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August 2025
Dear Parents and/or Guardians,
Konnichiwa (Hello) from the World Language Department! My name is Shiho Matsutaka, and I am the full-time Japanese language teacher for Grades K-5 at Wilson Elementary School. We are excited to continue the World Language program to enrich our students’ learning and help them grow into global citizens. I truly believe that every student can and will be successful in learning a world language. Let’s enjoy learning Nihongo together!
I will be meeting your child on his/her assigned letter day (e.g., A Day for Kindergarten, B Day for Grade 1, etc.) for 45 minutes. A total of 27 Japanese classes will be held throughout the school year (approximately 5 to 8 classes per quarter, depending on the grade level). This is a basic introductory/novice-level Japanese course focused on both language and cultural learning. Each lesson will emphasize spontaneous communication to help develop Japanese language proficiency.
All instruction will be based on the Hawai'i World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages (HI WRSLL). Your child will receive a grade each quarter based on the three anchor standards: Interpretive Listening, Interpersonal Listening/Speaking, and Presentational Speaking. These skills will be assessed at all grade levels. Please select your child’s grade level, and review the proficiency targets for the end of the school year.
My goal for all students is to help them successfully navigate basic interactions in a variety of contexts using both spoken and written Japanese. I hope each child will learn about and appreciate a different culture, broadening their horizons as they work toward becoming global citizens who embrace and accept one another—an essential aspect of living in the 21st century.
Thank you in advance for your support and cooperation. I look forward to working together with you and your child during the school year. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at Shiho.Matsutaka@k12.hi.us.
Doomo Arigatoo Gozaimasu! (Thank you very much!)
Sincerely,
Shiho Matsutaka (Matsutaka Sensei)
K-5 Japanese Language Teacher
Ha-ji-me-ma-shi-te
Nice to meet you
Who is Matsutaka Sensei?
Born and raised in Hawaii
Nisei (Second generation Japanese-American). Spoke Japanese daily at home since childhood.
Attended Rainbow Gakuen (a Saturday school that had a compulsory education system of Japan) for 11 years
Graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a Secondary Education degree in Japanese
Hawaii Teacher Standards Board licensed Japanese teacher from K-12
N1 certification in the Japanese Language Proficiency Test
Rated Superior in the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview
Board member of Hawaii Association of Teachers of Japanese (HATJ) since 2022
I am very grateful to be the Nihongo teacher at Wilson Elementary School since 2008. I look forward to the years ahead as our students continue to grow as our future global citizens. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu! (My best regards to you.)
Wilson Elementary School has been fortunate to receive the following grants from Japan Foundation.
SY 2008-2009 Japan Foundation "Teaching Material Donations Program"
SY 2009-2010 Japan Foundation "Teaching Material Donations Program"
SY 2010-2011 Japan Foundation "Special Salary Assistance Program" and "Additional Financial Supports for Teaching Materials"
The materials and salary assistance are used to enrich our Japanese program at Wilson.
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