Spring Intensive Weekend Japanese

Course Information

PLEASE NOTE: These courses will be conducted online via Zoom. To participate fully, you will need the use of a device with internet access, microphone, and camera (such as a laptop, smartphone, or tablet). Please note that all times listed are New York time (ET).

These concentrated courses are designed to teach beginners Japanese and emphasize conversation, listening, reading and writing. These courses are great for people who need to learn basic Japanese at an accelerated pace. They are also useful for people with weekday schedule conflicts, those who missed the start of the 10-week semester, or for students who need some review before proceeding to the next level. Students can easily progress from these courses into our weekday courses.

All courses meet for four days on two consecutive weekends: March 18, 19, 25 & 26 from 11 AM to 4:30 PM ET, for a total of 18 hours of instruction. There will be an hour break for lunch from 1 to 2 PM and a short break during the afternoon period.

These courses are structured for adults age 16 or older. (For younger students, please see Japanese for Youth: Ages 12 to 15.)

New students with no previous background in Japanese should enroll in a Level 1 course. Students with some background should refer to the Level Guide or course textbooks to determine the most appropriate class. There is no placement exam. If you are still not sure of your level, it may be possible to schedule a level assessment by phone with the Director. Please email [email protected] to schedule.

For a printer friendly version of these courses, please click here: 2023 Spring Intensive Japanese Weekend Courses (PDF).

Course Descriptions

Intensive Weekend Japanese Level 1

(for beginning students with no previous background in Japanese)

The course is designed to introduce elementary Japanese to students with no previous background in the language. Basic vocabulary, grammar and sentence structures will be taught in romaji (Japanese written phonetically in the Roman alphabet) so students can carry on a simple conversation. Hiragana and some introductory kanji will be introduced.

Students will be introduced to the following:

• X wa Y desu.
• Question sentences
• This/that/which
• Here/there/over there/where
• Verb conjugation (present tense)
• Sentence particles

Required textbook: Genki I (3rd Edition) (Ch. 1, 2 & 3)

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Intensive Weekend Japanese Level 2

(Prerequisite: Japanese 1 or equivalent; recognition of hiragana is expected.)

Students will continue to develop their beginners’ level language skills in basic Japanese as they begin to apply the past tense and are introduced to new words, grammar, and expressions. Recognition of hiragana is expected as less romaji will be used. Katakana and a few more kanji will be introduced.

Students will be introduced to the following:

• X ga arimasu/imasu.
• Location description
• Adjectives (present and past tense)
• Suki (na)/ Kirai (na)
• -shimashou ka

Required textbook: Genki I (3rd Edition) (Ch. 4 & 5)

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Tuition

Japan Society members: $290
Non-members: $330

How to Register

Classes fill up quickly! To guarantee a seat in the class, please register as soon as possible.

At the moment, registration is accepted online (preferred) or by phone only at (212) 715-1269 or (212) 715-1293.

To purchase or renew a membership, please visit the Membership page and pay online. Or, call 212-715-1270 and leave a message; they will get back to you.

Registrants will receive a Welcome Email and Zoom link from [email protected] on:

• the afternoon of Fri., March 17, 2023 (the business day before courses begin)

Questions? Please email us at [email protected], or call (212) 715-1269 or (212) 715-1293. Please note that while we are working remotely, we may not always be reachable by phone.

Additional Information

Cancellation Policy: Cancellations are accepted until 12 pm ET, the business day before a course or workshop begins. With a cancellation, a refund of tuition minus a service charge ($20 for courses, $5 for workshops) will be provided. After this deadline, cancellations are not accepted.

Cancellations are accepted by phone only. We do not accept email cancellations.

Japan Society also reserves the right to cancel any course or workshop if sufficient enrollment is not obtained. In such cases, students already enrolled will receive full refunds (no service charge).

By registering for a course, you accept and agree to the above terms of the cancellation policy.

Students must be age 16 or older.

We do not record these classes, and recording of these classes is prohibited.

If you need to switch to a different level or section after your course has begun, it may be possible pending availability and is only possible within the same semester (e.g., within the same 10-week semester, 5-week semester, weekend intensive, etc.). Please contact the office.

Required Textbooks

Textbooks are available for purchase and pick-up at Japan Society during select hours. Please contact the Language Center office (preferably in advance) for purchase and to arrange pick-up.

Otherwise, please purchase your book in advance from an outside vendor. Either a digital or print textbook is fine.

GENKI I (An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese), 3rd Edition

published by The Japan Times | ISBN: 978-4789017305

Price at Japan Society: $45

*We strongly recommend purchasing the 3rd Edition. Please note that the 2nd Edition has some differences, including page numbers, examples, etc., and is not recommended for this reason.

Instructors

Language Center’s instructors are native Japanese speakers with extensive experience.

Ms. Momoyo Kitaura has a BA from Tokyo Woman’s Christian University. She has been a certified Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) tester for the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). She passed the Japanese Language Teaching Competency test and has over 15 years of experience working at a Japanese language school in Japan. Since 2018, she has been teaching at the Language Center. She’s also a co-researcher of the National Institute of Language and Linguistics.

Ms. Yumi Mori has a bachelor’s degree in Law from Sophia University in Tokyo. She is a graduate of Japan Society’s Teacher Training Program. She has taught privately in the United States for a number of years.