Past Events

JLTASA Inc is pleased to announce the completion of the JLTASA History 1973-2023 project. This project was an important way of commemorating our association’s 50th anniversary in 2023, and to acknowledge the role that the association has played in promoting Japanese language education in South Australia and the support it has provided to educators and students throughout the 50 years since its inception. The project did take longer than we first envisaged, but we are very pleased to inform you that the final document has been published online and can be accessed via this link:  https://jltasa.asn.au/history/ Thanks to Jen Gilbert for compiling the JLTASA history, involving 19,000 words + countless hours spent interviewing and trawling through records. JLTASA would also like to extend our appreciation to everyone who took the time to provide information, offered advice, corrections and suggestions to help the project come to fruition.

“A Discussion Paper was developed to facilitate national stakeholder consultation on the development of the National Languages Plan and Strategy. The Discussion Paper includes four key sections: Why do we need a National Plan and Strategy for Languages Education in Australia? What are the preliminary findings from the data? What might the National Plan and Strategy look like? What are the next steps and how can stakeholders be involved? Download the Discussion Paper (PDF) and/or view the three reports published this week, here.“

Five lucky members were the recipients of a grant for the 2024 NSJLE (you can read their grant reports over on the grants page). Local SA presenters included Mel Watt (Warradale PS; JLTASA Secretary), Adelaide High School (Kwok Kam, Kate Satomura, Helen Manning-Bennett) and Tom Dawson (Gleeson College; JLTASA President).

Congratulations to Keiko Sanders, the 2024 recipient of the Hiroshi Haga Teacher Recognition Award. Keiko was presented her award at the Educators SA World Teachers Day Gala. We thank Keiko for her tireless commitment to Japanese education in South Australia, and wish her all the best in her retirement. We also wish to acknowledge two Japanese teachers who were lucky recipients of a Minister’s Language Immersion scholarship, Ashleigh Parker + Rebecca Wundke! おめでとうございます！

Year 6 Quiz Day; Inaugural Southern Competition. I have to say a special thank you to Renae Garner for hosting 2 sessions at Sheidow Park Primary School today. The highlight for me at these events is giving students access to fabulous Japanese activities/immersion/connection with other students. From 3 Mid North schools attending at EDC last week to 2 schools from Victor Harbor joining us today for the first time, my heart is very full. A huge thank you to Hawthorndene, Flagstaff Hill, Hallett Cove East and Warradale Primary for this mornings session. And Blackwood, Seacliff, Sheidow Park, Eden Hills, Calvary Lutheran, Encounter Lutheran and Investigator College. Just like last week, the students were absolutely amazing. Thanks to the lovely students from Investigator who organised a formal thankyou. Very much appreciated For Primary School teachers, this event is at the end of Term 2 every year. Both EDC(North/central) and Southern events will be happening again in 2025 so get this event sorted for budgets/planning ahead of time if you’d like to join us next time. Now with 4 sessions we can accommodate more schools than ever.

Year 6 Quiz Day 2024- EDC What a wonderful day spent with students from Birdwood, North Haven, Kidman Park, West Beach, West Lakes Shore, Clapham and Keithcot Farm Primary Schools for the morning session. Then Mount Barker Waldorf, St Francis de Sales and our 3 schools from the mid north; Brinkworth, Blyth and St Joseph’s. So wonderful to have 3 rural schools make it! The students were a pleasure. Co-operative, kind and so many came and personally thanked Renae Garner and I at the end of the session unprompted. I love this event and appreciate the effort to get permission to come, get parents and sso support and arrange transport. Also, thanks to those who helped score and helped sort and tidy up as we went. It’s always worth it to see how much the students enjoy themselves. Renae’s Geography round had students AND teachers learning a lot this year. Just fab! Special thanks to you amazing event co-ordinator buddy, Renae. やった！

2024 was another blockbuster conference with the most amount of sessions offered in recent years! Our Keynote Presenters were Ryuichi Dunphy (Topic: Playing in Space) and Dr Nick Jackson (Topic:AI) Sessions included: Creating a Visual Listening Program Dip your Toes into Comprehensible Input Let’s play SUGOROKU! Reimagining Reading Cracking the Kanji Code Everyone loves to play games! Japanese in the Early Years Learning Game Ideas + Quick Brain Breaks Fun with Tradition : Japanese Toys & Games with a modern twist Playful Learning – Engaging and empowering learners through cross-age activities Developing Speaking Skills with Skit and Roleplay ことわざかるたで あそぼう A Quick and Easy Undoukai to Asobimasu with your 7s For the love of language and culture Highly Accomplished Teacher (HAT) process with a Japanese lens Power to the Point: Ways to Create Engaging Slideshows for Primary Years and above What’s new in Japan? We thank all presenters, committee members, and participants for their support.

The 9th Annual JLTASA Year 10 Movie Making Day was held for the first time at two different locations on the same day: St John’s Grammar School in the South and Roma Mitchell Secondary College in the North. With high demand for this event over the last few years, the JLTASA committee were pleased to be able to offer this event to even more schools and students. Thank you to Catherine at St John’s and Melissa at Roma Mitchell for generously hosting this event at their sites.     At both events, students were shown Japanese commercials for inspiration and then given several hours to create their own for a Japanese item chosen from those provided. This was an excellent opportunity for students to use their languages skills in an authentic way as they tried to persuade the audience to buy their product using innovation and entrepreneurial skills. Students also enjoyed collaborating with others who are also studying Japanese at schools across Adelaide.     Congratulations to the combined St John’s and Immanuel team for taking out the People’s Choice award and the team from Sacred Heart and Seaview who were awarded overall winners at the Southern event. Congratulations also…

On Tuesday the 28th February Hallett Cove South Primary School was very fortunate to have Fe Gilbey come and show students a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. The students were all able to whisk their own tea and try it with a mochi cake. Fe taught the students new vocabulary and the proper way they conduct a tea ceremony in Japan. The students had a wonderful time and were very excited to something new even though not all enjoyed the bitter taste. The sweet mochi cake was definitely a hit though.