Language - Japanese

LANGUAGE - JAPANESE (日本語)

2026 e youkoso! Uma doshi desu.

(Welcome to 2026, Year of the Horse).

Learning a language provides students with an opportunity to communicate and engage with the world and its people. Students engage with the linguistic and cultural diversity of the world to develop respect, openness and empathy. At FGHS in 2026, we have a large number of students learning about Japanese language and culture. In Stage 6 we have Year 12 and Year 11 Japanese Beginners classes. All Year 7 classes are completing their 100 hours of mandatory language study in Japanese. Additionally, some students in Support have fortnightly lessons with our Japanese Assistant.

I would like to introduce the FGHS Japanese Language teachers. Mrs Sharon Waller, Mr Alan Tull and our Japanese Assistant, Mrs Yumi Pullman. If assistance is ever needed or a question needs to be asked, you can find Mrs Waller and Mr Tull in the Mathematics staffroom (we both teach Mathematics too). 

Year 12 and Year 11 Japanese Beginners

Our Year 12 students will have many opportunities outside the classroom this year to develop their language skills. They have weekly conversation sessions with Yumi sensei to prepare them for their HSC Speaking Examination and before school sessions are held weekly to gain extra practice in HSC reading and listening texts. They have begun the year with a diligent approach which will hopefully continue over the coming terms. 

Year 11 Japanese Beginners students started the year by making ehoumaki, a special sushi roll that when eaten in a traditional way, will hopefully bring them lots of luck and good fortune for the year. 

Year 7 Language

All Year 7 classes are settling well into their language learning journey. Students are confidently using their newly acquired language skills in both the classroom and around the school. Students greet their teachers in the playground each day with a “konnichi wa sensei (Hello)”. All students have demonstrated a willingness to participate in speaking and listening activities and to “have a go” at interacting in Japanese. There is a lot of movement inside the language classroom so students can practise their language skills with each other. Frequent interactions using Japanese develops both confidence and pronunciation. 

All students will have the opportunity to participate in small group learning activities with Yumi sensei, a native Japanese speaker. 

To practise writing in Japanese script, students used special water calligraphy paper. Once it dries, you can reuse it to practise some more! They have learnt the kanji numbers from 1 to 20, the kanji for month and day and how to write their names in katakana script.

Japan Foundation Roadshow

In the final week of Term 4, 2025 FGHS welcomed representatives from the Sydney Japan Foundation. Years 11 & 10 students participated in a Japanese language immersion workshop. FGHS staff who love and support Japanese studies enjoyed a delicious morning tea, provided mostly by the wonderful cook, Mrs Bardakos. It was a great event to complete the school year. 

Japanese Cultural Garden

The garden was first opened in 2017 and, as any gardener knows, gardens require constant care and attention. Mr Black, Mr Middleton, S9 Support class students and gardener Craig will spend time each week in the garden throughout the year giving that attention. The work of staff and students at our school ensures that the garden continues to be a learning space for everyone. It provides opportunities for students to work as part of a team and to develop skills in planning, budgeting, construction, painting and gardening.

Technology GO!! 

Congratulations to the students who are consistently arriving to lessons with charged devices, ready for learning. It is important that devices are charged each evening so students have access to their Google Classroom and other language learning sites. If students are absent from a lesson, they are able to access the work on their Google Classroom.

二月 February Samurai　 

omedetou gozaimasu! (Congratulations!) to the following students for your selection as February Samurai in your respective classes.     

This title recognises students for:

• positive engagement in Japanese lessons.

• consistent demonstration of the FGHS values of Respect, Responsibility, Cooperation and Commitment to achieve their potential in Japanese.

 S. Waller