Step 5 Japanese - Wednesdays 12pm (UK) from 4th Sept 2024
Step 5 Japanese - Wednesdays 12pm (UK) from 4th Sept 2024
An “upper elementary” group course. On Step 5, you’ll develop your core skills in Japanese further by discussing a range of topics.
This 10-week term runs from September to November and is based on Irodori Elementary 1 (Lesson 16 onwards), an online textbook which is FREE to download.
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
☆ Exchange greetings when you visit someone’s house.
☆ Talk about your belongings, for example, where you bought it or who gave it to you.
☆ Listen to and understand advice when when someone is feeling unwell.
☆ Look at posters about illnesses and more or less understand the contents, such as symptoms, prevention methods, etc.
☆ Read about 25 more kanji (Chinese characters used in Japanese) relating to the topics studied
Step 5 is ideal for you if...
★ You have experience (around 120 hours+) of studying Japanese at the elementary level
★ You can read hiragana and katakana. Previous kanji knowledge (about 150) will be helpful but is not essential.
For advice choosing the right level, please book a free 30-minute zoom consultation (click to see availability) or email me (anytime up until the course starts).
Term dates Autumn 2024
Step 5 will meet on Wednesdays at 12pm-12:55pm (UK). This 10-week Autumn term runs from September to November.
Step 5 term dates:
Wednesday 4th September to Wednesday 6th November
(no half term break in Autumn 2024)
Each lesson is 55 minutes.
Returning students
In September, most returning students should join the next level up (i.e. if you’re finishing Step 1 Summer Term, join Step 2 in Autumn).
For advice choosing the right level, please book a free 30-minute zoom consultation (click to see availability) or email me (anytime up until the course starts).
Online course
We use Zoom, an easy-to-use video calling programme. To join the class, you’ll need a device you can join a video call on. I’ll share my screen and show slides during the class, so I recommend using a device with a larger screen such as a computer or tablet, not a smartphone.
In class you’ll learn to speak and understand Japanese, through fun and creative communicative activities. Lessons are interactive and designed to get you speaking Japanese as much as possible. Depending on the class size, students do group and pair work in breakout rooms (smaller virtual rooms in Zoom).
Lessons on Conversation Courses are recorded, and I’ll share the recordings with you, so you can review the lessons. Time in breakout rooms is not recorded.
I ask students to mute yourselves when not speaking, to help cut down on background noise. To aid communication, I’d prefer you to have your camera on if possible, especially during group and pair work.
Class times are in UK time. If you are joining internationally, please note that the UK time zone changes partway through this course. Until 27th October 2024, the UK time zone is BST. After 27th October 2024, daylight savings ends and the UK time is GMT. The dates that the clocks change may be different from in your country.
Step Up Japanese is a fully online school. If you are based in Sussex, UK, I sometimes run informal social events in Brighton for my students, so I hope to see you there too!
Textbooks
Most Conversation Courses use digital textbooks, which are free to download. Some courses use a textbook which much be purchased separately. Please check the description for your course.
Course fees Autumn 2024
The cost is £185 for the 10-week term.
EARLY BIRD: Book before 8th July (5pm BST) for 10% off £185 £166.50
Enrolment deadline
Please enrol by Tuesday 27th August 5pm (BST). Enrolment is possible after this date, but it will help me to plan if you can sign up by 27th August :)
For advice choosing the right level, please book a free 30-minute zoom consultation (click to see availability) or email me (anytime up until the course starts).
Class size
All courses run with a minimum of 4 students and a maximum of 12. In Spring 2024, the average class size was 5 students.
Cancellation policy
Course fees are fully refundable until 14 days before the start of your booked course. If you cancel your booking less than 14 days before the start of the course, fees are refundable minus a £10 admin fee. Once the course has begun, fees are non-refundable.
Who can join?
My courses are for adults. I don’t teach under-18s (no exceptions, sorry).
Self-study
To get the most out of your language course, I recommend finding ways to practise Japanese outside of class. This could be reviewing what we studied in class, reading books or news, listening to online practice, watching Japanese films or shows, talking in Japanese with a friend or study partner - whatever you enjoy!
I give weekly homework via email after each lesson - usually 1 or 2 exercises such as preparing for the next lesson, online quizzes or games, listening or writing practice. Some homework is for everybody to do, and some is optional extra!
Intermediate, Upper Intermediate and Advanced Lessons
I also offer one-to-one lessons for students at all levels, including higher-level students.
Some personal news :)
I’m having a baby in December 2024, and in 2025 I’ll be on maternity leave. After the Autumn 2024 term, Step Up Japanese will take a 12-month break, and be back in January 2026.