Comprehensive

Japanese 1:

Orientation

2020 Fall

Center for Japanese Language

Waseda University

Welcome to the Comprehensive Japanese 1.

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Overview of the Orientation

1. Materials for this Orientation

2. Course Structure

3. Textbooks and Materials

4. Workload

5. Tests and Quizzes

6. Attendance Policy

7. Academic Dishonesty

This is the orientation agenda.

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1 . Materials for this Orientation

① Course Syllabus

②Course Schedule

Before proceeding to the main contents of the orientation, make sure that you have the following 2 materials. First is the course syllabus, which is in portrait orientation. Second is the course schedule, which is in landscape orientation.

The orientation will be conducted based on the content of the course syllabus. Please refer to the course syllabus during the orientation.

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2. Course Structure

Class Schedule

Tuesdays Thursdays Saturdays

1st period

9:00-10:30✔ ✔ ✔

2nd period

10:40-12:10✔ ✔

A B C

Live sessions held via

Blackboard Collaborate on

Waseda Moodle

Instructors:

Classroom:

Now let’s get started. First, we will go through the course structure. Please look at the first page of the course syllabus. This course meets three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we will have two consecutive 90-minute classes during the 1st and 2nd periods, while on Saturdays, one 90-minute class is scheduled during the 1st period. Please be on time so that we can start class promptly at 9:00am.

Basically, three different instructors will be teaching your class. Each instructor will be teaching on a particular day of the week.

Please write down the names of the 3 instructors in charge of your class at the bottom of the first page of your course syllabus.

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3. Textbooks and Materials

Textbook and materials to be purchased

at the univ. co-op bookstore (BF1, Bdg.17)

Other course materials

Available at Waseda Moodle

①Main Textbook②Translation &

Grammar Notes ③Workbook

Now let’s move on to textbooks and materials. Please turn to the second page of the course syllabus. In this course, you are expected to buy three books. "Minna no Nihongo Elementary Japanese 1" will be used as the main textbook. In addition, you are expected to purchase “Translation and Grammar Notes,” and the workbook accompanying the main textbook. If you are in Japan, you can buy these books at the university co-op bookstore.

Please make sure to bring all three books to every class meeting.

Other course materials are available online at Waseda Moodle.

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4. Workload

⚫ Classes are conducted in Japanese.

⚫ Quizzes/tests are written in hiragana and

katakana without romanization.

At least ONE hour of

study outside the class

The ability to read and write hiragana

and katakana with ease are required

from the very first lesson.

Next, workload. For each session, you will need to study at least one hour outside the class to adequately prepare for and review materials.

Why should you spend so much time to study outside the class? This is partly because of the nature of this course. Time in class will be spent mostly on practices and activities, rather than lectures on grammar and new vocabulary. Classes are basically conducted in Japanese. Therefore, students should read the lessons on grammar and familiarize themselves with new vocabulary before coming to class.

Another reason you need sufficient study time outside the class is that quizzes/tests and class materials are all written in hiragana and katakana without romanization. This inevitably means students are expected to read and write both hiragana and katakana with ease from the very first lesson. If you have little to no knowledge of hiragana and katakana, it will take a long time to match each kana character with its pronunciation, or text strings with their meanings. Even if you have some background knowledge, you will need some time early on to read and write meaningful text strings fluently. So you need a good amount of time to study.

Another thing to note is the pace of the course. As this course is very

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intensive, most of you will find the pace very fast. If you are planning to take many courses other than Comprehensive Japanese 1, or are busy with research or something else, you may want to choose a different Japanese language course with a lighter workload.

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What to Prepare

Study hiragana and katakana on your own.

You can learn hiragana and katakana through videos posted on WasedaMoodle.

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What to Prepare

Read the designated pages of “Translation & Grammar Notes.”

Next, let’s move on to the preparatory work for each class.Please refer to the first page of the Course Schedule.

Please look at the column labeled “Translation & Grammar Notes.” This column shows the pages of “Translation & Grammar Notes” that you need to read before coming to class.

Next, please refer to the column named “Lesson Content.” As the name suggests, this column shows the class activities you will be engaging in on a particular day. In this column, you can find text strings beginning with a capital “L,”such as “L1 A1-3.” The text strings indicate the lesson and practice numbers of the main textbook that will be covered in a particular class. The first part shows lesson numbers. So “L1” means “Lesson 1,” for example. The latter half, beginning with a capital “A,” indicates the Practice A numbers in the main textbook. Thus, “L1 A1-3” means “Practices 1, 2 and 3 in Lesson 1.”

Next, please refer to the column named “Vocabulary quiz.” The content of the Vocabulary quiz will come from the “Vocabulary" section of “Translation & Grammar Notes.”You can take the quiz on Waseda Moodle from 8:30 to 10:30 on each day.

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Finally, please look at the right-most column. This column shows the due dates of assignments that need to be submitted (grammar quizzes, homework). You will need to study for the quizzes and tests indicated in this column.

Please confirm further details with your instructors.

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5. Tests and Quizzes

Maximum Duration for Quizzes and Tests

Quiz/Test Scheduled Max. Duration

Vocabulary Quiz L1～L25 10 mins.

Review Test 40 mins.

Final Writing Exam 70 mins.

In this slide, you can see the maximum duration for quizzes and tests.

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6. Attendance Policy

Attendance : 15% of final grade

⚫ Language learning is a cumulative process.

⚫ Students’ performance cannot be measured

on test scores alone.

Students need to attend a minimum of 50

class periods to pass the course.

Next, attendance policy.

In this course, attendance accounts for 15% of your final grade, which is a significant proportion. This is because of the following two reasons.

First, language learning is a cumulative process, and it is important to consider the whole process of learning, including regular attendance and participation in class activities.

Second, we admit that student performance cannot be measured by test scores alone. Test scores are a powerful tool to assess student performance, but when it comes to language learning, they do not tell us much about students' competency in the target language.

Here you might be wondering how many classes you need to attend to pass the course. You need a minimum of 50 class periods, which account for two thirds of the total per semester.

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6. Attendance Policy

Absences that may be excused:

⚫ Illnesses “school infectious disease”

⚫ Family emergencies

No make-up quizzes/tests/work allowed.

If you miss a quiz or test, or fail to submit an assignment, basically no make up is allowed, except for the two reasons for absence mentioned above.

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6. Attendance Policy

In Comprehensive Japanese 1 students’

attendance will be administered through

Waseda Moodle.

It is the students’ responsibility to be keep

track of their own attendance.

Keep the exact count of your attendance by

checking Waseda Moodle.

N.B. Email warnings will NOT be sent out.

And one more thing should be emphasized regarding our attendance policy.

In "Comprehensive Japanese 1," students’ attendance will be recorded and administered through Waseda Moodle. Please keep track of the exact count of your attendance or absence by checking Waseda Moodle on a regular basis. We'd like to stress that it is the students’ responsibility to manage their own attendance record. Please note that email warnings on attendance will NOT be sent out in this course. Please refer to page 4 of your course syllabus for further details of our attendance policy.

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7. Notes on Academic Dishonesty

Students may receive a ‘G’ grade if they

commit a “dishonest act.” This includes:

⚫ Looking at the answer sheet of another student,

copying the assignment of another student, or

allowing another student to copy your answer

sheet or assignment

⚫ Interfering with grading by discarding the answer

sheet or submitting it under a false name

Refer to “PENALTIES FOR CHEATING IN

EXAMINATIONS/ASSIGNMENTS OF CENTER FOR

JAPANESE LANGUAGE” for further details.

https://www.waseda.jp/inst/cjl/en/students

/grade/

Next and last note. Academic dishonesty.

You may receive a ‘G’ grade if you commit a “dishonest act,” including but not limited to the acts listed here.

For further details, please refer to “Penalties for cheating in examinations/assignments of Center for Japanese language,” which is posted on the webpage shown here.

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