MLO 1: Language and Communication
Outcomes:
1.1. Students are able to communicate effectively in Japanese in three modes: interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational; and in a culturally appropriate manner in a variety of social and professional settings and circumstances at the Intermediate-High level of language proficiency, according to the ACTFL Guidelines.
1.2. Students gain competency in the Japanese language including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and discourse and compare and analyze the structural differences between Japanese and English.
Courses Taken
JAPN301 Advanced Japanese Language, Culture & Communication
JAPN303 Business Japanese
JAPN312 Japanese for the Professions
Japanese III-21
Japanese IV-21
Reflective Narrative
Although I studied Japanese as a foreign language in high school, the mentioned courses helped me further develop my skills in terms of grammar, and increased my speaking confidence through interviews and video projects. CSUMB's Japanese department focuses on presentation skills, and the projects in these classes have assisted me in becoming a more comfortable public speaker. Each course's midterm and final exams included a presentation that included tight time constraints that ultimately forced me to become a more organized, both with my thoughts and with power point presentations. My study abroad experience also helped me complete the goals of this MLO; I took part in J.F. Oberlin University's Reconnaissance Japan Program, and was placed into level 3B (Intermediate) as my primary language course during my first semester, followed by the proceeding class, 4A (Intermediate-high), during my second. Before studying abroad, I was taking more advanced-level courses at CSUMB, but those past courses didn't necessarily prepare me for the faster pace of an authentic Japanese university. Along with my work in the dorm, my skills in interpretation were constantly tested, and for the first month of classes, I felt discouraged that I wouldn't be able to keep up with my classmates. However, because I was so worried about being seen as a burden, I learned the benefit of preparing for lessons ahead of time, increasing my confidence and my ability to actively participate. Like at CSUMB, a majority of my assignments helped me develop my interpersonal and presentation skills. For example, the first major project in 4A focused on our names, including what it means and common naming traditions in our home countries. Additionally, our in-class work focused on discussions with our classmates, in which we could compare our own backgrounds, therefore learning about a wide variety of cultures, while studying Japanese language and values. Furthermore, my language skills and newfound confidence that I had gained abroad assisted me once I returned to California as I took JAPN 303, and my improved speaking skills helped me particularly when producing a Japanese business etiquette video, linked below.
1.1. Students are able to communicate effectively in Japanese in three modes: interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational; and in a culturally appropriate manner in a variety of social and professional settings and circumstances at the Intermediate-High level of language proficiency, according to the ACTFL Guidelines.
1.2. Students gain competency in the Japanese language including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and discourse and compare and analyze the structural differences between Japanese and English.
Courses Taken
JAPN301 Advanced Japanese Language, Culture & Communication
JAPN303 Business Japanese
JAPN312 Japanese for the Professions
Japanese III-21
Japanese IV-21
Reflective Narrative
Although I studied Japanese as a foreign language in high school, the mentioned courses helped me further develop my skills in terms of grammar, and increased my speaking confidence through interviews and video projects. CSUMB's Japanese department focuses on presentation skills, and the projects in these classes have assisted me in becoming a more comfortable public speaker. Each course's midterm and final exams included a presentation that included tight time constraints that ultimately forced me to become a more organized, both with my thoughts and with power point presentations. My study abroad experience also helped me complete the goals of this MLO; I took part in J.F. Oberlin University's Reconnaissance Japan Program, and was placed into level 3B (Intermediate) as my primary language course during my first semester, followed by the proceeding class, 4A (Intermediate-high), during my second. Before studying abroad, I was taking more advanced-level courses at CSUMB, but those past courses didn't necessarily prepare me for the faster pace of an authentic Japanese university. Along with my work in the dorm, my skills in interpretation were constantly tested, and for the first month of classes, I felt discouraged that I wouldn't be able to keep up with my classmates. However, because I was so worried about being seen as a burden, I learned the benefit of preparing for lessons ahead of time, increasing my confidence and my ability to actively participate. Like at CSUMB, a majority of my assignments helped me develop my interpersonal and presentation skills. For example, the first major project in 4A focused on our names, including what it means and common naming traditions in our home countries. Additionally, our in-class work focused on discussions with our classmates, in which we could compare our own backgrounds, therefore learning about a wide variety of cultures, while studying Japanese language and values. Furthermore, my language skills and newfound confidence that I had gained abroad assisted me once I returned to California as I took JAPN 303, and my improved speaking skills helped me particularly when producing a Japanese business etiquette video, linked below.