Ideas for teaching Japanese LISTENING

A list of useful games, activities and websites for teaching Japanese listening skills.

In-class Japanese LISTENING activities

Flies on the wall 
Divide the class into two teams.  Put the words on the board in fly shapes.  The Tt yells a word and the Ss have to swat the corresponding word.

Karuta flash R. Jeffers
Divide the class into small groups.  Give each group a set of picture karuta cards with matching word karuta cards.  When the Tt says the Ss match the words with the pictures.  The group that matches the cards the quickest gets a point for their team.  Once all groups have accurately matched all picture cards with word cards the Tt then says one of the karuta card words in Japanese.  The Ss that can show the matching picture card to the Tt the fastest gets a point for his/her team.  An extra point is then allocated if the team can say the meaning of the word in English.

Sensei Machigatta    L Brandis
Tt shows a picture of the words being studied.  Tt says the word.  If the Tt says the word matching the picture then the Ss says the word.  If it is wrong the Ss says nothing.  Extra:  All Ss stand.  If they say something when there should be silence they sit down.  The last person standing is the winner.

Simon says   (body parts, action words)
Ss stand up for this activity.  Tt stands at the front of the class and says: 「先生いわく」 Eg. 「先生いわく耳をさわります。」 Ss need to follow the teacher’s instructions.  (Ss touch their ears.) Tt speeds up once Ss know what to do.  Tt occasionally doesn’t say "Sensei Iwaku" before the word.  If Ss do what Tt says (even though he/she didn’t say “Sensei iwaku") then they need to sit down. The winner of the game is the last standing. (Tt can be replaced by a confident Ss.)

What's the time?
Divide the class into two teams.  Draw two large blank clocks on the whiteboard.  Choose two captains.  Captains have a whiteboard pen each and stand at the back of the room (far away from the whiteboard). The Tt says a time in Japanese.  The Ss run to the whiteboard and quickly draw the hands of the clock.  The Ss that is the fastest wins a point for his/her team.  The captains then select the next person to run and draw.  Continue the game until you feel the Ss understand all Japanese time words.

Useful websites for teaching LISTENING

Basic roleplays
http://www.tokorozawa-stm.ed.jp/d_base/nihongo/html/japanese.html
Listen and watch short colourful roleplays includes introductions, greetings, using Japanese toilets, body, phoning school and many many more!

Basic conversations
http://web.uvic.ca/hrd/japanese/listen/
Listen to short basic conversations about such things as shopping, directions, family, birthdays, holidays etc. with short answer comprehension questions.

Basic conversations
http://www.thw.coventry.sch.uk/MFL/GCSEJapSpeaking.htm#House
Listen to basic conversations while reading the transcripts about home and daily routines, sports and hobbies, school and future plans, home and abroad, media and entertainment

Classic Japanese stories 
http://eloise.cocolog-nifty.com/rodoku/index_audio_only/index.html
Classic Japanese stories read aloud by native Japanese speakers including music. Downloadable MP3.

Edit a film
http://learningplace.eq.edu.au/cx/resources/items/98be904f-d102-a6d4-b8bd-7eb9d31ad266/1/ViewIMS.jsp?backto=close
Become film directors and edit a film about a school trip.  Read and listen to the dialogue and make changes to the film accordingly.
Restricted to The Learning Place members only.
Access information here.

Griffith University Listening Practice for ISLPR Test
http://www.griffith.edu.au/school/lal/japanesemain/ISLPR_listening/ISLPRlistening_frame.html
Short texts from level 1 to 3 ISLPR.  Real Japanese in real situations some with short videos.  Situations include going to the shop, announcements on a train, getting medicine, radio commercials, going to the doctor etc.

HSC (High school Certificate) listening texts
http://hsc.csu.edu.au/japanese/
Various listening texts (with MP3 and transcripts) on topics including: personal world, daily life, leisure, future plans, travelling in Japan, living in Japan, cultural life, the world of work, current issues, skills aimed at Year 12 HSC students.

Interactive problem solving language games     
http://www1.curriculum.edu.au/nalsas/w_new/whats_new01.htm
The two Space Adventure games challenge students to apply their language learning to solve time-limited problems on a space station. EXCELLENT!! Government website. There are six Scenarios, four Explorers and two Space Adventure games. .The Explorers provide students with an intercultural language experience as well as being a rich source of images, texts and language audio files.

Interactive stories
http://www1.curriculum.edu.au/nalsas/explorers/japanese/scenarios.html
Kasajizo - fairytale,  Ninja Story - story in the samurai era, makeover camp - healthy lifestyle, big brother - family life, honeymooners - adventure holiday,  speed daters - personal information

Japanese Internet Radio
http://www.multilingualbooks.com/online-radio-japanese.html
Lengthy list of online radio and news sites.  Great listening tool.

Short skits and stories
http://www.nhk.or.jp/lesson/english/learn/story/index.htmlFree MP3s of short skits and stories spoken by native speakers.  Includes transcripts and explanation of vocabulary and grammar.

Say what I type   
http://www.oddcast.com/home/demos/tts/tts_example.php?sitepal
Type in anything and the Japanese character will say what you have written.

Songs
http://www.genkienglish.net/genkijapan/learnjapanesenumbers.htm
You-Tube songs on numbers, when/where/who/what song, days of the week, months, hiragana and katakana songs, adjectives, weather, mary had a little lamb

Yomiyuri Online Audio Newspaper
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/stream/index.htm
Listen and watch Japanese news.


Yookosoo Textbook 1 Resources
http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072862130/student_view0/index.htmlVocabulary and grammar questions with some audio on various topics including classmates, my town, everyday life, weather and climate, hobbies and leisure activities, food, shopping.

Yookosoo Textbook 2 Resources
http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072408162/student_view0/chapter1/
Short videos with listening comprehension questions on travel, at home, automobiles and transportation, the body and health, life and careers, communication and media, nature and culture.  (Includes vocabulary and grammar exercises too.)