JAPN 312

RWPA-1_a

This was an intermediate Japanese reading and writing class, which also implemented speaking activities within it. The PDF above shows one of this class’ weekly assignments (Reading and Writing Practice Assignments or RWPA), in which we were asked to answer questions about new words, related to the grammar we were learning for the week, and applying the new grammar’s use into our own paragraph in which our classmates would review and edit.

In addition to RWPA’s, we were assigned two Talk Abroad assignments, in which we were asked to talk to people in Japanese from other countries. We would record our conversations and receive feedback from the teacher and the other classmates to discuss what we did well and what we could improve.

We also discussed the use of the Japanese language in different settings. We were asked to analyze the formality of language from websites, books and other reading material.

JAPN 309

This was a Kanji course. The above image shows the daily calligraphy warm-ups we were asked to do before starting the class. We were required to have a calligraphy pen to practice our strokes. In addition, we were assigned daily journals in which we analyzed Kanji that we found in Japanese books by their characters and radicals. We also learned how to find the meaning of Kanji through physical and online dictionaries.

The most exciting part of this course was the Kanji project, in which we were asked to create images out of words with Kanji and explain the use of their radicals and symbols.

JAPN 395

This was a basic Japanese writing and communications course, in which I learned how to speak natural and casual Japanese. We were also taught ways to explain our ideas using the vocabulary and grammar we already know. The image above is an example of one of my daily journals, in which I was expected to apply the new vocabulary and grammar I learned in class through here. My classmates and I would also review each others journals and make comments about what we learned or how we think the journal could be improved. In this class, I also practiced communicating with Japanese native speakers using what I had learned from this class.

JAPN 311

This was a Japanese speaking and listening course. Through this course, we were given weekly grammar quizzes, analyzed short Japanese videos every week, given podcast assignments with assigned topics, asked to do two Talk Abroad assignments and lastly, given a video project in which we role played an interview for a restaurant.