A post-AS level or equivalent module in Japanese language and culture
Module details
- Offered to Year 2, Year 3, & Year 4 students
- Monday or Thursday, 16.00-18.00 (depending on year of study)
- Planned delivery: On campus (South Kensington)
- Two-term module, worth 7.5 ECTS
- Available to eligible students as part of I-Explore
- Extra Credit, or Degree Credit where your department allows
Japanese advice
contact the Coordinator:
Dr Yuki Tokumaru
0207 594 8768
Room 322, Sherfield Level 3
Centre for Languages, Culture and Communication
A communicative module for students who have already studied Japanese for two years at Imperial and successfully completed Japanese Level 2 (or its equivalent).
This module aims to:
- develop further the basic language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing;
- revise and consolidate basic grammar, as required, by the class;
- introduce more complex grammatical structures and extend vocabulary.
To be eligible for this module, you need to have done one of the following:
- Successfully completed Japanese Level 2
- Gained a Japanese AS level qualification
- Have already achieved the equivalent level by other means
You should be able to write approximately 100 Kanji characters.
Please note that students wishing to study Japanese are required to take a placement test at the start of the autumn term to ensure that they are eligible for the level for which they have applied, unless they have already taken the previous level.
Please note: The information on this module description is indicative. The module may undergo minor modifications before the start of next academic year.
Information blocks
On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:
- read and write around 100 new Kanji characters and the related vocabulary with accuracy, on top of the 85 Kanji covered in Level 2;
- deploy grammatical structures with different forms, registers and various vocabulary, accurately and appropriately;
- produce and respond to relatively simple written texts in Japanese writing systems with different registers;
- produce and respond to a range of simple spoken language pieces appropriately, in different settings;
- comprehend and respond to the information by listening to monologues/ dialogues which use a wide range of the beginner-level grammar and vocabulary.
In this module, you will cover the following linguistic structures:
- revision of structures covered in Level 2
- adjectival and nominal use of te-form
- nai-form, ta-form and plain form
- casual form of speech
- indirect speech
- temporal clauses
- relative clauses
- conditionals
- prohibition and obligation
These linguistic structures will be applied to the following topics:
- hobbies
- ability and possibility
- giving instructions
- giving and asking for advice/ directions
- everyday life
- experience
- holding casual conversations
- clothing
- accommodation
- directions
- instructions on how to use machine/ equipment
- showing gratitude to others
In addition, students will be introduced to around 100 Kanji characters and related vocabulary, for writing and reading purposes.
In line with modern foreign languages communicative and active learning methodology, in-class activities cover all four skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking) and include pair work (e.g. dialogue practice, information gap exercises and vocabulary/grammar quiz), individual tasks (e.g. forming/writing sentences for various tasks and discovery/formulation of grammatical rules), and group work (e.g. reading aloud new vocabulary for pronunciation practice and reading texts/listening to the audio files for comprehension exercise), following the teacher's introduction on new language items (grammar, vocabulary and Kanji characters). Homework tasks give students the opportunity to revise and consolidate knowledge and skills covered each week as well as to receive an individual feedback. This approach not only ensures students engage with a wide range of tasks, but also supports different learning styles.
All pieces of coursework are marked and feedback will be given in two weeks. Detailed feedback will be provided alongside suggestions for improvement and an overall percentage showing your provisional grade for that assessment.
- Coursework (6%): Composition 1: 500 Japanese letters (around 1.25 A4 papers), during the second half of autumn term (approx. 1-3 hours for task completion).
- Examination (8%): Kanji & listening test, in the second to last class of autumn term. 20 minutes.
- Examination (20%): Test for grammar, vocabulary and reading, in the last class of autumn term. 60 minutes.
- Coursework (7%): Composition 2: 500 Japanese letters (around 1.25 A4 papers), during the first half of the spring term (approx. 1-3 hours for task completion).
- Examination (12%): Kanji & listening test, in the second to last class of spring term. 30 minutes.
- Examination (20%): Test for grammar, vocabulary and reading, in the last class of spring term. 60 minutes.
- Coursework (7%): Composition 3: 500 Japanese letters (around 1.25 A4 papers), during the last week of spring term (approx. 1-3 hours for task completion).
- Practical (20%): Oral exam: Prepared speech, followed by Q&A (both related to the speech and general) and a picture description task, during the first three weeks of the summer term. 15-20 minutes.
- 7.5 ECTS points awarded on successful completion of the module.
- Available to take for credit towards your degree, where your department allows. Also available for extra credit. The Module options by department page has a full list of the credit options.
- You must be prepared to attend all classes and undertake approximately 3 hours of private study each week in addition to the assessment.
Coursebook
Minna no Nihongo 1 (Second Edition) (main textbook and translation and grammatical notes), 2012, by 3A Corporation and Basic Kanji book Vol. 1 by Bonjinsha, supported by an accompanied CD, other audio materials and additional handouts.
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