Soko Gakuen Japanese Language School
1881 Pine Street
San Francisco, California 94109
Phone 415-928-9608
http://sokogakuen.org
COURSE SYLLABUS
Term (Contact hours): SPRING 2022
(33 hours)
Class
& Section: BEGINNING 2 ME
Instructor: Mari Ota (email: ohchanma@gmail.com
URL: http://otamari.web.fc2.com)
Meeting day & Time: Mondays 6-9pm
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this course, you should be able to: talk about tourist
destinations; describe what is inside a building; talk about numbers of things
or people that exist in a particular place; talk about the whereabouts of
things and people; talk about everyday doings--what you will do, when and
where; say how frequently you do something and give a brief reason for why you
do it, order food at a restaurant; talk about characteristics of things and
people, use basic greetings when visiting people and receiving guests; talk
about giving and receiving gifts, praise someone's possessions; express your
thoughts about experiences, gratitude, make telephone calls; make plans with
someone; talk about what you own, offer to help someone or accept or reject someone's
offer, give reasons for offering someone something, invite someone to do
something, or refuse someone's invitation. ***It is strongly recommended
that the student purchase the Japanese For Busy People I Kana VERSION as well at this level.
TEXTBOOKS AND MATERIALS
1. Required: a) Japanese For Busy People I Romanized
VERSION (Lessons 8-16) by Kodansha International /
AJALT. b) Shimazu, Y. M. (2005). Handy
Katakana Workbook (1st
ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Publishing. [also available at Kinokuniya Bookstore, San Francisco--Geary at Webster.
Phone 415-567-7625].
2. Recommended: Mizutani, O., & Mizutani, N. (1977 & 1979). nihongo notes (Vols. 1
& 2).
3. Audio files.
Visit https://www.kodanshausa.com
and locate Japanese for Busy People I
and click on corresponding Audio Lessons.
4. Online software programs for you to
practice KANA, etc. at home.
http://www.ajalt.org/sfyj/
http://www.realkana.com/katakana
EVALUATION
1. One final exam (2.5 hours).
2. Upon successful completion (80% or higher attendance rate and 80% or
higher final exam score) of the course, a STUDENT
PROGRESS REPORT
will be written if requested at the time you take the final exam.
3. Your final exam score (%) and attendance (%) will be kept in a digitized
form @STUDENT GRADES AND INFORMATION REPOSITORY.
TEACHING STYLE
The instructor will create a relaxed, low-anxiety atmosphere through which you
can acquire the previously mentioned course objectives with less effort and
with ease. The instructor will use an eclectic teaching method.
PROCEDURES
1. The instructor will follow the CALENDAR /Weekly Schedule printed on the back
page.
2. In class, student and teacher (and student and
student) will engage in interactive language activities, a variety of
exercises, using Japanese as much as possible. The instructor, however, will
use some mechanical and meaningful drills, when necessary, to develop your
kinetic memory for the training of the perceptual motor skills.
3. Students will reinforce and develop vocabulary, structure, listening, and
conversational skills through weekly assignments.
4. The class, however, may be conducted in accordance with the needs of the
students in class within the course objectives.
CALENDAR / Weekly Schedule
Week 1. (April 4) Brief
Review of Beginning 1 ... (Lesson 8) GOING TO NIKKO
Week 2. (April 11) Lesson
9 ........... LOOKING FOR A PARKING LOT
Week 3. (April 18) Lesson
10 .......... MAKING PLANS FOR THE WEEKEND
Week 4. (April 25) Lesson
11 .......... AT A TEMPURA RESTAURANT
Week 5. (May 2) Lesson
12 ........... RECEIVING HOSPITALITY
Week 6. (May 9) Lesson
13 ........... GIVING COMPLIMENTS
Week 7. (May 16) Review
and Quiz
Week 8. (May 23) Lesson
14 ............ EXPRESSING GRATITUDE
Week 9. (May 30) Lesson
15 .............INVITATIONS
Week 10. (June 6) FINAL
EXAM
Week 11. (June 13) Lesson
16 .............PARTICIPATING IN A FESTIVAL
PLEASE NOTE
1. You are expected to listen to the CD, memorize new words, read the grammar
explanation in the textbook and to complete all assignments before coming to
class.
2. Short KATAKANA quizzes are given in class from Week 2 through Week 8.
3. Please be on time for class; otherwise, you interrupt the lesson for others.
Regular class attendance and participation are essential for language learning.
4. Excessive absences (more than 3 class meetings) may be cause for repetition
of the course.
5. The results of your final exam (%) and attendance (%) will be kept in a
digitized form @STUDENT
GRADES AND INFORMATION REPOSITORY. Your PROGRESS REPORT will be kept in the Soko
Gakuen Records Office, and the Office will release it
only upon your request.
6. When you obtain a score of 80% or higher on the final exam, you move up to a
higher level class. Soko Gakuen's exit criteria for each class/level are based on
the 1987 ACTFL Japanese Language Proficiency Guidelines.
POLICY ON FINAL EXAM
If you are unable to take the final exam on the scheduled date due to
circumstances beyond your control, the exam will be given only in a similar
test-taking situation (under supervision of an instructor at Soko Gakuen). Unless the final
exam is made up before the PROGRESS REPORT is submitted (from the teacher to
the Soko Gakuen Records
Office), NO CERTIFICATES can be issued.
ALL THE ENDEAVORS OF THE
TEACHER WILL FAIL TO INSURE SUCCESS
UNLESS YOU PREPARE WITH DILIGENCE AND CONSTANCY
THE EXERCISES TO BE GIVEN IN CLASS.
YOUR PROGRESS IS OUR MAIN
CONCERN.