On March 13, 2024, the Japan Foundation, Manila, in partnership with the University of the Philippines’ Department of Linguistics, held the 38th Philippine Nihongo Teachers’ Forum at UP Diliman. It was an enriching event filled with insightful discussions and practical workshops aimed at enhancing Japanese language education in the Philippines.
The event featured keynote speaker, Dr. Yasu-hiko Tohasaku, a distinguished professor and language program Director from the University of California, San Diego, who captivated the audience with his discourse on the significance of Assessment in foreign language learning. Attendees were introduced to several types of formative assessment and given a preview of how formative assessment can help teachers continuously improve their classes while helping students achieve better results with summative assessment.
After lunch, participants explored poster presentations showing various unique assessment tools developed by educators from across the country.
This was followed by a hands-on workshop that provided participants with an interactive learning experience that allowed them to collaborate and apply the knowledge gained earlier in the day. Tohsaku Sensei and members of the audience shared feedback and guidance, enriching the learning process further.
Although it was a full-day event, the enthusiasm among participants remained high throughout. Everyone left feeling invigorated and eager to implement new strategies in their teaching practice.
We hope this will be a starting point for teachers to focus on the development of students’ critical thinking skills to cultivate future-ready global citizens, and we look forward to related events soon.
