Prof. Yamamoto conducted the second session of the Elementary Japanese I class of the Fall 2020 Semester over the online learning platform. This course is designed for new students who have little or no knowledge of the Japanese language and will emphasize basic Japanese grammar and conversational skills using a variety of techniques such as working in pairs, role-playing and interviewing in order to prepare students for navigating life in Japan. The hiragana and katakana syllabaries and some kanji (Chinese characters) are also briefly introduced.

By the end of this course, students will have acquired sufficient knowledge of the Japanese language necessary for engaging in basic but useful conversations, learn about the culture and people of Japan, and further develop a Japanese vocabulary through conversation in the real world.

In the second session, Prof. Yamamoto focused on basic conversation along with essential vocabulary for shopping and buying groceries at a Japanese supermarket.

She highlighted important areas of how the language works, such as the SOV sentence structure and appropriate use of honorifics. Her lively teaching style is well-suited and encouraging for many students who are studying Japanese for the first time. She used the breakout room function of the online platform to have students engage one another in pairs, simulating the usage of the target grammar and new vocabulary in a situational context.