Japanese

This course instructs on understanding and utilizing grammar and vocabulary needed to read articles and essays on familiar topics of interest. Course assignments involve attendance, writing reports, and expression of one's own opinions, toward mastering the Japanese “listening” and  “speaking” skills that lead from intermediate to upper-intermediate level. 

Eligibility A2.2 level in the CEFR/JF Standard for Japanese-Language Education (N3 in the JLPT). 

Learning Objectives B1 level in the CEFR/JF Standard for Japanese-Language Education. Understand the necessary sentence structures/expressions, and when, where, and how to use them, to achieve the following goals: 

1.  In daily communication and studying at a university, understanding of a spontaneous conversation and a monologue about one's concerns (listening).

2. Describing concerns so that the other party is interested, and responding appropriately by asking questions of the other party's interests. Also, adding simple prefixes and fixed form expressions etc. in formal scenes (spoken production).

3. Responding by looking at the reaction of the opponent, by adding appropriate fillers, response, and necessary information (spoken Interaction).

This course presents styles of speech appropriate in various situations in Japanese society and develops oral communication skills mainly through role playing. It teaches the differences between formal and informal oral expression, proper words and phrases to use in a formal setting, polite body language, and nonverbal signals. Through pair and group work, students become able to express their thoughts clearly and efficiently as well as to listen to and comprehend others' opinions and expectations. They also practice pronunciation including Japanese sounds, rhythm, accent, and intonation. 

Note: Intermediate Japanese language levels at the host university are comparable to UC upper-division language courses.

This advanced Japanese course develops Japanese skills in an academic setting. Students are split into groups to engage in activities, discussion, and group work concerning the selected topic. The goal of the class is to help students to acquire academic language skills required in a variety of educational settings. The program offers various theme courses and students may take multiple sections.  

This course is for students who have studied half of the basic composition course. It will helps develop listening and speaking skills in preparation for basic level conversations. This course is based on the composition and composition patterns studied in the course, ESSENTIAL JAPANESE 4M. It is recommended that this course is taken together with ESSENTIAL JAPANESE 4M.

Textbook: "University Japanese: Beginner's Tomodachi Vol. 2" edited by the Japanese Language Education Center for International Students, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. 

Japan is one of the world's leading film production powerhouses with countless films produced from the silent era to the present, from artistic to entertainment pieces. This course looks at the history of Japanese films and discusses the unique appeal and problems of Japanese films. 

This course places emphasis on listening and speaking proficiencies. Learners who have reached the CEFR B2.2 level will further develop their academic skills through discussions and presentations. Prerequisite “J7-A: Japanese” and "J7-B: Japanese" or equivalent. Three class hours/week. 

By the end of this course, students will be able to
1. complete tasks in Japanese, by utilizing appropriate expressions in various contexts
2. hold logical and constructive discussions
3. acquire skills necessary for presentations in Japanese.
4. develop knowledge on vocabulary and expressions.