Soko Gakuen Japanese Language School
San Francisco, California 94109
Phone 415-928-9608
COURSE SYLLABUS
Term (Contact hours) .............. WINTER, SPRING, SUMMER, & FALL (33 hours each)
Class & Section ......................... INTERMEDIATE 4 ME
Instructor .................................... Aya Kazama (ayakazama@gmail.com)
Meeting day & Time ................... Mondays 6:00-9:00 p.m.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this level, you should be able to: ask about something you do not understand, point out something you noticed, present knowledge you acquired, explain about careers, and procedures; point out something strange, make guesses, talk about changes in daily life, things you see around town; solicit and state opinions, explain procedures, talk about how facilities are used; explain about careers, ask for reasons and for an explanation of how a situation came to be. Reproduce 80% or more KANJI introduced during the term.
TEXTBOOKS AND MATERIALS
1. Required. Japanese For Busy People III (Lessons 1-5, Vol. 3: textbook & workbook) by Kodansha International / AJALT. Available at Kinokuniya Bookstore, San Francisco--Geary & Webster, Phone 415-567-7625, or oniine. Continuation of INTERMEDIATE 3.
2. Recommended.
a) Makino, S., & Tsutsui, M. (1986). A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar. Tokyo, Japan: The Japan Times.
b) ジャポニカ 漢字の 練習 小学4年上・下 . Tokyo: Showa.
c) Practice Japanese on the Internet.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbYgZlPI3VyIIfuT6YNI-vg/videos verb conjugation / grammar
http://www.webjapanese.com/wj/kanji-c
3. Audio files.
https://www.kodanshausa.com/#japanese_for_busy_people_iii
https://www.kodanshausa.com/#japanese_for_busy_people_iii_workbook
For other levels, visit https://www.kodanshausa.com
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 below.
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 cassette tapes checked out regularly) 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. . . . . Introduction and Lesson 1
Week 2. . . . . Lesson 1
Week 3. . . . . KANJI QUIZ #1 (L. 1), Lesson 2
Week 4. . . . . Lesson 2
Week 5. . . . . KANJI QUIZ #2 (L.. 2), Lesson 3
Week 6. . . . . Lesson 3
Week 7. . . . . KANJI QUIZ #3 (L..3), Lesson 4
Week 8. . . . . Lesson 4
Week 9. . . . . KANJI QUIZ #4 (L..4), Lesson 5
Week 10. . . . FINAL EXAM
Week 11. . . . Lesson 5, まとめ ／ Review
*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. KANJI quizzes (KANJI from the textbooks) will be given as shown in the calendar.
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.
7. The final exam's Kanji section must meet 80% minimum score to register for a higher class.
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.