Advanced Japanese Conversation and Composition

(JPN4042 – 4 Credits)

 

Contact Information & Office Hours

Instructor:

Kyoko Fujimoto（藤(ふじ)本(もと)恭(きょう)子(こ)）

 

Office:

440 Folwell

 

 

 

Phone:

(612) 624-1580

E-mail:   fujim002@umn.edu

 

 

Office hours:

Tu 1:00-2:00, Th 4:00-5:00, and by appointment

 

Home Page:

http://www.all.umn.edu/japanese_language/home.html

 

時間と教室

Section

 

時間

教室

Sec. 1

月:

2:30 – 3:20

218 Folwell Hall

 

火木:

2:30 – 3:45

355 Nicholson Hall

 

Sec. 2

月金:

11:15 – 12:05

315 Peik Hall

 

火木:

11:15 – 12:05

211 Akerman Hall

 

 

今学期の目(もく)標(ひょう)(Course Objectives)

This course aims to improve effective communication skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing in academic settings. This course involves interviews, class presentations, discussions, as well as reading texts.  The course also aims to deepen the understanding of modern Japanese society and culture and to help students to be able to talk about their own society and culture in Japanese.  Effective learning strategies will be introduced and implemented to help students become independent learners of Japanese.  This course will cover Theme 1, 4 and 5 of 'Image of Japan' (Refer to Course Materials below).

 

   Reading:

·         日本人が普通に読む新聞記事、エッセー、小説などを辞(じ)書を使いながら、正しく読めるようになる。

·         文学作品を読み、味(あじ)わえるようになる。

   Writing:

·         上級レベルの単語や文法、トピックのキーワードなどを使って、色々なタイプの文や作文（意見文、感想文、メールなど）が正しく書けるようになる。

   Speaking:

·         自分の考えや意見、感想などを上級レベルの単語や文法、トピックのキーワードを使って、色々な状況に応(おう)じた話し方（授業でクラスメートと意見交換する・授業で発表する・日本人にインタビューするなど）ができるようになる。

·         新聞記事や小説について、自分の言葉で説明できるようになる。

   Listening:

·         上級レベルの単語、文法、表現が使われている日本人の自然な会話やスピーチがわかるようになる。

·         簡単なニュースの内容がわかるようになる。

   Content & Culture:

·         読み物やクラスディスカッション、アメリカの社会や文化との比較によって、日本社会や文化に対する理解を深める。

·         TVニュースを見ることによって、現在日本で起こっていることを知り、日本社会への理解を深める。

 

 

Prerequisite: JPN 4041

You are required to take a placement test if: (1) your grade for JPN4041 was neither a C- or better nor an S,

                                                                       (2) you took JPN4041 prior to Fall 2006, or

                                                                       (3) you have not taken JPN4041.

·         The placement test will be given on Thursday, 1/24.  Please go to the placement test information page at: http://www.all.umn.edu/japanese_language/placement_test_info.html, and contact Mr. Tazawa (tazaw001@umn.edu) to take the test.

 

Course Materials

Required Material:

1.       Kondoh, et al. (2001) 'Images of Japan' For Pre-Advanced and Advanced Learners of Japanese, Text. University of Tokyo Press.  (ISBN: 4-13-082005-2)

2.       Kondoh, et al. (2001) 'Images of Japan' For Pre-Advanced and Advanced Learners of Japanese, Tasks, Vocabulary and Sentence Patterns. University of Tokyo Press.  (ISBN: 4-13-082006-0)

3.       Additional Reading:

“Course Reserve” at Walter Library (117 Pleasant St. S.E.)

4.   Additional Materials (読み物の質問・単語リスト・漢字リスト・文型練習など)

      http://www.all.umn.edu/japanese_language/class_materials.html

      The user ID (                              ) and password (                              ) are required to view the page.

Suggested Material:

1.       Makino and Tsutsui (1986).  A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar.  Tokyo: Japan Times. 

      (ISBN: 4-7890-0454-6)

2.       Makino and Tsutsui (1995).  A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar.  Tokyo: Japan Times. 

(ISBN: 4-7890-0775-8)

3.       Online dictionary:

          Jim Breen's WWWJDIC Japanese-English Dictionary (http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/wwwjdic.html)

         Rikai.com (http://www.rikai.com/perl/Home.pl)

         英(えい)辞(じ)郎(ろう) (http://www.alc.co.jp )

  1. An electronic dictionary (Refer to: http://sekky.tripod.com/edicjsl.html for recommendation.)

 

Using Japanese on a Computer

It is required that you have access to a Japanese-capable computer.  You will need one to read the class schedule and to do your homework. Go to <http://www.all.umn.edu/japanese_language/computers_and_japanese.html> for instructions to read and write Japanese on your home computer.  Alternatively, the CLA Multi-Media Lab (135 Jones) has Japanese-capable computers.  Go to <http://languagecenter.cla.umn.edu/index.php?page=aboutus#hourslab> to check the hours.

 

Course Listserv

Subscribing to the course listserv is mandatory.  This will serve as a message board for the course; you may also post messages to it.  To sign up for the listserv, go to <http://lclist.cla.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/jpn4042>.  Soon after you sign up, an email requesting confirmation will be sent. Once you confirm, you will receive a second email giving you all the information you should need to use the list.  Some messages will be sent in Japanese, and you need to sign up for the listserv with a mail address that is Japanese script readable. 

 

Class Attendance

Active class participation is mandatory.  Attendance counts for 2 points per class; however, being tardy or leaving more than 5 minutes early will cause your attendance to drop by 1 point.    Attending class for less than 25 minutes for a 50-minute class or less than 35 minutes for a 75-minute class will count for 0 points.  Whatever the reason for your absence or tardiness, no grading adjustment will be considered; if you are not physically present in class, it is marked as an absence.  Moreover, when your class performance shows that you are not well-prepared for class, your attendance points might drop by 1 point.

 

授業の準備

You are expected to study at least two hours per day. 

·      Weekly Schedule (http://www.all.umn.edu/japanese_language/weekly_schedule.html)

A class schedule for the following week will be on the web by Friday.  Because it is written in Japanese, please make an arrangement to use a computer that can read Japanese.  It is your responsibility to read the schedule carefully so you can prepare the right materials and submit the right homework. 

 

成績

出席

 

7.5%

宿題

 

 

20%

プロジェクト

- ワークシート

(1 %)

13%

 

- 作文（First Draft）

(4.5 %)

 

- 作文（Final Draft）

(3.5 %)

 

- 発表

(4 %)

小テスト

- 単語テスト

(7 %)

17%

(Quizzes)

- 漢字テスト

(7 %)

 

- TV ニュース 聴(ちょう)解(かい)テスト

(3 %)

試験

- 3 Chapter Tests

(15 %)

25%

 

- 2 Oral Interviews

(10 %)

小説

- 4 story reports

- 1 composition

(6 %)

(2 %)

 8%

作文

- 3 chapter compositions

- Thank-you email

(6 %)

(1 %)

7%

グループ発表

（テーマ１資料２の内容説明）

 

2.5%

·         Please note that no incomplete grades will be given except under extraordinary circumstances (e.g., your hospitalization in the last week of instruction).

 

宿題

Each assignment must be turned in on time to receive full credit.  Assignments submitted late will have one point deducted from the overall score on the first day and two points on the second day.  Any assignments submitted beyond the two-class-day grace period will be accepted but only half points will be given, unless there is a compelling, extenuating reason.  If an assignment is due on a day when you miss class, hand it in ahead of time to avoid being penalized.  You may be exempted from these penalties only with the instructor's consent.  Assignments will be graded on the following scale:

 

 

A (100.0-93 %)

A- (92.9-87%)

ü(86.9%-80%)

ü- (79.9 %-0%)

late

読み物の質問

10 pts.

9 pts.

8 pts.

7 pts. or less

-1 pt./day

文型練習

5

4.5

4

3

 

Quizzes （小(しょう)テスト）

   There will be three types of quizzes.

·      単語テスト：There will be one almost every class day. 

·      漢字テスト：There will be 5~6 quizzes per chapter.  Make sure that you refer to 漢字リスト because handwriting and printing styles may be different.  Always use the handwriting style to write.

·      TV ニュース 聴(ちょう)解(かい)テスト：There will be one almost every week.  To prepare, watch the assigned TV news on the web and understand what is reported.  Written texts of the news might help your understanding.  Your understanding of the news will be tested in class.

 

If you miss a quiz, you may make it up.  If you are absent from school and miss quizzes on the scheduled day, you may make them up without any penalty on the day you first return to class, or with a 10% deduction on the second attendance day or later.  However, you cannot make up the TV ニュース 聴(ちょう)解(かい)テストafter the assigned TV news is no longer available on the web.

 

試験 (Chapter Tests and Oral Interviews)

There will be three chapter tests and two oral interviews during this semester.  No make-ups will be given except under extraordinary circumstances.  If you are unable to take a test on the scheduled day, talk to Ms. Fujimoto ahead of time to receive permission to take a make-up.  Make-ups will be penalized: the score will be deducted by 10% for each day after the scheduled exam day.  You may be exempted from this penalty only with the instructor's consent.  No chapter tests or oral interviews will be given after 12:00 noon on Thursday, May 15.  Also note that no homework, quizzes, or course assignments will be accepted after this time.    

 

Academic Integrity

In case of academic misconduct, such as copying homework or cheating on quizzes or exams, the offending student(s) will be penalized in accordance with the policy of the College of Liberal Arts (http://www.cla.umn.edu/cgep/studentconduct.html).  Those who let others copy their work will also be penalized. 

 

Disability Services (http://ds.umn.edu/）

McNamara Alumni Center, 200 Oak Street SE Suite 180; 612-626-1333 (V/TTY); 612-626-9654 (FAX)

Disabled students who require accommodations must seek assistance at Disability Services in a timely manner, usually prior to the start of classes or as soon as a disability becomes known.  Only after the necessary documents are submitted will the instructors make reasonable accommodations determined by the Disability Services.