DISCIPLINE AREAS: LOTE

Japanese

Japanese is taught throughout Shelford from Prep to Year 12. In the Junior School, classes are held each week and students explore the rich Japanese culture through language and activities related to situations and everyday life. The girls use Japanese for basic exchanges and learn to use the non verbal language which is integral to Japanese communication. Students develop an understanding of differences between lifestyles, traditions and beliefs. Areas covered include eating, schooling, family life, daily routine and folk tales. Activities include language modelling, exercises, songs, games, and crafts. In the upper levels, the writing system of hiragana is introduced.

Shelford girls have hosted exchange students from our Japanese sister school, the Futaba Elementary School in Fukuoka.

In the Senior School, all girls study Japanese in Years 7 and 8 and then it becomes an elective from Year 9 onwards. We have special Japanese class rooms with garden and decking areas outside which are used for rehearsals and presentations. Middle School classes are also held in the computer laboratories where the girls use interactive language programs and self study web pages. Each year girls participate in cultural activities such as ikebana demonstrations, Japanese traditional dance workshops, traditional games, origami and cooking. Girls undertake research into cultural areas of their choice. Shelford has organised study tours to Japan in 1999, 2002 and 2006. The trips consisted of homestays at Shelford's two sister schools in Edogawa and Fukuoka and sightseeing in Tokyo, Kyoto, Himeji, Hiroshima and Fukuoka.