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JAP-90004 - Module Specification
Language Centre
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

For academic year: 2025/26 Last Updated: 12 August 2025

JAP-90004 - Japanese 4
Coordinator: Toshihiko Kitagawa
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 4
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 733960

Programme/Approved Electives for 2025/26

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

Japanese 3 or equivalent (e.g. CEFR A1).

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2025/26

This module will further develop students¿ Japanese language communication skills, enabling them to speak, listen, read, and write in order to carry out routine tasks they are likely to encounter in socialising, living, studying or travelling in Japan. Functions and topics covered will include: casual speech, expressing your thoughts and ideas, reporting what your friends and family have said, discussing family and educational background in more detail, and sharing your experiences as well as learning new kanji characters. You will also become familiar with aspects of contemporary Japanese culture and society through audio-visual materials and texts.

Aims
This module builds on the foundations established in Japanese 3, continuing to develop students¿ competence in the target language with a focus on improving communication in familiar, everyday contexts. Students will consolidate core grammatical structures, expand their vocabulary, and deepen their understanding of the Japanese scripts.
The module also introduces further aspects of culture-specific behaviours and everyday life in the Japanese-speaking world. The module also encourages greater learner autonomy and reflective language use.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Recognise and understand basic sentences related to areas of immediate relevance (e.g. personal information, studies, hobbies, etc.) when people speak slowly and clearly.: 2,3
Read and extract key information from simple sentences and texts related to areas of personal relevance, written in Japanese characters, and translate them to English.: 1,2
Interact in familiar situations, asking and answering questions in areas of immediate need, being able to ask for repetition or clarification, provided the other person talks slowly and clearly.: 3
Write sentences and texts related to areas of personal relevance in Japanese characters.: 1,2
Understand and use simple grammatical structures and rules and compare them to the English language.: 1,2,3
Recognise and act upon cultural differences as encountered in everyday situations and demonstrate knowledge of common traditions in Japan.: 1,2,3

Study hours

22 hours of contact time in class.
40 hours of assessment preparation and completion.
88 hours of guided independent study.

School Rules

Admission to the module must be confirmed through completion of a language level self-assessment form.
Students can only take one Japanese language module per semester.

Description of Module Assessment

1: Class Test weighted 30%
Class Test
Students will complete an in-class test (maximum duration 45 minutes) to assess competence in receptive and productive skills. Tasks may include writing a short text in the target language, undertaking a dictation, translating a passage, or completing vocabulary and grammar exercises. All tasks will align with CEFR descriptors for language use at the relevant level.

2: Flexible Class Test weighted 20%
Flexible Online KLE Test
Students will complete a series of online exercises on the KLE platform (maximum duration 60 minutes) designed to assess reading comprehension, listening, grammar and vocabulary knowledge and writing skills in the target language. All tasks will align with CEFR descriptors for language use at the relevant level.

3: Speaking Assessment weighted 50%
Spoken Interaction Assessment
A 6-10 minute Spoken Interaction Assessment designed to assess learners¿ competence in speaking (production), listening (reception) and conversation (interaction). Tasks may include a presentation, role play, or description of a visual or audiovisual prompt, followed by a question-and-answer section. Where assessments are conducted in pairs or groups, each student will be assessed individually and awarded separate marks.

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 12 August 2025