Japanese Language
Program Advocacy
For Middle Schools and High Schools
By Dr. Jonathan Kidder, Assistant Headmaster of the Pilgrim School*

Successful Advocacy
Advocacy is the key to the success of any school program, but especially to
one as unique as the Japanese language. The more the school, parents andcommunity put into a Japanese program, the more they will get out of it. For aJapanese program to flourish, it needs the support of the administration,faculty, parents, and even community.
Advocating to school faculty is both easy and very important. By showing theother faculty that they are 100% behind the program, an administrator cangenerate confidence in the Japanese instructor, making their job easier andcreating a more positive work environment. Enthusiasm for the program
makes other teachers want to get involved. At some schools other teachers
get involved with Japan related assemblies and events, and even incorporate
Japanese history, literature and art into their curriculum. Once the faculty sees
the Japanese language program as something that promotes positive thinking and a broader
worldview, they can embrace it and help it to grow.

Ideas for Program Application
The Pilgrim School experimented with new activities in 2010. The first week after the winterholidays, we suspended all normal classes Kindergarten through 12th grade and decided toimmerse the entire school in Japanese culture in a handson, interactive fashion. This
program—which we called “Golden Week in honor of the cultural festival in Japan—wasmade possible by the sponsorship of Mr. & Mrs. Noritoshi Kanai, whose
grandchild is presently a third grader at Pilgrim. Mr. Kanai is currently Presidentof Mutual Trading Co., Inc., an importer and distributor of Japanese foodsnationally, and the pioneer of sushi in America.
Instead of classes on phonics or chemistry, students took classes in sushi
making, Japanese language, Ikebana flower arrangement, Japanese tea
ceremony, Taiko drums, calligraphy, traditional Japanese folk music, andmartial arts activities such as judo, karate, and Kendo (bamboo sword
fighting.) In all, over 18 separate courses were offered to students age 5 to 18
and over 35 instructors from throughout the Japanese American community
volunteered their time.
At the end of the week, students organized an art show to display their original art and an assembly to showcase their
newfound talents in Kabuki Theatre, music, and their martial arts. While organizing this activity was a tremendous
undertaking, interest in Japanese culture blossomed. The students simply didn’t want to go home at the end of the day andwe actually had the problem of students trying to sneak into classes. As a result, signups for taking Japanese classes are up,
the after school Judo club is packed, and the entire community is much more engaged in crosscultural activities. If yourschool is worried about the daunting task of raising money or the logistics of organizing an event like this, start small withassemblies, clubs, guest speakers, and volunteers.
*Reader’s Note: Pilgrim School, located in the Wilshire District of Los Angeles just west of downtown, is one of the most cultural and ethnically diverse schools in the United States anddraws on students from throughout the city and across the world.

Make sure to visit our website at http://www.jflalc.org ( select Advocacy )Japanese Language
Program Advocacy
For Middle Schools and High Schools
Advantages for the Students
1. A Japanese program makes the school standout. It is a selling point, attracting
students and parents to both the school and to the district.
2. A Japanese language program brings with it prestige; it is a sign of a school’s
dedication to an enriching education and it offers students and families somethingunique.
3. Having learned Japanese gives students an edge in college admissions, further
adding to the stature of the school, especially when the program includes an APcomponent.

Advantages for the School
1. Students can look forward to unique activities relating to a completely different
culture from their own.
At Pilgrim, we are a 1:1 laptop school and every student creates Japanesepresentations using iMovie, which allows them to integrate their interest intechnology with their mastery of the language.
2. Students learn the value of persistence and respect for other cultures.
3. Learning any foreign language, especially one as different from English as Japanese, can help
students to look more critically at their native language, and understand it at a deeper level.
4. Having acquired critical communication skills, learning one foreign language is often ajumping off point for people to learn other languages within their lifetime.
To help bolster these goals, our Japanese language instructor organized a 10day spring
break trip to Japan this year. Organized at least a year in advance and involving multiple
fundraisers and a grant to keep the trip affordable, this experience is building major excite
ment for the program and is helping foster relevance during classroom discussion. First handobservations show that the students are highly motivated to learn everyday phrases andmaster their grammar because they know they will need it—and not just in the abstractfuture.

Conclusion
No two Japanese language programs are alike. The keys to success involve an engaged faculty, a supportive administration,
support from parents and students, and the ability to think longterm in terms about what students will need in the future.
As one of the languages of 21st century commerce, Japanese will expand your student’s horizons. Whether students will berunning a corporation, making laws in the Senate, or running a school in that distant tomorrow, the ability to speak anotherlanguage will enhance their leadership capabilities and career opportunities.
Additional information on how to fund a foreign language program can be found on the Grants and Advocacy section of ourwebsite at http://www.jflalc.org.

© 2010, The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles