Contest on Ideas and Examples of How to Teach Culture in Japanese-language Class

Award-winning Plans of the Second Contest

      TJF is pleased to announce the winners of its second Lesson Plan Contest: Ideas and Examples of How to Teach Culture in Japanese-language Class. The recipients of the grand and second prizes, who passed the first and second stages of screening by Japanese-language education specialists, are as follows:

      ( You can view PDF files of the following lesson plans. )

 Elementary school level

Grand Prize:
	"Mixed Pizza," Sagae Satoko (U.S.)
Second Prize:
	"Communication and Correspondence," Yoshida Yoshiko (Australia)
Content-based Lesson Award:
	"Snails," Catherine Speechley (Australia)
Cultural Tradition Award:
	"Kimono," Nobuko Weeks (U.S.)

 Secondary school level

Grand Prize:
	"Do you keep pets?" Janina Carlon (Australia)
Second Prizes:
	"Picture Brides," Hiroko Vink-Kazama (U.S.) "Let's Sell Canadian Products! " Tsurumi Michiyo (Canada) "The Japanese and the bath," Liu Shuyan (China) "New Year," Helen Gilhooly (U.K.)
All Round Lesson Award:
	"Initial Introduction," Mary Grace Browning (U.K.)

      Japanese-language teachers at elementary and secondary schools in countries other than Japan were invited to participate, with the deadline for entries set at the end of September 1997.

      A total of forty-six lesson plans entered, not only from English-speaking countries (Australia, United States, Canada, Britain, and New Zealand) as in the first contest, but this time also from other countries including China and Brazil, revealing Japanese-language lesson plans that serve to increase students' international awareness and understanding of Japanese culture. Most of the entries, as previously, dealt with popular topics from Japanese daily life that easily catch the interest of young students. Karaoke, Tamagotchi (the egg-shaped electronic toy), and other popular trends in contemporary Japanese society were also introduced. Some teachers showed how they use computers to teach language, and others teach Japanese jointly with other subjects in the same class.

      The prize-winning lesson plans will be made available in a booklet and on the TJF Web site so that interested Japanese-language teachers can share their ideas. The grand prize winners were invited to Japan, for a visit during which they had opportunities for exchange with Japanese or foreign-language teachers and educators in the area of international understanding, through presentation of model lessons and seminars.