Features of This Book

Katsudoo and Rikai should both be seen as main study materials. Decide which to choose
based on your learning objectives. In addition, Katsudoo and Rikai use the same topics. If

Marugoto: Japanese Language and Culture is a coursebook that is based on the JF
Standard for Japanese Language Education. It has the following features.

● Japanese Levels of JF Standard for Japanese Language Education

you use both, you can make progress in your overall Japanese proﬁciency.

● Intercultural Understanding
Marugoto offers learning in both language and culture. There is help with interculturalunderstanding in various places, such as the situations of the conversations, contents ofMarugoto employs levels that correspond to the six stages of the JF Standard forJapanese Language Education (A1-C2). Marugoto (Starter) is A1 level.

the conversations, photographs and illustrations. Learn about Japanese culture, reﬂect on
your own culture and deepen your intercultural understanding.

A1 level

3月3日

・Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases
aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type.
・Can introduce him/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about
personal details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and things
日本文化センターで、すしをつくりました。
とてもたのしかったです。
If I compare Japanese food with Australian food, theyboth rely on fresh ingredients and the natural tastes ofthe fresh ingredients.

he/she has.
・Can interact in a simple way provided the other person
talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.
Source: JF Standard for Japanese Language
Education 2010
Users

● Managing your own Study

G u i d e B o o k (2 n dIt is very important to evaluate and manage your learning by yourself in order to keepedition)

going in language learning. Make a record of the Japanese language and culture you havestudied using the portfolio. When you look at the portfolio, you can clearly understand yourown learning processes and your accomplishments.

● Two Marugoto coursebooks:

Katsudoo and Rikai

Marugoto offers two methods of study aimed at enabling you to communicate using
Japanese: Katsudoo and Rikai .

Katsudoo : a coursebook for communicative language activities
・ For people who want to start using Japanese immediately
・ The objective is to gain practical ability communicating in everyday situations.
・ You will practise listening to and speaking Japanese a lot.

How to Use This Book
1 Course Flow
The Marugoto (Starter A1 Katsudoo ) course is designed with communicative language
activities at its heart. One lesson will be studied in each class hour. The suggested classlength for one lesson is around 90-120 minutes. In the middle and at the end of the course,
you will do Test and Reﬂection 1 and 2, so there will be a total of twenty classes.

Standard Course Example

Rikai : a coursebook for communicative language competences90-120 minutes × 10

・ For people who want to learn about Japanese・ The objective is to study the features of the Japanese language that arenecessary for communication.

90-120 minutes × 8lesson

lessonlessonlesson1101118

・ You will systematically study how Japanese is used in communication.
Test and Reﬂection 1
12

Test and Reﬂection 213

2 Topic and Lesson Flow

The Roman alphabet is used to lighten the burden ofLearn the Objectives

reading Japanese characters. The instructions also
Each topic has two lessons. Look at the photographs andcontain an English translation.

talk about what kind of thing you think you are going todo. Check the Can-do statements to see what you will beable to do by the end of each lesson.
A lot of p h otog ra p hs a n dillustrations are used to makethe lesson contents easy tounderstand and fun to study.

Look, Listen and Try Saying
Listen to the recording and check your understanding

Can-do Check

while pointing at the photographs and illustrations. Try

Af ter the lesson check bysaying the words and sentence patterns quietly as you listen.

yourself whether you could do theRemember the words that you need.

Can- do statements and write a

Audio ﬁles URL → p17

comment.
Listen and Find

Can-do Check p144-p145

URL → p17

You will listen to a lot of contextualized conversations. As well as understanding thecontents of the conversation, it is important to grasp the ﬂow of the conversation andnotice the expressions that are often used.

Life and Culture
You will look at a variety of photographs showing Japanese life andAudio ﬁles URL → p17

culture. You will compare it with both your own country and yourself,
Try Usingand discuss what you think with the class.

Speak in pairs using
the expressions in theconversations you listened to. If you
cannot do it well, try listening to theconversation again.

nsre s sio
d ex pnasion
Wo r dattent
ld payuohsyouto14

Abe-sanJapan

Noda-sanJapan

Kimu-san(Kim-san)Korea

Shin-san(Singh-san)India

Kawai-sanJapan

Hose-san(Jose-san)MexicoIcons
Listen and repeat

ListenTalk in pairs

Write

Read / Recognise

Add to your portfolio

Rate your performance using
the 'Can-do Check'

AudiosoundTanaka-sanJapan

Satoo-sanJapan

Yoshida-sanJapan

Joi-san(Joy-san)Australia

Suzuki-sanJapan-san : In Japanese, san is put afteroth e r p e o ple's na m e s to s h ow
respect or politeness.（Abe-san ）Yan-san(Yang-san)Malaysia

Kaara-san(Carla-san）France 15

3 Activities for Intercultural Understanding

6 Related Information

Marugoto is a course where you study language and culture together. You should use

Marugoto Portal Site

Japanese and experience Japanese culture outside the classroom as well.
・ Look at Japanese websites

・ Watch Japanese dramas and ﬁlms

・ Try going to Japanese restaurants

・ Try going to events related to Japan・ Try talking to Japanese friends and acquaintances

https://www.marugoto.jpf.go.jp/en/

You can download the resources and access the websites listed below free of charge.

● Resources to use with the textbook
・ Audio ﬁlesTalk about the things you have experienced outside the classroom with your classmates.

・ Task sheets for writing
・ Vocabulary index
・ Phrase index

4 How to Manage your own Learning

・ Word book１）Can-do Check・ Can-do Check

Do the Can-do Check (p144-p145) when you ﬁnish a lesson. Look back on your study
and write comments. You can write in your preferred language.

● Learning support website
・ MARUGOTO Plus・ MARUGOTO Words

Examples of comments
・ I was really happy because I had the same

● Teachers resourcesinterests as the person I spoke to.
・ I learnt something about Japan and it was
really enjoyable.
・ I can now read some Japanese charactersand it has given me conﬁdence.

〈Word book〉２）Portfolio
Make a record of both your study and experiences of Japanese language andintercultural understanding. In order to reflect, put the following kinds of things into
your portfolio.
① Can-do Check② Tests③ Things you made yourself using Japanese (e.g. e-mail, cards, and so on)④ Records of experiences with Japanese language and culture

5 Tests
For information about the procedure and contents of the tests, see Test and Reflection(p71-p72 and p114-p115).

1617