Creating New Synergies: Approaches of tertiary Japanese programmes in New Zealand

Description

AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE FOR TEACHERS OF JAPANESE IN NEW ZEALANDCompiled under the aegis of Japanese Studies Aotearoa New Zealand, thiscollection invites us into the reality of Japanese language teaching in NewZealand's universities and tertiary institutions today. The three parts of thevolume - Reflection and Renewal, Breaking Down the Walls, and SharingTeaching Approaches - illustrate how Japanese programmes are reshapingand reconceptualising the traditional delivery of Japanese to encourage morestudents to take up, and continue studying, this complex but rewarding subject.Savvy use of social media, institutional outreach, the construction of learningcommunities, the creation of authentic Japanese-language environments,project-based language learning and curriculum remodeling are some of thetopics discussed. Through this approach, the volume also aims to motivatestakeholders with a vested interest in New Zealand's relationship with Japan toconsider how they too might play a role in promoting Japanese studies.

ABOUT THE EDITORSDr Masayoshi Ogino has extensive experience in language teaching in both New Zealandand overseas at secondary and tertiary levels. He obtained both his M.Phil in JapaneseLanguage Education and PhD in Applied Linguistics at the University of Waikato. Heis a vice president of Japanese Studies Aotearoa New Zealand (JSANZ), the advocacynetwork for Japanese language education and teaches in the University of Canterbury'sDepartment of Global, Cultural and Language.Dr Penny Shino is the co-ordinator of the Japanese Programme at Massey University'sSchool of Humanities. Her research interest cover classical Japanese literature; medievalwaka poetry; medieval travel diaries; the poetry and prose of Shotetsu;Kitayama andHigashiyama culture and society.Dallas Nesbitt is a senior lecturer in Japanese at AUT University. Her research focuses onKanji teaching and learning Japanese katakana script. She has a deep interest in resolvingsome of the many complexities of the kanji classroom, an area where there is littleapplicable research available. Her current research projects are the use of digital gamesfor kanji learning.