Students 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...
Students 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 between Japanese and their other language(s) and culture(s), including adjective–noun patterns, adding か to ask a question, and ways of showing respect.
Students focus on listening to the sounds and patterns of Japanese. They identify frequently used words, simple phrases and non-verbal communication strategies employed in greetings and other social interactions. Students 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. Students learn hiragana using a play-based approach. 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. Students practise and repeat formulaic expressions and gestures that differ in Japanese from ways of communicating in English.
As students progress to using Japanese for functions such as asking and answering questions, responding to classroom instructions and taking turns in games, children begin to notice that language behaves differently in different situations. They practise and repeat formulaic expressions and gestures such as bowing that differ in Japanese from ways of communicating in English.
By the end of Level 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...
By the end of Level 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.
Students 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 including simple verb forms, adjectives, interrogatives and some particles to understand and create simple spoken and written texts. Students use appropriate word order and sentence structures, including...
Students 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 including simple verb forms, adjectives, interrogatives and some particles to understand and create simple spoken and written texts. Students use appropriate word order and sentence structures, including time, counter classifiers, and present, past and negative forms. As they encounter elements of Japanese language they make comparisons with their own language(s) and consider their own ways of communicating.
The development of oral proficiency at this stage continues to rely on rich language input. Students develop their active listening and comprehension skills. They participate in classroom routines and tasks and use some spontaneous language to describe feelings related to classroom activities. Students 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. They expand their use of the language in familiar interactions and situations, including 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. They read and write words written in hiragana and in high-frequency kanji. 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.
By the end of Level 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(にん)、なん月(がつ)、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...
By the end of Level 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(にん)、なん月(がつ)、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.
Students observe 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...
Students observe 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 students 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. Students begin to experience and reflect on the challenges and opportunities involved in moving between languages and different ways of making meaning.
Students use Japanese 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 students 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.
By the end of Level 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(いぬ), 小さい、雨(あめ). 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...
By the end of Level 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(いぬ), 小さい、雨(あめ). 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(うえ)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(み)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。.
Students 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...
Students 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, including self-introductions and letters. Students analyse the relationship between language and culture, identifying cultural references in texts and considering how language reflects and influences perspectives, for example, the use of the prefixes ご/お to show respect. They make comparisons between Japanese and other languages, and reflect on the experience of moving between languages and cultural systems.
Japanese is used for classroom interactions and transactions, for creating and maintaining a class dynamic, and for explaining and practising language forms. Students explore a variety of texts, including songs 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. Students 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, for example, using structures such as まい日(にち)、友(とも)だちとバスでがっこうに行(い)きます。.
By the end of Level 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(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 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...
By the end of Level 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(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 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(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.
Students use more complex language in oral, written and multimodal forms. They expand their knowledge and control of grammatical elements including using the て form and plain form of verbs, for example, ～ています、～てもいい、～と思(おも)います、and ～たり～たり、and conjugation patterns for both verbs and adjectives. Students’ language production includes elements of interpreting, creating and performing. They...
Students use more complex language in oral, written and multimodal forms. They expand their knowledge and control of grammatical elements including using the て form and plain form of verbs, for example, ～ています、～てもいい、～と思(おも)います、and ～たり～たり、and conjugation patterns for both verbs and adjectives. Students’ language production includes elements of interpreting, creating and performing. They engage in text analysis, identifying how language choices reflect perspectives and cultural contexts.
Students 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 appropriate ways.
This is a period of language exploration, vocabulary expansion, and experimentation with different modes of communication, for example, collaborative performance and group discussions. Students 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; and to create, interpret and analyse a wider range of texts and experiences. Students sequence and describe events using a range of cohesive devices, and complete communicative tasks. 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.
Students 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.
By the end of Level 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(の)みます, nouns, for example, 新聞、会話(かいわ), 外国語(がいこくご) and adjectives, for example, 早い、上手な、下手(へた)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,...
By the end of Level 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(の)みます, nouns, for example, 新聞、会話(かいわ), 外国語(がいこくご) and adjectives, for example, 早い、上手な、下手(へた)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(うち)/外(そと) and humility, いいえ、まだです。, and consideration of others are reflected in language and behaviours.
Students become familiar with the sounds and patterns of spoken Japanese, including pronunciation, rhythm and intonation. They identify words borrowed from English, observing differences in pronunciation and spelling. They use Japanese in classroom interactions and short communicative tasks. They listen to and read texts to obtain specific details or to understand general meaning. Students understand...
Students become familiar with the sounds and patterns of spoken Japanese, including pronunciation, rhythm and intonation. They identify words borrowed from English, observing differences in pronunciation and spelling. They use Japanese in classroom interactions and short communicative tasks. They listen to and read texts to obtain specific details or to understand general meaning. Students understand and apply rules or patterns to elements of Japanese grammar including 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. Students use modelled examples and apply knowledge of language features to create texts for informative, personal or descriptive purposes. Students develop an awareness of different cultural perspectives. They identify words, phrases and behaviours that convey Japanese traditions including politeness and humility and use these appropriately.
Students are encouraged to speak, listen to, read and write Japanese. 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, broadening their range of vocabulary and language functions. They develop knowledge of Japanese word order and of grammatical features including particles, adjectives, verb tenses and politeness forms. Students 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.
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.
Students use a range of processes such as observing, comparing and reflecting on language use to identify how cultural perspectives are embedded in language and how language choices determine how people, issues and circumstances are represented. They develop metalanguage for discussing the nature of language and culture, and monitor and reflect on their language and culture.
By the end of Level 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(なに)、 どこ、 いつ、 何(なん)よう日(び)、 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(せんせい)、 日本(にほん)、 大(おお)きい、 小(ちい)さい、 友(とも)だち、 行(い)きます、 食(た)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...
By the end of Level 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(なに)、 どこ、 いつ、 何(なん)よう日(び)、 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(せんせい)、 日本(にほん)、 大(おお)きい、 小(ちい)さい、 友(とも)だち、 行(い)きます、 食(た)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(がつ)、 ～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.
Students become more fluent and accurate in spoken and written language production. They gain greater control of grammatical and textual elements. They use expressive and descriptive language as appropriate for different purposes and demonstrate understanding of language variation and change. Students develop understanding of how Japanese phrases, which cannot be translated into English, convey...
Students become more fluent and accurate in spoken and written language production. They gain greater control of grammatical and textual elements. They use expressive and descriptive language as appropriate for different purposes and demonstrate understanding of language variation and change. Students develop understanding of how Japanese phrases, which cannot be translated into English, convey values and beliefs that underpin Japanese culture. Students understand the relationship between language, texts and culture.
Students compare, analyse and reflect on their understandings of Japanese language and culture and of their own language(s) and culture(s). They explore how moving between different languages and cultural systems impacts on the student’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 appropriate ways. Students use 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.
Students 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 design, interpret and analyse a range of texts. They use a wide range of formulaic expressions that are essential for everyday Japanese interactions. Students use a 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 their physical and social environments. They develop broader knowledge of vocabulary and grammar to produce more sophisticated language for a variety of audiences.
Students understand sound variation in the pronunciation of borrowed words. They use a greater number of kanji and 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. Students read, view and interact with texts for social, informative, transactional, imaginative, expressive and instructional purposes. They draw on modelled examples to understand and use more complex structures. They engage in drafting and editing their texts to clarify meaning.
By the end of Level 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(らいしゅう)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...
By the end of Level 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(らいしゅう)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(ときどき)、 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(うち)/外(そと)、 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？。
