Japanese

The Language

The language to be studied and assessed is the modern standard version of Japanese.

Students should be aware of formal and informal levels of language used in daily life. This includes the use of colloquialisms, where appropriate, and an awareness of regional differences. The three Japanese writing scripts of hiragana, katakana and kanji will be studied as part of this syllabus.

The Learners of Japanese

Students come to the learning of languages with diverse linguistic, cultural and personal profiles, including a range of prior language experiences either in Japanese or in a different language. Students may have engaged with Japanese in formal or less formal contexts, or they may have been exposed to a language through family members or in-country experience. Students start school as mono-, bi- or plurilinguals.

Mandatory study of a language occurs in Stage 4. However, students may commence their study of a language at any point along the K–10 continuum.

The learners of Japanese include students:

• learning Japanese as a second or additional language
• with prior learning and/or experience who may have:
  • undertaken a significant school-based learning program in Australia
  • had exposure to Japanese language and culture and may engage in some active but predominantly receptive use of Japanese (including dialects and variants of Japanese)
• with a background in the language who have had their primary socialisation as well as initial literacy development and primary schooling in Japanese
• undertaking a course based on Life Skills outcomes and content.

Japanese beginners

This course provides students with the opportunity to develop their linguistic and intercultural knowledge and understanding, and the speaking, listening, reading and writing skills to communicate in Japanese. Topics covered provide contexts in which students develop their communication skills in Japanese and their knowledge and understanding of language and culture.

What students learn

Topics studied through two interdependent perspectives, the personal world and the chosen Japanese communities, provide contexts in which students develop their communication skills in the chosen Japanese and their knowledge and understanding of language and culture.

Students’ skills in, and knowledge of the chosen Japanese will be developed through tasks associated with a range of texts and text types, which reflect the topics. Students will also gain an insight into the culture and language of the chosen Japanese-speaking communities through the study of a range of texts.

Preliminary

Students will develop the linguistic and intercultural knowledge and understanding, and the speaking, listening, reading and writing skills to communicate in the chosen Japanese.

HSC

Students will develop the linguistic and intercultural knowledge and understanding, and the speaking, listening, reading and writing skills to communicate in the chosen Japanese.

Topics

• family life, home and neighbourhood
• people, places and communities
• education and work
• friends, recreation and pastimes
• holidays, travel and tourism
• future plans and aspirations.

What students learn

Modern and CCAFL languages

The Preliminary and HSC courses have prescribed themes as their organisational focuses:

• The Individual
• The Japanese-speaking communities
• The changing world

Each Modern Languages Continuers syllabus has mandatory topics related to these themes.

Classical languages

The study of classical languages provides students with access to the culture, thought and literature of the target ancient country/city. It also allows students to study the continuing influence of Japanese on the languages, cultures, literature and traditions that have been derived from them.

Students study:

• literary features
• context
• historical, religious and cultural references
• ideas, beliefs, arguments and practices
• language and linguistic features of these texts

Students develop skills in translating unseen texts and analysing language features.

Japanese continuers:

preliminary:

Modern and CCAFL Languages

Students’ skills in, and knowledge of Japanese will be developed through tasks associated with a range of texts and text types, which reflect the themes and topics.

Classical Languages

Students study a range of extracts of texts in the original Japanese. They develop skills of translation, literary analysis and analysis of language features.

HSC

Modern and CCAFL Languages

Students gain insight into the culture and language of Japanese-speaking communities through the study of a range of texts and text types, which reflect the themes and topics.

Classical languages

Students study a prescribed prose and a prescribed verse text. They study extracts in the original Japanese and the work as a whole in translation.

Course description for CCAFL Japanese Continuers (2023) syllabuses

This course provides opportunities for students to develop their skills and knowledge of Japanese. Through tasks associated with a range of texts and text types, students gain an insight into the culture and language of Japanese-speaking communities through the study of a range of texts.

CCAFL Languages

The Preliminary and HSC courses have prescribed concepts as their organisational focuses:

• identity
• legacy
• responsibility
• sustainability

Each CCAFL languages continuers syllabus has mandatory topics related to these concepts.

Preliminary

• CCAFL Language: Students’ intercultural and linguistic skills, knowledge and understanding of Japanese will be developed through the study of a range of texts related to the concepts and topics, viewed from one or more of the three perspectives (personal, community and international).

HSC

• CCAFL Languages : Students’ intercultural and linguistic skills, knowledge and understanding of Japanese will continue to be developed through the study of a range of texts related to the concepts and topics, viewed from the three perspectives (personal, community and international).