Leader: Dr Kuniko Yoshimitsu

Offered

Clayton Second semester 2008 (Day)

Synopsis

This unit is designed to develop students' Japanese language skills to an advanced level, while enriching their knowledge of Japan-Asia-Pacific relations. Students will develop reading skills, research skills using Japanese resources, debating and discussion skills, and will use a variety of Japanese media, including the Internet. Writing skills to be developed include note-taking, translation, summary, synthesis and argument in essay writing. Teaching materials will relate to Japan-Asia-Australia relations, focussing on the issues facing Japan in its relations with the Asian region, past and present.

Objectives

After successfully completing this unit, students should have further developed to an advanced level:

1. Their ability in speaking Japanese, in the context of informal and formal intellectual discussion and debate in Japanese.

2. Their ability to comprehend spoken Japanese in direct formal exposition, and in audiovisual media.

3. Their ability to read print and on-line texts using on-line glossaries and dictionaries, especially extensive reading for comprehension.

4. Their ability to write in Japanese, with particular reference to the skills of note-taking and translation, and of summary, synthesis and argument in an essay on a topic related to Japan and the Asia-Pacific, past or present.

5. Their IT and computer skills in a Japanese context, including wordprocessing and researching and recording information from Japanese databases.

Assessment

Mid-semester test (50min): 10%
Final examination (2 hours): 35%
Class quizzes: 10%
Written work (1500 words or 3000 characters): 35%
Oral test: 10%

Contact hours

4 hours (1 hour lecture and 3 hours tutorials/seminars) per week

Prerequisites

Japanese 11 or equivalent

Prohibitions

JPL2120, JPL3120, JPL4120, JLG5120