This course is the first semester of a two-semester series in elementary Japanese and aims at the simultaneous progression of the four language skills – listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students will also acquire cultural knowledge necessary for appropriate communication. No prerequisites. 5 units. Fall semester.
Specific Student Learning Outcomes in Japanese
At the end of JAPN 1A, students will be able to do the following in Japanese:
Greet people in various settings
Introduce themselves
Ask people their names and occupations
Buy things at a store
Order food at a restaurant
Ask and answer how much things cost
Talk about daily life and leisure activities
Make, accept, and decline invitations
Ask and describe what things are
Describe past events and habitual actions
Ask and give permission
Talk about rules and regulations
Provide reasons for doing/not doing something
Learn counters for small items, date/time, age, people, money, books, cups, and pages
Recognize, read, and write 46 hiragana (ひらがな), 46 katakana (カタカナ), and 58 kanji (漢字) (Total number of kanji in JAPN 1A & 1B is 145)
Scan for the general meaning of authentic or semi-authentic materials (e.g. signs, directions, schedules, letters, short essays)
Produce simple text and documents (e.g. diary, letter, short essays)
This course is the second in a two-semester series in elementary Japanese and aims at further development of the four language skills – listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students will also acquire cultural knowledge necessary for appropriate communication. Prerequisites: JAPN 1A with a grade of C- or better or instructor permission. 5 units. Spring semester. This course meets the Foreign Language Graduation Requirement and the GE C2 Humanities Requirement.
Specific Student Learning Outcomes in Japanese
JAPN 1B will begin with a review of Lessons 6 and will cover Lessons 7 -11 in the Genki I textbook. Approximately two weeks will be spent on each lesson learning the appropriate vocabulary, dialogues, grammar, and completing practice and reading/writing exercises. For each lesson there will be quizzes on vocabulary, kanji, and grammar. A test will be given every two lessons and will include written, oral, listening, culture, and blog sections.
At the end of the course, students will be able to do the following in Japanese:
Talk about rules and regulations
Provide reasons for doing/not doing something
Talk about families and friends, childhood dreams, and means of transportation
Describe how people are dressed and how they look
Compare and contrast people, things and events
Express current and past thoughts and opinions
Report events in the present and past tenses
Plan a trip or party
Order food in a restaurant or shop
Give reasons
Talk about future plans
State means of transportation & the time required to get to destination
Make reservations at the travel agency
Talk about what you did on vacation
Introduce friends to each other and talk about hometowns
Discuss childhood dreams and ambitions
Use appropriate counters for small items, date/time, age, people, money, books, cups, animals, pages, lessons, floors, houses, cylindrical objects, shoes, letters and street addresses
Read and write 87 additional kanji (漢字) characters (145 total in JAPN 1A and 1B)
Scan for the general meaning in authentic or semi-authentic materials (e.g. signs, directions, schedules, time tables, personal communication, and short essays)
Produce simple text and documents (e.g. questionnaires, diary entries, letters, short essays)
Note: A comprehensive list of grammar and kanji is attached to the end of the syllabus.
You will also learn various aspects of Japanese culture. Be sure to read the “Culture Notes” provided for each lesson. During the semester students will be asked to conduct cultural research and to share their findings with the class. By doing these activities, students collaboratively teach and learn aspects of Japanese cultural practices in depth while recognizing their own cultural rules and biases.
JAPN2A
JAPN2B
This course is the first in a two-semester series in advanced (third-year) Japanese. It is designed to expose students to the practical use of advanced structures and to further develop the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students will also acquire cultural knowledge necessary for appropriate communication at the advanced level. Taught in Japanese. This course counts towards the Japanese Minor. Prerequisite: JAPN 2B or equivalent.
Textbook - Genki L23, Tobira Chapter 1: Japanese Geography, Tobira Chapter 2: Japanese Speech Style, Tobira Chapter 3: Japanese Technology
Learning Outcome
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
Demonstrate understanding of the main idea and details from written texts, audio files, and videos on selected topics: Japanese geography, Japanese speech style, and Japanese technology.
Demonstrate the ability to recognize and understand complex grammatical structures, commonly used idiomatic expressions, and vocabulary and kanji characters related to the selected topics (stated above).
Describe, discuss, and explain orally and in writing the characteristics of Japanese geography, famous places, Japanese speech style, technology, foreign words, sports, food culture, and other related topics appropriately.
Use communication strategies in cultural appropriate manners: asking and answering questions (Chapter 1); apologizing (Chapter 2); and making requests and showing appreciation (Chapter 3)
Research selected topics (geography, conversation discourse, technological innovations) in Japanese, and present research findings both orally and in writing.
Explain diversity among products and practices comparatively in the students' and Japanese culture. Suspend judgment while critically examining products, practices, and perspectives.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
1) discuss, analyze, and apply content knowledge appropriate to advanced-level oral presentations and technical writing in Japanese.
2) apply critical listening, reading, speaking and writing strategies to a variety of texts, including written, oral, and visual material in order to analyze texts with appropriate critical, theoretical, rhetorical, and disciplinary methodologies.
3) produce a variety of written texts and oral presentations in Japanese about Japanese culture, society, and history through active discussion and a revision process based on feedback from peers and instructors.
Ch.4 Japanese Sports ⽇本のスポーツ
Exchange opinions on sportsman sprites and the concept of ⼼技体 (shin-gi-tai, mind-technique-body).
Discuss Japanese contemporary and traditional sports.
Describe Japanese club activities (i.e., bukatsu and saakuru) and human relationships between senior and junior (i.e., senpai and kohai).Practice how to consult with people in a cultural appropriate way.
Ch. 5 Japanese food ⽇本の⾷べ物
Discuss a variety of foods (traditional dishes, fast food, etc.) in Japan and explain the history of instant noodles and cup noodles and how these inventions were spread to the world.
Exchange opinions about healthy food and living and present their favorite Japanese food.
Ch.6 Japanese People and Religion ⽇本⼈と宗教
Discuss Japanese religion, religious events, mythology, beliefs and customs.
Explain social phenomena using graphs and charts.
State opinions on superstitions cross-culturally.
Ch.7 Japanese popular culture ⽇本のポップカルチャー
Describe and explain the Japanese popular culture and Osamu Tezuka manga.
Analyze Japanese onomatopoetic expressions.
Discuss ways that Japanese people register complaints and compare them with one’s own culture(s).