This Integrated Resource Package (IRP) provides some of the basic information that teachers require to implement the Japanese 5 to 12 curriculum. The information contained in this IRP is also available through the Internet. Contact the Ministry of Education's home page: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca

The Introduction

The Introduction provides general information about Japanese 5 to 12, including special features and requirements. It also provides a rationale for teaching Japanese 5 to 12 in BC schools.

The Japanese 5 to 12 Curriculum

The provincially prescribed curriculum for Japanese 5 to 12 is structured in terms of curriculum organizers. The main body of this IRP consists of four columns of information for each organizer. These columns describe:

• provincially prescribed learning outcome statements for each grade
• suggested instructional strategies for achieving the outcomes
• suggested assessment strategies for determining how well students are achieving the outcomes
• provincially recommended learning resources

Learning outcome statements  are content standards for the provincial education system. Prescribed learning outcomes set out the knowledge, enduring ideas, issues, concepts, skills, and attitudes for each subject. They are statements of what students are expected to know and be able to do in each grade. Learning outcomes are clearly stated and expressed in observable terms. All learning outcomes complete this stem: "It is expected that students will. . . ." Outcome statements have been written to enable teachers to use their experience and professional judgment when planning and evaluating. The outcomes are benchmarks that will permit the use of criterion-referenced performance standards. It is expected that actual student performance will vary. Evaluation, reporting, and student placement with respect to these outcomes depend on the professional judgment of teachers, guided by provincial policy.

Suggested Instructional Strategies

Instruction involves the use of techniques, activities, and methods that can be employed to meet diverse student needs and to deliver the prescribed curriculum. Teachers are free to adapt the suggested instructional strategies or substitute others that will enable their students to achieve the prescribed outcomes. These strategies have been developed by specialist and generalist teachers to assist their colleagues; they are suggestions only.

Suggested Assessment Strategies

The assessment strategies suggest a variety of ways to gather information about student performance. Some assessment strategies relate to specific activities; others are general. These strategies have been developed by specialist and generalist teachers to assist their colleagues; they are suggestions only.

Provincially Recommended Learning Resources

Provincially recommended learning resources are materials that have been reviewed and evaluated by BC teachers in collaboration with the Ministry of Education according to a stringent set of criteria. They are typically materials suitable for student use, but they may also include information primarily intended for teachers. Teachers and school districts are encouraged to select those resources that they find most relevant and useful for their students, and to supplement these with locally approved materials and resources to meet specific local needs. The recommended resources listed in the main body of this IRP are those that have a comprehensive coverage of significant portions of the curriculum, or those that provide a unique support to a specific segment of the curriculum. Appendix B contains a complete listing of provincially recommended learning resources to support this curriculum.

The Appendices

A series of appendices provides additional information about the curriculum and further support for the teacher.

• Appendix A lists the prescribed learning outcomes for the curriculum arranged by curriculum organizer and grade. A list of the prescribed Japanese characters and writing scripts that students must know for Grade 12, and suggested characters and scripts for Grade 11 are also included.

• Appendix B contains a comprehensive, annotated list of the provincially recommended learning resources for this curriculum. This appendix will be updated as new resources are evaluated.

• Appendix C outlines the cross-curricular reviews used to ensure that concerns such as equity, access, and the inclusion of specific topics are addressed by all components of this IRP.

• Appendix D contains assistance for teachers related to provincial evaluation and reporting policy. Prescribed learning outcomes have been used as the source for samples of criterion-referenced evaluation.

• Appendix E acknowledges the many people and organizations that have been involved in the development of this IRP.

• Appendix F contains suggestions for Japanese vocabulary and expressions.

• Appendix G contains patterns and expressions that might be taught to students.

Explanation of Section		Curriculum Sub-Organizer as seen on the World Wide Web
Grade and Curriculum Organizer		Grade 5 - Communicating This sub-organizer contains the following sections: Prescribed Learning Outcomes Suggested Instructional Strategies Suggested Assessment Strategies Recommended Learning Resources
Internal links to each section of the document
The Prescribed Learning Outcomes column of this IRP lists the specific learning outcomes for each curriculum organizer: These aid the teacher in day-to-day planning.		PRESCRIBED LEARNING OUTCOMES It is expected that students will: ask and respond to simple questions use basic greetings communicate personal information orally with brief and simple messages respond to simple classroom instructions To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Communicating in other grades click on an icon below.
Navigational Links to similar sub-organizers
The Suggested Instructional Strategies columnof this IRP suggests a variety of instructional approaches that include group work, problem solving, and the use of technology. Teachers should consider these as examples that they might modify to suit the development levels of their students.		SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES For many students, this is their first exposure to a second language. Providing opportunities to experiment freely with the new sounds and rhythms of the Japanese language allows students to build the self-confidence needed to use the language on a daily basis. At this level, the teacher should design activities that make learning Japanese fun. Errors are a natural and acceptable part of communicating, and students should be encouraged to interact in Japanese rather than focus on accuracy. Ask students to use Japanese when organizing items of clothing into categories such as colour or type. Have students, working in pairs, direct partners to select items from a pile containing modern and traditional Japanese apparel. Encourage them to perform this task using Japanese words, loan words, and phrases they have learned. In Japanese, conduct classroom activities such as calling attendance and relaying information that relates to the calendar (e.g., days of the week, dates, announcements of birthdays and significant holidays). Invite students to create and maintain personal picture dictionaries. As new Japanese words are learned, students could illustrate them in their dictionaries with drawings or magazine clippings. Have students use pre-framed models of sentence patterns to greet and introduce one another. For example: Ohayou gozaimasu desu. _____________ desu. Provide opportunities for students to follow routine classroom directions and instructions in Japanese. Encourage them to use gestures to clarify meaning.
The Suggested Assessment Strategies offer a wide range of different assessment approaches useful in evaluating the prescribed learning outcomes. Teachers should consider these as examples they might modify to suit their own needs and the instructional goals		SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES Students initially may feel awkward communicating in a new language. Their confidence is enhanced when the classroom environment is supportive and interactive, and when making errors is viewed as an accepted part of learning a new language. Constructive feedback encourages students to communicate in the language and take further risks. When students work with partners to categorize and choose items of clothing and apparel, look for evidence that they can: choose the appropriate clothing type from the directions use Japanese words for colour use Japanese words for clothing types When students engage in calendar and other opening activities, look for evidence that they are responding with increasing independence and confidence. Note the extent to which students: use the Japanese words for the days of the week and months of the year use common greetings and phrases appropriately respond appropriately to simple questions participate willingly As students interview one another, note and provide feedback on the extent to which they are able to: make themselves understood ask questions respond to simple and familiar questions show increasing comfort and confidence perform introductions and basic greetings use patterns the teacher has modelled use an increasing variety of words and expressions Self-assessment is an important part of language learning. As students develop and practise language skills, have them keep track of what they know by recording in their personal picture dictionaries and learning logs observations and reflections about how they are learning.
The Provincially Recommended Learning Resources component of this IRP is a compilation of provincially recommended resources that support the prescribed learning outcomes. A complete list including a short description of the resource, its media type, and distributor can be linked to from the Appendix B of this IRP.		RECOMMENDED LEARNING RESOURCES Print Material 501 Japanese Verbs "Body" Language Daily Expressions in Japanese A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar Everyday Japanese Ikimashoo In Japan Nihongo Daisuki! Japanese For Children Through Games and Songs Multimedia Niko Niko   Audio Cassette Lyric Language: Japanese Rapanese 1, 2, 3
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