There are three different Japanese courses running at Cronulla High School. In Year 8 every student studies Japanese for 100 hours (6 periods a cycle). They then have the opportunity to select Japanese as one of their two electives in Years 9 and 10. If students successfully complete their 200 hours study in years 9 and 10 they can elect to study the Japanese Continuers course in Years 11 and 12 for their HSC.
All courses provide students with the opportunity to gain effective skills in communicating in Japanese, to explore the relationship between Japanese and English, and to develop an understanding of the Japanese culture.
What will students learn to do in the study of Japanese?
Students will develop the skills to communicate in Japanese. They will listen and respond to spoken Japanese. They will learn to read and respond to written texts in Japanese. Students will establish and maintain communication in familiar situations using Japanese.
Students will explore the diverse ways in which meaning is conveyed by comparing and contrasting features of the Japanese language.
They develop a capacity to interact with Japanese people, their culture and their language.
How will students learn in the Japanese classroom?
Effective language learning encompasses all four skills areas: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Interactive classroom activities, group work and games are essential in order to improve all skills.
Cultural knowledge and understanding comes from film studies, craft activities, excursions to restaurants and a cultural centre. In March 2018 Cronulla High School’s sister school visited for the 8th time for an 8 day cultural exchange and CHS students had the opportunity to host a Japanese student in their home. Nirasaki High school will visit us again in the near future. Those students studying Japanese as an elective will also have an opportunity to spend two weeks in Japan at our sister school in Nirasaki, Yamanashi Prefecture in either Years 9 or 10. We are eager to resume incoming and outgoing trips when regulations allow.