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 (Elementary1) is A2 level.

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

A2 level

3月3日

・Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of mostimmediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local
geography, employment).
・Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchangeof information on familiar and routine matters.

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.

・Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background,immediate environment and matters in areas of immediateneed.
Source: JF Standard for Japanese● Managing Your Own Study

Language Education 2010Users Guide Book

It is very important to evaluate and manage your learning by yourself in order to keep

(2nd edition)

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 (Elementary1 A2 Katsudoo ) course is designed with communicative
language activities at its heart. The suggested class length for one lesson is around 120180 minutes. In the middle and at the end of the course, you will do Test and Reﬂection 1and 2.

Course Example : with a class length of 120 minutes

Rikai : a coursebook for communicative language competences
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.

120 minutes × 8

lessonlessonlessonlesson

1

10

11

18

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

Test and Reﬂection 213

2 Topic and Lesson Flow

Learn the Objectives

Try Using

Each topic contains two lessons. Look

Speak in pairs using

at the photographs and talk about what

the expressions in thekind of thing you think you are going toconversations you listened

do. Check the Can-do statements to see

to. Oval bubbles show otherwhat you will be able to do by the end of

expressions you can use.

each lesson.

If you cannot do it well, try
listening to the conversation
again. Audio ﬁles for Lesson
Listen and Notice

Review (p151-159) are alsoavailable for practice.

You will listen to a lot of contextualizedconversations. As well as understanding
the contents of the conversation, it is important tograsp the ﬂow of the conversation and notice theexpressions that are often used. Audio ﬁles : URL → p17

Can-do CheckLook, Listen and Try Saying

After the lesson check by yourself whether you could do theListen to theCan-do statements and write a comment.

recording andCan-do Check p178-p181

URL → p17

check your understanding
while pointing at thephotographs and illustrations.

Life and Culture

Try saying the words andYou will look at a variety of photographs showing Japanese life andsentence patterns quietly

culture. You will compare it with both your own country and yourself,

as you listen. Remember theand discuss what you think with the class.

words that you need.
Audio ﬁles : URL → p17

Icons
A lot of photographs andListen and repeatillustrations are used to makethe lesson contents easy toThis part shows the correct form

understand and fun to study.

of words. Keep them in mind
Discover the Rule

DiscoverTalk in pairs

Write

Read / Recognise

Add to your portfolio

Rate your performance using
the 'Can-do Check'

while practising.

Think about the form and meaning of thesentences you noticed in the conversations, andns
re s siod ex pnasion
Wo r dattent
ld payuohs
youthen discover the rule of language usage.

-san : In Japanese, san is put after other people'snames to show respect or politeness.（Abe-san ）to14

Abe-sanNoda-sanJapanJapan

AudiosoundListen

Kimu-san(Kim-san)Shin-san(Singh-san)

Korea

India

Kawai-sanJapan

Hose-san(Jose-san)MexicoTanaka-san

Satoo-san

Yoshida-san

Japan

Japan

Japan

Joi-san(Joy-san)Australia

Suzuki-sanJapan

Yan-san(Yang-san)Kaara-san(Carla-san）Tairaa-san(Tyler-san）Malaysia

FranceU. K.

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

・ Go to Japanese restaurants

・ Go to events related to Japan・ Talk 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

・ Can-do Check１）Can-do Check
Do the Can-do Check (p178-p181) when you ﬁnish a lesson. Look back on your study
and write comments. You can write in your preferred language.

● Learning support websites
・ MARUGOTO Plus・ MARUGOTO Words

Examples of comments● Teachers resources

・ I can give directions in Japanese, to a
Japanese person I meet in the street.
・ Now I can introduce my hometown in Japanese.
・ I was surprised to hear about one of myclassmates' experience of learning a foreignlanguage.

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 wrote using Japanese (e.g. comments on a website, 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(p86-p87 and p140-p141).

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