JAPANESE 2311 HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE CENTRAL Semester: Fall 2012 Instructor: Ling Bello Section: Office hours: by appointment Time : T TR 4:00-5:30 Place : FAC 308 Textbook: “Yookoso” Continuing with Contemporary Japanese Media Edition McGraw-Hill Third Edition by Yasu-Hiko Tohsaku,2006 ISBN:-13: 978-0-07-240816-4 Workbook: Workbook/Laboratory Manual to accompany “Yookoso!” Continuing with Contenporary Japanese Third Edition by Hamasaki, Ito, Kataoka, Morioka, Tohsaku, 2006 Language Lab: Online COURSE DESCRIPTION In Japanese 2311, you are exposed to more vocabulary, language patterns and grammar in informal and formal Japanese in order to facilitate you to speak and understand all forms of Japanese language in business and other social settings. In addition to about 200 Kanji characters in Level 1, you are also exposed to about 100 more Kanji characters. This will facilitate you to identify Kanji characters used in the Japanese sentences and lead you to further understanding of the written Japanese. Throughout this course, you will also continue learning Japanese customs and cultural differences and similarities as exhibited in practical communication. END-OF-SEMESTER PERFORMANCE LEVEL DESCRIPTIONS You will be able to express topics about your personal life and to describe things around you in both informal (dictionary) and formal forms. You will understand differences in speech level reflecting different formalities (and/or a speaker's social status). You will be able to identify 250 Kanji characters, and read and understand Japanese sentences written in Hiragana and Katakana mixed with total about 250 Kanji characters. The following descriptions reflect what most students will be able to do by the end of the course. The terms given in parenthesis are descriptive terms of proficiency in foreign language, based on a classification developed by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. (ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines) Listening Comprehension (Novice High->Intermediate Low->Intermediate Mid) Intermediate-Low You are able to understand sentence-length utterances that consist of recombination of learned elements in a limited number of content areas, particularly if strongly supported by the situational context. Contents refer to basic personal background and needs, social conventions and routine tasks, such as getting means and receiving simple instructions and directions. Listing tasks pertain primarily to 1 spontaneous face-to-face conversations. Understanding is often uneven; repetition and rewording may be necessary. Misunderstanding in both main ideals and details arises frequently. Intermediate-Mid You are able to understand sentence-length utterances, which consist of recombination of learned utterances on a variety of topics. Content continues to refer primarily to basic personal background and needs, social conventions and somewhat more complex tasks, such as lodging, transportation, and shopping. Additional content areas include some personal interests and activities and a greater diversity of instructions and directions. Listening tasks not only pertain to spontaneous face-to-face conversations but also to short routine telephone conversations and some deliberate speech, such as simple announcements and reports over the media. Understanding continues to be uneven. Speaking (Novice High -> Intermediate-Low -> Intermediate-Mid) Intermediate-Low You are able to handle successfully a limited number of uncomplicated communicative tasks by creating with the language in straightforward social situations. Conversation is restricted to some of the concrete exchanges and predictable topics necessary for survival in the target language culture. These topics relate to basic personal information covering self and family, some daily activities, and personal preferences, as well as to some immediate needs such as ordering food and making simple purchases. Intermediate-Mid You are able to handle successfully a variety of uncomplicated communicative tasks in straightforward social situations. Conversation is generally limited to those predictable and concrete exchanges necessary for survival in the target culture; these include personal information covering self, family, home, daily activities, interests, and personal preferences, as well as physical and social needs, such as food, shopping, travel, and lodging. You will be able to ask and answer questions and participate in simple conversations on topics beyond the most immediate needs; e.g. personal history and leisure time activities. Utterance length increases slightly, but speech may continue to be characterized by frequent long pauses, since the smooth incorporation of even basic Reading (Novice High -> Intermediate Low -> Intermediate-Mid) Intermediate-Low You are able to understand main ideas and/o some facts from the simplest connected texts dealing with basic personal and social needs. Such texts are linguistically non-complex and have a clear underlying internal structure, for example chronological sequencing. Examples include messages with social purposes or information such as public announcements and short straightforward instructions dealing with public life. Intermediate-Mid You are able to read consistently with increased understanding simple connected texts dealing with a variety of basic and social needs. Such texts are still linguistically noncomplex and have a clear 2 underlying internal structure. They impart basic information about which the reader has to make minimal suppositions and to which the reader brings personal interest and/or knowledge. Examples may include short, straightforward descriptions of persons, places, and things written for a wide audience. Writing (Novice High -> Intermediate Low -> Intermediate-Mid) Intermediate-Low You are able to meet some limited practical writing needs. Can create statements and formulate questions based on familiar material by recombining learned vocabulary and structures. Vocabulary is limited to common objects and routine activities, adequate to express elementary needs. Intermediate-Mid You are able to meet a number of practical writing needs. You will be able to write short, simple letters. Content involves personal preferences, daily routine, everyday events, and other topics grounded in personal experience. Can express present time or at least one other time frame or aspect consistently, e.g. non-past, habitual, imperfect. You will be able to show evidence of control of the syntax or noncomplex sentences and basic inflectional morphology, such as declensions and conjugation. Writing tends to be a loose collection of sentences or sentence fragments on a given topic and provides little evidence of conscious organization. You will be able to understand by natives used to the writing of non-natives. CULTURAL AWARENESS Acquire general knowledge about the Japanese language and culture, to include knowledge about: a. Japanese language structure and pronunciation. b. Different levels of formalities c. Customs, attitudes and assumptions of Japanese people detected in practical communication. REASONALBLE ACCOMODATIONS Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the Disability Services Office, SJAC 102, (713) 718-6164, at the beginning of each semester. Faculty is only authorized to provide accommodations requested by the Disability Support Services Office. MAKEUP POLICY 1. 2. 3. 4. Students are responsible for material covered during their absence. It is the responsibility of the student to consult with the instructor about work missed and make-up assignments. Exchanging phone numbers with one or two other students for times when you miss a single class is a good idea. Homework: Must be turned in by due date for credit. Consult instructor in case of illness. Quizzes: No makeup unless you do so prior to the next class meeting following the quiz. Missing one quiz will not count against you. Missing several will count. One major test during the semester may be made up if you have a legitimate reason for your absence. Contact your instructor as soon as you return to class or, preferably, by telephone beforehand. 3 5. Major exams: If you are ill, it is your responsibility to notify the instructor in advance, if possible, and to ask about a make-up. ATTENDANCE Class will begin at the scheduled time. Attendance is essential and daily records will be kept. In accordance with HCCS official policy, a student may be dropped for excessive absences after missing more than two weeks of class (10 hours). Consult with the instructor in case of serious illness or business reasons for absence. Students will lose points on participation grade for every class missed over two weeks. Absences will be counted from the first class day of the semester, no matter when the student registers or first attends. CELL PHONES AND BEEPERS Please turn off all cell phones and beepers before class. Their use disrupts the class. Policy on Academic Dishonesty Students are expected to do their own work, unless an assignment is made specifically as a group assignment. Plagiarism (handing in another person's work as your own), or cheating will result in a grade of F for the assignment, quiz, or test in question. For a second offense, the student may receive a grade of F for the course. COURSE GRADE 25% Final examination 25% Tests (Written & oral) 10% quizzes (lab) 40% Homework (workbook); active class participation (attendance, tardiness, effort) It is necessary to pass the final exam to pass the course. HCCS Grading System: 90-100% = A 80-89% = B 70-79% = C 60-69% = D 59 & below = F SEMESTER CALENDAR First Class Tuesday, August 28 Test #1 Chapter 1A, 1B Tuesday, October 2 Test #2 Chapter 1* Thursday, November 8 Test #4 Chapter 1C Tuesday, November 20 Test #5 Chapter 2A Thursday, November 29 FINAL EXAM Thursday, December 11 4:00-5:30 4