Facilitate

To facilitate contacts and co-operation between teachers and community groups relating to Japanese studies
日本研究に関わっている教師と市民団体の間に協力と関係を促進すること

Encourage

To encourage the exchange of information through newsletters, forums, seminars and conferences
ニュースレター、フォーラム、セミナーや会議を通して、情報の交換を促進すること

Support

To support the teaching and research of the Japanese language
日本語の研究と教育を支援すること

Promote

To promote the study of the Japanese language & culture in WA
西オーストラリア州での日本語と日本の文化の勉強を進めること

Rosanne Jacobs

President

Rosanne Jacobs has been President of the Japanese Language Teacher’s Association of WA since 2013 and a member for nearly 25 years.  She has taught across both Primary and Secondary and is currently the Head of Languages at Mater Dei College.

Margo Whittle

Treasurer

I enjoy teaching Japanese to children from Pre-Primary to Year 6 at multiple worksites. I love sharing my in Japan experiences and like to network with teachers through JLTAWA. I have held a number of roles on the committee over the years. I look forward to meeting you at events throughout the year.

Melissa Luyke

Vice President

My teaching journey started as a volunteer/assistant at two weekend Japanese schools in Brisbane. I moved to WA and have taught Japanese since 2010. As a young teacher of Japanese, I am honoured to be a committee member and look forward to supporting the Japanese-language related events and activities for the students.

Kyoko Walsh

MLTAWA Representative

Ever since Kyoko was a child, she wanted to see a different part of the world. So, Kyoko left Japan the day after her high school graduation, carrying one suitcase. After seeing many different parts of the world, Kyoko ended up in Perth. Currently, Kyoko is the Head of Languages at Rossmoyne SHS. Kyoko lives with her Australian husband, two daughters and two dogs. She loves watching Ice Skate especially her hero Yuzuru Hanyu, a two-time Olympic Gold medalist.

Elina rowson

Primary Representative

Julie Cavaney

Secretary

Kyohei Futaki

CAC (Curriculum Advisory Committee) Representative

Kyohhei is a high school teacher of Japanese. He was first involved in Japanese language education as a volunteer at two Saturday Japanese schools in Queensland. After graduating from university (BA/BEd), he moved to Western Australia and started his career as a secondary teacher of Japanese. He has been a JLTAWA Committee member for a number of years and is currently the Curriculum Advisory Committee Representative, whose role is to deliver the members’ voices to the School Curriculum and Standards Authority in the CAC meetings.

Giselle Fabling

Digital Media Co-ordinator – Committee

My initial engagement with Japan was as a 17-year-old Rotary Exchange Student, living in a home stay environment and going to high school in Japan with no Japanese language! I have lived in Japan on 2 separate occasions for 4 years. I was very fortunate to have this opportunity as the beginning of my love of Japan, it’s people, culture and language. I hope, as a teacher, to share and pass this on to my students.  I have been teaching Japanese for 19 years in a variety of country and metropolitan, public, and private schools in Western Australia. Having taught predominately in the secondary setting for more than 15 years, I am fortunate to be to currently teaching in a primary school and at SIDE and engaging in the new WA Languages curriculum. 

Sue Edwards

Committee

I have been teaching Japanese in since 1989. Prior to that teaching SHS Art and English at a variety of country and city schools, both government and private. I lived in Japan for a number of years, teaching ESL and Cooking at several major language schools, colleges and in my own home-based school. Upon return from Japan, I taught Japanese to businessmen from around Perth, assisted in teaching sushi to Perth Chefs and ended up as a Director of my own Perth Japanese Language Academy, doing much of the illustrating for language kits we produced. I added ESL Qualifications thereafter and resumed teaching exclusively in the government sector from 1995 onwards. I am passionate about Japan and encourage all of my students to immerse themselves in “Japan” not just the language. My aim is for every student, no matter their academic ability, to get to Japan one day.

FIONA BLAIR

Committee

Thirteen years ago, after 15 years teaching mainstream students and those with special needs, Fiona enthusiastically took up the challenge to become a Japanese teacher. She now teaches part-time across 2 sites. Having spent a year with her family as a JET in northern Hokkaido, she has recently returned to teaching with a renewed vigour and enthusiasm for all things Japanese. She is delighted to be back on the JLTAWA Committee as Secretary and looking forward to working with the Committee to promote the teaching of Japanese language and culture across WA.