Eligible programs may apply for up to $30,000 that can be used as a seed money grant to launch a brand-new program, to increase course offerings, or as a stop-gap measure to save a program facing budget cuts or closure. Those interested in applying for the Salary Assistance Grant (annual application deadline: 4/10) should first be aware that we prioritize applicants who provide a strong letter of support from their local stakeholders (superintendent, school president, dean, principal, etc.) and commit to continuing their program well beyond the grant period.
For more information about this grant, please visit JFLA’s website.
Non-profit educational institutions in the U.S. are eligible to apply for JFLA’s Teaching Material Purchase Grant (annual application deadlines: 3/15, 9/15), which offers to reimburse up to $1,000 for teaching materials and “cultural items” such as origami supplies, classroom games/décor, etc. Many recently-expanded or brand-new programs who have received this grant have used it to build up their school/department libraries with authentic Japanese reading materials, or to redesign their course curriculum by adding DVDs, cultural activities, etc.
For more information about this grant, please visit JFLA’s website.
Finding appropriate teaching materials for JHL students can be challenging.
Linked below is a compilation of teaching materials purchased by JHL programs who received JFLA’s Teaching Material Purchase Grant between 2018 and 2022. Items in this list are separated according to type (textbook, reading materials, multimedia, etc.). We hope this list will serve as a helpful reference of popular teaching materials currently being used in JHL education, and that the items listed will give parents and educators alike some helpful ideas for fortifying their learners’ JHL education.
Wish List CompilationsBelow is an annually updated list of JHL programs that have received our Japanese-language grants within the past five years. To learn more about JFLA’s Japanese-language grant programs, please visit JFLA’s website.
Grant HistoryThe AP Japanese Language and Culture exam offers students a way to earn college credits for a fraction of the cost if they pass, and it assesses student understanding of the skills and learning objectives outlined in the AP Japanese Language and Culture course framework. The exam takes roughly two hours and includes multiple-choice and free-response questions, as well as listening, reading, writing, and speaking sections. The AP Japanese Language and Culture course is equivalent to an intermediate-level college Japanese course and is typically taken by students in their fourth year of high-school-level study.
The College Board website offers many details and study resources, including sample questions and materials, that students can use to understand the AP Japanese test in more depth and prepare for what they will face on exam day. For more information, contact your school counselor.
Global Seal of Biliteracy
The Global Seal of Biliteracy™ is a credential awarded to those who pass the official test, regardless of their age or school, proving their bilingual and biliteracy proficiency. The GSB is awarded in all 50 states, as well as Washington D.C., to a number of individuals which continues to increase. The criteria for the GSB is the same no matter what state you live in. The GSB is a certification which can be included on one’s college application or professional resume. JHL schools may even include their school name on the certificate and award it to their students.
Below is a video explaining the steps necessary in order to receive this certification.
Masako Douglas –継承日本語学校の生徒がバイリンガル・バイリテラシ―の認定を受ける方法 (video, 2022)
State Seal of Biliteracy
The State Seal of Biliteracy is an award given by states, school districts and participating public schools in recognition of high school students who have studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages by the time they graduate. This certification in a world language is earned by meeting the standards set by either a state or school-sanctioned test, and by completing a high-school English certificate program or by passing an English proficiency exam. However, the criteria for certification varies by state. The certificate will bear the name of the school. Currently, 49 states and Washington, D.C. have approved a statewide Seal of Biliteracy. The State Seal of Biliteracy appears on the transcript or diploma of graduating seniors who have completed the requirements, and the seal serves as a statement of accomplishment to future employers and college recruiters. Additionally, some public schools and school districts in states with a formal State Seal of Biliteracy program have begun implementing Pathways to Biliteracy Awards programs for younger students in an effort to recognize significant steps towards developing biliteracy along a students’ trajectory leading up to high school, including at the time of graduation from preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school.
For more information regarding the State Seal of Biliteracy, Pathways to Biliteracy Awards, and their implementation at a state, school or school district level, please visit the official Seal of Biliteracy website.
Global Seal of Biliteracy とState Seal of Biliteracyを目標にする目的はいろいろあります:
The purposes for instituting the Global Seal of Biliteracy and Seal of Biliteracy are numerous:
AGPlus is a project that was launched in 2022 with the goal of supporting hoshuko/supplementary school teachers, and it is an upgrade to its predecessor, the AG5 project, which was developed by Japan Overseas Educational Services (JOES) and commissioned by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan (MEXT) for global human resources development at overseas educational institutions.
Based on the network of hoshuko/supplementary schools around the world, AGPlus regularly conducts exchanges of opinions and ideas between teachers, discussions regarding management issues, and it improves teaching practices.
The AG5 site linked to below contains information related to overseas educational institutions, including hoshuko/supplementary schools.
https://ag-5.jp/about
https://www.aatj.org/sig-japanese-heritage-language/
The JHL SIG was established to provide a home base for collecting and disseminating research findings in the field, and promoting JHL education. They publish research papers and reports on curriculum and instructional materials through their on-line journal, post conference paper abstracts on the SIG web site, and host a mailing list for information exchange and discussion on JHL issues. All AATJ members who are interested in JHL education and research are welcome.
American Association of Japanese Language Teachers JHL-SIG e-journal:
https://www.aatj.org/sig-japanese-heritage-language-ejournal/
https://www.bmcn-net.com/
The Bilingual/Multilingual Child Network (BMCN) is a volunteer organization that supports language and character development in children who grow up in a bilingual/multilingual environment with the hope that they will grow up to become the bilingual/multilingual human resources we need in this global age. BMCN is intended for all those involved in child-rearing, including parents who have no choice but to raise their children in a different culture, doctors, nurses, nursery teachers, instructors, volunteers, and government officials. (Quoted from website)
https://www.heritagelanguageschools.org/coalition/home
The Coalition of Community-Based Heritage Language Schools is a nationwide initiative, established in 2012, to connect, support, and advocate for community-based heritage language schools across the United States. They organize an annual conference, webinars, and online discussions.
Conference information:
https://www.heritagelanguageschools.org/coalition/conference
Registration is open in mid-April. Program is available from the above conference site in mid-April.
https://sites.google.com/site/keishougo/ (site currently under renovation)
MHB 海外継承日本語部会 is a special interest group (SIG) belonging to the Japanese Society for Mother Tongue, Heritage Language, and Bilingual Education (MHB) which was established in the summer of 2012 and has many participants including teachers at both hoshuko/supplementary schools and weekend schools, administrators involved in the operations of these schools, and researchers interested in JHL education.
This site was launched for the mutual support and professional development of its members living in different parts of the world. Members use a member mailing list to communicate and share information and opinions with each other.
Note: The Japanese Society for Mother Tongue, Heritage Language, and Bilingual Education (MHB) was formerly the MHB Research Society and became an academic society in April of 2018. (Quoted from website)
http://nectj.org/
Northeast Council of Teachers of Japanese (NECTJ) is a non-profit organization based in New York. Its mission is to improve teaching skills of the Japanese language teachers of the pre-collegiate level from kindergarten through grade 16. Established in 1992, NECTJ has been conducting various conferences and workshops aiming at professional development of the teachers. It also conducted numerous student programs including Harumatsuri, the spring festival for the local highschool students and Haiku contests. Some of the activities are supported by the Japan Foundation.
5700 Wilshire blvd, Suite 100
Los Angeles, CA 90036
jflainfo@jpf.go.jp
323.761.7510
