Big Ideas
Big Ideas
Listening and viewing with intent supports our acquisition and understanding of a new language.
Stories
Stories are a narrative form of text that can be oral, written, or visual. Stories are derived from truth or fiction and may be used to seek and impart knowledge, entertain, share history, and strengthen a sense of identity.
help us acquire language and understand the world by exploring, for example, thoughts, feelings, knowledge, culture, and identity
around us.
Expressing ourselves in a new language requires courage, risk taking, and perseverance.
Exploring diverse forms of cultural expression
represent the experience of the people from whose culture they are drawn; for example, ceremonies, customs, folklore, language use, traditions, and creative works (e.g., books, paintings, pictures, sculpture, theatre, dance, poetry and prose, filmmaking, musical composition, architecture)
allows us to experience and appreciate cultural diversity.
Acquiring a new language provides a unique opportunity to access and interact with diverse communities.
Content
Learning Standards
Content
Japanese writing conventions with rōmaji, hiragana and katakana, and kanji
Japanese written phonetically using the English alphabet
two components of the Japanese writing system which comprise of syllabic kana and indicate specific phonetic lettering
common, high-frequency vocabulary, sentence structures, and expressions
e.g., everyday observations about weather, food, clothing, daily activities
, including:- greetingsbasic expressions used in greetings, salutations, and getting to know others, such as おはようございます (ohayō gozaimasu)
- comparisonse.g., おなじ, ちがいます
- descriptions of people, objects, and locations
- personal interests, opinions, and beliefse.g., とおもいます (to omoimasu)
- simple instructionse.g., classroom directions such as きいて[kiite],たって[tatte]
- types of questionse.g., ~てもいいですか
past, present, and future time frames
e.g., 食べます (tabemasu:present tense, future tense), 食べました (tabemashita:past tense)
elements of common texts
e.g., format (letter versus email message), language, context, audience (informal versus formal), purpose
and stories
indigenous peoples
Ainu and Okinawan peoples
of Japan
First Peoples perspectives connecting language and culture, including oral histories
e.g., conversations with an Elder about celebrations, traditions, and protocols
, identity Identity is influenced by, for example, traditions, protocols, celebrations, and festivals.
, and place Place is any environment, locality, or context with which people interact to learn, create memory, reflect on history, connect with culture, and establish identity. The connection between people and place is foundational to First Peoples perspectives on the world. A sense of place can be influenced by territory, food, clothing, and creative works.
Japanese works of art
e.g., creative works in dance, drama, music, visual arts
cultural practices
relating to celebrations, holidays, and events such as こどものひ, たなばた
in Japanese communities
ethics of cultural appropriation
use of a cultural motif, theme, “voice,” image, knowledge, story, song, or drama, shared without permission or without appropriate context or in a way that may misrepresent the real experience of the people from whose culture it is drawn
and plagiarism
Curricular Competency
Learning Standards
Curricular Competency
Thinking and communicating
Recognize the relationships between Japanese characters and sounds, intonation, tone of voice
For example:
, and meaning
- differentiate between a statement and a question
- recognize the emotion of the speaker and how it relates to his or her message
Comprehend key information
e.g, だれ(dare:who),なに (nani:what), どこ(doko:where), いつ (itsu:when),なぜ (naze:why)
and supporting details in speech and other texts “Text” is a generic term referring to all forms of oral, written, visual, and digital communications. Oral, written, and visual elements can also be combined (e.g., in dramatic presentations, graphic novels, films, web pages, advertisements).
Use language-learning strategies
e.g.,interpretation of gestures, facial expressions, intonation, tone of voice, and contextual cues; use of prior knowledge, familiar words, and cognates
to increase understanding
Narrate stories, both orally and in writing
- Use expressions of time and transitional words to show logical progression.
- Use past, present, and future time frames.
Exchange ideas
with peers, teachers, and members of the wider community; can include virtual/online conversations
and information, both orally and in writing
Seek clarification and verify
e.g., request or provide repetition, word substitution, reformulation, or reiteration
meaning
Share information using the presentation format
e.g., digital, visual, verbal; aids such as charts, graphics, illustrations, music, photographs, videos, props, digital media
best suited to their own and others' diverse abilities
Personal and social awareness
Engage in experiences
e.g., blogs,school visits (including virtual/online visits), concerts, exchanges, festivals, films, letters, plays, social media, stores and restaurants with service in Japanese
with Japanese people and communities
Consider personal, shared, or others' experiences, perspectives, and worldviews through a cultural lens
e.g., values, practices, traditions, perceptions
Recognize First Peoples perspectives and knowledge; other ways of knowing
e.g., First Nations, Métis, and Inuit; and/or gender-related, subject/discipline-specific, cultural, embodied, intuitive
, and local cultural knowledge