National Japanese Adviser
Kyoko Mikami is the National Language Adviser for Japanese. She arrived in New Zealand in January 2017 and Kyoko is a member of the Centre for Languages team and also has close working relations with the Japanese Embassy and Consulate-General.
Kyoko has worked for many years not only as a language teacher but also as a teacher trainer in Japan, Czech Republic and Indonesia. She has written several textbooks for students as well as a guidebook for language teachers. She looks forward to sharing her expertise and knowledge of Japanese language, culture and education with teachers in New Zealand.
Kyoko’s role is to support the development of Japanese language education in New Zealand. Kyoko focus is on offering:
- Workshops, courses on teaching materials, resources and pedagogy that promote intercultural communicative language teaching in Japanese
- Supporting schools with advice and guidance on establishing and sustaining Japanese language programmes
- Information on networking opportunities for teachers of Japanese
- Advice and guidance on immersion opportunities, scholarships and professional learning opportunities both in New Zealand and abroad
- Participating in academic and cultural events, such as speech competitions
Teachers of Japanese in New Zealand may benefit from the professional support offered by the following organisations:
New Zealand Association of Japanese Language Teachers (NZAJLT)
A subject association supporting teachers and students of Japanese in New Zealand.
Find out more >
NZJ-Net list serve
This email group for teachers of Japanese is an excellent source of information and resources. It is also the primary medium through which organisations advertise opportunities, scholarships, grants and other important information for teachers and students. To register, send an email to nzjnet-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
New Zealand Association of Language Teachers (NZALT)
A professional network of language teachers with over 500 members. It runs a number of initiatives designed to support teachers in the classroom including competitions and professional development opportunities.
Find out more >
Embassy of Japan
Important information about Japanese culture and education can be found on the Embassy’s website. The website includes information about scholarships, education programmes and resources for students and teachers. Find out more >
Sasakawa Fellowship Fund for Japanese Language Education
This fund initiates and supports existing projects which enhance Japanese language learning and Japanese studies in New Zealand schools and tertiary institutions. Find out more >
Asia New Zealand Foundation
A leading non-government organisation on Asia-New Zealand relations, the Asia New Zealand Foundation’s education programme provides information, resources and professional development opportunities to help school leaders develop students with the skills and knowledge they will need to embrace future prospects in Asia. Visit www.asianz.org.nz
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Hai! An introduction to Japanese. TProvides multi-media materials designed for teachers and students who are new to language learning. The series is designed for year 7 and 8 students and supports Level 1 and 2 achievement objectives in Japanese.
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The Japan Foundation Sydney and London: classroom resources developed by the Japan Foundation.
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Erin’s Challenge: online support which supplements the teaching material on this popular DVD.
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NIHONGO eな Portal for Learning Japanese is a site dedicated to introducing all kinds of websites and online tools useful for studying Japanese.
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Ready Steady NihonGo! is an interactive language project designed by the Japan Foundation London office targeted at primary school students level.
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Japan Video Topics: offers a comprehensive view of Japanese culture such as nature, science and technology, and tourism.
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Kanji Cards for NCEA levels 1-3: how to download Motoya kyotai, Kanji Cards 1, Kanji Cards 2, Kanji Cards 3
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Japanese posters for expressions in classroom: Part one ; Part two.
TKI Learning Languages
The Learning Languages Community is a portal to professional learning opportunities, professional support for the New Zealand Curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, resources and key links for language teachers. Learning Languages publishes regular newsletters to keep language teachers informed about important deadlines and events. Find out more >
The Japan Information and Cultural Centre
Run by the Embassy of Japan and provides a variety of free informational services on Japan and offers opportunities to learn about Japanese culture through diverse programmes. Find out more >