VCE Japanese Tutoring

In VCE Japanese lessons, we focus on developing your language skills through grammar, writing, expression, kanji, speaking, while always endeavoring to understand Japanese culture and use intercultural communication. We base our content and skills on the VCE Japanese study design.

Here are examples of what we do in class:

Grammar: we rectify common language mistakes, provide clear explanations and examples, and use grammar in context
Writing: we look at written homework and discuss the corrections. We provide situations and scenarios to build students' abilities to write accurately based on features of a variety of text types
Expressions: new expressions are learned and revised regularly. Students get to understand the richness and variety of Japanese expressions and their correct use
Kanji: we practise kanji recognition and writing, learn the various 'kun' and 'on' readings, and study the necessary kanji radicals. Kanji are used in contexts
Speaking: pronunciation is perfected through repeated and/or varied conversations. Correct words, grammar and expressions are used around VCE-based topics (life in Japan, culture, social issues, etc.).

Our approach is to put priority on the student's request, level and objectives. The content or focus of each lesson can be arranged depending on the student's demands.

We can use textbook resources as well as internet resources which will be discussed and chosen with the teacher.

How a week runs:

Lessons are run online
Between lessons, the student uploads his/her homework activities
Homework activities are corrected during the week
Resources, articles and other media are also shared during the week

Sample of Weekly Activities

Topic: School Life

Week 1

Learning objective: Introducing your school and school life in Australia

オーストラリアの学校と学校の生活についてしょうかいしましょう。

Linguistic focus: Vocabulary of school, education, and co-curricular activities

Revising the difference between Na-adjectives and I-adjectives
Building sentences and practice using past/present/future tenses

Activities: Discussion about schools in Australia and schools in Japan

Reading of a descriptive text about the typical day of a Japanese high school student
Revision of adjectives in context: description of Japanese schools and students

Homework: Write a personal letter to introduce your school to Japanese high-school students

Week 2

Learning objective: Talking about courses, school subjects and pathways

学校のじゅぎょう、かもく、しょうらいのしんろについて話しましょう。

Linguistic focus: Vocabulary of courses, subjects and pathways

Conjunctions to describe a typical day in a school or university
Situation: requesting information about courses using Te-form

Activities: Reading a journal entry of a Japanese student describing his/her day

Discussions about your day at school + why you chose certain subjects
Role play: you request information from a Japanese university.

Situation: you are the prospective student and your teacher is a receptionist of the university

Homework: Write the script of a dialogue between the student and the receptionist.

Situation: the student wants to study Japanese history, Japanese culture and be part of the anime club.

Week 3

Learning objective: Specificities of the Japanese education system

日本の教育システムについて学習しましょう。

Linguistic focus: Informative text: the newspaper article

Exercises with verb stems: stem + にくい、stem + やすい、stem + そうです、stem + すぎます

Activities: Analyzing visual data/documents to understand the Japanese school system　　　

Homework: Write a blog entry to describe and evaluate the Australian secondary education

Recommended Resources

About Our Japanese Lessons

Days and times of lessons:

Monday to Friday: 4pm to 9pm
Saturday: 7am to 1pm

Advantages:

Possibility to organise mini-speaking sessions throughout the week
Personalised lessons via Google Meet
Maximisation of student speaking time during lessons
Access to a variety of recorded and shared resources
Possibility to contact teacher between lessons for clarification and correction of written/oral work
Advice and strategies on how to approach SAC and the VCE examination