Japanese – Years 3 and 4
Learning Objectives
In Years 3 and 4, Japanese language learning builds on each student’s prior learning and experiences with language. Students continue to communicate and work in collaboration with peers and teachers through purposeful and creative play in structured activities involving listening, speaking, viewing and some writing. They use Japanese to interact with peers and teachers and plan activities in familiar settings that reflect their interests and capabilities. In informal settings, they use local and digital resources to explore Japanese-speaking communities. They continue to receive extensive support through modelling, scaffolding, repetition and the use of targeted resources.
Students develop active listening skills and use gestures, words and modelled expressions, imitating Japanese language sounds, pronunciation and intonation. They use their literacy capabilities in English to recognise differences between writing in alphabetic and script-based languages. With support, students read and write hiragana using long vowels, voiced and blended sounds, and some familiar kanji; they locate information, respond to, and create informative and imaginative texts. They access authentic and purpose-developed Japanese language texts such as picture books, stories, songs, digital and animated games, timetables, recipes and advertisements. They recognise that language and culture reflect practices and behaviours.
Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 4, students use Japanese language to initiate structured interactions to share information related to the classroom and their personal world. They use modelled language to participate in spoken and written activities that involve planning. They locate and respond to key items of information in texts using strategies to help interpret and convey meaning in familiar contexts. They use modelled language and basic syntax to create texts. They use hiragana with support, and familiar kanji appropriate to context.
Students imitate hiragana sounds, pronunciation and intonation patterns of Japanese language. They demonstrate understanding that Japanese has non-verbal, spoken and written language conventions and rules to create and make meaning. They recognise that some terms have cultural meanings. They identify patterns in Japanese and make comparisons between Japanese and English. They understand that the Japanese language is connected with culture, and identify how this is reflected in their own language(s) and culture(s).