course listing
Everyday Japanese:
Mastering Kana
Full at both locations
Mastering Kana is an introductory course on the two basic phonetic character sets of Japanese (Kana)—Katakana (ex. ア、イ、ウ) and Hiragana (ex. あ、い、う) --as well as basic expressions and greetings. In this course, you will learn how to read and write all Kana. You will also learn how to greet people and introduce yourself in Japanese. This course is suitable for beginners as well as those who already know Japanese but need help remembering Kana.
Prerequisites
No prerequisites
Goal: A1 level
At the end of the course, the successful learners will:
- Have knowledge of both of the Japanese Kana writing systems, including their history
- Be able to read and write Japanese Kana (both Hiragana and Katakana)
- Be able to read signs and menus in Japanese
- Be able to make appropriate greetings for different times of day and to show gratitude
- Be able to introduce yourself using simple Japanese
Download the Self-check list to see if this is the right course for you. No assessment test is required for this course.
Everyday Japanese:
Making friends 1
In this course you will learn how to introduce yourself, to talk about your family and your daily life and to invite friends in Japanese and also understand Japanese culture and customs. At the end of this course, you will be able to talk about yourself and carry on a simple conversation with Japanese people. This course will also introduce basic knowledge of Kanji and the most useful Kanji for everyday life.
Prerequisites
You must be comfortable reading Hiragana and Katakana without any pronunciation guides such as Roma-ji.
Goal: A1 level
At the end of the course, the successful learners will:
- Be able to introduce yourself
- Be able to talk about your family and daily life, and ask simple questions about other people’s schedules
- Be able to invite your friends to go out
- Have basic knowledge of Kanji and understand the meaning of the most useful kanji for everyday life
- Be able to look up, read, and understand the meaning of kanji, using a kanji dictionary or electric device such as a smart phone
If you are a new student, download the Self-check list and Assessment test to see if this is the right course for you.
*In Everyday Japanese: Making Friends 1-2 courses, we use a set of original textbooks published by the Japan Foundation: Marugoto: Japanese Language and Culture. We will cover half of the contents of these books in this course. We recommend you purchase them ($50 per set) at the first class, but if you prefer, we provide copies of all relevant material at no extra charge.
Marugoto: Japanese Language and Culture (A1 level/ Starter)
A set includes three books (Activities, Comprehension, and Vocabulary), and five CDs. The textbooks have lots of pictures with words and sentences in Roma-ji and Kana and some exercises. It is useful for review, preparation and self-study.
Everyday Japanese:
making friends 2
Let’s go out with friends! You will learn simple expressions used in Japan in everyday life for situations such as traveling, shopping, and eating out. Using actual materials from everyday life in Japan such as maps, Japanese travel magazines, websites and floor plans of department stores, you will be able to go out to shop, and eat out while communicating with Japanese people.
*In Everyday Japanese: Making Friends 1-2 courses, we use a set of original textbooks published by the Japan Foundation: Marugoto: Japanese Language and Culture. We will cover half of the contents of these books in this course. We recommend you purchase them (a set of three books; $50 total) at the first class, but if you prefer, we provide copies of all relevant material at no extra charge.
Prerequisites
You must be comfortable reading and writing Hiragana and Katakana without any pronunciation guides such as Roma-ji in order to understand the class materials in Japanese and also have basic knowledge of Kanji such as stroke order and common radicals. You must be able to talk about yourself, your family, your daily life and routines in Japanese.
Goal: A1 level
At the end of the course, the successful learners will:
- Have knowledge of useful/ necessary vocabulary and expressions for shopping
- Have knowledge of shopping and dining customs in Japan
- Have knowledge of basic daily vocabulary and expressions for shopping and dining in Japan
- Be able to buy what you want at a shop in Japan
- Be able to order your food at restaurants in Japan
If you are a new student, download the Self-check list and Assessment test to see if this is the right course for you.
Everyday Japanese:
New! Fun with friends
Fun with Friends is designed for Japanese language learners who have completed JF Nihongo Making Friends 1 and 2 or equivalent (A1 level). You will develop Japanese language skills to communicate with Japanese people in everyday contexts and common situations encountered at work and leisure.
*The Fun with Friends course will focus on a different topic each term, so you could take this course repeatedly.
Prerequisites
You must be comfortable reading and writing Hiragana and Katakana without any pronunciation guides such as Roma-ji in order to understand the class materials in Japanese and also have a basic knowledge of Kanji such as stroke order and common radicals. Please complete the attached assessment test. If you can answer the questions, you are ready for this course.
Goal: A2 level
This course is designed to be taken multiple times in order to reach the following goals:
- Be able to read kanji which is commonly seen in everyday life throughout Japan.
- Be able to write, short simple notes and messages (e-mail) relating to matters in areas of immediate need.
- Be able to interact with Japanese people in different settings including social events, work and travel using simple grammar and structures correctly, though still making some mistakes.
If you are a new student, please download the Self-check list and Assessment test to see if this is the right course for you. Please contact us if you have any questions.
*In Everyday Japanese: Fun with Friends course, we use a set of original textbooks published by the Japan Foundation: Marugoto: Japanese Language and Culture. We will use Marugoto (A2 level/ Elementary 1) to this course. You can purchase them ($55 per set) at the class, but if you prefer, we provide copies of all relevant material at no extra charge.
Marugoto: Japanese Language and Culture (A2 level/ Elementary 1)
A set includes two books (Activities and Comprehension), six CDs and a vocabulary sheet. The textbooks have lots of pictures with words and sentences in Kana and Kanji with some exercises. It is useful for review, preparation and self-study.
Business Japanese
Business Japanese is designed for Japanese learners who would like to communicate with Japanese people in business or improve their Japanese skills in an advanced level. In this spring term, this course will focus on developing listening and reading comprehension skills using Japanese news clippings. You will also learn how to express your opinion (agreement/disagreement) in formal (company meeting) and informal (after work) settings.
*The Business Japanese course will focus on different topic each term, so you could take this course repeatedly.
Prerequisites
You must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills at A2 levels as described in the self-check list for this course.
Goal: B1 level
At the end of the course, the successful learners will be able to adjust what he/she says and the means of expressing it to the situation and the recipient and adopt a level of formality appropriate to the circumstances at a workplace, such as:
- Be able to understand expressions and phrases often heard in the news.
- Be able to understand the main points of TV news/newspaper articles on current affairs or topics of personal or professional interest when the delivery is relatively slow and clear.
- Be able to discuss the topic on news/articles in formal and informal situation.
If you are a new student, download the Self-check list and Assessment test to see if this is the right course for you.