We are pleased to announce our Winter Term courses in Japanese Language for Business Purposes from mid-January.
All courses:
● Are 8 weeks long
● Are 90-minutes long
● Use the immersion method – Japanese language only through the entire class period
● Require your preparation for the planned class prior to the actual lesson – up to 2 hours
● Are an intense learning experience
● Focus on business language, business situations, and building business relationships through small talk and conversation
● Are speaking and listening-focused (reading and writing can be done at home)
● Require your significant commitment in order to succeed
Business Japanese for Beginners 101
6:15-7:45pm, Fridays January 24 – March 13 (March 20 in case of emergency need)
This course provides participants with an opportunity to start to create Japanese-language oral communication skills.
With commitment, participants will be able to understand and exhibit culturally-appropriate basic Japanese business behaviors and gain confidence interacting with Japanese business people.
Participants will practice greetings and ritual expressions; introducing themselves; and talking about daily activities and schedules.
Expectations:
Commit 8 weeks of study.
No prior Japanese language skills required; this course is for beginners.
Be ready to study and participate at the class.
Class preparation each week will take approximately 2 hours, and include listening to audio files, reading and learning grammar structures and vocabulary.
Textbook provided and supplemented with teacher’s own materials, no additional fees.
Business Japanese for Beginners 105
7pm – 8:30pm, Mondays January 27 – March 23 (February 17 class not held) (March 30 in case of emergency need)
This course focuses on oral communication in a culturally-appropriate manner, with an emphasis on pronunciation.
With commitment, participants will become more confident speaking Japanese, and will practice common office expressions.
Expectations:
Commit 8 weeks of study.
As a prerequisite you should be able to use greetings and ritual expressions, introduce yourself, and talk about daily activities and schedules.
Class preparation each week will take approximately 2 hours, and include listening to audio files, reading and learning grammar structures and vocabulary.
Textbook provided and supplemented with teacher’s own materials, no additional fees.
Business Japanese for Beginners 202 - THIS CLASS IS NOW FULL, AND NOT ACCEPTING FURTHER SIGN-UPS
6:15pm – 7:45pm, Mondays January 27 – March 23 (February 17 class not held) (March 30 in case of emergency need)
The course focuses on oral communication in a culturally-appropriate manner, with an emphasis on pronunciation.
After taking this 8-week course and with sufficient effort, participants will become more confident speaking Japanese.
Participants will review comparisons of two or more items, the use of ‘te-form’ and “plain form” in noun modification sentences, and will practice ritual office expressions, expanding the use of ‘te-form’, conversation with potential form and the expressions for requests, permission and necessities.
Expectations:
Commit 8 weeks of study.
Class preparation each week will take approximately 2 hours, and include listening to audio files, reading and learning grammar structures and vocabulary.
Textbook provided and supplemented with teacher’s own materials, no additional fees.
Intermediate Business Japanese 402
7:15pm – 8:45pm, Tuesdays January 21 – March 10 (March 17 in case of emergency need)
The course focuses on oral communication with an emphasis on topic discussion and giving presentations in a culturally-appropriate manner.
With commitment, participants will become more confident speaking Japanese and proficiently expressing your thoughts and ideas.
Expectations:
You must be able to hold a reasonable conversation.
Students should recognize and pronounce hiragana, katakana, and a minimum 500 kanji, and know how to look up unknown Kanji.
Students must have significant history and study of the language.
Class preparation each week will take approximately 2 hours (sometimes longer), and include reading a contemporary current affairs or business passage; talking for one minute on something topical and answering and asking questions; preparing and giving a term-end presentation in class.
No textbook used. Teacher supplies materials.
Returning students have read:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/03/world/asia/single-japan-japanese.html
https://blog.btrax.com/jp/us-work
https://toyokeizai.net/articles/-/275706
Note: students are given kanji/hiragana sheets to help
Instructors
Narumi Iwasaki has taught Japanese language at PSU since 2016, and holds an MA in Literature and a BA in Law. Narumi has more than 5 years business experience in public sector sales, and became involved in union activities. Narumi teaches 101 and 105.
Natsuko Llewellyn has taught the Japanese language for 10 years in both Japan and the US including business Japanese at the Yamasa Institute; and has worked in business in both Kobe and Nagoya. Natsuko is currently completing her MA in Japanese at PSU. She holds certificates in teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language, English as a Foreign Language, and a BA in European and American Studies from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. Natsuko teaches 202.
Ryoko Yamazaki holds a Master of Japanese Applied Linguistics from Waseda University, an MEd from PSU, and a BA in Literature also from Waseda. She has taught Japanese language at Waseda and Sumida International Learning Center in Tokyo, and Portland Japanese School and Lakeridge High School in Oregon. Ryoko teaches 402.
Fees
New Students: Members - pay by January 8, $330; pay January 9 - 17, $380
Non-Members - pay $500.
Returning Students pay $300 if by January 8. $380 after.
Location
Classes will be held at 221 NW 2nd Ave, conference rooms, Portland, OR 97209
Sign Up: Now open.
Course Placement
Students are sometimes unsure which class is the right fit. After you sign up, we send an Evaluation Survey to new students to help us place. We also give you the option of attending 2 classes during Week 1 (be careful, this means you have to do 2 sets of preparation – around 4 hours total)
Refund Policy
Course will run with minimum 4 students signing up. If course does not run, 100% of fees refunded. Cancellation after January 17, no refund if your cancellation causes numbers to drop below 4 in total. 50% refund otherwise, until first class completed. Refund processed after classes start. We will communicate with you as sign-up windows close regarding number of sign-ups.
We understand business people sometimes have work commitments that cause them to miss class. Many students end up missing 1 or 2 classes because of work commitments. We price these classes affordably in order to take this into consideration. We do not give refunds because “work became busy”.
