Step 1 Japanese - Tuesdays 11am (UK) from 16th April 2024
Step 1 Japanese - Tuesdays 11am (UK) from 16th April 2024
A Japanese course for beginner-level students with some basic knowledge.
Beginner-level students learn to understand menus, order in a restaurant, and talk simply about a place you’re staying. We focus on useful, practical language for making yourself understood in Japanese.
This 12-week term runs from April to July and is based on Irodori Starter (from Lesson 6), an online textbook for beginner students which is FREE to download.
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
☆ Understand a simple food menu
☆ Order in a restaurant
☆ Pronounce all the sounds of Japanese
☆ Read hiragana with confidence (the first basic Japanese script)
☆ Read some simple kanji (Chinese characters used in Japanese)
STEP 1 is ideal for you if...
★ You’re a beginner-level student with some basic knowledge of Japanese including some hiragana. This course is aimed at students who have already taken Step 1 Term 1 and Term 2 with me, or are at equivalent level. It’s not suitable for absolute beginners.
★ You want to learn more basic Japanese in a fun, friendly environment.
For advice choosing the right level, pleasebook a free consultation call (available until 28th Mar) oremail me (anytime up until the course starts).
Term dates Summer 2024
STEP 1 will meet on Tuesdays at 11am-11:55am (UK). The 12-week term runs from April to July, with a break for half term.
STEP 1 term dates:
Summer term 2024: Tuesday 16th April to Tuesday 9th July (no class 28th May).
Each lesson is 55 minutes.
Returning students
April 2024 courses follow on from the previous term. Returning students should join the course with the same name (i.e. if you’re finishing Step 2 Spring Term, join Step 2 Summer Term to continue the course).
For advice choosing the right level, please book a free consultation call or email me.
Online course
We use Zoom, an easy-to-use video calling programme. To join the class, you’ll need a device you can join a video call on. I’ll share my screen and show slides during the class, so I recommend using a device with a larger screen such as a computer or tablet, not a smartphone.
In class you’ll learn to speak and understand Japanese, through fun and creative communicative activities. Lessons are interactive and designed to get you speaking Japanese as much as possible. Depending on the class size, students do group and pair work in breakout rooms (smaller virtual rooms in Zoom).
Lessons on Conversation Courses are recorded, and I’ll share the recordings with you, so you can review the lessons. Time in breakout rooms is not recorded.
I ask students to mute yourselves when not speaking, to help cut down on background noise. To aid communication, I’d prefer you to have your camera on if possible, especially during group and pair work.
Class times are in UK time.
Step Up Japanese is a fully online school. If you are based in Sussex, UK, I sometimes run informal social events in Brighton for my students, so I hope to see you there too!
Textbooks
Most Conversation Courses use digital textbooks, which are free to download. Some courses use a textbook which much be purchased separately. Please check the description for your course.
Course fees Summer 2024
The cost is £195 for the 12-week term.
Enrolment deadline
Please enrol by Monday 15th April 5pm (GMT). Enrolment is possible after this date, but it will help me to plan if you can sign up by Monday 15th :)
Consultation calls are available until 28th March. If you need advice after that date, please email me.
Class size
All courses run with a minimum of 4 students and a maximum of 12. In Spring 2024, the average class size was 5 students.
Cancellation policy
Course fees are fully refundable until 14 days before the start of your booked course. If you cancel your booking less than 14 days before the start of the course, fees are refundable minus a £10 admin fee. Once the course has begun, fees are non-refundable.
Who can join?
My courses are for adults. I don’t teach under-18s (no exceptions, sorry).
Self-study
To get the most out of your language course, I recommend you find ways to practise Japanese outside of class. This could be reviewing what we studied in class, reading books or news, listening to online practice, watching Japanese films or shows, talking in Japanese with a friend or study partner - whatever you enjoy!
I give weekly homework via email after each lesson - usually 1 or 2 exercises such as preparing for the next lesson, online quizzes or games, listening or writing practice. Some homework is for everybody to do, and some is optional extra!
…What’s next?
After this course finishes, continue your studies by joining the next level up, starting Autumn 2024!
For help choosing the right level for you, please get in touch to book a free consultation call.