Subject Area: Japanese Studies

This course emphasises three major themes. First, the course leads you to examine and discuss readings and visual materials that present various aspects of Japanese communication including communication strategies and styles (e.g. formality, gender, spoken and written). Examination and discussion of the materials are conducted in both lectures and tutorials. For practical exercises Japanese communication strategies are also explored and learned including different speech styles (e.g. formality, gender, spoken and written) as well as functional expressions. Secondly, the course introduces to you to Drama Project in which you create your original play based on the notion of “Colloquial Contemporary Theatre”, which requires you to understand and apply the concept of taiwa (dialogue) and kaiwa (conversation). The Production Report assignment encourages you to observe your communication skills employed in the process of working with classmates for the project. Thirdly, the course involves you in a number of activities where you express your own views and thoughts on various social issues. You are encouraged to use your own communication strategies, and develop critical thinking in Japanese for class and group discussion.This course is taught in Japanese and with readings in Japanese.