Japanese 4 is a higher intermediate Japanese language course which continues on from Japanese 3 aiming to continue to improve student command of modern Japanese, and to encourage students to develop their Japanese linguistic skills beyond the intermediate levels to a more advanced stage as we begin to explore how best to engage with 'real' Japanese media. The course will work through a series of themes relating to Japan in the 21st Century (Performing Arts, Education, Useful Retailers, History, Traditional Arts & Crafts, Japanese and Nature, Politics and The World’s Future) to promote the students communicative abilities.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Use a range of intermediate-level grammatical structures accurately and spontaneously in spoken and written Japanese.
2. Comprehend and interact with authentic Japanese media with the aid of dictionaries and other resources.
3. Communicate in Japanese in a culturally sensitive and appropriate manner.
4. Critically analyse information, taking different cultural and societal conditions into consideration and reflecting on cultural values.
5. Present complex ideas in Japanese and communicate them effectively to an audience.

Required Resources

TOBIRA: Gateway to Advanced Japanese

Author: Mayumi Oka, Michio Tsutsui, Junko Kondo, Shoko Emori, Yoshiro Hanai and Satoru Ishikawa

Publisher: Kuroshio Publishers

Edition: 4th Edition, 2012

ISBN: 978-4-87424-447-0 C0081

Notes:

TOBIRA is a groundbreaking intermediate-level Japanese textbook designed to develop the four language skills through the study of a variety of different topics from Japanese geography and history to pop culture. TOBIRA promotes language learning through the use of multimedia materials and establishes a support system via the Internet so that learners outside Japan have access to a Japanese language environment.

Textbook Website Link:

http://tobira.9640.jp/xoops/modules/pico_guest/index.php?content_id=1

TOBIRA: Grammar Power: Exercises for Mastery

Author: Mayumi Oka, Michio Tsutsui, Junko Kondo, Shoko Emori, Yoshiro Hanai and Satoru Ishikawa

Publisher: Kurosio Publishers

Edition: 2nd 2012

ISBN: 9784874245705 C0081

Notes:

This is the workbook that accompanies the Tobira Textbook and is a recommended text.

Text Link: http://tobira.9640.jp/xoops/modules/pico_guest/index.php?content_id=4

Grammar Power: Exercises for Mastery provides a variety of exercises to help learners master the grammar introduced in Tobira: Gateway to Advanced Japanese. Grammar Power focuses on the items in Tobira that are considered essential for learners of Intermediate Japanese: mandatory items are marked by white numbers within black circles and highly recommended items are marked with numbers in gray circles in Tobira’s grammar notes. Each chapter contains three sections: Kiso (Learning the basic skills), Ooyoo (Applying your skills), and Hatten (Expanding your skills). By working on the exercises in each section in this order, learners acquire the targeted grammar skills step by step.

TOBIRA: Power Up Your KANJI: 800 Basic KANJI

Author: Mayumi Oka, Michio Tsutsui, Junko Kondo, Shoko Emori, Yoshiro Hanai and Satoru Ishikawa

Publisher: Kurosio Publishers

Edition: 2nd Edition 2012

ISBN: 978-4-87424-487-6 C0081

Notes:

This is the workbook that accompanies the Tobira Textbook and is a recommended text.

http://tobira.9640.jp/xoops/modules/pico_guest/index.php?content_id=2

Power Up Your KANJI is a text designed to help students increase their kanji fluency. With it, students can study a total of 800 kanji – the 297 kanji generally introduced in beginning-level textbooks and an additional 503 kanji introduced in TOBIRA – focusing on those characters that appear at Level 2 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (as of 2009). The aim of this book is not simply to have students memorize each kanji; it is also to help them learn how to study kanji effectively and to provide them with the kanji knowledge required to continue their studies at the advanced level.

Tobira Student Website

http://tobiraweb.9640.jp/

Recommended Resources

Recommended Reference Texts

In addition to the course text and workbook listed below you may find the following reference texts useful.

Makino, S. & Tsutsui, M., A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar, The Japan Times, 1986.

Makino & Tsutsui, A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar, The Japan Times, 1995.

Jim Breen’s WWWJDIC: http://nihongo.monash.edu/cgi-bin/wwwjdic?1C

Jisho.org: http://jisho.org/

Yahoo Japan ??: http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/

Headset with Microphone

The ‘with microphone’ part is important, as you will be recording your voice in some tasks.

USB Headsets that block the noise from surrounding environment when recording in class are the best.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• Written comments
• Verbal comments
• Feedback to the whole class, to groups, to individuals, focus groups

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Chapter 8: Japan's Traditional Performing Arts 1	Flipped Lesson Quiz W1: Due 9am Monday (not assessed)
2	Chapter 8: Japan's Traditional Performing Arts 2	Flipped Lesson Quiz W2: Due 9am Monday / Voice Board 1: Due 2nd August Friday 23:59
3	Chapter 9: Japan's Education System 1	Flipped Lesson Quiz W3: Due 9am Monday
4	Chapter 9: Japan's Education System 2	Flipped Lesson Quiz W4: Due 9am Monday
5	Chapter 10: Japan's 'convenience' stores	Flipped Lesson Quiz W5: Due 9am Monday / Voice Board 2: Due 23rd August Friday 23:59
6	Chapter 11: History of Japan 1	Flipped Lesson Quiz W6: Due 9am Monday / Group Presentation Abstract and Questions: Due 30th August Friday 23:59
7	Chapter 11: History of Japan 2	Flipped Lesson Quiz W7: Due 9am Monday / Mid-term Quiz: 16th September Monday
8	Chapter 13: Japanese people and nature	Flipped Lesson Quiz W8: Due 9am Monday / Voice Board 3: Due Friday 27th September 23:59 / *Group Presentation Consultation
9	Chapter 14: Japanese Politics 1	Flipped Lesson Quiz W9: Due 9am Monday / *Interview for Group Presentation
10	Chapter 14: Japanese Politics 2 Mon: Public holiday (Labour Day) - no class	Flipped Lesson Quiz W10: Due 9am Tuesday / *Interview for Group Presentation
11	Chapter 12: The Future of the World and My Own Country	Flipped Lesson Quiz W11: Due 9am Monday / *Presentation Preparation
12	Group Presentation Week	Group Presentation, Slides, & Word List due on the day of the presentation 9am
13	Exam period - 31 October-: Exam time & venue: TBA	Individual Report: Due October 30th 23:59 / Final Exam - TBA

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Learning Outcomes
Flipped Lessons & Quizzes	20 %	*	1,2,4
Midterm Quiz	10 %	16/09/2024	1,2,3,4
Voice Board	15 %	*	1,2,3,4,5
Group Presentation	25 %	30/08/2024	1,2,3,4,5
Final Exam	25 %	*	1,2,3,4,5
Participation	5 %	*	1,2,3,4,5

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website Students may choose not to submit assessment items through Turnitin. In this instance you will be required to submit, alongside the assessment item itself, hard copies of all references included in the assessment item.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Assessment Task 1

Flipped Lessons & Quizzes

• Weekly online quizzes as preparation for face-to-face classes (Due: every Monday by 9:00 am, except for Week 10 when Monday is a public holiday).
• 11 Weekly Flipped Lesson Quizzes are provided in total, but the first quiz (preparing for Week 1) is a practice and will not be counted towards the final grade.
• These are submitted via the Wattle site as students work through the Lesson Module.
• Each quiz is embedded into the Weekly Lesson module, covering vocabulary, kanji, grammar, and comprehension of a given section of the text.

Late submission is not possible unless there are exceptional circumstances. Medical certificates, except for serious ongoing conditions, will not be accepted for extensions for these flipped lesson quizzes as the quizzes are available for a full week and the answers are made available immediately after the due date.

Assessment Task 2

Midterm Quiz

• Week 7 In-Class on Monday, 2024 September 16th (10%)
• The test will be in an online format, designed based on the material covered during the first half of the semester.
• The length is 40 minutes.
• Multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions make up the majority.
• Listening questions relevant to the course content may be given.

The feedback for this assessment task is provided in the Wattle quiz platform when all students complete the quiz but no later than 2024 September 27th.

Assessment Task 3

Voice Board

This task is a communication task involving both listening and speaking.

• There are 3 voice boards over the course of the semester.
• The question for each voice board will be provided 5 working days prior to each due.
• For the first voice board, listen to the teacher’s question and respond to it.
• For the second and third voice boards, first, listen to your study group teacher's response to your previous voice board. Your study group teacher will ask you one question in relation to what you said in the previous voice board submission. Think about how you would answer this question. Record your answer to this question, along with your answer to the new question posted for the week, in one recording.
• You must record both answers in one recording for voice boards 2 and 3.
• The length of each voice board is around 1-2 minutes.
• The assessment criteria for this oral task are available on the course Wattle site.
• The due for the first voice board is August 2nd (Week 2), for the second voice board is August 23rd (Week 5), and for the third voice board is September 27th (Week 8).

Feedback is generally given within two weeks after the due date unless unforeseen circumstances arise.

Assessment Task 4

Group Presentation

• Group Presentation Theme Abstract & Interview Questions (5%): Due August 30th
• Group Presentation in Japanese + Slides/Handouts + Word List & Q&A (10%): Given in the classes on Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday during Week 12 (October 22nd, 23rd or 25th)
• Interview, Consent Form & Individual Report (Interview reflection etc.) (10%): Due October 30th
• The normal length of one presentation is 25 minutes for each group, including Q&A, although it can vary depending on the number of group members.

For each task, feedback is generally given within two weeks after the due date unless unforeseen circumstances arise.

Rubric

Assessment Task 5

Final Exam

The final exam covers the content of the course, as well as the knowledge and skills students are expected to be familiar with at this stage of learning. The exam in an online format may include questions such as:

• Multiple choice questions
• Listening: heard & unheard
• Verb patterns, particles
• Text-based grammar & situational dialogues
• Text content summaries
• Reading comprehensions
• Giving your opinion on issues discussed

The length is expected to be 15 minutes of reading time and 2 hours of writing time.

Assessment Task 6

Participation

• Regular attendance is essential and students are expected to attend all classes.
• Much class work is done in pairs and groups, so erratic attendance by any student negatively affects class morale and the progress of other students. As a result, attendance and participation will be recorded in all classes.
• Students who have a documented clash should submit a clash form at the start of the semester.
• The Flipped Classroom delivery makes attendance at the face-to-face classes vital - even with a clash, alternate weekly attendance is a must.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of our culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically. This means that all members of the community commit to honest and responsible scholarly practice and to upholding these values with respect and fairness. The Australian National University commits to embedding the values of academic integrity in our teaching and learning. We ensure that all members of our community understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with. The University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Visit the following Academic honesty & plagiarism website for more information about academic integrity and what the ANU considers academic misconduct. The ANU offers a number of services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offers a number of workshops and seminars that you may find useful for your studies.

Online Submission

The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure The Course Convener may grant extensions for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information. In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service — including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy. If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes. Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students