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 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, more advanced 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.
Maximum 10 students. Minimum 4 needed for class to run.
Classes held online through Zoom or Google Meet (Teacher’s choice).
Week 1 starts from Monday September 20, Week 8 finishes Friday November 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, the instructor will not pause, halt or interrupt class in a way that overly impacts other students.
Process
Sign-up online. Select your class. 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 information and return.
We communicate using Dropbox. Once assigned to a class, you’ll receive notification that you are added to this class Dropbox folder. Inside this folder is course textbook (if used), welcome letter, and class preparation. For some courses, you may be required to purchase a textbook separately.
Your teacher will inform you 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
Instructor: Nanami Riedel
Day: Thursdays
Start Time: 7 – 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, pronunciation, and the building blocks of starting to speak. Students are expected to have very little knowledge of the language. Students use Beginning Japanese for Professionals Book 1. Lessons 0-1. All materials are provided.
Beginner 4
Instructor: Shoko Parker
Day: Mondays
Time: 5:30 – 6:45pm
Description: Students will continue to study concepts around working at a Japanese company – including a variety of situational cultural expressions and language, and the building blocks of starting to speak. Students will use both Beginning Japanese for Professionals Book 2. Lessons 5-6. All materials provided.
Improver 3
Instructor: Shoko Parker
Day: Mondays
Time: 7 – 8:15pm
Description: Students have completed the Japanese Language for Professionals series. Students 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 15-16), plus supplementary review, expansion, and short reading materials provided by the teacher. Materials will be provided. Students should purchase the course text in advance.
Improver 4
Instructor: Tetsuko Sugawara
Day: Wednesdays
Time: 6:30 – 7:45pm
Description: Students who attend can recognize and use basic verb forms - past, present continuous, –te form, potential form, passive form, and modals (can, should, must, don’t have to, and so on) as well as polite expressions; and are more advanced than the Improver 3 class. This class will use the textbook Basic Japanese for Expats Book 2 (Lesson 17-18), plus supplementary review, expansion, and short reading materials provided by the teacher. Materials will be provided. Students should purchase the course text in advance.
Intermediate
Instructor: Ikuyo Suzuki
Day: Mondays
Time: 6:30-7:45pm
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. All materials provided.
Instructors
Nanami Riedel has taught Japanese culture and language courses for several years at Concordia University after receiving an MA in Teaching English as a Second Language. 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. She lives in Portland. 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. She lives in Portland. Parker-sensei teaches Beginner 4 and Improver 3.
Tetsuko Sugawara is from Hokkaido, Japan. After working for an IT company in Tokyo, she changed careers to become a Japanese language teacher. She earned her Masters degree in Japanese from Portland State University, and has just returned to Japan to teach, where she joins us remotely to teach this class live every week! Sugawara-sensei splits her time between Tokyo and Sapporo, and teaches Improver 4.
Ikuyo Suzuki recently retired as a Japanese instructor who earned her Education Specialist in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Idaho. She is extremely well-qualified and experienced, and has received several awards for her teaching excellence. She has published widely, and is active regionally in the language teaching community. She currently lives in Moscow, ID. Suzuki-sensei teaches Intermediate level.
Refund Policy
Course will run with minimum 4 students signing up. If course does not run, 100% of fees refunded. Cancellation after September 15, 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”.
