Calling all secondary school and language school teachers of Japanese! We will be holding a seventh Online Get-Together. This is a great opportunity to talk with your colleagues about your work in a relaxed, casual setting. We hope you can use this as a chance to talk about any issues you are facing in the classroom, exchange information on resources or exams, and more.

The theme this time is:

Cultivating Speaking Skills: Effective Teaching Methods to Improve Students’ Speech - Discussing GCSE Speaking and Sample Videos -

Foreign language learners must interact with people for various purposes and in various circumstances, and so it is necessary that they have effective communication skills. But how do we increase the speaking skills of learners? How can we teach to improve their speech?

During this Konshinkai, we will discuss GCSE speaking exams by watching sample videos. We will also talk together about how to improve learners’ speech skills, in order to deepen our understanding of “cultivating speaking skills”, while discussing effective teaching methods and actual practice. We will also try to conduct a roleplay of speaking exams.

About the speakers

Mrs Ikuyo Miyamura

Ikuyo currently teaches Japanese at Wycombe Abbey and In Toto Ed, with 20 years of experience in language instruction for both young and adult learners in Japan and the UK. Her expertise also includes roles as an educational coordinator, research associate, and director and examiner for language certification exams. Her mission is to create spaces where individuals can build confidence and joy through learning. 

Ms Rihae Yuh

Rihae has been teaching in Bristol since 1997 in a variety of settings, teaching at the University of Bristol, the University of the West of England, the City of Bristol College and Clifton College before founding YU Japanese Language School, offering evening course to adult learners, and organised with Ms Yuko Hasegawa. Currently, Rihae is teaching Japanese children at the Japanese School in Wales, based in Cardiff, while also giving language instruction to pupils at GCSE and A-Level at Badminton School.

Mr Alan Greaves

Alan Greaves spoke no Japanese when he arrived on Iki island on the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme in 1992. He loved Nagasaki prefecture and stayed for 5 years. After working for Honda using his new-found Japanese language skills, he returned to teaching in U.K. schools from 2008 and has been at Charters Comprehensive in Ascot since 2020. He has inspired a love of Japanese culture and language through extra-curricular clubs and courses, days out to Japanese events such as Club Taishikan & Japan Matsuri, and most recently helped organise a school trip to Japan in 2024.

Date:

• 21st February 2025 (Friday), 15:30 - 17:30 (GMT), 17:30 - 18:00*
• *17:30 - 18:00 (Participants are welcome to stay beyond the end of the seminar to ask questions, exchange exam information, network and so on.)

To apply, please click here:

https://forms.office.com/r/sagpY94waz

Participation fee: Free (registration in advance is required.)

Registration Deadline: 16th February

Languages used: English/Japanese (PowerPoint slides and resources will be shown in English.)

You can read some comments from participants of the previous Online Get-Togethers below:

• It was really good to join in with fellow Japanese colleagues from around the country (and world!) and listen and see in Japanese how these colleagues created and use these resources.
• I spent a hugely worthwhile time getting to talk with other teachers that I do not often get a chance to meet and exchange new information.
• I have gotten a lot of ideas and tips from the speaker’s presentation. Thanks to the presentation I think I can improve my teaching skills to encourage my pupils to learn more!