USC College Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures

Japanese Language Program: Courses

Syllabus EALC 422: Advanced Japanese Reading I Fall 2006

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Classroom & Hours:

[25525] THH107 MTWTh 11:00 – 11:50 a.m.

Instructor: 　　　　　　　　　　　

Dr. Masako Tamanaha 玉那覇(たまなは)　雅子(まさこ)
Office Hours: T 2:00-4:00 or by appointment
Office:THH 360
Phone: (213) 740-3601
e-mail: mshimabu@usc.edu

Japanese Language Program Director:

Dr. Hajime Hoji
Office:           GFS #349
e-mail:          hoji@usc.edu

Course Description and Objectives:

EALC422 (Advanced Japanese Reading I) is designed for students who have completed an intermediate level of Japanese (EALC322/Advanced Japanese II or its equivalent) to develop an advanced level of Japanese proficiency. In this course, students discuss various topics in Japanese, thereby gaining the extended vocabulary and cultural knowledge specific to these topics. Through the speaking, listening, reading and writing activities employed in various communicative purposes, students develop an advanced level of linguistic knowledge and communication skills in Japanese. Students use authentic materials and discourse, and learn to express themselves within various socio-cultural contexts. Regular attendance and active class participation as well as diligent preparation for the class are essential to successful performance in this course. Instruction will be given solely in Japanese.

The specific objectives of this course are:

1) to acquire the appropriate vocabulary, kanji, expressions, etc. necessary for the bottom-up processing needed for discourse level language use and to acquire the cultural knowledge in specific topics and situations needed for the top-down processing of such discourse.

2) to develop reading skills using authentic material for different communicative purposes. Depending on the purpose of the reading, different reading skills are necessary, e.g., knowing how to scan in order to extract information, how to skim for get the gist when reading articles, etc.

3) to develop oral and aural communication skills in different speech styles, e.g.., formal vs. informal speech, gender stylizations, etc.

4) to develop writing skills in different styles, e.g., e-mail communication or essays.

Prerequisite:

Advanced Japanese II (EALC 322) or equivalent

Course Materials:

Fujii, Noriko and Sugawara, Hiroko, (2003).『青空』Aozora: Intermediate-Advanced Japanese communication. Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press.
Recommended grammar reference guides:
1. Makino, Seiichi and Tsutsui, Michio (1995). A dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar. Tokyo: The Japan Times.
2. McGloin, Nomi Hanaoka (1989). A Student Guide to Japanese Grammar. Tokyo: Taishukan.
3. Maynard, Senko (1998). Principles of Japanese Discourse. Cambridge University Press.
Dictionaries (one from each category recommended):
1. Japanese-English Dictionaries, English-Japanese Dictionaries:
  I recommend electric dictionaries (Make sure it has a kanji-dictionary as well).
  Canon Wordtank models are very popular among Japanese learners: e.g., Canon IDF-3000 (older, but affordable), G55 or V80 (V series are with Chinese language).
2. Kanji-English Dictionaries:
  The Kanji Dictionary: Find Any Compound Using Any of Its Component Characters (漢英熟語辞典). Spahn, Mark & Hadamitzky, Walfgang (eds.). (Charles Tuttle)
  Japanese Character Dictionary with Compound Lookup via Any Kanji (漢英熟語リバース字典). Spahn, Mark & Hadamitzky, Walfgang (eds.). (Nichigai Associates)
  Nelson, Andrew N. Japanese-English Character Dictionary. (Tuttle)
  The Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary (漢英学習字典) (Kodansha)
  Kodansha’s Compact Kanji Guide (Kodansha International)

Course Components

1. Attendance and Class Performance

You are expected to attend all classes and to be punctual. Your class performance is evaluated every day on a 5-point scale. You are required to be well prepared and to speak in Japanese during the class. If you are not well prepared and/or do NOT try to speak in Japanese, it negatively affects your grade. Failure to observe this rule (e.g., speaking in English in class too often, chatting with your classmates in English) also negatively affects your grade. English speaking is allowed only during the Q & A time. Late arrival and leaving early also negatively affect your grade.

If you have to miss a class because of a religious observance, you must let the instructor know about it within the first two weeks of the semester. If you are a member of a USC athletic team, the marching band or the like, you should submit the schedule of the competitions along with a letter from the department of Athletics or the director of the band within the first two weeks of the semester. In general, if you have to miss a class, try to contact the instructor either by email or by phone as soon as possible so that you will not miss any information and that you can obtain permission to submit late or early homework.

If you are absent from class for three times consecutively without any information/contact provided to the instructor, it is considered as a sign of withdrawal from the course, and no handouts or information will be saved for such students thereafter.

2. Homework　

All homework should be turned in on the days specified in the monthly schedules in order to receive full credit. Homework will be graded in 2 points scale. Homework submitted late will receive 50% less. No credit will be given to any submission later than 2 class days. The instructor will point out errors using the “Keys to essay/homework correction” handout, but will not correct them. If you are not sure what the right answers are, you are welcome to ask the instructor after class and/or during office hours. Also, sample answers will be posted on the course Blackboard site (https://totale.usc.edu/) after the due day. Homework containing too many errors/ blanks must be resubmitted (もう一度) to get credit. No credit will be given for homework completed during class time.

3. Vocabulary/Kanji Quizzes

Vocabulary/kanji quizzes will be given for each unit. Make-ups will be given only when a student has a legitimate reason and gets the instructor’s approval.

4. Unit Tests

Unit tests will be given at the completion of each unit. Each one of them carries the same weight toward your course grade (5%). Make-ups will be given only when a student has a legitimate reason and gets the instructor’s approval.

5. Written Assignments

Students will get feedback from the instructor on their first draft, which they will then revise and turn in as a final draft. Only the grading on the final draft counts toward the final grade.

6. Individual Project Work
The purpose of this project is for each student to present to the class a 5 minute presentation in Japanese (with handouts) followed by 2 minute Q & A in Japanese about a topic of your choice. The presentation must be about some aspect of Japanese culture - past or present. Possible topics include: food, animation, comic books, traditional arts, current events, history, politics, entertainment (e.g., sports, music, movies), topics from the textbook, etc. A handout regarding the details of the project work assignment will be given in class.

7. Midterm Exam （中間試験）

One written midterm exam (2 hours) will be given, accompanied by an oral exam (10~15 minutes). The contents of the exam are cumulative, i.e., it will cover everything you will have learned up to that point. No make-up midterm exam will be given, unless the student submits a written request for an alternate date beforehand, stating the unavoidable circumstances leading to an expected absence from the exam in question and secures approval from both the instructor and the program director for the make-up exam.

8. Final Exam　（期末試験）

The final oral exam (10~15 minutes) will be given on the last day of the course. The final written exam (2 hours) will be given at the time specified in the schedule of courses (Wednesday, December 6th, 11:00 a.m. ~ 1:00 p.m.). Stipulations governing the make-up of a missed final exam will follow the general university policy.

Grading Breakdown:

Attendance and class performance:	10%
Homework assignments:	10%
Written assignments:	3%
Project work:	4%
Vocabulary/Kanji Quizzes:	8%
Unit Tests:	20%
Midterm exam:	20%
Final exam:	25%

*You must score 60% or more on the final exam to pass the course.

Grading Scale:

94-100	A	74-76.9	C
90-93.9	A-	70-73.9	C-
87-89.9	B+	67-69.9	D+
84-86.9	B	64-66.9	D
80-83.9	B-	60-63.9	D-
77-79.9	C+	Below 60	F

Academic Dishonesty:

Academic dishonesty (plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, falsification of documents, cheating, etc.) will not be tolerated. A student who has violated the academic integrity will be subject to an appropriate sanction for the violation. Students are responsible to know what kinds of conducts are considered to be academic integrity violations. Please read the 2006-2007 SCampus for the detailed explanation on academic integrity violations and sanctions.

Ÿ 11.00 Behavior Violating University Standards and Appropriate Sanctions

http://www.usc.edu/dept/publications/SCAMPUS/gov/behavior.html

Ÿ Appendix A: Academic Dishonesty Sanction Guidelines

http://www.usc.edu/dept/publications/SCAMPUS/gov/appendix_a.html

and

Ÿ "Guide to Avoiding Plagiarism"

http://www.usc.edu/student-affairs/student-conduct/ug_plag.htm

Accommodation for Students with Disabilities:

Students who need to request accommodations based on a disability are required to register each semester with the Disability Services and Programs (DSP) office (Student Union, Room 301.) In addition, a letter of verification to the course instructor, from the Disability Services and Programs office is needed for the semester in which you are enrolled for this course. If you have questions concerning this procedure, please contact both the instructor of the course, and the Disability Services and Programs office at (213) 740-0776.