Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures

Adelphi University
JPN121, Japanese Level III (0141-121-001): Earl Hall A (Lower Level) Rm010 (Language Multi-media
Room), MW 4.00 pm 5.15 pm
Fall Semester 2015
Instructor: Keiko Miyajima ([])
Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays 5.15 6.15pm
Office Location: Earl Hall Lower Level - Room 3
Contact: miyajima@adelphi.edu / 917-373-4197 (emergency)
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE:
3 credits. Students continue to practice what they learned in Level II and focus on more advanced
characteristics on the language and culture through a communicative/participatory approach to the basic
elements of the language, including listening, speaking, reading, writing and culture.
GEN ED LEARNING GOALS:
Global Citizenship demonstrates global understanding and/or global citizenship. Global understanding
encompasses awareness of the diversity of human experience and/or global interdependence. Global
citizenship encompasses the learning goals of values, needs, and challenges and individual responsibility to
the broader community.
DEPARTMENT MISSION
The Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures is currently committed to the teaching of French,
Italian, Spanish and Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTL) and to preparing students to participate
appropriately in oral and written communication in French, Italian and Spanish at the advanced level, gain
knowledge and understanding of the cultures of the countries these languages represent, appreciate literature
in French, Italian and Spanish, and understand their structures. The department also offers other languages:
Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), German, Modern Greek, Modern Hebrew, Japanese, Portuguese and
Linguistics. At a time of growing internationalization, the Department seeks to advance foreign language
proficiency and cross-cultural competency. A language is cultural currency. People use languages to express
themselvestheir needs, feelings, and thoughts. Culture is woven into language; thus, when we learn
another language, we are better able to understand how and why people of other cultures view the world
differently. We also gain insight into their distinctive solutions to universal problems. The department offers
majors and minors in French, Italian and Spanish, International Studies and a Certificate in Translation in
French, Italian and Spanish.
COURSE LEARNING GOALS:
As a third level continuation to the introductory level of Japanese language, our primary objective is to gain
basic comprehension of the everyday spoken language and grammar by developing skills in the four
areas of speaking, listening, reading and writing. Class lessons, interactive drills and language lab
sessions will be worked in tandem to emphasize and integrate these areas. This course will cover
Chapters 10 through 14 of Genki 1 and 2 textbook. Whenever time permits, visual media will be
incorporated to gain and enhance our understanding of contemporary Japanese culture. By the end of
the semester, students should be able to carry on everyday conversations and read and write more
fluently.
Students who successfully complete the course will:
develop the four language skills (comprehension, speaking, reading and writing)
acquire knowledge of important aspects of the culture of the target language

improve their knowledge of essential structures and vocabulary

enhance their methods of communication in real life situations
be able to exchange information, to understand, ask and answer questions on familiar topics
develop their abilities to communicate in the present tense.

COURSE PREREQUISITES:
Level 2 Japanese or equivalent
ACTFF PROFICIENCY GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS:
Theactivities,projectsandevaluationmaterialsforthiscoursehavebeendesignedinordertomeettheACTFL
ProficiencyGuidelinesandStandards:
Communication:CommunicateinLanguagesOtherthanEnglish.
Standard1.1:Studentsengageinconversations,provideandobtaininformation,expressfeelingsandemotions,andexchange
opinions.
Standard1.2:Studentsunderstandandinterpretwrittenandspokenlanguageonavarietyoftopics.
Standard1.3:Studentspresentinformation,concepts,andideastoanaudienceoflistenersorreadersonavarietyoftopics.
Cultures:GainKnowledgeandUnderstandingofOtherCultures.
Standard2.1:Studentsdemonstrateanunderstandingoftherelationshipbetweenthepracticesandperspectivesoftheculture
studies.
Standard2.2:Studentsdemonstrateanunderstandingoftherelationshipbetweentheproductsandperspectivesoftheculture
studied.

Connections:ConnectwithOtherDisciplinesandAcquireInformation.
Standard3.1Studentsreinforceandfurthertheirknowledgeofotherdisciplinesthroughforeignlanguage.
Standard3.2:Studentsacquireinformationandrecognizethedistinctiveviewpointsthatareavailableonlythroughtheforeign
languageanditsculture.
Comparisons:DevelopInsightintotheNatureofLanguageandCulture.
Standard4.1:Studentsdemonstrateunderstandingofthenatureoflanguagethroughcomparisonsofthelanguagestudiedand
theirown.
Standard4.2:Studentsdemonstrateunderstandingoftheconceptofculturethroughcomparisonsoftheculturesstudiedandtheir
own.
Communities:ParticipateinMultilingualCommunitiesatHomeandAroundtheWorld.
Standard5.1:Studentsusethelanguagebothwithinandbeyondschoolsetting.
Standard5.2:Studentsshowevidenceofbecominglifelonglearnersbyusingthelanguageforpersonalenjoymentand
enrichment.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:

If you have a disability that may impact your ability to carry out assigned course work, and are not enrolled
in the Learning Disabilities Program, it is important that you contact the staff in the Disability Support
Services Office (DSS), University Center, Room 310, (516) 877-3145. DSS@adelphi.edu. DSS will review
your concerns and determine, with you, appropriate and necessary accommodations. All information and
documentation of disability is confidential.
HONOR CODE STATEMENT:

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Students enrolled in this course are expected to abide by the Adelphi University Honor Code. The purpose of
the Honor Code is to protect the academic integrity of the University by encouraging consistent ethical
behavior in assigned coursework by students. Following is excerpted from the Student Honor Code:
The Code of Academic Honesty
The code of academic honesty prohibits behavior, which can broadly be described as lying, cheating, or
stealing. Violations of the code of academic honesty will include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Fabricating data or citations
2. Collaborating in areas prohibited by the professor
3. Unauthorized multiple submission of work
4. Sabotage of others work, including library vandalism or manipulation
5. Plagiarism: presenting any work as ones own that is not ones own
6. The creation of unfair advantage
7. The facilitation of dishonesty
8. Tampering with or falsifying records
9. Cheating on examinations through the use of written materials, looking at others answers, or giving
or receiving help in any form during the exam, including talking, signals, electronic devices, etc.
10. Copying classmates homework.
* Note: Both the person who has copied classmates homework AND the person who has allowed
classmates copy his/her homework will be equally penalized.
STUDENT COURSE EVALUATIONS:
During the last two weeks of the class, you will receive notification, via email and eCampus, that the course
evaluation is available for your input electronically.
Availability will end at the start of the final examination period. Your feedback is valuable and I encourage
you to respond. Please be assured that your responses are anonymous and the results will not be available to
the instructor until after the end of the semester and therefore after course grades have been submitted.
REQUIRED TEXTBOOK AND WORKBOOK:
Genki 1. (2nd edition, Japan Times, 2011) and Genki 2 (Chapter 13 and 14 *PDF files will be available
on Moodle)
Genki 1 Workbook (2nd edition, Japan Times, 2011) and Genki 2 Workbook (Chapter 13 and 14 *PDF
files will be available on Moodle)
COURCE ASSIGNMENTS AND REQUIREMENTS:
This course will require the successful completion of reading/listening/writing assignments, quizzes, oral
texts and a final exam.
READING ASSIGNMENTS: Students must read the pages of the textbook that will be covered in each
class before the class start.
HOMEWORK: Short assignments will be given regularly. They must be written down and handed in on
the dates indicated. Late submissions of HW will not be recorded as full credits (youll get only
50%). DO NOT COPY your classmates homework, and DO NOT LET your classmates copy yours.
Please note that both the person who has copied classmates homework AND the person who has
allowed classmates copy his/her homework will be equally penalized.
TEST and QUIZZES: There will be a test after each chapter we cover. Each test emphasizes reading and
writing as well as listening. Tests cannot be made up without a prior consent of the instructor or
with a doctors note. Also, quizzes will be given frequently on vocabulary and Kanji, at the beginning
of a class. There will be no make-up for missed quizzes. *However, the 3 lowest graded quizzes will
be dropped. (That is, you can miss 3 quizzes without any penalty)

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FINAL EXAM: The final exam will cover the overall materials covered during the course (Ch.1-5). The
exam will be given during the final exam week, the last week of each semester.
ORAL TESTS: There will be 2 oral tests in which you are asked to speak in Japanese. Details will be
given as the tests approaches.
CLASS PERFORMANCE: Students are expected to be actively involved in class activities and
complete speaking and listening tasks successfully. Please turn off your cell phone before the class starts.
Absolutely no text messaging or other cellphone usage is allowed in class. Use of cell phone will be
reflected on your class performance grade accordingly.
Electronic Work: Students must spend about 30 minutes to 1 hour each chapter practicing listening,
using Genki listening online quizzes at mykikitori.com.
Grading Procedure:
Chapter tests: 30%
Quizzes: 20%
2 Oral Tests: 10%
Final written: 15%
Homework and Compositions: 20%
Electronic work (Mykikitori.com, Lesson 10-14): 5%
ATTENDANCE POLICY:
Only students who are registered for courses, and whose name appears on the Official Class Roster may
attend courses at the University. Adelphi students make a commitment to be active participants in their
educational program; class attendance is an integral part of this commitment. Attendance requirements for
each course will be announced by the faculty member at the beginning of each term. Students are expected to
be present promptly at the beginning of each class period, unless prevented by illness or by other compelling
cause. In the event of such absence, students may request that faculty members be notified by the Office of
Academic Services and Retention. Students are responsible for completing course work missed through
absences. Students should wait a reasonable length of time for an instructor in the event that the instructor is
delayed.
Note: Your daily attendance is mandatory and essential. 3 or more unexcused absences will decrease your
grade by one scale (e.g. from A to A-). Excused absences require a doctors note. 5 times and more
absences may result in serious penalty, e.g. failing or withdrawal from the course. Coming to class
more than 15 minutes late is regarded as 1/3 unexcused absence. If you know in advance that you will
not be able to attend on a particular day, please notify your instructor as soon as possible. There will be no
make-up quizzes, tests or exams for those absentees without notification to the instructor with a
documented proof of excused absence (such as a doctors note).
Study Tips
- Study some Japanese every day; cramming generates poor results in general. Prepare for each lesson,
and review the material often. Language learning requires daily practice. Missing even one class will
be detrimental to your progress.
- Keep motivating yourself: Studying is easy when you are interested in the subject, so get yourself
interested in actually using Japanese. Watch a Japanese movie, read a book on Japanese subjects,
make Japanese friends, surf the net, dream about what you want to do in Japan Ask yourself in
what situation you would be able to use the things you are learning right now.
- Study ahead: You are expected to have read the textbook and to be prepared before each class.
- Vocabulary: listen to the vocabulary on the Cassette Program tapes and memorize new words as
soon as a chapter starts. Vocabulary quizzes will be given. Cards with English on one side and

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Japanese on the other may be helpful. Also practice pronunciation listening to the tapes and practice
how to read and write the words.
Grammar: Grammar explanations are given in the textbook, and it is important to read the
descriptions in addition to listening to grammar lectures in class. If grammatical terms are not
familiar to you, do not hesitate to ask the instructor.
Listening: Audio tapes are available from the Language Lab. Listen to the tapes frequently and
distribute the listening time evenly over the course of the week.
Speaking: Remember that speaking is a little bit like athletic training. Knowledge of the language is
necessary, but daily practice makes it easier to actually perform well when the situation arises.
Reading: Reading involves getting used to a whole new writing system. Please review Kana and
Kanji frequently. Also, the class will provide instruction on reading strategies. It is important to be
able to read with speed, so practice reading until you can read without pausing for a long time.
Writing: Japanese used to be written with a brush. It is important to lean the order of brush strokes as
well as the shape of each character. Also, pay attention to the overall organization of Japanese texts
when you read them.
Culture: Using a language properly and creatively also calls for a background in the cultural practice
of the society in which the language is spoken. Communicating is not simply saying something
grammatically and fluently. Ability to access the communicative situation is what makes verbal
interactions meaningful to the parties involved. We may not have an extensive discussion on the
Japanese culture, e.g., its philosophical traditions, but the course materials will introduce such
authentic culture as it relates to language use.

Computer and Internet Resources:

-

Please check Moodle and email announcements sent by Moodle (to your Adelphi email
account) regularly. Moodle/Email will be a primary method of communication outside the class.
Important notices, such as change of schedule, any additional homework due dates and contents, and
quiz/test (re)scheduling, will be announced on Moodle and/or be sent by email (addressed to your
Adelphi mail account) in timely manner.
Visit Genki-related websites for online exercises:
Genki Self-Study Room
http://genki.japantimes.co.jp/self_en
Genki Kanji List
http://www.csus.edu/indiv/s/sheaa/projects/genki/kanji_main.html
Genki Vocabulary Exercises
http://web.lyon.edu/users/mpeek/JapanWebpages/GenkiExercises.htm#Lesson1
Genki Listening Practice
http://mykikitori.com/
Other useful exercises and web-resources will be occasionally announced on Blackboard.
Make your computer Japanese-capable by changing language settings, so that you can type Japanese
for Oral test scripts and other class materials. For the tips how to read/write Japanese on your
computer, visit the following link: http://www.autopenhosting.org/unicode/type-Japanese.html

TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE (*Subject to Change depending students progress)

Note: TB=Textbook, WB=Workbook
Dates

Material Covered

Homework details and Due

8/31
M

Review for Genki L6-9

Review!

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9/2
W
9/7
M

Review for Genki L6-9

Review!

No Class (Labor Day)

9/9
W

L10-1 Comparatives

Vocabulary Quiz #1 (L10)

L10-II Superlatives
L10-3 adjective/noun

Vocabulary Quiz #2 (p.41)

L10-4
L10-5(adj) +

Kanji Quiz Ch.10

L10-6 etc.
L10-7

Chapter Test (Ch.10)

Review!
Read the textbook for the next class
Do Workbook 10-1

Do Workbook 10-2

Do WB 10-3, 4

Do WB 10-5, 6, 7 & Kanji

Submit WB L10: 1~7 + Kanji

*Last Day to Drop a Course

Vocabulary Quiz #1 (L11)
L11-1
L11-2

Vocabulary Quiz #2 (L11)

L11-3
L11-4 Noun Noun
Chapter Review

Chapter Test (L11)

Do WB L11-1
Do WB L11-2

Kanji Quiz (L11)

L12 Vocabulary
L12-1

No Class (Columbus Day)

Vocabulary Quiz #1 (L12)

L12-2
L12-3

Vocabulary Quiz #2 (L12)

9/14
M

9/16
W

9/21
M

9/23
W
9/28
M

9/30
W

10/5
M
10/7
W

10/12
M
10/14
W

10/19

Do WB L11-4, 5, 6 & Kanji

Submit WB L11: Sections 1~6

Submit WB L11 Kanji pages (145-146)
Do WB L12: 1

Do WB L12: 2, 3

Do WB L12: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

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M

10/21
W
10/26
M
10/28
W
11/2
M

11/4
W

11/9
M

11/11
W
11/16
M
11/18
W
11/23
M
11/25
W
11/30
M
12/2
W
12/7
M

L12-4
L12-5

L12-6

L12)

L12)
L13-1&2 Potential Verbs

Vocabulary Quiz #1
L13-3
L13-4

Vocabulary Quiz #2
L13-5
L13-6

*Last Day to Withdraw from a Course

L13-7 (Time Length)#(frequency)

Chapter Test (L13)

Submit WB L12 Kanji pages

Do WB L13: 1, 2

Do WB L13: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Submit WB L13: 1~9

Do WB Kanji (109-110)

Kanji Quiz (L13)

L14-1

Vocabulary Quiz #1 (L14)

L14-2

Vocabulary Quiz #2 (L14)

L14-3

No Class (Happy Thanksgiving!)

Submit WB L13 Kanji

Do WB 14-1

Do WB 14-2

Do WB 14-3

L14-4

L14-5 ##(Negative)

Kanji Quiz (L14)

Grammar L10-14

Do WB 14-4

Submit WB L14: 1~7, Kanji pages

Submit WB L12: 1-8

Do WB L12 Kanji pages

Do WB L13: 3, 4

Do WB L14-5, 6, 7 + Kanji (111-112)

12/9
W
12/14
W

Culture Topic

Oral Test

Submit Mykikitori.com answers from

Lesson 10 through 14 (write down the
answers on your notebook)
Relax!

12/16 Final Exam! (*ccumulative)

W
3.30 5.30 (@ our regular classroom)
NOTE ON FINAL EXAMS: Final exams are always scheduled during the last week
of the semester. If a final examination is given it must be at the time assigned (which might be different than
the time the class meets). If there is no final examination then the class must meet for instruction at the time
the final exam is schedule.
GUIDE TO THE MEANING OF GRADES IN THE DEPARTMENTS CLASSES:
(Please note that neither attending class regularly nor doing ones homework consistently merits extra credit,
since those are both normal and customary requirements of any course. In all cases below, the level of
competence achieved for any language skill, whether it be listening, speaking, reading or writing, is as
important a discretionary assessment factor as understanding the subject matter of the course.)
A+
Exceptional understanding of theories, concepts and the subject matter of the course;
exceptional performance on tests and in class; clear evidence of superior
competence in all four skills, beyond the course requirements (has no numerical equivalent)
A
Excellent understanding of theories, concepts and the subject matter of the course;
excellent performance on tests and in class; clear evidence of excellent competence in all four skills, beyond
the course requirements (94-100)
ABetween very good and excellent understanding of theories, concepts and the subject matter of the
course; between very good and excellent performance on tests and in class; between very good and excellent
competence in all four skills, beyond the course requirements (90-93)
B+
Very good understanding of theories, concepts and the subject matter of the course;
very good performance on tests and in class; clear evidence of very good competence in
all four language skills, beyond the course requirements (88-89)
B
Good understanding of theories, concepts and the subject matter of the course;
good performance on tests and in class; clear evidence of good competence in
all four language skills, beyond the course requirements (84-87)
BBetween more than satisfactory and good understanding of theories, concepts and the subject
matter of the course; between more than satisfactory and good performance on tests and in class; between
more than satisfactory and good competence in all four language skills, beyond the course requirements (8083)
C+
More than satisfactory understanding of theories, concepts and the subject matter of the
course; more than satisfactory performance on tests and in class; clear evidence of more
than satisfactory competence in all four skills, beyond the course requirements (78-79)
C

Satisfactory understanding of theories, concepts and the subject matter of the course;

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satisfactory performance on tests and in class; clear evidence of satisfactory competence
in all four language skills, meeting course requirements (74-77)
CBetween less than satisfactory and satisfactory understanding of theories, concepts and the subject
matter of the course; between less than satisfactory and satisfactory performance on tests and in class;
between less than satisfactory and satisfactory competence in all four language skills, nearly meeting course
requirements (70-73)
D+
Just less than satisfactory understanding of theories, concepts and the subject matter of the
course; just less than satisfactory performance on tests and in class; clear evidence of just less than
satisfactory competence in all four language skills, not quite meeting the course requirements (68-69)
D
Poor understanding of theories, concepts and the subject matter of the course; poor
performance on tests and in class; clear evidence of low competence in all four skills
areas, not meeting the course requirements (64-67)
DLowest passing grade; very poor understanding of theories, concepts and the subject matter
of the course; very poor performance on tests and in class; clear evidence of very low
competence in all four skills areas, not meeting the course requirements (60-63)