Ideas for teaching Japanese
WRITING KATAKANA カタカナ
Ideas for teaching Japanese writing including katakana in the classroom, useful websites, board games, PowerPoints, videos, posters, flashcards and free downloadable worksheets.
Apps
Ipad Itouch kana self paced learning
Ss learn hiragana and katakana at their own pace using Ipad or Itouch apps. This booklet guides Ss through 8 levels (from complete beginner to advanced) of App based exercises. Donated by J Sgro
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Assignments and projects
Katakana assignment
Assignment where students complete various tasks related to reading and writing katakana. Donated by R Ashford
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Board games
Katakana colour games (3 game boards)
Divide the class into groups of three. Copy a game board for each group. Students start at 'Sutaato' and work their way to 'Gooru'. Taking turns, students must read the katakana character. If read correctly they can colour in the katakana square. (Ensure each student in the group has a different colour pen.) If they can't read the katakana the next person can try to read it. If no one can read the katakana they race to check their katakana chart. The person who can find the reading the fastest, colours in the katakana square. The person in the group with the most coloured in katakana at the end is the winner.(There are 3 different game boards to choose from - basic characters, basic characters and tenten maru, OR ten ten maru and combinations.) Created by I Foley |
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Booklets
A 'ア is for' booklet
Trace the katakana letter then students think of a word that reminds them of this sound and write a sentence 'ケ is for kettle' and then students create a picture to illustrate this sound and mnemonic. Donated by R Allen
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Colour codes booklet - katakana
Ss read and find the katakana and colour them in according to the colour key. Ss discover a picture in each colour code activity. (Booklet includes 10 different colouring in activities. Each 10 activities focusses on a different set of katakana.) Donated by M Miller
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Hiragana and Katakana booklet
Booklet with hiragana and katakana writing practise as well as quizzes. Includes stories to help remember each character. Includes a brief explanation of the wiritng system. (29 pages) Donated by K Ishii
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Katakana renshuu writing practise
Activities practising writing and reading katakana. (7 pages) Donated by Gabriela
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Katakana writing practise booklet
Katakana writing practise including word writing exercises. (16 pages) Donated by S Devonshire
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Katakana writing practise booklet
Practise writing katakana including those with ten ten and maru. (15 pages) Donated by M Miller
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Reading practise booklet
Ss read Katakana words according to level (Level 1 to 9) and topic including food, counties, animals, sports, music, technology, clothing, accessories, famous people and movies. Donated by A Yamatote
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Speed tests - Hiragana and Katakana
Hand out the speed test. Don’t reveal which column the students are to work on until the last second. Give the students 60 seconds (or a time suitable to ability) to translate the kana into romaji. Display a stop watch on a PowerPoint or Interactive Whiteboard (eg. http://www.online-stopwatch.com/) or use a clock with a second hand that students can see. When Ss complete their column they write down their time. At the end of the allocated time check the answers (either by calling them out or showing the answers on an OHT). Students check their work, and add a 10 second time penalty for each mistake. This will give the students a “corrected” time. The aim is for students to be both fast and accurate. Complete the tests regularly so that students can beat their Personal Best (PB) and increase their accuracy and speed. Donated by K McMahon |
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Charts
Katakana chart
Katakana chart includes voiced sounds and glides. Created by I Foley
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Katakana and hiragana chart
A chart of hiragana/katakana/romaji to be copied on a single page, front and back. Donated by B Shultis
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PowerPoint katakana chart
Katakana chart in PowerPoint. Can be printed and used as a poster. Donated by D Sakamoto
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Flashcards
Katakana flashcards
Various styles of free downloadable flashcards. http://www.kids-points.com/drill/index.html |
Fonts
How to install tracing or dot fonts
A step by step guide on how to install tracing or dot fonts for use in Microsoft Word. (Nazori moji なぞりもじ, kakijyun moji かきじゅんもじ, fukuro ふくろもじ) Link for font download: http://www15.ocn.ne.jp/~zounokai/00koptiindex/106nazori/nazorinew.htm
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Games in class
Tt stands at the front of the class and instructs Ss to write certain things in the air with their arms and legs. Eg. ‘Using your left hand write 'a' ア . Now use your right foot and draw 'i' イ . etc.
Around the world A Suzuki
Ss sit in a horseshoe shape. The first Ss on the left of the horseshoe shape stands behind the Ss to his/her left. These two Ss are asked a question related to the target language. Eg. “How do you pronounce this katakana?” The first Ss to answer continues left around the horseshoe shape (imagine going around the world). This Ss continues moving around the world until another Ss is faster than him/her. The Ss who is the slowest sits down and the Ss who is faster takes his/her place. Once one of the Ss has reached the end of the horseshoe shape they then have a final 3 questions together with the last person in the horseshoe shape. The Ss who wins the final 3 questions competes against the person who moved the most around the horseshoe shape. The two Ss then compete with a final 3 questions. The winner is the Ss who answers the most questions correctly and the quickest.
Back writing Adapted from www.eslprintables.com
Each pupil uses his/her finger as a pencil and writes a katakana character on his/her classmate’s back. This classmate tries to guess the word (or letter). If he or she guesses it before the “writer” finishes, he/she get three points. If he or she guesses it after the word has been written once, both children get two points. If the word has to be written a second time, they only get one point.
Ball toss
Get a large ball and write the katakana characters all over it. Throw the ball around the room. As it is thrown, yell out 'migi みぎ' (right) or 'hidari ひだり' left. When the Ss catches the ball they need to read the letter that is closest to their migi or hidari hand (which ever was called out by the thrower).
Basketball katakana
The Ss are divided into two teams. Say a katakana and the Ss who writes it first and correctly gets a point. That Ss then gets the opportunity to shoot a pretend basketball into the pretend trashcan "goal." The student can choose from the 3, 2, or 1 point shooting range. If the student doesn't get the ball in the basket, his or her team still receives at least 1 point for writing the kana the fastest. The team with the most points at the end wins.
Each Ss has a mini whiteboard (or a laminated piece of paper), whiteboard marker and eraser (or a chux). Tt yells out a katakana. The Ss write it on the whiteboard and then show the Tt as quickly as possible. Points can be allocated to the fastest Ss. Or the fastest Ss can then yell out the next letter.
Board memory
Write katakana words being studied randomly on the board. Ss then try to memorize them. Get Ss to put their heads down. ‘Minai de kudasai. みないでください。’ Then erase one of the letters. Ask the Ss to look ‘Hai, mitte kudasai みってください。’ Ss put their hands up if they know which letter is missing. The Tt selects the Ss who was the fastest. If they are correct then they can get the next chance at erasing a letter from the board. (Flashcards can also be used instead of writing the letters on the board. These flashcards can easily be removed and replaced.)
Dokkan (bang)
Write the kana being studied onto paddle pop sticks. Also write three paddle pop sticks with the word ‘DOKKAN ドッカン’ (bang). Put them all into a cup. Divide the class into two teams (or more teams). Get one student from each team to come to the front of the room. They take a paddle pop stick. If they can name the kana correctly they get to keep the paddle pop stick. If they can’t name the kana they have to put the paddle pop stick back. If the Ss pulls out a ‘DOKKAN ドッカン’ stick then they must put all their paddle pop sticks back into the cup. The team with the most paddle pop sticks at the end is the winner.
Prepare a set of dominoes with kana on one side of the domino and romaji on the other. Ss then match up the kana with the romaji.
Fan-tastic
To review katakana put the word you want Ss to learn onto a piece of A4 paper. Fold the paper in a fan shape. Slowly reveal the word, fan section by fan section. Ss have to guess what the word is before the fan is completely opened. (For each fold left over Ss can get a point.)
Guru guru Janken
Arrange about 10 chairs in a horse shoe shape. On each chair place a katakana card. Divide the class into two teams. Each team lines up at opposite ends of the horse shoe. The Tt says 'starto' and the students go around saying each katakana. When the students meet they play jankenpon. The Ss that wins continues the one that loses has to go back to the end of the line of his/her team. If a Ss goes the entire way around the horse shoe shape they get a point for their team. EXTRA: To make sure the Ss are reading the katakana correctly have one Ss from each team on the outside of the horse shoe checking what each Ss is saying. Also, to make it more difficult have two or three pairs of Ss going round the horse shoe at the same time!
Katakana combinations race Donated by R. Rivera
Divide the class into two teams. Select on person from each team to come to the front of the class. Give each student a whiteboard marker. Tt shows a katakana flashcard ending in an 'i' sound eg ki キ, then shows a second katakana flashcard either 'ya,yu or yo' ヤ、ユ、ヨ. The students then write down as quickly as they can the combination letter. ie キャ. The student who writes it up correctly first gains a point for their team. The students then select another person from their team to come to the whiteboard. The team with the most points in the end is the winner. EXTRA: To make this game more challenging, rather than showing the flashcards of the katakana the teacher can say the two katakana letters.
Katakana concentration
Give Ss a blank piece of paper. Get them to fold the paper into squares. Unfold the paper. Then Ss write the katakana letters being studied (use a pencil or a light coloured pen so that the letters can't be seen through the other side.) Cut out the squares. Lay the squares face down in random order on the desk. Ss then try to find pairs of the same letters.
Katakana jumble Adapted from www.eslprintables.com
The class is divided into pairs or groups.The teacher writes some words in katakana about a topic being studied on the board and gives each group a set of small cards where children write each katakana of the words on the board. Then they have to mix the katakana and then recompose each word. To make it more challenging the Tt can erase the words on the board.The teacher walks around checking the words and asking the children to read out the words. For older students, the teacher can write sentences rather than words and pupils have to recompose the sentence word by word.
Katakana Ninja L Brandis
Tt faces his/her back towards the Ss and draws above his/her head a katakana letter in the air. The Ss guess the letter. Ss replace the Tt.
Katakana pictures
Give each student a blank katakana letter. Get them to create a picture from the katakana. Then stick these katakana around the room as reminders.
Katakana spell Adapted from www.eslprintables.com
Divide the class into teams and give each team a set of katakana letters. Get them to spread out the letters on the table so they’re all facing up. Then give clues for words you want to test them on, e.g. ‘a fizzy, dark drink - students write koora コーラ on the table by selecting the katakana letters. Or ‘Kore wa nan desu ka?’ – point to things in the classroom, Or draw on the board etc. Once students get the idea, ask one of them to lead the game and give the clues instead of you.
Katakana Stomp L Brandis
Put a few sets of katakana (ie ha family and ma family) scattered on the floor at the front of the classroom. Select two Ss. Say a katakana. The first Ss to stomp on it with their foot and shouts the katakana is the winner. This person may now select the next Ss to come and play. (Or the Ss continue a few times. The Ss with the most flashcards at the end is the winner). Can also be done for vocabulary revision.
Katakana Taisou L Brandis
Ss choose a body part and then use it to write a letter in Japanese.
Katakana snatch
Give each pair of Ss a set of katakana letters. Ss put the letters on the table in front of them. The Tt then yells out one of the letters. Ss need to grab the letter. The fastest gets to keep the letter. If there is a tie then they play junkenpon to see who keeps the letter. The Ss with the most letters at the end is the winner.
Line up katakana
Divide the class into three groups. Get each group to stand into a straight line in front of the teacher. Tt shows a katakana. The three Ss standing at the front of each line must say the letter. The Ss who is the fastest gets to go to the end of the line. The Tt shows the next letter and so on. Each time the leader of the team gets back to the front of their line their team gets a point.
Memory Two sets of katakana cards. Put all cards face down and the Ss have to find the matching pairs. Each time a card is flipped over the Ss must say the katakana.
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Naughts and crosses kana
Use hiragana/katakana or kanji in place of X or O on a naughts and crosses board. The teacher can demonstrate on the board the correct stroke order and the students can copy these into the boxes at the top the worksheet. Donated by K Caughey. |
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Newspaper katakana
Get old Japanese newspapers, magazines or advertisements (print off Japanese webpages). Get Ss to find the katakana being studied. Ss then cut out the letters and clue them into their books.
Get a number of small stones or flat marbles. On each stone write a katakana letter. Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a bag of stones. Spread the stones out onto the desk/floor. A Ss reads two of the stones and flicks the one stone onto the other. If the stones touch (without touching any other stone) then they get to keep the stone. The Ss with the most stones at the end wins.
OHT memory A Suzuki
Put up an OHT with random katakana on it. Ss have one minute to remember whats on the OHT. Tt removes the OHT and Ss write down all things they can remember. The Ss who remembers the most words wins.
Pipe cleaner Katakana
Give each Ss a bunch of pipe cleaners. Get them to create katakana out of the pipe cleaners. (Play dough could be used instead of pipe cleaners.)
Review sheet
Copy a picture from each chapter in the textbook that Ss have studied. Then draw a bubble above each picture. Ss write a katakana word, or sentence using a katakana word that is related to the chapter picture.
Run and write
Divide the class into two teams. Allocate a runner for each team. Tt shows a flashcard of the pronunciation of a katakana letter the Ss then run to the board and writes the katakana. The person to first do this gets a point. The team with the most points at the end is the winner.
Run and circle
Write on the board the katakana being studied. Divide the class into 2 teams. One Ss from each team stands at the back of the room. The Tt then yells out a letter. The Ss run and circle the letter. The fastest gets a point for their team. The next Ss of each team then has a go until all Ss have had a turn.
Scavenger Hunt Katakana
Put katakana letters all around the room. Divide the class into two teams. Select two Ss. Tt says a katakana letter. The first Ss to find that letter and say it in Japanese gets a point for their team. The team with the most points is the winner.
Tic-Tac-Toe katakana Adapted from www.superteacherideas.com
Divide your students into two teams. Draw a big tic-tac-toe grid up on the board. Choose one person of one team to start. Tell them a katakana letter to write. Get one of the students from one of the teams to come up and write the katakana. If they write the katakana correctly, then a person from the same team gets to come up and writes another letter. If they get it wrong, then a person from the opposite team gets to come up. The first to complete 3 squares in a row is the winner.
EXTRA: Have a completed tic-tac-toe grid on the board. Two Ss come up to the board. If they can read a katakana (or katakana word) correctly they can draw a maru (circle) or batsu (cross) for their team. The first team to get 3 in a row is the winner.
Word tree Adapted from www.eslprintables.com
To practice hiragana sounds. Divide the students into groups. For each katakana being studied provide a cut-out of a large tree. Write or paint the sound/letter on the trunk of the tree. Ask the students to “hang” words on slips of paper containing the sound from the branches of the tree. Display the accumulated trees on the classroom wall as the term progresses.Use them for periodic pronunciation review.
Wani katakana ワニカタカナ Use about 10 katakana flashcards include one or two 'Wani' cards. Drill the flashcards. Each time a katakana letter is shown the students chant that katakana 3 times. If a 'wani' card is shown all the students yell out 'wani', stand up and swap chairs. The last student to get a seat must come to the front of the class and do 10 star jumps (the rest of the class count aloud 1 to 10 in Japanese). Then continue drilling the flashcards. OR: Rather than swapping seats students could stand up when they see a 'wani' and sit down at the next 'wani' last to stand or sit must do the star jumps.
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PowerPoints
Anime reading katakana
Review Katakana reading skills using titles of popular anime. Once the Ss have guessed the anime then the picture is displayed and Ss can check their answers. Donated by K. Shifflet
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Breakfast katakana quiz
A quiz where students try to read the different food vocabulary written in Katakana. Donated by Cindy
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Chiisai katakana
This PowerPoint introduces the chiisai katakana by looking at celebrity names. Donated by Mimi
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Drill the katakana (A-KO)
PowerPoint where you drill the various katakana by clicking on the coloured circles in the top left and a random katakana letter from A to KO appears. Students guess this katakana and then select another coloured circle. Donated by L Qodriyanti
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Food reading challenge
PowerPoint activity where students in pairs work out the foods and their ingredients written in Katakana. Donated by L Gibbs
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Food reading challenge 2
PowerPoint activity where students read the food words written in Katakana and work out the meanings. Give a time limit for each slide. The words on the slide can be given as homework and the slides rearranged and done again the following lesson, this time with less time on each slide. Students can track their progress. Donated by K Furlong
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How to write KATAKANA PowerPoint
A PowerPoint that shows how to write each Katakana and then give students opportunities to practice reading different words. Donated by Tracy
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Katakana in context
A series of images from Japan which include katakana, giving students a chance to try and read katakana in “real-life” situations. Donated by K Hall
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Katakana names PowerPoint Quiz Play this PowerPoint quiz to practice the names of famous people and things including: Harry Potter, Hello Kitty, Disneyland, Justin Bieber, The Rolling Stones and more. (2 versions available) Donated by Kate Z.
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Katakana stroke order
PowerPoint showing the katakana stroke order. Can be printed and used as practise sheets. Created by I Foley
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Katakana with mnemonics
PowerPoint introducing katakana with mnemonics. Donated by N Henschke
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Niteiru moji katakana
PowerPoint used to compare similar katakana characters. Can be printed and used as writing practise. Adapted from http://print-kids.net/print/kokugo/niteiru-hiragana-katakana/ Created by I Foley
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Reading and writing katakana
PowerPoint introducing katakana including stoke order animations, mnemonic, hiragana chart reference, useful tips for writing hiragana from English words. Created by I Foley.
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Reading challenge - celebrities
Divide the class into groups. In groups, translate the Katakana celebrities into English. Donated by E Habbishow.
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Rules for reading/writing katakana 1
PowerPoint describing the rules for converting English words and improving reading and writing of Katakana. Donated by B Gibb
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Rules for reading/writing katakana 2
PowerPoint introducing the rules for writing katakana accurately. Includes practise activities. Created by I Foley
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Tricky katakana
Students form small groups and work together to decide on the meaning of each Katakana word. Works effectively with students who already have a strong knowledge of Katakana.
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Videos
Katakana song |
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Myu sings Katakana
Katakana song sung by Myu. Includes ten ten and marus. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzsaTY5K3Zg |
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Websites
Katakana writing practice
Use the interactive whiteboard to practice writing katakana. Watch the correct stroke order and write. http://japaneselanguageculturefood.com/japanese-language-katakana.htm |
Kanagrams
Select all or some of the hiragana or katakana symbols. Three different games available. 'Textboxer' is a game where students type the romaji for the kana. 'Quick click' where students select the correct kana from a selection of 6 for the romaji. 'Connector' is a game where students draw a line between the kana and matching romaji pronunciation. http://www.kanagrams.com/app.php?type=play |
Kana and basic kanji games
Various games for practicing hiragana, katakana and basic kanji. Plus numerous vocabulary pages. http://www.learn-hiragana-katakana.com/ |
Kana challenge by Study Japanese
http://www.studyjapanese.org/games/kanachallenge/ Quick paced multiple choice kana activity. |
Kana flashcard game
Practice hiragana and katakana with this game. http://kana.gerke-preussner.de/flashcards.html |
Kana game: Stackana
Practice hiragana and katakana with this Tetris style game. http://www.xleeque.com/stackana-japanese-puzzle-game.aspx |
Kana invaders
Practice hiragana and katakana with this invaders type and shoot game. http://learnjapanesepod.com/kana-invaders/ |
Kana listening
http://www.coscom.co.jp/ebook/e-kanawork.html Listen, read and write kana using this useful website. |
Kana practice |
Kana quizzes |
Kana recall activity |
Katakana interactive: ChipChat
Katakana game that can be played on an interactive whiteboard. http://www.chipchat.com/NihonGo/protect/KatakanaDrill.html |
Katakana marugoto
Katakana stroke order animations, listen to each katakana, see how the katakana is used in common vocabulary, katakana quizzes. http://a1.marugotoweb.jp/basic_training.php?p=kt |
Katakana master drill
Flashcard drills with reading, character recognition (audio) and typing. http://japanese-lesson.com/characters/katakana/katakana_drill/index.html |
Katakana matching game
http://genkienglish.net/genkijapan/hiragana1.htm A game where students need to click on the cards and match the katakana. Katakana have sound. |
Katakana Mnemonics
Use Mnemonics to remember and recognise Katakana. http://www.canyouchopstick.com/2011/01/katakana-mnemonic/ |
Katakana practice |
Zondle games
Join Zondle for free. Then search the database for 100s of interactive games for hiragana, katakana, kanji and vocabulary. Or, create your own sets. (Free to join.) www.zondle.com |
Worksheets
Australian Football League ladder
Write the names of the AFL teams in Katakana in order of where they will probably finish on the ladder at the end of the season. Donated by A Pavlovic
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Celebrities in Katakana
Ss practise writing the various famous people/things in Katakana, Donated by Mimi
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Crazy Katakana matches
Translate the Katakana words and match the movie star with the movie, the food with the country of origin and the country with the tourist attraction. Donated by A Pavlovic
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Dakuten Handakuten
Practice ten ten (dakuten) and maru (handakuten) with this 12 pages PDF. http://elearn.toplanguage.co.jp/file/dullsound.pdf |
Kana drill cards
Print out the kana drill card template and create kana cards. http://www.unckel.de/kanacards/index-en.html |
Kana worksheets in colour
Hiragana and katakana worksheets including stroke order beautifully presented in colour. http://happyfu-fu.com/hiroshiandsakura/index.html |
Kana word writing practice
Ss practice writing basic words in hiragana and katakana. Donated by: J Matunding
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Katakana worksheets |
Katakana writing practice |
Tenten maru
Information sheet with mnemonics to remind students of how to change katakana when a tenten or maru is added. Created by I Foley.
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Quizzes - Katakana
Six quizzes, divided into level 1, 2 and 3 difficulty, testing students' knowledge of Katakana letters and words. Donated by N Son
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Word search - Katakana
Translate the katakana words (using a - zo) into English and then find them in the word search. Donated by K Rosenzweig
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Writing test - 46 katakana
Test katakana knowledge by filling in the table with the missing katakana letters. Donated by L Carrington
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