Japanese

At Birali Steiner School, students learn Japanese as a second language formally from Class 1. They are taught the language through songs, verses, games, conversations and interactions between students and the teacher. Students also learn Japanese culture through listening to Japanese folk tales and experiencing Japanese annual festivals such as Setsubun Festival in February, Girls Day Festivals in March, Boys Day Festivals in May, Tanabata Festival in July to August, and Full Moon Festival in October. Students cook several different traditional dishes such as seaweed roles and Dango (sticky rice flour balls with sweet soy sauce dip) throughout the year.

During their time in the Pre-school, students learn Japanese circles where the Class Teacher leads children by telling a traditional Japanese story in English with beautiful Eurythmy-style gestures and the Japanese Teacher intertwines simple, short and sweet Japanese songs throughout the morning circle. This occurs usually as three week blocks each term from term 2.