Takako Tomoda, Lecturer
Biography
Qualifications
Contact Details
Subjects Taught
Recent Supervision
Research Interests
Publications
Biography
I completed a Bachelor of Arts at Seijo University in Tokyo with a major in linguistics and literature. My thesis was on differences between English and Japanese in the way certain words are conceptualised. After graduation I got a job at the head office of NEC (Nippon Electric Company) in Tokyo where I worked in the Export Trade Section of the International Electronics Division.
Later, I left NEC to do a Master of Education at the University of Arizona, Tucson in the field of applied linguistics. This course covered the theory and methodology of foreign language education with a focus on practical application. My thesis was on teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) to Japanese adults. It was an interesting and challenging experience to be an international student in the USA. Even though I had learned English in Japan and used English often at NEC it was quite another thing to have to use English every day at graduate school. Nevertheless I was elected to Kappa Delta Phi. I also got my first chance to get some practical Japanese teaching experience while at U of A.
Upon returning to Japan I taught both Japanese and English at a number of institutions in Tokyo including: Kanda Institute of Foreign Languages, Asahi Kokusai Gakuin, Nippon Electronics College and Japan Overseas Educational Service () as well as at companies such as Wacker Chemicals East Asia Ltd. Over these years I gained much valuable experience in the practice of language teaching at all levels and in program design. I also learned about managing inter-cultural relations since I was involved in teaching people from many different countries.
At the end of 1988 I came to Australia. In Sydney I taught Japanese to Qantas flight personnel for Institute of Languages, University of New South Wales and to Australian businessmen at Sumitomo Life Insurance Australia Ltd and lectured in the School of Commerce and Marketing, University of New South Wales.
Later, I took up a position at University of New England, Northern Rivers where I developed and taught a new degree program in Japanese language and Asian Studies. Subsequently, I became coordinator of Asian Studies, in the Centre for Media Communications and Asian Studies at Southern Cross University (SCU). I came to Monash in 1996.
Qualifications
PhD, University of New South Wales
Thesis title:
The loanword (gairaigo
) influx into the Japanese language: contemporary perceptions and
responses
Bachelor of Arts, Seijo University, Tokyo.
Master of Education, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA.
Contact details
|
Room: |
Clayton Campus: |
W429 Menzies Building (Building 11) |
| Berwick Campus: | Room 220 | |
|
Phone: |
Clayton Campus: |
(03) 9905 2273 (international: 61 3 9905 2273) |
| Berwick Campus: | (03) 9904 7029 (international: 61 3 9904 7029) |
| Email: | takako.tomoda@arts.monash.edu.au |
|
Fax: |
(03) 9905 5437 (international: 61 3 9905 5437) |
|
Mailing Address: |
Dr T. Tomoda |
Subjects Taught
Japanese 1: JPL1010/2010, JLG4010/5010
This is an introductory level subject aimed at students who have not studied Japanese before. It introduces you to basic survival Japanese conversation and the fundamentals of the Japanese writing system. It also includes information on Japan and on key cultural and social points of importance when interacting with Japanese people.
Japanese 2: JPL1020/2020, JLG4020/5020
Japanese 2 builds on Japanese 1 to further develop in students the knowledge, strategies and skills needed to interact in Japanese in practical contexts in Australia and in Japan. It extends their linguistic, sociolinguistic and socio-cultural knowledge in order to develop cross-cultural awareness and facilitate effective interaction.
Recent Supervision
Project in Translation (English to Japanese) for Master of Japanese Interpreting & Translation.
Overview of Chinese Medicine Regulation
in Victoria,
Advertising Guidelines for Registered Chinese
Medicine Practitioners
Project in Translation (Japanese to English) for Master of Japanese Interpreting & Translation.
Kampo Medicine - Past, Present and FutureHonours thesis
Loanword comprehension among learners of Japanese
Research Interests
1. Current Research
1. Language contact, language change, language policy and loanwords in Japanese
I am interested in how Japanese has changed and is changing in response to contact with other languages and how Japanese people and government agencies respond to these changes. A key aspect of language change is the adoption and adaptation of words from other languages into the Japanese vocabulary. This is a process that has occurred since ancient times but in the modern world it has controversial aspects.
2. Japanese Language Education in Australia
The history and development of Japanese language education in Australia is an area in which I have long had an interest. I have written two book chapters and some journal articles on this subject.
3. Teaching of Japanese as a Foreign Language
Since I have a background in the methods of foreign language teaching and course design I have an ongoing interest in the development of effective teaching methods and materials for Japanese language teaching that satisfy student needs and stimulate the active use of Japanese in the classroom.
4. History of Medicine in Japan and China
I am involved in collaborative research with Brian May of Victoria University in the field of Oriental Medicine. One project has been the collection and analysis of research on the early development of medicine in China and Japan.
2. Current Projects
Flexible Delivery of Japanese Language
A web site named 'SAKURA' has been developed to provide students with interactive on-line exercises in Japanese language.
Please visit Sakura and see for yourself:
Publications
Textbooks
| Tomoda, T. and May, B. Interactive
Japanese: Book 2, Lessons 18-21. Sakura Books, 2003, 131 pages. ISBN 0-9577200-33 |  | |
| Tomoda,
T. and May, B. From Hiragana to Katakana. A.J.L.S., 1999, 52 pages. ISBN 0-9577200-09 |  | |
| Tomoda,
T. and May, B. Interactive Japanese: Book l. Kodansha International Ltd, 1996, 318 pages. ISBN 4-7700-2035-3 |
 |
Tomoda, T. and May, B. Interactive Japanese: Book l, cassette tapes. Kodansha International Ltd, 1996, 100 minutes. ISBN 4-7700-2063-5
Book Chapters
"Sakura: An interactive site for learners of Japanese." In Uschi Felix (ed.)Beyond Babel, Melbourne, Language Australia, 2001.
| "The Current State of Higher Education in Australia" . In Sasamori Takeshi and Ishizuki Minoru (eds)(). Education in Australia and New Zealiand, Tokyo, Toshindo (), 2001. |  | |
| "Issues in Language Policy and Japanese Language Education in Australia" (). In Honna Nobuyuki and Okamoto Sachiko (eds) () Japanese Language Education in Asia(), pp. 173-194. Tokyo, Sanshusha (), 2000. |  |
Published Articles
2005
"Change in script usage in Japanese: A longitudinal study of Japanese government white papers on labor". Electronic Journal of Contemporary Japanese Studies, 2005, http://www.japanesestudies.org.uk/articles /2005/Tomoda.html
"Developing Sakura - an interactive website for Japanese language learners". CALL-EJ Online, 6(2), 2005, http://www.tell.is.ritsumei.ac.jp/callejonline/journal/6-2/tomoda.html
2002
"Seahorses in the Ben cao gang mu and in contemporary Chinese medicine." Joint article with B. May. Journal of the Australian Chinese Medicine Education and Research Council, Vol. 7:1, 2002, pp. 2-13.
"Medical events in the time of Wang Mang, circa 26 BC - AD 23". Joint article with B. May. Pacific Journal of Oriental Medicine, No. 20, 2002, pp. 45-56.
"The story of Dr Huan, Duke Jing and the Shaman from Mulberry Fields". Joint article with B. May. Journal of the Australian Chinese Medicine Education and Research Council, Vol. 7:3, 2002, pp. 2-15.
2001
"Sakura: The interactive web site at Monash University for learners of Japanese." Newsletter of the Japanese Language Teachers' Association of Victoria Inc, Autumn 2001, pp 20-21.
"Integrating the Web into Japanese language teaching in and L2 environment ". Paper presented at The 41st Conference of Japan Associations of Language Education and Technology (LET), 2001, August 2001. Published in the proceedings, pp. 142-145.
2000
"Defining the concept of loanword in Japanese: Results from a survey of 860 respondents." Monash University Linguistics Papers, Vol. 2, No.2, 2000, pp. 3-14.
1999
"The impact of loan-words on modern Japanese. Japan Forum 11(2), 1999, pp. 231-253.
"A Mixed Success: Japanese Language in Australian Schools since the 1980s". Joint article with B. May. New Zealand Journal of Asian Studies , Vol. I, No.1, 1999, pp. 124-141.
"The origins of the Wu Xing". Joint article with B. May. Journal of the Australian Chinese Medicine Education and Research Council , Vol. 4:2, 1999, pp. 14-23.
"The life of Ma Dan-Yang". Joint article with B. May and M. Wang.Journal of the Australian Chinese Medicine Education and Research Council , Vol. 4:6, 1999, pp. 12-15.
"The life and medical practice of Hua Tuo." Joint article with B. May. and M. Wang. Pacific Journal of Oriental Medicine, No. 15, 1999, pp. 40-54.
1996
Language diplomacy and Japanese politeness". Joint article with Y. Obana.New Zealand Journal of East Asian Studies, Vol. IV, No.2, 1996, pp.64-75.
1994
"The Sociological Significance of 'Politeness' in English and Japanese Language". Joint article with Y. Obana. Bulletin of the Japanese Studies Association of Australia , Vol. 14 No.2, 1994, pp. 37-49.
1993
"The development and teaching of a Japanese language course in an Australian University" (). The Guide to Specialty Schools and Graduate Schools, 1993, Tokyo, ALC, pp. 148-9.
1992
"A New Course Structure for Japanese Studies - Problems and Solutions". Paper presented at 9th National Languages Conference of the Australian Language Teachers' Associations (AFMLTA), July 1992. Published in the proceedings of the conference, pp. 267-271.
"Improving Literacy in Japanese - The Kanji Barrier". Paper presented at 9th National Languages Conference of the Australian Language Teachers' Associations (AFMLTA), July 1992. Published in the proceedings of the conference, pp. 257-266.
1991
"Strategies for teaching practical Japanese" (). Interview article in Monthly Nihongo, Oct. 1991, pp. 54-55.
Unpublished Papers, Submissions and Guest Lectures
"Cross-cultural issues in Australian University Education". Guest lecture at the School of International Politics Economics and Business at Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo in December 1999.
"What are Gairaigo and how are they regarded?" Paper presented to the 9th Japanese Studies Association of Australia conference, July 1995.
"Cross-cultural Considerations in Language Teaching". Guest lecture at Seijo University in Tokyo as part of series on language and society hosted by the Department of Linguistics and Literature in December 1993.
"Is Gairaigo Really a Threat to the Japanese Language?" Paper presented to the 8th Japanese Studies Association of Australia conference, July 1993.
"The Achievement of Literacy in Japanese" Submission to the National Teaching Workshop, Griffith University, 1992.
"In-service Level-up Training for Teachers of Japanese" Submission to the Australian Second Language Program, 1991.
"Improving the Quality of Japanese Language Teaching". Submission to The Teaching of Modern Languages in Australian Higher Education (Leal Report), a review commissioned by DEET, April 1990.
"Japanese and Asian Studies at UNENR". Paper discussing the recommendations of the Ingleson Report and their implications for course development. Presented to Faculty of Education, University of New England, Northern Rivers, March 1990.