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Japanese Language Studies

FLCL Menu
  • Languages sub-menuLanguages
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Although only spoken widely in one region of the world, Japanese carries a long literary history stretching back over 1,300 years. The Japanese Program at Bard aims to introduce students to the rich cultural history of Japan from the ancient period to the present, with a special focus on the modern period. Language classes offer training in both spoken and written Japanese, and literature courses introduce major texts from Japan while critically addressing issues of gender, urban modernity, nature and the environment, political and intellectual history, film, visual arts, and other forms of popular culture.

Japanese at Bard

  • Asian Studies Program
    The Asian Studies Program offers courses in anthropology, art history, classical studies, economics, film, gender studies, historical studies, human rights, literature, music, philosophy, political studies, religion, and theater. In consultation with a member of the program faculty, students select a regional and disciplinary focus in order to create a coherent program of study.
    Asian Studies Website
  • Language Support
    Bard College offers a variety of valuable Japanese language resources for students, faculty, and staff.
    Japanese Language Resources
    Japanese Media Portal
    Language Lab and Tutors
    Language Tables
  • Study Abroad
    Bard College offers a number of study abroad opportunities for students. While some programs have a strong focus on basic language acquisition coupled with an intensive program abroad, other programs allow exploration in advanced liberal arts courses through affiliated or independent institutions.
    Japanese Programs
Japanese Tutoring at Bard

Japanese Tutoring at Bard

From the Tutor

Tutorial is usually a small group session. Students review a lesson by writing worksheets, listening to dialogues and the latest news, speaking with classmates and playing gestures games and card games. In particular, I focus on conversation to learn the Japanese language in real life situations. Also, I introduce a variety of topics every week and it is about not only traditional culture but also pop culture, social issues, trends, and so on by using a book, newspaper, web resource, or YouTube. After each tutorial, students get a Japanese sticker and they can get an unofficial certificate of complete tutorial at the end of the semester!

Learn More about the Tutors

Japanese Language Resources

Japanese Media Portal

  • Dictionaries and Thesaurus

    Dictionaries and Thesaurus


    • Japanese - Dictionary App (iPhone) FREE
      This offline app contains more than 174,650 entries with example sentances and stroke-order animations, and allows users to create flashcard lists and study using SRS (Spaced Repetition System). This app is FREE right now on iTunes (formerly $7.00). Strongly recommended.
    • Denshi Jisho- Japanese - English
      Denshi Jisho provides definitions, pronunciations and example sentances and allows users to search for kanji by radical or by drawing.
    • OJAD - Online Japanese Accent Dictionary
      OJAD is a handy Japanese accent-learning website. It gives correct Japanese pronunciation and marked accent on vocabularies that appear in the textbook Genki and in many other Japanese-learning textbooks. Charts can be printed out for teaching purposes.

  • Culture and Literature

    Culture and Literature


    • Blog Ranking
      Blog ranking chart, highlighting the best blogs on literature, music, film and more daily
      Level: A1-C2

      Tokyo Art Beat
      A bilingual art and design guide which offers event listings and reviews . The site is updated daily and lists more than 500 current & upcoming art events, at any moment. Site in English.
      Level: A1-C2

      Book Asahi
      Reviews and news on the literature scene; a trustworthy website run by Asahi, the major newspaper company in Japan.
      Level: A1-C2

      ART IT
      A visually oriented, all bilingual (Japanese and English) quarterly magazine introducing the latest trends in the contemporary art scenes of Japan and the rest of the Asia-Pacific region.
      Level: A1-C2

      EIGA
      The biggest Japanese film review website, including reviews, interviews from directors and actors, upcoming movies, upcoming fan events etc.
      Level: A1-C2
    • ピートのふしぎなガレージ
      This podcast is a radio show on Tokyo FM, sponsored by Mitsubishi Motors. Due to the sponsorship, they tend to talk quite a bit about outdoor activities… because in Japan a car is pretty much required for those. Still, there is quite a variety of episodes.
      Each episode features an expert in a specific field and includes an interview.
  • Placement Tests and Practice Exams

    Placement Tests and Practice Exams


    • Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT)

      Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) under joint organization of the Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services (previously Association of International Education, Japan) started in 1984 as a test to measure and certify the Japanese-language proficiency of those whose native language is not Japanese. In the first year the JLPT was conducted in 15 countries, and approximately 7,000 examinees took the test. Since then, the JLPT has become the largest Japanese-language test in the world, with approximately 610,000 examinees in 62 countries and areas worldwide in 2011. This success is entirely due to the support and cooperation of all involved.Languages (CEFR) – the international standard for describing language ability. Find out what level you are or need to have.

      - Japanese-Language Proficiency Test N5 - Exam Training and additional Practice Material
      - Japanese-Language Proficiency Test N4 - Exam training and additional Practice Material
      - Japanese-Language Proficiency Test N3 - Exam training and additional Practice Material
      - Japanese-Language Proficiency Test N2 - Exam training and additional Practice Material
      - Japanese-Language Proficiency Test N1 - Exam training and additional Practice Material

  • Grammar and Vocabulary

    Grammar and Vocabulary


    • Cooljugator
      This website shows how to conjugate all Japanese verbs, in past, present, and future tenses. Cooljugator also has games and quizzes to practice grammar! The quizzes are for more advanced learners, and each question is graded and explanations are offered for incorrect answers.
      Level: A1-C2
    • Quizlet - Flashcards
      A great website to create your own vocabulary lists, print flashcards, test yourself with the “testmaker”, combine lists to study a select number of words from the last semester, etc. . Can also be used for individual classes, and as an app on your mobile device
      Level: A1 – C2
  • Podcasts

    Podcasts


    ART
    *Information to be placed*

    BOOKS and REVIEWS
    The Gift of the Magi - O Henry
    This is a free online recording of O Henry's classic short story translated into Japanese. (25 min) There is also a transcription of the story that you can read as you listen.

    MUSIC
    Oricon
    Japanese music industry standard albums popularity chart issued daily, weekly, monthly and yearly by Oricon. Charts are updated every Sunday.
    Level: A1-C2

    NEWS
    NHK news web easy
    News web easy is a easily understandable news website for elementary, middle school students and foreigners who are studying Japanese. Difficult kanji will be marked with katakana to help readers to read. The news is also reported in a relatively low speed.
    Level: A1-A2
    News In Slow Japanese
    This website contains short news stories on various topics at both slow and regular speeds, accompanied by text and vocabulary lists.

    POETRY
    Lyrik Line
    This website allows you to listen to poems from a huge selection of languages and countries read by their authors. It also provides written translations in several languages depending on the poem. An excellent resource for all language learners to improve listening and reading skills.
    Level: A1-C2
  • Speaking and Comprehension

    Speaking and Comprehension


    Text to Speech A natural sounding text-to-speech program with adjustable speed. Find an online text, copy and paste on to the website – open a word document – listen and Type!
    Level: A1-C1

    Online Japanese Accent Dictionary
    OJAD is a handy Japanese accent-learning website. It gives correct Japanese pronunciation and marked accent on vocabularies that appear in the textbook Genki and in many other Japanese-learning textbooks. Charts can be printed out for teaching purposes.

  • Reading and Writing

    Reading and Writing


    Pop Jisyo - Webreader & Dictionary
    Enter a japanese website url or text block into this site and it will provide readings and translations of individual words and characters when moused over.
    Level: A1-C2
    Practice Game
    Japanese keyboard practice game to learn Hiragana and Katakana
    Level: A1-B2
    Typing Practice
    Practice typing hiragana, katakana and kanji, including some sentence-level practice and dictation.
    Level: A1-B2

  • Teaching and Tutoring

    Teaching and Tutoring


    • Tumblr
      Really simple for people to make a blog and put whatever they want on it. Stories, photos, GIFs, TV shows, links, quips, dumb jokes, smart jokes, Spotify tracks, mp3s, videos, fashion, art, deep stuff. Tumblr is 229 million different blogs, filled with literally whatever.
    • Pinterest
      Collect resources for learning about the target culture with this virtual bulletin board; create a class board, where all students can "pin" images or websites that could later be used to spur discussion. See this example of German Teaching with Pinterest
    • Tourbuilder
      Tour Builder is a tool to tell a story. It is new way to show people the places you've visited (literally, virtually or in a text) and the experiences you had along the way using Google Earth. It lets you pick the locations right on the map, add in photos, text, and video, and then share your creation.
    • Worksheet Builder
      Create your own fill-in-the blank worksheets quickly - this webpage has a similar tool
    • 毎日まんがニュース
      This is a website that you can learn Japanese from Manga. One of the categories of this website ”コトバの違い(kotoba no tigai)” explains difference of Japanese falsely similar words with illustration.
      Level: A1-C2

In-House Network

  • Japanese Faculty and Tutors
    Professors:
    • Wakako Suzuki
    • Nathan Shockey
    Tutor: Nao Okada
    LC Staff: Yidao Ho, Deldar Golchehreh, Yuhan Song
  • Language Lab
    Monday–Friday: 8:00 am to 11:00 pm
    Saturday: 1:00 pm to 11:00 pm
    Sunday: 1:00 pm to 11:00 pm
    Contact: Stephanie Kufner
    Email: kufner@bard.edu
    Phone: 845-758-7443
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Annandale-on-Hudson, New York 12504-5000
Phone: 800-BARDCOL
Admission Phone: 845-758-7472
Admission E-mail: admission@bard.edu
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