Japanese Language and Culture
Japanese Language and Culture is a CTY Ireland humanities course avaialable at session 1.
Course Description
This beginners’ Japanese course is divided evenly between Japanese language studies and the study of Japanese culture. Not only does the language section of the course give students a grounding in basic Japanese, it also explores language learning techniques. As well as using traditional learning methods, students will learn how to use technology – such as smart phone apps, YouTube, podcasts, etc. – to study a language, skills which are transferable to the learning of languages other than Japanese. Anime is used in the study sessions to help students practice their listening skills. The culture section of the course focuses mainly on modern Japanese society; topics include Japanese cuisine, Japanese cultural identity, natural disasters, and social problems. The course also includes some lessons on more traditional Japanese culture (such as ninjas, geisha, samurai,etc.). In the final week, students will present a research project on an aspect of Japanese culture of their choice. In 2015, we had practical demonstrations given by the Dublin Japanese Drumming Club, DCU Karate Club, and Dublin Kendo (Japanese sword-fighting) Club, and we hope to have a similar line-up this year. This course is perfect for students who are interested in Japan or know nothing about it, and a good introduction for anyone considering taking Japanese at college.
