Course Objectives
This course is an advanced beginners level language course, which is designed for those who have learned Japanese for one year in an academic institution and/or who have passed N5 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. The students must have completed EAS120Y1/EAS121H1 with the final grade of C+ or above, or have passed the June or August 2020 placement test in order to take this course. This course aims at the basic acquisition of the four skills in modern Japanese: speaking, listening comprehension, reading and writing. The emphasis is on appropriate communication in Japanese, both in spoken and written, to the given contexts. By the end of this course, students should expect to be able to read and write simple but long passages, as well as recognize 231 kanji in addition to 175 which is introduced in EAS120Y1, and to engage in daily conversations in various situations. The students will also become familiar with some aspects of modern Japanese culture. In this course, communicative aspects of the language are emphasized so that the students will be able to function in Japanese. Therefore, all the classes will be conducted in an interactive manner; students are encouraged to interact with both the instructor and their peers in the class. Active participation in class is strongly encouraged.
Student Learning Outcomes
There are four main goals to achieve through the course:
- You can tell a coherent story with a certain degree of detail about a given topic.
- You can write a composition that is coherent and organized according to a given theme or topic.
- You can relate what you learn in the classroom to real-life communication outside the classroom.
- You deepen your intercultural understanding.
Teaching Staff
Instructor: Yukiko Yoshizumi 善積 祐希子 （よしづみ ゆきこ）
Email: yukiko.yoshizumi@utoronto.ca
Office Hour (via Zoom): 11:30am-12:30pm EDT/EST on Wednesdays or by appointment
Course Website: Quercus course website, University of Toronto
It is your responsibility to check the information on the Quercus course website everyday.
Teaching Assistant: Edwin Michielsen (marking)
Class Delivery and Format
The classes are delivered in asynchronous and synchronous manners. Watching lecture videos and attending the tutorial class on Thursdays are mandatory in order to achieve the educational goals in the course.
- Asynchronous: The lecture videos will be posted on the Quercus course website by noon every Monday. You watch them and study by yourself.
- Synchronous: The two-hour tutorial will be held online on Thursdays as in the following schedule.
Tutorial Time TUT101 9:00am-11:00am EDT/EDT TUT201 11:30am-1:30pm EDT/EDT TUT301 2:00pm-4:00pm EDT/EDT
More Information Regarding Tutorials:
- As the tutorial is conducted online, you are required to have a suitable device (preferably a computer) with a video camera and a microphone to participate actively in the class activity. The video camera must be always turned on during the class to see each other’s face as it’s an important part of communication in the language class.
- Please make sure that you have a stable internet.
- When you take classes online, you must be the only person in the room. This also applied to when you take quizzes and tests.
- You must attend your own tutorial section. You are not allowed to attend other tutorial section which you did not register. Also, you are not allowed to change the tutorial section in the Winter term.
Course Materials
Mandatory Materials:
- Genki II (Second Edition).Tokyo: The Japan Times, Ltd., 2011
- Genki II Workbook (Second Edition).Tokyo: The Japan Times, Ltd., 2011
- Additional Kanji Handouts (Please download from the Quercus course website.)
- Other supplementary handouts need to be downloaded from the Quercus course website throughout the year.
No illegal hard copies and electronic copies of textbooks and workbooks, including piracy, are permitted to use in the course.
Recommended References:
Other useful online resources will be introduced in Quercus and/or in class.
Evaluation
Your final grade will be determined based on the following:
1. Quizzes (15%)
Quizzes will take place during the tutorial class for 5-10 minutes. There will be no make-up quiz if you are absent from class. If you are late for the class to take the quiz, no extra time will be given. If you attend the class just to take the quiz (e.g., showing up before the quiz starts and/or leaving the class after the quiz, etc.), you will receive no mark for the quiz. There will be no exception. Also, the camera must be turned on during the quiz.
2. Assignments (14%)
a) Check Quiz (2%)
You will take the weekly check quiz after watching the lecture videos to assess your understanding of the materials covered before 9 a.m. (EDT/EST) on Thursday. Multiple attempts are accepted and the highest score will be kept as the final one.
b) Assignments (12%)
Homework: You must submit your homework in Quercus. Scan your homework and create a PDF file. If no scanner is available, you can take a picture of your homework and convert it to a PDF file.
- Homework is due at 10 am EDT/EST every Monday. Late submissions will be accepted by noon EDT/EST on the next day of the due date up to two times, and your late submission will not be accepted the third time.
- In-class Assignments: In-class tasks (e.g., the review activity in speaking/writing) have to be completed during the class time. No make-up will be given.
3. Video Journal (10%)
You will create one-minute speech videos talking about the given topic. The topics and its flowchart will be provided in advance. The video format should be MP4, MOV, or WMV.
4. Composition (10%)
You will write an essay about the given topic in each term. There will be two submissions (the first draft and the final draft) required to complete your essay.
5. Unit Tests (20%)
The unit tests will be given twice in each semester (L13-15, L16-18 / L19-21, L22-23). It will include grammar/vocabulary, listening comprehension, reading comprehension and writing composition, and so on. The tests will be held on October 30 (Friday), December 10 (Thursday), February 26 (Friday) and March 29 (Monday). The time and details will be announced later.
6. Oral Tests (12%)
You will have an oral test in each term. The first test will be held in late November/early December and the second one during the final assessment period in April. Details will be announced in class. No make-up test will be given.
7. Final Projects (19%)
a) Group Project Presentation (10%)
You will conduct a research on a certain topic with your classmates and prepare for the oral presentation in the Winter term. The groups will be formed in January 2021. The presentation will be held in class on March 25 and April 1.
b) Peer-Review (2%)
You will listen to your classmates’ projects and must provide feedback or comments on them. Your active participation as an audience will be evaluated based on your constructive feedback or comments given to the classmates.
c) Essay (7%)
You will write up the final essay on the given topic. Details will be announced in class.
- Details of the quizzes/tests/project/presentations will be given in class when the time approaches.
- Your final grade must be B- (70%) or above in this course in order to take EAS320Y1.
- Although there will be no make-ups for quizzes/tests, if you miss them for reasons entirely beyond your control, you should inform the instructor of your absence for special consideration as soon as possible and also must report your absence through the online absence declaration, which is available on ACORN.
- If any cheating during quizzes/tests should be found, your answer sheets will be taken away and you will receive a grade of zero as well as disciplinary actions to be undertaken by the University according to proper student conduct. Plagiarism is also strictly prohibited—please read the University's policy. Also, please see the section below.
Guidelines
1. Academic Integrity
The University of Toronto treats cases of academic misconduct very seriously. Academic integrity is a fundamental value of learning and scholarship at U of T. Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in this academic community ensures that your U of T degree is valued and respected as a true signifier of your individual academic achievement.
The University of Toronto’s Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters outlines the behaviours that constitute academic misconduct, the processes for addressing academic offences, and the penalties that may be imposed. You are expected to be familiar with the contents of this document. Potential offences include, but are not limited to:
In papers and assignments:
- Using someone else’s ideas or words without appropriate acknowledgement.
- Submitting your own work in more than one course without the permission of the instructor.
- Making up sources or facts.
- Obtaining or providing unauthorized assistance on any assignment (this includes working in groups on assignments that are supposed to be individual work).
On tests and exams:
- Using or possessing any unauthorized aid, including a cell phone.
- Looking at someone else’s answers.
- Letting someone else look at your answers.
- Misrepresenting your identity.
- Submitting an altered test for re-grading.
Misrepresentation:
- Falsifying or altering any documentation required by the University, including (but not limited to) doctor’s notes.
- Falsifying institutional documents or grades.
All suspected cases of academic dishonesty will be investigated following the procedures outlined in the Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters. If you have any questions about what is or is not permitted in this course, please do not hesitate to contact me. If you have questions about appropriate research and citation methods, you are expected to seek out additional information from the instructor or other available campus resources like the College Writing Centres, the Academic Success Centre, or the U of T Writing Website.
2. Course Materials
Course videos and materials belong to your instructor, the University, and/or other sources depending on the specific facts of each situation, and are protected by copyright. In this course, you are permitted to download some materials (i.e., homework and supplementary handouts) for your own academic use, but you should not copy, share, or use them for any other purpose without the explicit permission of the instructor. For any other course or student materials and lecture videos, you are not permitted to download, copy, or share. Also, do not record the tutorial classes and share them for any reason.
3. Accessibility Needs
The University provides academic accommodations for students with disabilities in accordance with the terms of the Ontario Human Rights Code. This occurs through a collaborative process that acknowledges a collective obligation to develop an accessible learning environment that both meets the needs of students and preserves the essential academic requirements of the University’s courses and programs. If you have a disability that may require accommodations, please contact the Accessibility Services Office.
4. Attendance of Classes
Attending tutorial classes is mandatory. If you have to come late or leave early for a compelling reason, please notify the instructor directly by email prior to class.
5. Communication with the Instructor
a) Quercus: Check the information on the Quercus course website everyday. Important announcements on the course will be posted there and/or directly e-mailed to your “utoronto’ email address.
b) Email: Please refer to the syllabus and the Quercus first for general information. When you email the instructor, please write the course code in the subject heading. Note that emails are more formal than text messages.
c) Office Hours: You are more than welcome to visit my virtual office during office hours (or by appointment) when you have any questions and concerns.
6. Events and Opportunities Outside the Class
Details will be given in class or in Quercus when the time approaches.
It would be impossible to acquire the language in a short period. It may take time, patience and effort. To encourage your hard work, I would like to introduce you to my most favourite motto in learning:
けいぞく ちから
継続は力なり
Similar phrase in English: Continuity is the father of success.
Let’s enjoy learning Japanese and work hard!
The syllabus presented on this page has been slightly edited from its original version. It has been posted for reference purposes only, so that students can learn more about our Japanese language courses and what they consist of.