Japanese Course Descriptions:

Japanese 1:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

This is a beginner-level language course designed for students who have little or no prior Japanese learning experience. In this course, students will learn basic Japanese language skills (i.e. listening, speaking, reading, and writing). Students will be introduced to Japanese writing system (i.e. Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji) and will learn how to use a computer to write Japanese. Students will practice basic conversations in the target language and learn about Japanese culture. The introduction chapter plus chapters 1 and 2 of Genki 1(2nd edition) will be covered.

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Use greetings and introduce self and others
• Express gratitude
• Describe people
• Count and tell time
• Use shopping expressions and ask about prices
• Talk about family
• Ask for directions and the location of an object
• Name articles of clothing, personal items, classroom objects, and commmon places
• Order food and drinks
• Construction of affirmative and negative sentences
• Form questions
• Use demonstratives

Textbook: Genki Textbook Volume 1, 3rd edition (ISBN: 978-4789017305)

Japanese 2:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 2 Japanese course is designed for students who have completed level 1 language proficiency. New kanji characters will be introduced in each lesson and learners will focus on mastering a set of kanji characters in each lesson. In addition to speaking and listening practice, students will start developing their reading and writing skills. Students will learn to read and write short paragraphs and have their writing reviewed by the instructor. Chapters 3 and 4 of Genki 1(2nd edition) will be covered. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Talk about habitual activities and plans
• Use adverbs of frequency and particles
• Conjugate u-verbs, ru-verbs, and irregular verbs in present tense and past
• Suggest activities
• Describe where things are
• Use expressions of quantity
• Talk about your schedule

Textbook: Genki Textbook Volume 1, 3rd edition (ISBN: 978-4789017305)

Japanese 3:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 3 Japanese course is designed for students who have completed level 2 language proficiency. In this course, speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills will be developed further. Your instructor will provide you with dialogues that match your interests to develop your conversational skills. Students will practice making a questionnaire, writing a report based on a survey, writing a journal, and writing a thank-you letter. Students will also read longer passages, learn more vocabulary, and continue to build their reading comprehension skills. The instructor will provide additional resources to enrich the course. Chapters 5 and 6 of Genki 1(2nd edition) will be covered. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Talk about vacationing
• Describe places
• Give directions
• Express likes and dislikes
• Use counting words for specific items
• Make follow up suggestions
• Talk about well-known Japanese festivals and the Japanese educational system
• Use expressions at the post office
• Use the Te-form to make requests, give and ask for permission, state that something is forbidden, or to describe two activities
• Give explanations or reasons

Textbook: Genki Textbook Volume 1, 3rd edition (ISBN: 978-4789017305)

Japanese 4:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 4 Japanese course is designed for students who have completed level 3 language proficiency. Students will start reading actual texts from the media and watch short video clips to hone their reading and listening skills. Learners will practice dialogues with their instructor and be able to converse on various topics. The instructor will provide additional resources to enrich the course. Chapters 7 and 8 of Genki 1 (2nd edition) will be covered. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Talk about kinship, people, parts of the body, and Japanese meals
• Conduct a small talk
• Use the "te-"form" followed by a helping verb to talk about an action in progress or a past event connected with the present
• Use the "te-"form to join sentences
• Use verbs describing the purpose of a movement
• Use the counter for people
• Use "short forms" in casual conversations, quoted speech, negative requests, and to express ideas
• Use "something" and "anything"
• Make guesses about a person or place
• Report what a person said

Textbook: Genki Textbook Volume 1, 3rd edition (ISBN: 978-4789017305)

Japanese 5:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 5 Japanese course is designed for students who have completed level 4 language proficiency. Students' literacy skills, as well speaking and listening skills will be developed further. Students will practice writing greeting cards, produce short speeches for different occasions, watch short video clips, read short newspaper articles on various topics, critically evaluate the articles, and discuss the topics with the instructor. Chapters 9 and 10 of Genki 1 (2nd edition) will be covered. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Make comparative and superlative sentences and questions
• Use possesive forms
• Use past tense short forms
• Qualify nouns with verbs and adjectives
• Use explanation clauses in sentences
• Use informal speech regarding the past
• Talk about Japanese traditional culture and public transportation in Japan

Textbook: Genki Textbook Volume 1, 3rd edition (ISBN: 978-4789017305)

Japanese 6:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 6 Japanese course is designed for students who have completed level 5 language proficiency. This course focuses on further improving learners' proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Students will read articles on various topics (national policies, economy, culture, technology), study the structure of the writings, and write a report on a research topic. Students will practice listening to interviews, public speeches, and news broadcast and comprehend the presented materials spoken at a natural speed, summarize them in their own words, and be able to discuss orally with their instructor. Chapters 11 and 12 of Genki 1 (2nd edition) will be covered. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Describe hopes, aspirations, and goals
• Understand main points of news broadcast without subtitles
• Talk about things that have happened (present and past perfect)
• Talk about having something up to the amount needed but not more or "too much"
• Indicate the role you want something to play using "as"
• Talk about Japanese holidays
• Give advice in the affirmative and negative
• Say that it is necessary to do something
• Use double negatives
• Make a prediction
• Invite another person's opinion or guess
• Turn down an invitation and give an explanation
• Talk about the climate, weather, health, and illness

Textbook: Genki Textbook Volume 1, 3rd edition (ISBN: 978-4789017305)

Japanese 7:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 7 Japanese course is designed for students who have completed level 6 language proficiency. This course focuses on further improving learners' proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Chapters 13 and 14 of Genki 2 (2nd edition) will be covered.

• Talk about looking for a part-time job, making tranactions at a bank, the names of years,and annual events in Japan
• Use the potential verb to say that someone "can" or "has the ability to" do something
• Give the reasons for something
• Say that something "looks like" or "seemingly" has or doesn't have certain properties
• Use the 'te'-form plus a helping verb to express the idea of "doing something tentatively" or "trying something"
• Describe the frequency of events over a period of time
• Say that someone 'wants' something
• Say that something is or isn't possible
• Use verbs for giving and receiving
• Make a recommendation
• Use "as many as", "a few as", and "only"
• Use short forms in casual speech
• Express admiration, frustration, or a strong emotion

Textbook: Genki Textbook Volume 2, 3rd edition (ISBN: 978-4789017329)

Japanese 8:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 8 Japanese course is designed for students who have completed level 7 language proficiency. This course focuses on further improving learners' proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Chapters 15 and 16 of Genki 2 (2nd edition) will be covered.

• Use volitional form to suggest a plan, ask for an opinion, and talk about your intention or prediction
• Use sentences to qualify nouns
• Talk about Japanese accomodations
• Use more short forms in casual speech
• Talk aout what you would need to do in preparation for an event
• Roleplay hotel conversations
• Use helping verbs to talk about giving and receiving services
• Make a request in three degrees of politeness
• Say that you hope something nice happens and you wish for the good luck of somebody
• Describe when something happens or happened
• Use 'te'-form of a verb to describe the things you have done or failed to do that you want to apologize for.
• Turn adjectives into nouns
• Talk about gift-giving in Japan

Textbook: Genki Textbook Volume 2, 3rd edition (ISBN: 978-4789017329)

Japanese 9:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 9 Japanese course is designed for students who have completed level 8 language proficiency. This course focuses on further improving learners' proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Chapters 17 and 18 of Genki 2 (2nd edition) will be covered.

• Use sentence-final expressions to present a "hearsay report"
• Use "according to" to specify information source
• Express a conditional event, action, and situation
• Say that something or somebody resembles something else
• Express the idea that something "appears to be the case"
• Describe the event 'before' which something happens
• Talk about Japanese gestures and sushi
• Talk about things you 'have to' or 'don't have to' do
• Roleplay a conversation at the barber or beauty salon
• Use transitive and intransitive verbs
• Express cause and effect
• Say two actions are performed at the same time
• Say that you "wish you had done" or "should have done" something

Textbook: Genki Textbook Volume 2, 3rd edition (ISBN: 978-4789017329)

Japanese 10:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 10 Japanese course is designed for students who have completed level 9 language proficiency. This course focuses on further improving learners' proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Chapters 19 and 20 of Genki 2 (2nd edition) will be covered.

• Use honorific irregular and regular 'u'-verbs
• Give respectful advice
• Use 'te'-form to express gratitude and refer to the action you are grateful for in doing so
• Say that something is "supposed to be the case"
• Turn nouns and adjectives into honorific forms by adding prefixes
• Talk about visiting someone's house and Japanese pop culture
• Talk modestly of our own actions, your family, or the company you work for
• Use verbs in the humble pattern
• Talk about doing something without doing something else
• Use questions within larger sentences
• Say a person or a thing that goes by a certain name
• Describe something that is "easy to do" by adding the adjective-forming suffix to a verb stem
• Roleplay conversations between a customer and attendant

Textbook: Genki Textbook Volume 2, 3rd edition (ISBN: 978-4789017329)

Japanese 11:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 11 Japanese course is designed for students who have completed level 10 language proficiency. This course focuses on further improving learners' proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Chapters 21 to 22 of Genki 2 (3rd edition) will be covered.

• Use passive sentences and questions
• Use 'te'-form of a verb plus a helping verb to characterize a situation that 'has been brought about on purpose' by somebody who remains unnamed
• Talk about an event that takes place 'in the middle of another' event
• Use adjectives plus irregular verb meaning "to make"
• Describe wishes using 'te'-form and adjectives
• Summarize the three words for "want"
• Talk about crimes and accidents
• Talk about religion and education in Japan
• Use causative sentences
• Use commands
• Use the conditional using "provided that"
• Describe an action which is "done in the same way" or "comparable" to another

Textbook: Genki Textbook Volume 2, 3rd edition (ISBN: 978-4789017329)

Japanese 12
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 12 Japanese course is designed for students who have completed level 11 language proficiency. This course focuses on further improving learners' proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Chapter 23 of Genki 2 (3rd edition) will be covered, and basic Japanese grammar will be reviewed.

• Use causative-passive sentences to say that you were made to do, or harassed, or talked into doing something you did not want to do
• Talk about "deciding to do" something
• Talk about 'the way in which an action is performed' or 'how to do' something
• Use Japanese proverbs
• Use expressions of conjecture and hearsay with accuracy
• Use respectful and humble expressions
• Express giving and receiving gifts and favors using the correct verbs
• Express adverse actions and situations, compulsion, induction, and permission
• Use the four conditional structures with accuracy

Textbooks: 

Genki Textbook Volume 2, 3rd edition (ISBN: 9784789017329)

Quartet Intermediate Japanese Across the Four Language Skills I (ISBN: 978-4789016957)

Japanese 13
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 13 Japanese course is designed for students who have completed level 12 language proficiency. Japanese 13 is a recurring course that offers students an opportunity to further develop their skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students will read medium- to long-length passages and practice speaking and listening tasks with real-world applications in a culturally nuanced way. In each of the 6 chapters of the textbook, students will learn about 45 new kanji characters, approximately 100 new vocabulary words, and 10 grammar points to build on their communicative abilities. The curriculum is covered over six consecutive 6-week courses. Upon successful completion of the six 6-week courses, students should be able to:

• Read biographical and descriptive texts about prominent Japanese figures
• Write a short composition about someone you admire
• Practice introducing yourself and making small talk
• Read emails and letters in context
• Write a request and produce a thank-you letter
• Practice conversations using polite expressions
• Interpret texts about leisure, travel, and enjoyable experiences
• Write about your own travel experiences
• Make, change, and cancel reservations
• Order meals and interpret menus
• Participate in roundtable discussions
• Read and speak about one’s experiences and lessons learned
• Ask for and give advice or recommendations
• Read and write instructions and recipes
• Use expressions that present steps or procedures
• Make plans for the weekend and invite others along
• Read an editorial and understand the writer’s main points about social issues
• Write an opinion about a familiar problem and express your reasons
• Express complaints and apologize

Textbook: Quartet Intermediate Japanese Across the Four Language Skills I (ISBN: 978-4789016957)

Japanese Private Lessons:

We offer Japanese language private lessons. Private lessons are $80 per hour for 1 to 4 students. We will schedule lessons based on the availability of the student(s) and teacher. Start dates are flexible. Please register at least 2 weeks before your first lesson.