Written Japanese uses three types of symbols. Learning these scripts is a considerable task, especially for learners who are not familiar with an ideographic system totally different from their own alphanumeric Roman alphabet. The author has developed a teaching package comprising 13 separate programs to ease this learning load which are in current use in the University of Sydney Japanese 1 course. The core of the package is two programs:Practice Kana and Practice Kanji. Three supporting packages were developed using a grant awarded by CAUT and eight further packages were developed through LARC (Language Acquisition Research Centre).
The software was introduced in 1993 and further developed in 1994 and 1995. Continued assessment has been carried out since 1992. The programs were designed primarily to assist students learning the required kanji characters in the Japanese 1 course. Additionally the programs assist students in their reading, listening and speaking competencies. The findings to date are that:
a) the majority of students agree that the packages are well integrated into the course, and that using this form of learning is beneficial and enjoyable,
b) teaching staff from both the Japanese Department and the Faculty of Education have strongly supported and endorsed the work.
