Junior Cycle Short Course in Japanese Language and Culture
Specifications
Title of short course
Japanese Language and Culture – A Short Course for Junior Cycle
1. Introduction to Junior Cycle
Junior cycle education places students at the centre of the educational experience, enabling them to
actively participate in their communities and in society and to be resourceful and confident learners in
all aspects and stages of their lives. Junior cycle is inclusive of all students and contributes to equality
of opportunity, participation and outcome for all.
The junior cycle allows students make a greater connection with learning by focusing on the quality of
learning that takes place and by offering experiences that are engaging and enjoyable for them, as well
as relevant to their lives. These experiences are of a high quality, contribute directly to the physical,
mental and social wellbeing of learners, and where possible, provide opportunities for them to develop
their abilities and talents in the areas of creativity, innovation and enterprise. The learner’s junior cycle
programme builds on their learning to date and actively supports their progress in learning and in
addition, supports them in developing the learning skills that will assist them in meeting the challenges
of life beyond school.
2. Rationale
We live in a multilingual society. Learning a new language opens doors to new people, new cultures
and more career opportunities. In the case of Japan, which can be seen as distant and exotic, the short
course provides an opportunity to engage in a meaningful sense with the Japanese language and
culture thereby creating the opportunity to experience a new society, a new culture, and a new world.
Simultaneously, the learner develops an awareness of the place of Japan on the international stage, and
awareness in general of the diversity that exists in the global context.
In this course the emphasis is on developing communication skills in Japanese at level A1.1 (Council of
Europe scale).
This short course develops students’ ability to understand spoken and written language, to speak the
language, and to interact in a simple way on familiar topics. Students are actively involved in
monitoring their own progress and derive enjoyment and confidence from communicating in a new
language. They also develop awareness and skills in relation to language learning through comparing
and contrasting patterns in the new language and in languages they know. They become better
language learners through identifying and developing their own language learning strategies. In a
multi-cultural society it is important that young people have opportunity to learn about other cultures,
appreciate similarities and differences and learn to observe, reflect and suspend judgement when
discovering the new culture and reflecting back on their own. This course offers opportunities to do
this.
Finally, increasingly there are opportunities to learn language and to discover different cultures using
digital tools. In this short course students will learn how to use these tools to support language
learning.
By taking part in this course students may have their accomplishments in foreign language learning
recognised in their Junior Cycle certificate and benchmarked against the Common European
Framework of Reference (CEFR)
3. Aim
The aim of this course is for students to develop language proficiency in Japanese at level A1.1. The
course also aims to develop language awareness and intercultural awareness in combination with
digital literacy skills.
4. Links
a) Statements of learning
Statement
Examples of relevant learning in the course
‘Listens, speaks, reads and writes in L2
Students engage in different learning activities where they
and one other language at a level of
learn
proficiency that is appropriate to her
communicate with others, and read and write in the
or his ability’
language
to
listen
to
and
understand
oral
language,
SOL2
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‘Appreciates and respects how diverse
Students reflect on values, beliefs, attitudes, customs and
values, beliefs and traditions have
traditions in cultures associated with Japanese and in
contributed to the communities and
comparison with their own cultural identity. Students learn
culture in which he/she lives’
to appreciate and respect cultural differences both within
SOL 6
the Japanese culture and in their home culture.
They
develop curiosity, critical thinking skills and empathy
towards people from the Japanese culture or cultures and
towards people from new cultures in general.
‘Describes, illustrates, interprets,
Students investigate how Japanese language works by
predicts and explains patterns and
exploring and looking at patterns, such as writing system,
relationships’
sentence order, or the phonological system. Students learn
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to predict how new words or sentences are formed. They
also explore patterns and sounds of the language. They link
the spelling, sound and meaning of words thereby
appreciating how Japanese looks and sounds and enjoying
creative use of the language. In addition, students are
encouraged to explain close or distant relationships between
the languages they know, and to identify, describe and apply
their preferred language learning strategies.
‘Uses technology and digital media
Students source information on the internet related to
tools to learn, communicate, work and
Japanese and its related culture, or cultures. Students are
think collaboratively and creatively in a
also encouraged to express themselves creatively in
responsible and ethical manner’
Japanese using ICT tools for text, audio and video (which
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may include written as well as oral language). Students use
technology for self-access learning and to assess their
progress by completing a digital portfolio, an e-ELP or by
using other online learning tools.
Students also use
technology to interact with speakers of Japanese in a safe
and responsible manner by using a range of ICT tools such as
blogs or Skype.
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b) Literacy and numeracy
In this course students learn to use simple words and phrases, sentences and longer language
sequences to communicate. Students develop their oral and aural literacy skills when they use oral
language to communicate facts, opinions and feelings in simple but effective language. They develop
their written literacy skills when they engage in simple writing for different purposes and produce a
variety of simple texts in hand-writing or word-processing. Students also develop their written
literacy skills when they produce written pieces of work and engage in a process of producing,
reviewing and expanding language, thus developing an awareness of how languages work.
Students also develop their digital literacy skills when they engage in tasks and activities which involve
the Japanese language and culture in digital media.
In this course students develop their numeracy skills when they are involved in problem solving
activities to meet the numeracy demands of day to day living. They also develop numeracy skills when
they engage in processing numerical data relating for example to number, date, time, size, order,
distance…in Japanese and relating to situations linked to Japanese culture such as using different types
of calendars and currencies, telling the time , calculating distances and travelling times.
c) Other key skills
Key Skills
Key Skills Elements
Activities: Examples
Being creative
Imagining
Students imagine and present the life
and interests of a second level student
in Japan using digital media
Exploring options and alternatives
Students explore and discuss
potential destinations for a visit to
Japan *
Learning creatively
Students make a Kanji calendar or
monthly posters related to Japanese
Annual Events
Listening and expressing myself
Students take turns to introduce their
favourite movie star, athlete or music
band and agree on the class favourite
Performing and presenting
Students prepare and present a role
play based on a real life situation
* Activities conducted in English
Communicating
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Using language
Students carry out routine classroom
interactions in Japanese effectively
Using number
Students present the results of a very
simple survey such as food
preferences, music or sport
preferences
Using digital technology
Students make self-introductions
using avatars, for example, Voki or
interview an e-pal, for example on
Skype or record an interview in class
Managing information
Gathering, recording, organising,
and thinking
evaluating
Students use a Portfolio to plan,
assess and present evidence of their
learning
Thinking creatively and critically
Students engage in group work to
develop a web quest or cultural
project for their peers *
Reflecting on and evaluating my
Students use an e-Portfolio or a
learning journal
own learning
Using digital technology to access,
manage and share content
Managing myself
Setting and achieving personal
goals
Being able to reflect on my own
learning
Using digital technology to manage
myself and my learning
Staying well
Working with others
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Students use social learning networks
such as Edmodo or a class website
Students set themselves personal
goals by selecting can-do statements
Students reflect on their progress,
carry out self-assessment and chart
their progress over time possibly by
using an or e-Portfolio
Students use digital media to
document their learning in their
portfolios and learning journal using
digital media and by completing an
e-Portfolio
Being confident
Students produce a short video for
pen-pals or e-pals
Being positive about learning
Students talk about their successes in
learning as recorded on their learning
journal
Co-operating
Students conduct a very simple audit
as a group and present the results to
the class
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Learning with others
Students engage in effective peerassessment
Working with others through
Students make and exchange video
clips introducing their school with epals, using both English and Japanese
digital technology
5. Course overview
The strands in this short course are:
Strand 1: Communicating in Japanese: Students learn to communicate in a simple manner on topics
that are familiar to them
Strand 2: Reflecting on Japanese culture and how I relate to it: Students learn to appreciate and respect
cultural difference both within the Japanese cultures and their own culture
Strand 3: Reflecting on how Japanese language works and how I learn: Students learn to reflect on the
languages they know, on how Japanese language works and what strategies help them in their
language learning
Strand 4: Using digital media to explore and communicate in Japanese : Students learn to use ICT tools
to learn language and discover different cultures
STRAND
Students learn……
Communicating in
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Students should be able to…..

Japanese (Communicative
Competence)

Follow simple classroom or other instructions when spoken
clearly and slowly

Listening
Identify numbers related to a familiar topic when spoken
clearly in a conversation, a presentation or a game

Demonstrate an understanding of a simple announcement,
presentation on a familiar topic

Demonstrate an understanding of a very simple conversation
on a familiar topic

Reading

Identify and pronounce Hiragana and Katakana syllables and
basic Kanji in familiar words

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Recognise the meaning of familiar words and phrases
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
Identify key information on familiar topics in a variety of media
such as Manga, videogames, posters, printed ads, menus,
brochures

Read simple messages on cards or digital media such as blogs,
facebook, or SMS

Spoken Interaction

Take part in routine classroom interactions

Use numbers in predictable everyday life interactions, including
time

Understand and use simple words and phrases for predictable
social interactions such as meeting and greeting, invitations,
meeting arrangements, …

Ask for and give very simple information on familiar topics
about people, places or events


Spoken production
Writing

Pronounce words and names accurately

Make a short presentation about themselves

Give simple classroom or other instructions

Make a very simple presentation on a familiar topic

Write Katakana, Hiragana and Kanji by hand or using a
Japanese keyboard

Fill in a simple form with personal information

Write captions for pictures or digital presentations on familiar
topics

Write very short messages on cards or digital media such as
blogs, facebook, or SMS
Reflecting on Japanese

culture and how I relate to
it (Intercultural
and Japanese people

awareness)

Stereotypes,
Identify their own and other common stereotypes about Japan
Investigate where their own or other common stereotypes
about Japan and Japanese people come from

Distinguish between fact and opinion in relation to one
perceptions and
commonly held view of Japan, and one commonly held view of
representations
their own country

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Reflect on whether their perceptions, representations and
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feelings about Japan and Japanese people have changed during
the course and explain how and why

Japan and my own

country: key facts
and features
Identify similarities and differences between Japan and their
own country

Identify links between Japan and their own country

Compare and contrast similarities and differences between
Japan and their own country in one specific area of interest

Present similarities, differences and links between Japan and
their own country in one specific area of interest

People and daily life

Identify similarities and differences in relation to particular
in Japan and in my
features of people and daily life between Japan or another
own country
country they know and their own country, and diversity within
the Japan and their own country such as with reference to
eating habits, socialising or school life

Compare and contrast similarities and differences in relation to
one specific feature of people and daily life between Japan or
another country they know and their own country, and
diversity within the Japan and their own country

Examine underlying beliefs, attitudes or values which explain a
particular custom in Japan in comparison to one in their
country

Justify a particular behaviour or attitude encountered among
people in Japan

People from Japan

and I
Discuss their opportunities and personal motivation to meet
people from Japan or Japanese speakers in their community,
abroad or through digital media

Explore similarities and differences in a particular custom or
behaviour with someone/people from Japan or Japanese
speakers when meeting them in person, online or by imagining
an encounter

Explain the difference between one of my own and someone
else’s custom or behaviour by looking at our underlying beliefs,
attitudes and values
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
Examine one cultural difference in traditions, customs or
behaviours which they would either embrace or feel
uncomfortable with, and explain why
Reflecting on how

Investigate the Japanese writing system compared to the
Japanese Language works
writing systems of the other languages they know, including
and how I learn Japanese
SMS language comparisons

Japanese and the

other languages I
know
Identify differences between the Japanese sound system and to
the sound systems of the other languages they know

Identify loanwords between Japanese and the other languages
they know

Compare and contrast differences in language in use between
Japanese and the other languages they know, such as forms of
address, naming conventions, variations linked to generation or
gender, body language…

How Japanese

works
Identify language patterns in Japanese such as those found in
script and word order

Describe language patterns of Japanese such as those
mentioned above

Apply language patterns of Japanese such as those mentioned
above to already acquired language

Hypothesise about features of Japanese in order to produce
simple new language

Explore the patterns and sounds of language through songs,
chants, raps and rhymes and link spellings, sounds and
meanings of words

Enjoying and being

Describe oral or written features of Japanese which they enjoy
creative in Japanese

Express themselves creatively
by producing language for
aesthetic purposes such as calligraphy

Express themselves creatively using drama and role play

Identify their preferred language learning strategies such as
strategies for building up vocabulary or for developing
listening, speaking, reading or writing skills
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
How I learn

languages
Explain their preferred language learning strategies such as
what to do to learn new words or what they do when they don’t
understand

Apply their preferred language learning strategies to their
learning in class and outside
Using digital media to

Assess their language learning

Source and share resources and information on the internet
explore and communicate
in or about Japanese
in Japanese
•
Organise online resources to manage their learning
(Digital Literacy)
•
Investigate new facts about the Japanese language and

Accessing resources
and information
culture/s by using digital tools
•
Evaluate resources on the Japanese language and culture that
they find in digital media

Use ICT tools to record themselves and monitor their progress
in the spoken language

Expressing oneself

I can use a Japanese keyboard to produce a text in TL

Use word processing tools to produce, edit, correct and
improve their written language

Express themselves creatively in Japanese through the use of
digital tools combining oral, written and visual language such
as Photostory, Animoto, Glogster, …

Interact orally with others in Japanese in a safe and responsible
manner using a range of ICT tools such as Skype or
videoconferencing

Communicating

Interact in written form with others in Japanese, in a safe and
responsible manner by using digital tools such as e-card,
chatting through Skype or Facebook.

Present or relay information through the use of digital
technology

Use digital media tools to give and receive feedback from
teachers, peers and correspondents
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
Documenting

learning
Use digital tools to document and store evidence of their
learning

Present evidence of their learning to others using digital tools

Assess and evaluate their learning using digital tools such as
an e-Portfolio or ELP

Plan and set learning goals by using digital tools such as an
e-Portfolio or ELP
6 6. Expectations for learners
Under development
7 7. Assessment and certification
Under development
8. Resources
Under development
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