Japanese for Beginners: Semester 1 (Ages 11-13)

In this 14-week online course, students will progress from the level of Beginner to Early Intermediate in the Japanese language. This class focuses primarily on speaking and listening skills. However, the writing system will be introduced in our first lesson.

Class members will meet 2 times per week. The first meeting of each week will be lecture-style (with plentiful interaction) and focus on introducing the Japanese phrases for the week and discussing study strategies. Between meetings, students are encouraged to practice their Japanese on their own to improve their skills. A handout will be provided after the first meeting listing the phrases students are expected to practice that week. The second meeting of each week will be a conversation practice and student-led discussion. This meeting will provide students with the opportunity to practice what they studied during the week in a conversation setting and ask questions about Japanese culture and lifestyle.

For two of the 14 weeks (Week 7 and Week 14), we will explore some of the most popular and well-traveled areas of Japan! These weeks will offer a fun respite from language study to explore more of what Japan has to offer to travelers.

The curriculum for this course is as follows:
Week 1: The Basics & Introductions
Week 2: Common Phrases
Week 3: Mealtime Manners
Week 4: Likes & Dislikes
Week 5: Hobbies
Week 6: Weather & Outdoors
Week 7: Trip 1: Tokyo & Mt. Fuji
Week 8: Family Members
Week 9: At Home
Week 10: School Days
Week 11: Body Parts & Feelings
Week 12: Shopping & Telling Time
Week 13: Travel Phrases
Week 14: Trip 2: Kyoto & Osaka

This class is designed for beginners, which includes students with little or no prior experience in learning Japanese. However, 14 weeks is a long commitment. I would encourage students who would like to sample Japanese before committing to the semester class to try my one-time course titled "Konnichiwa! I Can Speak Japanese".

I am happy to answer any specific questions regarding class structure, teaching style, or curriculum coverage.