Qualifications as a Teacher of Japanese

  1. BA in English Literature and English Language from Notre Dame Seishin Women`s University in Okayama Prefecture, Japan 
  2. an MA in Education from Roehampton University in London (Dissertation: Research on mixing creativity in Manga and singing with traditional teaching methods)
  3. a Diploma in Teaching Japanese validated by the University of Cambridge of Local Examinations Sindicate
  4. a Certificate of Japanese Language Teaching Competency Test autholised by the Japanese Minister of Education  

Other Qualifications                                                                                   

  • The Japan Kanji Aptitude Test (Second Class)                                                            
  • OCR Level 2 Diploma for IT Users (CLAiT Plus)
  • Calligraphy, 5-dan (qualified when I was 15)
  • Kimono Kitsuke (putting on a kimono), Second Class

Work Experience

  1. Administrator and tour organiser for a national travel company in Japan
  2. Aministrator, local government, Hyogo Prefecture
  3. Teacher of English and Japanese at after schools classes in Japan
  4. Teacher of GCSE, A-Level and other Japanese language classes at a U.K. secondary school

Japanese Language Courses & Events of Japanese Culture at my (British) School

(1) Japanese Club  (2003-2014)  

(2) Beginner & Pre-GCSE (2005-2014)    

(3) GCSE (2003-2015)                    

(4) A-Level  (2004-2017)                                                                   

(5) International Evening (introducing Japanese culture on the stage) [2005-2014]  

(6) Japan Day (March 2015) Kimono workshop   

(7) Year 7 Curriculum Day (introducing Japanese and Japanese culture) [2010-2012]  

(8) Japanese Style Party (18 times) (Students introduce Japanese culture) [2004-2014]   

Involving students in creating Japanese cultural events helps them improve their stydy of the Japanese language as well as developing their presentation skills. In my experience, the events also create fond memories of their time studying Japanese.