JAPN 112: Elementary Japanese II

Elementary Japanese II continues spoken and written Japanese — adding katakana literacy and initial kanji character recognition.

What JAPN 112 covers

(For online sections, sound card, microphone, speakers, and occasional synchronous work required. Not open to native speakers of Japanese.) Prerequisite: JAPN 111 or appropriate score on a placement test. A continued introduction to spoken and written Japanese.

The goal is to communicate in Japanese in concrete, real-life situations using culturally appropriate language; read and write katakana; and recognize some kanji characters in context. Practice is provided in improving pronunciation and developing the oral and written skills used in everyday communication.

Typical JAPN 112 assignments

Expect an assignment requiring you to communicate in Japanese for a real-life situation, demonstrating katakana literacy and initial kanji recognition.

Key topics in JAPN 112

• Katakana reading and writing
• Initial kanji character recognition
• Continued elementary Japanese
• Everyday communication skills

Writing tips for JAPN 112

Follow the assignment instructions and rubric line by line

UMGC assignments for JAPN 112 are graded against a specific rubric or grading criteria your instructor provides — every requirement has to be visibly addressed. Skipping a requirement because it seems minor is one of the most common reasons a strong submission loses points.

Practice all four language skills, not just vocabulary

Elementary and intermediate language courses like JAPN 112 consistently grade listening, speaking, reading, and writing together — memorizing vocabulary lists without practicing real conversational structures and pronunciation is one of the fastest ways to fall behind the rubric.

Use culturally appropriate language and etiquette, not just correct grammar

UMGC's language courses consistently grade cultural appropriateness alongside grammatical accuracy — a grammatically correct sentence that ignores register, politeness conventions, or cultural context still loses points.

Why students seek help with JAPN 112

Students sometimes rely only on hiragana from JAPN 111 without the katakana literacy and kanji introduction JAPN 112 specifically adds — the rubric typically wants that script progression demonstrated.

How GradeEssays helps with JAPN 112

Share your Japanese assignment and rubric, and your writer will help you demonstrate the expanded katakana and kanji skills JAPN 112 requires.

Prerequisites and course context

JAPN 112 requires JAPN 111 or an appropriate score on a placement test. It is itself the required prerequisite (or placement test equivalent) for JAPN 114.

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