Curriculum

The classes are delivered in both Japanese and English or Japanese only, depending on the level. Students are encouraged to speak Japanese as much as possible. Instructors are all native speakers.

Classes for all courses meet once per week. Students may repeat various courses until they are ready to progress to a higher level.

BP-100 - This course block is intended for those who take Japanese classes for their first time. Students will practice Japanese pronunciation and learn basic communication skills. Also, students will be introduced to two of the three forms of Japanese writing, Hiragana and Katakana. Japanese culture will be introduced as well throughout the lessons. The text, Japanese For Busy People I 4th Edition is used as well as supplementary material.

  • Learn basic sentence pattern for: positive statement, negation, question and answer.
    pronouns and modifiers, time, numbers, money, things same & different.

    unit 1 At the office
    - Introductions
    - Possessions

    unit 2 Shopping
    - Asking about business hours
    - Shopping, Part 1
    - Shopping, Part 2

  • Learn grammar and sentence patterns: motion verbs, conjugating verbs, ask and answer about place, dates, calendar, existence of people and things, locating things, in, on, nearby, how many things, where is something, look, listen, where something happens, writing and making phone calls.

    unit 3 Getting Around
    - confirming schedules
    - visiting another location

    unit 4 Eating Out
    - Going to restaurants
    - Habits and Meetings

    unit 5 Visiting a Japanese Home
    - Describing things
    - Describing Impressions

  • Learn about: Adjectives, giving and receiving, how something to taste, give one's opinion, ask for opinion, describe someone or something, talk about weather, how far is something, who gave what to whom, presents, birthdays, special occasions, talk about clothing, inviting, suggesting, offering, te-form, sequence of actions, do before or after, give direction.

    unit 6 Weekend Trips
    - Going to Nikko
    - Asking for a Place
    - Giving and Receiving

    unit 7 Making Leisure Plans
    - Preferences
    - Making an Invitation
    - Stating a Wish

  • The nai-form, get on and off public transportation, departure and arrival time, how long to get somewhere, how long stayed, flight itinerary, permission to do something, refuse, give assistance, borrow a pen, forbid to do something, give a reason, 'ing', connect two clauses, ask and answer where someone lives, ask if someone knows something, state what someone likes, skilled at, understands, not understands, describe someone.

    unit 8 Business Trips
    - Talking about plans
    - Making a request

    unit 9 Seeing a museum
    - Going to an art museum
    - At an art museum
    - Being warned or advised

    unit 10 At the office
    - Busy at the moment
    - Responding to an inquiry

BP-200 - This course block is intended for students who have a grasp of reading Hiragana/Katakana and basic sentence structure to continue their study of Japanese language. A more advanced component of Japanese writing, Kanji will be introduced. More emphasis is placed on reading and speaking.

The text used for this block is Japanese For Busy People II.

  • Learn about: refer to indefinite places, things, people, stating asking preference and soliciting suggestions. Making comparisons, comparative degree. Getting information or advice. Connecting related sentences, describing ongoing actions, going somewhere to do something,plain forms of verbs(1), asking for and offering explanations(1), expressing frequency, Develop Kanji skills. Learn 50 Kanji.

    Lesson 1- 4
    - Asking for advice about a gift
    - Choosing a Yukata
    - Searching for a lost item
    - Clocking in early (1)

  • Learn about: plain forms of verbs(2), talking about past experiences, using adverbial forms of adjectives to modify verbs, going somewhere and coming back, making strong suggestions, 'not yet', asking for and offering explanations(2), expressing a sequence of events(1)-before, expressing a sequence of events(2)-after, when, describing a change in state(1), when, plain forms of adjectives and of nouns+desu,　using direct and indirect quotation, Develop more Kanji skills. Learn 40 Kanji.

    Lesson 5 - 8
    - Inviting a colleague to a hot spring
    - Clocking out early (2)
    - Greeting a new employee
    - Running into an old acquaintance

  • Learn about: forming modifying clauses, nominalizing sentences, giving a reason(1), expressing potentiality, expressing volition, giving a reason(2), forming indirect questions, expressing uncertainty, talking about future events coming into being,
    Develop more Kanji skills. Learn 40 Kanji.

    Lesson 9 - 12
    - Joining a civic orchestra
    - Asking for time off
    - Selecting a vacation plan
    - Reserving a room at an inn

  • Learn about: describing a change in state(2), making hypothetical statements, stating the result of an action of event, indication that an action or event has been completed, making conditional statements, speaking of natural or habitual results, expressing necessity,
    Develop more Kanji skills. Learn 40 Kanji.

    Lesson 13 - 15
    - Talking about productivity
    - Computer trouble
    - Giving directions

BP-300 - In this course block, students will complete their mastery of beginning Japanese and progress smoothly to the intermediate level. Learners will be equipped to talk meaningfully about more social topics, expressing their opinions and asking others for theirs. It will also deal with sophisticated business situations. The text used for this block is Japanese For Busy People III.

  • Learn about: expressing suppositions & wondering aloud, impressions(1),
    conveying information gained elsewhere, describing actions done or to be done in preparation for the future, expressing certainty, beliefs or expectations based on information gained elsewhere, impressions(2), ideas that run contrary to expectation(1), causes of or reasons for situations or outcomes, describing changes coming into effect, continuous changes, nominalizing sentences, indicating means or attendant circumstances, describing deliberate effects, expressing purpose(1). Learn 40 Kanji.

    Lesson 1- 4
    - A lost pet
    - Disappearing cookies
    - The pet industry
    - A visit to Mr. Nakano's farm, part1

  • Learn about: expressing completion/incompletion of past, present, or future actions, describing change(3) effected changes, expressing purpose(2), describing simultaneous actions, expressing ideas that run contrary to expectation(2), lack of obligation, giving examples of events or actions, stating decisions, making suggestions based on supposition, describing the actions of giving and receiving services, expressing intention(1), using passive structures, expressing intention(2), indicating a span of time during which an action or event occurs.
    Learn 40 Kanji.

    Lesson 5 - 8
    - A visit to Mr. Nakano's farm, part2
    - Global warming
    - Asking someone to take over
    - My passport was stolen

  • Learn about: using causative and causative-passive structures, Honorifics(1)-key expressions, honorifics(2)-basic patterns, honorifics(3)-honorific verbs for giving and receiving.leaving and relaying messages, using plain imperatives(do/don't), honorifics(4)-auxiliary honorific verbs, explaining reasons, understanding written styles, understanding spoken styles.
    Learn 40 Kanji.
    Lesson 9 -12
    - Protecting one's children
    - Business greetings
    - Leaving and relaying messages
    - The story of valentine's day

  • We will provide a comprehensive review of beginners' Japanese learning.
    Learn about: conversations until you find out the cause of the trouble that was suddenly reported at work and solve it, understand the process of the event and practice explaining the process, how to greet at a formal party, letters and emails to invite and receive people at meetings, including casual gatherings with friends, party talking.
    Learn 30 Kanji.

    Lesson 13 - 15
    - A call from the health office
    - A few words from the host
    - At a reception

AV-500 - In this course block, students will study: Conversation, Reading, Vocabulary, Kanji. Grammar, Conversation Practice (textbook), Role play, Listening, Fast reading, as well as advanced topics selected by teacher considering students' interests including JLPT exam preparation (N1..N2).

  • You would be able to talk about complex and abstract topics, including technical subjects in a specialised field (company worker, teacher, nursing etc.)

    JLPT N2 content, recognize 1000 kanji, 6000 words

  • Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialization. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party.

    (b2) JLPT N2/N1 content, recognize 1300 kanji

  • Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognize implicit meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organizational patterns, connectors

    (c1) JLPT N1 content, recognize 1600 kanji

  • Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarise information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express him/herself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations.

    (c1/c2) JLPT N1 content, recognize 2000 kanji

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