Duration / Venue

• Pre-departure Orientation in the U.S.
     
     Duration: June 14, 2010 - June 17, 2010

     Venue:  TBA

• Training Program in Japan
     
     Duration: June 18, 2010 - July 17, 2010
  

     Venue:    The Japan Foundation Japanese Language Institute

Eligibility

Educational institutions in the U.S. that are conducting Japanese-language education are eligible for this program. (Applications from individuals will not be accepted.)

Eligible Candidates:

The following individuals are eligible to participate in the program:

a)    Those who are employees of the applying institution and who will continue working in the aforementioned organization after their return to the U.S. Current undergraduates and those currently studying to become Japanese language teachers are not eligible.

b)   Those who have at least 6 months of experience in teaching the Japanese language as of December 1, 2009 (private lessons not included);

c)   Those who have not participated in a Japanese-language teacher-training program conducted by the Japan Foundation (including the Short-Term Training Program for Foreign Teachers of the Japanese Language) or any other academic institutions in Japan for more than two months during the period from April 2004 to December 1, 2009.

d)   Those who have a proficiency in the Japanese language of Level 3 in the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test or its equivalent (meaning that one must have completed elementary-level grammar, know 300 kanji, have a vocabulary of 1,500 words, be capable of carrying on everyday conversation, and be able to read and write simple sentences) at the time of application;

If candidates have never taken the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test, they are requested to answer the questions in the Japanese Proficiency Self-Check Test attached to the application form and to write down the test score in the designated column in the application.

e)    Those who have nationality of a country that has diplomatic relations with Japan; and

f)    Those who are in good physical and mental health.

Description of the Program (example)

The participants will spend one month in Japan immersed in the Japanese language and society. In addition, they will observe and learn about many aspects of Japan’s culture, both traditional and contemporary; interact with people in all walks of life; and work collaboratively with one another (in teams that include both native and non-native speakers and both K-12 and college-level teachers) and with counterparts in Japanese schools and organizations to create media-based thematic units that they can use in their classrooms and that can be disseminated to colleagues across the United States.

The participants will work with experts in language teaching and learning; visit schools, museums, and other cultural sites; attend lectures and presentations by performing artists and producers of animated films and other popular mass media; collect authentic materials for classroom use; receive training in the use of new social networking technologies; and collaborate in creating media-based thematic units, sharing them with colleagues across the US both in person (at conferences, workshops, and other venues) and electronically.

Grant Coverage

• Expenses to be Borne by the Japan Foundation
  The Institute will bear the following expenses in accordance with its regulations.

a)       Accommodation (a single room for each participant) in the Institute.

b)      Meals at the Institute (The Institute will provide participants with breakfast, lunch, and dinner in kind or in cash.)

c)      Reference books & teaching materials during the course

d)      Overseas travel accident insurance for disease and injury

• Expenses to be Borne by the AATJ
  The Alliance of Associations of Teachers of Japanese will bear the following expenses (but may request a contribution from participants or their institutions (not to exceed $400 per participant):

a)       Airfare to and from Japan

b)      A three-day pre-departure orientation in the United States

c)      A stipend with which to purchase materials in Japan for classroom use

d)      The cost of field trips and guest lectures on aspects of Japanese culture

e)       Necessary media or communications equipment that is not available at the Japan Foundation Japanese-Language Institute

Obligation of the Participants

The participants are required to adhere to the following:

a)     To obey the laws of Japan during their stay in Japan;

b)     To devote themselves to the program and not to make use of their stay in Japan for any other purposes, such as religious or political purposes;

c)     To understand that they are invited as members of a group, and to attend every activity of the program, under the direction of the Institute;

d)     To come to Japan no earlier than the commencement of the program;

e)     As a general rule, not to go abroad or return to the U.S. for the duration of the program;

f)     To return to the U.S. as soon as the official period of the program expires, unless the Institute permits an extension of stay in Japan beyond the program; and

g)     Not to be accompanied by their family.

Application Procedure

Application forms must ARRIVE at the Japan Foundation, Los Angeles no later than January 15, 2010.(This is an ARRIVAL deadline, not a postmark deadline.)

   Mailing Address
   The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles
   333 S. Grand Ave., #2250
   Los Angeles, CA 90071

APPLICATION MATERIALS 

Please make sure to inform the Japan Foundation, Los Angeles of your intention of applying for this program, before you download the application materials.

 [Contact Info.]
  Email:  language"at"jflalc.org
  Tel:      1-213-621-2267 (Ext.#110)

• Instructions 

• Application Sheet

Note: The application form consists of 7 pages; when applying, please submit this application form together with one copy collated and stapled. The applicant must be sure to keep one copy of the application for him/ herself.

Remarks:

Among applicants, those who are non-native speakers of Japanese and have never taken the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) are requested to answer the questions on the Japanese Language Proficiency Self-Check Test  and to write down their test score in the designated space on the application form.  Please note that application without the test score filled in might not be accepted.