Instructor Insights

Instructor Insights pages are part of the OCW Educator initiative, which seeks to enhance the value of OCW for educators.

Instructor Insights

Below, instructors Takako Aikawa, Wakana Maekawa, and Masami Ikeda-Lamm describe various aspects of how they teach 21G.501 Japanese I.

Just like our students, we should not be afraid of making mistakes.

 

 

Assessment

Grade Breakdown

The students' grades were based on the following assessment elements:

 
The color used on the preceding chart which represents the percentage of the total grade contributed by daily grade. 25% Daily grade; three lowest scores dropped
The color used on the preceding chart which represents the percentage of the total grade contributed by five lesson quizzes. 25% Five lesson quizzes; lowest score dropped
The color used on the preceding chart which represents the percentage of the total grade contributed by two interview tests. 15% Two interview tests
The color used on the preceding chart which represents the percentage of the total grade contributed by one-hour exam. 15% One-hour exam
The color used on the preceding chart which represents the percentage of the total grade contributed by vocabulary, diction, kanji quizzes. 20% Vocabulary, diction, kanji quizzes; two lowest scores dropped

Curriculum Information

Prerequisites

    None

Requirements Satisfied

  • GIR GIR
  • HASS HASS
  • HASS-H HASS-H
  • 21G.501 is required for a Bachelor’s Degree in Global Languages with a concentration in Japanese Studies (PDF).
  • 21G.501 counts toward the two years of Japanese studies required for participation in the MISTI-Japan internship program.

Offered

Every fall semester

Student Information

29 students took this course when it was taught in fall 2019.

Breakdown by Year

Mostly sophomores and juniors; some first-year students and graduate students

Breakdown by Major

Various majors, including computer science, mechanical engineering, material science, mathematics, and nuclear science

Typical Student Background

Most students have no prior knowledge of the Japanese language but have had some experience of Japanese culture, e.g. through anime and manga.

 

How Student Time Was Spent

During an average week, students were expected to spend 12 hours on the course, roughly divided as follows:

In Class

4 hours per week

Met 4 times per week for 1 hour per session; 49 sessions total; mandatory attendance

 

Out of Class

8 hours per week

Outside class time, students completed homework assignments and prepared for tests and quizzes.

 

Semester Breakdown

WEEK M T W Th F
1 No classes throughout MIT. lecture session scheduled. No session scheduled. lecture session scheduled. recitation scheduled.
2 No classes throughout MIT. lecture session and quiz scheduled. No session scheduled. lecture session and quiz scheduled. recitation scheduled.
3 No session scheduled. Lecture session and quiz scheduled and an assignment due. No session scheduled. lecture session and quiz scheduled. recitation scheduled.
4 No session scheduled. lecture session and quiz scheduled. No session scheduled. lecture session and quiz scheduled. recitation scheduled.
5 No session scheduled. Lecture session and quiz scheduled and an assignment due. No session scheduled. lecture session and quiz scheduled. recitation scheduled.
6 No session scheduled. lecture session and quiz scheduled. No session scheduled. Lecture session and quiz scheduled and an assignment due. recitation scheduled.
7 No classes throughout MIT. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. lecture session and exam scheduled. recitation scheduled.
8 No session scheduled. lecture session and quiz scheduled. No session scheduled. lecture session and quiz scheduled. recitation scheduled.
9 No session scheduled. Lecture session and quiz scheduled and an assignment due. No session scheduled. lecture session and quiz scheduled. recitation scheduled.
10 No session scheduled. lecture session and quiz scheduled. No session scheduled. lecture session and quiz scheduled. recitation scheduled.
11 No session scheduled. Lecture session and quiz scheduled and an assignment due. No classes throughout MIT. lecture session and quiz scheduled. recitation scheduled.
12 No session scheduled. lecture session and quiz scheduled. No session scheduled. lecture session and quiz scheduled. recitation scheduled.
13 No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT.
14 No session scheduled. lecture session and quiz scheduled. No session scheduled. Lecture session and quiz scheduled and an assignment due. recitation scheduled.
15 No session scheduled. lecture session and quiz scheduled. No session scheduled. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT.
15 No session scheduled. lecture session and quiz scheduled. No session scheduled. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT.
Displays the color and pattern used on the preceding table to indicate dates when classes are not held at MIT. No classes throughout MIT
Displays the color used on the preceding table to indicate dates when lecture sessions are held. Grammar session
Displays the symbol used on the preceding table to indicate dates when problem set is due. Homework due
Displays the symbol used on the preceding table to indicate dates when quizzes are scheduled. Lesson Quiz
Displays the color used on the preceding table to indicate dates when no class session is scheduled. No class session scheduled
Displays the color used on the preceding table to indicate dates when recitations are scheduled. Drill session
Displays the color used on the preceding table to indicate dates when interview test are scheduled. Interview test
Displays the symbol used on the preceding table to indicate dates when exams are scheduled. Exam