Japanese language experts help high school teachers<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A young Japanese woman, Morimoto Yukako, checked the pile of
\npapers she was carrying in her right hand to make sure she had
\nher notes before entering a language program classroom at
\nMadrasah Aliyah Negeri (MAN) 4 Islamic state high school in South
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
Morimoto, who has been teaching Japanese at the school since
\nJuly last year, believes teachers who prepare well for class will
\nbe able to hold students' attention.<\/p>\n
\"Some Indonesian teachers don't prepare anything before they
\nteach. That's one of their weaknesses. And that's why I'm here,
\nto give suggestions to the school's Japanese language teachers on
\nhow to improve their teaching methods,\" she told The Jakarta Post
\non Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Morimoto is one of six native speakers employed by the Japan
\nFoundation, under the program called Junior Japanese Language
\nExperts, to improve the quality of Indonesian Japanese language
\nteachers in high schools across the country for one academic
\nyear.<\/p>\n
She also helps other Japanese language teachers across Greater
\nJakarta by attending study groups that meet once a month at the
\nfoundation's office.<\/p>\n
\"I like helping the teachers here because they're eager to
\nlearn new things from me. The problem is, their Japanese language
\nskills vary in that some are good and some are not that good.\"<\/p>\n
The Japan Foundation devised the program 10 years ago in
\nresponse to the high interest around the globe in learning
\nJapanese.<\/p>\n
According to a 2003 Japan Foundation survey on Japanese
\nlanguage education institutions outside Japan, Indonesia ranked
\nsixth among countries around the world whose citizens have a high
\ninterest in learning the language.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia is number one in Southeast Asia. Based on the
\nresults of our survey, 85,221 Indonesians were studying
\nJapanese,\" said Osaka Koji, the deputy director of the
\nfoundation.<\/p>\n
Osaka said that 61,723 of those studying were primary and
\nsecondary school students.<\/p>\n
\"That's why every year we employ six Japanese language experts
\nto help teachers here. Demand from Indonesian schools is actually
\nhigher, but due to budget constraints we can't employ more,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The chief program officer for the Japanese language section at
\nthe foundation, Apin Supinah, said the program was meant to
\ndevelop mentor teachers who could help other teachers in the
\ncountry improve their teaching methods after the native-speaker
\nteachers leave.<\/p>\n
\"We aim to implement a kind of multilevel guidance system, in
\nwhich a teacher, helped by one of our experts, one day can help
\nfellow teachers,\" Apin said.<\/p>\n
Morimoto's presence at MAN 4 has been praised by the school's
\nteachers for not only showing them new methods, but also in
\ngiving an example in discipline.<\/p>\n
\"Besides holding students' attention, she also influences the
\nteachers here to come to class on time, like she always does,\" an
\nIndonesian Japanese language teacher, Nia, said. (006)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/japanese-language-experts-help-high-school-teachers-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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