Beginners 1 on 07/22/10

Number of students: 9
Summary
(1)Lesson4-1 Like/Dislike

   handout (4-1)

(2)Lesson4-2 Like/Dislike practice
 
   handout (4-1 practice) (pair work)

(3)Reading for fun ("Sound effects describing people, their motion and emotions")

   Link: http://www.eigotown.com/culture/tjapan/sound/sound_p2.shtml

    
                  PEKO-PEKO atama o sageru 
                     To repeatedly bow one's head, obsequiously.

Homework
(1)handout for reviewing today's class

Next class (July 29th) The last class in summer
(1)Lesson 4-2 good at/ poor at

We're having our end-of-the-session party after the class next week, so I hope you all can come!  Hope to see you next Thursday!

Have a good weekend!!

Beginners 1 on 07/15/10

Number of students: 14 including 1 new student
Summary
(1)Lesson4 Past tense of Verbs (text pp.79-80, verb conjugation table)
    The past tense forms of verbs look like the following.
                               affirmative             negative
     present tense      ～ます                   ～ません
     past tense           ～ました                ～ませんでした

    - Exercise (text pp.88-89)
      ex) メアリーさんは　げつようびに　としょかんで　べんきょうしました。

(2)Lesson3 Dialogues (text pp.54-55)
   <New vocabulary>
    - でも(demo) = but
    - どうですか(doudesuka) = How about - ?, How is - ?
    - ～ごろ(goro) = around, about

    - pair practice

Homework
(1)Review today's lesson well!  If you have time, please look at a handout for the next week's class.

Next class (July 22nd)
(1)Lesson 4 like/dislike

Have a good weekend!!

Beginners 1 on 07/08/10

Number of students: 12
Summary
(1)Lesson3 Review of Verbs (practice sheet 1)
(2)Lesson3 Review of particles (practice sheet 2)
<Particles>
  - Topic は (ex.わたしは　がくせいです。/ きょうは　あついです。)
  - General time X  (ex.まいにち　テレビを　みます。/ あさ　ミルクを　のみます。)
  - Specific time に  (ex.６じに　おきます。/ どようびに　えいがを　みます。)
  - Place で  (ex.うちで　ごはんをたべます。/ きっさてんで　コーヒーを　のみます。)
  - Person と（いっしょに）  (ex.ともだちと　ひるごはんを　たべます。)
  - Object を  (ex.にほんごを　はなします。)
  - に Direction verbs  (ex.がっこうに　いきます。/ うちに　かえります。)

(3)Reading about 敬語（けいご = Honorific language）

Next class (July 15th)
(1)Lesson 3 Dialogue (text pp.54-55)
(2)Lesson 4 Past Tense (Verb)

Holidays and Events in July and August

きのうは たなばた でした！（It was "Tanabata, the star festival," in Japan yesterday.）

Q. たなばたは なんですか。（What is Tanabata?）
A. July 7th is "Tanabata", the Star Festival in Japan. It is derived from a legend where Orihime (Star Vega) and Hikoboshi (Star Altair) are lovers separated by the Milky Way and are only allowed to meet once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh month. People write their wishes on narrow strips of colored paper (tanzaku) and hang them with other decorations on bamboo branches. It is a fun celebration, especially for kids. Some of their wishes are cute to read.
(from: http://japanese.about.com/od/namikosbloglessons/a/Tanabata-The-Star-Festival.htm)




July
- 山開き（やまびらき）Opening of Climbing Season on Mt. Fuji (July 1) 
- 七夕（たなばた）Tanabata (July 7)
- 祇園祭（ぎおん まつり）Gion Festival (July 1-28)
- 海の日（うみのひ）Marine Day (Third Monday)
- 夏休み（なつやすみ）Start of Summer Vacation (Late in the month)

August
- 終戦の日（しゅうせんのひ）Anniversaries of End of World War II (August 15)
- ねぶた祭り（ねぶたまつり）Nebuta Festival (in Aomori) (August 2-7)
- 阿波踊り（あわおどり）Awa Odori (in Tokushima) (august 12-15)
- お盆（おぼん）Bon Holidays (Middle of the month )
- 花火（はなび）Fireworks Displays (Late in the month)

(from: http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/explore/calendar/)

Beginners 1 on 07/01/10

Number of students: 10 including 2 new students
Summary
(1)Lesson3-4 Grammar
　  3) ～ませんか　= Won't you do ～? / Would you like to do ～? [invitation] (text p.62)
 　　　*You can use ませんか(= present tense negative verb, plus the question particle) to extend an invitation.
        ex) この　ざっしを　よみませんか。 = Won't you read this magazine?
        ex) ひるごはんを　いっしょに　たべませんか。 = Shall we eat lunch together?
              いいですね。= Sounds great.
              うーん、ちょっと。= Um, it's slightly (inconvenient for me at this moment).
       Practice (text p.69)

(2)Lesson3-2 Grammar
　  2) なにを　たべますか。　= What do you eat?
    ex) あさごはんに　なにを　たべますか。 = What do you eat for breakfast?

　  3) なにも　たべません。　= I don't eat anything.
 　　　*なにも + negative form = "nothing," or "not anything"

    4) あまり　たべません。 = I don't eat very much.
        ぜんぜん　ほんを　よみません。 = I never read books.
 
(3)Lesson3 practice (handout)
　
Homework
(1)Lesson 3 practice (handout)

Next class (July 8th)
(1)Lesson 3 practice (particle, sentences)
(2)Lesson 4 Past Tense (Verb)
(3)Reading about 敬語（けいご = Honorific language）

また　らいしゅう!!　（See you next week!!）

Beginners 1 on 06/24/10

Number of students: 10 including 1 new students
Summary
(1)Katakana reading practice (handout)
(2)Lesson3-4 Vocabulary
　1. いきます = to go
　2. きます = to come
　3. かえります = to return (place), to go/come home
　4. おきます = to wake up, get up
　5. ねます = to sleep, go to bed
　6. かいしゃ= company, office

*Time expressions
　1. にちようび = Sunday
　2. げつようび = Monday
　3. かようび = Tuesday
　4. すいようび = Wednesday
　5. もくようび = Thursday
　6. きんようび = Friday
　7. どようび = Saturday
　8. なんようび = What day of the week?
　9. いつ = when?
　10. (お)やすみ = day off, vacation

(3)Lesson3-4 Grammar
　  1) Direction verbs (いきます、きます、かえります)
        ex) わたしは きょう とうきょうに いきます。 = I am going to Tokyo today.
        ex) たなかさんは まいにち かいしゃへ いきます。 = Mr. Tanaka goes to the office every day.
 * the particle へ/に is placed after a noun that denotes a place.  It indicates the direction of movement with direction verbs (いきます"go," きます"come," かえります"return (place)."

　  2) Specific time + に
        ex) わたしは 7じに おきます。 = I get up at 7 o'clock.
        ex) どようびに えいがを みます。 = I watch a movie on Saturday.
 * Specific time words, such as いちじ"one o'clock," にちようび"Sunday," いちがつ"January" are followed by the particle に.

Homework
(1)Review Lesson3-4 vocabulary and grammar.

Next class (July 1st)
(1)Lesson 3-4: ～ませんか（invitation）, practice
(2)Review of lesson 3-1 to 3-4
(3)Reading about 敬語（けいご = Honorific language）

See you in the next class!!

Beginners 1 on 06/10/10

Number of students: 11 including 4 new students
Summary
(1)Teacher's Directions
　1. かいてください。 = Please write.  (Dictionary form: かく, Present affirmative form: かきます = to write)
　2. よんでください。 = Please read.  (よむ、 よみます = to read)
　3. みてください。 = Please look.  (みる、みます = to see)
　4. きいてください。 = Please listen.  (きく、ききます = to listen)
　5. すわってください。 = Please sit.  (すわる、すわります = to sit)
　6. たってください。 = Please stand.  (たつ、たちます = to stand) 
　7. だしてください。 = Please turn in (something).  (だす、だします = to turn in, take out)
　8. みせてください。 = Please show me (something).  (みせる、みせます = to show)
　9. まどを　あけてください。 = Please open the window.  (あける、あけます = to open)
　10. ドアを　しめてください。 = Please close the door.  (しめる、しめます = to close)
　11. しずかに　してください。 = Please be quiet.  (する、します = to do)
　12. よくできました。 = Well done.
　13. でんきを　つけてください。 = Please turn on the lights.  (つける、つけます = to turn on, put together)
　14. でんきを　けしてください。 = Please turn off the lights.  (けす、けします = to turn off)
　15. おおきい　こえで　いってください。 = Please say it in a loud voice.  (いう、いいます = to say)

These expressions use て(Te) - form of verbs (Text Lesson 6, pp118-119), and I am giving you some explanation about how we can make Te-forms from the dictionary forms in the next class. 

(2)Lesson3-3 Vocabulary 「よみます」, 「みます」, 「ききます」, 「かきます」, 「します」 (To read, see, listen, write, and do) 
　1. しんぶん = newspaper
　2. ざっし = magazine
　3. ほん = book
　4. CD = CD
　5. おんがく = music
　6. ラジオ= radio
　7. えいが = movie
　8. テレビ = TV
　9. レポート = report, paper
　10. てがみ = letter
　11. しゅくだい = homework
　12. ともだち = friend

*Time expressions
　13. きのう - きょう - あした = yesterday - today - tomorrow
　14. せんしゅう - こんしゅう - らいしゅう = last week - this week - next week
　15. せんげつ - こんげつ - らいげつ = last month - this month - next month
　16. きょねん - ことし - らいねん = last year - this year - next year
　17. まいにち - まいあさ - まいばん - まいしゅう = everyday - every morning - every evening - every week

(3)Lesson3-3 Grammar
　  1) General time word with no particle
        ex) わたしは きょう にほんごを べんきょうします。 = I will study Japanese today.
        ex) あしたの よる おんがくを ききます。 = I will listen to the music tomorrow's night.
　  2) Person と　（いっしょに）  = (together) with Person
        ex) わたしは たけしさんと いっしょに べんきょうします。 = I will study together with Takeshi.
        ex) だれと あさごはんを たべますか。 = With whom do you eat breakfast?
   
(4)Lesson3-3 Activity (pair work)
         Question 1: どこで　あさごはんを　たべますか。= Where do you eat breakfast?
         Question 2: だれと　あさごはんを　たべますか。= With whom do you eat breakfast?

(5)Reading about 通勤（つうきん = Commuting） (handout)

Homework
(1)Lesson3-3 れんしゅう（Practice）（Translate the sentences into Japanese.）

Next class (June 24th)
There is no class next week (June 17th) because I will be out of the country (for my husband's conference).
(1)Introduction to Katakana
(2)Lesson 3-4: Verbs / ～ませんか（invitation）, practice
(3)Reading about 敬語（けいご = Honorific language）

See you on June 24th!!

 

Beginners 1 on 06/03/10

Number of students: 9
Summary
(1)Lesson3-2 Vocabulary 「たべます」 and 「のみます」 (To eat and drink) 
　1. たべます = To eat
　2. のみます = To drink
　3. ごはん = cooked rice, meal
　4. パン = bread
　5. （お）みず = water
　6. ジュース= juice
　7. ぎゅうにゅう、ミルク = milk
　8. コーラ = cola
　9. おちゃ = tea
　10. コーヒー = coffee
　11. まいにち = everyday
　12. たいてい = usually
　13. ときどき = sometimes
　14. いつも = always
　15. よく = often

*additional vocabulary
　16. あさごはん = breakfast
　17. （お）ひるごはん = lunch
　18. ばんごはん = dinner
　19. さかな = fish
　20. （お）にく = meat
　21. やさい = vegetable
　22. ビール = beer
　23. ケーキ = cake
　24. ラーメン = Chinese noodle
　25. （お）すし = sushi
　26. （お）こめ = rice

(2)Lesson3-2 Grammar
　  1) Frequency Adverbs 
        ex) わたしは まいにち ぎゅうにゅうを のみます。 = I drink milk everyday.
        ex) おにいさんは たいてい おちゃをのみます = My older brother usually drinks tea.
        ex) おかあさんは ときどき パンを たべます。 = My mother sometimes eats bread.
        ex) おとうさんは いつも おにくを たべます。 = My father always eats meat.
        ex) おねえさんは よく さかなを たべます。 = My older sister often eats fish.
*negative words for frequency
        ex) わたしは ぜんぜん（or まったく） コーヒーを のみません。 = I never drink coffee.
        ex) わたしは ほとんど( or めったに) おにくを たべません。 = I rarely eat drink.
   
(3)Lesson3-2 Activity (pair work)
         Question: （あなたは） まいにち ごはんを たべますか。= Do you eat rice everyday?
         Answer: （わたしは） ときどき ごはんを たべます。= I sometimes eat rice.

(4)Lesson3-2 Dialogue (pair work)
(5)Japanese Body language (handout)

Homework
No homework :)

Next week
(1)Lesson 3-3: Verbs / Time expressions / ～といっしょに（together）

See you next week!!

Beginners 1 on 05/27/10

Number of students: 10 including 1 new student 
Summary
(1)Lesson3-1 Vocabulary 「はなします」（hanashimasu） = To speak
　1. はなします = To speak, talk
　2. にほんご = Japanese language
　3. えいご = English
　4. ちゅうごくご = Chinese language
　5. かんこくご = Korean language
　6. スペイン（すぺいん）ご = Spanish language
　7. フランス（ふらんす）ご = French language
　8. ドイツ（どいつ）ご = German language
　9. ロシア（ろしあ）ご = Russian language
　10. なにご = what language?
　11. すこし  = a little
　12. ちょっと = a little (more colloquial using than すこし)

(2)Lesson3-1 Grammar
　  1) Verbs that take a grammatical object
        ex) わたしは にほんご を はなします。 = I speak Japanese.
        ex) わたしは パン を たべます。 = I eat bread.
        ex) わたしは コーヒー を のみます。 = I drink coffee.
        ex) わたしは テレビ を みます。 = I watch TV.
        ex) わたしは ほん を よみます。 = I read a book.
      * the particle を is an object marker.
　  2) a particle で(de)
        ex) わたしは がっこう で えいご を はなします。 = I speak English at school.
      * the particle で = at, in
　  3) Adverbs すこし、ちょっと
        ex) わたしは ロシアご を すこし はなします。 = I speak a little Russian.
      * In Japanese sentences, adverbs generally come somewhere after the topic of the sentence and before the verb.

(3)Lesson3-1 Practice and Activity
　  1) Practice questions sheet. (we checked the answers from number 1-5.)
    2) Activity: Ask your partner what language each family member speaks at home!
         Question: おとうさんは うちで なにご を はなしますか。= What language does your father speak at home?
         Answer: （おとうさんは うちで） えいご を はなします。= He speaks English at home.

Homework
(1)Answer the questions on a practice sheet (from number 6 to15)

Next week
(1)Lesson 3-2: Verb たべます＆のみます = to eat & to drink
(2)Body language in Japan

See you on this coming Thursday!!!

New students for extra Japanese classes

It's nice meeting new students in last week's class!!
Thank you for your interest in Japanese language and culture.

Since most of new students are not familiar with Japanese alphabet (Hiragana and Katakana), we're going to offer three extra classes for new students who want to learn more about Japanese alphabet. For your information, below are the extra class schedule.
 
*The first class will on this coming Tuesday May 25, 4-5 pm.
*The second class will be on Tuesday June 1, 4-5 pm.
*The third class will be on Tuesday June 8, 4-5 pm.
 
The classroom will be at the same room in the Asian Culture Center. We hope this opportunity will be helpful for you to improve your Japanese language skill.

Let's enjoy learning Japanese together!