Course Description
Welcome to JPN 3023, a course in intermediate-high level to advanced level Japanese. This course builds on your reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills, providing you an opportunity to master more complex grammatical structures through practical application in both written and spoken contexts. Communicative activities, done in pairs or small groups, help you gain confidence in speaking Japanese, and also prepare you for everyday interactions in Japan. We will cover the first four chapters: geography, speech style, technology, and sports. Aspects of Japanese culture will be explored through personal research and analysis of authentic materials.
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
1. Expand and explain the knowledge of Japan, specifically the following topics: Japan's geography, speech styles, technology, and traditional Japanese sports.
2. Write a composition about each topic by comparing the differences and similarities between Japan and your own country.
3. Read authentic online sources with more confidence.
4. Discuss your opinion with your classmate in Japanese.
5. Converse at different speech registers (casual, polite, or very polite.) that are appropriate within a given context (e.g., in a business setting, at school, or at a party, etc.)
6. Read and write kanji characters (in addition to ones previously learned), understand the meaning of the kanji, and use them accurately within the context of specified words (furigana and okurigana).
