Japanese

This course is designed for students who have already learned the first half of elementary- level grammar. It focuses on the acquisition of grammar and sentence patterns based on the textbook, "Elementary Japanese for Academic Purposes Vol.2" (Lesson 13 to 18).

Textbook: Elementary Japanese for Academic Purposes Vol. 2 (Tokyo University of Foreign Studies Press).

Students will acquire basic grammar and vocabulary needed for everyday life and attending university classes in Japan, learn the four skills “listening” and “writing”.

Eligibility: A2.1 level in the CEFR/JF Standard for Japanese-Language Education (N4 in the JLPT).

Learning Objectives: 
A2.2 level in the CEFR/JF Standard for Japanese-Language Education
Review the expressions/sentence structures learned at the basic level (A1-A2.1); learn new expressions/sentence structures, and when, where, and how to use them, to achieve the below goals:
・ Comprehend concise conversations and monologues about familiar topics in everyday and classroom situations. 
・ If you prepare in advance, you can enumerate events, briefly describe them, tell stories, express your thoughts and feelings. 
・ You can interact with other people with little difficulty in everyday situation. 

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.