Let’s start the Blog Project. For this class we would like you to keep a blog because it provides a place:
1. To share/express your happiness, surprise, excitement, and/or frustration, as well as any questions you might have, while learning the Japanese language (or any other topics).
- While studying new grammar and words is very important when learning a language, it is equally important to actually use the language in a real life context. You must not wait to express yourself only when you think you have mastered the language because language learning is basically an ongoing process. In the beginning you may use English or any languages to express yourself, but we recommend that you gradually switch to Japanese whenever you feel comfortable enough to express yourself in Japanese.
2. To communicate with your classmates and other people outside of class.
- Language learning is not limited to what you do for the course but also includes what you do and experience outside the class. We will create links to your classmates' blogs as well as blogs by students in other schools, so you can see what other people think and feel about Japanese language learning (as well as other topics). You are also strongly encouraged to leave comments on these blogs.
- We know that your Japanese language is limited, but you can convey your intended meaning more effectively by utilizing other resources such as pictures and videos. Remember that people utilize not only language but also other resources such as tone of your voice, music, body language, picture, color, font style and size for communication.
3. To increase your input (多聴 たちょう/ 多観 たかん: extensive listening/viewing)
as well as your output (多書: extensive writing) opportunities.
4. To reflect (or evaluate) what you have done so far.
- Sometimes it is challenging to see our own progress or growth. Blogs help you to look back and see how you have changed through the course of your Japanese language learning.
- At the end of the semester your blog will be evaluated by the instructors as well as yourself. We will discuss the criteria of evaluation later.
