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Resources for Teachers
Lesson Plans
There are many sources of lesson plans relating to Japan available online:
- Learning about Our World Japan (Ohio Japan Project Lesson Plans, IJS/OSU)
- National Consortium for Teaching about Asia (Lessons about Japan, China, Korea and East Asia)
- AskAsia Lesson Plans
Lending Library
The Ohio State University East Asian Studies Center's Media Library website has a collection of over 800 titles which serves as a teaching tool for in-classroom use for OSU faculty, graduate students, and Central Ohio K-12 educators. The collection includes both fiction and non-fiction titles on East Asia, China, Japan and Korea in DVD, VHS and VCD formats.All titles are available for two-week rentals, free of charge. Reservations can be made up to two weeks in advance of pick-up date. If you are an OSU faculty member or student or a Central Ohio K-12 educator, you are eligible to borrow from our library. Please note that all videos must be picked up and returned to the East Asian Studies Center office. You will be required to show a school ID at the time of pick-up.
Professional Development
There are a variety of professional development opportunities available. Some of the study tours are available to students as well. For a complete listing of all study abroad and fellowship opportunities, please take a look at our list of fellowships and other opportunities available to teachers for more information.
Workshops
- The National Consortium for Teaching About Asia (NCTA), funded by the Freeman Foundation, offers annual Teaching About Asia Seminars for teachers, grades 6-12. Hundreds of teachers have taken the seminar and remain committed to incorporating East Asia into their curriculum. Three main elements comprise the program: a 10-week/ 30-hour seminar, classroom implementation, and a follow-up component.
- Global Hotspots The Ohio State University Area Studies Centers invite teachers to participate in a five session workshop on international events and issues currently in the news. The workshop series usually takes place in the winter quarter in the evenings. Please check the website for updated registration information.
- Forum on Asia in the Curriculum for Ohio teachers, sponsored by NCTA.
- Ohio Department of Education
Study Abroad
- National Consortium Teaching Asia (NCTA), funded by the Freeman Foundation, offers annual Teaching About Asia Study Tours for teachers, grades 6-12. Hundreds of teachers have taken the seminar and remain committed to incorporating East Asia into their curriculum. Three main elements comprise the program: a 10-week/ 30-hour seminar, classroom implementation, and a follow-up component. Ohio has led several tours in the past.
- Keizai Koho Center Teacher Fellowship - The Keizai Koho Center (Japan Institute for Social and Economic Affairs) in cooperation with the National Association of Japan-America Societies (NAJAS) will sponsor a ten day Fellowship to Japan this summer for educators in the U.S. and Canada.
- The Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund (JFMF) Teacher Program, sponsored by the Government of Japan, provides American primary and secondary school teachers and administrators with fully-funded short-term study tours of Japan.
Funding / Awards
- The Elgin Heinz Outstanding Teacher Award recognizes exceptional teachers who further mutual understanding between Americans and Japanese. The award is presented annually to two pre-college teachers in two categories, humanities and Japanese language, and consists of a certificate of recognition, a $2,500 monetary award, and $5,000 in project funds.
Links for Teaching about Japan
This is a collection of links which may be useful for educators gathering information and resources to teach about Japan, the Japanese language Japanese education system or Japanese culture. One can also find some information on the Japanese education system.
Education in Japan 
General Information
Lesson Plans
Teaching Japanese Language
Teaching about Japan
Education in Japan
The Education System in Japan
The Educational System in Japan: Case Study Findings
Education for All Japan Assessment
Educational development in Japan
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General Information
CIA - The World Fact Book: Japan
Japan: geography, people, government, economy, communications, etc.
Japan Information Network
A collection of links to news site, maps, and other sources of information on Japan
Universal Currency Converter
Convert U.S. dollars to Japanese yen, vice versa, or do other currency conversion
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Lesson Plans
Lesson Study in Japan - U.S. Science Foundation
NSF funded research that looks at lesson study in Japan and the U.S.
National Clearinghouse for U.S. - Japan Studies Lesson Database
Searchable database of lesson plans
National Consortium for Teaching about Asia - Lessons on Japan
NCTA-maintained list of lessons pertaining to Japan
Japan Lessons from the Institute for Japanese Studies
A set of lessons about Japan developed with support from the U.S.-Japan Foundation
AskAsia Instructional Resources: Lesson Plans
A set of lesson plans over much of Asia, including Japan
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Teaching Japanese Language
Brush Stroke Rules
Learn to read and write Japanese
The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test
Information of the language proficiency test devised by the Japan Foundation
Japanese WWW Guide
A collection of links to information about the Japanese language
The Japanese Language at Purdue
Purdue University's page on Japanese, including instructional software
Japanese-English Dictionary
Japanese Language Education for Elementary and Secondary Students
Lesson plans, curriculum, and contest
The Japanese Writing Tutor
This site helps students of Japanese practice their writing skills and to learn individual characters
Japanese Online
Online Japanese language & culture resource community
JOYO96
Written Japanese learning center and book referral service
Marjorie Chan's Word Lists & Glossaries/Dictionaries
For both Chinese and Japanese
Standards for Japanese Language Learning
Standards for Japanese Language Learning developed by The Japanese National Standards Task Force
Japan Travel & Living Guide
Guide to Japanese arts, food, history, language, politics, regions, sports, and transportation
Teach Yourself Japanese
Includes kana, numbers, greetings, basic grammar, vocabulary, actual conversation and other links
Travlang
Excellent foreign language section where you can choose categories and then hear and see the vocabulary
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Teaching about Japan
Asian Educational Media Service
Media search tools, K-12 resource list, media lesson plans, etc
Discovery Boxes
University of Maryland
Education Planet - Japan Education
A K-12 Education web site that has links to help teachers, students and parents find quality educational resources
Eisenhower National Clearinghouse
Includes curriculum resources, web links, professional resources and topics
E-Pals
Contact and submit questions to a Japanese school
Japanese Culture & Daily Life
This digital version of "A Day in the Life" and "Japanese Culture Now" series, which focuses on familiar aspects of everyday Japanese culture
Irasshai! The Japanese Language and Culture Distance Learning Course
Lessons, charts, exercises, galleries, etc.
Stanford JGuide
Japan information resources
Duke Japanese Studies - Classroom Tools
Links to many sites that educators could use for resources when teaching about Japan
Tell me about Japan
Food, calligraphy, museums, historical sites, famous people, etc.
Tokyo Food Page
Recipes, specialty cuisnes, restaurant listings, etc.
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