DOCUMENT RESUME ED 393 289 FL 022 541 TITLE Newsletter of the Japanese Language Teachers Network, 1994-1995. INSTITUTION Japanese Language Teachers Network, Urbana, IL. PUB DATE 95 NOTE 184p.; Four issues published per volume year. AVAILABLE FROM Japanese Language Teachers Network, University High School, 1212 W. Springfield Ave., Urbana, IL 61801 ($18 annual subscription). PUB TYPE Collected Works Serials (022) JOURNAL CIT Newsletter of the Japanese Language Teachers Network; v9-10 Dec 1993-Oct 1995 EDRS PRICE MF01/PC08 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Articulation (Education); Book Reviews; Class Activities; Classroom Techniques; Computer Software Reviews; Conferences; Cultural Awareness; Higher Education; High Schools; *Japanese; Language Attitudes; *Language Teachers; *Newsletters; Professional Associations; *Second Language Instruction; *Teacher Attitudes; Teaching Methods; Teaching Styles ABSTRACT These newsletter issues explore topics of interest to Japanese language teachers in the United States. Issues contain feature articles, book and computer software reviews, activities and worksheets for classroom use, letters to the editor, news of regional conferences and activities, announcements, new resources, and employment opportunities. Feature articles focus on such topics as: (1) the articulation of high school and university Japanese language programs;(2) individual teaching styles;(3) the expansion of Japanese language instruction in the United States, and the concomitant growth of professional organizations and activities to support such instruction; and (4) teaching effectiveness. (MDM) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** Newsletter of the Japanese Language Teachers Network Vol. 9 No. 1 December 1993 Vol. 9 No. 2 February 1994 Vol. 9 No. 3 May 1994 Vol. 9 No. 4 October 1994 Vol. 10 No i December 1994 Vol. 10 No 2 February 1995 Vol. 10 No 3 May 1995 10 No 4 October 1995 U.S. DEPARTMENT 011t EDUCATION Omei of EcImahmel Russerchend Immommts* "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY CENTER IERIC) Thal CIOCUment Mit been reetodueed olvvl from Me portion or orgentsistran CCk.c OVIQISIIIIStQ IL 0 Minor clianpes new been swde so wenn* fPrOduCtIO quality 04111 Of v4vs tx ogoCm Statfod sn that OCICI? nwrd do not mcomaroy represent OMAN TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES OEM Position or poCy INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)." BEST COPY AVAIIABLE ia*aittot,r7---y Newsletter of the Japanese Language Teachers Network Vol. 9 No. 1 December 1993 GEORGE GOES TO COLLEGE or, Why did the Snail Cross the Road? Let me tell you about George. George graduated from high school afterhaving studied Japanese for three years. As a freshman in college, George wanted to continuein Japanese, but he wasn't able to enroll in the fourth semester JaparAse class--or even in thethird semester class. He hadn't learned "enough" grammar. He doesn't know "the right" kanjior perhaps his useof the spoken language isn't as good as it might be. But George loves Japanese. He was agood student in high schoolin fact, one of the best in his class (a combined class of 36 secondand third year students). George's college instructors don't quite know what to do with him. Itis clear that he has learned a lot, but he just doesn't seem to fit neatly anywhere in their system.Their job would be easier if George knew nothing at all about Japanese. Then they couldsimply begin at the beginning with him and do things "right" from the start. They conclude thatthis might in fact be the best pathway for George, and they place him in the beginning level of Japanese.(It will be a "good review" for him.) Japanese isn't fun anymore for George. He becomes discouragedand wonders if he hasn't wasted three years of Japanese. Perhaps he should after all have takensomething more practical like auto mechanics or computer science. When George's high schoolteacher learns about all of this, she is angry and frustated. What's wrong with these collegeprofessors that they can't give George some credit for his high school work in Japanese? Don'tthey realize how much he has accomplished? If they think teaching high school Japanese is easy, letthem spend a week in her shoes! Is anyone very surprised at the way this story turned out? To me,the real headline-making news would be: "High School StudentAttends Major University: Fits in Perfectly in All of His Classes! Professors Report They Are Pleased with the JobBeing Done in our Nation's High Schools!" As more and more high school Japanese programs areestablished, college instructors like those in George's story are for the first time finding students in theirclasses who have previously studied Japanese in high school. (What indeed do they do withthem?) For the first time, articulation is becoming a real issue in Japanese. Why are we surprised? Ithas long been an issue in other disciplines and at all levels. It is difficult enough to achievearticulation between foreign 3 school district! language programs in various feederschools and a high school within the same teach spelling anymore in And, haven't we all heard Englishteachers complain that "they don't textbo-ok and a college elementary school"? Even asuperficial comparison of a high school taught exactly the same things. textbook in any foreign languagewill reveal that students are not American high schools shoe And certainly not by the samemethods. French has been taught in that things colonial times and the articulation processis still far from ideal. Why do we expect exception. They are should be any smoother in Japanese?Articulation "problems" are not the almost an inevitability. should accept the This is not to say that the highschool teacher and the college instructor inevitable and go their separate ways,each blaming the other for failing todo their job. Some problems simply take a long time tosolve. Solutions to the articulationproblems that are so certainly not be painful and frustrating to everyoneinvolved will not be quick, and they will perfect. Everyone just might as welltake a deep breath, relax, andbegin,talking to each otheras mind. equals, as educators, with courage,patience, fairness, honesty and an open they High school teachers and collegeteachers can learn a lot from each other, even as Their goals are similar wrestle with the difficult question ofwhat grammar to teach at what level. differ. Pace, after all, is relative even though theirmethods, their materials, and their pace may especially when we're talldng about thelifelong process of learning Japanese.(Have you heard the story about the snail who was run overby a turtle as he was crossing theroad? A policeman arrived on the scene and asked, "What hityou?" "I don't know," replied thesnail. "It all happened so fast.") of How do the two groups begin talkingwith each other is the next question. The state Indiana, with its more than 30 pre-collegiateJapanese programs, has the right idea.Elaine Vukov, Administrative Director of Earlham College'sInstitute for Education on Japan, tells usthat all K-12 and college instructors of Japanese inthe state are invited to come togetherfor a two-day conference on Japanese language educationin March, 1994. They will discusssuch topics as conference is testing, standards, enrollments, teachingmaterials, technology, and articulation. The of sponsored by Earlham, IndianaUniversity-Bloomington, and the Indiana Department Education. We look forward to reportingthe results of the Indiana conferencein our May issue. No one expects that articulationissues in Indiana's schools will beresolved after one weekend. But don't you expect that theIndiana teachersK-12 and college alikewhoattend the conference will make a lot of progress towardsunderstanding each other? I do! Carol Bond Director, CITJ AN ANSWER TO THE JANUARY"BLAHS!" CITJ Offers Free Materials toNewsletter Subscribers We announced in the October 1993 issueof the JLTN Newsletter that CITJwould expand first materials-- its services by disseminating high qualitysupplementary materials to teachers. Our a set of katakanaworksheetswill be ready towards the end ofJanuary. 2 4 The worksheets were designed to develop a student's ability toidentify words and phrases written in katakana and/or to scan for necessary information from a varietyof authentic materials which are of interest to high school students. The worksheets containboth katakana-recognition activities and task-dependent activities. In katakana-recognitionactivities, students are asked, for example, to find prices for certain items, times for T.V. shows,and kinds of toppings available at Pizza Hut in Japan. In order to engage students in real-lifesituations, task-dependent activities provide settings and tasks that students are likely to encounterin Japan. For example, students are asked to find out certain information needed to solve someproblem such as selecting gifts for a host family, planning a trip, or deciding what to buy for a partywithin a limited budget. To acquaint you with our materials, we are making aONE-TIME-ONLY SPECIAL OFFER! Beginning in February we will be offering theseand other materials for a nominal fee to cover our cost of photocopyingand mailing. However, if you would like to receive the first packet of materials absolutely free, please send a note, postcard orfax with your name and address to the attention of JuliAnn Norton, University