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Notebooks and Pencils

GCSE Japanese Information

Overview and Exam Preparation

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GCSE Japanese Overview

What is GCSE?

General Certificate of Secondary Education, the qualifications that 15 and 16 year olds in the UK take at the end of Year 11. GCSE Japanese is roughly the same level as JLPT N5.

When is the exam?

Summer every year

GCSE Key information

  • ​Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing tests 

  • The level and topics are the same as other MFLs taught in schools

  • Foundation Tier (1-5) and Higher Tier (1-9)

  • 120 guided lesson hours + Revision​

Administrative details

How to communicate with your school about the exam, a rough timeline for the administrative procedures, how to find a speaking examiner so on.

Study plan examples

  • 2 hrs/week x 3 years - Foundation Tier

  • 3 hrs/week x 3-4 years - Higher Tier

 

It includes lesson time for those taking private tuition. If you are taught at school, you have roughly 300 study hours including lessons, homework and revision time.​​

Is it worth taking GCSE Japanese?

It really just depends on whether you want to have the exam on your record. GCSE Japanese can be a great goal, but studying without taking the exam is also totally fine! You can focus on what you want to learn. Whichever path you choose, your passion for learning Japanese will lead you to a great future.

GCSE vs JLPT

  • ​JLPT does not require output skills such as speaking and writing.

  • JLPT is useful if you want to work using Japanese language skills or study in Japan.

  • JLPT N5 requires more grammar than GCSE.

  • GCSE Foundation is the halfway point of JLPT N5 and those who reach GCSE Higher can progress immediately to JLPT N5 or N4. 

  • GCSE listening test is easier than JLPT N5.

  • Kanji for GCSE Higher is 200, Foundation is 76. Kanji for N5 is around 100 and N4 is 350.

Normally I wouldn't recommend the JLPT to teenagers because the vocabulary is more for 18+. Learning general Japanese is more beneficial than preparing for the JLPT exam until then, in my opinion. JLPT is flexible in terms of the timing. You can try whenever you are fully ready in the future.

GCSE Exam Preparation

When should I start?

After about two years of studying the basics and grammar, you can start preparing for GCSE exams. 

How is GCSE Japanese different from general Japanese study?

Textbook

There is no GCSE Japanese course book you can buy from a bookshop.

GCSE Resource Page

GCSE Themes and sub-topics

  • Theme 1: Identity and Culture

Family, daily life, hobby, celebration...​​​

  • Theme 2: Local area and trip

Town, shopping, holiday, transport...​​

​​

  • Theme 3: School

Description, school subject, club, event, school trip...​

  • Theme 4: Future aspiration

Work experience, part-time job, learning languages, plans for your future...​

  • Theme 5: International and global dimensions

International events, environmental issues...​

GCSE Kanji List

Foundation Tier - Green (76)

Higher Tier - Black and Green (200)

Number     一二三四五六七八九十百千万

Counter      何才円年時分間半番

Position     上下中右左外前後

Day&week  日月火水木金土今来曜毎週

People       私人女男子母父

School       先生友学校庭教室

Daily life    朝昼夜晩午

Meal          牛肉事飯茶

Adj 1         大小高元気安古新

Adj 2         少多有名長近好同

Colour       黒青赤銀

Verb 1       行言見食入出

Verb 2       帰聞書飲話読買会休住

Verb 3       知作使売働思泳持待終

Home        族犬姉妹兄弟部屋

Body         口目手耳体心

Study       字英語地理物音楽勉強料

Transport  電車駅鉄道自動

Town         店映画館図病院公園社場所

Nature       山川田花海

Weather    雨雪空風春夏秋冬

Japan         国県市町村東西南北京州都

Trip            旅写真寺神祭切紙和文化式​​

Candidates' voice

The structure of the exam and study tips are well explained. 

When the student took GCSE, using a dictionary was allowed for the writing test which is no longer possible. 

My students achieved from a 5 to a 9 and they were all happy with their results. GCSE Japanese was a milestone for these students and they are still studying Japanese!

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