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Scenes from the Learning Presentation Event

As part of a school-wide presentation event, the fifth-grade students created a comedy quiz play based on a continuation of a traditional folktale. They took the lead not only in performing but also in managing sound effects and creating stage props. Through the process of entertaining students from other grades, they developed a strong sense of responsibility and independence.

①Awareness of Participation and Responsibility in a Whole-School Event

Students recognize the role of their grade level in a major school-wide event and work together with a strong sense of ownership to create and deliver their presentation.

② Sense of Purpose and Initiative (Non-Cognitive Skills)

Students develop the ability to make their own decisions about how to present their ideas and shape the content of the performance, working toward the goal of entertaining younger and older students as well as parents, while fostering interest in traditional folktales.

③ Collaboration and Appreciation of Diverse Roles (Non-Cognitive Skills)

Students learn to value a variety of contributions by managing not only on-stage performances but also creative backstage tasks such as sound effects and stage mechanisms. Through this process, they build an inclusive community in which every student has a meaningful role and sense of belonging.

●   Craft Materials Readily Available at School or Home

Cardboard boxes, empty containers, drawing paper, paints, string, and other everyday craft materials, used to create items such as quiz buzzers and moving stage mechanisms (e.g., a device that makes Princess Kaguya appear to emerge from a bamboo stalk).

●   Audio Equipment and Tablets

Equipment used to play dynamic sound effects similar to those featured in television quiz shows, such as the “ding!” sound for a correct answer and the “buzz!” sound for an incorrect answer.

1. Launching the Learning Presentation Event and Introducing the Theme (Approximately Three Months Before the Event)

The school decides to hold a Learning Presentation Event, and the overall theme and schedule are announced. Students develop a shared sense of purpose, recognizing that they will be presenting their work to the entire school community, including fellow students and parents. This common goal motivates them to actively engage in the preparation and presentation process.

２. Acquiring the Foundational Knowledge for the Grade-Level Presentation (Approximately Two Months Before the Event)

In the fifth-grade Japanese language unit “Let’s Create a Story,” students read traditional Japanese folktales and learn about story structure and narrative development. Through this study, they acquire the foundational knowledge and skills (cognitive competencies) needed for creative writing. The final project of this academic unit is then connected to the school-wide Learning Presentation Event, providing students with an authentic opportunity to apply and showcase their learning.

3. Deciding the Direction of the Grade-Level Presentation through Grade and Class Meetings (Approximately One Month Before the Event)

Students discuss among themselves the question, “How can we entertain students from other grades?” Through these discussions, they decide to create a continuation of the folktale Princess Kaguya and present it as a comedy quiz play. They then create an interactive story in which audience members (students from other grades and parents) answer quiz questions to help rescue Princess Kaguya, who has returned to the moon.

4. Assignment of Roles and Preparation (Two Weeks Before the Event)

To make the grade-level presentation a success, the students divide themselves into the following teams and take the initiative in preparing for the event.

① Performers (Actors):
Practice lines and movements designed to entertain and make the audience laugh.

② Stage Props and Special Effects Team:
Develop cardboard mechanisms that create movement, such as a device that makes Princess Kaguya appear to emerge from a bamboo stalk. They also handcraft realistic quiz buzzers.

③ Sound and Audio Effects Team:
Study television quiz shows and set up a system to play dynamic sound effects at the appropriate moments behind the scenes in coordination with the flow of the performance.

5. Adults Make Minor Adjustments While Students Coordinate with One Another (Practice Period)

During rehearsals, problems frequently arise because the actors’ lines, backstage sound effects, and stage mechanisms do not work together smoothly. The teacher’s role at this stage is limited to making minor adjustments. Rather than giving instructions or providing answers, the teacher simply asks questions such as, “How can you reach your goal more effectively?” and “How can you achieve your objective?” The students themselves hold repeated meetings and work together to coordinate the timing of each element (collaboration), while the teacher observes and supports the process.

6. Performance and Reflection (Event Day)

The Learning Presentation Event takes place on the day of the performance. Students from each grade take turns giving presentations that reflect the unique characteristics of their grade level. During the fifth-grade performance, the audience responds with loud laughter and enthusiastic cheers during the quiz segments, making the presentation a great success. Watching the outstanding presentations of other grades also serves as a valuable source of inspiration for the students and helps foster respect for others. After the event, the students participate in a reflection session in their classroom, where they acknowledge and appreciate the contributions of classmates, including the often unnoticed efforts of those working behind the scenes.

The most distinctive feature of a Learning Presentation Event in Japanese Tokkatsu is that it is a major school-wide event in which each grade level demonstrates initiative in ways that are appropriate to students’ developmental stages within a shared framework.

We would especially encourage teachers outside Japan to consider the following three points:

1. The Value of a Whole-School Approach

Rather than ending the activity within a single class, setting aside a day for presentations by the entire school dramatically increases students’ motivation. It also creates opportunities for learning across grade levels, as students think, “The older students’ presentation was amazing,” or “The younger students are working hard too.”

2. Connect Subject Learning to the Tokkatsu Stage

There is no need to create a completely new activity specifically for the presentation event. Instead, build on what students have learned in their regular subject lessons (Japanese language studies in this example) and develop it further through Tokkatsu discussions focused on questions such as, “How can we make this enjoyable for the audience?”

3. Adults Should Focus on Fine-Tuning

Teachers should not aim to produce a perfect, polished performance by directing every aspect of the presentation themselves. Instead, trust the direction chosen by the students and allow them to take responsibility for everything, including backstage sound effects and creating cardboard mechanisms and props. The experience of overcoming difficulties and learning to coordinate their timing on their own is precisely what helps develop students’ non-cognitive skills and personal growth.