Course Title: Japanese Language in Context
Part A: Course Overview
Course Title: Japanese Language in Context
Credit Points: 12.00
Course Coordinator: Hiroko Ohashi
Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 3975
Course Coordinator Email: hiroko.ohashi@rmit.edu.au
Course Coordinator Location: Building 37. Level 5. Room 40
Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment
Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities
Required Prior Study
You should have satisfactorily completed the prerequisite course Japanese 6 LANG1258/LANG1421) and/or it is recommended that you complete Japanese Language and Society LANG1296/LANG1396 before you commence this course.
You may be able to demonstrate the required skills and knowledge before you start this course without competing Japanese 6 or Japanese Language and Society.
Students who have reached an upper-intermediate level of language proficiency may be allowed to enrol following a Placement Test.
If you have learnt Japanese outside RMIT, including self-study, you must contact the Course Coordinator in order to be directed to suitable courses.
Course Description
This is an advanced course that continues to further consolidate your Japanese language skills. You will develop your reading, writing, oral and aural comprehension skills in a wide range of personal, vocational and social settings.
This course will extend your communicative competence and proficiency in Japanese. Emphasis will be placed on the further development of your oral and written skills in a wide range of vocational and social settings. You will continue to study different aspects of Japanese language and popular culture through a range of authentic written and multimedia materials. You will critically reflect on and debate contemporary issues from Japanese society.
You will be encouraged to be responsible for your own learning and to build on your knowledge to a level where you can continue with further self-directed learning. The course will equip you with further knowledge for cross-cultural situations within the framework of language and associated non-verbal communication.
Classes are taught in Japanese.
Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development
This course will complement the RMIT capabilities you are developing in your program.
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Communicate increasingly fluently and confidently in both oral and written Japanese, becoming skilled in the use of required kanji in a variety of vocational contexts.
- Analyse and critique the use of the Japanese language in a range of authentic spoken and written multimedia materials.
- Conduct and present research on a chosen topic, demonstrating appropriate norms in presentation techniques in formal work settings in the Japanese context.
- Apply and reflect on a wide range of language learning strategies you have acquired, and further demonstrate independent and autonomous learning.
- Critically analyse and evaluate some contemporary social, political and economic issues in Japan in Japanese.
Overview of Learning Activities
You will be able to work in pairs and small groups to develop your language skills, with emphasis placed on communicative skill building. Oral exercises will provide you with opportunities to practise your spoken Japanese while you will use listening exercises to analyse features such as pronunciation to improve your listening skills.
Cultural understanding and the relationship between language and behaviour will be discussed. Various role-plays, exercises and games are employed to expose potential difficulties, which may arise in cross-cultural communication.
Class exercises are supported by language exchange sessions with speakers of Japanese, where appropriate. We will be expected to participate actively in in-class activities and to use only Japanese. Therefore, regular class attendance is important to support your learning.
Overview of Learning Resources
RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems.
You may need to purchase a prescribed text and a recommended Language dictionary. Multi-media teaching and learning resources and tools will also be used and made available through our online systems which you can access at myRMIT/studies.
There are services available to support your learning through the University Library. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the myRMIT student portal.
Overview of Assessment
Assessment Tasks
You will be assessed on how well you meet the course’s learning outcomes and on your development against the program learning outcomes.
1. Progressive Assessments, totalling 70%
Written tasks; CLO1, CLO2, CLO3, CLO4
Communication (e.g. presentation, discussion) tasks; CLO1, CLO2, CLO3, CLO4
In-class and/or take-home quizzes and short answer tasks; CLO1, CLO2, CLO3
2. Final Assessments, totalling 30%
Critical analysis written tasks
Presentation and discussion tasks; CLO1, CLO2, CLO3, CLO4, CLO5
Feedback will be given on all assessment tasks.
If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more.
Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies, procedures and instructions.