Japan111_syllabus

Japan 111 is the first-quarter of First-year Japanese (Japan 111-3). The course assumes that students have no background in Japanese. Students who have studied Japanese before or learned Japanese through residence in Japan or life experience must meet with the main instructor to confirm appropriate placement. (including a result of placement test). No exception will be made. Failure to follow this instruction may result in no grade for this course. Those who have any questions about his/her eligibility for this course must seek advice from the instructor. Note also that, as stated in the Time Schedule, we have a policy to automatically drop students who fail to come to the first three days of instruction. ( if you have scored 40 or higher on the placement exam, you are tested out of First-year Japanese under a new cut-off, which is retroactively applied. Those who have taken the placement test before this revision of cut-off score, please contact Office of Educational Assessment and have your record revised.) top
Main Instructor	Kaoru Ohta (太田　薫）, Ph.D	Office: Gowen 246	Ph. 206.543.6936
	e-mail: kaoru@uw.edu	Office hours: M 12:30-1:20 or by appointment
	course website: http://courses.washington.edu/jlang111/Japan111_A16/Japan111_home.htm
Teaching Assistants Gowen M230 206.543.4685	name	e-mail	office hours
	Bond, Nathaniel	natbond@uw.edu
	Burton, Benjamin	burtonb@uw.edu
	Clayton, Sarah	smc33@uw.edu
	DeTora, Benjamin	bdetora@uw.edu
	Hill, Genevieve	ghill@uw.edu
	Sakamoto, Sayo	sayos@uw.edu
	top

Objectives

Japan 111 aims at introducing basic four skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing) of modern Japanese. The purpose of the course is to build a solid foundation in the Japanese grammar while developing communicative skills in Japanese. Classroom activities and homework assignment are designed to help students achieve a practical command of the language. Weekly lecture covers some important grammatical features of the topics covered in the quiz sections. At the end of the course, students are expected to able to:

i)	read and write Kana (both Hiragana and Katakana), the syllabic characters of Japanese, and about 30 Kanji (Chinese) characters used in Japanese;
ii)	talk to people you meet for the first time in Japanese,
iii)	carry out basic shopping and eating out in Japanese,
iv)	describe one’s daily schedule in Japanese
v)	extend and accept or decline invitations in Japanese, and
vi)	describe locations and things in the past in Japanese.

For these goals, students must develop both grammatical knowledge and communication skills in Japanese. Classroom activities are divided into Lecture, where grammatical and socio-linguistic knowledge are introduced, and Quiz section, where communication skills are practiced.

top

Lectures
A	T/Th	9:30-10:20
A		9:30-10:20	MLR 301	Ohta
B		10:30~11:20	MLR 301	Ohta
C		12:30-1:20	EXED 110	Ohta
Quiz Sections
AA/BA/CA	MWF	8:30-9:20	THO 334	Bond
AC/BC/CC		9:30-10:20	THO 334	Bond
AE/BE/CE		9:30-10;20	BNS 115	Lowy
AF/BF/CF		9:30-10:20	MEB 235	DeTora
AG/BG/CG		10:30-11:20	BNS 115	Lowy
AH/BH/CH		10:30-11:20	MEB 235	DeTora
AI/BI/CI		10:30-11:20	MUE 154	Ohta
AJ/BJ/CJ		10:30-11:20	AND 010	Sakamoto
AK/BK/CK		11:30-12:30	MUE 154	Ohta
AL/BL/CL		11:30-12:30	AND 010	Sakamoto
AM/BM/CM		11:30-12:20	MEB 243	Burton
AN/BN/CN		11:30-12:20	CDH 128	Hill
AO/BO/CO		12:30-12:20	MEB 243	Burton
AP/BP/CP		12:30-1:20	CDH 128	Hill
top

Required Materials	Textbook	Genki 1 by Banno, et. al (2nd edition)
	Workbook/Lab Manual	Genki 1 Workbook by Banno, et. al (2nd edition)
	Textbook and Workbook are available at the University Bookstore
	Audio Materials (for Lab Manual)	http://depts.washington.edu/llc/
	Course Packet	see the course packet page (course packets available at Ram's Cp[u_
	top

Expectations

Students are expected to study (both preparation and review) a minimum of one hour a day for the course. Along with doing assigned homework, it is imperative that students review what was covered in class by going over activities done that day in the class, studying vocabulary, and practicing with classmates. Studying with a study partner is highly recommended.

Sections are conducted all in Japanese. This is because sections are designed to help you learn grammar points, vocabulary, and how to use them in communicative situations through use of Japanese. You may ask questions about grammar, etc., in English before or after the section, during the lecture, during office hours, or by e-mail directly to a TA or to the professor. Active participation in sections is expected. Pair/group activities during sections are most valuable when students participate in them using Japanese as much as possible.

Section and lecture attendance is mandatory. If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to obtain missed assignments/notes from a classmate.

Weekly lectures will introduce grammatical patterns, discuss common mistakes, explain socio-cultural aspects of Japanese, and answer your questions. Homework assignments may also be given

Announcements are also made over e-mail. A class e-mail list will be created based on the 10th-day class list published in Week 3. If you do not already have an e-mail account, be sure to obtain one by the end of Week 1

top

Grades: The minimun passing grade for the course is a 0.7 for undergraduate students and a 1.7 for graduate students. For those who are taking the course as S/SN grade, the minimun grade must be a 2.0 for undergraduate and a 2.7 for graduate students to receive an S. Your final grades will be determined based on the following breakdown. Grade distribution is "absolute grading method based on fixed scale." Read also carefully about our make-up policies.
Attendance/Class Participation	5%
Homework	5%
Quizzes	25%
Chapter Tests	48%
Final Exams	15%
Oral Interview	2%
Attendance: Full credit will be given to those who are present at the bell until the end of class. Tardiness or leaving early will be so marked and may not receive any credit. You also must participate in class activities in order to receive a full credit. If you miss section or lecture for unexpected reasons, it is your responsibility to "catch up." This includes assignments. Please be reminded that lack of attendance or preparation on your part does not obligate your teachers to take up the slack
Homework: Homework is assigned daily, and may be announced/distributed in either sections or lecture sessions. For Homework schedule, see the Canvas page. In order to receive a full credit, each assignment must be "complete". A "complete" assignment means that all the questions are answered and your answers must be checked using the answer keys provided by the due date. Answer keys are provided on Canvas page. No credit will be given for homework completed during class time. Late homework will be accepted but 50% deduction for a complete work submitted in the following quiz section. An incomplete work is subject to further deduction (a 25% off for assingment submitted on time. Another 25% off for late assignment). Other assignments include online voice recording (oral essay), online quizzes (submitted online), listening exercises (online), reading exercises (online) and speaking exercises (online). See Canvas for details and instructions.
Quizzes: Quizzes are given as noted on the schedule, for a total of 12 quizzes. Each quiz will be about 10 minutes long and will cover grammar, reading, writing, and vocabulary. All but one lowest quiz score will be counted toward your grade. All character quizzes will count toward your grade. Please see the course schedule for the date each quiz will be given. Please see our make-up policy.
Chapter Tests: There will be 4 chapter tests at the end of each Chapter. Chapter Test will cover vocabulary and grammar covered in the chapter and given in the format of listening and reading comprehension. Also, the test contents are accumaltive as we progress in the course. Please see the course schedule for the date of each chapter test.
Final Exam: Final-exam for the course will be given on Saturday 12/9 (Sat.) 10:30-12:20 at SMI 120 and 211 (who will go to which room will be announced later). (This is different date from what is scheduled in the final exam schedule. Please make sure that your personal schedule is adjusted as no make-up final will be administered before or after this date.) Please make sure that your personal schedule is adjusted asno make-up final will be administered before or after the final unless these is another final exam at the same time.
Oral Interview: There will be an oral exam given in this course. Details of each oral exam will be announced the week prior to the performance date.
Make-up Policies: There are no make-ups for quizzes, orals, or the final exam. It is your responsibility to attend class daily, including days when quizzes are administered. The lowest weekly quiz will be dropped to permit flexibility and to accommodated emergencies and illness. For character quizzes, you will be allowed to take a make-up quiz within 2 days (before or after) of the scheduled date ONLY IF THERE IS A REASONABLE AND AGREEABLE CIRCUMSTANCES). The only exception can be pre-arranged if students will participate in official university business (this includes a final exam conflict). Make-up quizzes and exams will NEVER be granted for personal travel (including family obligations) or social engagements (whether or not university-related). In either case, a proper documentation must be submitted for approval and a prior arrangement must be made. No make-up will be granted for whatever reasons, including official university business AFTER the date when a quiz, exam, or oral exam is administered.Course Schedule is provided in the following page. Please note, however, that this is a tentative schedule and may be subject to change. So, please pay attention on any announcement made during the lecture, section, or via e-mail or web page.
top

What does a course grade mean?

3.9 - 4.0 (A)	Superior performance in all aspects of the course with work exemplifying the highest quality. Unquestionably prepared for subsequent courses in field.
3.5-3.8 (A-)	Superior performance in most aspects of the course; high quality work in the remainder. Unquestionably prepared for subsequent courses in field.
3.2 - 3.4 (B+)	High quality performance in all or most aspects of the course. Very good chance of success in subsequent courses in field.
2.9 - 3.1(B)	High quality performance in some of the course; satisfactory performance in the remainder. Good chance of success in subsequent courses in field
2.5 - 2.8 (B-)	Satisfactory performance in the course. Evidence of sufficient learning to succeed in subsequent courses in field.
2.2 - 2.4 (C+)	Satisfactory performance in most of the course, with the remainder being somewhat substandard. Evidence of sufficient learning to succeed in subsequent courses in field with effort.
1.9 - 2.1 (C)	Evidence of some learning but generally marginal performance. Marginal chance of success in subsequent courses in field.
1.5 - 1.8 (C-)	Minimal learning and substandard performance throughout the course. Doubtful chance of success in subsequent courses.
1.2 - 1.4 (D+)	Minimal learning and low quality performance throughout the course. Doubtful chance of success in subsequent courses.
0.9 - 1.1 (D)	Very minimal learning and very low quality performance in all aspects of the course. Highly doubtful chance of success in subsequent courses in field.
0.7 - 0.8 (D-)	Little evidence of learning. Poor performance in all aspects of the course. Almost totally unprepared for subsequent courses in field.
0.0 (E)	Complete absence of evidence of learning. Totally unprepared for subsequent courses in field.

The following is the announcement by the Graduate school and the department about the instruction of teaching assistants:

"If you have any concern about the instruction of your teaching assistant, please see him/her about these concerns as soon as possible. If you are not comfortable talking with your TA, or not satisfied with the response that you receive, you may contact the main instructor.

If you are still not satisfied with the response that you receive, you may contact Prof. Paul Atkins, the chair of the department of Asian Languages and Literature in Gowen 225. You may also contact the Graduate School at 200 Gerberding Hall, by phone at (206) 543-5900 or by e-mail at elf@u.washington.edu."