From this issue, Sensei’s Pages is now only available online. We have used this opportunity to update our web site and web resources. In this issue we would like to introduce our online web resources and suggest some ideas for using them.
   
  How to access our web resources
  Although there are a number of ways to access our online resources, the easiest way is to click on the icon of ‘Information for teachers’ on the top page of JF, Sydney’s website, then click on the link for ‘Teaching resources’.
   
  Step 1
 
   
  Step 2
 
   
  What web resources do we have?
 

This site contains Online resources, Resource support websites and Links.
   
  Online resources
  These are an online version of the materials and ideas we have produced. There are five types of resources. The first is Sensei’s Pages. Sensei’s Pages are written by the Japan Foundation, Sydney consultants for the online newsletter Omusubi and contain teaching ideas with related resources for Primary - Senior secondary classes. Sensei’s Pages are produced quarterly in line with school terms. Back issues of Sensei’s Pages can be accessed and printed out from Classroom Ideas and Resources.
We also produced a series of booklets with activities, games and skits for Primary - Senior Secondary classes called Activity Resources from 1994 to 2004. In 2004, we uploaded a digital version of the Activity Resources on this site, as well as a digital version of our A4 sized vocabulary and kanji Flash Cards.
Another type of resource is Japanese Plays. These are a collection of Japanese plays and performance items written by ACT teachers and edited by the Japan Foundation, Sydney. There are also plays and skits in Activity Resources Special Edition 1, Special Edition 5 and Waku Waku Role-play.
   
  Resource support websites
  These are websites dedicated to our two popular multimedia materials.
Erin’s Challenge! I can speak Japanese. This site supports a DVD resource developed by the Japan Foundation, Urawa. From this site you can download a chart of curriculum connections and classroom ideas for using Erin’s Challenge.
Art Speaks Japanese 日本の美術. This resource kit was developed jointly by the Art Gallery of NSW and the Japan Foundation, Sydney. From this site you can download classroom ideas for using the material. We also plan to showcase students’ art and performance work inspired by this resource here.
   
  Links
  Here you will find links to other useful resource sites of the Japan Foundation, Urawa and UK. ‘Minna no Kyozai Site' is the largest database of teaching resources and ideas developed by the Japan Foundation, Urawa. You can download various pictures here.
‘Sushi test’ is an online Japanese language test which aims to measure students’ basic Japanese ability. The test is aimed at students studying Japanese at junior and senior high school outside Japan.
‘Chikara resources’ are resources developed by the Japan Foundation,UK. Although they are based on the UK syllabus, they are topic based, so Australian and New Zealand teachers will find them useful.
   
  Ideas for using our web resources
  Use as support materials for your Japanese classes.
 

The main purpose for making these materials is to help Japanese language teachers by creating resources for their Japanese language classes. There are many task sheets, flash cards, game sheets, etc. with activity ideas for their use. You can print them out, or show them to your students using a projector or interactive white board. Here are some examples.

 
  http://activity-resources.jpf-sydney.org/ar/giantgame/index.html
 
  http://activity-resources.jpf-sydney.org/ar/ar_07/1/1_1.htm
 
  http://activity-resources.jpf-sydney.org/ar/traveljp/index.html
 
 
   
  Although this is still under construction, we are planning to make a curriculum chart connecting our resources to widely used textbooks such as ‘Mirai’, ‘Genki’, ‘Ima’ etc. We hope this will make it easier for you to find resources you can use in your class.
   
  Use as resources for performances for special events
  You can also use these resources for cultural days and special events. For example, you can perform a Japanese drama by using Activity Resources Special Edition 1 - Skits and Special Edition 5 - Japanese Skits 2 or ‘Japanese plays’. This is an example of a play of the Japanese folk tale ももたろう.
   
 
SCENE 1 - By the river
ナレーター 1 むかし　むかし　あるところに　おじいさんと　おばあさんが　すんで　いました。
ナレーター 2 A long time ago there lived an old man and an old woman.
(Ojiisan and Obaasan bow to the audience.)
ナレーター 1 あるひ　おじいさんは　やまに　いきました。
ナレーター 2 One day the old man went to the mountain.
おじいさん 　 いってきます。 おばあさん 　 いってらっしゃい。
ナレーター 1 おばあさんは　かわに　いきました。
ナレーター 2 Then the old woman went to the river to do the washing.
ナレーター 1 すると、おおきな　ももが　ながれて　きました。
ナレーター 2 While she was washing, a big peach floated by.
おばあさん 　 あら、おおきな　もも！　おいしそう。
ナレーター 2 The old woman was so amazed to see such a huge peach that she decided to take it home for her and the old man to eat.
   
   
  Use as resources for your professional development.
  Some of our resources are made for your development as a Japanese language teacher. For example, Activity Resources Special Edition 3 ‘Classroom Japanese’ is a handbook for teachers who would like to use Japanese as the main language of communication with their classes and who want to improve their technique or proficiency. You can also learn about the concept of Intercultural Language Teaching and Learning (ILTL) by reading previous articles from our newsletter Omusubi in Classroom Ideas and Resources.
   
  Materials for students
  Activity Resources Special Edition 2 & 4 contain hand cards which students can use as an aid for vocabulary learning.
Activity Resources 6 Let’s learn hiragana/katakana enables students to learn kana with the help of parents and friends
   
  Message to Japanese language teachers
  We would like to improve this site and make it more user-friendly and interactive. To accomplish this, we need feedback from you. We would be grateful if you would share your comments, ideas and original activities or lesson plans for using the materials on this site. We would like to make this site an idea sharing community for Japanese language teachers in Australia and New Zealand. よろしくお願いします！
   
  This article is written by Koji Matsumoto and Cathy Jonak
   
   
  Privacy & Copyright © The Japan Foundation, Sydney