Dear Sensei

Results of the Japan Foundation Grant Programs Fiscal 2001/2002

Japanese Language Education Fellowship Program
A place on this program has been awarded to the University of Queensland for their project 'Towards a More Meaningful Connection with Japanese Language Studies: Teaching Material Development'. Dr Yuriko Nagata, Senior Lecturer at the University of Queensland, will travel to Japan for 3 months to research this project.

Japanese Language Teaching Materials Donation Program
All applicants who applied for this program throughout Australia were successful. Among the materials provided are textbooks, dictionaries, computer software and word processors.

Japanese Speech Contest Support Program
10 applications were successful for this program (NSW, QLD, VIC, SA, WA, TAS, ACT, NT, Australian National Final and the Junior Program in VIC). Partial aid for prizes will be provided for these contests.

Support Program for Developing Networks of Japanese Language Teachers and Institutions
The application from JSAA (UNSW) was successful for this program. Partial aid will be provided for their Japanese sessions for the purpose of developing networks of Japanese language teachers and institutions.

Support Program for Japanese Language Courses Abroad - Salary Assistance
The NSW Nihongo Tanken Japanese Language Centre was successful in receiving salary assistance for the third year.

Assistance Program for Japanese Language Teaching Materials
No successful applicants

Short-Term Training Program (Spring Course)
(9 May~29 June, 2001)
L. Hancock (Balgowlah Boys H.S) / M. Jackson (Rutherford Technology H.S) / M. Rose (Coleambally C. S) / J. Hurley (Davidson H.S) / A. Lewis (Killara H.S) / A. Christensen (Virginia S.S) / D. Clohesy (Pomona S.S) / L. Evans (Moreton Bay Coll.) / L. Nowacki (Wodonga P.S) / J. Howie (Wesley Coll.) / C. Henderson (Karingal Park S.C) / I. Kerezsi (SA School of Lang.) / D. Doig (Halidon P.S)

Short-Term Training Program (Summer Course)
(11 July~31 August, 2001)
K. Cleeves (Evanston Gardens P. S)

Short-Term Training Program (Winter Course)
(30 January~22 March, 2002)
No Applications were received

Long-Term Training Program
(6 March, 2002~23 August, 2002)
N. Schafer (Erina High School)

Training Program for Japanese Abroad
(21 November~14 December, 2001)
Y. Deguchi (Our Lady Help of Christians School) / T. Ueki-Sabine (University of Tasmania) / K. Katayama (Griffith University) / I. Mizzi (The Open High School)

The results of 'The 2001 Study Tour Awards for Outstanding Students of the Japanese Language' program are available on our website and will be published in the next edition of Dear Sensei. If you have any enquiries please contact the Grant Program Section. Information about the Japan Foundation Grant Programs 2002/2003 will be available from September.

Tasmanian Japanese Adviser's Report

The Tasmanian Secondary Assessment Board (TASSAB) provides curriculum, standards, assessment and certification for all upper and senior secondary students in Tasmania. Anyone can access the documents and other information that is provided by TASSAB (http://www.tassab.tased.edu.au). For Japanese language, TASSAB has syllabuses of Introduction to Japanese, Japanese for Tourism, Japanese Stage 1-4, Japanese Stage 4 Extension, Japanese Studies, Japanese Studies-Applied.

New Syllabuses for Japanese Stage 1-4 will be introduced in 2002. They are based on the national framework and the assessment incorporates a range of key competencies as well as language skills. All new pre-tertiary syllabuses in Tasmania must contain at least four of the key competencies such as "problem solving", "use of technology" etc.

In conjunction with the LOTE Policy, the Japanese Language Adviser for Tasmania provides support for increasing teachers' language proficiency levels and in their knowledge and understanding of methodology. The support is essential for teachers in remote areas with or without the LOTE on-line program.

JAL World Bonsai Contest

2001 Are you or one of your students interested in entering the JAL World Bonsai Contest? The entry period is from 1 March - 31 July, 2001 and the grand prize includes 2 return executive class tickets on Japan Airlines.

For entries or further information please contact:
JAL Planning Co.,ltd. JAL bldg. 8F 2-4-11 Higashi Shinagawa, Shinagawa-Ku Tokyo, Japan 140-8637
Fax: +81-3-5460-5864 Email: japandesk@jal.co.jp Homepage: http://www.jal.co.jp/bonsai