HIGH SCHOOL/ADULT DIVISION – Age 14-Adult Seniors
Beginner to intermediate classes are offered for high school students and adults, ages 14 and up, from all cultural backgrounds and language levels. Class Levels 1-4 are designed to accommodate each student on the basis of individual learning ability and progress, rather than strict age levels. LBJLS also offers language credit testing for 9th graders and above.
Level 1: Beginning class for high school students and adults who have never studied Japanese. The focus is on communication, including greetings, simple sentences and customary phrases. Hiragana is introduced and oral drills are emphasized. Later in the year, Katakana and simple Kanji are introduced. The objective is for students to communicate orally and in writing using basic grammar and expressions.
Level 2: For students who have completed Level 1 or have studied Japanese for 1 to 2 years, this class continues to build on the Level 1 objectives of oral and written communication. Students will be challenged with more complicated grammar, reading and Kanji study.
Level 3: For students who have completed Level 2 or have studied Japanese for 2 to 3 years, this class has a greater emphasis on reading comprehension through reading and explaining paragraphs in Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji. Weekly work includes Kanji study and paragraph writing.
Level 4: This class is for students who have studied Japanese in college for at least 3 years or have lived in Japan and want to polish their speaking, reading and writing skills. It is highly recommended for students who want to take The Japan Foundation’s Level 3 or 4 Proficiency Tests. Writing summaries and essays, translating English into Japanese, and exchanging ideas orally are expected at this level.