PPLI Spotlight on Schools Japanese - Flipbook - Page 2
Gorey Community School, Loreto Secondary School, Wexford
Creating Authentic and Cross-Curricular Learning Experiences
Name of teacher preparing SoS:
Ichiyo Shibata, Yumina Asakura.
Title of project / activity:
Welcome to a Japanese World! ~ようこそ日本語の世界へ!~
Name of school:
Gorey Community School, Gorey, Co. Wexford
Languages taught in the school:
Japanese, French, German, Spanish
Description of the project/activity:
‘Culture Box’
A ‘Culture Box’ is a teaching and learning tool that connects
different cultures and expands possibilities in the teaching and
learning of other languages. It exposes students to the complex
relationship between language and culture in Japanese society, as
well as in societies outside of Japan. It is a cross-cultural
communication tool that links the students’ knowledge of
Japanese language and culture to the world outside the classroom.
In our culture boxes, there are Japanese crafts, toys, daily products,
traditional items, books, etc. Some of these items may be new to
students, but any unfamiliarity will spark their curiosity.
What are the aims of the project/activity?
Use of the culture box means that students can use the language they are learning, as well as experience the culture
more authentically. For example, using the culture box to introduce unfamiliar objects and ideas through pictures and
videos will not only deepen their understanding of the Japanese language, but also make grammar and reading classes
more interesting and engaging. It also gives students a sense of accomplishment in what they are learning and
increases their motivation to learn
How did you plan for it? How did you organise it?
For items in the culture box that were only available in Japan, we obtained them when we temporarily returned to our
home country or asked family and friends to procure them for us. Researching students’ current interests helped us
add items more efficiently as the year progressed. Some items (books, travel brochures, etc.) were available in Ireland.
We purchased snacks and food at direct import supermarkets and used wrapping paper and empty snack boxes as
further cultural materials.
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