This is an intensive beginner’s language programme. The course is designed to enable students with no previous knowledge of the language to reach a level of intermediate proficiency by the end of the year, and to build towards the use of the language at a high level. Study focuses on the four major language skills – reading, writing, speaking and listening – through classwork exercises as well as written work, and use of video and audio material.

1. Understand the principles of learning a foreign language intensively and organise their learning with guidance with the tutor
2. Read, understand and speak the target language to at least the level of A2 Common European Framework
3. Reproduce approximately 450 kanji
4. Have gained confidence in their ability to express themselves in speech and writing in everyday matters in the target language
5. Engage with appropriate grammatical correctness and some spontaneity in oral as well as written communication relating to everyday topics
6. Write coherent texts in a limited range of registers on everyday topics
7. Comprehend passages of Japanese text using vocabulary and grammar introduced
8. Have extended and refined vocabulary and skills by engaging with the Independent Learning Portfolio
9. Be able to engage with appropriate language learning technologies
10. To be able to identify, assess, and make good use of appropriate reference materials (e.g. dictionaries; online resources; self-study tool)
11. Understand Japanese culture and its relevance within the language

Conduct oneself in a manner appropriate to a Japanese setting

Teaching, learning and assessment are designed to enable students to achieve the learning outcomes described above. While part of any class session is likely to involve direct teaching, the emphasis is on student participation and students will be expected to take part actively in discussions and in tasks such as small group and pair work, role play, and presentation.

There will be nine classes per week.

A Japanese textbook is followed on a weekly basis, and material from other language books is incorporated from time to time.

Independent Learning: You will be expected to spend a significant amount of time studying outside the class. Materials will be provided on Learning Central which will help you develop your expertise as an independent language learner. You will be asked to consolidate your class work by learning vocabulary and linguistic structures, and by reading, watching and/or listening to material in the target language. You will also be expected to prepare exercises and activities for the class, to write assignments and generally begin to acquire a repertoire of effective language learning strategies. Independent Learning logbooks will be provided on Learning Central to help structure your language learning outside class time.

• Subject-specific language skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking) in the target language at the appropriate level
• The ability to understand cultural differences
• An awareness of how languages (including the other tongue) function and respect for other languages
• The ability to adapt to a different language
• The skills to be effective, independent and self-aware learners, including active reflection on learning processes and preferences so as to independently develop appropriate strategies and linguistic skills to ensure progression
• The ability to work creatively and flexibility with others as part of a team
• Enhanced digital literacy skills

The formal assessments contain a range of questions designed to cover the learning outcomes for the module and to test skill development.

Informal assessment is provided through discussion in classes and feedback on the students’ independently produced work. At the examination and class tests, the use of Japanese dictionaries or dictionaries containing Chinese characters is NOT permitted. 

Type of assessment

%

Contribution

Title

Duration

Coursework 1

20%

Learning portfolio

Coursework 2

40%

Written task

Class test

40%

Class test (kanji and vocabulary) 

The opportunity for reassessment in this module

At the end of semester 1, students who gain an overall pass in the module will not be required to re-sit any failed components.

Students who fail the overall module will be required to re-sit all the failed components during the August resit period for a maximum of 40%. 

The course will focus on:

Introducing the fundaments of grammar

Introducing sentence structures

Building a range of vocabulary relevant to daily life, as specified in the European Common Framework of Reference, level A2

Introducing different registers

Introducing the cultural contexts of the target cultures

Making the most of independent learning and learning technologies

Compulsory textbooks

Nishiguchi, K (2012) NEJ: A New Approach to Elementary Japanese vol.1, Kuroshio Publishing. ISBN-10: 4874245501

Nishiguchi, K (2012) NEJ: A New Approach to Elementary Japanese vol.2, Kuroshio Publishing. ISBN-10: 4874245625

Recommended textbook

Williams, N. K. (2010) The Key to Kanji: A Visual History of 1100 Characters, Cheng & Tsui Company, Inc.