DOCUMENT RESUME ED 370 350 FL 021 709 AUTHOR Shenk, Barbara; And Others TITLE Newsletter of the Illinois Japanese Language Teachers Network, 1986-1993. INSTITUTION Illinois Japanese Language Teachers Network, Urbana. PUB DATE 93 NOTE 339p. PUB TYPE Collected Works Serials (022) JOURNAL CIT Newsletter of the Japanese Language Teachers Network; v1-8 1986-1993 EDRS PRICE MF01/PC14 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Book Reviews; Class Activities; *Classroom Techniques; Computer Software; Curriculum Development; Elementary Secondary Education; Employment Opportunities; *Food; Higher Education; Immersion Programs; Inservice Teacher Education; Instructional Materials; *International Educational Exchange; *Japanese; Language Teachers; Professional Associations; *Professional Development; Program Descriptions; Proverbs; *Second Language Instruction; Second Languages; State Surveys; Student Exchange Programs; Student Motivation; Study Abroad; Vocabulary Development; Workshops IDENTIFIERS *Recipes (Food) ABSTRACT The 30 issues of the newsletter, spanning the period 1986-1993, contain articles on a variety of topics in Japanese second language instruction and the Japanese language teaching profession at the elementary, secondary, and postsecondary levels. Topics include recent and upcoming workshops, creating interest in Japanese, creative class activities, instructional materials and software, research projects, new or innovative programs, curriculum design, vocabulary development, pen pal programs, high school Japanese programs, summer instructional programs, building school and community support for a program, elementary school Japanese immersion, cultural education, networking opportunities, test development, classroom techniques, cooperative learning, group travel planning, and student skill evaluation. A recipe for a Japanese food is included in most issues. Announcements of job opportunities, conferences, travel and exchange opportunities, professional development programs, and/or information sources are also made in each number. (MSE) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** Newsletter of the Japanese Language TeachersNetwork Volumes 1-8 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Otfice of Eoucafional Researchand Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATICN CENTER (ERICI -PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS 15,5 document has beenreproduced as receNed from the person or organaat.on MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY ongmatmg .1 C khnor changes have been madeto .mpro,e reproduchon duahty C. A.iov-ct Po.nts of oev, or opm.ons stated.n th.Sdocu rnent do nOt necessaroy represent olfic.a, OEM pos.hon or oohcy TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) IES1 COPY NAM 1) a)n-)(.% NN) NEWSLETTER OF THE ILLINOIS JAPANESE LANGUAGE TEACHERS NETWORK Vol. 1 No. 1 February, 1986 WORKSHOP ON TEACHING JAPANESE HELD IN URBANA Ten participants from various backgrounds attended a Workshop for Teaching Japanese Language and Culture in High School, at the Levis Faculty Center on the University of Illinois campus on December 7, 1985. The workshop was organized by University High School (Uni High) in response to the overwhelming enthusiasm on the part of teachers who attended a presentation made by Hiroyo Demers and Carol Bond at the 1985 Annual Conference of the Illinois Foreign Language Teachers Association ("Why Japanese in the High School Curriculum?"). To everyone's great surprise, we learned that there are already in the State of Illinois a significant number of teachers and administrators committed to developing Japanese language programs in Illinois high schools. Dr. Russell Ames, Director of University High School opened the program with a description of the diverse curriculum development and research projects currently underway at Uni. Hiroyo Demers gave presentations on materials and methods, teaching culture, and. audio-visual resources. A tour of Japan House and a tea ceremony demonstration by Prof. Kimiko Gunji,was the highlight of the workshop. Throughout the day, teachers enjoyed meeting others who shared their interest in Japan to exchange ideas, insights, and experiences. A second workshop is planned for March. ILLINOIS JAPANESE LANGUAGE TEACHERS NETWORK Participants at the December workshop agreed unanimously on the importance of working together to advocate the teaching of Japanese language and culture in high school and to provide a means of support and communication among teachers of Japanese. And so... the Illinois Japanese Language Teachers Network was formed. At this point the organization is entirely informal. Our "membership" extends to everyone on our current mailing list. There are no dues and no officers! We welcome you to the IJLTN! IJLTN NEWSLETTER Hiroyo Demers volunteered to edit the first issue of the Newsletter of the IJLTN, and University High School will provide materials, secretarial assistance, and postage. The purpose of the newsletter is to provide a means of communication among Japanese language teachers, teache:s-to-be, and high school administrators. We hope to publish at least one more newsletter this spring, and we depend on you for material. Your ideas, questions, experiences, anecdotes, and announcements are all welcome. Please send your newsletter contributions to Hiroyo Demers, University High School, 1212 West Springfield Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801. Please also send names and addresses of anyone who might like to receive a copy of the newsletter. We would also welcome your suggestions for a name for the newsletter. PLANS FOR SECOND WORKSHOP UNDERWAY A second workshop on Teaching Japanese Language and Culture will be held in Urbana on Friday, March 14 and Saturday, March 15. We have so far tentatively planned the following presentations: 3 profSeiieh4 2. Prof. Chieko Mulhern: "How to Teach Culture through Japanese Literature and Film" Prof. Yasuko Makino: "Development of a High School Library Collection in Japanese" Carol Bond: "The Center for Improvement of Teaching Japanese Language and Culture in High School" Cliff Darnall: "The Japanese Language Program at Bloomington High School" Hiroyo Demers: "Activities and Games for the Japanese Classroom" Atsushi Fukada: "Teaching Japanese by Computer" There will, of course, be ample time for discussion and informal exchange of ideas. You will receive in a few weeks, more detailed informationon the program, place, time, accommodations, and cost of the Workshop. If you would be interested in making a presentation, or if you have suggestions for the program, please write to Hiroyo Demers at University High School, 1212 West Springfield, Urbana, IL61801 or phone (217) 333-8203. CREATE INTEREST IN JAPANESE BEFORE YOU START YOUR PROGRAM Teachers at several schools have expressed interest in startinga Japanese language class but are waiting for administrative approvalor until they get the necessary credits for certification to teach the language. At Bloomington High School, we formed a Japan Club a full twoyears before we actually began teaching the language. A.t Japan Club meetings, we learned simple expressions in Japanese, played Japanese games suchas karuta, and saw movies and slides on Japan. Three or four time a year we would meet in the home economics kitchen and prepare a Japanese meal together, suchas sukiyaki, curry-rice, tempura, or even just ramen. At a local art fair, we sold origami and also bookmarks with the purchaser's name written in katakana.We took a field trip to Chicago and visited a Japanese restaurant,grocery store, and book store. And of course, there were volleyball games against other clubs. Japan Club has always been a small but very active club.Coverage in the yearbook and space in the morning announcements surely causedsome students to think more about Japan than they would have otherwise, and it surely contributed to the large enrollment in Japanese I, offered for the first time this year. Anything that helps to raise interest in Japan and Japanese in the community may pay off when it comes to getting acourse approved and then finding enough students to make it a "go". Two years ago, my wife and I contacted the local adult education office and setup evening shortcourses in basic Japanese conversation. (A teaching certificate is not required for adult education.) As an additional benefit, I found that I could later usemany of the materials that I developed for the eveningcourse in my regular high school course. 4 --Cliff Darnall, Bloomington High School A CREATIVE CLASSROOM ACTIVITY Students receive a printed copy of "Micsuko's weekly desk calendar" which will have the days of the week and dates in kanji,. Different activities will be listed under each date. Students will be asked questions on these. This activity gets students accustomed to reading days and datesin kanji. --Joan Monego Oak Park & River Fcrest High School UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL PROPOSES CENTER FOR IMPROVEMENTOF TEACHING JAPANESE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE IN HIGH SCHOOL University High School is currently seeking fundingto establish at Uni a Center for Improvement of Teaching JapaneseLanguage and Culture in High School. The Center will develop modelprogrsms for teaching Japanese in high school, develop and publish teaching materials for thestudy of Japanese' language and culture for nationwide dissemination tosecondary schools, and train teachers in intensive summer institutesso they can establish Japanese