Admission requirements
This course is only available for students in the BA International Studies.
This course is only available for students in the BA International Studies who have passed Japanese 1 Beginners.
Description
This is an integrated language course for beginners, with a communicative approach. Special attention will be paid to the use of the language in practical everyday situations and the focus will be on listening, speaking and reading and writing.
The target of the course is as follows;
A student can
1. deal with common aspects of everyday living such as travel, lodgings, eating and shopping.
2. ask questions to the station employee, for example, about how to get to the destination, how to ride the train, etc., and understand a few simple answers.
3. communicate in simple and routine tasks using simple phrases to ask for and provide things, to get simple information and to discuss what to do next.
4. get simple information about travel, use public transport: buses, trains, and taxis, ask and give directions, and buy tickets.
5. discuss everyday practical issues in a simple way when addressed clearly, slowly and directly.
6. understand short simple personal letters.
7. look at short simple texts in, for example, a travel brochure or guide book, and find the necessary information such as facts about the major sights and stores.
8. describe plans and arrangements, habits and routines, past activities and personal experiences.
9. deal with common aspects of everyday living such as travel, lodgings, eating and shopping.
10. learn basic Kanji for reading simple texts.
Students will be introduced to: – a wide range of elementary grammatical structures and sentence patterns, – basic kanji characters (145 in vol. 1 and up to a maximum of 240 on vol.2 of the course book) and – vocabulary terms and expressions that are closely tied to students’ everyday lives and communicative situations in Japanese contexts.
For more details, refer to online resources accompanying the course book:
Syllabus of the Grammar and Dialogue section (in Japanese): Grammar and Dialogue section
Kanji characters introduced in the Reading and Writing section: Reading and Writing section
Course objectives
CEFR target levels: Speaking: A1-2, Listening: A1-2, Reading: A1, Writing A1 as applicable and as described in the Japan Foundation Standard for Japanese Language Education:
Japanese Language Education > A1-A2
By the end of volume 2, students will acquire approximately 1,700 basic words and 317 kanji characters, including 254 of the 284 kanji listed for Level 3 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (as administered until 2010).
Timetable
The timetable is available on the BA International Studies website
Mode of instruction
Three two hour tutorials every week
Attending lectures and tutorials is compulsory. If you are not able to attend a lecture or a tutorial, please inform the tutor of the course. Being absent without notification can result in a lower grade or exclusion from the final exam or essay.
Course Load
Total course load for this course is 10 EC (1 EC = 28 hours), this equals 280 hours, broken down by:
- Atending classes: 72 hours (6 hrs per week over 12 weeks) Preparing classes, exams and extra activities : 208 hours
Assessment method
- There is no re-sit test during the course.
Assessment
Learning aim: Use of course contents, including vocabulary items, grammar , Kanji
Assessment: Written exam and quiz (60%)Learning aim: Use of the target language to communicate with correct pronunciation, Listening/speaking/Dictation
Assessment: In-class oral/listening performance (30%)Learning aim: Use of the target language to write with suitable vocabulary items and grammar
Assessment: Writing assignments (10%）
Weighing
Assessment: Written exam and quiz: 60%
Assessment: In-class oral/listening performance: 30%
Assessment: Writing assignments: 10%
To complete the final mark, please take notice of the following: the final mark for the course is established by determining the weighted average.
To pass the course, the average has to be 5.5 at least.
Resit
If the final grade is insufficient (lower than a 5.5), there is the possibility of a resit.
The resit will be a written exam of two hours, and will test if the students have reached the end level of this semester. This exam consists of the following components:
Reading and writing;
Written dialogue;
Vocabulary and grammar.
There is no re-sit for the in-class oral/listening performance, but, in order to pass the course the grades received for the oral exam must be a minimum of a 5,5.
Blackboard
Blackboard will be used. For tutorial groups: please enroll in blackboard after your enrolment in uSis
Students are requested to register on Blackboard for this course.
Reading list
Genki Textbook I & II [Second Edition], The Japan Times, ISBN: 978-4-7890-1440-3 & 978-4-7890-1443-4
Genki Workbook I & II [Second Edition], The Japan Times, ISBN: 978-4-7890-1441-0 & 978-4-7890-1444-1
Genki website
Local bookstore: van Stockum
The Japan Times book club
Registration
Enrolment through uSis is mandatory.
General information about uSis is available in English and Dutch
Registration Studeren à la carte and Contractonderwijs
Not applicable
Contact
Remarks
For this course attendance and participation is essential. Classes missed for a good reason have to be discussed with the language instructor BEFORE the class takes place. Frequent absence will inevitably lead to lower participation grades, or denied access to the final exam.
This course uses Integrated communicative language learning method. Therefore active participation in the classroom activities is essential for successful learning outcomes.
The detailed study plan (including the schedule of the quizzes, oral performance and assignments) is available through Blackboard.