Japanese language programs

[BC]

In case you are considering doing something stateside, you might try the
Monterey Institute of International Studies in California or the Middlebury
programs in Vermont (though these might be geared towards younger people?  I
don't know much about Middlebury).  I believe that Cornell also does
something similar.

Some years ago when I was starting out I did an intensive Japanese program
at Stanford's summer session, and it was exceedingly good because there were
only two of us in the class!

But if you can manage to get to Japan to do it, by all means go that route.

I wouldn't under any circumstance recommend Rosetta Stone.  Textbooks
(usually of 1970s-80s vintage are best) will get you up to speed in no time;
as a PhD candidate I assume you have no qualms about reading!  It will help
you in the long run more than fun graphics and flashcard drills will.  (With
apologies to previous poster.)

Barring all of these options, you can have your own intensive program by
hiring a tutor privately.  This may hurt your pocketbook, but Tachibana
Takashi seems to agree that you can learn something 10x faster when you do
it alone; group classes lessen the cost, but also the learning potential.

Benito Cachinero


On Thu, Feb 4, 2010 at 10:30 PM, <drainer at mpinet.net> wrote:

> Hi Robyn,
>
> Unfortunately that seems to be the requirement for most formal
> institutions, though I think there could be placement tests. Perhaps others
> on the list could give you better advice on specifics.
>
> Cornell University also has a good program (FALCON) designed for
> beginner/intermediate/advanced students, though the costs are a bit
> prohibitive.
>
> There are many intensive language schools in Japan, some good, many bad.
> There is an institute which keeps costs low--the name escapes me, anyone
> remember it? I think it is somewhere in kansai and starts with an Y, though
> I am not sure at all....
>
> Your best bet would be an intensive course at a university in Japan for one
> or two semesters, though I am not sure if you have the time as you are a
> focusing on the PhD.
>
> To be honest, I would even recommend Rosetta Stone, if you've got the time
> and patience and can get it through your department. It's not the greatest
> learning tool in the world, but it works well enough for an intermediate
> learner or someone adept at listening.
>
> I did not take three semesters of Japanese at university, so I had to learn
> on my own (and trust me, I never studied). In my experience, listening is
> the key...the hardest part is bridging the gap between intermediate and
> advanced...after that, just get a Nintendo DS and some Kanji learning games!
>
>
> -d
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robyn Citizen" <rc1434 at nyu.edu>
>
> To: <KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu>
> Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2010 9:55 PM
>
> Subject: Re: Japanese language programs
>
>
>  Thanks! I checked into IUC but the it seems that I have to be somewhat
>> more proficient in Kanji (500-700 characters) then I currently am and need
>> to have three semesters of university courses in Japanese.
>>
>> Robyn Citizen
>> PhD Candidate
>> Cinema Studies
>> New York University
>> alternate e-mail: ladykaede1221 at gmail.com
>>
>>
>>
>> "I'm giving her all she's got Captain!" - Scotty, Star Trek 2009
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Lindsay Nelson <lrnelson at usc.edu>
>> Date: Thursday, February 4, 2010 9:45 pm
>> Subject: Re: Japanese language programs
>> To: KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
>>
>>  I second IUC Yokohama, have heard great things from friends who did it--I
>>> did a one-year intensive program at Sophia that was really helpful (I
>>> think
>>> they've also got a summer course now, www.sophia.ac.jp), and I applied
>>> for a
>>> similar program at Waseda.
>>>
>>> On Thu, Feb 4, 2010 at 6:40 PM, Eija Niskanen <eija.niskanen at gmail.com
>>> >wrote:
>>>
>>> > Hi!
>>> >
>>> > This one, IUC in Yokohama, is a good one. I studied their 1-yr
>>> > program, but they have summer courses as well.
>>> >
>>> > http://www.stanford.edu/dept/IUC/
>>> >
>>> > Eija
>>> >
>>> > On Fri, Feb 5, 2010 at 11:37 AM, Robyn Citizen <rc1434 at nyu.edu> wrote:
>>> > > Hi all,
>>> > >
>>> > > I was wondering if anyone on the list could recommend a good
>>> program or
>>> > school in Japan for intensive short-term (summer) Japanese lessons.
>>> > >
>>> > > I've been learning Japanese informally and through weekly Japan > >
>>> Society
>>> > classes for a couple of years now and have decided that at 30 and
>>> with a
>>> > natural ineptitude when it comes to grammar, I probably need to
>>> invest in
>>> > the immersion experience if only for a brief period.
>>> > >
>>> > > Ideally, this will put me on the right track to being able to watch
>>> > Japanese movies without subtitles - which is necessary since I can
>>> only find
>>> > certain films like KIKU TO ISAMU, without them - and read the
>>> original text
>>> > of film reviews and analyses by Japanese critics.
>>> > >
>>> > > Thanks much,
>>> > >
>>> > > Robyn Citizen
>>> > > PhD Candidate
>>> > > Cinema Studies
>>> > > New York University
>>> > > alternate e-mail: ladykaede1221 at gmail.com
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > > "I'm giving her all she's got Captain!" - Scotty, Star Trek 2009
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > --
>>> > Eija Niskanen
>>> > c/o Fujita
>>> > Kichijoji Honcho 4-12-6
>>> > Musashino-shi
>>> > Tokyo 180-0004
>>> >
>>>
>>
>
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