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Unit outline_

JPNS3611: Japanese 5

Semester 1, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This unit aims to develop students' speaking, writing and reading skills for the intermediate level of Japanese, so that they are able to use Japanese in a variety of situations. Students will be expected to achieve the following linguistic skills: switch to appropriate speech style in formal and informal situations; express opinions and thoughts; write about 350 kanji and recognise at least 600 kanji. Writing and reading practice will consolidate grammatical, lexical and cultural knowledge.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Japanese Studies
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
JPNS2612 or HSC continuers 70 and above or HSC extension less than 75
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
HSC Japanese extension more than 70
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Yoko Yonezawa, yoko.yonezawa@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Yoko Yonezawa, yoko.yonezawa@sydney.edu.au
Matthew Stavros, matthew.stavros@sydney.edu.au
The census date for this unit availability is 2 April 2024
Type Description Weight Due Length
Supervised exam
? 
Final exam
Formal, written exam on Lessons 1-5
35% Formal exam period 2 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO6 LO4 LO3
Participation Class participation & preparation quiz
Preparation quizzes before each week. Be well-prepared for each class.
10% Ongoing Not applicable
Outcomes assessed: LO6 LO7
Small test Mid-semester review task
In-class test
20% Week 07
Due date: 04 Apr 2023 at 23:59

Closing date: 04 Apr 2023
Equivalent to 1000wds
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO6 LO4 LO3 LO2
Presentation Communication task
Group draft script for Communication presentation
5% Week 08 Equivalent to 200wds
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO7 LO5 LO3
Online task Listening test
Listening test on Lessons 1-5 in Week 13
10% Week 13 Equivalent to 500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO3 LO6 LO5
Presentation Communication presentation
Group role play in Week 13
15% Week 13 Equivalent to 800 words
Outcomes assessed: LO3 LO7 LO5
Online task Online quizzes
Post-lesson online quizzes
5% Weekly Equivalent to 200wds
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO6 LO5 LO2

Assessment summary

Appropriate adjustments will be made to any assessment task that a student cannot complete due to travel bans or quarantine requirements.
 

  • Class participation
    Make sure to prepare every week: read the material assigned, complete worksheets and online activities (including the pre-lesson online quizzes), and learn new vocabulary and kanji. Be ready to participate actively in class. If you participate on zoom, it is the coordinator’s preference that all students turn ON their cameras.
     
  • Online quizzes
    Complete all online quizzes by the time assigned. Post-lesson quizzes are for your revision.

 

  • In-semester test
    Prepare by revising material learnt in Lessons 1–3 of our textbook in addition, of course, to assumed knowledge on the basis of pre-requisites for this unit.
    You will be asked questions on:
    - a modfied version of one 'seen' reading passage (testing grammar);
    - one 'unseen' reading passages (testing grammar and comprehension);
    - writing and grammar, for example: writing/re-writing using correct grammar points; fill-in-the-blank style questions within an unseen passage; kanji questions.

 

  • Communication task
    You will need to sign up to work with a partner(s). You will work as a team to develop a role-play in preparation for your Communication presentation (i.e., speaking test).
    You will be given a choice of topics and will select your topic as a team and will work together to write a draft script for a role-play on that topic.
     
  • Communication presentation (Speaking test)
    Your team will perform your role-play in class or via Zoom.
    After your team has performed your role-play, your teacher will ask some questions in Japanese to each of you, based on your presentation.
     
  • Listening exam
    You will listen to recorded conversations that you have not heard or seen before, of a similar level of difficulty to the conversation and listening texts in Lessons 1-5 in our textbook. They will be on familiar themes from Lessons 1 to 5, and will contain familiar grammar and vocabulary. All questions are multiple-choice.
     
  • Final exam
    Prepare by revising material learnt in Lessons 1–5 of our textbook in addition, of course, to assumed knowledge on the basis of pre-requisites for this unit.
    You will be asked questions on:
    - a modfied version of one 'seen' reading passage (testing grammar);
    - one or two 'unseen' reading passages (testing grammar and comprehension);
    - writing and grammar, for example: writing/re-writing using correct grammar points; fill-in-the-blank style questions within an unseen passage; kanji questions.


Detailed information for each assessment, along with grading criteria, can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

Work that meets the learning outcomes of the unit to an exceptional standard

Distinction

75 - 84

Work that meets the learning outcomes of the unit to a very high standard

Credit

65 - 74

Work that meets the learning outcomes of the unit to a good standard

Pass

50 - 64

Work that meets the learning outcomes of the unit to an acceptable standard

Fail

0 - 49

Work that does not meet the learning outcomes of the unit to an acceptable standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

The Assessment Procedures 2011 provide that any written work submitted after the due date will be penalised by 5% of the maximum awardable mark for each calendar day after the due date. If the assessment is submitted more than ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded. Note that in the Intensive July iteration of this course, in some cases it may not be possible to accept late assignments. Please make sure to keep an open line of commutation with your tutor/coordinator.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Weekly Grammar Lesson x1; Reading Lesson x 1; Communication Lesson x 1 Tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7

Attendance and class requirements

  • Students are expected to attend all scheduled sessions and participate actively.
  • Pre-lesson quizzes are to be done before coming to class.
  • Zoom classes in this unit may be recorded and made available to students but students should not rely on the recorded lectures/tutorials as a substitute for attending classes.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

1. Textbook

Tobira: Gateway to Advanced Japanese (上級へのとびら): Learning through Content and Multimedia. Edited by Mayumi Oka. Kuroshio Publishers.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. Acquire approx.180 new kanji (In addition, 350 kanji already learned at the beginner level are treated as assumed knowledge and students need to read and write them fluently).
  • LO2. Use available resources (including dictionaries and grammar guides) well enough to understand basic meaning of non-specialized texts without relying on teacher support
  • LO3. Deepen and extend understanding and use of grammatical forms and expressions to intermediate level
  • LO4. Develop strategies for reading and understanding detailed and subtle meanings in non-specialized texts
  • LO5. Express yourself using contextually and culturally appropriate Japanese and understand others in context with an intermediate degree of proficiency
  • LO6. Be an independent learner who takes responsibility for your own learning
  • LO7. Work respectfully and effectively in teams and other collaborative contexts

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Thanks to some helpful suggestions from the previous cohort, we will start using a new textbook this semester! We also made changes to the organisation of the website this semester, to ensure you know just what you are expected to do, and when. Hope that's helpful! :-)

More information about this unit can be found on Canvas. Make sure to check the learning modules, announcements and other pages to be sure you know exactly what to do each day. 

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.