''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Textbook: Nakama 1 by Makino and Hatasa plus the Student Activities Manual (SAM)

Nakama 1 is a newly revised textbook that brings practical, everyday Japanese into the language classroom with an emphasis on gaining language proficiency. Each lesson has clear objectives in terms of teaching the students to be able to carry out certain language tasks: talking about your likes and dislikes, going shopping, eating out at restaurants, describing your family, using Japanese counters to count objects, etc. Your text, and the materials which accompany it, including the audio files, workbook and any other online materials, are your keys to a successful language learning experience.You need to use them in an integrated fashion. For each grammar point in the text marked with a Roman Numeral, there is a corresponding assignment in the workbook.

DO THE HOMEWORK WHEN IT IS ASSIGNED, and then, at the next class session we will review and reinforce the items that you have studied and practiced. BUT THIS MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT BY ITSELF. You may need to spend additional time with vocabulary and patterns just repeating them out loud until they come natural to you.

For things like grammar, vocabulary and kanji, you should say things out loud as much as you can; you need to be able to learn by ear because speaking skills cannot be learned solely through the eye. All our work in class and the studying you do at home are based on this principle. Feel free to consult the Nakama webpage.

As before, use the kanji learning modules found here.

Student Learning Outcomes:

1.     To learn to speak the target language in such a way as to be able to communicate effectively in a limited number of task-oriented situations modeled on dialogues and exercises found in the textbook, and to show signs of developing the capacity to initiate sustain, and close a general conversation in face-to-face situations.

2.     To learn how to read and understand the target language within the limitations of the ability to recognize the phonetic symbols of two alphabets and approximately 75 of the Chinese characters with which modern Japanese is written.   To be able to apply this basic reading knowledge to relatively simple, connected paragraphs dealing with basic personal and social information.

3.     To learn how to listen and understand longer and more sustained utterances in the target language than was the case in Japanese 131

4.     To learn to write sentences, brief synopses, short paragraphs and letters in the target language using the two phonetic scripts and approximately 75 of the Chinese characters with which modern Japanese is written.

NOTE: For every class hour, there is an expectation of 2-3 hours work outside of class.  Since our class meets four times a week for 50 minutes so you should expect to do 6-9 hours outside of class engaged in course-related activities such as homework, practising the written form of the language, visiting the World Language Studio, making flash cards, undertaking vocabulary study, developing your skills by practicing on your own, working with your language partner, signing up for tutoring with our Language Assistant ,Asuka Tobe <atobe>, etc. See below for more tasks that you might wish to spend time on.

Student Activities Manual (SAM): Hatasa & Hatasa Student Activities Manual (WB) contains exercises and homework assignments to accompany each lesson. Portions of assignments will be on the student audio CDs and also online on WISE .

Key Requirements:

1. Regular Attendance--no more than 3 unexcused absences (10%) - if you exceed this number it could lower your grade; should you reachthe level of 12 absences, it would seriously increase your chances of NOT receiving credit for the course.

2. Completion of Regular Homework Assignments on Time (10%)

3. In-Class Quizzes (15%)

4. In-Class Unit Tests (4) and Final (60%)

5. Regular Preparation and Practice of Vocabulary and Sentence patterns with each lesson

6. Assigned tasks with Language Partner when possible, and Oral Assessment Interview in my office at the end of the Semester(5%)

Schedule:

NOTE: The schedule below and the Assignments represent thePLAN for our course of study; things are set up according to a certain pace. But, "things" do not always go exactly according to plan, so please be aware that we may get off schedule from time to time. I will try and update the webpage in a timely manner, but there may be times when assignments differ from what you see on the syllabus. Please be alert to what we go over in class and what I say about the next Homework assignment.The operating principle always is that we introduce the new Grammar Point (always roman numerals I-V for each lesson) and follow that with the corresponding Assignment in the SAM. If we cover the Grammar Note sufficiently, then we will do the appropriate Homework that evening; but if we have not introduced the new point yet, then we will probably not. We may do something else instead. it's called improvising!

Other useful kanji materials with example sentences

Map

SPRING BREAK

March 26-30

NO CLASSES

 

 

 

Final Exam (approximately two hours) will be on

Monday May 7 at 8:30-11:00 am