ASIAN LC 200 From Page to Screen. The (Many) Afterlives of Premodern Chinese fiction
Overview of Course In this course we will read early and early modern short stories, plays, and novels, either in their entirety, if possible, and if not in excerpted form, and trace the evolution of their textual narrative, character development, and overarching themes to their 20th and 21st century adaptations in a variety of new media, from film to drama to TV series and graphic novels. The early and early modern Chinese stories we may discuss will include Six Dynasties zhiguai, tales of the supernatural; Yuan dynasty plays such as Xixiang ji, The Romance of the Western Chamber, and Jiu fengchen, Zhao Pan’er Rescues a Fallen Woman; and Ming and Qing novels like Xiyou ji, The Journey to the West; Xiyou pu, The Supplement to the Journey to the West; Jin Ping Mei, The Plum in the Golden Vase; Shuihu zhuan, The Water Margins; and Honglou meng, Dream of the Red Chambers. In our analytical approach we will rely on close readings that focus on narrative structure, plot and character development, as well as the permutations that such key elements undergo with changes and shifts in media technologies. In addition to the primary sources, representative theoretical work in the fields of Chinese culture, history, gender theory, feminist and sexuality studies, and adaptation studies will be incorporated as much as possible. No pre-requisite necessary, though previous exposure to pre-modern and modern and contemporary Chinese literature and culture may be helpful. Please note that in our in-class discussions and for all written assignments for the course, we will default to the English translations of the sources we will focus on, but anyone who can read the original versions– be they in Classical Chinese or early modern vernacular–is welcome to do so.
Learning Objectives -Acquisition of knowledge about early and early modern fiction (meaning fictional narratives in a variety of genres, from short stories in Classical Chinese to plays and novels). This will entail exposure to primary sources (in English, and for those students able to, in Chinese) produced by Chinese authors in a variety of genres and media over a span of about two thousand years, as well as to related secondary sources. -Development of methodological skills in studying, reading, and analyzing the primary and secondary sources related to the themes of the course. -Growth as independent researchers in the fields of Asian humanities, Chinese cultural and visual studies, adaptation and media studies. -Growth as independent academic thinkers and writers.
Teaching Method Discussion and lecture
Evaluation Method The final grade will be based on the following criteria: -Active class participation (attendance, preparation, and discussion) 30% -Assignments (writing statements, short papers, in class presentations, etc.) 35% -Final Project 35%
Class Materials (required) All required readings are listed in the syllabus and will be available through Canvas, in the Modules Section. Some of you may prefer or wish to read our sources in hard copy. All required readings will also be available on Reserve at the Main library.
Overview of Course This course is an introduction to the literature and culture of Japan’s Meiji period (1868-1912). This was a moment of rapid social and cultural transformation as Japan rushed to adopt the institutions of Western modernity, and Japanese writers and readers turned to literature to make sense of the changes taking place around them. In order to understand this moment, we will read a series of major literary works (novels and short stories) that focus on the shifting mores, social opportunities, and moods brought on by Japan’s embrace of modernity. The main emphasis of the class is on understanding these works in historical context: on furnishing ourselves with the historical knowledge of Meiji Japan necessary to understand, appreciate, and interpret literary texts. In interpreting these works, we pay particular attention to the feelings they represent or produce, and to what those feelings might tell us about the experience of modernity in Japan and the non-West broadly speaking. All readings are in English; no knowledge of Japanese or prior study of Japan is required or expected.
Teaching Objectives • Describe major genres and works of Japanese literature, as well as major cultural keywords, from the Meiji period (late 19th-early 20th c.). • Situate literary works in relation to meaningful social and cultural contexts, and interpret how they both reflected and commented creatively upon those contexts. • Analyze the thematic content and formal structure of literary works as a basis for interpretation and comparison. • Interpret key conceptual terms like ‘modernity” and ‘the novel’ in historical and cultural contexts and in relation to primary texts. • Communicate and debate humanistic knowledge, including interpretation and critical evaluation of literary works from multiple, possibly conflicting perspectives, both orally and in writing
Teaching Method Lecture and Discussion
Evaluation Method Attendance and participation, discussion forum, collective annotation, midterm essay, quizzes, final paper
Class Materials (required) All materials will be provided digitally in PDF format.
ASIAN LC 224 Japanese Cinema I: From Early Cinema to the Golden Age
Overview of course This course offers a history of Japanese cinema from its earliest days through the so-called “Golden Age” of the 1950s. We will consider how film and other moving image technologies have reflected historical moments and shaped cultural discourses in modern Japan. Focusing on films that raise disciplinary questions related to both the cinematic medium and Japan, we will examine, among other topics, the era of silent cinema; the relationship between nationhood and the formation of a “national cinema;" technological transformations and the coming of sound; the wartime period; cinema during the occupation; and 1950s modernism. We will also study the place of important individual directors – Ozu, Mizoguchi, and Kurosawa – within the broader economic and institutional contexts of Japanese cinema and its global circulation. Students will learn how to critically analyze various films from multiple theoretical perspectives while gaining an understanding of the major figures and movements in the history of Japanese cinema. Syllabus subject to change
Teaching Method Lecture and Discussion
Evaluation Method Attendance and Participation Weekly Assignments Short Writing Assignments
Class Materials (required) All readings will be available as PDFs All films will be accessible through Canvas
Overview of Course In 2017, the world witnessed a profound aspiration for national reconciliation and the possible future reunification of the Korean peninsula. Indeed, this aspiration for reunion expresses a vigorous and deep historical belief in the shared ethnic and cultural heritage of the entire peninsula that imagines North and South Korea as tragically and temporarily separated entities bound to be reunited. At the same time, the contemporary everyday meaning of the word "Korea" (hankuk) is often limited to only their nation for many young South Koreans. How do we understand this seeming contradiction? With this question in mind, this course provides students with a set of critical frames for exploring Korean history and culture while simultaneously questioning presumptions of a nation or civilization with an unchanging or seemingly "natural" essence. This course focuses on the modern cultural history of the Korean peninsula by investigating the discursive constructions of national subjectivity carried out by disparate groups and social institutions since the Choson Dynasty's inclusion in the modern nation-state world system and the political realities resulting from those discursive constructions. The term culture in the course title is defined in a broad sense as it encompasses not only works of art but also systems of thought and social practices developed throughout the history of modern Korea.
Learning Objectives This course is designed to give students a set of critical techniques for exploring Korean culture through its art, literature, history, and systems of thought.
Teaching Method Discussion with lectures. Students are required to participate actively in class discussions and in-class activities. Active participation requires completing all assigned readings before coming to class and being prepared to contribute to a lively and informed class discussion. The lectures will assume familiarity with the readings, and all assignments will be drawn from both lectures and readings.
Evaluation Method Grades will largely be determined by student comprehension of lectures and readings, discussion, and a combination of smaller and in-depth writing assignments.
Course Materials (required) All assigned readings are accessible through Canvas.
ASIAN LC 300* Sinophobia, Yellow Peril, and other Fantasies of China as Threat
Overview of Course China has long been an object of fascination and anxiety in the Euro-American imagination. In recent decades, a politicized and racialized discourse of a “rising” China has constructed that nation as an existential threat to America’s global hegemony. As a figure of possibility rather than probability, threat refers not to what is likely to happen but to what could conceivably happen. Threat, like risk, requires acts of the imagination, speculative fictions designed not simply to create fear but to inspire action. This course offers both a critical history of those speculative and often sensational visions of a threatening China (in literature, film, visual culture, and other media) as well as an introduction to key theoretical texts that allow us to better understand how China has been constructed as an object of imagination from the19th century to the present day. Rather than simply centering on “Western” imaginaries, however, this course stages a broad dialogue between global visions of China and expressions of cultural, environmental, and political threat from within the Sinophone world. It asks how shared anxieties manifest in competing discourses of threat within and outside of China.
Teaching Method Discussion
Evaluation Method Tentative Evaluation Breakdown Participation and Preparation (15%) Short Essays: 30% Final Essay Proposal: 10% Final Essay: 45%
Class Materials (required) Ling Ma, Severance (ISBN 1250214998)
ASIAN LC 322* Modern Japanese Literature (1912-1945): Erotic Grotesque Nonsense to the Aesthetics of War
Overview of Course The period from 1912 to 1945, spanning the Taisho and Early Showa Periods, was one of the most tumultuous in modern Japanese history. It witnessed the brief flowering of democracy, the rise of women’s suffrage, robust left-wing movements, colonial expansion, and fifteen years of war driven by fascist ideology. This course focuses on the literature of this period. It examines how writers experimented with the formal resources of the literary medium while responding to the economic, political, and social transformations that characterized these pivotal years. We will consider, among other topics, the rejection of naturalist modes of writing and the rise of “modernist” experimentation, the relationship between the political and artistic avant-gardes, the literary construction of a timeless national identity, and the role that writers and their work played in Japanese imperialism. Our exploration of Taisho and Early Showa literature not only sheds light on the contradictions of the past but also highlights the legacy these contradictions have left on Japan’s contemporary cultural and historical landscape.
Teaching Method Lecture, Seminar Discussion
Evaluation Method Attendance and Participation In-class Presentations Writing Assignments
Class Materials (Required) Course Reader on Canvas as PDFs Books for Purchase (possibly available for download on Canvas)
ASIAN LC 340* The Rise of K-Culture: Korean Media and Cultural Industry Since the 1990s
Overview of Course This seminar on Korean media culture explores the development of various media technologies, institutions, and practices that have shaped contemporary South Korean popular culture and its global ascendance. Drawing from critical theory, cultural studies, communication studies, and media history, the course equips students with the theoretical tools and concepts necessary for a comprehensive understanding and analysis of this cultural phenomenon. The course especially focuses on the question of national culture, engaging in critical reflections on dichotomies such as national vs. global, East vs. West, and the universal vs. the particular. Throughout the quarter, we will explore a range of questions and topics, including the concept of Korean popular culture as a global phenomenon, the attribution of nationality to culture through a focus on cultural production, and the significance of circulation (distribution) and consumption in our comprehension of cultural phenomena. Moreover, students are encouraged to contextualize the discourse, institutions, and everyday practices of cultural globalization in the 1990s, fostering a deeper understanding of the historical foundations of the contemporary global media landscape.
Teaching Method Discussion with lectures. Students are required to actively participate in class discussions and activities. Active participation requires completing all assigned readings before coming to class and being prepared to contribute to a lively and informed class discussion.
Evaluation Method Grades will largely be determined by student comprehension of lectures and readings, discussion, and a combination of smaller and in-depth writing assignments.
Class Materials (required) All assigned readings are accessible through Canvas.
ASIAN LC 373* Commemorating Karbala: Shia Islam in South Asian Literature and Culture
Overview of Course
This course will explore the intersection of Shia religious belief and practice with art and literature in South Asia. Shias constitute about fifteen percent of the Muslim population of India and Pakistan today. Despite this minority status, Shia Islam has had a broad influence on intellectual and ethical thought in South Asia, with a particularly profound impact on Sufism. Royal patronage in in cities like Hyderabad and Lucknow also allowed Shiism to develop a rich visual and literary culture that speaks to the core tenets of Shia devotion. Manifestations of this diverse and syncretistic expression are found in architecture, painting, calligraphy, public performance, and literature, the emotive power of which has influenced Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Pairing scholarly readings with primary source materials, this course will examine the legacy and contemporary relevance of South Asian Shia Islam and its cultural and intellectual heritage. Primary source materials include verse poems written in Hindi and Urdu, which we will read in the original. Copies of all Hindi and Urdu texts will be made available in both the Urdu (Nastaliq) and Hindi (Devanagari) scripts.
Pre-Requisite Fluency or advanced ability in Hindi or Urdu
ASIAN LC 375* Buddhist Cultures and the Rhetoric of Violence in Asia
Overview of Course Although episodes of religious violence are still met with incomprehension and bafflement, even a cursory reading of world history would remind us that religion’s power to inspire violence is not only not new, but it is pervasive. This course investigates the intersections between religion and violence in the context of Buddhist Asia while also considering why in many religious traditions there seem to be a link between the two. It will be structured in two parts: in the first part students will be encouraged to build expertise in the basic concepts, definitions, and general academic consensus (as well as debates) about categories including “religion,” “violence,” “sacrifice,” “ritual,” “martyrdom,” and also “nationalism,” “politics,” and “terrorism” through reading both primary sources (in English translation) and secondary sources (scholarly writings). We will then move into an analysis of case studies that focus on specific circumstances where Buddhist rhetoric, scriptural authority, and religious practices have played a role in violence including suicide, terrorist-related actions, and self-immolation predominantly in pre- and modern Asia. Some of the provocative questions that this course asks include: Why and how is religion involved in politics? Is Buddhism a pacifist religion? How does religion rationalize violence? How can some Buddhist leaders embrace terror as a political tool? Are the recent practices of self-immolation in Tibet acts of violence? Can non-violence be violent?
Learning Objectives By engaging the recent academic literature in the field, students will be encouraged to improve their knowledge of these problematic categories and engage critically in the analysis of the specific issues dealt with during the course.
Teaching Method Lectures and Discussions
Evaluation Method In-class participation and presentation; term paper
Class Materials (required) Mark Juergensmeyer and Margo Kitts, Princeton Readings in Religion and Violence, Princeton University Press, 2011. ISBN 978-0691129143
Michael Jerryson & Mark Juergensmeyer (eds), Buddhist Warfare. Oxford University Press, 2010. ISBN 978-0195394849
Overview of class This three-quarter sequence of beginning college level Chinese is designed for true beginners with no previous background in the language. This course is an introduction to Chinese, its basic grammar, pinyin system, vocabulary, usage, and the Chinese writing system. It also focuses on developing basic communicative skills and knowledge of the Chinese culture. There will be extensive student-oriented practice in pronunciation, conversations, listening comprehension, and sentence structures in class. Our goal is to lay the solid ground work for your study of Chinese whether you plan to have a concentration in Chinese or to satisfy a language requirement. Upon satisfactory completion of the course, students are expected to reach Novice-High level of the ACTFL proficiency guidelines. (http://actflproficiencyguidelines2012.org)
Registration Requirements Except for Chinese 111-1, students must pass the preceding course with C- or above, or must be placed into the course by the departmental placement test.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
Have a good command of the pronunciation system of Mandarin Chinese.
Have a good command of Chinese characters in both handwriting and typing.
Use Mandarin Chinese to carry out conversations on daily-life topics (e.g., food preference, hobbies and activities, shopping, visiting a doctor, Chinese culture and relationships.
Write short passages on the topics above.
Gain and demonstrate cultural knowledge discussed in the units.
Teaching Method There will be extensive student-oriented practice in pronunciation, conversations, listening comprehension, and sentence structures in class. English will be used mainly for instruction on sentence structures and patterns. Interaction between instructor and among students will be in Chinese.
Evaluation Method Attendance and participation
Written assignments
Dictations
Oral quizzes
Written quizzes
Final exam Class Materials (Required)
Fall quarter and Winter quarter Textbook and Workbook: Modern Chinese 1A Simplified Characters (second edition) Publisher: Better Chinese ISBN: 978-1-60603-573-3 (textbook); 978-1-60603-572-6 (workbook) Price: $64.99 (textbook) $ 34.99(workbook)
Spring quarter Textbook and Workbook: Modern Chinese 1B Simplified Characters (second edition) Publisher: Better Chinese ISBN: 978-1-60603-578-8 (textbook) 978-1-60603-579-5 (workbook) Price: $64.99 (textbook) $ 34.99(workbook)
Overview of class This three-quarter sequence of beginning college level Chinese is designed for true beginners with no previous background in the language. This course is an introduction to Chinese, its basic grammar, pinyin system, vocabulary, usage, and the Chinese writing system. It also focuses on developing basic communicative skills and knowledge of the Chinese culture. There will be extensive student-oriented practice in pronunciation, conversations, listening comprehension, and sentence structures in class. Our goal is to lay the solid ground work for your study of Chinese whether you plan to have a concentration in Chinese or to satisfy a language requirement. Upon satisfactory completion of the course, students are expected to reach Novice-High level of the ACTFL proficiency guidelines. (http://actflproficiencyguidelines2012.org)
Registration Requirements Except for Chinese 111-1, students must pass the preceding course with C- or above, or must be placed into the course by the departmental placement test.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
Have a good command of the pronunciation system of Mandarin Chinese.
Have a good command of Chinese characters in both handwriting and typing.
Use Mandarin Chinese to carry out conversations on daily-life topics (e.g., food preference, hobbies and activities, shopping, visiting a doctor, Chinese culture and relationships.
Write short passages on the topics above.
Gain and demonstrate cultural knowledge discussed in the units.
Teaching Method There will be extensive student-oriented practice in pronunciation, conversations, listening comprehension, and sentence structures in class. English will be used mainly for instruction on sentence structures and patterns. Interaction between instructor and among students will be in Chinese.
Evaluation Method Attendance and participation
Written assignments
Dictations
Oral quizzes
Written quizzes
Final exam Class Materials (Required)
Fall quarter and Winter quarter Textbook and Workbook: Modern Chinese 1A Simplified Characters (second edition) Publisher: Better Chinese ISBN: 978-1-60603-573-3 (textbook); 978-1-60603-572-6 (workbook) Price: $64.99 (textbook) $ 34.99(workbook)
Spring quarter Textbook and Workbook: Modern Chinese 1B Simplified Characters (second edition) Publisher: Better Chinese ISBN: 978-1-60603-578-8 (textbook) 978-1-60603-579-5 (workbook) Price: $64.99 (textbook) $ 34.99(workbook)
Overview of class Accelerated Chinese 115 (115-1, 2, 3) is designed for advanced beginners who demonstrate higher levels of listening and speaking proficiency. This course aims to help students further hone all four skills with an emphasis on reading and writing. The literacy goal is to master around 350 characters and to reach the intermediate-low to intermediate-mid level of literacy proficiency.
Registration Requirements Except for Chinese 115-1, students must pass the preceding course with C- or above, or must be placed into the course by the departmental placement test.
Learning Objectives
Carry out daily conversations with Chinese native speakers using appropriate wordings and manners for various contexts
Read and comprehend short notes and simple stories written in Chinese
Write short, simple communications, compositions, and requests for information in Chinese about personal topics
Master the Chinese phonetic symbols (pinyin) for typing in Chinese
Teaching Method This course meets four days a week and is conducted in Chinese. Class time mainly focuses on discussion based on the reading and/or writing assignments students complete before class.
Evaluation Method Classroom attendance and participation, reading and writing assignments, presentations, dictations, written quizzes and one final exam
Class Materials (Required) Fall quarter, Winter quarter & Spring quarter:
传承中文 Modern Chinese for Heritage Beginners: Stories about Us Publisher: Routledge ISBN: 9781032399775 Price: $42.95
Overview of class Accelerated Chinese 115 (115-1, 2, 3) is designed for advanced beginners who demonstrate higher levels of listening and speaking proficiency. This course aims to help students further hone all four skills with an emphasis on reading and writing. The literacy goal is to master around 350 characters and to reach the intermediate-low to intermediate-mid level of literacy proficiency.
Registration Requirements Except for Chinese 115-1, students must pass the preceding course with C- or above, or must be placed into the course by the departmental placement test.
Learning Objectives
Carry out daily conversations with Chinese native speakers using appropriate wordings and manners for various contexts
Read and comprehend short notes and simple stories written in Chinese
Write short, simple communications, compositions, and requests for information in Chinese about personal topics
Master the Chinese phonetic symbols (pinyin) for typing in Chinese
Teaching Method This course meets four days a week and is conducted in Chinese. Class time mainly focuses on discussion based on the reading and/or writing assignments students complete before class.
Evaluation Method Classroom attendance and participation, reading and writing assignments, presentations, dictations, written quizzes and one final exam
Class Materials (Required) Fall quarter, Winter quarter & Spring quarter:
传承中文 Modern Chinese for Heritage Beginners: Stories about Us Publisher: Routledge ISBN: 9781032399775 Price: $42.95
Overview of class This year-long course is designed for students who have completed Chinese 111 at Northwestern or the equivalent elsewhere. It aims to further develop students’ Chinese proficiency through: (1) consolidating the foundation built in students’ beginning modern Chinese courses; (2) introducing them to more complex grammatical structures, varieties of language styles, and cultural information. Upon satisfactory completion of the course, students are expected to be able to handle various types of more complex daily conversational situations and short passages on familiar topics. Successful completion of CHINESE 121-3 will satisfy the WCAS foreign language requirement. In addition, they will reach Intermediate mid to Intermediate high in reading, writing, listening and speaking according to ACTFL proficiency guidelines.
Registration Requirements Students must pass the preceding course with C- or above, or must be placed into the course by the departmental placement test.
Learning Objectives By the end of the course, students will be able to
Speak in full sentence-length on topics of daily life with relative ease.
Give descriptions and presentations in a short paragraph on topics covered in the course.
Comprehend written texts on the topics covered in the course.
Demonstrate knowledge of Chinese culture covered in the course.
Teaching Method This course is conducted mostly in Chinese. Class time mainly focuses on speaking and listening skill development. There will also be reading and writing activities and assignments. Students are expected to be fully prepared for each lesson.
Evaluation Method Class attendance and participation, assignments, quizzes, oral tests, presentations, midterm and final exam.
Class Materials (Required) Fall quarter 1. Textbook and workbook: Modern Chinese 1B (Second Edition) Simplified Characters Publisher: Better Chinese ISBN: 978-1-60603-578-8 (textbook): 978-1-60603-579-5 (workbook) Price: Price: $64.99 (textbook) $ 34.99(workbook)
Winter quarter
Textbook and workbook: Modern Chinese 1B (Second Edition) Simplified Characters Publisher: Better Chinese ISBN: 978-1-60603-578-8 (textbook): 978-1-60603-579-5 (workbook) Price: Price: $64.99 (textbook) $ 34.99(workbook)
Note to students who join Chinese 121-2 in fall through the placement test: You may purchase the textbook and workbook ebooks instead of the physical ones on the publisher's website: betterchinese.com
2. Textbook and workbook: Modern Chinese 2A Simplified Characters Publisher: Better Chinese ISBN: 978-1-60603-487-3(textbook); 978-1-60603-488-0 (workbook) Price: $69.95 (textbook); $34.95(workbook)
Spring quarter
Textbook and workbook: Modern Chinese 2A Simplified Characters Publisher: Better Chinese ISBN: 978-1-60603-487-3(textbook); 978-1-60603-488-0 (workbook) Price: Price: $64.99 (textbook) $ 34.99(workbook)
Overview of class This year-long course is designed for students who have completed Chinese 111 at Northwestern or the equivalent elsewhere. It aims to further develop students’ Chinese proficiency through: (1) consolidating the foundation built in students’ beginning modern Chinese courses; (2) introducing them to more complex grammatical structures, varieties of language styles, and cultural information. Upon satisfactory completion of the course, students are expected to be able to handle various types of more complex daily conversational situations and short passages on familiar topics. Successful completion of CHINESE 121-3 will satisfy the WCAS foreign language requirement. In addition, they will reach Intermediate mid to Intermediate high in reading, writing, listening and speaking according to ACTFL proficiency guidelines.
Registration Requirements Students must pass the preceding course with C- or above, or must be placed into the course by the departmental placement test.
Learning Objectives By the end of the course, students will be able to
Speak in full sentence-length on topics of daily life with relative ease.
Give descriptions and presentations in a short paragraph on topics covered in the course.
Comprehend written texts on the topics covered in the course.
Demonstrate knowledge of Chinese culture covered in the course.
Teaching Method This course is conducted mostly in Chinese. Class time mainly focuses on speaking and listening skill development. There will also be reading and writing activities and assignments. Students are expected to be fully prepared for each lesson.
Evaluation Method Class attendance and participation, assignments, quizzes, oral tests, presentations, midterm and final exam.
Class Materials (Required) Fall quarter 1. Textbook and workbook: Modern Chinese 1B (Second Edition) Simplified Characters Publisher: Better Chinese ISBN: 978-1-60603-578-8 (textbook): 978-1-60603-579-5 (workbook) Price: Price: $64.99 (textbook) $ 34.99(workbook)
Winter quarter
Textbook and workbook: Modern Chinese 1B (Second Edition) Simplified Characters Publisher: Better Chinese ISBN: 978-1-60603-578-8 (textbook): 978-1-60603-579-5 (workbook) Price: Price: $64.99 (textbook) $ 34.99(workbook)
Note to students who join Chinese 121-2 in fall through the placement test: You may purchase the textbook and workbook ebooks instead of the physical ones on the publisher's website: betterchinese.com
2. Textbook and workbook: Modern Chinese 2A Simplified Characters Publisher: Better Chinese ISBN: 978-1-60603-487-3(textbook); 978-1-60603-488-0 (workbook) Price: $69.95 (textbook); $34.95(workbook)
Spring quarter
Textbook and workbook: Modern Chinese 2A Simplified Characters Publisher: Better Chinese ISBN: 978-1-60603-487-3(textbook); 978-1-60603-488-0 (workbook) Price: Price: $64.99 (textbook) $ 34.99(workbook)
Overview of class This year-long course is designed for students who have completed Chinese 111 at Northwestern or the equivalent elsewhere. It aims to further develop students’ Chinese proficiency through: (1) consolidating the foundation built in students’ beginning modern Chinese courses; (2) introducing them to more complex grammatical structures, varieties of language styles, and cultural information. Upon satisfactory completion of the course, students are expected to be able to handle various types of more complex daily conversational situations and short passages on familiar topics. Successful completion of CHINESE 121-3 will satisfy the WCAS foreign language requirement. In addition, they will reach Intermediate mid to Intermediate high in reading, writing, listening and speaking according to ACTFL proficiency guidelines.
Registration Requirements Students must pass the preceding course with C- or above, or must be placed into the course by the departmental placement test.
Learning Objectives By the end of the course, students will be able to
Speak in full sentence-length on topics of daily life with relative ease.
Give descriptions and presentations in a short paragraph on topics covered in the course.
Comprehend written texts on the topics covered in the course.
Demonstrate knowledge of Chinese culture covered in the course.
Teaching Method This course is conducted mostly in Chinese. Class time mainly focuses on speaking and listening skill development. There will also be reading and writing activities and assignments. Students are expected to be fully prepared for each lesson.
Evaluation Method Class attendance and participation, assignments, quizzes, oral tests, presentations, midterm and final exam.
Class Materials (Required) Fall quarter 1. Textbook and workbook: Modern Chinese 1B (Second Edition) Simplified Characters Publisher: Better Chinese ISBN: 978-1-60603-578-8 (textbook): 978-1-60603-579-5 (workbook) Price: Price: $64.99 (textbook) $ 34.99(workbook)
Winter quarter
Textbook and workbook: Modern Chinese 1B (Second Edition) Simplified Characters Publisher: Better Chinese ISBN: 978-1-60603-578-8 (textbook): 978-1-60603-579-5 (workbook) Price: Price: $64.99 (textbook) $ 34.99(workbook)
Note to students who join Chinese 121-2 in fall through the placement test: You may purchase the textbook and workbook ebooks instead of the physical ones on the publisher's website: betterchinese.com
2. Textbook and workbook: Modern Chinese 2A Simplified Characters Publisher: Better Chinese ISBN: 978-1-60603-487-3(textbook); 978-1-60603-488-0 (workbook) Price: $69.95 (textbook); $34.95(workbook)
Spring quarter
Textbook and workbook: Modern Chinese 2A Simplified Characters Publisher: Better Chinese ISBN: 978-1-60603-487-3(textbook); 978-1-60603-488-0 (workbook) Price: Price: $64.99 (textbook) $ 34.99(workbook)
Overview of class Accelerated Chinese 125 (125-1, 2, 3) is an intermediate course primarily designed for students at ACTFL intermediate-mid level of proficiency in listening and speaking, and intermediate-low in literacy skills. This course aims to help students further hone all four skills with an emphasis on reading and writing. The literacy goal is to master 1500-2000 characters and to reach an intermediate-high level of literacy proficiency.
Registration Requirements Students must pass the preceding course with C- or above, or must be placed into the course by the departmental placement test.
Learning Objectives The goals of this course are to help students: (a) achieve a basic level of reading competency; (b) express themselves clearly in written Chinese on a variety of topics using learned grammar patterns and vocabulary; (c) reinforce their speaking proficiency on a broad range of topics; (d) cultivate their intercultural competence and ability to juxtapose and communicate across different cultures.
Teaching Method Four regular class hours are for learning of the key vocabulary, analysis of sentence structure, familiarity with Chinese culture, awareness of different registers, and discussion of topics related to the texts and supplementary readings. Students are expected to write and report on topics that have been covered in the texts and supplementary readings.
Evaluation Method Class performance, written assignments, oral reports, written quizzes, and a final exam.
Overview of class Accelerated Chinese 125 (125-1, 2, 3) is an intermediate course primarily designed for students at ACTFL intermediate-mid level of proficiency in listening and speaking, and intermediate-low in literacy skills. This course aims to help students further hone all four skills with an emphasis on reading and writing. The literacy goal is to master 1500-2000 characters and to reach an intermediate-high level of literacy proficiency.
Registration Requirements Students must pass the preceding course with C- or above, or must be placed into the course by the departmental placement test.
Learning Objectives The goals of this course are to help students: (a) achieve a basic level of reading competency; (b) express themselves clearly in written Chinese on a variety of topics using learned grammar patterns and vocabulary; (c) reinforce their speaking proficiency on a broad range of topics; (d) cultivate their intercultural competence and ability to juxtapose and communicate across different cultures.
Teaching Method Four regular class hours are for learning of the key vocabulary, analysis of sentence structure, familiarity with Chinese culture, awareness of different registers, and discussion of topics related to the texts and supplementary readings. Students are expected to write and report on topics that have been covered in the texts and supplementary readings.
Evaluation Method Class performance, written assignments, oral reports, written quizzes, and a final exam.
Overview of class Accelerated Chinese 125 (125-1, 2, 3) is an intermediate course primarily designed for students at ACTFL intermediate-mid level of proficiency in listening and speaking, and intermediate-low in literacy skills. This course aims to help students further hone all four skills with an emphasis on reading and writing. The literacy goal is to master 1500-2000 characters and to reach an intermediate-high level of literacy proficiency.
Registration Requirements Students must pass the preceding course with C- or above, or must be placed into the course by the departmental placement test.
Learning Objectives The goals of this course are to help students: (a) achieve a basic level of reading competency; (b) express themselves clearly in written Chinese on a variety of topics using learned grammar patterns and vocabulary; (c) reinforce their speaking proficiency on a broad range of topics; (d) cultivate their intercultural competence and ability to juxtapose and communicate across different cultures.
Teaching Method Four regular class hours are for learning of the key vocabulary, analysis of sentence structure, familiarity with Chinese culture, awareness of different registers, and discussion of topics related to the texts and supplementary readings. Students are expected to write and report on topics that have been covered in the texts and supplementary readings.
Evaluation Method Class performance, written assignments, oral reports, written quizzes, and a final exam.
Overview of class CHINESE 211 is a year-long intermediate-level course, designed to further develop students' communicative competence in listening, speaking, reading and writing in modern Chinese as well as to deepen understanding of Chinese culture and social issues. The course systematically expands students' vocabulary and help them produce paragraphs, particularly in the area of description, comparison and introduction. The goal of the course is to effectively build descriptive and comparative skills through rigorous activities and discussion on various topics. Chinese is the language used in this course. Upon satisfactory completion of the whole sequence course, students are expected to reach Intermediate-High level of the ACTFL proficiency guidelines.
Registration Requirements Students must pass the preceding course with C- or above, or must be placed into the course by the departmental placement test.
Learning Objectives By the end of the course, students will be able to
Describe exterior features of objects, and discuss spatial layouts in a clear and structured manner.
Use specific and vivid expressions to describe impressions pertaining to a person’s appearance, manner and style.
Describe in detail weather conditions and natural disasters, personal feelings specifically and vividly.
Introduce and compare climate features and prepare reports of weather in paragraph(s).
Discuss some social and cultural topics in the given contexts.
Teaching Method Bottom-up approach to expand progressively from words to sentences, and sentences to paragraphs with student-centered communicative and task-based activities. Class conducted in Chinese.
Evaluation Method Class attendance and participation, homework/projects, quizzes, oral presentations, and written exams.
Class Materials (Required) Developing Chinese Fluency Textbook ($64) and Workbook ($43); Author: Phyllis Zhang; Publisher: Cengage Learning. ISBN: 978-1-111-34223-4
Overview of class This is a year-long three-quarter course in advanced modern Chinese (Mandarin). Students will transition from basic, functional communicative skills to more in-depth academic exchanges with themes about the real Chinese world. Besides rigorous training in oral proficiency, it focuses on upgrading reading and writing skills. Topics include Chinese cultural concepts, social change, economic development, and human relationships. Students will discuss the above-mentioned topics from a cross-cultural perspective. Proficiency goals (per ACTFL guidelines): Advanced-Low in oral skills and Intermediate-High to Advanced-Low in literacy skills.
Registration Requirements Students must pass the preceding course with C- or above, or must be placed into the course by the departmental placement test.
Learning Objectives (1) Increase students’ awareness and knowledge of social issues in Modern China.
(2) Expand vocabulary, improve fluency, and enhance the accuracy in output.
(3) Students will learn to, in written and spoken Chinese, organize ideas better, produce coherent paragraph-level loutputs, make solid arguments, and express themselves formally
Teaching Method We use Chinese to discuss our readings. Students are also expected to write short essays based on the topics discussed in class.
Evaluation Method Attendance and Participation, essays, oral presentations, quizzes or exams
Class Materials (Required) Textbook “ Reading Into a New China” by Duanduan Li & Irene Liu, Publisher: Cheng & Tsui Company, Inc. ISBN: 978-0-88727-627-9 Price: $49.99
Overview of class Chinese 311 is a quarter-long series of Chinese courses composed by the following independent courses: Chinese 311-1: Formal Speaking, Chinese 311-2: Formal Writing, and Chinese 311-3: Formal Reading. The courses are designed to develop students’ abilities to speak and write formal Chinese respectively, as well as to read short literary works in Chinese. The content of the courses cover argumentations and articles on various topics, including Chinese culture, society and contemporary history. Student will also read authentic Chinese literary works in different written forms and language styles by various authors, with a focus on their cultural and social background. The goal of the courses is to train students to use written vocabulary and formal expressions as well as know how to arrange a structured speaking/writing with complete format and logical connections. Students will reach advanced low in reading, writing, listening and speaking based on ACTFL proficiency guidelines.
Registration Requirements CHINESE 211-3 with grade C- or above. Students may be placed into this course by the departmental placement test.
Learning Objectives Upon satisfactory completion of 311-1, students will be able to use formal expressions to deliver a structured speech with logical arguments. Upon satisfactory completion of 311-2, students will be able to write essays in a formal style in depth about complex topics. Upon satisfactory completion of 311-3, students will be able to comprehend in depth authentic literary works in Chinese language and communicate efficiently their understanding in speaking and written forms.
Teaching Method Class meets twice per week, 80 minutes per class. The course is designed with intensive student-oriented activities through reading various class materials, including essays, media reports and authentic Chinese literature works. Students are expected to read materials ahead of class, participate in in-class discussions led by the instructor, and make formal statements, arguments, speeches and debates about social and cultural phenomena in paragraphs. With instructor’s necessary corrections and suggestions on students’ papers, they are expected to present their works as formal oral presentations. Chinese is used for instruction.
CHINESE 315-2 Chinese IV - Accelerated: Advanced Reading and Writing
Overview of Class Chinese 315 is a quarter-long series of advanced modern Chinese courses composed by the following independent courses: Chinese 315-1: Formal Writing and Public Speaking; Chinese 315-2: Advanced Reading and Writing, Chinese 315-3: Media and Society.
This advanced Chinese course focuses on academic writing and speaking skills by utilizing authentic materials, carefully selected from various sources and organized into diverse lesson contexts. Students will engage in diverse writing and public speaking forms, mastering grammar, vocabulary, and language conventions. By the end of the course, students will be able to craft persuasive Chinese texts and deliver engaging oral presentations.
Registration Requirements Chinese 215-3 with grade C- or above or by placement. Three courses of Chinese 311-1, 2, 3, 312-1, 312-2 with C- or above, or by placement test.
Learning Objectives By the end of the course, students will be able to
Conduct research on primary sources
Understand the main messages and most supporting details on a wide variety of general topics
Maintain conversations and discussions on various cultural and social topics
Deliver detailed cohesive presentations and elaborate on various cultural and social topics using organized paragraphs
Teaching Method Discussions on preassigned readings. Students are required to complete the preparation before class.
This course is a year long, three quarter sequence, and is meant for students with no Hindi-Urdu background. At the beginning of the three quarter sequence, the students are not expected to be able to speak, understand, read or write any Hindi-Urdu. In the first quarter (Hindi-Urdu 111-1) the students are introduced to the Hindi (Devanagari) script and to aspects of Hindi-Urdu grammar. By the end of this quarter the students are be able to talk about their family, their routines, their likes and dislikes, and also describe actions in progress. In the second quarter (Hindi-Urdu 111-2), the students continue to learn new grammatical constructions. By the end of the second quarter the students are able to talk about events in the past and the future. In the third quarter (Hindi-Urdu 111-3) students learn to express possibilities, wants, abilities and capabilities. They also learn finer aspects of grammar. By the end of this quarter students achieve intermediate-low language skills in Hindi-Urdu.
Registration Requirements None for Hindi-Urdu 111-1, Hindi-Urdu 111-1 with a C- or better for Hindi-Urdu 111-2, Hindi-Urdu 111-2 with a C- or better for Hindi-Urdu 111-3, and by placement test or with instructor consent.
Teaching Method Textbook, word-games, YouTube videos, internet and in-class materials
Evaluation Method Assessment is based on weekly vocabulary quizzes, biweekly grammar quizzes, attendance, classroom participation and presentations, home assignments, mid-term, final and an oral interviews.
Class Materials (Required) Richard Delacy and Sudha Joshi Elementary HindiISBN-13: 978-0804845038 Richard Delacy and Sudha Joshi Elementary Hindi WorkbookISBN: 978-080484503897
This is a year long, three quarter language sequence. Students start the year by working on reinforcing all the language skills attained the year before, and adding the Nastaliq (Urdu) script to their skill set. They continue developing speaking skills and listening comprehension, as well as expanding the Hindi-Urdu grammar and vocabulary. We do so by reading poems, short stories, blogs, watching and discussing movie clips, short films and videos, and making in-class presentations. Some of the topics that we touch upon during the year are short Hindi-Urdu stories, short films, poetry, etc. By the end of the three quarter sequence students attain intermediate-mid or higher language proficiency in Hindi-Urdu.
Note: Please purchase all the required textbooks in the fall quarter, as this is the only quarter that they are ordered during the year.
Registration Requirements C- or better in Hindi-Urdu 111-3 for Hindi-Urdu 121-1, Hindi-Urdu 121-1 for Hindi-Urdu 121-2, Hindi-Urdu 121-2 for Hindi-Urdu 121-3, and by placement test or with instructor consent.
Teaching Method Textbook, extra materials, movies
Evaluation Method The students are graded on the basis of home assignments, weekly quizzes, midterm, attendance, oral interviews and class participation. No final.
Class Materials (Required)
Advanced Hindi Grammar (2007) by U. Jain. Publisher: Institute of East Asian Studies; ISBN-10: 094461342X ISBN-13: 978-0944613429
Class Materials (Recommended)
Intermediate Hindi Reader (1999) by U. Jain with K. Schomer. Publisher: Institute of East Asian Studies; ISBN-10: 087725351X ISBN-13: 978-0877253518
Intermediate Hindi (1996) by Y. Kachru and R. Pandharipande Publisher: Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN-10: 8120805585 ISBN-13: 978-8120805583
Overview of class The accelerated Hind_Urd 125-1 course has been designed for students with existing proficiencies in speaking and listening skills in Hindi-Urdu (beginner-high/intermediate-low), and more limited reading and writing abilities in the Devanagari/Hindi script (beginner-low/mid). This course condenses the 3 quarter beginners Hind_Urd 111 course into a single quarter, and focuses on the development of students’ reading and writing skills in Hindi-Urdu, while enhancing their range of vocabulary from basic to intermediate-low/mid. We do so by exploring the South Asian culture and doing task-based projects.
Registration Requirements Prerequisite: Hind_Urd 116-0 OR Ability to understand and speak basic Hindi-Urdu AND limited reading-writing skills in the Devanagari/Hindi script (proficiency test/permission of the instructor)
Teaching Method Texts, movie clips, blogs, songs, stories, grammar practice, etc.
Evaluation Method Students will be given weekly vocabulary quizzes (to be completed via Quizlet), biweekly grammar quizzes, weekly Padlet writing assignments, daily home assignments, in-class presentations as well as a Final at the end of the quarter. They will also be assessed for attendance and class participation.
Overview of class Japanese I (JAPANESE 111-1, 2, and 3) is a yearlong course that covers the first half of college-level elementary Japanese. In Japanese I, students will build a solid foundation while developing the four skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students will also learn various aspects of Japanese culture and society through in-class activities, written assignments, and projects. Careful and thorough review and preparation for each class session is required.
Registration Requirements Except for JAPANESE 111-1, students must pass the preceding course with C- or above, or must be placed into the course by the departmental placement test.
Learning Objectives Japanese I aims to bring students’ overall Japanese proficiency to the Intermediate-Low level defined by the American Council on Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency guidelines. Upon completing the course, students can greet, introduce themselves, describe their families and friends, and discuss their daily routines, experiences, and opinions.
Teaching Method This course is conducted mostly in Japanese, and class hours are spent mainly on oral proficiency development. Written assignments are given for reading and writing proficiency development.
Evaluation Method Class participation and performance; assignments; quizzes; oral, listening, and written examinations.
Class Materials (Required) Oka, M. et al. (2021). TOBIRA 1: Beginning Japanese. Tokyo: Kuroshio Publishers. ISBN 978-4-87424-870-6.
Oka, M. et al. (2022). TOBIRA 1: Beginning Japanese Workbook 1. Tokyo: Kuroshio. ISBN: 978-4-87424-910-9
Class Materials (Suggested)
Endo-Hudson, M (1994). English Grammar for Students of Japanese. Ann Arbor: The Olivia and Hill Press. ISBN: 0-934034-16-8; Makino, S. & Tsutsui M. (1989). Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar. Tokyo: The Japan Times. ISBN 4-7890-0454-6; Kodansha (2012). Kodansha's Essential Kanji Dictionary. Tokyo: Kodansha. ISBN: 978-1568363974.
Overview of class Japanese I (JAPANESE 111-1, 2, and 3) is a yearlong course that covers the first half of college-level elementary Japanese. In Japanese I, students will build a solid foundation while developing the four skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students will also learn various aspects of Japanese culture and society through in-class activities, written assignments, and projects. Careful and thorough review and preparation for each class session is required.
Registration Requirements Except for JAPANESE 111-1, students must pass the preceding course with C- or above, or must be placed into the course by the departmental placement test.
Learning Objectives Japanese I aims to bring students’ overall Japanese proficiency to the Intermediate-Low level defined by the American Council on Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency guidelines. Upon completing the course, students can greet, introduce themselves, describe their families and friends, and discuss their daily routines, experiences, and opinions.
Teaching Method This course is conducted mostly in Japanese, and class hours are spent mainly on oral proficiency development. Written assignments are given for reading and writing proficiency development.
Evaluation Method Class participation and performance; assignments; quizzes; oral, listening, and written examinations.
Class Materials (Required) Oka, M. et al. (2021). TOBIRA 1: Beginning Japanese. Tokyo: Kuroshio Publishers. ISBN 978-4-87424-870-6.
Oka, M. et al. (2022). TOBIRA 1: Beginning Japanese Workbook 1. Tokyo: Kuroshio. ISBN: 978-4-87424-910-9
Class Materials (Suggested)
Endo-Hudson, M (1994). English Grammar for Students of Japanese. Ann Arbor: The Olivia and Hill Press. ISBN: 0-934034-16-8; Makino, S. & Tsutsui M. (1989). Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar. Tokyo: The Japan Times. ISBN 4-7890-0454-6; Kodansha (2012). Kodansha's Essential Kanji Dictionary. Tokyo: Kodansha. ISBN: 978-1568363974.
Overview of class Japanese I (JAPANESE 111-1, 2, and 3) is a yearlong course that covers the first half of college-level elementary Japanese. In Japanese I, students will build a solid foundation while developing the four skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students will also learn various aspects of Japanese culture and society through in-class activities, written assignments, and projects. Careful and thorough review and preparation for each class session is required.
Registration Requirements Except for JAPANESE 111-1, students must pass the preceding course with C- or above, or must be placed into the course by the departmental placement test.
Learning Objectives Japanese I aims to bring students’ overall Japanese proficiency to the Intermediate-Low level defined by the American Council on Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency guidelines. Upon completing the course, students can greet, introduce themselves, describe their families and friends, and discuss their daily routines, experiences, and opinions.
Teaching Method This course is conducted mostly in Japanese, and class hours are spent mainly on oral proficiency development. Written assignments are given for reading and writing proficiency development.
Evaluation Method Class participation and performance; assignments; quizzes; oral, listening, and written examinations.
Class Materials (Required) Oka, M. et al. (2021). TOBIRA 1: Beginning Japanese. Tokyo: Kuroshio Publishers. ISBN 978-4-87424-870-6.
Oka, M. et al. (2022). TOBIRA 1: Beginning Japanese Workbook 1. Tokyo: Kuroshio. ISBN: 978-4-87424-910-9
Class Materials (Suggested)
Endo-Hudson, M (1994). English Grammar for Students of Japanese. Ann Arbor: The Olivia and Hill Press. ISBN: 0-934034-16-8; Makino, S. & Tsutsui M. (1989). Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar. Tokyo: The Japan Times. ISBN 4-7890-0454-6; Kodansha (2012). Kodansha's Essential Kanji Dictionary. Tokyo: Kodansha. ISBN: 978-1568363974.
Overview of class Japanese II (JAPANESE 121-1, 2 and 3), sequel to Japanese I (JAPANESE 111), is a yearlong course that covers the second half of college level elementary Japanese and prepares students for intermediate Japanese (JAPANESE 211). In this course, students will continue developing the four skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing) and learn various aspects of Japanese culture and society through readings, video viewing, written assignments, and in-class activities. The emphasis will be on developing the skills necessary to use auxiliary verbs and complex sentences to express subtle differences in meaning and accuracy appropriate to the given contexts. Students will also practice cohesively describing their experiences and summarizing a story that they heard, read, or watched. Careful and thorough review and preparation for each class session are required. With consistent oral and written feedback from the instructor, students will enhance their language and cultural awareness, leading to increased understanding, appreciation, and utilization of the target language, to become autonomous learners.
Registration Requirements Students must pass the preceding course with C- or above, or must be placed into the course by the departmental placement test.
Learning Objectives The year-end proficiency goal of Japanese II is for the students to reach the Intermediate-Mid level defined by the American Council on Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency guidelines and A2 - B1 defined in the Common European Framework of Reference for Language (CEFR). Upon the satisfactory completion of the course, students will be able to handle various types of more complex daily conversational situations and passages.
Teaching Method This course is conducted mostly in Japanese. Class hours are spent mainly on oral proficiency development, and written assignments are given for reading and writing proficiency development.
Evaluation Method Class participation and performance, assignments, quizzes, oral and written examinations, and essays
Class Materials (Required) Oka, M. et al. (2022). TOBIRA II: Beginning Japanese. Tokyo: Kuroshio Publishers. ISBN 978-4-87424-900-0.
Class Materials (Suggested) Kodansha's Essential Kanji Dictionary. Tokyo: Kodansha. ISBN 978-1568363974; Endo-Hudson, M. (1994). English Grammar for Students of Japanese. Ann Arbor: The Olivia and Hill Press. ISBN 978-0934034166; Makino, S. & Tsutsui, M. (1989). Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar. Tokyo: The Japan Times. ISBN 978-4789004541.
Overview of class Japanese II (JAPANESE 121-1, 2 and 3), sequel to Japanese I (JAPANESE 111), is a yearlong course that covers the second half of college level elementary Japanese and prepares students for intermediate Japanese (JAPANESE 211). In this course, students will continue developing the four skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing) and learn various aspects of Japanese culture and society through readings, video viewing, written assignments, and in-class activities. The emphasis will be on developing the skills necessary to use auxiliary verbs and complex sentences to express subtle differences in meaning and accuracy appropriate to the given contexts. Students will also practice cohesively describing their experiences and summarizing a story that they heard, read, or watched. Careful and thorough review and preparation for each class session are required. With consistent oral and written feedback from the instructor, students will enhance their language and cultural awareness, leading to increased understanding, appreciation, and utilization of the target language, to become autonomous learners.
Registration Requirements Students must pass the preceding course with C- or above, or must be placed into the course by the departmental placement test.
Learning Objectives The year-end proficiency goal of Japanese II is for the students to reach the Intermediate-Mid level defined by the American Council on Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency guidelines and A2 - B1 defined in the Common European Framework of Reference for Language (CEFR). Upon the satisfactory completion of the course, students will be able to handle various types of more complex daily conversational situations and passages.
Teaching Method This course is conducted mostly in Japanese. Class hours are spent mainly on oral proficiency development, and written assignments are given for reading and writing proficiency development.
Evaluation Method Class participation and performance, assignments, quizzes, oral and written examinations, and essays
Class Materials (Required) Oka, M. et al. (2022). TOBIRA II: Beginning Japanese. Tokyo: Kuroshio Publishers. ISBN 978-4-87424-900-0.
Class Materials (Suggested) Kodansha's Essential Kanji Dictionary. Tokyo: Kodansha. ISBN 978-1568363974; Endo-Hudson, M. (1994). English Grammar for Students of Japanese. Ann Arbor: The Olivia and Hill Press. ISBN 978-0934034166; Makino, S. & Tsutsui, M. (1989). Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar. Tokyo: The Japan Times. ISBN 978-4789004541.
Overview of class Japanese III (JAPANESE 211-1, 2, 3) is a yearlong college-level intermediate course, sequel to Japanese II (JAPANESE 121-1, 2, 3). In Japanese III, students will continue developing the four skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing, and learning various aspects of Japanese culture and society through reading materials, TV dramas, class discussions and an interview project (211-2, 3). A large number of intermediate to advanced-level expressions and Kanji is introduced to expand the depth and the areas that students can express and communicate in Japanese. The formal writing styles are also introduced, and students will learn to distinguish formal/casual speech and writing styles. With consistent oral and written feedback from the instructor, the students will also continue the practice of self-correction in their language use so that they will become independent learners. Students are expected to prepare for each class session through assignments and quizzes. JAPANESE 211-1 aims to finetune grammatical roughness and bring overall proficiency to the Intermediate-Mid level proficiency defined by the American Council on Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency guidelines. JAPANESE 211-2 and -3 aim to bring students’ proficiency to ACTFL’s Intermediate-High level as close as possible.
Registration Requirements Students must pass the preceding course with C- or above, or must be placed into the course by the departmental placement test.
Learning Objectives Upon the successful completion of the year-long course, the students will be able to 1) comfortably and appropriately handle daily situations, 2) describe and narrate daily events and personal experiences in an organized manner, 3) summarize the main points of a short presentation or a story, 4) use casual/formal speech and written styles, 5) attain working knowledge of kanji that are frequently used in media, and 6) communicate with native speakers on familiar topics in informal settings. The students are also expected to 7) deepen their understanding of customs, culture, and social phenomena of contemporary Japan, and 8) learn to study independently.
Teaching Method In-class discussion. Review and preparation for each class session are expected. This course is conducted in Japanese.
Evaluation Method Class participation and performance, assignments, quizzes, oral and written examinations, projects and presentations.
Class Materials (Required) JAPANESE 211-1
Yasui et al. (2019). QUARTET: Intermediate Japanese Across the Four Language Skills, Vol.1 (English Edition). Tokyo: The Japan Times. ISBN: 978-4789016957
Yasui et al. (2019). QUARTET: Intermediate Japanese Across the Four Language Skills, Vol.1, Workbook (English Edition). Tokyo: The Japan Times. ISBN: 978-4789016964
JAPANESE 211-2
Yasui et al. (2019). QUARTET: Intermediate Japanese Across the Four Language Skills, Vol.1 (English Edition). Tokyo: The Japan Times. ISBN: 978-4789016957
Yasui et al. (2020). QUARTET: Intermediate Japanese Across the Four Language Skills, Vol.2 (English Edition). Tokyo: The Japan Times. ISBN:978-4789017459
Yasui et al. (2019). QUARTET: Intermediate Japanese Across the Four Language Skills, Vol.1, Workbook (English Edition). Tokyo: The Japan Times. ISBN: 978-4789016964
Yasui et al. (2020). QUARTET: Intermediate Japanese Across the Four Language Skills, Vol.2, Workbook (English Edition). Tokyo: The Japan Times. ISBN: 978-4789017466
JAPANESE 211-3
Yasui et al. (2020). QUARTET: Intermediate Japanese Across the Four Language Skills, Vol.2 (English Edition). Tokyo: The Japan Times. ISBN:978-4789017459
Yasui et al. (2020). QUARTET: Intermediate Japanese Across the Four Language Skills, Vol.2, Workbook (English Edition). Tokyo: The Japan Times. ISBN: 978-4789017466
Overview of class This is an advanced course in reading and translation of modern Japanese. Its goals are twofold: first, to cultivate advanced reading skills necessary to read authentic literary materials in Japanese, and second, to develop the technical skills and metalinguistic awareness necessary to produce effective English translations. Course readings focus on representations of the city of Tokyo from the early to mid-20th century in a range of prose genres; emphasis is on gaining facility in different literary styles and linguistic registers, and on developing techniques for parsing and translating texts that demand rich contextual knowledge. Primary readings are in Japanese with discussion and theoretical readings in English.
Registration Requirements Students must have completed JAPANESE 211-3 with C- or above, or must be placed into the class by the departmental placement test.
Learning Objectives:
Accurately parse and interpret authentic prose writing from the early to mid-20th century.
Use reference sources for self-learning and independent reading, both for linguistic understanding (grammar references and dictionaries) and historical context (encyclopedias, scholarly works, other research tools).
Analyze and compare different literary styles, linguistic registers, and expressive choices as a basis for literary translation.
Produce translations that reflect not only a literal understanding of linguistic meaning but an awareness of style, register, tone, theme, and other literary or stylistic concerns.
Describe conceptual problems surrounding the translation of cultural texts, and explain how specific translation strategies may address those problems.
Describe the social and cultural associations surrounding different neighborhoods of modern Tokyo.
Teaching Method Lecture, discussion, workshopping of translations
Evaluation Method Attendance, Preparation and Participation, Weekly Translations, Final Presentation, Final Translation Project
Class Materials (Required) All materials will be provided digitally in PDF format.
Overview of class This is ayear-long first-year course designed for beginning learners without previous knowledge in Korean language. The course aims to build students' all-around communicative ability in speaking, reading, listening and writing with a great emphasis on developing the conversational skill. Students will learn various aspects of Korean culture throughout the course.
Registration Requirements None for Fall Quarter Completion of 111-1 or a departmental placement test for Winter Quarter; Completion of 111-2 or a departmental placement test for Spring Quarter
Learning Objectives This course is designed to have students reach their oral proficiency at the Intermediate Low level of the ACTFL guideline by the end of year as well as to achieve the competency in interpersonal, presentational and interpretive communication and culture in conjunction with the National Standards.
Teaching Method Students will learn the basic elements of Korean language such as pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure. In this student-centered class, students will actively participate in speaking, reading, writing and listening activities. Related supplemental materials such as video clips and reading texts will be incorporated to enhance students' listening and reading skills as well as the cultural understanding.
Evaluation Method Grade will be based on attendance and participation, vocabulary quizzes and lesson tests, assignments, oral tests and performance, and final examination.
Class Materials (Required)
Integrated Korean (3rd edition): Beginning 1 & 2 (University of Hawaii Press)
978-0-8248-7619-7 & 978-0-8248-8331-7
Workbook (3rd edition): Beginning 1 & 2 (University of Hawaii Press)
Overview of class This is ayear-long first-year course designed for beginning learners without previous knowledge in Korean language. The course aims to build students' all-around communicative ability in speaking, reading, listening and writing with a great emphasis on developing the conversational skill. Students will learn various aspects of Korean culture throughout the course.
Registration Requirements None for Fall Quarter Completion of 111-1 or a departmental placement test for Winter Quarter; Completion of 111-2 or a departmental placement test for Spring Quarter
Learning Objectives This course is designed to have students reach their oral proficiency at the Intermediate Low level of the ACTFL guideline by the end of year as well as to achieve the competency in interpersonal, presentational and interpretive communication and culture in conjunction with the National Standards.
Teaching Method Students will learn the basic elements of Korean language such as pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure. In this student-centered class, students will actively participate in speaking, reading, writing and listening activities. Related supplemental materials such as video clips and reading texts will be incorporated to enhance students' listening and reading skills as well as the cultural understanding.
Evaluation Method Grade will be based on attendance and participation, vocabulary quizzes and lesson tests, assignments, oral tests and performance, and final examination.
Class Materials (Required)
Integrated Korean (3rd edition): Beginning 1 & 2 (University of Hawaii Press)
978-0-8248-7619-7 & 978-0-8248-8331-7
Workbook (3rd edition): Beginning 1 & 2 (University of Hawaii Press)
Overview of class This is ayear-long first-year course designed for beginning learners without previous knowledge in Korean language. The course aims to build students' all-around communicative ability in speaking, reading, listening and writing with a great emphasis on developing the conversational skill. Students will learn various aspects of Korean culture throughout the course.
Registration Requirements None for Fall Quarter Completion of 111-1 or a departmental placement test for Winter Quarter; Completion of 111-2 or a departmental placement test for Spring Quarter
Learning Objectives This course is designed to have students reach their oral proficiency at the Intermediate Low level of the ACTFL guideline by the end of year as well as to achieve the competency in interpersonal, presentational and interpretive communication and culture in conjunction with the National Standards.
Teaching Method Students will learn the basic elements of Korean language such as pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure. In this student-centered class, students will actively participate in speaking, reading, writing and listening activities. Related supplemental materials such as video clips and reading texts will be incorporated to enhance students' listening and reading skills as well as the cultural understanding.
Evaluation Method Grade will be based on attendance and participation, vocabulary quizzes and lesson tests, assignments, oral tests and performance, and final examination.
Class Materials (Required)
Integrated Korean (3rd edition): Beginning 1 & 2 (University of Hawaii Press)
978-0-8248-7619-7 & 978-0-8248-8331-7
Workbook (3rd edition): Beginning 1 & 2 (University of Hawaii Press)
Overview of class This is a year-long second-year Korean course for continuing students who finished Korean I or who have the equivalent proficiency. The course aims to further develop students' four skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing to the next level and also to bring up the competency of Communication, Comparisons and Cultures in conjunction with the National Standards.
Registration Requirements Completion of 111-3 or the departmental placement test for Fall Quarter; Completion of 121-1 or a departmental placement test for Winter Quarter; Completion of 121-2 or a departmental placement test for Spring Quarter
Learning Objectives This course is designed to have students reach their oral proficiency at the Intermediate Mid level of the ACTFL guideline by the end of year as well as to achieve the competency in interpersonal, presentational and interpretive communication and culture in conjunction with the National Standards.
Teaching Method Various communicative activities will be employed to develop the interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational skills. Also, authentic reading, writing, and visual materials that cover a wide spectrum of socio-cultural and academic themes will be provided to enhance student’s overall competency and cultural understanding.
Evaluation Method Grades will be given based on attendance and class participation, vocabulary quizzes, lesson tests, assignments, oral test and performance, and final examination.
Class Materials (Required) Integrated Korean (3rd edition): Intermediate 1 & 2 (University of Hawaii Press)
978-0-8248-8677-6 & 978-0-8248-8682-0 Workbook (3rd edition) : Intermediate 1 & (University of Hawaii Press)
Overview of class This is a year-long second-year Korean course for continuing students who finished Korean I or who have the equivalent proficiency. The course aims to further develop students' four skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing to the next level and also to bring up the competency of Communication, Comparisons and Cultures in conjunction with the National Standards.
Registration Requirements Completion of 111-3 or the departmental placement test for Fall Quarter; Completion of 121-1 or a departmental placement test for Winter Quarter; Completion of 121-2 or a departmental placement test for Spring Quarter
Learning Objectives This course is designed to have students reach their oral proficiency at the Intermediate Mid level of the ACTFL guideline by the end of year as well as to achieve the competency in interpersonal, presentational and interpretive communication and culture in conjunction with the National Standards.
Teaching Method Various communicative activities will be employed to develop the interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational skills. Also, authentic reading, writing, and visual materials that cover a wide spectrum of socio-cultural and academic themes will be provided to enhance student’s overall competency and cultural understanding.
Evaluation Method Grades will be given based on attendance and class participation, vocabulary quizzes, lesson tests, assignments, oral test and performance, and final examination.
Class Materials (Required) Integrated Korean (3rd edition): Intermediate 1 & 2 (University of Hawaii Press)
978-0-8248-8677-6 & 978-0-8248-8682-0 Workbook (3rd edition) : Intermediate 1 & (University of Hawaii Press)
Overview of class This is a two-quarter-long second-year Accelerated Korean course designed for Korean heritage students with basic oral proficiency and literacy skills. The objectives of this class are to reinforce the aspects that heritage students are usually weak - - vocabulary, spelling and grammatical aspects - - and to enhance their reading and writing skills for a balanced proficiency in four language domains.
Registration Requirements A departmental placement test for Fall Quarter Completion of 125-1 or a departmental placement test for Winter Quarter
Learning Objectives This course is designed to have students reach their oral proficiency at the Intermediate High level of the ACTFL guideline by the end of year as well as to achieve the competency in interpersonal, presentational and interpretive communication and culture in conjunction with the National Standards.
Teaching Method This class is conducted exclusively in Korean with minimal grammar instruction. Students will be doing extensive writing practice, reading authentic materials, class discussion, and learning various cultural aspects of Korea.
Evaluation Method Grades will be given based on attendance and performance, vocabulary quizzes and lesson tests, assignments, written assignments, oral performance, and final examination.
Class Materials (Required) Integrated Korean: Accelerated 1 & 2 (University of Hawaii Press, 2020)
978-0-8248-8277-8 & 978-0-8248-8278-5 Integrated Korean Workbook: Accelerated 1 & 2 (University of Hawaii Press, 2020)
Overview of class This is a year-long third-year course designed to further develop students’ linguistic and cultural ability, particularly to enhance the overall communicative skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing to the Intermediate-Advanced level. The vocabulary, contents, tasks, and topics covered in class are to address a wide spectrum of linguistic and socio-cultural aspects. Students will gain in-depth knowledge and understanding of Korean language, culture and society.
Registration Requirements Completion of 121-3, 125-2 or the departmental placement test for Fall Quarter; Completion of 211-1 or a departmental placement test for Winter Quarter; Completion of 211-2 or a departmental placement test for Spring Quarter
Learning Objectives This course is designed to have students reach their oral proficiency at the Advanced Low level of the ACTFL guideline by the end of year as well as to develop the competency in interpersonal, presentational and interpretive communication and culture in conjunction with the National Standards.
Teaching Method Various communicative activities will be employed with the emphasis on developing three modes of communication in advanced proficiency: Interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational communication. Related authentic and cultural materials will be incorporated to enhance intercultural competence.
Evaluation Method Grades will be given based on attendance and class participation, vocabulary quizzes, lesson tests, assignments, essays, oral performance, and final project.
Class Materials (Required) Sogang Korean 4A & 4B Students’ Book (2015) Sogang University
978-89-92491-84-6 18710 and 978-89-92491-88-4 18710
Sogang Korean 4A & 4B Workbook (2015) Sogang University
978-89-92491-92-1 13710 and 978-89-92491-91-4 13710
