*This post is to be updated as JCSS releases more information in the coming weeks*

The Japanese Cultural Society Language School is due to open its registration intake during mid-December for the general public.

Those interested in registering for any of their courses, from Elementary to Advanced III, please leave your forum name here so that we can try to go there as a club.

Pick up the Japanese language and pwn the lyrics during our karaoke sessions (for example). No need for printed romaji lyrics or laptops

Date of Registration: TBA
Time: 8.30am
Meeting Place: Bugis MRT Station
What To Bring: Yourself, Identity Card, Cash & Supporting Documents if registering for anything other than elementary

Why don't we just learn it in school? lol It's free too.

Not entirely free when we've paid the school fees.

Biggest reason not to learn in school is because their curriculum is SLOW. This is theoretically the fastest route to Level 3 in NTU, if you are lucky enough to squeeze into a Level 1 class during Year 1 Semester 1:

- Level 1 (Normal Semester)
- Level 2 (Normal Semester)
- Level 3 (Special Semester)
- Level 4 (Normal Semester) = JLPT Level 4
- Level 6 (Normal Semester) = JLPT Level 3

Assuming that Level 3 is offered during the special semester, you can register for JLPT 3 while taking NTU's Level 6 during the second academic year. No further courses for JLPT Levels 2 and 1 are offered.

By contrast, the intensive courses offered by JCSS can sufficiently prepare you for a pass at JLPT 3 (scoring well is another matter) within the first academic year. Their curriculum then transitions to covering JLPT 2 and 1, where the grammar and sentence structures are the real killers.

Only reason for anyone to learn the language in school is to practice on the conversational aspects, which can be easily done by speaking more, and get that 'A' grade to pull overall GPA up (basically what I am currently doing).

Have I mentioned that the NTU tutors are "cutesy"?

mazatsushi wrote:
Have I mentioned that the NTU tutors are "cutesy"?

is this the same thing as moe? if it is then SIGN ME UP

in 2 years' time anime meetings will be conducted entirely in japanese and animations screened w/out subtitles right

ufufu~

Nah. You have to keep in mind that there will be new members coming in. Unless they know Jap as well.

wwy wrote:

mazatsushi wrote:
Have I mentioned that the NTU tutors are "cutesy"?

is this the same thing as moe? if it is then SIGN ME UP

in 2 years' time anime meetings will be conducted entirely in japanese and animations screened w/out subtitles right

ufufu~

+we'll have a moe-sensei during our meetings too, so come join animeworks

As expected, I failed to get into a Level 1 class in the first sem. :/ I'm curious though, what's the workload like? Right now I'm already dying under first sem workload, not sure if I should take up anything more... ._.

Btw, anyone knows of the cost for the Elementary course? I can't seem to find it anywhere...

draxander wrote:As expected, I failed to get into a Level 1 class in the first sem. :/ I'm curious though, what's the workload like? Right now I'm already dying under first sem workload, not sure if I should take up anything more... ._.

Btw, anyone knows of the cost for the Elementary course? I can't seem to find it anywhere...

The workload for the NTU level 1 class is actually quite little, as all the japanese courses got a syallabus cut about 1 or 2 years ago. As someone who did not have any prior learning of the language when I attended the class, I'd say it is at least a course which rewards you according to how much you practise, unlike my cores which is more than often not the case.
Though, more than often there're a lot of people who have learnt japanese one way or another and still take Level 1, so will have to compete against them for the grade. However, most of my friends who have learnt japanese before didn't get an A in NTU, guess usually they get a little cocky eh

i'd like to go too, but like, draxander, i'm worried about workload and timetable clash... although, specifically whether to go regular or intensive...

regular course on weekends seems the most suitable if i want to take things at a more relax pace... but joan strongly suggested going intensive. the course isnt too hard, i guess... and for weekday class timings, might as take it intensive...

but looking at the intensive course, classes begin at either 1810h or 1920h, which may be quite a bit of rush of my classes ended at 1830h (obviously impossible for 1810h)...

any idea if class schedules for various modules are the same every semester? easier to plan for jap classes if i know my next semester timetable, otherwise i would probably go regular since school has to take priority...

(or i could purposely underload... )

I went up to jap level 2 before I decided to play with other electives.

I felt the first level is intensive because you need to start learning a new language from scratch; the list of hiragana and katakana in the first few weeks is quite immense, not something you can learn off watching anime as it's all subbed.

When I took jap level 1 in ntu i think it was 2 sessions a week, 3hrs per session. Every lesson there's a mini-quiz for brushing up on hiragana/katakana. Then there's mid-term paper, end of sem oral exam, listening comprehension, written paper.

what I can remember for now

Just finished my NTU Level 1 listening today. Its speed is akin to what will be experienced during the JLPT 2 listening test.

For absolute beginners, that speed is WAY beyond their capabilities. No pushover even after switching to hyper attentive mode, but thank goodness the only casualty was just a bruised ego

mazatsushi wrote:Just finished my NTU Level 1 listening today. Its speed is akin to what will be experienced during the JLPT 2 listening test.

For absolute beginners, that speed is WAY beyond their capabilities. No pushover even after switching to hyper attentive mode, but thank goodness the only casualty was just a bruised ego

Just finished mine today too, after being stunned for level 1, was better prepared so could follow the passage this time round, though still had some parts which I didn't catch clearly. And I had to make a small mistake during oral test.

Hmm so who's still thinking of signing up for the external course? I think I might, though not confirmed...