Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Upon completion of the course students should be able to:

1. Read and identify some basic information from words, phrases and simple sentences that are written in Japanese.
2. Write a mixture of words, phrases and simple sentences about familiar and everyday topics.
3. Speak about familiar and everyday topics using a mixture of practiced or memorized words, phrases and simple sentences.
4. Listen and identify some basic facts from memorized or familiar words and phrases in spoken Japanese.
5. Describe some Japanese cultural products and practices related to everyday life.

Students will be assessed by any combination of the following: 

• Active participation in class

• Individual presentations

• Contextual written tasks to assess reading, writing, cultural, and  listening competencies

• Quizzes over syllabaries and Kanji

• Oral interviews with partner or instructor

Includes all or most of the following: 

1. Describe people, objects and events using adjectives in non-past tense

2. Describe people, objects and events using adjectives in past tense

3. Using adjectives as pre and post noun modifiers

4. Basic numerical counters

5. Suggesting a plan of action 

6. Te-form verbs, nouns and adjectives

7. Polite commands (te kudasai and naide kudasai)

8. Sequential actions or events

9. Permission and prohibition

10. Simple conjunctions and disjunctive conjunctions

11. Short/dictionary form verbs

12. Informal speech

13. Quoted speech

14. Opinions and hearsay

15. Giving reasons

16. Personality and physical attributes

17. Likes and dislikes and talents

18. Actions in progress and actions as a result of a change

19. Purpose of movement

20. Reads and understand Kana syllabaries and approximately 70 Kanji