On Friday, August 8th, 2025, the Japan Foundation (Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture) will be hosting an in-person workshop for Japanese Heritage Language (JHL) teachers. The workshop will focus on:
Please come join us!
The deadline for applications to participate is Friday May 23rd, 2025 at 12:00 AM (Japan Time). While there will be no reimbursements or payments for travel-related expenses to the workshop, we encourage those who will be in Japan around the time of the workshop to please apply.
Click here for a PDF of the workshop details
In late September 2024, Arizona Association of Teachers of Japanese (AzATJ) and Arizona Gakuen School jointly held a Special Lecture on Keisho Nihongo/Japanese as a Heritage Language (JHL) in Phoenix, AZ, which the Japan Foundation Los Angeles (JFLA) supported through its Japanese-Language Education Project Grant.
Aya Nakanishi McDaniel of AzATJ has kindly compiled the results of the survey and shared her findings. Her report can be viewed via the following link: 継承語日本語のセミナーを終えて
「本 だいすき！」 /”I Love Books!” is a site which was recently launched for the purpose of
providing Japanese leveled reading materials for children in the early literacy stage. The site’s
linked collection of Japanese books can support and guide children in this crucial stage (K-1st
Grade) as they journey toward literacy and start learning to read independently.
The books produced from this project are adapted from collections like Bloom Library
(https://bloomlibrary.org/read) and StoryWeaver (https://storyweaver.org.in/en/), both of
which feature Creative Commons-licensed collections. Carefully selected and translated into
Japanese, these books cater to early literacy stages, divided into 10 levels (Level A – Level J),
following criteria specific to each literacy level during translation and formatting.
Masako Douglas (Professor Emerita, California State University Long Beach) served as Project
Director, and Japanese translations of the readers were overseen by her and a team of three
other teachers, all of whom have extensive experience teaching children of reading age in
Japanese immersion programs at elementary schools throughout the United States. Their
background in education and bilingualism ensured that the translations resonated with children,
making each book engaging and enjoyable. Final proofreading was conducted by a Japanese
language school teacher whose concentrated efforts were indispensable to completing this
project.
JFLA provided financial support for this project through its Project Grant.
[Summary and Objectives]
In accordance with the "Act on the Promotion of Japanese Language Education" (promulgated and enforced on June 28, 2019) and the "Act on the Promotion of Education at Overseas Educational Institutions (abbreviated as the Promotion Act)" (promulgated and enforced on June 17, 2022), it is essential to develop an educational environment for diverse students from the perspective of "Japanese language education," as aimed by overseas educational institutions. In light of this, this summit will:
★ Related organizations will announce their efforts and discuss future directions with teachers in the field.
★ Teachers in the field will share their efforts and concerns (things they are worried about).
Through these efforts, we aim to promote education that can respond to diverse needs, to highlight specific issues regarding Japanese language education, which is a subject of consideration under the Promotion Act, to discuss concrete strategies for resolving these issues, and to utilize these findings in future efforts.
[Target] Teachers who teach at supplementary schools, etc.
[Date and Time] Wednesday, September 4, 2024 ① 8:00-10:00 ② 18:00-20:00 * Japan time
[Format] Zoom (meeting format)
[Participation Fee] Free
[Capacity] 100 people per session
[Organizers] Co-organized by the following three organizations:
The Japan Foundation (JF),
Japan Overseas Educational Support Foundation (JOES), and
Bilingual and Multilingual Children's Network (BMCN).
[Program] Sessions 1 to 5 will have the same content.
1. Speech: "What we expect from children who will lead society in the future and the state of Japanese language education"
by Toshiaki Endo, Member of the House of Representatives, Chairman of the Parliamentary League for the Promotion of Overseas Education
Contact Information
Japanese Language Education Support Summit Secretariat
Japan Overseas Educational Promotion Foundation (JOES)
6F Atago Toyo Building, 1-3-4 Atago, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0002
TEL: 81-3-4330-1348
MAIL: zaigai@joes.or.jp
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This book introduces basic knowledge and practical examples of raising children bilingually and trilingually at home outside of Japan, concentrating on the crucial period (ages 0-5) considered most important for children’s language acquisition. |
5700 Wilshire blvd, Suite 100
Los Angeles, CA 90036
jflainfo@jpf.go.jp
323.761.7510
