X
24
 Japanese Pronunciation
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
25
 Waste not want not- Mottainai!
X
X
X
X

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Supplementary information for Mado newsletters

Mado Vol.25 Teacher’s Page

Mado Vol.23 Teacher’s Page
Answers to questions

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Class Acts

This excellent video created for Japan 2001 documents success stories from the UK Japanese classroom and demonstrates best practice in teaching Japanese in the UK secondary sector.

Feedback on Class Acts

  • Very useful to improve teaching and learning and to lobby for more support for the language."
  • One of the best tools for professional development I have ever seen."
  • We needed Class Acts - wonderful in content and timing.

Eligibility

If you are teaching at a school and are thinking of offering Japanese you may be eligible to receive a free copy of Class Acts. For more information please email info.language@jpf.org.uk

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Other Resources

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