COURSE DESCRIPTION:
IB Japanese Ab Initio is a 2 year accelerated program for 11th and 12th grade students. For IB full diploma candidates this course is considered a standard level (SL) course having a minimum of 150 hours of contact time. Full diploma students will take the IB Japanese Ab Initio examination at the end of their second year of study.
COURSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:
The Ab Initio course is a continuation of the skills introduced in the first two years. Throughout the course, students will learn to communicate using more complex language structures and sharpen their receptive, productive, and interactive skills in the Japanese language. These skills are defined as follows:
Receptive: the ability to comprehend written and spoken language
Productive: the ability to write and speak the target language effectively
Interactive: the ability to understand and respond effectively to written and spoken language
Students develop these skills through a range of individual and group tasks using different types of texts in the language. Ultimately students will gain more confidence and knowledge to apply the language in and out of class.
INTERCULTURAL UNDERSTANDING and THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE:
In this course students are taught to understand Japanese customs and culture as well as the language. Students will gain a deeper understanding of Japanese culture by examining it more closely and making connections and comparisons with their own culture. Consequently, students learn how to respect cultures and customs different from their own. Various texts and audio-visual presentations will be used as a means of exploring different aspects of the culture and how the society functions with a focus on the following 5 themes:
Identities (personal attributes, personal relationships, eating and drinking, physical well-being)
Experiences (daily routine, leisure, holidays, festivals and celebrations)
Human ingenuity (transportation, entertainment, media, technology)
Social organization (neighborhood, education, the workplace, social issues)
Sharing the planet (climate, physical geography, the environment, global issues)
SOME IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:
Why do Japanese people bow when they greet or make apologies? What are the cultural implications behind this?
What does “being late” mean in Japanese culture and other cultures of the world?
What does “being polite” mean? How do forms of address vary from culture to culture?
How and to what extent does the spoken language reflect the culture of the people? Make a comparison between the people of your culture and Japanese speakers and their cultures, including differences in gestures that mean the same things.
IMPORTANT: SNOWDEN SCHOOL AND CLASSROOM RULES/ REGULATIONS:
Cell Phone Policy
Unless approved by the teacher for learning purposes, frequent cell phones or electronics of any kind showing in your hands, on your lap, on the desk, etc. during class time will be addressed by the teacher and/ or administrator. The consequences of the misuse of cell phones during class time are as follows:
A warning from the teacher.
Teacher conferences with students.
Teacher contacts the parent/ guardian and/ or conference with the administrator in charge.
ABSENTEEISM/ MAKE UP WORK:
Your physical attendance to class is required to be successful in Japanese class. If you are late multiple times, it is considered an “absence” from class and parents will be notified. Within each term, grade points will be deducted for poor attendance, poor participation/ effort on assignments, and missing assignments. Late assignments are accepted. Late assignments beyond a considerable number cannot be considered for full credit - unless under special circumstances.
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
A notebook (this will serve as a collection of notes and your writing practice)
Your school issued laptop
A positive attitude and a growth mindset.
IB COURSE POLICIES:
Everyday Language Practice and Attendance:
Learning a new language is not difficult but it is time consuming! Practicing outside of the classroom is essential to learning any language. All at home language practice assignments (especially those posted to our Google Classroom page) will be consistent with what you learn in class each day. It will be assigned frequently and checked for completion. Class attendance is mandatory to be successful in Japanese class. Points will be deducted for poor attendance, poor participation, and missing or incomplete work.
Assessments:
Students are assessed daily for their participation in language activities. All classroom activities are designed to help students build a higher level of comfort and proficiency in the language, therefore full participation and completion of assigned tasks are considered mandatory. Students will be evaluated using a variety of methods including participation in interactive/ conversational activities, short quizzes, presentations, and at home language practice.
Assessment Methods for each of the 4 Terms and What They Measure:
70% Everyday Language Application and Practice Assignment:
Grades in this category reflect the preparation work that you will do to be ready to use the language in “real world” ways.
Attend class regularly and on time, take daily notes, demonstrate an effort to learn, participate in individual and group activities.
20% Assessments such as Projects/ Quizzes/ Tests that include speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Within a marking term, quizzes are given every 7-10 days.
10% IB “Citizenship” Expectations for Behavior and Responsibilities: Grades in this category reflect your awareness of and efforts to practice and demonstrate the IB Learner Profile attributes.
COMMUNICATION and AVAILABILITY FOR PARENT CONTACT:
Student grades and attendance will be posted regularly on ASPEN. For any questions or concerns please email me at swilson@bostonpublicschools.org.
I will be in touch with parents/ guardians regularly throughout the school year and I encourage parents to do the same.
To my students: If you have a hard time learning something, don’t worry, just let me know – we will work together to find a way for you to learn it. Practice makes it permanent.
ありがとう Arigatou
Thank you