Course Title: Japanese - Level 4

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2012

Course Code: LANG5731

Course Title: Japanese - Level 4

School: 365T Global Studies, Soc Sci & Plng

Campus: City Campus

Program: C4283 - Certificate IV in Japanese

Course Contact : Hiroko Ohashi

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 3975

Course Contact Email:hiroko.ohashi@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff





Hiroko Ohashi ( hiroko.ohashi@rmit.edu.au)
Program Co-ordinator
Japanese Language Programs
Phone: +61 3 9925 3975/2328

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 III in Japanese or VCE Japanese or up to 540 hrs prior study, or equivalent. The ability to read and write the hiragana and katakana scripts and approximately 320 elementary kanji characters is essential.

Course Description

his course makes up the year long Certificate III 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. The scripts of hiragana, katakana, and approximately 320 basic kanji will be consolidated with fthe further teaching of 150 new kanji characters, focussing on recognition. You will be able to speak and understand Japanese in a varied range of complex, everyday contexts. 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:

LOTE1165 Japanese - Level 4


Learning Outcomes


1 Negotiate an oral exchange to solve problems, explore issues or provide customer service
2 Give an oral presentation
3 Participate effectively in a conversation in a social or workplace context# Listen and report on a sustained oral event
4 Listen and report on a sustained oral event

5 Write work-related documents

6 Read and understand complex work-related or general written texts 


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 every semester and Course Experience Questionnaires are distributed from week 12, of each semester.


Teaching Schedule

Teaching Schedule (for Semester two only ) *Subject to Change*

W1 Review of L10-13
Lesson 14
JLPT Application
http://www.jpf.org.au/
http://www.jsh.org.au/index.php?q=jlpt
W2 Lesson 14

W3 Lesson 15

W4 Lesson 16

W5 Lesson 17

W6 Lesson 18

W7 Lesson19

W8 Lesson 20
Midsemester break 9th - 14th September

W9 Lesson 21

W10 Lesson 22

 

W11 Lesson 23
Exam information sheet available in Blackboard

W12 Application

W13 Application

W14 Revision & Written task feedback
Week15 Exam *in normal class time
               


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

BEUCKMANN, Fusako et. al (2006) Japanese "Live" - Speaking Skills Learned through Listening 2
Tokyo: Kuroshio 


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: Genki on-line http://genki.japantimes.co.jp/)

• Listening practice: www.japanesepod101.com

• Jim Breen’s Dictionary
For individual word or kanji:
"Jim Breen’s WWWJDIC" http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/cgi-bin/wwwjdic.cgi?1C
(Jim Breen’s site could be used as a principal source of Japanese dictionary)
• "popups" vocabulary help for online texts: "Rikai.com" http://www.rikai.com/perl/Home.pl

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/anguages

• Long list of examples for the most appropriate use of a word : "EIJIRO on the Web " http://www.alc.co.jp/
• Dictation quizzes for Japaenese speech: http://sp.cis.iwate-u.ac.jp/sp/lesson/j/index.html
• Kanji stroke order animation: www.aiu.ac.jp/%7Ekawatsu/gahoh/English.html


Overview of Assessment

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. Classes are designed to use the four skills(speaking, listening, reading, and writing) together in an integrated manner. However, the assessment of each skill will be assigned to a specific teacher to maintain consistency. Attendance at all classes is therefore essential.
Feedback on the balance and focus of the subject from you is welcome. Students and staff meet each semester and Course Experience Questionnaires are distributed from week 12, of each semester.


Assessment Tasks

The final semester result is obtained by combining the results of all progressive assessment tasks with the semester examination marks.
It should be noted that the assessments weight reflects the learning outcomes of the program.

Progressive assessment 50%
Regular tasks conducted throughout the semester, including
*Oral task Show & Tell (oral presentations)10%L/O 1+ 2+3
This assesses your ability to put language acquired during this course into practice. In the Show and Tell you will be expected to talk about a topic of your choice whilst also being understood by your classmates as well as to respond to questions from your audience.
*Listening task10% L/O 4
This assesses your listening skills and will be conducted in a range of styles such as filling-in the gaps; making right/wrong choices, or answering questions in Japanese /English.
*Script tests & Writing Task15% L/O5
(Kanji test 2.5% x 4 + Writing Task 5%)
Script tests assess your reading and writing ability of scripts.
The written task assesses your ability to apply your knowledge of scripts and grammar in a more practical context.
*Revision quiz 10% L/O 1,3 ,5,6
This assesses your reading and written work as well as grammar functions used in your spoken language
*Culture project 5% L/O5
This assessment is two-fold: an oral presentation in English including a class handout (CERT IIII), and a written summary in Japanese. The summary aims to allow you to demonstrate your ability in expressing complicated concepts within the range of Japanese language acquired in the program.
Semester examinations50%
Written examination may includes;30% L/O 5,6
*reading comprehension
*cloze exercise
*set phrases
*writing (in Japanese scripts)
Oral/aural examination20%
*guided conversations or role plays or interview LO 1/LO3
(LO 2: use topic from visitor session)
*3 or 4 listening comprehension exercises LO 4

Examinations are held in normal class times in week 15.
Written examinations will be of 1.5 hours duration.
Information sheet regarding the exams will be distributed in class in Week 13.
Details of test and schedule will be announced in class. You cannot perform at other times without legitimate reason, such as submission of a medical certificate, or a documented work-related commitment, an assessment task conducted during classes from which you were absent. In such instances, you must CONTACT YOUR LECTURER IN ADVANCE, OR WITHIN 48 HOURS OF THE MISSED ASSESSMENT to apply for a deferred assessment. A deferred assessment is to be completed at the next scheduled assessment date. You cannot sit deferred listening tasks. Please plan your vacations carefully, taking into consideration assessment/exam dates, as a vacation is not considered a legitimate reason.


Assessment criteria (details in class)

ORAL TASKS

1 grammatical accuracy
2 adequacy of vocabulary for purpose and content
3 intelligibility and fluency
4 Appropriate use of the language
5 interactive skills

WRITTEN TASKS

1 relevance and adequacy of content Response is adequate to the topic
2 organization/ cohesion
3 Appropriate use of the language
4 grammatical accuracy
5 script

 



Grades

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


Assessment Matrix

Course Overview: Access Course Overview