Year 9 Subject Guide 2020

LANGUAGE ACQUISITION - JAPANESE Subject Summary:

In Years 9 and 10, the study of a language is compulsory. ALL students will have five periods of instruction per fortnight, with students grouped into phases based on their achievement in Japanese in Year 8. Student phases will be reviewed at the end of each semester, to ensure that students are studying the language at a level appropriate for their competency. The course aims to develop intercultural awareness and enhance the capacity of students to communicate effectively. The language study will encourage positive attitudes towards, and involvement with, people in different communities and countries. Students will acquire language-learning strategies to help them to cope with unfamiliar language. Other objectives of the courses are to develop in students a sense of their responsibility as global citizens and to foster a lifelong interest in language learning. Hiragana and Kanji will both be studied in the course.

Assessment Outline: ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

The four communicative language skills used for summative assessment in the course are equally weighted. Students will be expected to do homework regularly; however, no assignments will be used for summative assessment purposes. All speaking tests will be conducted in class during normal lessons. • Criterion A – Comprehending spoken and visual text (maximum 8 marks)

Comprehension and interpretation questions based on audio-visual material. • Criterion B – Comprehending written and visual text (maximum 8 marks) Comprehension and interpretation of website, magazine articles, brochures.

• Criterion C – Communicating in response to spoken, written and visual text (maximum 8 marks) Interactive orals in response to stimulus, written passages such as diary entries; informal and formal letters/emails; articles; brochures. • Criterion D – Using language in spoken and written form (maximum 8 marks) Interactive orals in response to stimulus, written passages such as diary entries; informal and formal letters/emails; articles; brochures (questions and answers in Japanese). Assessment: • Oral Communication Test (Criteria C and D) • Listening Test (Criterion A) • Semester Exam: - Writing (Criteria C and D) - Reading Comprehension (Criterion B)

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