| Course | Title | Instructor | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| JAPANSE 1A | FUNDAMENTALS | STAFF | The 1A-1B-1C series, using a communicative approach, will help students learn fundamental grammar, as well as introduce them to basic structural patterns of the Japanese language, basic vocabulary, and the two Japanese phonetic scripts of hiragana, katakana, plus 224 basic kanji characters. Students will also learn to ask and answer basic questions and write about simple actions in the present/future and past tenses. They will be introduced to important elements of Japanese culture and customs of the Japanese people. Students practice basic speaking and listening skills in common situations, such as greetings and invitations, while interacting with classmates, and instructors. This course is taught in Japanese unless in cases of linguistic difficulty as determined by the instructor. |
| JAPANSE 2A | INTERMEDIATE | STAFF | The series of 2A-2B-2C is the continuation of 1C. In this series students will focus on the four communication skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing), building up a solid foundation for intermediate Japanese and further developing proficiency to be able to express relatively complex ideas. They also learn honorifics, in addition to the formal desu/masu styles. The socially and culturally appropriate use of the language is exercised in a broader range of social contexts. Reading and writing put an extra emphasis on accuracy and pragmatic components, as well as fluency. Traditional and current aspects of Japanese culture are explored throughout the series and discussed in class. About 400 more kanji characters will be introduced. |
| JAPANSE 10 | LEARN ASSIST PRGM | SILVA FONSECA, M. | This course is intended for students who want to develop teaching and language support skills by assisting learners in introductory Japanese language courses (J1A-1B-1C). It provides learning assistants with a valuable opportunity to gain hands-on experience working with language learners in one-on-one or small group settings, while utilizing their Japanese language proficiency. Through this program, learning assistants will help students who need support with their coursework or wish to enhance their skills in beginner-level Japanese. Each learning assistant will be required to mentor for one hour per week in a drop-in format. Their responsibilities will include helping learners address challenges with coursework, reviewing and reinforcing weekly lessons, providing feedback on assignments, and improving oral proficiency through conversation. Throughout the quarter, learning assistants will receive ongoing guidance and support from the instructor to ensure their mentoring is effective. |
| JAPANSE 103A | ADVANCED JAPANESE | STAFF | The 103A-103B-103C series will build on the content knowledge as well as the linguistic knowledge and skills that students acquired in the first- and second-year Japanese. Students practice and master the whole range of Japanese grammar comprehensively. Students also practice oral presentation skills. The content of the subject is explained exclusively in Japanese. The goal of this series is to help students become competent and culturally literate speakers of Japanese. In terms of development of linguistic skills, the four skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing will be fostered, with increased emphasis on reading skills. Students will learn more advanced formulaic expressions and expand their vocabulary including kanji compounds. The ultimate goals of this series are to acquaint students with reading and writing skills and help them convey abstract thoughts in sensible ways. Formerly Japanse 3A Advanced Japanese |
| JAPANSE 104B | 4TH YEAR JAPANESE | STAFF | Students in fourth-year Japanese at UCI read famous short works of literature in the original. We begin with contemporary writers popular in Japan: Kawakami Hiromi, Otsuichi, Ishii Shinji, Kitamura Kaoru, Yu Miri and Yoshimoto Banana. In the second half of the course we move back in time and enjoy some of Japan’s most famous writers from the early 20th century: Miyazawa Kenji, Natsume Soseki and Akutagawa Ryunosuke. Then we finish with a contemporary love story by Tsushima Yuko. Goals include learning basic vocabularies for discussing literature, understanding literary nuance, developing communication skills for responding to literature, learning to give short presentations in Japanese, and using the internet to do basic research in Japanese. Assignments include self-assessments for classroom participation, author introductions, literary term quizzes, and reading journal entries with literary analysis and translation. Heritage speakers and other students whose Japanese level is beyond 4th year should enroll not in this course but in a concurrent JPN199 Independent Study. Both satisfy the 4th-year requirement for the major. |