Destination Japan - Language and Culture (3 cr)

Evaluation scale

H-5

Content scheduling

Introduction: What is culture?
Verbal and Non-verbal communication
Indirect communication: the Japanese never say “no”?
Concept of time
Group orientation vs. Individual orientation
Hierarchy & Formality
Politeness
Gender role
Food culture
Language
For the cultural module students are given two written assignments, one individual and one group task.

Objective

The objective of the course is to give the students some basic Japanese language and cultural readiness. By the end of the course, the students have learned some useful phrases in Japanese. The cultural topics include group orientation, time concepts, hierarchy, politeness, food culture etc.

Content

- Introduction: What is culture?
- Verbal and Non-verbal communication
- Indirect communication: the Japanese never say “no”?
- Concept of time
- Group orientation vs. Individual orientation
- Hierarchy & Formality
- Politeness
- Gender role
- Food culture
- Language

For the cultural module students are given two written assignments, one individual and one group task.

Materials

Japanese for busy people 1 Revised 3rd edition (Romanized version kelpaa.)
https://www.ajalt.org/english/textbooks/japanese_for_busy_people.html

Evaluation methods and criteria

The course evaluation is passed or not-passed, based on the class attendance, assignments and active participation.