HSC Japanese Beginners (NSW) study plan
HSC Japanese Beginners (NSW) · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Family life, home and neighbourhood
Build a personal vocabulary bank of 60 core family and home words (e.g., 家族, 両親, 家, 部屋) and record each with kanji, reading, and an example sentence.
Write 10 original sentences describing your own family members using は/が/の and basic counters (人, 匹).
Record yourself reading five short self-written descriptions of your neighbourhood and note three pronunciation fixes.
Create a one-page reference sheet of 10 set phrases for talking about where you live (e.g., 〜に住んでいます).
Your checkpoint
A 150-word self-introduction covering family, home, and neighbourhood, submitted as a written text plus a 1-minute audio recording.
Family life, home and neighbourhood & People, places and communities
Expand the vocabulary bank to 120 words by adding 60 community and place words (e.g., 図書館, 公園, 店, 駅).
Practise 15 dialogue exchanges asking and answering about daily routines and local amenities using あります/います correctly.
Write a 120-word description of your neighbourhood comparing two places with より〜のほうが and 一番.
Listen to three short authentic-style announcements (self-recorded) and extract key details in a table.
Your checkpoint
A 120-word neighbourhood guide in Japanese with a simple map labelled in Japanese, plus five comprehension questions and answers.
Education and work & People, places and communities
Build a 50-word education and work vocabulary set (e.g., 学校, 先生, 仕事, 会社, アルバイト) with example sentences.
Write 12 sentences about your school or work day using past tense (〜ました/〜でした) and time expressions.
Role-play a 10-line job interview or school enrolment conversation, recording both parts.
Identify and correct five common particle errors in your own writing from weeks 1–2.
Your checkpoint
A 150-word piece titled 私の学校と仕事 describing your education history and current or ideal job, with a self-correction log.
Education and work & Friends, recreation and pastimes
Add 50 recreation and pastime words (e.g., 趣味, 映画, 音楽, スポーツ, 遊ぶ) and use each in a spoken sentence.
Write 10 sentences using 〜たいです and 〜ことが好きです to express preferences about work and leisure.
Practise 10 invitation dialogues using 〜ませんか and 〜ましょう, varying formality.
Complete a timed 20-minute reading task on a short education/work text and score at least 80% on detail questions.
Your checkpoint
A 200-word combined text: 私の仕事と趣味, plus a 2-minute recorded dialogue inviting a friend to a leisure activity.
Friends, recreation and pastimes
Build a 40-word free-time and hobby vocabulary set and classify each as noun, verb, or adjective.
Write 15 sentences describing weekend and holiday activities using て-form to link actions.
Record a 2-minute monologue about your favourite pastime, including reasons with から and ので.
Create 10 original true/false and short-answer questions from a self-written leisure text.
Your checkpoint
A 180-word leisure diary entry covering three different pastimes, with a 10-question comprehension set and answer key.
Holidays, travel and tourism
Build a 50-word travel and tourism vocabulary set (e.g., 旅行, 電車, 切符, ホテル, 観光) with example sentences.
Write 12 sentences making travel arrangements using 〜つもりです and 〜予定です.
Role-play a 10-line hotel check-in and a 10-line asking-for-directions dialogue.
Read a 200-word travel itinerary and extract dates, transport, and costs into a table.
Your checkpoint
A 200-word travel plan for a 3-day trip in Japan, including transport, accommodation, and two activities, plus a labelled itinerary table.
Future plans and aspirations & Holidays, travel and tourism
Build a 30-word future plans vocabulary set (e.g., 将来, 夢, 大学, 就職, 留学) and use each in a sentence.
Write 15 sentences about future goals using 〜たいと思っています and 〜つもりです.
Record a 2-minute monologue linking past travel experience to future aspirations.
Review and correct all written work from weeks 1–6 for particle, tense, and script accuracy.
Your checkpoint
A 200-word text titled 私の将来の夢, plus a corrected portfolio of all previous written tasks with a list of recurring errors.
Family life, home and neighbourhood & People, places and communities & Education and work & Friends, recreation and pastimes & Holidays, travel and tourism & Future plans and aspirations
Complete two full timed practice papers (reading and writing) under exam conditions and mark them.
Deliver a 3-minute recorded monologue covering all six domains with only brief notes.
Revise the 20 highest-frequency errors from your portfolio and write a one-page cheat sheet.
Simulate a 5-minute speaking conversation with a partner or self-recording, covering family, community, work, leisure, travel, and future plans.
Your checkpoint
A mock exam package: two completed timed papers with scores, a 3-minute monologue recording, and a one-page error-revision sheet.
Milestones
Week 2: Can introduce family, home, and neighbourhood in 1 minute with at least 8 correct particles and 5 counters, verified by self-recording review.
Week 4: Scores at least 80% on a 20-minute reading task about education and work, and produces a 150-word text with no more than 3 particle errors.
Week 6: Completes a 200-word travel plan with correct use of 〜つもりです and 〜予定です, and passes a 10-item travel vocabulary self-quiz at 90%.
Week 8: Achieves at least 75% on both timed mock papers and delivers a 3-minute monologue covering all six domains with clear structure and minimal hesitation.