NUS Language Modules

[kathy154]

I am currently taking LAJ2001 (Japanese 2) as I passed the placement test. This module is moving towards the end of the semester and I will be having my oral test next week and exam soon.

Japanese module is a 7-hour curriculum including 2 hours lecture and 5 hours tutorials is quite heavy compared to other language modules that only require less hours.

Note-taking is also not allowed in tutorial class. The tutorials are more focus on Japanese conversation and we need to come fully prepared before tutorial classes. We are required to memorise a Japanese passage and act it out and converse with an assigned partner in class every week. Every performace will be graded and contributed to your final grade. Thus, one has to spend much time constantly studying the language and good at time organising.

The teaching of Japanese in NUS is very restricted to the textbook content. Students are not given much opportunities to express themselves freely like forming sentence of their own. Words that are yet learned are usually not encouraged to use in class, thus students would not be given much to advance in a faster speed.