News

The 9th NCEA Japanese Workshop 

The 9th NCEA Japanese Workshop attracted over 400 secondary students from 16 Canterbury schools on 9 June.

This workshop is a joint collaboration by the UC Japanese programme and the Canterbury Network of Teachers of Japanese, and it is the largest of its kind on Japanese language education in Oceania.

The day started with a warm welcome by Professor Peter Field, and greetings by Mr Tsuguyoshi Hada, the Director of the Consular Office of Japan. It was followed by a special talk by Ms Krystal Boland, a UC graduate and teacher at Ellesmere College, on her encounters and experiences with Japan and the Japanese language.  

The secondary school students took part in three intensive language sessions joined by 25 UC students acting as teaching assistants and mentors. Year 13 students had a special Tuakana–Teina session where they interviewed the UC students on their motivation and strategies for learning Japanese in Japanese. In the closing session, all participated in a lucky dip, with prizes donated by the Consular Office of Japan and Education Perfect, followed by an energised, collaborative dance-off to the Japanese hit song The world is smiling at you.  See the 2021 dance video here. https://youtu.be/WztduhXbtxc

The workshops promote interactions between secondary schools and the UC Japanese programme, to enhance and strengthen the Japanese learning community. There was overwhelmingly positive feedback from both the students and staff.

The Japanese programme is grateful to all the secondary school teachers who made a huge effort to make this event happen. 

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2021 JSANZ Tertiary Japanese Language Speech Competition Winners

Our heartfelt congratulations go to the prizewinners

First Place: Joyce Wang, University of Auckland

Speech Title: New Zealand society and racism 平等な社会を目指そう

Second Place: Andrea Sevilla, IPU

Speech Title: My Roots and Family History 私のルーツと家族史
             
Third Place: Samuel Takuya Hanada, Ara institute of Canterbury

Speech Title: Home is where the heart is 家とは心がある場所

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JSANZ Japanese Firsts Awards

These are difficult times and it has been a long process bringing these to you but JSANZ takes the greatest pleasure in finally announcing the JSANZ Japanese Firsts Award winners. There are seven winners over five categories. Not all of the 10 categories received nominations but there were many nominations for the five winning categories. If you missed out this time please try again next year as we would love to see all deserving Japanese stakeholders, teachers, and students recognised. Each winner will receive a print version of their poster to display in their classroom and office. Congratulations. Your awards are very well-deserved.

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Bunkasai Cultural Festival

Five Manawatu secondary schools attended a Bunkasai (cultural festival) on July 7 2021, hosted by the Japanese programme at Massey University, Manawatu Campus. The event was attended by approximately 85 students, teachers, volunteers and Massey and IPU NZ Tertiary Institute staff.

As activities, students took part in a manga drawing contest, trivia quiz, origami contest and a formal Speech Contest (see below). They were also invited to dress in yukata (summer kimono), practise calligraphy, play kendama (a skill game) and take part in a tea ceremony. By good fortune the event coincided exactly with the Tanabata Festival, and students had the opportunity to tie their wishes to branches of sasa bamboo.

Artwork from the students was on display throughout the day

The Bunkasai allowed students to experience aspects of Japanese culture for the first time and enjoy the progress they have made learning Japanese with counterparts from other schools. It is hoped that the time on a university campus and learning more about Japanese at tertiary level from Massey and IPU staff will also encourage students to continue Japanese beyond school.

Speech Contest winners:

Category 1 (Year 11): Jake Cook, Awatapu College

Category 2 (Year 12): Anna Skiffington, St Peter’s College

Category 3 (Year 13): Floor Schalk, Awatapu College

Judges: Mr Toshi Yamauchi and Dr Penny Shino, Massey University.

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JSANZ Japanese Firsts deadline has been extended

Are you studying or teaching Japanese at a New Zealand university? Then, here is good news for you: JSANZ Japanese Firsts deadline is now extended for 10 days until 30 June 2021!Thank you to those lecturers and students who have sent in submissions. If you haven’t, you still have time to send us your submissions ヽ(^o^)丿!For more details, please see: https://jsanz.org/1015-2/ (a nomination form can be found here too)

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JSANZ Japanese Firsts — A little more than 10 days to go.

Please make sure you have nominated yourself or others in any of the 10 categories of the competition. The competition deadline is coming up. It is a wonderful way to gain recognition for hard work and excellence in the fields of Japanese teaching and learning. The process is very simple. Just look for the previous post about JSANZ Japanese Firsts and you will find the entry form.

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JSANZ Tertiary Japanese Language Speech Contest

先生方、

いつもお世話になっております。大変お忙しい時期かと存じます。

さて、今年もJSANZ Tertiary Japanese Language Speech Contestを開催する運びとなりました。本年も、昨年同様の内容で、同時期に行うのがいいのではないかという声が一番多くありましたので、ガイドラインもほぼ昨年同様となっております。(Wordとpdfを両方添付してあります)

5 July:                Application opens

12 September:  Application closes 

25 October:       Notification of winners 

コロナの状況はまだまだ読めず、また日本が現在大変な状況にあることから、本年度も賞品は国内旅行バウチャーということになりました。ビジネス界が困難な状況にあるにもかかわらず、スポンサーである二水会の皆様からの引き続きのご支援には、心より感謝申し上げます。

ガイドラインを添付致しましたので、内容について何かご質問などありましたら、コミッティーまでご連絡いただければと存じます。昨年は難しい状況の中、多くの学生さんからご参加いただきました。学生さんと先生方に深く感謝申し上げます。今年もたくさんの作品をお待ちしております!よろしくお願いいたします。

JSANZ スピーチコンテストコミッティー一同