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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%).