• Read street signs (e.g., public transportation) 

• Tell the time and state the days of the week 

• Talk about their daily routines and schedules 

• Schedule a party 

• Talk about their personal interests/hobbies; what they do on their days off 

• State the day of the month (calendar)  

• Exchange greetings, talk about weather and temperature 

• Extend an invitation (e.g., invite a friend to an event) 

• Provide details about an event (date, time, location, how to get there) 

• Ask about opening/closing times of shops 

• Talk about how to get to a particular destination (means of transportation) 

• Say how to get to a particular destination in town using a map 

• Talk about things they want to buy and where they can find them 

• Read prices and do some basic shopping  

• Talk about past holidays or trips and what they did on their days off.  

• Express simple thoughts and impressions about events or experiences.  

• Read short blogs or emails about holidays or travel.  

• Write a short blog entry about their holidays using hiragana, katakana, and basic kanji. 

• Read kanji and write simple sentences written in the mixture of hiragana/katakana on topics covered in previous courses (Beginner 1 and 2) and new topics in this course 

• Read and write the 31 kanji characters that appear in Kanji Master N5 Chapter 2: Calendar, Chapter 3: Person, Chapter 4: Nature-1 and Chapter 5: Place 

Use of the Language: This course has been designed in such a way that most of the class time will be devoted to communication and will be taught in the target language (i.e., the language that you are studying).  As you already have some experience with the language, you are encouraged to use the target language as much as possible from Day 1.  You are not expected to understand everything, and you can expect to be pushed beyond your comfort zone. However, your instructor is there to make sure you can succeed in meeting the goals of the activities and of the class in general.  Our goal is for you to be able to communicate in the target language, and we cannot learn to speak a language without speaking it.  Please remember that we learn best by making mistakes, and we encourage you to try to do your best.  Don’t forget that your instructor is there to support you in class and is also available via the Matrix messaging system for assistance.  
 

Tech Support: For any technology issues, initiate contact by submitting a ticket: https://tiny.utk.edu/tlcsupport 

Technology Needed: 
 
For both online and in-person classes 
- Functioning desktop or laptop; tablets are not recommended, and phones are not a good option
- Access to a stable Internet connection
 

For online classes - 

- Webcam: we ask that you use your webcam in class as this helps to create a feeling of classroom community.  
- Microphone 
 
Digital literacies requirements 

- For both online and in-person classes, understanding of how to log in and navigate Matrix, our learning management system, to access resources (e.g., homework, eBook for Spanish, etc.); a Matrix Getting Started Guide is made available to students once the class is confirmed. 
- For online classes, several Zoom tutorials are available to learn basic skills (e.g., mute/unmute, turning camera on, use of chat, etc.): Zoom Tutorials 

 
Expectations/Time Commitment:  
Japanese has been identified by the Defense Language Institute (DLI) as a Group 4 language; this means that it is more challenging for students whose first language is English, and it takes more contact hours to develop proficiency compared to other languages closer to English.  Despite the challenges, many students whose first language is English develop proficiency in Japanese and find that it is a language that provides many opportunities both in our region and globally.  It is strongly recommended that you schedule about 3 hours per week outside of the weekly 2-hour class to engage with this course material.  Your instructor will give you both required out-of-class activities as well as optional out-of-class activities for you to complete if you have time.   Please plan accordingly by scheduling your time on your calendar now. Active engagement in all course activities (e.g., class participation, module completion, homework, written assignments, studying vocabulary, etc.) will contribute to your learning and success in this course. 

Required Materials (Note: the coursebook and workbook may be purchased from the vendor of your choice; one possible source for each is linked below) 

1. MARUGOTO KATSUDO coursebook: Japanese language and culture Starter A1 Coursebook for communicative language activities (ISBN-13: 978-4384057522)