Overview
This language module is designed for absolute beginners. No previous knowledge of the language is required. Through a variety of methods, students will develop a very basic competence in reading, writing, listening and speaking and an understanding of basic grammar. At the end of this 12 week-module, students will have reached an A1 proficiency level in the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) and will be able to carry out very simple everyday tasks in the language. Students will be able to understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. They will be able to introduce themselves and others and ask and answer questions about personal details such as where they live, people they know and things they have. They will be able to interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help. They will have a basic understanding of significant aspects of life and culture of the country and intercultural skills necessary for their language proficiency level.
Syllabus
Week 1
- Brief introduction to Japanese grammar & history of Japanese languages.
· Japanese For Busy People I Unit 1 Lesson 1 Introductions
· Nationality & occupations
· Introduce yourself and others
· Grammar: Particles wa, negative and question forms and verb for desu (present,
past and affirmative & negative )
· Hiragana: a line & ka line. How to write & pronunciation - Japanese For Busy People I Unit 1 Lesson 1 review
· Japanese For Busy People I Unit 1 Lesson 2
· Talk about a nearby object and its owner
· Numbers for telephone 0-9
Week 2
- Grammar: Particles ka: Question forms, Vocabulary for personal
· Belongings
· Hiragana: a line & ka line. How to write & pronunciation
Week 3
- Japanese For Busy People I Unit 1 Lesson 2
· Japanese For Busy People I Unit 2 Lesson 3
Talk about time
· Grammar: Particle kara & made, Vocabulary for services and
activities
· Hiragana: sa line & ta line. How to write & pronunciation
Week 4
- Japanese For Busy People I Unit 2 Lesson2 review
· Japanese For Busy People I Unit 2 Lesson 3 and Lesson4
Talk about time, Numbers
· Numbers: 100- 10,000 & decimals & fractions, Shopping: Asking
price of items
· Grammar: Particle mo
· Hiragana: na line & ha line. How to write & pronunciation
Week 5
- Japanese For Busy People I Unit 1 Lesson 2 review
· Japanese For Busy People I Unit 2 Lesson 3 and 4
· Shopping, What time is it now?
Numbers, from-to e.g- 1am-2am, ichi-ji kara 2-ji made
Grammar: Pronouns and noun modifiers: kore/sore/are and
kono/sono/ano
· Hiragana: ma line & ya line. How to write & pronunciation
Week 6
- Japanese For Busy People I Unit 2 Lesson 3 review
· Japanese For Busy People I Unit 2 Lesson 4 and 5
Shopping: How much is it? Kore wa ikura desuka.
Numbers-e.g-100Hyaku, 155Hyaku-go-ju-go
· Grammar: Pronouns and noun modifiers: kore/sore/are and
kono/sono/ano
· Hiragana: ra line, wa line & n How to write & pronunciation
Week 7
- Japanese For Busy People I Unit 2 Lesson 5 review
· Japanese For Busy People I Unit 1-2 whole review
· Hiragana: dakuon & han-dakuon to write & pronunciation
Week 8
- Japanese For Busy People I Unit 3 Lesson 6
Confirming schedules, Time expressions
· Grammar: Motion verbs (present), Verb (masu-form)
· Hiragana: yoon to write & pronunciation
Week 9
- Japanese For Busy People I Unit 3 Lesson 6 and 7
· Visiting another place: Talk about travel destinations, places
and dates, times, and means of transportation
· Grammar: particle wa & ni , Motion verbs (past & present
perfect, present & future)
· Hiragana: Double Vowel to write & pronunciation
Week 10
- Japanese For Busy People I Unit 3 Lesson 6 & 7 review
- Japanese For Busy People I Unit 5 Lesson 10
· Hiragana: Double consonant to write & pronunciation
Week 11
- Japanese For Busy People I Unit 5 Lesson 10
Making plans for the weekend: Talk about everyday doings,
what you will do, when, and where
· Grammar: Verbs that take a grammatical object, particle o, ni &
de
· Hiragana: Reading whole sentences & whole review; - Japanese For Busy People I (Romanized version 4rdedition)
Week 12 Written and speaking tests will take place this week. Completing the assessment is required for students taking the course as part of their degree. For all other students, taking the tests is also strongly recommended, as a measure of your progress and learning.
Textbook details:
ISBN Number-10 1568366191: ISBN-13 978-1568366197
We recommend our students to buy their textbooks from Blackwell’s on campus. They have a price match policy and you can pre-order over the phone with them and pick the book when you are on campus.
Study Hours
The total number of study hours for this module is 150 hours, in line with undergraduate university modules. This includes class meetings, assessment preparation and self-directed study in line with guidance from the course lecturer.
If you are studying on the extracurricular mode, we recognise that the total number of hours that you may be able to study every week may depend on your availability and previous experience studying languages, however, expected contribution to classes, homework completion, and learning outcomes will not vary.
Please note that the ‘last date available to book’ date is only a guide. We reserve the right to close bookings earlier if courses are over- or under-subscribed. In order to avoid disappointment, please be sure enrol as soon as possible. Registrations will not be processed until the following day if received after 3pm.
Course Lecturer: Yayoi Berry
Yayoi is a qualified teacher from Japan and has been teaching Japanese for 15 years in a variety of schools and institutions in Japan, China and the U.K. Yayoi has been teaching at the university over 8 years.
Fees for language courses are £180/£90.
Visit our fee bands page to see which fee applies to you
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