Course Title: Japanese 2

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2009

Course Code: LANG5486

Course Title: Japanese 2

School: 365T Global Studies, Soc Sci & Plng

Campus: City Campus

Program: C2160 - Certificate II in Language (Japanese)

Course Contact : Ms. Barbara White

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 5211

Course Contact Email:barbara.white@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Maya Fujioka maya.fujioka@rmit.edu.au

Nominal Hours: 180

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

Certificate I in Applied Language, up to 180 hrs prior study, or equivalent. The ability to read and write the hiragana and katakana scripts and 90 basic kanji characters is essential.

Course Description

This course makes up the year long Certificate II in Language (Japanese). Through closed and then open-ended learning activities you will establish a basis for development of communicative skills in the spoken and written language, emphasizing the former. Your knowledge of basic 90 kanji will be consolidated with further teaching of approximately 120 new kanji characters. You will be able to speak and understand Japanese in a predictable range range of workplace and everyday situations.  Practical knowledge of the culture, in a wide range of personal and social situations and context will be introduced. Student-centred drilling, practical and communicative activities and tasks encourage you to be responsible for your own learning, to be creative and critical in your application of knowledge of the language to communication with people of a different cultural tradition, and to build on your knowledge and interest to a level where learning can continue in daily life.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

LOTE 655 Japanese 2


Learning Outcomes


  1.   Participate in a casual conversation on a familiar topic including past, present, and future events
  2. Conduct routine spoken transactions
  3. Give simple directions, instructions, or explanations
  4. Identify specific information in short oral texts 
  5. Write a short recount which includes a description
  6. Identify specific information in a short written text


Details of Learning Activities

Class time is devoted to a variety of activities at introducing, drilling, learning experiences practising, consolidating and developing aspects of language which are
then available for you to use communicatively. This process includes presentation of new language through explanation, on-line and audio material and text; mechanical oral and written exercises and drills, leading to creative oral and written tasks, aim to give you practice in adapting and using the introduced language for your own communicative purposes.

Much of the rote learning work necessary to language learning is assigned as homework. Your active participation in the course, by means of regular preparation of class topics and revision, wider reading about the country and culture, and seeking out own opportunities to practise, is necessary if successful learning is to take place.

Classes provide most of the limited opportunities you have to use newly-learnt language. Attendance at all classes is therefore essential.
Feedback on the balance and focus of the subject from you is welcome. Students and staff meet to consult once in the semester and Course Experience Questionnaires are distributed from week 13, of each semester.


Teaching Schedule

Teaching Schedule (for Semester Two only ) *Subject to Change*
All tasks downloadable from Blackboard. You are enrolled in LANG 5486 Japanese 2 Class 1900
*All scheduled class assessments in italics

W1 (20/7)         Semester 1 general revision & Lesson 13
W2 (27/7)         Lesson 13

W3 (3/8)           Lesson 13
W4 (10/8)         Lesson 14
                          Lesson 13 kanji test (4%)

W5 (17/8)         Lesson 14
                           Oral Task 1 (10%)
W6 (24/8)         Lesson 14

**31 Aug – 6 Sep Mid semester 2 break**

W7 (7/9)             Lesson 15
                            Lesson 14 kanji test (4%)

W8 (14/9)          Lesson 15
                            Listening Test (10%)

W9 (21/9)          Lesson 15

W10 (28/9)        Lesson 15-16
                            Oral task 2 (10%)

W11 (5/10)        Lesson 16
                            Lesson 15 kanji test (4%)

                            Exam information sheet available in Blackboard

W12 (12/10)     Lesson 16
                           Written task (4%) due

W13 (19/10)     Lesson 16
                           Lesson 16 Kanji test (4%)

W14 (26/10)     Revision
                            Written task feedback

W15 (2/11)        Exam
                            Thursday (5/11) and Tuesday (10/11) in normal class times

* No classes. on Tuesday (3/11 - Cup Day)


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

Banno, E. et. al. (1999) Genki II, Japan Times Banno, E. et. al. (1999) Genki II Workbook Japan Times


References


Other Resources

TEXT RESOURCES:

Befu, H., Eades, J. S. and Gill, T. (ed.) Globalization and social change in contemporary Japan Rosanna, Vic. : Trans Pacific Press, 2000

Hendry, J., Understanding Japanese society New York : Routledge, 2003.

Martinez., D. P. (ed.) Modern Japanese culture and society London : Routledge, 2007.

Mouer, R. and Kawanishi H.. A sociology of work in Japan New York : Cambridge University Press, 2005.

Nathan., J., Japan unbound : a volatile nation’s quest for pride and purpose Boston ; New York : Houghton Mifflin, 2004.

Sugimoto, Y. An introduction to Japanese society Cambridge, U.K. ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2003.

Sugimoto, Y. and Mouer, R. Images of Japanese society : a study in the social construction of reality London ; New York : Kegan Paul, 2002.




INTERNET RESOURCES:
ESSENTIAL Genki website (offers additional useful materials to use including self-study materials and related links:
http://genki.japantimes.co.jp
RMIT Learning Hub/Blackboard. You are enrolled in LANG 5486 Japanese 2 Class 1900

www.rmit.edu.au/learninghub

Listening practice:
www.japanesepod101.com

Dictation quizzes for Japanese speech:
http://sp.cis.iwate-u.ac.jp/sp/lesson/j/index.html

Japan-related activities in Melbourne :
www.melbourne.au.emb-japan.go.jp/

News:
www.japantimes.co.jp/topnews.html

Japan Insight:
http://jin.jcic.or.jp/insight

Japan’s Official Site:
www.mofa.go.jp

Bookshop specialising in Japanese language texts:
www.languageint.com.au

Updates on scholarships/events:
www.rmit.edu.au/gsssp/japanese


Overview of Assessment

Your language skills will be assessed using speaking tasks, listening tasks, reading tasks, script tests and short written assignments. The final result is obtained by combining the results of all progressive assessment tasks (this includes class based tasks as well as tasks completed outside of class) with the mid-year and end-of-year examination. Both progressive assessment and exams cover the learning outcomes as described above.



Assessment Tasks

The final end-of-year result is obtained by combining the results of all progressive assessment tasks with the end-of-semester examination marks for Semester 1(50%) and 2 (50%). Results for Semester 1 may be made available through the Blackboard in the Learning Hub. An official result with transcript will be available at the end of the program ( November 2009)

PROGRESSIVE ASSESSMENT 50%
Regular tasks conducted throughout the semester, including:
*oral tasks (2) 20%
*script tests (4) and written task (1) 20%

*listening test (1) 10%

Test times are included in the course guide, details announced in class. You cannot perform at other times without legitimate reason, such as submission of a medical certificate, an assessment task conducted during classes from which you were absent. In such circumstances, re-sit of the task is to be completed at the next scheduled assessment date. You cannot re-sit listening tasks. You are required to keep copies of all works submitted.

END-OF-SEMESTER EXAMINATIONS 50%
Written examination 30%
May include:
*reading comprehension
*grammar application
*writing
Details announced in class

Oral/aural examination 20%
*guided conversations or role plays or interview
*2 listening comprehension exercises

Examinations are held in normal class times in week 15. Oral/aural examinations will be of 1.5 hours duration. Written examinations 2 hours duration. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
Oral tasks are graded according to the following five criteria, each
and grading given equal weight.

1 grammatical accuracy
Do you have the basic grammatical knowledge and vocabulary
to complete the task?
2 adequacy of vocabulary for purpose
Are you using appropriate vocabulary for the task?
3 intelligibility and fluency
Do you have clear pronunciation?
Is your delivery carried out smoothly?
Are you fluent in your delivery with few hesitations?
4 adequacy of content
Have you fulfilled the task appropriately?
Are you able to use repair strategies, if necessary?
5 interactive skills
Are you making eye contact with your partner/interviewer and using
non- verbal skills appropriately?

Written tasks are graded according to the following five criteria, each and grading given equal weight.

1 relevance and adequacy of content
Response is adequate to the topic
2 organization/cohesion
Sentences are linked smoothly
Essay (where appropriate) has an introduction, body, and conclusion
3 adequacy of vocabulary for purpose
Vocabulary is varied, non-repetitive or not limited
4 grammatical accuracy / appropriateness
Correct tense, particle and word order are used
Sentences chosen are semantically appropriate
5 script
Show ability in the reading and writing of kanji

Grades 0 - 49% NN
50 -59% PA
60-69% CR
70-79% DI
80-100% HD


Assessment Matrix

Course Overview: Access Course Overview