Beginning Japanese for Professionals: Book 1

3 change parts of the dialogue to fit a different context. Either way, the original dialogue serves as a base to explore other possibilities. Each dialogue has at least two drills that target key grammar patterns and vocabulary. These are rather mechanical drills that are meant to train quick and automatic formation of language. The recommended procedure for these drill practices is to first listen to the two model exchanges and understand what changes to make in responding to the cues. Look at the scripts for the models if you are not sure what to do. Listen to the first cue, insert your response during the following pause, listen to the model answer, and repeat the model answer during the second pause. Repeat this procedure for the following cues. It is recommended that you loop back to the beginning of the drill frequently. Always give yourself a chance to respond to the cues before you listen to the model answer. Also think of the meaning as you do these drills. Needless to say, it doesn't make sense to just keep repeating the sounds you hear without knowing what you are saying. Two types of exercises will follow the mechanical drills. The first is ‘Say It in Japanese,’ which is a translation activity. The last exercise ‘Act in Japanese’ is a role-play exercise, in which students can freely respond to each other within the given context and expand the suggested interchange into a longer interaction. For this exercise, students are encouraged to perform the roles as naturally as possible integrating body language, facial expressions, etc. By answering the grammar review questions at the end of each lesson, you will self assess your understanding of the grammar before moving onto the next lesson. The parentheses at the end of each question indicate in which grammar note to find the answer to the question. For Practical Applications, which concludes each lesson, it is suggested that relevant authentic materials such as restaurant menus, shopping mall directories, apartment listings, etc. are extensively used to accommodate the real-world application of what has been practiced. Students are encouraged to freely and realistically ask and answer questions and exchange comments regarding those materials. 7. Last but not least… Make a clear distinction between knowing the material (Fact) and being able to use the material in spontaneous conversations (Act). You may learn grammar quickly, but it takes a great deal of repetitive practice to develop the skills to speak Japanese in real-life situations. At the end of the day, it doesn’t mean much if you cannot respond orally to a native speaker in a culturally appropriate way no matter how well you can answer grammar questions or recite vocabulary in isolation. In studying Japanese, always keep in mind the objectives and how best to reach them. Have fun!