Welcome the new year at JASO's annual Shinnenkai, presented by SakéOne! Taste authentic food and drink, engage in fun activities, and celebrate with friends old and new! Register soon - this event sells out!
２０２５年のスタートを皆さまの更なるご活躍を祈念し、１月１6日（木）に オレゴン日米協会新年会をビーバートンにあります「The Reser」にて開催いたします。新年のご挨拶の場として、多くの皆様にご参加いただけますと幸いです。
We're excited to be hosting in Beaverton at the beautiful building "The Reser".
Event Details Date: January 16th, 2025 Time: 6PM to 9PM Place: The Reser, 12625 SW Crescent Street, Beaverton, OR 97005
Authentic Japanese Food & Drink Ozoni & Mini Osechi by Ikoi No Kai Yoshi PDX Sushi Saké tasting by SakéOne Asahi Super Dry Beer Ice Cream Tasting by Chanomi
Entertainment, Activities & More Performance by Takohachi Fukubukuro (Lucky Bags) New Year Postcard Making by Stonelake School
Cancellation Policy: tickets are non-refundable
チケットをご購入後に払い戻しはしておりませんので 、何卒ご了承くださいます様よろしくお願い申し上げます。
If you are an adult and work with Japanese colleagues or you’re planning a future trip to Japan for business, our group Japanese Language Classes for Business on Zoom will help.
We cover business situations even at the beginner levels, but also conversation after work and getting to know each other.
Our Philosophy: Class is 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! More advanced levels may include a presentation element.
Class study at JASO is a benefit of membership, so 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-minute classes (10 hrs contact time)
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 Tuesday January 21, Week 8 finishes Friday March 14, with the 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.
We make every effort to ensure you are placed correctly and we will check on new students. We do reserve the right to move you after first class. We also want you to talk to us if you think you need to move.
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 (beginner and improver levels only), welcome letter, meeting codes to enter class, and class preparation. For some higher-level courses, you are required to purchase a textbook separately.
Find a quiet space for class, so as not to disrupt others.
You are always expected to prepare for class in advance. Instructors place class preparation notes in Dropbox several days prior to class. You will receive notification from Dropbox when materials are placed there – you’ll need to set up your Notifications, so keep checking anyway.
Our Levels Structure
Beginner level classes are for students who are new to Japanese, or have only a little self- or class-based study. Plan to start at Beginner 1 even if Beginner 2 or 3 seems more suitable. If you do NOT have a reasonable understanding of the ーて verb form, do NOT sign up for Beginner 6 or beyond.
Improver classes are for those that have studied the basics, and sometimes more advanced Japanese, for a reasonable period of time (often some time ago!). Students have (or quickly re-gain) a comfort with a range of tense use and verb conjugations, but need step-by-step progression to learn, or re-learn these using textbooks.
Intermediate classes are for those who understand and are comfortable using a range of conjugations, and are working on longer, more complex explanations and discussion. Often at approximate JLPT N3 level.
Choose your level by signing up. If you’re new, we’ll contact you to check your level before class starts.
Our Classes
Beginner 1
Instructor: Kayo Niimi Day & Time: Wednesday 5:30-6:45pm
Description: Students will be introduced to concepts around working at a Japanese company including introductions, 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. Textbook provided.
Beginner 2
Instructor: Rieko Shimada Day & Time: Wednesday 5:30-6:45pm
Students should have completed Beginner 1. Textbook provided.
Beginner 3
Instructor: Kana Ito Day & Time: Thursday 5:30-6:45pm
Students should have completed Beginner 2. Textbook provided.
Beginner 4
Instructor: Tetsuko Sugawara Day & Time: Wednesday 7:30-8:45pm
Students should have completed Beginner 3. Textbook provided.
Beginner 6
Instructor: Shoko Parker Day & Time: Thursday 5:30-6:45pm
If you have a solid understanding of hiragana and katakana, and a good grasp of basics such as numbers, time, directions, greetings, and adjectives, plus present and past tenses, and starting knowledge of -て verb form, this is a good place to enter the course. Ideally, students should have completed Beginner 5. Textbook provided.
Intermediate
Instructor: Tetsuko Sugawara Day & Time: Wednesday 6-7:15pm
This class uses the textbook Marugoto Intermediate Book 1 (B1). Students must purchase the course text in advance. Students can purchase the online version through Kindle or Google Play, or the hard copy at Amazon HERE. Additional audio and other materials available HERE.
Our teachers are highly qualified and experienced language teaching professionals. You can read about them HERE.
Refund Policy Course will run with minimum 4 students signing up. If course does not run, 100% of fees refunded. Cancellation after January 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 to take this into consideration. We do not give refunds because “work became busy”.
Join us as we open up our textbooks and practice Japanese together in conversation. Ito-sensei is a well-qualified, experienced Japanese language instructor. This class is in-person, in downtown Portland. 8 weeks, 75-minute classes on Tuesdays from 5:30-6:45pm. First class January 21.
Class TV1 is for absolute beginners (or those with a little self-study only). You have not had the opportunity to speak out loud or practice any study with others or a teacher. You don't recognize the hiragana or katakana alphabets.
We will study Chapters 1 & 2 of the Genki 1 - 3rd edition textbook and workbook.
Note: additional costs - JASO Membership (from $33/yr) https://jaso.org/individual-membership, Genki 1 3rd edition textbook and workbook (around $65). You must purchase membership AND textbook AND workbook in advance of first class.
Refund Policy
Course will run with minimum 4 students signing up. If course does not run, 100% of fees refunded. Cancellation after January 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.
Join us and let's study and practice Japanese together in conversation, led by Hiromi Lathrop. Hiromi is a qualified Japanese language instructor with over 11 years teaching experience. These classes are in-person, in downtown Salem.
We will study Chapters 1 & 2 of the Genki 1 - 3rd edition textbook and workbook. Wednesdays 7-8:15pm.
Class TV2 is for improving beginners - for those who studied last term, or who have a solid understanding, recognition and recall hiragana and katakana. You have probably done some study in a group setting before, or perhaps significant self-study, but aren't able to express a range of basic structures without support. Note this class is not for ABSOLUTE beginners. To reiterate, you should be able to recognize hiragana and many katakana characters (albeit not perfectly) BEFORE class starts. If you're not sure, then your should definitely choose TV1.
We will study Chapters 3 & 4 of Genki 1 textbook. Wednesdays 5:30 - 6:45pm.
Japan-America Society of Oregon503.552.8811 | info@jaso.org | 900 SW Fifth Avenue, Suite #1810, Portland, Oregon 97204 © 2024 Japan-America Society of Oregon
