Module CFLS1J41: Japanese Stage 4 Plus

Department: Centre for Foreign Language Study

CFLS1J41: Japanese Stage 4 Plus

Prerequisites

• Successful completion of Japanese Stage 3 (A2.2), or an equivalent proficiency (JLPT N3), subject to approval by the module convenor. No higher Japanese language entry qualification permitted.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• Any language module offered as part of programmes BA Modern Languages and Cultures and BA in Japanese Studies.

Aims

• Consolidate and extend students' intermediate proficiency, preparing them for advanced-level proficiency in both spoken and written Japanese.
• Develop comprehensive language skills across speaking, listening, reading, and writing, focusing on fluency in both everyday and abstract topics, and preparing students for upper-intermediate proficiency.
• Refine academic and professional-level presentation skills, with an emphasis on delivering structured, well-supported arguments and ideas, ensuring students can present complex issues effectively in Japanese, both in writing and speaking.
• Prepare students for independent research in Japanese, fostering critical thinking and advanced language use as they explore societal, cultural, and professional topics.
• Strengthen cultural understanding of Japan’s contemporary society, traditions, and institutions, equipping students to engage in more complex intercultural communication.
• Further develop writing and typing skills, ensuring students can produce coherent, well-structured essays and reports, suitable for academic or professional contexts.

Content

• Functional and notional topics will be partly determined by the course book and informed by up-to-the-minute current affairs, addressing issues related to Japanese society, politics, values, culture, education system, and family.
• Course book materials will be supplemented with multimedia sources, and independent research on the internet will be encouraged. Group discussion exercises will promote confidence, flexibility, and fluency in conversations.

Learning Outcomes

• On successful completion of the module, learners should be able to:
• Demonstrate an advanced understanding of intermediate-level grammar, vocabulary, and kanji, enabling them to articulate complex ideas clearly and with nuance in both spoken and written forms.
• Critically engage with contemporary Japanese culture, social issues, and institutions, using advanced language skills to analyse and discuss complex topics in Japanese.
• Apply critical thinking to evaluate sources and formulate well-supported arguments on societal, cultural, and professional topics in Japanese.

• On successful completion of the module, learners should be able to:
• Communicate fluently and confidently on both familiar and abstract topics, effectively engaging in discussions, debates, and presentations. Students will demonstrate the ability to handle complex language tasks across various contexts.
• Deliver clear and structured presentations in Japanese, using appropriate language, tone, and body language to convey complex ideas to a diverse audience.
• Understand and critically engage with extended spoken and written texts, analysing both general meaning and specific details, and applying this understanding in discussions and written assignments.
• Produce well-organized, coherent written texts (800-850 characters), demonstrating effective use of complex grammar, cohesive devices, and advanced vocabulary, suitable for academic or professional writing.

• On successful completion of the module, learners should be able to:
• Demonstrate independence in language learning, utilizing resources and strategies to monitor their own progress across speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
• Engage confidently in intercultural communication, demonstrating cultural sensitivity and adapting communication strategies appropriately when interacting with diverse audiences.
• Present well-researched arguments and engage in high-level discussions, demonstrating academic rigor and clear communication in Japanese.

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

• The module is delivered through weekly seminars that combine communicative practice, creative tasks, intercultural exploration, and guided independent study. Activities include individual, pair, and group work; pronunciation practice; listening and reading tasks; presentation; and reflective activities. Digital tools and multimodal resources support engagement and foster learner autonomy.
• These methods help students expand vocabulary, consolidate grammatical structures, use Japanese in everyday and culturally specific situations drawn from Japanese speaking contexts. They also encourage independent and reflective learning, with frequent interactive tasks which help students gain confidence in responding to others and expressing ideas and views clearly.
• Assessment include three pieces of summative in-course assessments in person, and a number of formative assessment/tasks throughout the year.
• The Digital Output usually consists of a video-recorded presentation of approximately 6 minutes.
• Time dedicated to the completion of the In-Year tests factors in turnaround time and will usually be 60-90 minutes in length. Time dedicated to the Oral Examinations also factors in turnaround time. Both forms of assessment are accompanied by preparation time and usually done under exam conditions and held in person.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Regular homework/assignments will be given to the students to practise and consolidate what they have done in class and to prepare the following session, some of which will be submitted and marked as formative assignments and regular feedback will be given to the students accordingly.

■ Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University.