The Japanese Language Speech Festival 2011 was held on Thursday 18 August at the State Library of WA where a record number of over 80 students attended. This showcase event continues to flourish and highlight the wonderful Japanese language learning taking place in our classrooms. Students from 6 schools attended the event in this format for the first time and the technology- assisted categories continue to wow the audience. The interest in ‘cosplay’ continues to grow and there was even an impromptu ‘haruhi’ dance performed in the foyer! It is clearly becoming so much more than just a speech competition. Congratulations to the following prize winners:

Category A High School Senior Division (Year 11/2)
FIRST Abraham Wong Rossmoyne SHS
SECOND Jacqueline Vost Leeming SHS
THIRD Sarah Morrison Leeming SHS
Gambarisho Nivedita Sajeev Willetton SHS / Siming Zhang Applecross SHS

Category B Year 9/10 (Technology- assisted)
FIRST Lianne Leung St Marys AGS
SECOND Ernest Low Leeming SHS
THIRD Amanda Lee Willetton SHS
Heritage Tamaki Brinkworth Perth Modern School
Gambarisho Rumbidzai Muparutsar Kelmscott SHS
Gambarisho Ee-Faye Chong Perth Modern School

Category C Year 7/8 (Technology- assisted)
FIRST Gabrielle Wittington Rossmoyne SHS
SECOND Klanna Fisher Leschenault APS
THIRD Wina Yoman Rossmoyne SHS
Heritage Rikito Haddrell Rossmoyne SHS
Gambarisho Erin Carr Swanbourne PS / Clarissa Sutandi Winthrop PS

Category D Year K- 6 (Technology- assisted)
FIRST Oliver Griffin Riverton PS
SECOND Naomi Hart Living Waters LC
THIRD Samual Keirnan Living Waters LC
Heritage Hana Kato Winthrop PS
Gambarisho Madeline Edmett Rostrata PS /Jessica Khaw Winthrop PS

The nine judges had a challenging task but warmly praised the very standard of all speeches. Specific suggestions for the future included focusing on the conclusions in the older student’s speeches and less repetitive use of pronouns in the younger student’s speeches. Two door prizes for a meal at a Japanese restaurant to the value of $150 each, were won by students from Swanbourne PS and Mater Dei College. I’m sure their parents will be thrilled!
JLTAWA was grateful to have received financial sponsorship from The Japan Foundation, Sydney and some wonderful books and other prizes from the Japanese Consulate in Perth. A wide range of participation prizes were on offer including a copy of ‘Takeshita Demons’ for all Category C & D students. Teachers are encouraged to use this resource in class as it combines improving reading literacy with a real Japanese flavour. The following websites have Japanese language activities for students to continue learning about Japanese monsters and the supernatural.
Online resources at [link]
Online game at [link]
Finally, many thanks must go to the all JLTAWA committee members and in particular, Noburo and his son Taro, who ensured it was a well organised and above all, fun day.

The draft paper, Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Languages, is available for public consultation from 31 January to 7 April 2011.
http://www.acara.edu.au/acara_update_01022011.html#2

Japan is reinventing superpower—again. Instead of collapsing beneath its
widely reported political and economic misfortunes, Japan’s global cultural
influence has quietly grown. From pop music to consumer electronics,
architecture to fashion, and animation to cuisine, Japan looks more like a
cultural superpower today than it did in the 1980s, when it was an economic
one. .................. | By Douglas McGray

Download the full article, click the link below:
grossnationalcool-1.pdf

The JLTAWA "Gross National Cool" Conference was held recently at the Hyogo PGCC in City Beach. The support from teachers across WA was outstanding and well over 50 teachers or "language missionaries" attended the two day conference. It was another encouraging sign for the JLTAWA committee who work in voluntary capacity to annually deliver such a significant event.

This year was the first time accommodation was not included and yet a really broad cross section of our members still attended - not to mention attracting approximately a dozen new members! There was also a subtle change in focus and a number of interstate and international presenters attended the conference for the first time. It allowed participants to not only network with local teachers, but with a wider group of language professionals, and provided a dynamic atmosphere over the two days of professional development activities.

The "Gross National Cool" theme was a powerful message across many sessions of the conference . In a nutshell, it is term that was coined by an American journalist nearly a decade ago to highlight Japan's emergence as a universal cultural superpower. Evidence of this influence is apparent in our daily lives and ideas to utilise this 'cool' message for those teaching compulsory languages in particular, were collated in the GNC workshop.


Chris Graham
ACTLAN hand out
Fishbone template - "Gross National Conference"