Japanese Language Education
Japanese Immersion
The Anchorage School District provides partial immersion programs for several foreign languages, including Japanese. Students in the Japanese immersion program become proficient in both English and Japanese by the completion of the kindergarten through sixth grade sequence.
Immersion programs benefit students by giving them a place to practice Japanese speaking, listening, and writing skills on a regular basis. Students in immersion programs are more likely to have native-like pronunciation compared to those who start studying later. By learning a foreign language at an early age, students become prepared for living in a multilingual and multicultural community, whether it’s in Alaska or elsewhere in the world.
The following schools in the Anchorage School District provide Japanese partial immersion programs:
Sand Lake Elementary School 
Grades: Pre-kindergarten-6
907-742-2161
7500 Jewel Lake Road
Anchorage, AK 99502
Mears Middle School
Grades: 7-8
907-742-6400
2700 W 100th Ave
Anchorage, AK 99515
Dimond High School
Grades: 9-12
907-742-7000
2909 W 88th Ave
Anchorage, AK 99502
Related Information
Middle School and High School Japanese Classes
The following middle schools and high schools offer Japanese classes that do not require participation in a partial immersion program. Therefore any student can study Japanese regardless of grade level or Japanese language skill level.
Anchorage School District
Mears Middle School
Grades: 7-8
Phone: 907-742-6400
Address: 2700 W 100th Ave
Anchorage, AK 99515
Dimond High School
Grades: 9-12
Phone: 907-742-7000
Address: 2909 W 88th Ave
Anchorage, AK 99502
Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School
Grades: 9-12
Phone: 907-742-2100
Address: 4025 E Northern Lights Blvd
Anchorage, AK 99508
Service High School
Grades: 9-12
Phone: 907-742-8100
Address: 5577 Abbott Rd
Anchorage, AK 99507
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District
Colony High School
Grades: 9-12
Phone: 907-861-5500
Address: 9550 E Bogard Rd
Palmer, AK 99645
Wasilla High School
Grades: 9-12
Phone: 907-352-8200
Address: 701 E Bogard Rd
Wasilla, AK 99654
University Japanese Language Programs
College and university students can continue their Japanese language education or begin studying Japanese. Many American universities require a certain amount of foreign language class credits, which can be earned through language proficiency testing and/or taking classes. Students who have previously studied Japanese can take placement tests to determine the appropriate class for their skill level. For more information, please contact the universities individually as placement testing and credit policies may vary between schools.
University of Alaska Anchorage
Phone: 907-786-4355
Address: Department of Languages
University of Alaska Anchorage
3211 Providence Dr.
Anchorage, Alaska 99508
Montgomery Dicson Center for Japanese Language & Culture
Phone: 907-786-4038
Address:3211 Providence Dr. SSB156
Anchorage, Alaska 99508
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MDCJLC
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Phone: 907-474-7396
Address: Department of Foreign Languages
PO Box 756440
6th Floor Gruening Bldg
Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-6440
Email: uaf-foreignlang@alaska.edu
Mat-su College
Phone: 907-745-9774
Address: 8295 E College Dr
Palmer, Alaska 99645
Email: uaa_mscinfo@alaska.edu
Japanese Education at the University of Alaska During COVID-19