National Japanese Exam

# National Japanese Exam The National Japanese Exam is the American Association of Teachers of Japanese's annual assessment for students of Japanese as a second language in the United States. It is an online, proficiency-oriented, standards-based and culture-related exam aligned with ACTFL guidelines, administered each spring through participating schools. Over a thousand students across the country take it in a typical year, and separate categories exist for middle/junior high school, high school and college learners so students are measured against peers at their own level. ## What You'll Do - Register through your Japanese teacher during the January registration window - Take the exam online during the spring administration window at your school - Answer sections covering reading, listening, grammar and kanji, plus culture-related items - Sit in the category matching your school level, with regular and additional category options - Receive a score report your teacher can use to identify strengths and gaps ## Who Should Apply Middle school, high school and college students of Japanese whose teacher registers them. Registration fees are $10 per student for AATJ members and $20 per student for non-members; in the most recent cycle AATJ members were eligible for grant funding to cover registration fees. ## Outcomes Students scoring 90% or above earn Gold Level recognition, 80-89% Silver, 70-79% Bronze, and 60-69% Honorable Mention, with a Certificate of Participation for everyone who sits the exam. The awards are a standard line on applications for Japanese study abroad, honor societies and language scholarships, and give teachers comparable national data on their programs.