The annual JTAN AGM and Mini-Conference will be held on Saturday 14th November. Participation is free for financial members of JTAN.

This year, the JTAN AGM & Mini Conference will be held at International Grammar School, Ultimo.

Registrations will open at 11:45 am for a 12:00 pm start and the event will conclude at approximately 4:00pm.

AGM & Mini-Conference Agenda

Times are approximate and may vary.

Presentation Details

Once more with feeling: the importance of developing critical and creative thinking skills 7-10 – Katherine Brownlee 

As passionate teachers and speakers of Japanese,, we want to encourage students to continue their Languages studies through to the end of Year 12 (and beyond). However, senior secondary Languages study is frequently characterised by a significant escalation in cognitive demand, often leading to diminished student achievement, reduced motivation, and declining enrolment. This session proposes one strategy for teachers to strategically bridge the gap between Stage 4-5 and Stage 6 programs to give students more time to understand and master the ‘hidden’ aspects of the course – the examination techniques and critical and creative thinking skills that are easily overlooked when we focus on coverage of grammar and vocabulary. 

This is not about “teaching to the test”. Through the use of richer, more nuanced texts, students are encouraged to engage in deeper processing, fostering both linguistic proficiency and socio-emotional understanding and better equipping them not only for the complexities of senior study but also for the realities of intercultural communication. 

Linguistic complexity and cognitive complexity do not need to develop at the same rate. Our learners need to engage with sophisticated ideas, emotions and relationships that match their cognitive abilities, even when their Japanese vocabulary and grammar remain limited. This presentation establishes the context for the project and resource launch in Session II. 

Resource launch – iiTomo/Obento supplementary listening and reading texts for developing critical and creative thinking skills  – Katherine Brownlee, Kyoko Kusumoto, Jien Tan 

HSC Japanese examinations assess not only comprehension of spoken and written Japanese, but also students’ ability to infer, analyse, compare, evaluate, summarise and draw conclusions about people, perspectives and situations. 

These resources model how higher-order thinking can be introduced earlier to support greater continuity between junior and senior Japanese programs and reduce cognitive load in senior years. The authors have worked to develop linguistically accessible texts that nonetheless require students to infer motives, interpret feelings, compare experiences and justify conclusions, etc. 

Materials are aligned with iiTomo and Obento (1 listening or reading text per chapter), allowing teachers to integrate them into existing programs. These resources are intended as “proof of concept” of the approach discussed in Session I, and will be freely available and can be accessed via the MJS Centre website. 

This session provides an introduction to the resources and Q&A opportunities with the authors, followed by time to unpack and discuss the resources with colleagues. 

By demonstrating how even simple beginner-level texts can include cognitively demanding questions, teachers will gain practical strategies to adapt and create their own materials in the future while having access to resources created by writers with extensive experience in curriculum, resource and assessment development.

We are grateful for and acknowledge the support of the MJS Centre’s School and Communication Engagement Grant at Macquarie University without which this project would not have been possible.

Presenters

• Katherine Brownlee is the current President of the Japanese Language Teachers’ Association of NSW and Head of Languages at Gosford High School on the Central Coast of NSW where she teaches Japanese and French 7-12. Passionate about the learning and teaching of Languages, Katherine has taught Japanese at tertiary level, and in comprehensive and selective secondary schools in NSW. Katherine has a strong interest in student retention, engagement and motivation at all levels of learning and is always looking for more effective strategies, techniques and approaches to further increase student interest in learning a foreign language. She is a strong believer in the power of research and data, particularly student feedback, to enhance her teaching, and is constantly seeking to extend and improve her practice in the classroom.
• Kyoko Kusumoto is an enthusiastic teacher of Japanese with a great passion for teaching and learning. She has created many innovative teaching materials to motivate students. She has a wealth of experience in teaching all age levels from  prep to Year 12. Kyoko has worked as an editor of children’s books at Shogakukan Publishing Co, Tokyo prior to moving to Sydney. She is also a qualified NAATI translator. Kyoko holds a Master of Arts from Sydney University majoring in Second Language Teaching and has contributed her expertise for Japanese language and culture as co-author of the Obento Textbook and Workbook series (Obento Deluxe for Years 7-8 and Obento Supreme for Years 9-10).
• Jien Tan is a language teacher at Gosford High School where she teaches Japanese and Chinese 7-12. She is passionate about student wellbeing and strives to create an inclusive, accepting, and nurturing space for students to develop not only their language proficiency, but also their sense of self. Jien enjoys writing entertaining resources that cultivate student curiosity and engagement. Learning a new language can be stressful for students but she finds that student motivation and participation can be enhanced through incorporating humour and entertainment. Jien strives to lead by example and is always seeking to learn about new perspectives, languages and cultures from her students, colleagues and friends.

There will be NO FEE to participate in the AGM to further support our members.

Interstate participants who are members of their state Japanese Teachers’ Association and pre-service teachers are also welcome to attend – please note this event is IN PERSON ONLY. However, only JTAN current financial members may attend the AGM component of the day. Please email enquire@jtan.org.au with proof of membership and your details to be added to the list of of participants.

Unless otherwise advised, all JTAN workshops will count as “Elective PL” for NESA purposes.

忘年会 Dinner (separate ticket)

Time: 5pm – 7pm approximately
Location: Daruma, Haymarket

Please join us after the AGM & Mini-Conference for a networking dinner.

There are limited spots for this event. Dinner and one drink are covered by the $70 cost, additional drinks are at the individual’s expense.

Please note: Payment for this event must be paid by your own personal funds. Schools cannot fund this purchase. 

JTAN Annual General Meeting

We invite all members to attend the JTAN Annual General Meeting. If you are unable to attend the AGM, you may participate in the decision-making by completing the Proxy form (click here to download).

Committee positions:  We encourage all members to step up and be part of the committee – without members stepping up to become part of the committee we cannot continue to provide the level of professional learning and support we currently do. 

JTAN is a voluntary organisation of dedicated teachers. Committee roles have varying levels of obligations, but all roles have flexibility and most aspects of most roles can be done remotely. Committee meetings are held 1-2 times per term via Google Meet in the evening. 

If you would like further information about joining the committee please contact president@jtan.org.au for details about the available positions for 2026-2027 and to obtain nomination forms. Nominations must be received 7 days prior to the AGM. You do not need to be Sydney-based to join our Committee.

The JTAN Committee is formed of:

• President
• Vice President
• Treasurer
• Secretary
• Admin Officer
• Workshop Coordinator (x 2)
• Ordinary Committee Member (x 5)
• Additional sub-committees and members as required (appointed by the committee and nomination forms not required)