The Aurora Japanese Language
Scholarship Foundation (JLSF) is currently accepting applications
for the year 2007 scholarships.
JLSF was established in 1998 to encourage teachers of the Japanese
language as well as to generate international cultural exchange.
These awards will enable the awardees to carry out a project
of their choice in Japan. Each awardee will receive a $3,000
scholarship and roundtrip air tickets from the USA to Japan (coach
class).
The project can be anything that would enhance the quality of
the awardee's teaching. Applicants are encouraged to propose
any projects they would like to carry out but are currently unable
to because of the lack of funding. Types of projects awardees
may choose are unlimited! For example, projects may include:
- Studying Japanese at a pre-existing
program, such as the Japan
Foundation Japanese-Language Institute (the application deadline
for the Urawa teachers program is the first week of December
), or the Hokkaido International
Foundation (their deadline is the end of February ).
- Traveling around the country
to gather authentic materials for teaching purposes, including
taking photographs and making films;
- Visiting a school(s) in Japan
to learn more about their education system;
- Volunteering at Japanese non-profit
organizations to learn differences and similarities in how different
cultures operate in a working environment; or,
- Experiencing Japanese New Year's
with a host family and write up the experience on a web page.
After their Japan trip, scholarship
awardees will be required to submit reports to the JLSF about
their experiences in Japan.
Each awardee will also have the
(optional) opportunity to attend the annual ATJ Conference to
address the conference about their scholarship experience in
Japan.
