Japanese III (211-1-20)

Instructors

Junko Sato
8474912762
1880 Campus Drive, Kresge Hall, Office 4-347
Office Hours: Varies quarter to quarter, please check with instructor.

Meeting Info

University Hall 312: Mon, Wed, Fri 2:00PM - 3:15PM

Overview of class

AY27 Japanese III (JAPANESE 211-1, 2, 3) is a year-long, college-level intermediate course and the sequel to Japanese II (JAPANESE 121-1, 2, 3). In Japanese III, students will continue developing the four skills -- speaking, listening, reading, and writing - while exploring various aspects of Japanese culture and society through reading materials, TV dramas, class discussions and interview projects. Formal writing styles are introduced, and students will learn to distinguish between formal and casual speech and writing styles. The year-end proficiency goal for 211 is Intermediate-High, as defined by the American Council on Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency guidelines.

Registration Requirements

Students must have completed the preceding course with C- or above, or must be placed into the course through the departmental placement test.

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of the year-long course, the students will be able to:

1) Handle daily situations comfortably and appropriately,

2) Describe and narrate daily events and personal experiences in an organized manner,

3) Summarize the main points of short presentations or stories,

4) Utilize casual and formal styles in both speech and writing,

5) Attain a working knowledge of kanji frequently used in the media,

6) Communicate with native speakers on familiar topics in informal settings,

7) Deepen their understanding of customs, culture, and social phenomena of contemporary Japan, and

8) Learn strategies to become autonomous learners.

Teaching Method

Discussion. This course is conducted in Japanese.

Evaluation Method

Class participation and performance, assignments, quizzes, oral and written examinations, projects.

Class Materials (Required)

JAPANESE 211-1
Oka, M. et al. (2025). Tobira 1: Intermediate Japanese. Tokyo: Kuroshio Publishers. ISBN: 978-4-8011-1018-2

JAPANESE 211-2
Oka, M. et al. (2025). Tobira 1: Intermediate Japanese. Tokyo: Kuroshio Publishers. ISBN: 978-4-8011-1018-2

Oka, M. et al. (2026). Tobira 2: Intermediate Japanese. Tokyo: Kuroshio Publishers. To be published in September 2026.

JAPANESE 211-3
Oka, M. et al. (2026). Tobira 2: Intermediate Japanese. Tokyo: Kuroshio Publishers. To be published in September 2026.

Class Materials (Suggested)

Kano et al (2015). [新版] Basic Kanji Book Vol. 2. Tokyo: Bonjinsha. ISBN: 978-4-89358-883-8

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Reserved for students majoring or minoring in Asian Languages & Cultures until the end of preregistration, after which time enrollment will be open to everyone who has taken the prerequisites, if applicable. Prerequisite: Students must have passed Japanese 121-3 with at least a C- or be placed in according to placement test results.