JapaH~S~HEADSTARTSTUDENTGUIDE

JA 0099 S

JAPANESEHEADSIARI

STUDENT GUIDEFEBRUARY 1980

DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE, FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTERPREFACE

The course of study you are about to begin has been
designed to make your stay in Japan more enjoyable and rewarding. The 10 modules of this course provide practical language
ski lis and cultural information that wi II make it easier for
you to get around and adjust to life in Japan. Since thecourse is self-paced and most of the modules may be taken inany sequence, you are free to decide which module to study
first and how much time to devote to it.
The eight modules which provide instruction in spoken
Japanese are based on recordings of native speakers. As yougo through these modules, you wi II interact with the voices on
the tape. Each time you are asked to say something in Japanes~
you wit I hear the correct version immediately after yourresponse. A self-evaluation quiz at the end of each module
wi I I give you a chance to test your fluency.
In addition to the eight spoken-language modules, there isone module devoted to cultural information and an optionalmodule that introduces the Japanese writing system. Thesemodules also have quizzes to help you evaluate your achievements.
Depending on where you are stationed, there may be native
Japanese personnel with whom you can practice the language inrole-playing situations. By al I means, tryout your new abilities as soon as possible in the real situation. You wil I be
surprised at how quickly you wi I l-rearn to communicate youreveryday needs in Japanese.

i i

ABOUT THE COURSEThe Japanese Headstart Program can help make your stay inJapan rewarding by providing essential language skills andcultural information. Unl ike traditional "textbook Japanese,"
this course focuses on the kind of practical, everyday
Japanese you will need to go shopping, ask directions, or ridethe subway.
The program is designed to be challenging and stimulating,and it can be fun. The suggestions in this guide can help
you get the most from the program.
Headstart is a self-instructional course. According todirections on tape and in your text, you wi II repeat words andphrases given by native speakers of Japanese, ask and answer
questions in Japanese, and practice using the Japanese phrases
you are learning.
You are urged to study the course materials at your ownpace. There should be no time I imits except those you set forfinishing each of the modules and the whole course.

Eight of the printed language-instruction modules in thiscourse are accompanied by recorded material on cassettes. The
recorded and printed language material must be used together
for best results.
In addition, the course contains two
modules without recorded material:
notes on Japanese culture
and an optional reading-writing module deal ing with signs andmenus.
The subjects covered in each module of the course are as
fo I lows:
ModuleModuleModuleModuleModuleModule

I:

2:
3:

4:
5:

6:

Cultural Background
Greetings and Introductions
Directions
Eating Out
Shopping and Repairs
Subways and Trains

HEADS TART

Module 7:
Module 8:
Module 9:
Module 10:

STUDENT GUIDE

Taxis
PricesTime
Signs and Menus (optional)

Although the modules are numbered, you are encouraged tostudy the first seven in any order you choose. Modules 8 and9 should not be attempted before you have mastered Modules
I through 7.
L t ke the other modu I es, Modu I e 10 (S i gns and Menus) is
designed to give you practical ski lis that wi II be useful indai Iy situations. The module is optional because it deals
with written Japanese and the Headstart Program is primarily
concerned with spoken Japanese. Most students of Japanesefind the written language fascinating; we hope you wil I, too.
In any event, the cue cards contained in the module can be
carried with you wherever you go and wil I help you get aroundin Japan. You can use the cards to identify the names, written In characters, of train and subway stations, signs seen
when shopping, restaurant signs, and items on Japanese menus.

Each of the eight basic language modules of the Japanese
Headstart Program is divided into nine parts:I.

OBJECTIVES, a statement of what you can expect to learn
from the module (printed material only);

2.

VOCABULARY, a I isting of Japanese words introduced in themodule (printed and recorded material);

3.

NOTES, a detat led preview of the subject (printed materialonly);

4.

DRILLS, in which you wil I use Japanese expressions(printed and recorded material);

5.

DIALOGUES, to which you first I isten and in which you thenplay the role of an American conversing in Japanese(printed and recorded material);

6.

SELF-EVALUATION QUIZ, by which you check your progress(printed and recorded material);

7.

REVIEW AND REMEDIATION, a I isting of specific material tobe restudied to correct deficiencies (printed materialonly);

2HEADSTARTSTUDENT GUIDE8.

SUPPLEMENTARY SELF-EVALUATION QUIZ, to retest, if
necessary, your understanding of material in the module(printed and recorded material);

9.

ADDITIONAL VOCABULARY, a I ist of words which can be helpful in the situations covered (printed and recorded material).

In addition to the 10 modules, the Headstart Program
includes a Glossary of all the words and phrases that are
introduced in the course, arranged alphabetically in both
Japanese-Engl ish and Engl ish-Japanese. The Glossary should
help refresh your memory whenever you forget a word or phrase
you learned earl ier and is a handy tool to use whenever you
wish to review.

Use your Japanese Headstart Program materials In the way
you think is best for you. Here are some suggested ways toachieve best results:
I.

Modules I through 7 are designed to be studied in any
sequence you wish. Study the module that looks interesting to you.
If you are going downtown for Japanese foodthis weekend, take Eating Out first--or Subways and Trains-or Signs and Menus.
It's up to you!

2.

If you already know some Japanese and think you can meetthe objectives of a particular module, turn immediately to
the Self-evaluation Quiz. If you complete the Quiz withat least 80 percent accuracy, you may not need to study
the module.

3.

Don't try to do too much in one study session. When you
start to feel that you've had enough, take a coffee breakor stop and review for awhile. Learning Japanese should
be fun, not work.

4.

If you are I istening to recorded material and have trouble
understanding a passage, don't hesitate to stop the tape.
You may go back and I isten to the passage as many times as
you I ike. As a general rule, it's not a good idea to getin the habit of stopping the tape just to give yourself
more time to think before responding, but it may be necessary once in awhi Ie.

3HEADSTARTSTUDENT GUIDE

5.

When you are working with the recorded vocabulary in part2 of each module, follow the instructions as given on thetape. First, I isten carefully to the Japanese word(s)and the Engl ish equivalent. Second, I isten again andrepeat each item after it is pronounced in Japanese. Try
hard to pronounce as the speaker does on the tape. Third,stop the tape and study the vocabulary thoroughly.
Finally, listen again to the Japanese and identify theEnglish meanings.

6.

If you have access to an instructor or native speaker ofJapanese, take advantage of the opportunity to simulatesituations by role playing. This wi I I give you confidence in your abi I ity to communicate and help you tocorrect any mistakes you may be making.

7.

The "proof of the pudding" is the real situation. Onceyou have completed a module, tryout your Japanese assoon as you can in a real-I ife situation.
It wi I I berewa rd i ng when you rea I i ze that what you lea rned rea I I Yworks.

4

ABOUT THE LANGUAGE

No attempt is made in the Headstart Program to analyze thegrammar of the Japanese language. However, you should beaware of some of the important differences between Japaneseand Eng Ii sh:
I.

The Japanese language has no words for "a," "an," and"the." For examp Ie, "a bu i I ding" a nd "the bu i I ding" arethe same in Japanese. -2.

Often no distinction is possible in Japanese between
sin g u I a ran d p I u r a I. For e xa mpie, "b u i I din,9.." and"bui Iding~" are the same in Japanese.

3.

The Japanese equivalents of "I," "me," "you," and otherpronouns are often left out of Japanese sentences. Onemust listen carefu I I Y to the sentence in context to understand what is being discussed.

4.

Sometimes the Japanese subject of a sentence is understood
but not expressed. When the subject of a sentence isexpressed, it is almost always the first word in the-sentence. The verb is almost always the last word in a sentence.

5.

In Japanese there is no difference in word order between
a statement and a question. When the Japanese want to ask
a question, they add the word ka at the end of a statement.
The word ka is one of severa I sma I I words in Japanese(others include wa" ga" 0" te" de" no" and ni) called"sentence particles." They are used in Japanese sentences
to indicate the functions of particular words within sentences. For example, both wa and ga indicate that thepreceding word is the subject of a sentence. 0 indicatesthat the preceding word is a direct object. To learn
conversational Japanese, it is not necessary to study theseparticles because sometimes they are omitted in everyday
conversation. For this reason, some sentences introducedin the Japanese Headstart Program are given with particles
left out.

5HEADSTART

6.

The words

STUDENT GUIDE

are~

kore~

and sore are pronouns for things:

are refers to things at a distance from both the speaker
and the listener;
kore refers to things near the speaker, meaning "this one"or "this thing";
sore refers to things near the I istener, meaning "thatone" or "that thing."

I
6

GUIDE TO THE TAPES
MODULE 2, GREETINGS AND INTRODUCTIONSSide 1:
Side 2:

Part 2:
Part 4:
Part 4:
Part 5:
Part 6:
Part 8:
Part 9:Vocabulary
Fluency Drills (1 - 15)
Fluency Drills (16 - 18)
Dialogues
Self-evaluation Quiz
Supplementary Self-evaluation Quiz
Additional Vocabulary

MODULE 3, DIRECTIONSSide 1:
Side 2:
Side 3:

Part 2:
Part 4:
Part 4:
Part 5:
Part 5:
Part 6 :Part 8:
Part 9:Vocabulary
Fluency Drills (1 - 4)
Fluency Drills (5 - 17)
Dialogues (1 - 16)
Dialogues (17 - 25)
Self-evaluation Quiz
Supplementary Self-evaluation Quiz
Additional Vocabulary

MODULE 4, EATING OUT
Side 1:
Side 2:
Side 3:

Part 2:
Part 4:
Part 4:
Part 5:
Part 5:
Part 6:
Part 8:
Part 9:Vocabulary
Fluency Drills (1 - 7)
Fluency Drills (8 - 18)
Dialogues (1 - 7)
Dialogues (8 - 10)
Self-evaluation Quiz
Supplementary Self-evaluation Quiz
Additional Vocabulary

MODULE 5, SHOPPING AND REPAIRSSide 1:
Side 2:
Side 3:

Part 2:
Part 4:
Part 4:
Part 5:
Part 5:
Part 6:
Part 8:
Part 9 :Vocabulary
Fluency Drills (1 - 3)
Fluency Drills (4 - 25)
Dialogues (1 - 7)
Dialogues (8 - 20)
Self-evaluation Quiz
Supplementary Self-evaluation Quiz
Additional Vocabulary

7

MODULE 6, SUBWAYS AND TRAINSSide 1:
Side 2:
Side 3:
Side 4:

Part 2:
Part 4:
Part 4:
Part 4:Part 5:
Part 5:
Part 6:
Part 8:
Part 9 :Vocabulary
Fluency Drills (1 - 5)
Fluency Drills (632)
Fluency Drills (33 - 45)
Dialogues (1 - 3)
Dialogues (4 - 6)
Self-evaluation Quiz
Supplementary Self-evaluation Quiz
Additional Vocabulary-MODULE 7, TAXISSide 1:
Side 2:
Side 3:

Part 2:
Part 4:
Part 4:
Part 5:
Part 6 :Part 8:
Part 9:Vocabulary
Fluency Drills (1 - 4)
Fluency Drills (5 - 10)
Dialogues
Self-evaluation Quiz
Supplementary Self-evaluation Quiz
Additional Vocabulary

MODULE 8, PRICESSide 1:
Side 2:
Side 3:
Side 4:

Part 2:
Part 4:
Part 4:
Part 4:
Part 5:
Part 6:
Part 8:
Part 9 :Vocabulary
Fluency Drills (1 - 4)
Fluency Drills (5 - 16)
23)
Fluency Drills (17Dialogues
Self-evaluation Quiz
Supplementary Self-evaluation Quiz
Additional Vocabulary-MODULE 9, TIME
Side 1:
Side 2:
Side 3:
Side 4:

Part 2:
Part 4:
Part 4:
Part 4:
Part 5 :Part 5:
Part 6 :Part 8:
Part 9:Vocabulary
Fluency Drills (1 - 2)
Fluency Drills (3 - 12)
Fluency Drills (13 - 28)
Dialogues (1 - 10)
Dialogues (11 - 20)
Self-evaluation Quiz
Supplementary Self-evaluation Quiz
Additional Vocabulary8