Elementary All-Subjects: Japanese Language - Course of Study and Language Basics

The objective of Japanese Language (国語) in the Course of Study for Elementary Schools (学習指導要領, 2017 notification) begins: "Using linguistic perspectives and ways of thinking, and through language activities, to develop ( ) as follows." What fills the blank?

1. the competencies to read and write Japanese correctly and appreciate it richly
2. the competencies to understand accurately and express appropriately in Japanese
3. the competencies to take part in society and collaborate through language
4. the competencies to understand Japanese features and pass on its traditions

Objective (3) of Japanese Language, "to recognise the value of words, cultivate a sense of language, be aware of the importance of Japanese, and develop an attitude of respecting Japanese and trying to improve one's ability in it", belongs to which of the three pillars of competencies?

1. Knowledge and skills
2. Thinking, judgement and expression
3. Motivation to learn and humanity
4. Linguistic perspectives and ways of thinking

Which of the following is NOT one of the items listed under [Knowledge and Skills] in each grade's content?

1. Items on features and use of words
2. Items on handling information
3. Items on Japan's linguistic culture
4. Items on speaking and listening

In which grade band does the item on handling information say "understand relationships between pieces of information, such as cause and effect"?

1. Grades 5 and 6
2. Grades 1 and 2
3. Grades 3 and 4
4. Common to all grades

Which is the correct ending of objective (2) for grades 3 and 4?

1. ...so that they can have their own thoughts and ideas.
2. ...so that they can broaden their own thoughts and ideas.
3. ...so that they can organise their own thoughts and ideas.
4. ...so that they can deepen their own thoughts and ideas.

Which pairing of grade band and the wording on reading in grade objective (3) is correct?

1. Grades 1-2: read widely (幅広く)
2. Grades 5-6: read willingly (進んで)
3. Grades 3-4: read with enjoyment (楽しんで)
4. Grades 5-6: read widely (幅広く)

Under Appended Table 1 of the Ordinance for Enforcement of the School Education Act (学校教育法施行規則 別表第一), which grade has the most standard annual class hours of Japanese Language?

1. Grade 1
2. Grade 3
3. Grade 6
4. Grade 2

Which is the correct opening of objective (2) for grades 1 and 2?

1. Develop the ability to think in order and to feel and imagine
2. Develop the ability to think logically step by step and to feel and imagine richly
3. Develop the ability to think logically and to empathise and imagine
4. Develop the ability to think from many angles and to sense things richly

In which grade are pupils taught to "read and write simple everyday words in romaji"?

1. Grade 1
2. Grade 4
3. Grade 5
4. Grade 3

Which correctly describes yōon (拗音, contracted sounds), one of the notations learned in grades 1 and 2?

1. A sound written by adding a small ゃ, ゅ or ょ, as in きゃ or しゅ
2. A double consonant written with a small っ, as in きって
3. The syllabic nasal written with ん, as in みかん
4. A long vowel, as in かあ in おかあさん

Which correctly describes kanji teaching in grade 4 under the Course of Study?

1. Be able to read and write all kanji allocated up to grade 4
2. Only read grade 4 kanji; writing them starts in grade 5
3. Read kanji allocated up to grade 4, write and use those up to grade 3, and gradually write grade 4 kanji
4. Read kanji up to grade 3 and do not deal with grade 4 kanji

Among the six categories of kanji formation (六書), which one is 休 (rest)?

1. Phono-semantic compound (形声)
2. Compound ideograph (会意)
3. Pictograph (象形)
4. Simple ideograph (指事)

Which of these is a phono-semantic compound (形声), combining a meaning part and a sound part?

1. 林 (grove)
2. 銅 (copper)
3. 上 (above)
4. 川 (river)

By position, which type of radical is the radical of 道 (shinnyō)?

1. Tare (たれ)
2. Kamae (かまえ)
3. Ashi (あし)
4. Nyō (にょう)

In the sentence 「弟のかいた絵が市のコンクールで入賞した。」 (The picture my younger brother drew won a prize in the city contest.), which is the subject?

1. 絵が (the picture)
2. 弟の (my younger brother's)
3. コンクールで (in the contest)
4. 入賞した (won a prize)

In 「白い大きな犬がゆっくり歩く。」 (A big white dog walks slowly.), which word does ゆっくり (slowly) modify?

1. 犬が (the dog)
2. 大きな (big)
3. 歩く (walks)
4. 白い (white)

Which conjunction best fills the blank: 「朝から強い雨が降った。（　）、運動会は予定どおり行われた。」 (It rained heavily from the morning. ( ), the sports day was held as planned.)

1. しかし (however)
2. だから (so)
3. そのうえ (moreover)
4. なぜなら (because)

In which grade band does the content say "become familiar with the sound and rhythm of language by reading aloud or reciting tanka and haiku in easy classical style"?

1. Grades 1 and 2
2. Grades 5 and 6
3. Grade 6 only
4. Grades 3 and 4

Who wrote the haiku 「菜の花や月は東に日は西に」 (Rape blossoms - the moon in the east, the sun in the west), and what season is it?

1. Matsuo Bashō, spring
2. Yosa Buson, spring
3. Yosa Buson, autumn
4. Kobayashi Issa, summer

Which of these is a kojiseigo (故事成語), an expression from an old Chinese story or book?

1. 蛇足 (dasoku, an unnecessary addition)
2. 猿も木から落ちる (even monkeys fall from trees)
3. 腹を立てる (to get angry)
4. 石の上にも三年 (three years on a stone)

Which essay collection was written by Kamo no Chōmei?

1. Hōjōki (方丈記)
2. Tsurezuregusa (徒然草)
3. Makura no Sōshi (枕草子)
4. Tosa Nikki (土佐日記)

Who wrote the children's story Gongitsune (ごんぎつね)?

1. Miyazawa Kenji
2. Muku Hatojū
3. Akutagawa Ryūnosuke
4. Niimi Nankichi

Which correctly describes brush calligraphy (毛筆書写) in the Course of Study?

1. Taught in each grade from grade 1, about 30 unit hours a year
2. Taught in each grade from grade 3, about 50 unit hours a year
3. Taught in each grade from grade 3, about 30 unit hours a year
4. Taught in each grade from grade 5, about 35 unit hours a year

Which of the following is in [Knowledge and Skills] (3) for grades 5 and 6?

1. Notice the richness of language through long-loved word games
2. Notice changes in language over time and differences between generations, and understand the difference between standard Japanese and dialects
3. Understand that kanji are made up of parts such as hen and tsukuri
4. Become familiar with traditional linguistic culture by listening to folk tales, myths and legends read aloud

What is the guideline for annual class hours for "B Writing" in grades 1 and 2?

1. About 85 unit hours
2. About 55 unit hours
3. About 100 unit hours
4. About 35 unit hours

What is the guideline for annual class hours for "A Speaking and Listening" in grades 5 and 6?

1. About 30 unit hours
2. About 35 unit hours
3. About 55 unit hours
4. About 25 unit hours

Which correctly describes how to teach the items in [Knowledge and Skills], according to "Planning and Handling of Content"?

1. Basically teach them through teaching the items in [Thinking, Judgement and Expression]; specific items may be taken up on their own when needed
2. Basically teach them separately from [Thinking, Judgement and Expression], all at the start of each unit
3. Taking up specific items on their own is not allowed
4. Basically teach them all together in the first term of each school year

In which grade band is "writing what they felt or imagined, such as composing tanka and haiku" given as an example language activity for "B Writing"?

1. Grades 1 and 2
2. Grades 5 and 6
3. Grades 3 and 4
4. Common to all grades

Which correctly describes teaching materials for "C Reading" in the Course of Study?

1. In lower grades focus on literary texts; start expository texts in middle grades
2. Choose expository texts that do not include charts or photos
3. In every grade, handle types of text such as expository and literary texts in a balanced way
4. In upper grades focus on expository texts and do not deal with literary texts

Which is given as something to do at the very start of first grade when planning Japanese Language teaching?

1. Inquiry-based teaching centred on the Period for Integrated Studies (総合的な学習の時間)
2. Integrated and cross-subject teaching centred on Life Environment Studies (生活科), and a flexible timetable
3. Teaching Japanese content only through group activities in Special Activities (特別活動)
4. Teaching centred on reading materials in Moral Education (道徳科)