Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures

University of California, Davis

Japanese 1A
(Intensive Elementary Japanese)
Summer 2016
Welcome to Japanese 1A!!!
JPN1A is a special 12 week accelerated, intensive summer session course that combines the work of courses
JPN 1, 2, and 3. This course provides an Introduction to Japanese grammar and development of all language
skills in a cultural context with an emphasis on communication. Students are introduced to the Japanese
orthography system, Hiragana, Katakana, and 193 Kanji (Chinese characters) in the course. Students begin
learning greetings and simple structures (i.e. greeting others, introducing yourself, etc.) and progress to the
point where they are able to express themselves with regards to a variety of topics. (i.e. giving advice;
expressing obligations, describing symptoms of illness, etc.)
JPN 1A is designed for students with zero prior background in the Japanese language. If you have studied
Japanese before at any other institutions including universities, colleges, community colleges and if these
courses appear on your transcript, you will not receive any credit from the JPN1 A course, as indicated on the
summer course catalogue.
In addition, students with any prior schooling or other experience in Japanese are strongly advised to take the
UCD Japanese Placement Test and receive the instructors approval based on the test results. For more
information, please go to the Language Learning Centers website:
http://llc.ucdavis.edu/foreign-language-placement-exams
1. Course Materials
Required Textbooks: In JPN1A, Genki textbooks Lesson 1 to Lesson 15 will be covered.
1) Genki I: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese (2nd edition, 2011) The Japan Times
2) Genki II: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese (2nd edition, 2011) The Japan Times
3) Genki I Workbook: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese (2nd edition, 2011) The Japan Times
4) Genki II Workbook: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese (2nd edition, 2011) The Japan
Times
* If you would like to use e-books instead of hard copies, please let your instructors know in advancein this
course, no electronic devices are allowed, so you will need permission to use your electronic device in class.
However, when we do the reading of the textbook, you are required to make photocopies of the pages and bring
the hard copies to class, even though you have permission to use e-books in class. In order to deepen your
understanding of the reading, its important to mark or write down directly on the reading passages.
Other materials:
Your instructor will distribute other materials on the course website (*details will be announced later).
2. Class Meetings
CRN: 60391
Dates: June 20- September 9
*Classes meet Monday through Friday. We have three class sessions every day.
12:10pm 2:30 pm (12:10pm 12:50 pm, 1:00pm 1:40pm, & 1:50pm 2:30pm)
3. Instructors
June 20 July 29
Moeko Watanabe ( )
Email: moewatanabe@ucdavis.edu
Office : 315 Sproul
Office Hours: Tuesdays and Wednesdays 2:40 pm 3:40 pm or by appointment
August 1 September 9
Yoko Kato
( )
Email: ybkato@ucdavis.edu
Office : 309 Sproul
Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays 2:40 pm 3:40 pm or by appointment
The administrative assistant for the Japanese program is Ms. Jill Bonner in 211 Sproul Hall.

144 Olson Hall

4. Evaluation of Student Progress

10%
10%
20%
15%
10%
15%
20%
100%

Class Performance
Assignments
Chapter Tests (4 Chapter Tests)
Daily Quizzes (Vocabulary, Kana, Kanji, and Grammar)
Oral Interviews/Presentations
Mid-term Exam
Final Exam
Total

A+
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF

97~100
93~96.9
90~92.9
87~89.9
83~86.9
80~82.9
77~79.9
73~76.9
70~72.9
67~69.9
63~66.9
60~62.9
Below 60

Attendance
You are expected to attend all classes and be punctual. The nature of language learning is such that
daily attendance is crucial to your success.
If you need to miss a class for a legitimate reason, notify your instructor in advance and submit relevant
documentation when you return to class (ie. doctors note, conference participation proof, etc.).
If you have to be absent from a class because of a religious observance, you must let the instructor
know about it in writing during the first two weeks of the quarter.
If you are late for a class by more than 15 minutes, you are considered absent.
Every three tardies is counted as one absence.
In addition, if you miss more than three class sessions with no legitimate reason, your final course grade
will be lowered by 0.5% for each class you miss from the fourth absence on.
If you are absent for four days or more (12 or more class sessions), you will automatically receive the
grade of F in the course.
To encourage preparation and active participation in class, your instructor will assign a daily participation
grade on a scale of 0-3 as follows:
0 = you were absent
1 = you were present, but unprepared for class
2 = you were marginally prepared for class and your participation was acceptable OR you were tardy
3 = you were well-prepared for class and your participation was excellent
10% of your course grade will be determined based on your attendance and class participation. Please
remember that absence from the course often co-occurs with missed homework assignments and
quizzes (see relevant sections for further details).
You are responsible for any announcements made in class. Be in touch with classmates to find out what
was covered in any class you miss.
Homework assignments
Homework will be assigned regularly. Check the schedule for the deadline for each assignment. Turn in
your assignments at the beginning of class. Working on homework during class will negatively affect
your class participation grade.
Assignments must be turned in on the due date; late homework generally receives no credit. The
instructor may allow certain assignments to be made up provided that the class absence was legitimate
and backed up with relevant documentation as outlined above (doctors note, etc.).
Every time you learn new kanji, try to utilize them in your assignments.
You assignments will be evaluated on a 0-3 scale as follows:
0 = you did not submit the assignment on the due date
1 = your assignment has 50% or more incomplete sections OR your assignment has too many errors
that the instructors think you did not understand the content
2 = your assignment has up to 30% incomplete sections OR you did not use the Kanji you learned in
class OR your assignment has some repeated errors
3 = you submitted the assignment on the due date and the assignment contained only few mistakes
Homework from the workbook MUST be submitted either 1) as the original pages from the workbook or
2) as photocopied pages from the workbook. That is, your answers always need to be in the context of
the workbook. Homework done on other paper (binder paper, notebook paper, etc) will NOT be accepted.
For homework spanning multiple pages of the workbook, all pages of the homework must be stapled

(not paper-clipped or dog-eared) and in numerical order to receive full credit.

Special assignments (i.e. compositions) are weighed more heavily than regular workbook assignments.
Please seek help from the tutors (113 Sproul) or from your instructor if you have difficulties completing
an assignment.
Previously announced homework is subject to change depending on the material practiced during that
days class.
Quizzes
Kana (Hiragana/Katakana) Quizzes: check your ability to read and write new Hiragana/Katakana.
Vocabulary Quizzes: check the vocabulary memorization.
Kanji Quizzes: check your ability to read and write new kanji.
Grammar Quizzes: check your comprehension of the grammar points previously covered (review the
class content covered so far).
Make-up policy: Quizzes CANNOT be made up. That means if you miss a class, you miss a quiz.
Quizzes missed because of tardiness also cannot be taken at a later time. The instructor may allow
certain quizzes to be made up provided that the class absence was legitimate and backed up with
relevant documentation as outlined above (doctors note, etc.).
Test Information
Chapter Tests: These are written tests focusing on the two chapters that have just been covered. Each
chapter test may contain a listening comprehension section. There will be four chapter tests in JPN 1A
(Chapters 1, 2, &3, 4&5, 9&10, and 11, 12, &13).
Oral Interviews: Oral interviews are held twice during the quarter, once around the mid-term period and
again at the end of the quarter. The first set of interviews covers chapters 1 through 8 and the latter
covers all chapters. Details will be announced in class.
Mid-term Exam: This exam covers chapters 1 through 8. This exam consists of grammar, listening,
reading, and writing sections.
Final Exam: Students are responsible for all material covered in JPN 1A on this exam. The exam also
consists of grammar, listening, reading, and writing sections. Details will be announced later.
Make-up policies: Make-up tests will be given only if a student notifies the instructor of his or her
absence with a legitimate reason in advance and supplies relevant documentation as outlined above
(doctors note, etc.).
5. Course Policies
(1) Classroom etiquette
Please try always to be considerate and respectful of your classmates and their efforts to learn Japanese. Food
is not allowed and your electronic devices such as cell phones and tablets to communicate with others should
be turned off during class. However, only if you receive permission from the instructors to use e-books in class,
you are allowed to use your tablet or PC.
(2) Classroom language
We work hard to create a safe and fun atmosphere to learn and practice the Japanese language. Please take
full advantage of this opportunity and use the Japanese language as much as you can for communication with
your classmates, the tutor, and your instructor. Especially at the beginning levels, there will be times when it will
be necessary to use English. The harder you try to use Japanese to the best of your ability, the better the class
will be for you and your fellow students, so please do your best. It is also strongly recommended that you also
speak Japanese as much as possible outside of the classroom for faster acquisition of the language.
(3) Academic Honesty/Plagiarism: All quizzes, tests, and homework assignments must consist only of your
own work. Cheating in any formwhich includes giving quiz, test, or homework answers to someone elsewill
result in an automatic zero (letter grade F). Students are not allowed to re-use their past assignments from other
Japanese courses. Such re-use is considered a form of plagiarism and subject to disciplinary actions. The
instructor reserves the right to refer any cases of suspected cheating to the university.
(4) Practicing with Tutors:
Since JPN 1A is an accelerated and intensive course, everyone is strongly encouraged to the tutor room (113
Sproul) to review your speaking or writing skills on a regular basis.
For JPN 1A, tutors have their office hours every day from 2:40pm-3:40 pm. No reservation is required, so
please go to the tutor room whenever you have time.

To optimize your learning, keep in mind what you can and cannot ask of your tutors:
Dos
Donts
Do practice speaking Japanese with tutors!
Dont chat with tutors in ENGLISH. (Make
Do ask tutors to help you read dialogues &
extra efforts to speak JAPANESE with
readings!
tutors!)
Do ask tutors to help you improve your
Dont ask tutors to grade/correct your
writing (Hiragana/Katakana/Kanji)!
homework/quizzes/tests!
Do ask tutors to read and check your
Dont ask tutors to translate your
composition by pointing out and underlining
skit/composition!
which parts need your self-corrections!
Dont ask tutors to give you answers to
After you make self-corrections, they can
questions in your homework!
check the results. For complex grammar
Dont ask tutors grammar questions (see
errors and questions, go to see your
your instructor for those)!
instructor!
Do ask tutors questions!
(5) Conversation Hour
Japanese conversation hour may be held this summer. Dates and times will be announced as they become
available.
6. Suggested preparations and practices
It is very important that you study Japanese every day. Do not think that you can catch up by studying
just before the exam. Preparation before you come to class is very important. Refer to the bi-weekly
schedule for the information on what you should do before each class. Additional information may be
distributed via email.
Before you attend each class, you should:
1. Read the assigned sections of the textbook and listen to the assigned audio files before class each
day. The instructor assumes that you have read the grammar section before attending each class,
and therefore does not repeat extensively what is written in the textbook.
2. Familiarize yourself with the new words and memorize them.
3. Listen to the audio materials and try the practice section on your own. It is very important that you
repeat dialogs and drills out loud.
4. Memorize vocabulary or kanji assigned each day. Making flash cards Japanese on one side and
English on the other will be very helpful. You can also make digital flashcards using the following
website: Quizlet (http://quizlet.com/), which also ties into apps for iOS and Android devices, such as
Flashcards Deluxe (http://orangeorapple.com/Flashcards/).
An alternate app that some students have had success with is gFlash+, which is available on iOS and
Android (iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gflash+-flashcards-tests/id286531709?mt=8
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gwhizmobile.gflashplus).
After you attend each class, you should:
1. Review the material covered in class and make sure that you can perform the tasks done in
class on your own.
2. Complete homework assignments to review the material covered in class. First, try them without
looking at the textbook. If you are not sure about the answers, consult the textbook. If you still have
trouble completing the assignments, make an appointment with your instructor.
Before a test:
1. Thoroughly review textbook exercises, homework assignments, and previous quizzes. Try them again
without looking at the correct answers and see if you have mastered the material.
2. Thoroughly review the dialogs so that you can perform similar tasks without referring to the text.

 Websites for Self-Study:

NIHONGO e : This is a great Japanese learning portal, which contains a variety of material for
practicing different skills. The website summarizes the websites along with the following 12
categories: Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking, Grammar, Vocabulary, Kana, Kanji, Tool,
Dictionary/Translation, Culture/Society, and Others, so that it is very easy to search. This Nihongo e
website also provide details explanations of individual website usage in English.

http://nihongo-e-na.com/eng/
Genki-Online: The official website of the Genki textbook. http://nihongo-e-na.com/eng/site/id338.html
HIRAGANA: For Hiragana practice. http://nihongo-e-na.com/eng/site/id201.html
Usagi-chan's Genki Resource Page: This website corresponds to the Genki textbook and allows
you to practice Hiragana, Katakana, Kanji, and vocabulary.
http://nihongo-e-na.com/eng/site/id333.html
Genki-Online Kanji Reading Practice: This website allows you to practice reading Kanji appearing
in the the Genki textbook. http://nihongo-e-na.com/eng/site/id247.html
Genki-Online Verb/Adjective Conjugation Practice: You can check and practice the conjugation
rules of Japanese verbs and adjectives. http://nihongo-e-na.com/eng/site/id163.html
Genki Vol.1 Particle Exercises: For particle practice: http://nihongo-e-na.com/eng/site/id124.html
My Kikitori: This website also corresponds to the Genki textbook and you can improve your listening
skills. http://nihongo-e-na.com/eng/site/id511.html
Erins Challenge! I can speak Japanese.: This website has a set of videos depicting a high school
students life in Japan. It is a great way to study casual-style Japanese and cultural aspects of Japan.

http://nihongo-e-na.com/eng/site/id354.html
Reading Tutor : This is a great website that can help you to learn to read Japanese. You can also
make a vocabulary list on this website. http://nihongo-e-na.com/eng/site/id48.html
7. Postings: There are two bulletin boards for the Japanese Language Program: a) administrative information
(outside of 209 Sproul) and b) miscellaneous information about study abroad programs, job opportunities, etc.
(in front of the elevators on the 3rd floor, Sproul Hall). For essential information about the program, visit
http://japanese.ucdavis.edu/