* While we accept registrations up to week two, please enroll at least a week before the start date. This is when class confirmation/cancellation decisions are made, and your registration can make a difference. 

Can-Do Statements: Upon successful completion of this course, learners will be able to:  

• Have level-appropriate vocabulary in ひらがな (hiragana) and カタカナ (katakana)., such as nouns consisting of 2-5 letters (food, times of the day, animals, furniture, general objects, famous places, vocations, nationalities, languages, and pronouns), basic greetings, classroom commands, and names of countries. 

• Read very basic level 漢字 (kanji/Chinese characters) related to the course topics. 

• Write your own name, native country and city in カタカナ.  

• Exchange greetings and politely interact with someone they meet for the first time. 

• With level-appropriate knowledge of grammar, carry simple conversation that includes listening and speaking in small talk about yourself (where you are from, where you live currently, your job, what languages you can speak, your hobby, etc.) and your family, your day, preference of food, films, music, sports, etc. 

• Use classroom commands.  

• Read and write a short statement attached at each end of the textbook chapter, such as simple self-introductions, your family, and descriptions of your breakfast.    

• yourself, family, preference of food, films, music, and description of breakfast.  

• Give a simple introduction of friends and family using a photo.     

• Politely ask people questions about their family.     

• Count from 1 to 100.     

• Use counters to talk about the number of people, ages, general objects, and prices    

• Talk about your favorites including food, music, films, sports, etc.     

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).  After being introduced to the language during the first class session, you are encouraged to use the target language as much as possible.  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 book may be purchased from the vendor of your choice; one possible source is linked below) 

1. まるごと　日本のことばと文化　入門　A1 　りかい  

MARUGOTO RIKAI coursebook: Japanese language and culture Starter A1 Coursebook for communicative language competences (ISBN-13: 978-3875487084)   

 
This course will cover Lessons 1-5 in Marugoto Rikai 

 
Note: While we limit ourselves to a small amount of writing tasks, we will provide writing practice material if students wish to work on it. Let your instructor know if you are interested.