During the school holidays, our Primary Languages Teacher, Dr Motoko Christensen (Motoko Sensei) together with her colleague (Matsui Sensei in Wollongong), were invited to share their work at the NSW Federation of Community Language Schools Conference, held at the University of Sydney. The conference, themed "Empowering Community Language Schools and Teachers," brought together Principals, educators and teachers from across the state, and was supported by the NSW Department of Education and Multicultural NSW. This was the biggest conference for Community Languages, gathering over 750 teachers, ministers and various countries’ diplomats. It was opened by the NSW Premier Chris Minns.

At the heart of Motoko Sensei’s presentation was a subject close to the soul of Steiner Education: Storytime. The title of the presentation was ‘The Power of Storytime: more than just a storyline’. She spoke with warmth and depth about how the living word, carried through story, becomes a powerful vessel for language learning, and how this approach breathes life into Japanese language lessons here at Glenaeon.

Motoko Sensei shared with her audience three main points:

- The benefits of storytime: It stimulates creativity and imagination; enhances language development; strength bonding and connection; foster cultural awareness; improve concentration and memory and less use of devices. Therefore, the Storytime enhance children’s development cognitively, physically and socially;

- Different approaches to storytime: private and public forums and storytime at Glenaeon;

- Picture books vs Kamishibai (Japanese street theatre). Whilst initially unique to Japan, Kamishibai is now widely popular in many countries and it provides another way to present an engaging story;

Then the large number of participants formed smaller groups to work and discuss how to incorporate storytime in their language classes.
In the Steiner tradition, we understand that a child does not simply learn a language, they grow into it. Children absorb its rhythms, images and spirit in the same natural and unhurried way they come to know the world around them. Motoko Sensei's work embodies this understanding, and it was a gift to see it recognised and celebrated on a broader stage. We are deeply grateful for the wisdom and dedication Motoko Sensei brings to her teaching, and we hold a quiet joy in knowing that the students at Glenaeon are especially nourished by this living, imaginative approach to language.