Undergraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2024-2025

Module JPNS3012: JAPANESE LANGUAGE 4

Department: Modern Languages and Cultures (Japanese)

JPNS3012: JAPANESE LANGUAGE 4

Type	Open	Level	3	Credits	40	Availability	Available in 2024/2025	Module Cap	None.	Location	Durham

Prerequisites

Japanese Language 2B (JPNS2012), Japanese Language 2A (JPNS 2161) or equivalent qualification, subject to decision by the module language coordinator.

Corequisites

None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

Any CFLS-coded Japanese Language modules.

Aims

The focus of this module is proficiency in oral and written Japanese. It aims to develop students' an ability to write and speak correct Japanese in expressing ideas in a broad range of topical issues, explored from different (e.g. historical/ cultural) perspectives context.
To encourage individual talents and proclivities and help students to achieve their maximum potential

Content

Teaching will concentrate on the following:
Use of advanced grammatical constructions and appropriate register forms (e.g. plain, -masu, honorific)
Topic-based discussion and composition related to contemporary Japanese culture and society
Translation Japanese <> English
News and current affairs comprehension (written and audio-visual)
Oral expression
The teaching and resources in this module reflect a commitment to linguistic and cultural diversity. This positions the richness of the Japanese-speaking world at the core of its syllabus’

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:

By the end of this module students should gain an understanding of modern Japanese society in a broad historical and cultural context

Subject-specific Skills:

By the end of this module the students should be able to demonstrate communicative competence in grammatically correct Japanese with appropriate use register of and the ability to perform contextual and linguistic analyses of original texts.

Key Skills:

By the end of this module the students should be able to discuss topical or general issues confidently and fluently in Japanese, to express their own ideas in written form and be able to translate a wide range of original texts into the target language.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

Weekly seminars which give students practice in translating, analysing and commenting on Japanese original texts.
Independent learning will be structured around the preparation for seminars and research for the cultural context.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity	Number	Frequency	Duration	Total/Hours
Language Classes	84	4 per week	1 hour	84	■
Spoken Japanese Practice	21	1 per week	1 hour	21	■
Listening Comprehension	21	1 per week	1 hour	21	■
Preparation and Reading				274
Total				400

Summative Assessment

Component: Written Assessment		Component Weighting: 60%
Element	Length / duration	Element Weighting	Resit Opportunity
Continuous assessment of written skills		25%	No
Written Exam (in person)	3 hours	75%	No
Component: Oral Assessment		Component Weighting: 20%
Element	Length / duration	Element Weighting	Resit Opportunity
Continuous assessment of oral skills		25%	No
Oral Exam (in person)	15 minutes	75%	No
Component: Aural Assessment		Component Weighting: 20%
Element	Length / duration	Element Weighting	Resit Opportunity
Continuous assessment of aural comprehension skills		25%	No
Aural Exam (in person)	1 hour	75%	No

Formative Assessment:

In addition to weekly exercises (kanji & vocabulary), as specified by the teachers, there will also be formative assessments: Listening Comprehension and / or written test(s). These will be recorded.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University