Japanese 4 is a higher intermediate Japanese language course that builds on the foundation established in Japanese 3. This course aims to further enhance students' proficiency in modern spoken Japanese while fostering the development of essential linguistic skills at the intermediate level, with a focus on progressing toward a more advanced stage. Reading and writing skills are also addressed to support the improvement of speaking and listening abilities. The course introduces students to authentic Japanese media resources, enabling them to engage more effectively with real-world language use. Through a series of themes related to historical and contemporary Japan, the course promotes practical communicative abilities and introduces key communication strategies essential for public speaking and in-depth conversations, thereby strengthening overall language proficiency. Additionally, the activities and tasks are designed to encourage students to engage critically with the content, further developing their critical thinking skills.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Use a range of intermediate-level grammatical structures accurately and spontaneously in spoken and written Japanese.
2. Comprehend and interact with authentic Japanese media with the aid of dictionaries and other resources.
3. Communicate in Japanese in a culturally sensitive and appropriate manner.
4. Critically analyse information, taking different cultural and societal conditions into consideration and reflecting on cultural values.
5. Present complex ideas in Japanese and communicate them effectively to an audience.

Required Resources

1) Main Textbook: TOBIRA: Gateway to Advanced Japanese Learning Through Content and Multimedia

Author: Mayumi Oka, Michio Tsutsui, Junko Kondo, Shoko Emori, Yoshiro Hanai and Satoru Ishikawa

Publisher: Kurosio Publishers

Edition: 4th Edition, 2012

ISBN: 978-4-87424-447-0 C0081

Textbook Website Link:

http://tobira.9640.jp/xoops/modules/pico_guest/index.php?content_id=1

TOBIRA is a groundbreaking intermediate-level Japanese textbook designed to develop the four language skills through the study of a variety of different topics from Japanese geography and history to pop culture. TOBIRA promotes language learning through the use of multimedia materials and establishes a support system via the Internet so that learners outside Japan have access to a Japanese language environment.

2) Grammar Work Book:

TOBIRA: Grammar Power: Exercises for Mastery

Author: Mayumi Oka, Michio Tsutsui, Junko Kondo, Shoko Emori, Yoshiro Hanai and Satoru Ishikawa

Publisher: Kurosio Publishers

Edition: 2nd 2012

ISBN: 9784874245705 C0081

This is the grammar workbook that accompanies the Tobira Textbook and is a required text.

Website Link:

http://tobira.9640.jp/xoops/modules/pico_guest/index.php?content_id=1

Grammar Power: Exercises for Mastery provides a variety of exercises to help learners master the grammar introduced in Tobira: Gateway to Advanced Japanese. Grammar Power focuses on the items in Tobira that are considered essential for learners of Intermediate Japanese: mandatory items are marked by white numbers within black circles and highly recommended items are marked with numbers in grey circles in Tobira’s grammar notes. Each chapter contains three sections: Kiso (Learning the basic skills), Ooyoo (Applying your skills), and Hatten (Expanding your skills). By working on the exercises in each section in this order, learners acquire the targeted grammar skills step by step.

3) Kanji Book:

TOBIRA: Power Up Your KANJI: 800 Basic KANJI as a Gateway to Advanced Japanese

Author: Mayumi Oka, Michio Tsutsui, Junko Kondo, Shoko Emori, Yoshiro Hanai and Satoru Ishikawa

Publisher: Kurosio Publishers

Edition: 2nd Edition 2012

ISBN: 978-4-87424-487-6 C0081

This is the kanji workbook that accompanies the Tobira Textbook and is a required text.

Website Link:

http://tobira.9640.jp/xoops/modules/pico_guest/index.php?content_id=1

Power Up Your KANJI is a text designed to help students increase their kanji fluency. With it, students can study a total of 800 kanji – the 297 kanji generally introduced in beginning-level textbooks and an additional 503 kanji introduced in TOBIRA – focusing on those characters that appear at Level 2 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (as of 2009). The aim of this book is not simply to have students memorise each kanji; it is also to help them learn how to study kanji effectively and to provide them with the kanji knowledge required to continue their studies at the advanced level.

NOTE: The textbook and workbooks can be available at Kinokuniya Book Shop.

Recommended Resources

Makino, S. & Tsutsui, M., A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar, The Japan Times, 1986.

Makino & Tsutsui, A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar, The Japan Times, 1995.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• Written comments
• Verbal comments
• Feedback to the whole class, to groups, to individuals, focus groups

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Lesson 8: Japan's Traditional Performing Arts 1	Flipped Lesson Quiz 1: Due Mon, 9am (not assessed)
2	Lesson 8: Japan's Traditional Performing Arts 2	Flipped Lesson Quiz 2: Due Mon, 9am
3	Lesson 9: Japan's Education System 1	Flipped Lesson Quiz 3: Due Mon, 9am
4	Lesson 9: Japan's Education System 2	Flipped Lesson Quiz 4: Due Mon, 9am – Voice Board 1: Due Wed, 23:55
5	Lesson 10: Japan's 'convenience' stores	Flipped Lesson Quiz 5: Due Mon, 9am
6	Lesson 11: History of Japan 1	Flipped Lesson Quiz 6: Due Mon, 9am – Group Project Proposal & Interview Questions submission: Due Wed, 23:55 – In-Class Midterm in Tutorial B
7	Lesson 11: History of Japan 2	Flipped Lesson Quiz 7: Due Mon, 9am – Group Project Consultation in Tutorial A
8	Lesson 13: Japanese people and nature	Flipped Lesson Quiz 8: Due Mon, 9am – Voice Board 2: Due Wed, 23:55
9	Lesson 14: Japanese Politics 1	Flipped Lesson Quiz 9: Due Mon, 9am
10	Lesson 14: Japanese Politics 2 – Mon: NO CLASS (Public holiday) – Make-up class will be scheduled	Flipped Lesson Quiz 10: Due Tue, 9am
11	Lesson 12: The Future of the World and My Own Country	Flipped Lesson Quiz 11: Due Mon, 9am – Voice Board 3: Due Wed, 23:55
12	Group Presentation Week	Group Presentation: Presentation Slides Due on the Day of the Presentation 8am
13		Individual Reflection Report submission: 3 November, Mon, 23:55 – Final Exam (Date & Time: TBA)

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Learning Outcomes
Flipped Lessons & Quizzes (20%: 2% x 10)	20 %	1, 2, 3, 5
Midterm Quiz (10%)	10 %	1, 2, 3, 4
Voice Board (15%: 5% x 3)	15 %	1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Group Research Project (30%: 5% proposal & interview questions, 15% presentation, 10% individual reflection report)	30 %	1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Final Exam (20%)	20 %	1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Participation (5%)	5 %	1, 2, 3, 4, 5

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website Students may choose not to submit assessment items through Turnitin. In this instance you will be required to submit, alongside the assessment item itself, hard copies of all references included in the assessment item.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Assessment Task 1

Flipped Lessons & Quizzes (20%: 2% x 10)

• Weekly online quizzes based on Flip Lesson videos, designed to prepare students for each week’s face-to-face class
• Each quiz covers vocabulary, kanji, grammar, and comprehension of the specified reading section from the textbook
• The expected duration for each quiz is approximately 30 minutes, though this may vary by student (Flip Lesson videos are 30–45 minutes and can be watched while taking the quiz)
• 11 quizzes in total, with only 10 assessed
• The Week 1 quiz is not assessed
• Each assessed quiz is worth 2%
• All quizzes are available from the beginning of the semester; students can complete each quiz any time before its due date
• No time limit is set, but each quiz can only be submitted once
• Quizzes are due every Monday at 9:00 a.m. (Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. in Week 10 due to the public holiday)
• No submissions will be accepted after the deadline
• Quiz questions will be made available for review after the deadline has passed

Assessment Task 2

Midterm Quiz (10%)

• 40-minute in-class, computer-based quiz
• Conducted in Week 6 during the original Tutorial B session
• All students must bring their own laptop and earphones
• Includes short-answer questions on listening, kanji recognition, vocabulary, grammar, and dialogue
• Question types may include multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, drag-and-drop, etc.
• Students will critically assess the given linguistic and cultural information

Assessment Task 3

Voice Board (15%: 5% x 3)

• A series of oral communication tasks between students and teachers on an online platform
• Students listen to teacher's question(s) and critically consider their response, and then rehearse the response multiple times and record the response using the online platform 
• 3 Voice Boards in total
• Each Voice Board submission must be recorded in one audio file
• In Voice Board 1 recording (45 seconds), students will respond to one question. 
• In Voice Board 2 and 3 recording (90 seconds), students will respond to a question relevant to their previous submission (30 seconds) and a question relevant to a new topic (60 seconds)
• Questions and instructions for each Voice Board posted a week before each due
• Students can upload their audio file any time before its due 
• The expected duration you spend for each Voice Board is 30-50 minutes, varying by individual student
• Due for Voice Board 1 is Week 4 Wednesday (13 August), Voice Board 2 is Week 8 Wednesday (24 September), and Voice Board 3 is Week 11 Wednesday (15 October); 23:55
• Each Voice Board is worth 5%
• Assessment criteria are available on the course Canvas site
• Feedback will be provided within two weeks, unless unforeseen circumstances arise.

Assessment Task 4

Group Research Project (30%: 5% proposal & interview questions, 15% presentation, 10% individual reflection report)

• Group Research Project requires students to work collaboratively in groups of three or four to discuss, plan critically, investigate, and deliver a research-oriented presentation lasting 16–20 minutes, followed by a Q&A session and concluding with an individual written reflection.
• This project is completed in three steps.
• Step 1: Group Project Proposal & Interview Questions – Students brainstorm ideas, research relevant information, decide on a group theme, select individual topics, and write an 800-character abstract along with interview questions for each topic. This component is worth 5% and is due in Week 6 on Wednesday (27 August) 23:55.
• Step 2: Interviews & Group Presentation – Each student contacts and interviews a Japanese speaker with high language proficiency. As a group, students gather, analyse, and organise the information to deliver a 20-minute in-class presentation (approximately 5 minutes per student), followed by a Q&A session. This component is worth 15% and will take place during Week 12 seminars and tutorials.
• Step 3: Individual Reflection Report – Each student submits an 800-character written reflection on their experience and learning throughout the group project. This report is worth 10% and is due on Monday (3 November) 23:55.
• Templates and assessment criteria are available on the course Canvas site. 
• Feedback will be provided within two weeks, unless unforeseen circumstances arise.

Rubric

Assessment Task 5

Final Exam (20%)

• A 2.5-hour long online quiz completed remotely
• Held during the exam period (Date and time to be announced)
• Answer listening, Kanji-recognition, vocabulary, grammar, dialogue, passage reading and speaking-recording questions etc.
• Question types may include multiple choices, fill-in-the-blank, drag-and-drop, and speaking-recording etc.
• Students will critically assess the given linguistic and cultural information

Assessment Task 6

Participation (5%)

• Active and consistent exposure to Japanese in seminars and tutorials
• Teachers will assess and record student participation in every class based on active listening, response to questions, engagement in teacher-led activities, critical analysis of given information, and contribution to pair/group works etc.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of our culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically. This means that all members of the community commit to honest and responsible scholarly practice and to upholding these values with respect and fairness. The Australian National University commits to embedding the values of academic integrity in our teaching and learning. We ensure that all members of our community understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with. The University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Visit the following Academic honesty & plagiarism website for more information about academic integrity and what the ANU considers academic misconduct. The ANU offers a number of services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offers a number of workshops and seminars that you may find useful for your studies.

Online Submission

The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure The Course Convener may grant extensions for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information. In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service — including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy. If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes. Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students