Japanese 3P

  • Course Description

    Course Description Students who successfully complete this course will develop their Japanese proficiencies to the Intermediate Low to Intermediate Mid range according to the ACTFL* Proficiency Guidelines. Students will also show proficiency in the "five C's" denoted in ACTFLs Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century: Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities. By the end of Japanese 2, students will show complete proficiency in the katakana syllabary. Students will also show proficiency inreading/writing/pronouncing approximately 330 kanji characters (130 new + 200 from Japanese 1 & 2). They will be able to speak, read, and write fairly sophisticated sentences about academic and social topics.

    *American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages

    Mode of Communication

    Interpersonal Communication, Intermediate Low:
    I can participate in conversations on a number of familiar topics using simple sentences. I can handle short social interactions in everyday situations by asking and answering simple questions.

    Interpersonal Communication, Intermediate Mid:
    I can participate in conversations on familiar topics using sentences and series of sentences. I can handle short social interactions in everyday situations by asking and answering a variety of questions. I can usually say what I want to say about myself and my everyday life.


    Presentational Speaking, Intermediate Low:
    I can present information on most familiar topics using a series of simple sentences.

    Presentational Speaking, Intermediate Mid:
    I can make presentations on a wide variety of familiar topics using connected sentences.


    Presentational Writing, Intermediate Low:
    I can write briefly about most familiar topics and present information using a series of simple sentences.

    Presentational Writing, Intermediate Mid:
    I can write on a wide variety of familiar topics using connected sentences.


    Interpretive Listening, Intermediate Low:
    I can understand the main idea in short, simple messages and presentations on familiar topics. I can understand the main idea of simple conversations that I overhear.

    Interpretive Listening, Intermediate Mid:
    I can understand the main idea in messages and presentations on a variety of topics related to everyday life and personal interests and studies. I can understand the main idea in conversations that I overhear.


    Interpretive Reading, Intermediate Low:
    I can understand the main idea of short and simple texts when the topic is familiar.

    Interpretive Reading, Intermediate Mid:
    I can understand the main idea of texts related to everyday life and personal interests or studies.


    Major Units

    Each unit includes cultural elements relevant to the unit.

    Semester 1:
    1. "My Future is Bright” (future plans and dreams)
    2. "Japanese Wildlife” (research native wildlife; write children’s book)
    3. "Mass Media” (film, television, radio, internet; view and evaluate movie)
    4. "Happy New Year” (focus: Buddhism and Shinto traditions)

    Semester 2:
    5. "Home Chef” (nutrition, food groups, Japanese food culture; bento boxes)
    6. "Music and Art of Japan” (research native music and folk art of Japan)
    7. "Let’s Go to Japan!” (plan a 4 week trip to Japan)
    8. "Technology in Japan” (technology usage in Japan and the U.S.)

    Major Grammar Concepts for the Year

    • Master 100+ new kanji
    • Expressing desires (______ form;__) and opinions (___)
    • Expressing plansm expectations, assumptions (___ and ________)
    • If-then statements (__ form)
    • Combining actions (__________________)
    • Onomotopeaia
    • Writing dialogue (quoting speech, casual forms, etc.)

    Kanji: Master approximately 100 new kanji from the AP Kanji list.

    Grading

    Grading categories and percentage breakdowns for the course are as follows: Interpersonal 2-way Communication such as conversations and text chats (15%), Presentational 1-way Output such as speeches and writing (15%), Interpretive 1-way Input such as listening and reading (15%), Tests and Quizzes (25%), Final Exam (20%), Homework / Classwork (10%).