Beginning 2 course syllabus
Soko Gakuen Japanese Language School
1881 Pine Street
San Francisco, California 94109
Phone 415-928-9608
COURSE SYLLABUS
Term (Contact hours) .............. WINTER, SPRING, SUMMER, & FALL (33 hours each)
Class & Section .......................... BEGINNING 2 ME
Instructor ......................................... Aya Kazama (ayakazama@gmail.com / https://sites.google.com/site/ayakazama)
Meeting day & Time ................. Monday 6-9pm
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this course, you should be able to: talk about tourist destinations; describe what is inside a building; talk about numbers of things or people that exist in a particular place; talk about the whereabouts of things and people; talk about everyday doings--what you will do, when and where; say how frequently you do something and give a brief reason for why you do it, order food at a restaurant; talk about characteristics of things and people, use basic greetings when visiting people and receiving guests; talk about giving and receiving gifts, praise someone's possessions; express your thoughts about experiences, gratitude, make telephone calls; make plans with someone; talk about what you own, offer to help someone or accept or reject someone's offer, give reasons for offering someone something, invite someone to do something, or refuse someone's invitation. ***It is strongly recommended that the student purchase the Japanese For Busy People I Kana VERSION as well at this level.
TEXTBOOKS AND MATERIALS
1. Required: a) Japanese For Busy People I Romanized VERSION (Lessons 8-16) by Kodansha International / AJALT. b) Shimazu, Y. M. (2012). Handy Katakana Workbook. Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Publishing. [also available at Kinokuniya Bookstore, San Francisco--Geary at Webster. Phone 415-567-7625].
2. Recommended: Mizutani, O., & Mizutani, N. (1977 & 1979). nihongo notes (Vols. 1 & 2).
3. Online software programs for you to practice KANA, etc. at home.
http://www.ichigo.se/kanaflash/kana.swf
http://www.realkana.com/katakana
EVALUATION
1. One final exam (2.5 hours).
2. Upon successful completion (80% or higher attendance rate and 80% or higher final exam score) of the course, a STUDENT PROGRESS REPORT will be written if requested at the time you take the final exam.
3. Your final exam score (%) and attendance (%) will be kept in a digitized form @STUDENT GRADES AND INFORMATION REPOSITORY.
TEACHING STYLE
The instructor will create a relaxed, low-anxiety atmosphere through which you can acquire the previously mentioned course objectives with less effort and with ease. The instructor will use an eclectic teaching method.
PROCEDURES
1. The instructor will follow the CALENDAR /Weekly Schedule printed on the back page.
2. In class, student and teacher (and student and student) will engage in interactive language activities, a variety of exercises, using Japanese as much as possible. The instructor, however, will use some mechanical and meaningful drills, when necessary, to develop your kinetic memory for the training of the perceptual motor skills.
3. Students will reinforce and develop vocabulary, structure, listening (audio CDs available in the textbook) and conversational skills through weekly assignments.
4. The class, however, may be conducted in accordance with the needs of the students in class within the course objectives.
CALENDAR / Weekly Schedule
Week 1. Brief Review and Lesson 8 .......................... GOING TO NIKKO
Week 2. Lesson 9 ....................................................... LOOKING FOR A PARKING LOT
Week 3. Lesson 10 ..................................................... MAKING PLANS FOR THE WEEKEND
Week 4. Lesson 11 ..................................................... AT A TEMPURA RESTAURANT
Week 5. Lesson 12 ..................................................... RECEIVING HOSPITALITY
Week 6. Lesson 13 ..................................................... GIVING COMPLIMENTS
Week 7. Lesson 13, Review and Quiz
Week 8. Lesson 14 ..................................................... EXPRESSING GRATITUDE
Week 9. Lesson 15 ..................................................... INVITATIONS
Week 10. FINAL EXAM
Week 11. Lesson 16 ................................................... PARTICIPATING IN A FESTIVAL
*Weekly assignments on specific dates will be available from your instructor in class.
PLEASE NOTE
1. You are expected to listen to the audio cassette tapes, memorize new words, read the grammar explanation in the textbook and to complete all assignments before coming to class.
2. From time to time short KANA quizzes may be given in class.
3. Please be on time for class; otherwise, you interrupt the lesson for others. Regular class attendance and participation are essential for language learning.
4. Excessive absences (more than 3 class meetings) may be cause for repetition of the course.
5. The results of your final exam (%) and attendance (%) will be kept in a digitized form @STUDENT GRADES AND INFORMATION REPOSITORY. Your PROGRESS REPORT will be kept in the Soko Gakuen Records Office, and the Office will release it only upon your request.
6. When you obtain a score of 80% or higher on the final exam, you move up to a higher level class. Soko Gakuen's exit criteria for each class/level are based on the 1987 ACTFL Japanese Language Proficiency Guidelines.
POLICY ON FINAL EXAM
If you are unable to take the final exam on the scheduled date due to circumstances beyond your control, the exam will be given only in a similar test-taking situation (under supervision of an instructor at Soko Gakuen). Unless the final exam is made up before the PROGRESS REPORT is submitted (from the teacher to the Soko Gakuen Records Office), NO CERTIFICATES can be issued.
ALL THE ENDEAVORS OF THE TEACHER WILL FAIL TO INSURE SUCCESS
UNLESS YOU PREPARE WITH DILIGENCE AND CONSTANCY
THE EXERCISES TO BE GIVEN IN CLASS.
YOUR PROGRESS IS OUR MAIN CONCERN.