Бакалавриат
2025/2026
Продвинутый курс японского языка
Статус:
Курс по выбору (Программа двух дипломов НИУ ВШЭ и Университета Кёнхи «Экономика и политика в Азии»)
Где читается:
Факультет мировой экономики и мировой политики
Когда читается:
3-й курс, 1-4 модуль
Охват аудитории:
для своего кампуса
Язык:
английский
Кредиты:
22
Course Syllabus
Abstract
This intermediate level Japanese course (Basic Course III) is designed for non-native learners of Japanese who have taken approximately two years of regularly paced college-level Japanese. It aims to improve the four basic language skills —— listening, speaking, reading, and writing —— while at the same time introducing students to the complex fabric that makes up modern Japan. Through all things considered, students learn the vocabulary needed to discuss the modern societies of Russia and Japan and the issues that face people in those societies today, as presented in the official Japanese media. The overall goal of this course is to bring students’ Japanese proficiency to more advanced level and help them to develop an active command of authentic reading materials. At the end of the course students will achieve B2 level according to the CEFR. The complete syllabus will be presented on the KHU's territory.
Learning Objectives
- Objective: to develop students’ intermediate communication skills in Japanese language through intensive formal instruction and cultural involvement;
- Objective: to provide a grammatical foundation and facilitate language use, with special emphasis on pronunciation, correct syntax, and verbal expression;
- Objective: to develop an intermediate level of proficiency in reading and writing formal Japanese;
- Objective: to examine extra-linguistic and paralinguistic features of language use;
- Objective: to gain concrete knowledge of Japanese customs and manners, geography, and major holidays in Japan;
- Objective: to have having excellent strategy for future study.
- By completing this course, students are expected to reach an oral proficiency that is equivalent to or higher than Intermediate, and at the same time, to have a very good command of the Japanese language in reading and writing. They are able to fulfill communication tasks independently.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- In terms of listening, students will be able to understand sustained speech on practical and social topics related to culture, food, local arts, Japanese customs and manners, geography, major holidays, understand the main facts and many supporting details.
- In terms of reading, students will be able to understand quasi-authentic newspaper-styled materials (i.e., those that are slightly revised for language learners) on social and cultural topics that are relevant in modern day Japan.
- In terms of speaking, students will be able to communicate on practical and social topics; hold conversations on common topics such as those related to culture, food, local arts, etc.; narrate and describe in all major time frames (past, present, and future); present rough ideas, opinions, arguments, and hypotheses in paragraph length discourse that is generally understood by native speakers unaccustomed to non-natives.
- In terms of writing, students can write routine informal correspondence; narrate and describe in all major time frames and in connected discourse of paragraph; express meaning that is comprehensible to those unaccustomed to the writing of non-natives, primarily through basic vocabulary, with good control of the most frequently used structures.
Course Contents
- Topic for Listening Comprehension and Speaking: Mount Fuji Colors of the Traffic Signal Topic for Reading Japanese Newspapers: Culture (Cross-cultural Communication)
- Topic for Listening Comprehension and Speaking: Kakure Kirishitan Aquarium Topic for Reading Japanese Newspapers: Culture (Chinese characters - Kanji)
- Topic for Listening Comprehension and Speaking: Mistakes Topic for Reading Japanese Newspapers: Culture (Individualism)
- Topic for Listening Comprehension and Speaking: Festivals of Sapporo Topic for Reading Japanese Newspapers: Culture (Tourism)
- Topic for Listening Comprehension and Speaking: Tsugaru Shamisen ・The Karakuri Puppets Topic for Reading Japanese Newspapers: Culture (Changing Human Relations)
- Topic for Listening Comprehension and Speaking: Accent ・ How to write e-mails Topic for Reading Japanese Newspapers: Culture - Revision
- Topic for Listening Comprehension and Speaking: Revision and Test Topic for Reading Japanese Newspapers: Culture – Written Test Society (Globalization and Japan)
- Topic for Listening Comprehension and Speaking: Nagasaki’s cats ・Obesity in dogs Topic for Reading Japanese Newspapers: Society (Low Birth Rate and Aging Society)
- Topic for Listening Comprehension and Speaking: “Noren” Curtain at Soba Noodles Restaurants ・The Slurping Sound of Soba Noodles Topic for Reading Japanese Newspapers: Society (Harassment)
- Topic for Listening Comprehension and Speaking: The Nose of a Shinkansen Bullet Train ・Women-only coaches on trains Topic for Reading Japanese Newspapers: Society (Income inequality)
- Topic for Listening Comprehension and Speaking: Kendo Topic for Reading Japanese Newspapers: Society (Spoiled Generation)
- Topic for Listening Comprehension and Speaking: Rakugo Topic for Reading Japanese Newspapers: Society (Human Rights of Foreigners in Japan)
- Topic for Listening Comprehension and Speaking: Shogi Topic for Reading Japanese Newspapers: Revision
- Topic for Listening Comprehension and Speaking: Revision Topic for Reading Japanese Newspapers: Revision and Test
- Final assignment
Assessment Elements
- Classwork for Reading and WritingClasswork for Reading and Writing consists of various assessment activities conducted in class during the course of module: vocabulary and kanji quizzes and written text translations etc.
- Examination (2nd module)Examination in 2nd module Examination in 2nd module is a written examination, which is held for all students of the group during the exam session. It comprises of 2 tasks: 1) translation of a news article from Japanese to Russian without using a dictionary (60%); 2) translation of a business letter from Japanese to Russian without using a dictionary (40%).
- Final ExamExamination in 3rd module consists of 2 parts: final written assignment (50%) and an oral examination (50 %) Final written assignment is held for all students of the group at the same time within a period of 10 days before the exam session. It comprises of 2 tasks: 1) translation of a news article from Japanese to Russian without using a dictionary (60%); 2) translation of a business letter from Japanese to Russian without using a dictionary (40%). Oral examination is conducted during the exam session as a series of individual discussions with every student. Students are required to enter the examination room one by one (the order is to be decided by the students) and complete several tasks. There will be no extra time for preparation once the student enters the examination room. Students are not allowed to carry any learning materials into the examination room. Examination comprises of 2 tasks: 1) watch or listen to a news video/audio clip (45-60 sec.) and explain the content of news clip in Russian. (50%) 2) oral translation of written text from Russian to Japanese (50%)
- Attendance
- Classwork for Listening and SpeakingClasswork for Listening and Speaking consists of various assessment activities conducted in class or given as homework during the course of semester, which include listening comprehension and interpretation tasks and the speech on the topic: “My Academic Journey and Future Plans” conducted at the end of 3rd module. In 1st and 2nd modules Classwork for Listening and Speaking is calculated as average of grades awarded for various assessment activities conducted in class during the course of semester, such as oral summary of a news video clip, listening comprehension and interpretation tasks, etc. In the 3rd module Classwork for Listening and Speaking grade is calculated according to following formula: 0,7 * assessment activities + 0,3* speech where, assessment activities = average of grades awarded for various assessment activities conducted in class during the course of semester, such as oral summary of a news video clip, listening comprehension and interpretation tasks, etc. speech = speech on the topic: “My Academic Journey and Future Plans”
Interim Assessment
- 2025/2026 2nd module0.25 * Classwork for Listening and Speaking + 0.25 * Classwork for Reading and Writing + 0.5 * Examination (2nd module)
- 2025/2026 4th module0.25 * Classwork for Listening and Speaking + 0.25 * Classwork for Reading and Writing + 0.5 * Final Exam
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- ISHIHARA, N. (2017). Advanced Japanese : Communication in Context. [Place of publication not identified]: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1620780
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- 9784757417588 - Tomohara Etsuko; Miyamoto Jun; Waguri Masako - 500 Essential Japanese Expressions : A Guide to Correct Usage of Key Sentence Patterns - 2010 - アルク - http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=637349 - nlebk - 637349