Toyota Language Center Overview
Japan Society’s Toyota Language Center offers a variety of courses, workshops and intensives throughout the year in Japanese language and shodo (Japanese calligraphy), among other select courses. Regular course offerings include:
Intensive Japanese Weekend Courses
Four-day intensive weekend courses offer “total immersion” in beginning Japanese and are designed to teach basic conversation skills.
Learn to Read Hiragana & Katakana
Mini-workshops teach beginning students the two Japanese syllabaries; hiragana and katakana.
Japanese Language Classes
Twelve levels of Japanese, from beginner to advanced, emphasize conversation, listening, reading and writing. Three kanji courses and one advanced reading course are also offered.
Conversational Japanese
Intensive Japanese conversation courses designed to strengthen students’ abilities to communicate effectively in both business and social situations.
Shodo: Japanese Calligraphy
Five levels of hands-on workshops teach the techniques of shodo, Japanese calligraphy. Two weekend courses are also offered to students at all levels.
English Conversation Courses
Three levels of English conversation courses geared toward native Japanese speakers.
Japanese-Language Teacher Training Course
An introductory Japanese-language teaching program for native and fluent speakers, this course covers the essential teaching skills needed to teach Japanese in classroom or individual settings.
Staff
Reiko Sassa, Director, Toyota Language CenterReiko Sassa joined Japan Society as Assistant Librarian in 1977. Soon after, she began cultivating the organization's modest language class offerings into a flourishing program. In 1982, Sassa was appointed Language Education Coordinator and Head Librarian and featured in a New York Times article about Japanese women succeeding professionally in New York.
Sassa became Director of Toyota Language Center in 1986, when the center became an official Japan Society department. Over the past 24 years, she has continued to maintain the library's exceptional collection of English and Japanese books. She holds a BA in Japanese Literature.
