Japanese 7 and 8 Syllabus

Transcription

1 Japanese 7 and 8 Syllabus Certificated Teacher: Date: Desired Results Course Title/Grade Level: Japanese 7 and Japanese 8 Credit: one semester (.5) two semesters (1) Estimate of hours per week engaged in learning activities 5 hours of class work per week Prerequisites and/or recommended preparation: None Instructional Materials All learning activity resources and folders are contained within the student online course. Online course is accessed via login and password assigned by student s school (web account) or ed directly to student upon enrollment, with the login website address. No additional textbooks or materials. Course Overview This course is designed to help students develop the skills required to be successful on the Japanese AP exam (or the JLPT, ACTFL or other similar exams). The course is designed to teach or reinforce grammar, vocabulary, and Kanji that are known to be useful in taking these tests. Much of the instruction is designed to develop the specific writing, speaking, and translating skills needed to be successful. Peer collaboration and project development are key aspects of the course. Students will also strive to vastly increase their Kanji proficiency. (See Fourth-Year Class Description for more details.) Enduring Understandings for Course To foster true language proficiency it is important to develop all four of the communicative skills speaking, listening, reading and writing. A good study regimen will include practice with interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational modes of communication. Effective communication skills require cultural understanding. Effective writing requires consideration of the purpose and audience. Useful and effective language skills are acquired through meaningful, practical application of the language.

2 Language study activities are made more meaningful and practical through the use of realia. Meaning is added to language acquisition when it is connected to other fields of study. Meaning is added to language acquisition when it is enriched with elements of culture and involves culturally authentic materials. Employing the language as a tool in the collaboration on meaningful projects gives purpose to the acquisition of vocabulary and the mastery of grammatical concepts. Study of the target language and the culture(s) of those who speak it requires people to reflect upon their own language and culture and make comparisons. Formal instruction alone is not enough to equip a student with all of the knowledge and skills necessary to become proficient in a language. A good course will introduce students to broader communities beyond the traditional school environment and encourage the students to become actively involved and associated with these communities in order to increase their exposure to the culture and their opportunities to practice the language. The primary goal of this course is to help students to become self- sufficient, lifelong learners of Japanese by providing them with all the basic skills and building blocks and teaching them how to make use of the many resources available. External Resources Rosetta Stone Online Curriculum ( Erin s Challenge website ( This is a product and service of The Japan Foundation. Blackboard (Other than the two resources listed above, all instruction, materials and software needed will be posted on the Blackboard site. Every student will need access to a computer, a mic and headphones set, and some method of sending digital copies of their work. Establish Goals Proficiency in the use of particles Writing proficiency in Katakana including the use of advanced methods of representing non- Japanese sounds Ability to identify several additional Kanji characters (minimum of 120 total) and radicals Proficiency in the creating of comparative and superlative statements Skill with typing Japanese script Ability to use advanced culture-specific speech skills including the use of honorific speech, humble speech, and softeners Ability to recognize and properly use transitive and intransitive verb forms Ability to skillfully employ the Te-form with verbs and adjectives in a variety of functions Ability to create sentences with If and W hen clauses Ability to employ several new and useful verb forms including the Gusto form for expressing strong intention and Nakereba narimasen for Have to sentences Ability to appropriately apply Bikkuri adverbs and Onomatopoeia in speech and writing Knowledge of and ability to use idioms and colloquialisms to increase the native quality of speech and writing

3 Ability to employ transition and organization words/elements to add fluidity and coherence to speech and writing Ability to construct paragraphs and short essays employing transitional and organizational elements Ability to compose descriptive, narrative, persuasive, compare and contrast and how to short essays in Japanese Ability to use Japanese to give and justify opinions on cultural topics in both speech and in writing (and to do so in a culturally appropriate manner) Ability to compose impromptu responses in Japanese Optional Knowledge of useful phrases, vocabulary, and grammatical constructions employed in the asking and giving of directions for getting from one location to another Use of the imperative including verb conjugations, punctuation particles, and male and female variations Understandings Students will gain increased understanding of how to employ transitions, idioms, and onomatopoetic words to increase both the fluidity and the native qualities of their speech and writing. Students will gain increased understanding of what needs to be taken into account when creating dialog targeted at a particular audience. Students will become increasingly aware that the grammatical elements of a language are like tools to be used for accomplishing different kinds of tasks. Essential Questions How does native speech differ from textbook speech? What needs to be taken into consideration when composing a presentation for a particular audience? What is the purpose of language and how can you learn to manipulate it? Students will know How to identify at least 120 Kanji characters. How to identify at least 15 difference particles/markers and explain their usages. How to differentiate between transitive and intransitive verb forms and how each are used. How to recognize and use honorific verbs and prefixes. How to recognize and use humble verbs. How to ask polite questions in an interview situation. How to effectively use transition and organization words/elements in speech and in writing.

4 How to create compare and contrast statements and write compare and contrast essays. How to state and support their own opinions in Japanese. How to write a descriptive essay. How to write a narration. How to write a persuasive essay. How to write a how to essay. The meanings of at least a dozen Japanese idioms. How to enhance and increase the native-like nature of their speech and writing with the proper use of Bikkuri adverbs. How to properly incorporate various onomatopoetic words into their speech and writing. The names, locations, and some information about Japan s 47 prefectures and 11 or more principle cities. Students will be able to Translate Japanese writing containing Kanji that is covered in the course as well as being able to use the same Kanji in their own compositions. They will be capable of writing short essays of various types targeted to specific audiences (through a process of writing, translating, and editing). They will be capable of incorporating various verb types, idioms, onomatopoetic words and other advanced-level elements in their speech and writing; of using the language to accomplish various practical tasks like texting or conducting an interview; and of demonstrating knowledge of Japanese culture and customs. In addition, the students will be able to locate at least 40 of the 47 Japanese prefectures on a map and tell about some of the interesting aspects of at least 9 major cities. Evidence of Assessment Performance Tasks Participation in group collaborative discussions with the instructor and other students twice a month Rosetta and Erin s Challenge assessments (online study programs) Writing samples Short essays Learning Journal entries Voice recordings

5 Online exercises and practice games Online quizzes Participation in blogs Contributions to class W ikis Collaboration with peers Summative projects (Unit Projects) Other Evidence Peer-editing and feedback Formative oral assessments Unit quizzes Midterm and final Exams Types of Learning Activities Students will participate in a wide variety of learning activities, including: Interactive audio/video lessons Problem/Puzzle-solving tasks Online Blogs, Discussions, and W ikis Letter-writing Group discussions Reading comprehension activities Story translating and summarizing tasks Short-essay compositions Team projects The instruction focuses on combining knowledge of the Japanese language and culture with strategies for effective communication.

6 Outline of Class Procedure and Activities 1. Every week instruction specific to that week s activities will be given through an instructor s message in the Announcements. 2. Every student will be engaged in individual study with Rosetta Stone or Erin s Challenge lessons. This is in addition to the other class activities. 3. Students will be required to make weekly journal entries reporting on their work for the week. 4. All students will work together to create a class list of vocabulary words and grammar explanations for the RS/EC lessons. 5. Many assignments and projects will be given that students are expected to work together on completing. Students can discuss answers to questions among themselves through chat, texting, blog posts or any other means of collaboration. 6. Culture will be a primary consideration in every assignment. Students will learn to speak and write about topics of life in Japan and how they reflect the culture. Different purposes for writing will be practiced and the students will learn the words and grammar that they need to be able to accomplish their objectives. 7. All students will be encouraged to set their sights on taking the AP, the JLPT, the ACTFL or other language proficiency test. Samples of the types of questions and tasks will be included in the instruction. Direct Instruction Indirect Instruction Experiential Learning Independent Study Interactive Instruction Structured Overview Mini presentation Drill & Practice Demonstrations Problem-based Case Studies Inquiry Reflective Practice Project Paper Concept Mapping Virt. Field Trip Experiments Simulations Games Field Observ. Roleplaying Model Bldg. Surveys Essays Self-paced computer Journals Learning Logs Reports Directed Study Research Projects Discussion Debates Role Playing Panels Peer Partner Learning Project team Laboratory Groups Think, Pair, Share Cooperative Learning Tutorial Groups Interviewing Conferencing

7 III. Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirements ***See pages of Rosetta Stone s W A EALR alignment PDF file: Adapted from Understanding by Design Template available online and the Understanding by Design: Professional Development W orkbook. References: W iggins, G., & McTighe, J. (n.d.). Understanding by Design Exchange. Retrieved November 2, 2004 from W iggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2004). Understanding by design: Professional development workbook. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development