Overview
A complete Years 7–12 learning progression, with a rich suite of resources aligned to current state syllabi and the Australian Curriculum.
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Year Levels 7–12
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Curriculum ACT, NSW, NT, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC, WA
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Subject Languages
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Resource Formats Print, Digital
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Learning Focus Japanese
What it is
iiTomo offers a complete set of Japanese language resources for learners and educators in Years 7–12.
iiTomo resources support:
- development of Japanese linguistic and communication skills: listening, reading, viewing, speaking and writing
- development of intercultural capabilities and critical and creative thinking skills
- development of hiragana, katakana, kanji, grammar and cultural knowledge and understanding
- classroom and online independent learning
- cross-curriculum learning and future skills-building.
Explore iiTomo manzai style
Join our expert presenters as they walk you through the iiTomo japanese language series for years 7 to 12 — manzai style!
What it includes
Complete with electronic resources for online learning, discover the iiTomo series below.
iiTomo 1–4
Student books

iiTomo 1–4, 2nd Edition student books integrate the intercultural language learning approach at their core and have been revised based on teacher and student feedback. They now better-support students with their learning of Japanese and their development of language, intercultural, creative and critical thinking skills. They include:
- updated prompts (including viewing, intercultural and higher order thinking)
- updated, current visuals
- relevant real-life contexts and texts
- revised, more supportive grammar sections
- extension opportunities and extra support for personalised learning
- chapter vocabulary lists and updated projects.
iiTomo 1–4
eBooks

The eBook is the electronic version of the student book and provides students with a range of materials that can be used on any device, including:
- animations for grammar explanations and hiragana, katakana and kanji stroke order
- interactive games
- all student book audio, activity book audio and worksheets audio
- pronunciation modelling videos
- drama-style videos that bring the language, culture and gestures to life
- editable worksheets
- character writing grid templates
- complete editable chapter vocabulary lists.
iiTomo 1–4
Activity books

The activity books cater for a variety of learning styles, with updated engaging activities that enrich key skills by:
- following the student book progression
- offering differentiated learning opportunities
- supporting autonomous learning with student progress tracking
- providing audio files for students from the relevant eBook.
iiTomo 1–4
Teacher resources

The teacher resources help ease lesson prep and planning with a range of supporting assets to help you bring your students to success. You’ll find:
- a print teacher guide including:
- complete mapping of the iiTomo resources and assets
- supportive teaching notes
- activity ideas.
- a teacher-specific eBook with a range of additional resources including:
- all student eBook content
- downloadable audio files
- editable chapter tests
- curriculum grids
- projectable activity book answers.
iiTomo Senior
Senior book

The Senior series includes eBook versions of the texts for learners and educators. iiTomo Senior has been created based on the latest research on classroom language learning, and is designed to equip students for their exams through:
- up-to-date, relevant and meaningful topics
- subtopics, texts and visuals
- targeted content aligned with state-specific 11-12 curricula.
iiTomo Senior
eBook

An electronic version of the Student Book learners can access anytime, including:
- audio files
- consolidation and extension worksheets
- access to iiTomo 3+4 grammar animations for revision.
iiTomo Senior
Teacher eBook with audio download

Includes access to all student eBook content and extra teaching support including:
- curriculum correlation
- teaching guides
- all answers and audio scripts
- complete downloadable audio files.
Exploring the iiTomo series
Video resources
Samples & downloads
Preview samples from iiTomo, 2nd Edition
- iitomo Infographic - How was the iitomo series created Download PDF (174KB)
- iitomo 1 2nd Edition Student Book - Table of Contents Download PDF (1.2MB)
- iitomo 1 2nd Edition Activity Book - Chapter 1 sample Download PDF (6.1MB)
- iitomo 1 2nd Edition Activity Book - Table of Contents Download PDF (799KB)
- iitomo 1 2nd Edition Student Book - Chapter 1 sample Download PDF (2.8MB)
- iitomo 1 2nd Edition Teacher Guide - Table of Contents and sample pages Download PDF (3.3MB)
- iitomo 2 2nd Edition Activity Book - Table of Contents and sample pages Download PDF (5.6MB)
- iitomo 2 2nd Edition Student Book - Table of Contents and sample pages Download PDF (6.8MB)
- iitomo 2 2nd Edition Teacher Guide - Table of Contents and sample pages Download PDF (2.3MB)
- iitomo 3&4 2nd Edition Activity Book - Table of Contents and sample pages Download PDF (5.8MB)
- iitomo 3&4 2nd Edition Student Book - Table of Contents and sample pages Download PDF (5.2MB)
- iitomo 3&4 2nd Edition Teacher Guide - Table of Contents and sample pages Download PDF (1.6MB)
- iitomo Senior Student Book - Chapter 1 sample Download PDF (5.7MB)
- iitomo Senior Student Book - Table of Contents Download PDF (878KB)
Meet the authors
Authors
Yoshie Burrows - Lead author
Yoshie Burrows, lead author of the iiTomo series, has been actively involved in Japanese education in Victoria for more than 25 years. This includes a long career at Loreto College as a Year 7-12 teacher and language department coordinator. Since 2015, she is the Languages Professional Learning Community Leader for the Catholic Education Office at Ballarat Diocese. She has written VCE teaching materials including the Leading Edge VCE Japanese textbook, as well as practice exams for the Melbourne Centre for Japanese Language Education.
Authors
Yoko Nishimura-Parke - Lead author
Yoko Nishimura-Parke has been actively involved in language education for more than 30 years as a high school teacher and senior education officer at the NSW Department of Education. She has extensive experience with syllabus writing, material development, HSC examination and supporting language teachers with their language proficiency, pedagogy and technology skills. She’s been involved as an author in both iiTomo and the Mirai series, and now as part of the lead author team on iiTomo Senior. Yoko is also an appointed writer for The Japan Forum, Tokyo. Her teaching ideas are regularly distributed internationally.
Authors
Nathan Lane - Lead author
Nathan Lane has been teaching Japanese in Victorian secondary schools for more than 18 years and has presented at state, national and international language conferences. He took part in the assets writing for the first edition of iiTomo 1-4. He is currently the Deputy Principal Teaching and Learning at St Mary MacKillop College and President of the Japanese Language Teachers’ Association of Victoria Inc. (JLTAV). In 2017, Nathan was awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Modern Language Teachers’ Association of Victoria Inc. (MLTAV) in recognition of his exceptional and outstanding contribution to languages teaching in Victoria. Nathan is part of the lead author team on iiTomo Senior.
Authors
Mami Izuishi
Mami Izuishi, one of the co-authors of iiTomo 1, iiTomo 2 and iiTomo Senior, has been teaching Japanese at secondary schools in NSW for more than 25 years. Her experience in curriculum development includes being a member of the syllabus-writing team for the Japanese Heritage course (now Japanese in Context) and its sample examination, as well as being a member of the course-writing team for Japanese Extension. She has been actively involved in the HSC examination for more than 20 years as both an oral examiner and a marker.
Authors
Emma Lowry
Emma Lowry has taught Japanese in Queensland independent secondary schools for the past 12 years and is an advocate for authentic learning opportunities outside the classroom. She has experience as Head of Department for Japanese and currently holds a key leadership position as Associate Dean (Students). Emma also has experience in curriculum development and design, and has been a member of the QCAA’s District Review Panel.
Authors
Junko Nichols
Junko Nichols is a teacher of Japanese and English as a Foreign Language at pre-primary, primary, secondary and tertiary levels. She has taught in Japan, China, England and Australia over the past 25 years. Junko has also been teaching the CLIL approach with the University of Melbourne since 2013. She previously taught at a Japanese immersion program at Central Queensland University and has been involved in language teaching and language teacher training at a variety of schools, using a range of methodologies and approaches.
Authors
Kelly Harrison
Kelly Harrison has been teaching Japanese in Queensland since 2011, after completing a BA/BEd at the University of Queensland, including a year abroad at the University of Kitakyushu. Recently, she was involved in the development of the new QCAA senior Languages syllabi. Kelly has a keen interest in CLIL and implemented a Japanese Media Studies program at her school in Brisbane. She has also presented on the topic of CLIL at a number of teaching conferences around Australia.
Authors
Naoko Florence Abe
Naoko Florence Abe has extensive years of teaching experience in the Years 7 to 12 NSW Curriculum and the International Baccalaureate Programmes. Additionally, she has significant experience in educational leadership through her roles as a Coordinator of Languages, year coordinator and as a teacher mentor. She also works in NSW Curriculum development, as an HSC examiner and as an IB examiner and workshop leader. She is an active member of the Japanese Teachers’ Association of NSW.
Authors
Cathleen Jin
Cathleen Jin has been actively involved in Japanese education in New South Wales for more than 20 years. This includes a long career in secondary schools as a 7-12 teacher and Head of Languages. She has also been President of the Japanese Teachers’ Association of NSW, a senior marker for the HSC and has presented various AIS and DET workshops. Cathleen is currently part of the senior leadership team at her school as Director of Professional Learning and conducts lectures at UNSW for pre-service language teachers.
Authors
Rachel Francis
Rachel Francis has been actively involved in Japanese education in South Australia and Victoria for more than 25 years. This includes a long career in secondary schools as a 7-12 teacher. Rachel was also the initiator of the acceleration model of teaching languages in South Australia with the introduction of the current SACE model in 2011.
Authors
Shoko Vujic
Shoko Vujic is an experienced teacher, who has been teaching Japanese in Australia for seven years. She also has a background in TESOL and has taught Japanese both for the HSC in New South Wales and the International Baccalaureate. Shoko has also spent time as both a marker and examiner for the HSC
Contributors and reviewers
Anne de Kretser
Anne de Kretser has been involved in Japanese language education for more than 30 years. She’s worked as a secondary teacher of Japanese, a teacher educator, a Japanese language consultant, a Japanese language curriculum writer, and professional learning provider. Anne has conducted research on Japanese language education in Australian schools and works across Australia with teachers of Japanese through professional learning seminars.
Contributors and reviewers
Liz Sugimoto
Liz Sugimoto is an experienced teacher of Japanese who has taught at both selective and comprehensive schools over the last 30 years. She’s also been involved in various planning and implementation projects with the NSW Department of Education and the Board of Studies (now NESA), and has extensive experience with setting, marking and assessing HSC exams at both the Continuers and Extension level. Liz is also a past president of the Japanese Teachers’ Association of NSW and has been a committee member for many years.
Contributors and reviewers
Mai Kajimoto
Mai Kajimoto has been teaching Japanese in primary and secondary schools in Queensland for the past 10 years. She’s also been a Japanese district review panel member for the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) since August 2013. In 2016, Mai was selected as a member of the QCAA Japanese scrutiny panel tasked with developing assessments and associated resources for a trial of the new external senior assessment system being introduced into Queensland schools.