EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE

Q.

I'm studying Japanese in high school. It would surely help my pronunciation if I had a native Japanese teacher. Is it possible to have a Japanese teacher in my school?

A.

The JALEX Program (Japanese Language Exchange Program) sends Japanese teaching assistants to US high schools that offer Japanese language instruction. Under the program, young Japanese teaching assistants who have been trained in Japanese language instruction team teach with the American language instructors at US high schools. The JALEX Program began in 1992 because of the growing numbers of US secondary schools offering Japanese classes. There are currently 84 Japanese teaching assistants serving in 19 states under the program. Since 1992, a total of more than 300 teaching assistants have participated. The JALEX Program is jointly sponsored by the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership and the Laurasian Institution.