HSC Japanese Continuers (NSW) study guide
HSC Japanese Continuers (NSW) · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
HSC Japanese Continuers is a Stage 6 course and external examination offered within the New South Wales HSC system. It is designed for students who have studied Japanese as a second language, typically from Years 9–10 onward, rather than for background speakers; the syllabus sets out eligibility rules, and students with substantial home exposure to Japanese should check those rules or consider a different course. The HSC Japanese Continuers (NSW) study guide has 6 sections and about 2,132 words.
01The Japanese-Speaking Communities
You need to describe how Japanese-speaking communities are organised and how language carries culture: register (敬語 keigo , 丁寧語 teineigo , casual speech), in-group/out-group boundaries (内 uchi / 外 soto ), 建前 tatemae versus 本音 honne , gift-giving and seasonal obligations (お中元 ochūgen , お歳暮 oseibo ), and the role of 地域 chiiki groups such as 町内会 chōnaikai , 自治会 jichikai , PTAs and 部活 bukatsu networks. In Australia the community includes long-settled families, recent arrivals, students, and Nikkei communities in cities such as Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast; each has different ties to Japanese media, food and language maintenance.
378 words, about 2 min02The Changing Nature of Work
You must discuss how work in Japan and in Japanese-speaking communities is changing, and use vocabulary such as 終身雇用 shūshin koyō (lifetime employment), 年功序列 nenkō joretsu (seniority pay), 非正規雇用 hiseiki koyō (non-regular employment), 派遣社員 haken shain (dispatch worker), 過労死 karōshi (death from overwork), 働き方改革 hatarakikata kaikaku (work-style reform), テレワーク terewāku , 転職 tenshoku (changing jobs), 就職活動 shūkatsu (job hunting), 新卒一括採用 shinsotsu ikkatsu saiyō (mass hiring of new graduates), and 外国人労働者 gaikokujin rōdōsha (foreign workers). Erosion of the employment model: lifetime employment and seniority pay were never universal - small firms, women and non-regular workers were largely excluded.
371 words, about 2 min03The Individual as a Member of Society
You must discuss the individual's place in Japanese society: family roles, school life, community obligations, and contemporary social issues. Key vocabulary includes 個人 kojin (individual) versus 集団 shūdan (group), 家族構成 kazoku kōsei (family structure), 核家族 kakukazoku (nuclear family), 少子化 shōshika (declining birth rate), 高齢化 kōreika (ageing), 一人暮らし hitorigurashi (living alone), 引きこもり hikikomori , いじめ ijime (bullying), ボランティア borantia , 地域社会 chiiki shakai (local community), 自己責任 jikosekinin (self-responsibility), and ワークライフバランス wākuraifu baransu .
371 words, about 2 min04Listening and Responding
You must understand spoken Japanese in monologues and dialogues - announcements, interviews, conversations, school talks - and respond in Japanese or English as instructed. The skill tested is extracting gist, specific detail, speaker attitude and implied meaning under time pressure.
361 words, about 2 min05Reading and Responding
You must read Japanese texts - notices, emails, articles, blogs, letters, advertisements - identify main points and supporting detail, infer tone and purpose, and respond in Japanese or English as required. Text-type conventions: メール has 件名, 宛名, 挨拶, 本文, 署名; 手紙 uses 拝啓/敬具 and seasonal greetings (時候の挨拶); notices use headings, bullet points and 〜してください/〜お願いします; blogs are informal with だ・である or plain forms.
325 words, about 2 min06Writing in Japanese
You must produce original Japanese texts of roughly 300–400 characters for prescribed text types: メール, 手紙, 日記, ブログ, スピーチ, 作文, 記事, 感想文. Marks reward relevant content, coherent structure, appropriate register and accurate language.
326 words, about 2 min