JAP 120
Japanese II
Summer Term 2025 |
Instructor: Staff |
Total sessions: 25 Sessions |
Office Hours: TBA |
Session Length: 145 Minutes |
Classroom: TBA |
Credits: 3 Units |
Class Length: 7 Weeks |
Language: English&Japanese |
Course Overview:
This course serves as the second level in developing proficiency in the Japanese language. Building upon the foundation of basic grammar and vocabulary, this course emphasizes real-life conversational skills, reading, writing, and cultural competence. By focusing on practical usage and cultural insights, students will strengthen their ability to communicate in Japanese effectively and naturally.
Required Material:
Genki II: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese (E. Banno et al., Japan Times, 2011).
Supplementary Resources: Selected articles, videos, and audio materials to be provided via the course platform.
Learning Objectives:
1. Strengthen understanding of elementary Japanese grammar structures and vocabulary.
2. Develop proficiency in reading and writing simple texts, including an additional 80 kanji.
3. Enhance listening and speaking skills to engage in everyday conversations.
4. Cultivate an understanding of Japanese cultural norms and their relationship to language use.
Course Outline: Week 1:
Lecture 1-3: Fundamental Review and Expansion
Lecture 1: Overview of JAP110 and basic structures
o Overview of polite forms and sentence structure
o Practice key expressions from JAP110 in role-play scenarios
Lecture 2: Polite expressions and transitions
o Expanding greetings for formal and informal settings
o Using transitional words for smooth conversation
Lecture 3: Self-introductions and describing others
o How to introduce family and friends
o Describing physical characteristics and personality traits
Assignment 1
More specific requirements (e.g., topic, formatting requirements, deadlines, etc.) will be provided in the course.
Week 2:
Lecture 4-7: Daily Communication and Etiquette
Lecture 4: Hiragana, Katakana, and sentence flow
o Practice accurate writing and pronunciation
o Reading exercises combining characters into sentences
Lecture 5: Cultural insights – Daily etiquette
o Bowing customs and conversational spacing
o Using honorifics in polite conversation
Lecture 6: Comparisons and preferences
o Using adjectives to compare objects and preferences
o Expressing likes and dislikes fluently
Lecture 7: Practical vocabulary
o Learning essential terms for shopping and daily activities
o Role-playing shopping interactions
Week 3:
Lecture 8-11: Requests and Daily Interactions
Lecture 8: Making polite requests
o Phrases to ask for help, borrow items, or request services
o Practice scenarios for travel and customer service situations
Lecture 9: Introductory kanji set
o Focus on kanji for family, locations, and daily verbs
o Techniques for memorization and practice
Lecture 10: Role-playing – Dining out
o Practice placing orders and asking questions in restaurants
o Cultural notes on table manners and restaurant customs
Lecture 11: Expressing opinions
o Structures for stating personal opinions and asking for others’
o Phrases to agree or politely disagree
Week 4:
Lecture 12-14: Advanced Grammar and Event Descriptions
Lecture 12: Grammar focus – Verb conjugations and past tense
o Reviewing plain and polite forms of verbs
o Forming questions in the past tense
Lecture 13: Making plans and talking about events
o Grammar for discussing future activities
o Practice discussing vacations or events
Lecture 14: Japanese festivals and traditions
o Introduction to New Year’s customs and seasonal festivals
o Comparing traditional and modern practices
Midterm Exam: multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank questions (Contains topics in Lecture 1-14)
Week 5:
Lecture 15-18: Deeper Understanding and Application
Lecture 15: Listening and comprehension
o Practice recognizing spoken instructions
o Listening activities focusing on key vocabulary and grammar
Lecture 16: Grammar – Linking sentences
o Using conjunctions like “but” “and” and “therefore”
o Writing practice with connected sentences
Lecture 17: Planning a trip
o Vocabulary for travel arrangements and schedules
o Practice creating a detailed travel itinerary
Lecture 18: Reading practice
o Short passages about famous places in Japan
o Exercises on extracting key details from text
Assignment 2
More specific requirements (e.g., topic, formatting requirements, deadlines, etc.) will be provided in the course.
Week 6:
Lecture 19-22: Cultural Exploration and Expression
Lecture 19: Presenting cultural topics
o Preparing and delivering a short presentation on a Japanese custom
o Practice pronunciation and sentence accuracy
Lecture 20: Vocabulary and grammar practice
o Interactive activities, including sentence construction, translation, and kanji application
o Immediate feedback and guidance to address common challenges
Lecture 21: Expressing Intentions and Future Plans
o Learn advanced sentence structures to express intentions or future aspirations
o Practice forming detailed future plans using learned grammar
Lecture 22: Giving and Receiving in Japanese
o Explore the cultural significance of "giving" and "receiving" expressions
o Role-playing scenarios: Exchanging gifts and favors
Week 7:
Lecture 23-25: Real-Life Topics and Review
Lecture 23: Discussing Weather and Daily Events
o Vocabulary for weather forecasts and daily routines
o Listening comprehension: Japanese weather reports
o Conversation practice: Sharing daily activities
Lecture 24: Health and Well-being
o Learn phrases and vocabulary for describing health conditions
o Role-play: Visiting a doctor and seeking advice
Lecture 25: Final review and course reflection
o Comprehensive review covering grammar, vocabulary, kanji, and listening
o Open discussion reflecting on achievements and challenges
Final Exam: multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank questions (Contains topics in All Lectures)
Grading Assessment:
Assignment 1 |
15% |
Assignment 2 |
15% |
Weekly vocabulary quizzes |
5% |
Midterm |
25% |
Final exam |
30% |
Seminar Participation |
10% |
Total |
100% |
Assignments:
Students are required to write two writing practice during the semester, each ranging between 500-800 words. The assignments should demonstrate analytical thinking, clear organization, and proper use of evidence to support arguments. Both assignments will be graded on grammar accuracy, vocabulary usage, sentence structure, coherence, and the use of kanji where applicable. Feedback will be provided to improve your skills for future writing tasks.
Weekly quizzes:
The weekly vocabulary quizzes held every Friday, will consist exclusively of multiple-choice questions designed to assess your understanding and retention of key vocabulary introduced in that week’s lectures and materials. Each test will take approximately 10 minutes and evaluate your ability to correctly identify word meanings, recognize their usage in context, and associate
Japanese terms with their English equivalents. These quizzes collectively account for 5% of your final grade, with results provided the following Monday to support continuous learning and
improvement.
Attendance:
Students are required to attend a weekly seminar led by TA to focus on the week's topic and deepen understanding. Seminar time assigned by TA. Seminar attendance counts toward the final grade.
Exams:
The examinations in this course consist of multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank questions. The final exam is cumulative.
Final Evaluation:
Letter Grade |
Percentage (%) |
Letter Grade |
Percentage |
A+ |
≥95 |
C+ |
64-67 |
A |
89-94 |
C |
60-64 |
A- |
84-88 |
C- |
56-59 |
B+ |
79-83 |
D+ |
54-56 |
B |
73-78 |
D |
50-53 |
B- |
68-72 |
F |
≤50 |
General Policies:
Academic integrity
Academic integrity is the cornerstone of academia and requires students and researchers to
maintain honesty, fairness, trust and responsibility in all academic activities. It includes not only avoiding dishonest behaviors such as plagiarism, cheating, and falsifying data, but also requires taking responsibility for one's own academic actions and ensuring that all work is done
independently and accurately cites the research of others. Violations of academic integrity can result in severe academic penalties, such as zero grades, suspension or even expulsion, and can cause serious damage to an individual's reputation and future career. Upholding academic
integrity is therefore essential to promoting a fair academic environment and facilitating the authentic dissemination of knowledge.
Accessible Resources Policy
The policy ensures that all students, especially those with disabilities, are able to participate equally in school learning and activities. The school provides a wide range of accessibility resources including, but not limited to, specialized classrooms, hearing aids, Braille textbooks, assistive technology, and flexible testing arrangements. Students are required to apply to the school in advance and provide appropriate medical or psychological evaluations so that an
individualized support plan can be developed for them. This policy is designed to remove barriers in the academic environment and to ensure that every student has access to equitable learning opportunities.
Withdrawal Policy
Students may choose to withdraw from a course within a specified period of time, and may not be able to do so after the expiration date. When withdrawing from a course, students are required to fill out a withdrawal form with a reason, which will be reviewed and processed on a case-by- case basis. Withdrawal from a course may not affect the student's academic performance. If a student withdraws from a course with incomplete requirements, a “W” may be assigned instead of a grade, depending on the course.
