Aims

(1) To consolidate the linguistic foundation with a view to further study.
(2) To provide students with sufficient target language competence and inter-cultural sensitivity for communicative interaction with native speakers.
(3) To continue to provide students with skills necessary to become better language learners.

Outline Of Syllabus

1. Grammar and Spelling
We shall cover the grammatical points and exercises in each chapter. All points will be explained through the analysis of sentence patterns (bunkei).

2. Listening and speaking
You will practice listening using listening materials uploaded on CANVAS and practice speaking various topics.

3. Reading.
You will develop skills in ondoku (reading aloud) and dokukai (reading comprehension).

4. Writing
You will develop skills in writing, using the grammatical points, sentence patterns, vocabulary and kanji studied in the previous chapters.

The module will be taught and assessed in Japanese and English.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Key grammatical structures, sentence patterns, vocabulary and kanji are practised using an integrated communicative approach in 6 hours of practical classes delivered in seminar style. Oral and aural skills (i.e. speaking and listening) as well as writing and reading are practised throughout the course in task-based activities involving individual, pair and group work.

Vocabulary/grammar tests and kanji tests will take place every week and will be assessed.

In order to ensure that above hours of independent guided study takes place, each contact hour is followed by homework assignments. Many derive from the compulsory workbooks accompanying the core textbook. Additional materials may be distributed in class and are considered an integral part of the homework assignments. There is a minimum homework submission requirement of 70%.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Knowledge of grammatical structures and vocabulary is assessed in all summative work.

Handwriting skills of Japanese characters are deemed essential at this stage of learning and assessed in the written assessments including exams.

- One oral examination in Semester 2 (20%) will test students’ ability to produce and present their own output orally and to understand and respond to questions asked by a target language directly and spontaneously.

- One written exam in Semester and 2 (50%) on Reading / Grammar / Writing will test students’ ability to handwrite in the target language. These formal examinations provide summative information to staff and student on student's achievement in reading / grammar/ writing in the module.

- Written exercises in Semester 2 (30%): These tasks will test students’ ability to handwrite in the target language. Regular vocabulary, grammar and kanji tests are necessary in order to allow students to acquire competence in a steady and growing fashion. It also gives students the opportunity to have constant feedback on their performance. The written assignments help students assess their progress and identify their strengths and areas for improvement in writing thus stimulating their independent and reflective learning skills throughout the year.