21G.503 | Fall 2019 | Undergraduate

Japanese III

Instructor Insights

Instructor Insights

"When I first taught Japanese, I found a great gem and since then, I’ve been very passionate about language teaching."
— Takako Aikawa

 

In the following dual language videos, which were recorded in 2016, Senior Lecturer Takako Aikawa describes various aspects of how she teaches 21G.503 Japanese III.

View in English:

View in Japanese:

Curriculum Information

Prerequisites

This course is the third part of a six-course sequence. The sequence continues in 21G.504 Japanese IV. The first course in the sequence is 21G.501 Japanese I. The second course in the sequence is 21G.502 Japanese II.

Requirements Satisfied

GIR

Offered

Every fall semester

Assessment

Grade Breakdown

The students’ grades were based on the following activities:

  • 10% Daily grade
  • 50% Quizzes (lesson, vocabulary, dictation & Kanji)
  • 20% Interview tests (2) and one-hour exam
  • 15% Homework
  • 5% Projects

Instructor Insights on Assessment

Takako Aikawa shares her insights about assessing student learning through a daily grading system and interviews.

Student Information

Enrollment

39 students

Breakdown by Year

Mostly undergraduates

Breakdown by Major

Mostly electrical engineering and computer science

Typical Student Background

Many students are motivated to learn Japanese because of their interest in anime and Japanese games.

Enrollment Cap

21G.503 has several sections, each capped at 16 students to ensure that participants have adequate language development support from instructors.

How Student Time Was Spent

During an average week, students were expected to spend 12 hours on the course, roughly divided as follows:

In Class

  • Met 4 times per week for 50 minutes per session; 53 sessions total.
  • Class activities included grammar lessons, drills, readings, dialogues, dictation, and quizzes.
  • Students were given a daily grade based on their performance in class.

Out of Class

Course Info

Learning Resource Types
Exams
Instructor Insights
Written Assignments