On Thursday 10th June, the annual NCEA Japanese workshop was held at University of Canterbury.

Over 300 students from 14 high schools in Canterbury were involved and participated in three NCEA focussed workshops run by Japanese teachers from other High Schools and University Lecturers. 

In the plenary session, the keynote speaker this year was our Head boy Cooper Gibb-Faumuina’s sister Gabrielle, University of Canterbury alumni, who gave the students inspiration to continue Japanese throughout school life.

During the workshops, the students had a chance to work on a variety of activities with students from other schools and talk to university students, including Vivek Prakash who graduated last year and is currently studying Japanese at the University of Canterbury. 

In the closing session, the whole group danced to a Japanese song called Papurika and video recorded it. A student of ours, James Stewart played in Takumi (the Japanese drumming group) in the closing ceremony. 

The students learned some new skills and exam techniques, but most of all everyone enjoyed making new connections with students and teachers from other schools.

One of the participating Year 11 students, Billy Burke said that “It was a very exciting new way to learn different ways of teaching methods and the talks given motivated me to continue Japanese through my life!’.” Another Year 11 student, Tatsumi Konishi said “It was a good day to meet new people who are also studying Japanese and to learn new language aspects from other teachers”.