"Throughout my 6 years of teaching Japanese, I have been extremely fortunate to have worked with a different Japanese assistant each year.  It was during my NQT year, when I was able to focus on more that just getting through the lesson, that I realised that a Japanese assistant is a fantastic resource.  In September 2005, Kozue Takami came to work at Tile Hill Wood and in September 2006 our current assistant, Yukiko Katsura, arrived. Both Kozue and Yukiko are on the British Council programme and have had a huge impact on the 250 pupils who are currently studying Japanese.  A Japan club has been established – open both to pupils who don’t study Japanese and those who do; Kozue taught in all Year 7 Music lessons and introduced traditional and popular music; She taught Japanese numbers and number patterns to all Year 8 pupils; Yukiko teaches Japanese at local Primary Schools; teaches pupils in small groups; leads Japanese lessons; has led cooking lessons; taught about tea ceremony and led food tasting lessons. More importantly, however, Yukiko has INSPIRED our pupils with a love of Japan and a confidence in their own linguistic abilities.  In fact one of my difficult Year 11 pupils summed up Yukiko’s strengths recently when she said “Yukiko sensei just makes every lesson better”.  Indeed, I couldn’t have put it better myself!

Sally Benson, subject leader for Japanese, Tile Hill Wood School and Language College, Coventry.