LA1PJ3: IWLP Japanese 3

Module code: LA1PJ3

Module provider: Languages and Cultures; School of Humanities

Credits: 20

Level: Level 1 (Certificate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1 / 2

Module convenor: Mrs Asako Partington, email: a.partington@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s): Before taking this module, you must take LA1PJ2 or equivalent. (Open)

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded: IN TAKING THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT TAKE LA1PJ1 OR TAKE LA1PJ2 (Compulsory)

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The module is aimed at students with some previous basic knowledge of the Japanese language. It is intended for students with an entry level of: JF standard (Japan Foundation Standard for Japanese Language Education): Level A2 or the equivalent.

By the end of IWLP Japanese 3, students will have reached JF standard: Level A2+ - B1.

This module is taught at level 4 of the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications.

The module aims at providing students with:

• to cope in a wide range of everyday situations in Japan and interact with people who speak Japanese
• to gain confidence in communication in Japanese both verbal and written
• to develop strategies for coping with less common linguistic, social and cultural situations
• intercultural competence in comparing and evaluating aspects of culture

Our small, interactive classes are designed to equip students with communicative language skills in an engaging way.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of clear, standard spoken and written Japanese on a variety of familiar topics.
2. Express themselves in Japanese with reasonable fluency when speaking and writing about familiar subjects in a straightforward communicative context (conversation or text type).
3. Recognise an increasingly wider and more complex range of Japanese vocabulary and grammatical structures and apply these with increased confidence when speaking and writing about familiar and personally relevant subjects.
4. Evaluate and reflect on their experience on language acquisition. Throughout the activities they develop transferable skills and the awareness of sensitivity to foreign cultures.

Module content

This module provides students with the opportunity to gain confidence in the four language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, to develop their ability to interact with speakers of Japanese. They will gain precision and accuracy in expressing themselves in and understanding oral and written Japanese, concentrating on its communicative use in a variety of situations.

Students will identify and use relevant understanding, methods and skills to address problems that are well defined but complex and non-routine. Students will exercise autonomy and judgement by developing independent learning skills.  They will gain understanding of different perspectives and cultural differences in approaching a variety of situations.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

This module provides a systematic approach to acquiring the four essential language skills in order to acquire comprehensive understanding and interactive context of the target language.

Teaching methods are based on a combination of communicative and functional approaches. Essential grammar and sentence structures will be explained and practised. Interactive language development tasks, such as pair/group work and role playing, and include the study of short texts, oral development work and listening comprehension exercises will be undertaken.

Learning activities are supported by various media such as audio and visual materials alongside the original materials for the module. The module is taught as far as possible in the target language. 

Support is given and adjustments are made for students with disabilities. However, please note that IWLP language modules are communicative in nature and students are required to work in small groups. In addition, students should be aware that spelling, grammar and sentence structure are assessed. In this respect the IWLP assessment is exempt from the University’s requirement to take specific learning difficulties into account when marking in almost all cases.

Study hours

At least 60 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

In order to consolidate and develop their language learning, students are encouraged to complete regular tasks – in class and outside – on which ongoing feedback is provided.

Reassessment

Additional costs