If you are connected to Japanese colleagues locally, or planning a future trip to Japan for business, JASO’s Japanese Language Classes may be right for you. We cover business situations even at the beginner levels, but also conversation for after work and getting to know each other. At more advanced levels we study articles on current affairs and hot topics in Japan.
Our Philosophy: Our classes are intense! We’re busy working professionals and come to class to study. We use the immersion method – don’t expect to hear much English once class has started. We’re not a school or college, where the student expectation is to show up, then start learning. We demand that you learn by preparing for class beforehand, then we practice and expand in the classroom setting. Then review again at home. Expect up to 2 hours preparation each week! Also, most levels include a presentation element.
You or your company must be a current JASO member to participate. All membership details at www.jaso.org.
Group Class Information
Small group classes run 8 weeks total, 75 minutes per class. 10 hours total instruction.
Maximum 8 students. Minimum 4 needed for class to run.
Classes held online through Zoom or Google Meet (Teacher’s choice).
Week 1 starts from Tuesday January 19, Week 8 through Friday March 12, with following week in case emergency make-up needed due to unavoidable teacher cancellation.
It is the student’s responsibility to use an up-to-date operating system, camera, headphones and microphone to ensure you can engage effectively and responsibly in the classroom.
Quality connectivity is also the student’s responsibility, not the instructor’s. The instructor will try to make a reasonable effort in case of a student’s connectivity trouble. However, she will not pause, halt or interrupt class in a way that overly impacts other students.
Process
Sign-up online. If you participated in Fall 2020, choose "Returning Member". If you're new to our classes, choose "New Member". If you have studied with us before, but not in the fall, choose "Back-After-A-Break Member". Select your class level. Pay the fee.
New students only will receive a survey that ensures we place you correctly. We CANNOT move students this term if the actual correct class is full. Complete the survey and return.
You’ll receive notification that you are added to your class Dropbox folder. Inside this folder is course text (if used), welcome letter, and class preparation. For some courses, you may be required to purchase a textbook separately.
Your teacher will inform you each week of any meeting codes or passwords to enter the classroom. Please do your best to find a quiet space for class, so as not to disrupt others.
You are always expected to prepare for class in advance. Instructors will use Dropbox to place class preparation notes several days prior to class. You should receive notification from Dropbox when materials are placed there, but check anyway.
Classes
Beginner 1 - 1 seat remaining
Instructor: Nanami Riedel
Day: Monday
Start Time: 7:00pm to 8:15pm
Description: Students will be introduced to concepts around working at a Japanese company – including introductions, a variety of basic situational cultural expressions and language, and the building blocks of starting to speak. Students are expected to have very little knowledge of the language. Materials provided.
Beginner 2 - 4 seats remaining
Instructor: Shoko Parker
Day: Thursday
Start Time: 5:30pm to 6:45pm
Description: This class is primarily aimed at students who have completed Beginner 1. Students will continue study of concepts around working at a Japanese company – including a variety of basic situational cultural expressions and language, and the building blocks of starting to speak. Students are expected to have very little knowledge of the language. Materials provided.
Improver 1 - 1 seat remaining
Instructor: Shoko Parker
Day: Thursday
Time: 7:00pm to 8:15pm
Description: This class follows from last term’s Beginner 7. Students who attend can recognize and use basic verb forms - past, present continuous, present perfect, –te form, and modals ( can, should, must, don’t have to, and so on). This class will use the new textbook Basic Japanese for Expats Book 2, (start from Lesson 11) plus supplementary review, expansion, and reading materials provided by the teacher. Materials will be provided. However, students are highly encouraged to purchase the course text in advance.
Improver 5 - 1 seat remaining
Instructor: Natsuko Llewellyn
Day: Monday
Time: 6:00pm to 7:15pm
Description: This class follows from last term’s Improver 4. Students who attend can recognize and use basic verb forms - past, present continuous, present perfect, –te form, and modals ( can, should, must, don’t have to, and so on). This class will use the textbook Basic Japanese for Expats Book 2 (Lesson 15-18), plus supplementary review, expansion, and reading materials provided by the teacher. Materials will be provided. However, students are highly encouraged to purchase the course text in advance.
Intermediate - 1 seat remaining
Instructor: Ryoko Yamazaki
Day: Thursday
Time: 6:00pm to 7:15pm
Description: This class uses an article on news/culture plus audio material each term. Students are expected to be able to verbally express ideas in a variety of tenses, strive for more complex sentence structures, and know a minimum of 500+ kanji. The class aims to enhance your understanding of more complex grammar and vocabulary, while also working on accuracy in an encouraging environment. Materials provided.
Advanced - 4 seats remaining
Instructor: Emiko Konomi
Day: Thursday
Time: 6:15pm to 7:30pm
Description: This course aims to expand oral and written communication strategies in order to develop self-monitoring skills and instill cultural fluency. The course is organized around a selected set of cross-genre authentic Japanese writings. Students will be guided to view at communication from a Japanese mind-set. Particular grammatical issues are reviewed as necessary. Materials provided.
Instructors
Nanami Riedel taught Japanese culture and language courses for several years after receiving an MA in Teaching English as a Second Language from Concordia University. After working as a translator and interpreter in Okinawa, she developed a passion for teaching to all ages and loves introducing students to cultural aspects of Japan. Riedel-sensei teaches Beginner 1.
Shoko Parker has taught Japanese language and culture at a public middle and high schools since 2003. She grew up in southern Kumamoto prefecture and went to a sister college of Portland Community College in Nagasaki. She earned a Master of Education and Special Education at Portland State University, and is certified as a reading specialist for various learners. Parker-sensei teaches Beginner 2 and Improver 1.
Natsuko Llewellyn has taught the Japanese language for more than 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. Llewellyn-sensei teaches Improver 5.
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. Yamazaki-sensei teaches Intermediate level.
Emiko Konomi received a Ph.D. in Linguistics from Cornell University and was on the faculty of the School of Business Administration at Portland State University, the University of California, Santa Cruz and Williams College, Williamstown, MA. She is the author of Beginning Japanese for Professionals and Pre-Advanced Japanese, for PDX Open, and Easy Japanese, Reading and Writing Japanese Hiragana and Katakana, for Tuttle Publishing Co. Konomi-sensei teaches the Advanced course.
Refund Policy
Course will run with minimum 4 students signing up. If course does not run, 100% of fees refunded. Cancellation after January 13, no refund if your cancellation causes numbers to drop below 4 in total. 50% refund otherwise. 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”.
