Grade 12 - Acquiring Information

This sub-organizer contains the following sections:
Prescribed Learning Outcomes
Suggested Instructional Strategies
Suggested Assessment Strategies
Recommended Learning Resources

PRESCRIBED LEARNING OUTCOMES

It is expected that students will:

research, analyse, and synthesize relevant information from several Japanese-language sources to complete authentic tasks
convey acquired information in oral, visual, and written forms

To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Acquiring Information in other grades click on an icon below.

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

At this level, students are expected to engage in meaningful tasks using a wide range of resources to acquire the information they need for oral and written activities.

Have students, using authentic texts, examine known kanji radicals to determine the meaning of unknown raku . Ask students to use radicals and familiar kanji to read and understand unfamiliar ones.
Invite students, working in pairs, to challenge one another to "beat the clock." One partner presents an unknown kanji and keeps track of the time it takes the other partner to find the correct meaning in a kanji dictionary. Partners then discuss possible strategies for improving their efficiency in using kanji dictionaries. Students share this information with classmates, and list the strategies on a class chart displayed in the room.
Have students read simple newspaper headlines and view newscasts to gain some understanding of various current events. Then ask them to create their own brief newscasts of school events for public address announcements.
Suggest that students research community or business organizations that offer services in Japanese. Have them each select the most interesting organization and write a short letter requesting information about the services offered. Students then present their information to the class.

SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

Students are now able to use a wide range of resources to acquire the information they need for oral, visual, or written activities. While some of these resources will be available in the classroom, students should also be encouraged to locate and use Japanese-language resources in their community and elsewhere (e.g., using the Internet, writing to agencies, or interviewing resource people). Assessment focusses increasingly on the facility with which students use and share detailed information and resources.

When students present reports based on information from authentic materials, look for evidence of:
- relevant, accurate, clear, and well-organized information
- appropriate visual aids and displays
To assess students' understanding of the use of comparatives and superlatives, look for evidence that they are able to:
- distinguish between the comparative and superlative forms
- use yori or no hou ga in the correct contexts
- use ichiban in the correct contexts
- use the correct question format when asking about comparison or contrast
Prompt students to reflect on and assess the skills and strategies they use for acquiring and using information by having them compile personal records of:
- strategies they find effective
- tasks they are comfortable with
- skills and strategies they want to improve
Have students regularly review and update their records with partners.

RECOMMENDED LEARNING RESOURCES

Print Materials

Active Japanese 5 and 6
Basic Japanese-English Dictionary
Collins Shubun English Japanese Dictionary (New - First Edition)
Everyday Japanese
A Homestay in Japan
Japan: An International Travel Map
Japanese - An Appetizer
Japanese for Everyone
Kenkyusha's Furigana English-Japanese Dictionary
Kodansha's Compact Kanji Guide
Mangajin's Basic Japanese Through Comics
Martin's Concise Japanese Dictionary
Nihongo Notes 1
Yookoso!

Multimedia

101 Japanese Idioms
Japanese Language and People
Moshi Moshi
Pera Pera

CD-ROM

Exotic Japan
Multimedia Kanji Learning System

Revised: January 26, 1999

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