2013-2014 Japanese Courses

This course is for students with no previous knowledge of Japanese. Students will develop basic communicative skills in listening comprehension and speaking, as well as skills in reading and writing (katakana, hiragana, and basic kanji) in Japanese. While classes will be devoted primarily to language practice, an understanding of Japanese grammar will also be emphasized as an important basis for continued language learning. Classes will meet three times weekly, and tutorials with a language assistant will meet once a week.

This course is for students who have completed Japanese II or its equivalent. Students will continue to develop Japanese proficiency in aural and reading comprehension, in addition to speaking and writing skills. Activities include listening to and discussing television programs and films; writing and performing dialogues and speeches; reading essays, newspaper articles, and short stories; and writing a diary, letters, and short essays. Classes will meet three times weekly, and tutorials with a language assistant will meet once a week.

This advanced-beginning course is for students who have completed Japanese I or its equivalent. Students will continue to develop basic skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing while expanding their vocabulary and knowledge of grammar. At the end of the course, students should be able to handle simple communicative tasks and situations effectively, understand simple daily conversations, write short essays, read simple essays, and discuss their content. Classes will meet three times weekly, and tutorials with a language assistant will meet once a week.